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Traveler
2011.03.01, 04:44 PM
They do NOT as was answered previously, but we may be able to modify them to.

Thanks! Looked through the thread but didn't see this.

I know with the prototype car I saw at iHobby, it had a 130 size or larger motor, it AWD, and was getting plenty enough power from a Lithium power setup.

Huh? Tell us more please :cool:. Are you referring to the chassis in the first picture in post #1 or something else. I didn't think these were capable of being converted to AWD. :confused:

vigilanterc
2011.03.01, 04:46 PM
Thanks! Looked through the thread but didn't see this.



Huh? Tell us more please :cool:. Are you referring to the chassis in the first picture in post #1 or something else. I didn't think these were capable of being converted to AWD. :confused:

I think he was mentioning another car that had similar specs.
This car is not going to be offered in 4WD as a conversion as far as I know.
It was just a comparo of specs to say that this car may be able to have a motor with more grunt without killing itself!!:eek:

ChiMiniRc
2011.03.01, 04:49 PM
Thanks! Looked through the thread but didn't see this.



Huh? Tell us more please :cool:. Are you referring to the chassis in the first picture in post #1 or something else. I didn't think these were capable of being converted to AWD. :confused:

Sorry, I edited the post a little to clarify.
There was a 1:28 scale prototype car at ihobby. It was NOT HPI. It was a larger, heavier, car with AWD and lithium power. The reason I shared the info is that the car only had a 5 amp speed control. SO if a heavier car with a bigger motor than the rs32 can do fine with 5 amp, the rs32 should be fine with the 7amp controller it has included.

This is the 1:28 prototype I'm referring to. (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35264&highlight=ihobby)

Traveler
2011.03.01, 04:49 PM
Ahhh! :o Thanks for clearing that up.

vigilanterc
2011.03.01, 07:55 PM
Here is the next challenge. The Mclaren body is wider than the chassis. The body is 63mm and the chassis is 54mm. I need to make a Wide stance kit and fit it under this awesome looking body.
Without a doubt it will handle better than stock. I plan on using the slot car rims and tires so the gear ratio will be a little taller so the speed will pick up.
Custom adapters will need to be made and perhaps a new chassis all together maybe if I need to. Will try to lengthen the wheelbase as needed as well.....Lots of work, but man is it fun!
Cant wait to get started!!!
I will post more pics as I progress.

Steven
Vigilante R/C

arch2b
2011.03.01, 08:11 PM
i'll wait till more bodies come out. not interested in another calsonic r32.

Skv012a
2011.03.02, 06:14 AM
i'll wait till more bodies come out. not interested in another calsonic r32.

R34 slot cars are on ebay, and about 30$ a pop. Else just slot bodies are ALL over the place. I might visit Freddy Hobby Town as well as Rockville Hobby Works after I get this thing in mail to see what slot cars may fit this guy well.

Don't forget some odds and ends like Arii 1/32 model kits under 10$ or that slot-car-model-kit line that had some initial D lineup (I have the corolla).

Got mine in- http://skv012altd.blogspot.com/2011/03/hpi-rs32-has-landed.html

Traveler
2011.03.05, 05:57 AM
Just noticed that Kenon has this car in stock. Wonder if this means we'll be seeing some PN upgrades for it eventually... Philip???

arch2b
2011.03.05, 08:32 AM
R34 slot cars are on ebay, and about 30$ a pop. Else just slot bodies are ALL over the place. I might visit Freddy Hobby Town as well as Rockville Hobby Works after I get this thing in mail to see what slot cars may fit this guy well.

Don't forget some odds and ends like Arii 1/32 model kits under 10$ or that slot-car-model-kit line that had some initial D lineup (I have the corolla).

