Another RC-10CE back from the dead
Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 1:08 am
Hello,
I'm new to the forum, and still a novice when it comes to R/C. I still have my cars from when I was a kid, both an original Grasshopper and a RC-10CE. I got the notion the other day to see if they still ran, and was surprised to see the RC-10 still worked. (I apparently blew up the trans in the Grasshopper and stuffed it in a box 20 years ago, and forgot about it, because it made terrible sounds but doesn't move...)
The old nicad batteries were shot, so I bought some Ni-MH batteries at the local hobby shop, and the new charger they insisted that I needed to charge them. I ran the car and while it all worked, it only seemed about half as fast as I remember. A little more thinking, and I remembered that it quit running at full power years ago, and thats probably why I quit playing with it anyway. I figured out that I was only getting 5V at full throttle to the motor connector, and after trying repeatedly to get my old ESC reset, it just wouldn't put out full power (It was an old Futaba MC112B) so I bought a new "Tazer" that they had in a dusty box at the hobby shop. Apparently everyone has gone brushless, and finding old stuff in stock locally is difficult here in Las Vegas.
New ESC, and the old car rips as good as ever. The tires are shot, but it's still a hoot. When I was a kid I put a " Speedworks 427" motor in it that I was told was good by the hobby shop guys. I have no idea if it is or not, but it was supposed to be better than whatever came in the RC-10CE kit, and it was faster. I suspect the motor was more than the old ESC could handle- but the new one is rated for 15 Turn motors, and if I remember the old speedworks was a 17 Turn.
Anyhow, now that I'm older and have some time to tinker, I'd like to see if I can upgrade the old car a bit. I remember bearing kits for the wheels and trans- mine is all bushings. I also remember some upgraded dogbones and rear hubs- is that sill worth pursuing? Looks like most of the new wheels are a 12mm hex drive in the rear, while mine just have a roll pin pressed through the shaft that engages the wheel to drive it. Does anyone still make wheels, or do I have to convert to new parts?
I've done some reading on this forum, and learned quite a bit, but am honestly lost as to where to start, as so much has changed. Any advice, comments, or links to articles, posts, or new parts are appreciated!
Here a couple pictures of the old car and my Futaba Magnum Sport radio
I'm new to the forum, and still a novice when it comes to R/C. I still have my cars from when I was a kid, both an original Grasshopper and a RC-10CE. I got the notion the other day to see if they still ran, and was surprised to see the RC-10 still worked. (I apparently blew up the trans in the Grasshopper and stuffed it in a box 20 years ago, and forgot about it, because it made terrible sounds but doesn't move...)
The old nicad batteries were shot, so I bought some Ni-MH batteries at the local hobby shop, and the new charger they insisted that I needed to charge them. I ran the car and while it all worked, it only seemed about half as fast as I remember. A little more thinking, and I remembered that it quit running at full power years ago, and thats probably why I quit playing with it anyway. I figured out that I was only getting 5V at full throttle to the motor connector, and after trying repeatedly to get my old ESC reset, it just wouldn't put out full power (It was an old Futaba MC112B) so I bought a new "Tazer" that they had in a dusty box at the hobby shop. Apparently everyone has gone brushless, and finding old stuff in stock locally is difficult here in Las Vegas.
New ESC, and the old car rips as good as ever. The tires are shot, but it's still a hoot. When I was a kid I put a " Speedworks 427" motor in it that I was told was good by the hobby shop guys. I have no idea if it is or not, but it was supposed to be better than whatever came in the RC-10CE kit, and it was faster. I suspect the motor was more than the old ESC could handle- but the new one is rated for 15 Turn motors, and if I remember the old speedworks was a 17 Turn.
Anyhow, now that I'm older and have some time to tinker, I'd like to see if I can upgrade the old car a bit. I remember bearing kits for the wheels and trans- mine is all bushings. I also remember some upgraded dogbones and rear hubs- is that sill worth pursuing? Looks like most of the new wheels are a 12mm hex drive in the rear, while mine just have a roll pin pressed through the shaft that engages the wheel to drive it. Does anyone still make wheels, or do I have to convert to new parts?
I've done some reading on this forum, and learned quite a bit, but am honestly lost as to where to start, as so much has changed. Any advice, comments, or links to articles, posts, or new parts are appreciated!
Here a couple pictures of the old car and my Futaba Magnum Sport radio
so its really fast now too.