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Yeah they still do Mambas. The two notable ESC nowadays are the XLX2 (big boi ESC for speed running) and the MMX8s, 8s capable ESC for something up to an X-Maxx. I did run an MMX8s in a Kraton EXB (with a way too huge motor), did like it - but at almost twice the price of a HW system, failed to see the advantage really. I could get all three, if it wasn't for the small issue that i also want a Typhon Grom and am currently planning my next crawler build - which, in the spread sheet, already sits neatly over four digits by a slight margin. Sadly, i'm not made of money. 😁 Putting it next to the X-Maxx has to (and will, for myself) suffice.

Got this collected for me the other day but only just got my hands on it. Proper bargain so was rude not to

You could argue it's the replacement, yeah. If i'm not mistaken (i'm not 100% certain, so you'd need to confirm yourself), the E-Revo is now a 1/16th rig. The main issue with TRX connectors is that they're not compatible with normal chargers, without hassle - and vice versa. Of course, there's the price on top - you can get much better packs for much, much less money. You could use a normal LiPo with a TRX connector to connect to their ESCs, but again, i'd just resolder it to your connector of choice. The hobby is relentless, you'll not stick with just one RC eventually. Bullet connectors like the XT90s etc are so simple to solder that, if you've ever held a soldering iron, it's childs play. I'd get two pairs of connectors (one to play with), and just get over it. 😉 Yeah, the Max8 has basically an unblemished record to the point where people generally assume user error first if one goes wrong. They're as bulletproof as ESCs come, and with OTA programmers etc they're convenient too. Not like there's many options left anyway, Castle is usually overpriced (and are less reliable), reserved for mostly "hardcore applications" (like speed running) due to a less strict/invasive amp/temp limiter. Max8 etc are built "safer", but you can wring more power out of a Castle system at the expense of safety. Noticed yesterday that there's a Mini Maxx coming, so i'll be having another Maxx (even if a tiny one lol) too, to put next to the big boi.

New Traxxas Mini Maxx looks to be a blast

Vanquish VRD Carbon 👍

@m4inbrain curious to what the new crawler is based on ?

Is the Sledge the replacement for the E-Revo? It looks pretty cool, not had a chance to do anymore research on it yet though - will probably just end up with the Maxx for now TBH. Yeah I wasn't planning to get Traxxas batteries, I was just wondering what the extra wires were and if I could use normal lipos to connect to the ESC, cos the TRX connectors on the rig look different/wider. What's the problem with TRX connectors? I used to use them quite a bit 'back in the day' lol. I used to be alright at soldering, but as with anything RC it's been a while since I've done any, so would need to practice a bit to rebuild my confidence with changing the ESC connectors straight away. Will probably go with adaptors for now - hopefully that'll be OK. Yeah I don't want a Traxxas charger or batteries, too limiting cos I know I'll be getting other stuff in the future 🙂 Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely be refreshing my memory on lipos and chargers over the coming days/weeks, got a bit of time before November before I buy anything 🙂 Haha yeah, not sure I want to be chopping them off straight away lol. Will see how I get on with adaptors for the time being Makes sense RE it going pop, you wouldn't want another would you lol. Thanks for the tip on the Max8, good to know that's what the replacement of choice is. Again, thanks guys for the advice/tips, It can be difficult to know who to trust/who has good advice after being off here for so long. For all I know you could all be a "Simon"... (anyone remember him?!) but, I'm not getting those vibes here, so that's good 😄 Gaz I remember you from the old days 😄

Aye I think its a beefed up version of the Kronos with a new body and I may be wrong but all the new parts are backward compatible with older models 🤔 so you could upgrade your Kronos trucks with the new stuff if need be 😃. Ebay shop I have been using for spares is RCSparesUK | eBay Stores been finding some cracking stuff on it and free 24hr postage 😄

wow thats cheap

Deal of the day

When i am saying maxx my apologies i am meaning the widemaxx

Now you say that but i did have one replaced (a few years ago), spoke to the shop explains why I’d changed the old 2 wire Traxxas connector to a Losi ec3 and it got sorted, a fresh replacement direct from Traxxas, with another stock connector fitted. that was as i say a few years ago and back then it was just a 2 wire connection, however nowadays they have the multi wire connectors making them trickier to put your preferred connector on, i ended up having to buy 2 adapter leads to go from Traxxas to ec5’s. And yes the batteries aren’t the worst but massively overpriced. I got mine in a deal with the X-maxx otherwise I wouldn’t have bought them. There’s plenty of choice battery wise now, just have a look round, im fairly sure that there will be many threads recommending the best alternative brands for Li-po batteries.