Got mine in- http://skv012altd.blogspot.com/2011/03/hpi-rs32-has-landed.html

not going to bother with the trouble of modding bodies to fit at the moment. i'm in no rush and will wait for the others to get released.

vigilanterc
2011.03.05, 12:54 PM
I would not be suprised to see the same body with just the different paint for this car from HPI.....I would bet it will take long time for them come out with some different nice bodies for these.....It is actually a lot of fun to Mod bodies to fit....Ok, Ok, Not too much fun, But the real fun when they are Finished!!! I know YOU ( Arch2b) have the ability to make some bodies fit as I have seen lots of your posts in the past;);)

Steven

arch2b
2011.03.05, 01:07 PM
i have no doubt i could ;) would love to get some EU ralley cars.

HPI had a good number of bodies presented when debuting the line. so far they have only released one. they are in the begining of this thread (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31725&highlight=rs32&page=17)

vigilanterc
2011.03.05, 01:24 PM
i have no doubt i could ;) would love to get some EU ralley cars.

HPI had a good number of bodies presented when debuting the line. so far they have only released one. they are in the begining of this thread (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31725&highlight=rs32&page=17)

I was thinking they were showing some of their "slot car" line up as well.
I hope you are right as I would love to have some "Snap-on-&-go" bodies from them..............Sooner than Later though:eek::eek:
Steven

RealTracks
2011.03.06, 12:21 PM
Carrara has 4 different 1/32 nascar bodies only available now for only 8.50 each. Wheelbase will need to be lengthened a bit though.

Skv012a
2011.03.06, 02:42 PM
Also want to note that unlike our 1/28, these 1/32 cars are NOT deformed in any way. Comparing just the R32 skylines, our Kyoshos are squished quite a bit. I noticed the same with AE86 Corolla, its HORRIBLY squished.

ChiMiniRc
2011.05.04, 12:32 PM
Any updates from anyone on the rs32 platform? Any successful slot car body transplants or performance tuning? Seems like once they released and people played with them, interested just about died. The 1 car my local hobby shop got has yet to sell and they have it stickered for $99 I think.

herman
2011.05.04, 07:40 PM
Also want to note that unlike our 1/28, these 1/32 cars are NOT deformed in any way. Comparing just the R32 skylines, our Kyoshos are squished quite a bit. I noticed the same with AE86 Corolla, its HORRIBLY squished.

hmm... what do you mean by squished? :confused::o

herman
2011.05.04, 07:40 PM
Any updates from anyone on the rs32 platform? Any successful slot car body transplants or performance tuning? Seems like once they released and people played with them, interested just about died. The 1 car my local hobby shop got has yet to sell and they have it stickered for $99 I think.

kinda wondering the same thing...

arch2b
2011.05.04, 07:49 PM
morphed scale... it's proportionally altered to fit the scale

HaCo
2011.05.05, 10:43 AM
There are some vids on youtube, a new one I just discovered:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7RBfuhbYDM
This car is beautifull!!

On slotforum.com a guy has bought one too and put an BMW M3 body on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anzgg5alEqs&feature=player_embedded

As soon as I have some trackspace in my house (I have 6.5mx3.5m available, but need some carpet), I will buy it. Just hope HPI will push this product a bit with bodys and stuff.

I wonder if Slotcars will become more popular with dSlot43 and HPI Slotcars in Japan, this could help this scale a lot. Let's be honest: it's much nicer than 1/28 and still a nice scale with looooots of bodys available :)

iluvracing
2011.05.25, 06:59 PM
I've been browsing around and found the full line of rs32 rc cars at Tower Hobbies.
Links aren't working though. :mad:
edit: my bad, that wasn't the full line.:o

njd13
2011.08.02, 08:42 AM
I am waiting for either the Alfa 155 or Volvo 850 wagon bodies before I buy one...

jcr
2011.09.05, 01:29 PM
Any updates on what battery or motor mod you can put on these?

Skv012a
2011.10.09, 07:42 PM
2nd that. Still waiting to upgrade mine with some more power and/or juice. Slow outta the box, but can be pretty fun (considering the price tag) if we can get them to move faster.