As a person who got into the hobby with the traxxas charger / lipo combo, the chargers and lipos are not worth the money you can charge the lipos on normal chargers if need be but you need an adaptor. Bit of time researching lipo basics and chargers will net you better kit and more lipos because traxxas ones are silly cash 😲. It can be a bugger finding lipos that fit some traxxas cars, I had a right game finding lipos for the Traxxas UDR and revo 2.0 🙈. Also chopping off the traxxas plugs off your new traxxas esc will void the warranty of the esc 😬 but thats if you care about that stuff 😆, you could use adaptors but I have found them hit and miss and now just whack XT90 on all my kit 😃 .

The Sledge is.. difficult. I kind of want one, but i do know that there's flaws. Particularly, the price. Like most Traxxas stuff, they charge too much for it. I haven't heard too much awfulness in regards to the rig itself. As for the batteries - don't. Don't go for Traxxas batteries, for starters. The Traxxas connector in itself is awful. I'm not sure what you mean by "extra mini cable", there usually is just positive and negative coming out of them. IC5 connectors have an additional cable coming out, which is for the SMART stuff (battery monitoring etc). You can run any connector on any RC, as long as you make sure that they're rated for the correct amps. On the Maxx/Sledge, you can't run XT60 connectors for example, they're too small (would melt). In general, most RCs require soldering skills - either sooner or later. Traxxas rigs require it sooner - you want to unbox your Maxx, open the lid, and snip the TRX connector out there, and solder an XT90 in. That goes for any Traxxas vehicle. I personally dislike IC5, so i do the same thing for all Arrma/Horizon Hobby (the parent company, Axial etc are part of that too) RCs as well. edit: misread, thought you were talking about a small extra cable on the rig. On the battery, it's just "their version" of a balance connector (integrated into the plug - if you look at a normal CNHL pack, they have two connectors, power plug and balance plug). It's to ensure that you're forced to buy a Traxxas charger, because you can't really connect the balance connector of a traxxas pack to a normal charger.

Is it though? Shady video. Or rather, i guess Santa Maria is a "useful moron" in this case, doting over a presentation, and the Deans guy is obnoxiously dishonest. Here's reality. Deans connectors aren't particularly bad. The problem is that you can't tell an authentic plug from a clone if you're unlucky. That's number one. And the second, vastly more important part as to why Deans connectors aren't loved, is that many people simply have melted authentic Deans connectors, including me. I'm not sure why you didn't pick up on this, but the Deans guy pulls a QS8 connector out of his pocket and argues that "drag racers carry unnecessary weight in their rigs". Leaving out the fact that if they'd run his connector, they'd burn the house down. A drag car pulls easily over 150 amps. Speedrunners like Raz pull twice that on average for 30+ seconds, peaking at up to 400A. Try that through a connector where the "Ultra" version is rated for 60A, 75A burst. People run QS8 because they're rated for up to 190A, no other reason. edit: forgot two other things that make Deans objectively worse than all the "bullet type" connectors. Firstly, you can actually short them if you're not careful, without forcing something - and secondly, they're just awful to solder compared to a bullet. Not just in terms of technique, if your joint isn't perfect, this entire "low resistance" marketing blurb is straight out of the window. This is much less common in a bullet, since all you do is just fill it with solder and ram a (pre-tinned) wire in there. I'd run Deans if i had nothing else in my crawlers and other low-powered rigs, i don't "hate" or "slate" Deans. But usually it's people who buy a battery from Hobbyking or Amazon (majority some kind of T-Plug) in their rigs, and are too scared to re-solder the pack to a decent connector. Instead, they re-solder their 1/8th rig ESCs to T-Plug and wonder why they eventually melt or short. Man, sorry for the long post lol, i just absolutely despise corporate american speak. That QS8 implication made my (non-existent) glasses fog up. I run QS8 in my X-Maxx (overkill, but that's what my 9500mah packs came with - no such thing as too big a connector in a basher), 5mm straight bullets in my drifters, XT60 in my crawlers (though am considering switching to XT30). I did run a Losi LST XXL 2 (many moons ago) on Deans, and melted them. Ever since, keep 'em. PS: the guy seriously suggests that it's an incredible waste to run QS8 connectors in quarter scale 12s planes. That's 113g in connectors on a plane that weighs up to 50lbs (or 24000g). So he implies running his vastly undersized 60A connectors to shave 50g off the weight (6000g at the absolute lowest end for an electric 1/4th) is sensible. That's why this annoys me.

Here’s latest pic of where the addiction started. Nearly there with it now, just a decent set of suspension links left to get. thanks for looking.