Also, http://skvltd.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/hpi-rs32-132-scale-rc-car/

cmenard
2012.02.14, 12:41 PM
I just got a couple of these to use at home. Compared to the dnano they are terrible... Out of the box they are entirely too slow. I only opened one assembled it and ran it stock for about 2 minutes. Then I added a stock micro-T motor and now the thing is too fast for my RCP track. The stock tires have no bite with the added power. The major downside is with the micro-t motor the battery lasted about 4 minutes. So I guess I'll put this one on the shelf and return the unopened car.

I also had to put the servo saver on skewed to one side and adjust the tierod mount to get even turning circles left to right. I wouldn't install it "centered" as the instructions say.

Skv012a
2012.03.05, 12:02 AM
Mine is perfectly fine save awful battery life/charging. I think stock motor would be perfect if the thing had proper juice.

cmenard
2012.03.05, 12:17 PM
I went through the trouble of mouning a 2s lipo where the stock esc/receiver mount. Then decased my KO 2.4 reciever and mounted it on the drivers side battery slot and modded the battery/chassis case to go back over it. I used an older Duratrax brushed esc from a Vendetta SC decased and mounted on top of the servo and 2s battery. After all this the car still sucks. Stock motor sucks even with more juice. The car needs better tires first, t-plate options, and a different front suspension all together. I still stand by my original assessment that this thing is complete junk and a waste of money.

Skv012a
2012.03.06, 05:57 PM
I feel its predominantly good for body selections before anything else.

gctkaz
2013.01.18, 05:15 PM
I have been on the fence for one of these for a long time, and I finally picked one up yesterday in spite of the relatively negative opinion here.

Agree with the fact that it is slow. However, I get the feeling most of you are running this on tracks built for Mini-Z, so yea you are going to be as frustrated as I was running a silvercan Tamiya Mini on a big course where mod/nitro guys were hitting 100+kph.

The RS32 is a smaller car and the track also needs to scale down with it. IMO where this car can be exciting is on a super tight track with 30-50cm lane width. I have four 2'x2' foam tiles arranged in an "L" with a track dot in the middle of each tile for a sub-30cm lane width, and the RS32 takes this without much difficulty while my Mini-Z doesn't even have enough room to turn. I am running 8T pinion and the only other thing I did was put bearings on the rear axle.

Stock tires are gripping well on the foam tiles also. Really nice handling on the foam surface although the steering servo is quite slow. I don't think there's really anything more I need to put into this car other than front wheel bearings. More battery life would be nice too. What would be really great is if the charger had some kind of protruding pins that go into holes in the bottom of the chassis, then you could charge the car without even taking off the body, just drop it on the charger and press the button..

Customizer
2013.01.18, 11:30 PM
I have been on the fence for one of these for a long time, and I finally picked one up yesterday in spite of the relatively negative opinion here.

Agree with the fact that it is slow. However, I get the feeling most of you are running this on tracks built for Mini-Z, so yea you are going to be as frustrated as I was running a silvercan Tamiya Mini on a big course where mod/nitro guys were hitting 100+kph.

The RS32 is a smaller car and the track also needs to scale down with it. IMO where this car can be exciting is on a super tight track with 30-50cm lane width. I have four 2'x2' foam tiles arranged in an "L" with a track dot in the middle of each tile for a sub-30cm lane width, and the RS32 takes this without much difficulty while my Mini-Z doesn't even have enough room to turn. I am running 8T pinion and the only other thing I did was put bearings on the rear axle.

Stock tires are gripping well on the foam tiles also. Really nice handling on the foam surface although the steering servo is quite slow. I don't think there's really anything more I need to put into this car other than front wheel bearings. More battery life would be nice too. What would be really great is if the charger had some kind of protruding pins that go into holes in the bottom of the chassis, then you could charge the car without even taking off the body, just drop it on the charger and press the button..

Get a 1/43 Epoch Indoor Racer. It's everything you'd want from an RS32 in a smaller package (except being 2.4ghz).

I was on the fence re: purchasing a RS32 myself but ultimately the things you mentioned that might make the car better is why i chose an Epoch Indoor Racer at the time. IMO, smaller RC's are better due to the area required to set up a quality track but the quality and convenience of the car is important as well. I chose a Mini Z KO (iWaver) and a Firelap over the RS32 due to the popularity of the scale and Mini Z compatible hop ups. Even though i had a BLAST driving the Iwavers i still bought a 1/43 Epoch Spec 2. Why?

It can be charged directly from my AC adapter plug and gets peak running times every time because of this. You can also add a 4th cell so that you are at stock Mini Z voltage. It;s smaller than an HPI RS32 and can make tighter turns. I have an Epoch for sale right now but i'm probably going to keep it despite only having one and no other similarly scaled car to race against. I only considered selling it due to the lady gravitating towards the larger cars early on. It's my personal "convenience racer" and truly is the perfect indoor rc car.

In my opinion if you want a sub 1/28 scale rc car...get an Epoch.
The alternatives are Dnano (extremely expensive in my opinion for what you get) and the RS32. The Epoch is right in the middle of these 2 with regard to convenience and performance.
Note: Not my picture below
Mini Z > XMOD > RS32 > Epoch...
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q118/SlotSquatch/Comparison.jpg

gctkaz
2013.01.19, 02:58 PM
I'm still having a lot of fun with this, but one other gripe I have is that I noticed is that my steering trim changes as the battery level drops. So I need to adjust the trim with a fresh battery, and then adjust the trim once or twice again a few minutes in. Does anyone else have a car that behaves this way?

gctkaz
2013.01.30, 12:00 AM
my steering trim changes as the battery level drops. So I need to adjust the trim with a fresh battery, and then adjust the trim once or twice again a few minutes in.
Because I started getting a bit annoyed with how slow the SH-34 servo is, I swapped in an Hitec HS-55 and ended up with a double bonus. The HS-55 is a bit faster (but still not near-instant like Mini-Z), yet the runtime felt longer and I didn't really need to adjust the steering trim as I went through the pack.

I might try the faster HS-56HB but if the battery life goes down then I may revert to HS-55.

Customizer
2013.01.30, 05:52 AM
Because I started getting a bit annoyed with how slow the SH-34 servo is, I swapped in an Hitec HS-55 and ended up with a double bonus. The HS-55 is a bit faster (but still not near-instant like Mini-Z), yet the runtime felt longer and I didn't really need to adjust the steering trim as I went through the pack.

I might try the faster HS-56HB but if the battery life goes down then I may revert to HS-55.

When you say that the Hitec HS-55 is a bit faster was this based upon an eyeball observation or did you take notes for as precises a measurement as you could? How would you rate it as compared to a Mini Z servo reaction time?

gctkaz
2013.01.30, 11:19 AM
Just by eye, sorry. Later today I will pick up a HS-5056MG, and maybe try doing a more proper test although I'm not sure how to do it. With a high-speed camera filming both servo and a digital stopwatch, from full lock left to full lock right? My digicam has a setting for low resolution at super high framerate (220fps).

The main problem right now is that I should test them all connected to the stock ESC and I only have one cable. I believe it is a JST-SH (1.0mm pitch) connector (edit: no it's not) but I am unable to source this locally, so it will be a pain just swapping the cable from one servo to another.

The other thing that concerns me is that I haven't seen anyone else complaining about the slow servo speed, so maybe I just got a dud servo with mine... Part of it has to do with just my lack of skill, but with the stock servo I understeer corner entry as it takes time to get to full lock, and oversteer the exit as it takes too long to return to center. But maybe this is why the car feels so planted - it makes the turn-in much more gentle so the car never traction rolls.

vs Mini-Z, the HS-55 is still no contest. It's still a bit tricky getting through tight S-curves since this is where you would need to rapidly go from full lock to full lock, but it's better than my stock servo. Good enough that if there is no other option, I would be content to stay with the HS-55.

edit: The servo does not use a JST-SH 1.0mm connector. It is Molex 1.25mm.

Customizer
2013.01.30, 12:45 PM
Just by eye, sorry. Later today I will pick up a HS-5056MG, and maybe try doing a more proper test although I'm not sure how to do it. With a high-speed camera filming both servo and a digital stopwatch, from full lock left to full lock right? My digicam has a setting for low resolution at super high framerate (220fps).

The main problem right now is that I should test them all connected to the stock ESC and I only have one cable. I believe it is a JST-SH (1.0mm pitch) connector but I am unable to source this locally, so it will be a pain just swapping the cable from one servo to another.

The other thing that concerns me is that I haven't seen anyone else complaining about the slow servo speed, so maybe I just got a dud servo with mine... Part of it has to do with just my lack of skill, but with the stock servo I understeer corner entry as it takes time to get to full lock, and oversteer the exit as it takes too long to return to center. But maybe this is why the car feels so planted - it makes the turn-in much more gentle so the car never traction rolls.

vs Mini-Z, the HS-55 is still no contest. It's still a bit tricky getting through tight S-curves since this is where you would need to rapidly go from full lock to full lock, but it's better than my stock servo. Good enough that if there is no other option, I would be content to stay with the HS-55.

Well if you noticed a difference in that scenario thats a fairly good observation of the improved performance. I only ask as someone mentioned upgrading their servo in another thread and i was curious as to whether or not servo's really do offer a speed improvement as opposed to simply a strength of materials improvement from one servo to another.

I guess what i'm saying is if servo A and B are functionally the same then what would make one faster than another other than increased voltage?

gctkaz
2013.01.30, 05:16 PM
I guess what i'm saying is if servo A and B are functionally the same then what would make one faster than another other than increased voltage?
Just like your car's drive motor, given the same motor and controller in two servos, each one can be geared differently. Typically high torque+low speed, or low torque+high speed and servo manufacturers usually sell the same servo in these two configurations.

Anyway, I bought an HS-56HB today and... surprise. The profile of the casing is different so it will not fit. Not only that, the spline is a different size so you won't be able to use HPI's servo horn. So it looks like the only options (from Hitec at least) are the HS-55 and HS-5055MG.

Also, I put a standard sized cable into the SH-34, so using a servo Y-cable I was able to do a side-by-side test of the SH-34 against the HS-55. I think once you see the difference, you will want to do this upgrade too. Have a look!
YouTube video comparison (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8FpSmG9G9U)

Customizer
2013.01.31, 07:30 AM
That is a clear improvement and a faster servo :-D

So is changing a servo motor (replacing the stock motor with a faster one) all that is required to increase servo reaction time?

gctkaz
2013.01.31, 08:55 AM
Unlike Mini-Z, the RS32 uses a discrete servo like larger scale RC, you have to replace the whole servo but it's an easier job than it would be on Mini-Z.

I am still searching and actually have a few more servos on the way from HobbyKing. Hopefully I can update again later if any of those fit and work even faster. I would love to get this thing's steering response up closer to Mini-Z level.

cowboysir
2013.01.31, 08:59 AM
Servos function by 3 different variables:

1 motor quality
2. Gear ratio of internals
3. Esc in servo

That all together makes the difference from one servo to the next.

Changing the motor of a servo might show some improvement.

Customizer
2013.02.01, 04:55 PM
Thanks for the information. I'm curious as i may decide to drop of Kyosho Mini Z servo into my AWD Firelap assuming they are compatible since everyone has spoken so highly of the mini Z servo. I haven't had any issues with the stock servo but if i can improve something cheaply i might as well.

Customizer
2013.02.01, 05:04 PM
Would you mind comparing the HS55 servo side by side with a Mini Z servo?



Also...what does an official Kyosho servo look like? Specifically...does it have a Kyosho label? Is Airtronics brand the official Kyosho servo?

gctkaz
2013.02.01, 06:16 PM
Unfortunately installing the Mini-Z servo into a Firelap AWD is going to be a very non-trivial exercise. The Mini-Z servo controller is integrated onto the main board with 5 wires to the motor and potentiometer, while AFAICT the Firelap AWD uses a discrete servo with standard 3-wire JR connector.

If you have ever taken apart a Z, you will notice that the servo is an open assembly specifically spaced to fit the Mini-Z chassis. It's unlikely that you'll be able to fit the gears into the Firelap even if you manage to swap the pot and motor onto the Firelap's servo controller. I expect you might have further trouble fitting a servo horn and saver.

Anyway by your request I made a video to compare my MA-010 RA-19 servo against the Hitec HS-55. The comparison is a bit sloppier this time since I had to work two radios at once, but there is still a noticeable speed difference. But this still helps me to get an idea of how much faster the RS32 steering needs to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAH1fturJo

Your best bet with the Firelap is to get someone who has one to measure all the dimensions with calipers, and then go hunting for the fastest discrete micro servo you can find that fits the dimensions. You should try to aim for something below 0.10s/60degrees@4.8V... at least that's what I'm aiming for with the RS32!

Customizer
2013.02.01, 07:18 PM
Thank you !

The difference is pronounced! On the other hand i believe the Firelap AWD servo i have is faster than the HS-55 in the video. I'm going to test it tonight but i'm fairly confident it is based upon that video. I'd like to find out what the specs are for the IW04M servo simply so i can find an available superior servo. As it is i have no clue what the speed specs are.

Customizer
2013.02.05, 11:57 AM
Unfortunately installing the Mini-Z servo into a Firelap AWD is going to be a very non-trivial exercise. The Mini-Z servo controller is integrated onto the main board with 5 wires to the motor and potentiometer, while AFAICT the Firelap AWD uses a discrete servo with standard 3-wire JR connector.

If you have ever taken apart a Z, you will notice that the servo is an open assembly specifically spaced to fit the Mini-Z chassis. It's unlikely that you'll be able to fit the gears into the Firelap even if you manage to swap the pot and motor onto the Firelap's servo controller. I expect you might have further trouble fitting a servo horn and saver.

Anyway by your request I made a video to compare my MA-010 RA-19 servo against the Hitec HS-55. The comparison is a bit sloppier this time since I had to work two radios at once, but there is still a noticeable speed difference. But this still helps me to get an idea of how much faster the RS32 steering needs to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAH1fturJo

Your best bet with the Firelap is to get someone who has one to measure all the dimensions with calipers, and then go hunting for the fastest discrete micro servo you can find that fits the dimensions. You should try to aim for something below 0.10s/60degrees@4.8V... at least that's what I'm aiming for with the RS32!
Can you recommend a sub micro servo that meets those speed specifications? Or point me In the right direction as to the best place to locate one?

I've already found a Turnigy servo on a site that looks lime it needs the requirements but since I'm not really in the market for a servo myself i haven't given it much effort yet.

gctkaz
2013.02.05, 07:28 PM
I am waiting on delivery of a few different servos from hobbyking, but it could be a while until I receive them so I can't comment on the fit or performance. The hextronik HXT500 might fit your bill and only costs pocket change.

The Savox SH-0262MG is a popular one in the Losi micro community, very good spec but relatively pricey. At least it should last forever, it seems very durable.

r46
2013.02.11, 06:13 PM
i had got this servo for my losi truggy project been doing but shell was limiting factor so reverted back to hs55 for time being, now found its home in my recoil pro :D an works great
http://www hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=14279

Customizer
2013.02.12, 03:49 PM
i had got this servo for my losi truggy project been doing but shell was limiting factor so reverted back to hs55 for time being, now found its home in my recoil pro :D an works great
http://www hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=14279

Thanks for the link :) I need to stop being lazy and measure my cars stock servo to see if this one can be used. I'm sure i'd be much more motivated if i had problems with my current servo heh.

gctkaz
2013.02.14, 04:04 PM
Just took delivery of a shipment from Hobbyking.

Of the three servos I ordered (hextronic HXT500 (http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__663__HXT500_5g_8kg_10sec_Micro_Servo.html), Turnigy TG9e, Turnigy TGY-50090M), only the HXT500 would fit. The others are too tall and have large splines.

The HXT500 is very small, so I had to use a little bit of foam tape to hold it in place. I'm pretty happy with this servo now. It's not Mini-Z fast but it seems still faster than the HS-55 so I will be keeping this one installed.

Also in my shipment I had a Male Molex 1.25 to Female JR servo extension (Hobbyking part# 258000010 (http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__21757__Male_Molex_1_25_to_Female_JR_Servo_Extens ion_1pc_.html)). If you don't mind having a little extra weight in the car, it's worth getting one of these so that you don't need to do any soldering to fit standard servo leads into the RC-1 ESC. I should now say that the RS32 servo uses a Molex 1.25mm plug and NOT JST-SH 1.0mm as I incorrectly stated before.

Here's a pic using the cable adapter:
http://i48.tinypic.com/21doidi_th.jpg (http://i48.tinypic.com/21doidi.jpg)

Now I am just waiting on shipments for Hot Racing 20-degree slicks, spare batteries, and a Losi motor. Now that the steering has been taken care of, I'm really looking forward to driving this thing more once I have better grip.

edit: It's all in my head. Side-by-side, I can't tell any difference in speed between the HXT500 and HS-55. I have gone back (again) to using the HS-55, but with a normal cable plus adapter. The HXT500 and the other Turnigy servos have some centering problems. Best to go with a more reliable brand, it really makes a difference.

gctkaz
2013.04.10, 10:47 PM
It has been a while so I thought I should give an update on the current status of my love-hate relationship with the RS32.

I don't know if I had ever mentioned the hate part, but yea it's there and has always been there nagging even when I enjoyed the car.

- I got two extra stock HPI 4.8V NiMH batteries. Battery life still sucks, swapping batteries sucks even more. To make things worse, those batteries must have been sitting for a while since after the C32 charger indicated a full charge, I could only get maybe 90 seconds of run time. I pushed them through my B6 charger a few times and the batteries seem to be waking up a bit now.

- I got the Hot Racing 20-degree slicks, they are terrible. They suck even worse than the stock tires, no grip at all.

- Installed a Losi 1/24 high-power brushed motor, the one which comes stock in the AM version of the SCT/Rally. Had to widen the holes a bit on the plastic mounts. With a 6T pinion, it's way too fast for the stock tires which will lose traction at the slightest touch of the throttle.

So how are things now?

http://imageshack.us/a/img41/1641/rs3236vliion.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/a/img41/1641/rs3236vliion.jpg)

- Using Mini-Z tires. Atomic narrow A.W. Groove 10-degree rear, 30-degree front. They don't fit all that well, but traction difference is like night and day. I am switching my Mini-Z to Kyosho rubber and so I have a pile of Atomics lying around, but I hope to switch these over to Kyosho eventually.

- Stock battery removed, and instead using custom battery clip which is simply power leads soldered to neodymium button magnets. These will stick to a AAA/10440-sized cylindrical 3.6V/3.7V Li-Ion cell which just sits loose across the top of the chassis. Not quite optimal weight balancing, but the car isn't really fast enough to care.

Running at 3.6V, it brings down the motor speed, so the Losi SCT motor with 6T feels just about right for casual driving. Unfortunately the lower voltage means that the servo is slowed down a bit, but that's a tradeoff I'll take for the convenience of at least double the runtime plus 20-second battery changes, and at least with the HS-55 the steering should be no slower than stock on 4.8V. The battery wrap states 500mAh, but reality is closer to 300mAh.

I am expecting delivery on some Turnigy nanotech 1S 300mAh LiPo as well as some protected 10440 which have built-in LVC. I'll update again when I receive those, but I expect to use the protected 10440 more often if I don't want to start a fire in my RS32.