Ping Dre re: E-Zilla

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Doc - 29 Oct 2006 22:54 GMT

d00d,

Now the HB Zilla has been rebadged as an HPI E-Savage and as such has the
parts support of HPI, I'm thinking of getting one for x-mas. How has your
held up? How does it perform as compared to the E-Maxx?

Anything you really like about it?

Anything you really dislike about it?

Lemme know!

Doc

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Dre - 30 Oct 2006 00:24 GMT

> d00d,
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Doc

Love it, totally love it.

Kicks an E-maxx hard imo re performance.

Dunno about strength yet cause I haven't broken it (touch wood) but I reckon
its at least as strong if not more than the maxx (more plastic)

Bought the only thing I dont like about it is the fact taht I cant get metal
axles for it or metal shocks yet (reading this HPI/Hotbodies???? MAKE EM
DAMMIT!!!)

Erm, what else, I changed all the shitty tamiya/bullet plugs over to Deans
ultras, changed the steering servo to something with more grunt (same one as
in my Savage btw) and have since just kaned it. Did I say I love it yet? :)

Put it this way, the first time I drove it, I thought to myself, wonder how
much cash I can get for my e-maxx!

Cheers Dre

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M78Ultra - 30 Oct 2006 03:37 GMT

The hardest thing I had with an E-Maxx is keeping two batteries synchronized
for a 14.4 setup...
If one is flat and the other is not it makes for a less than desirable
experience....
On the other hand it was cool slamming from reverse to forward for wheelies
and also changing from 1st to 2nd gear...
(even though you end up with twisted plastic axles)
Don't know how the E-zilla is as far as tranny goes though,,,,,,,,

> > d00d,
> >
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
> Cheers Dre

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Dre - 30 Oct 2006 04:11 GMT

> The hardest thing I had with an E-Maxx is keeping two batteries
> synchronized
[quoted text clipped - 48 lines]
>>
>> Cheers Dre

Well I run matched celled packs and when my zilla dumps it dumps, you can do
a full power run flat out, brake at the end, do a U turn and not have enough
power to get back!!! I've never had any trouble matching packs. If you
have unknown packs, just run them down hard (lots of big amp draws) and feel
for heat, the cooler one will be the better pack. Try it out by swapping
all your packs around, eventually you end up with good pairs and not so good
pairs.

My maxx dont need reverse to get the fronts up. In either 1st or 2nd, punch
the throttle from a standstill and it'll flip right over onto its deck very
violently! Likewise reverse, just punch it and it'll flip, way too much
power and it had a stock ESC and motors.

The Zilla on the other hand cant do wheelies as easily (still no problems
though), but its a fair bit faster. The wheelies are a lot harder than a
nitro because of the MASSIVE torque available from electric motors...

Cheers Dre

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Richard - 30 Oct 2006 06:16 GMT

> > The hardest thing I had with an E-Maxx is keeping two batteries
> > synchronized
[quoted text clipped - 67 lines]
>
> Cheers Dre

I don't know if its a problem with the EVX in the better half's E-Maxx but
it will dump one pack way before the other. I have been through it and
replaced the wiring on both the battery and motor leads of the ESC. When we
got it there was a dry joint on one of the motor outputs inside the EVX.

I am in the process of setting up twin Roosters in it to see if that
improves things. It's also running Magnetic Mayhems which I understand are
7.2 volt motors, so hopefully this will improve the wear on the brushes that
don't last very long with the EVX.

I'm also swapping the ESC location with the RX so I can run shorter wires to
the motors (stock motor wires are 30 cm long) and the ESC's will get better
air flow. The better half is going to attempt to race for the very first
time this weekend so there is still lots of work to do to the E-Maxx. The
rear diff lock has been removed and both diffs have been rebuilt, greased
and shimmed. I'm putting single GPM external reservoir shocks on each
corner and a set of bowties and need to find a replacement for the
Landcruiser body next.

There is one guy running a not so stock E-Zilla and comparing it to one of
the E-Maxx's the Zilla definitely doesn't handle as well. The Zilla does
have better top speed on the main straight but the E-Maxx was killing it
every where else on the track.

As far as wheelies are concerned the E-Maxx will wheelie all day long in 1st
or 2nd even with the 7" HB UFO/Psycho combo on it.

I have been tempted to get one of the new E-Savages but I think I am going
to attempt a nitro conversion instead. Maybe even a 1/8 nitro buggy
conversion. Its just a matter of finding a cheap rolling chassis on Ebay
and a 100 amp boat brushless esc, dunno what motor yet, I've already got the
XS3 radio with 3rd channel mixing for a mechanical brake and 7.4 volt
Lipo's.

I'd rather do the work and have something that is a nitro killer for speed
than buy a ready made truck that still needs a lot of money spent on it to
make it go fast.

Cheers

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Dre - 30 Oct 2006 06:36 GMT

>> > The hardest thing I had with an E-Maxx is keeping two batteries
>> > synchronized
[quoted text clipped - 85 lines]
> we
> got it there was a dry joint on one of the motor outputs inside the EVX.

Sound like something wrong there, I've never had any trouble like that with
either maxx or zilla. I have 2 pairs of batteries for each (total of 8
packs)

> I am in the process of setting up twin Roosters in it to see if that
> improves things. It's also running Magnetic Mayhems which I understand
> are
> 7.2 volt motors, so hopefully this will improve the wear on the brushes
> that
> don't last very long with the EVX.

Brushes? Never changed em! Guess I better go check their condition, LOL :)

> I'm also swapping the ESC location with the RX so I can run shorter wires
> to
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> corner and a set of bowties and need to find a replacement for the
> Landcruiser body next.

Yeah I've thought about moving the ESC, but never bothered cause it copes
with the heat where it is. My motors and batteries get hotter...

> There is one guy running a not so stock E-Zilla and comparing it to one of
> the E-Maxx's the Zilla definitely doesn't handle as well. The Zilla does
> have better top speed on the main straight but the E-Maxx was killing it
> every where else on the track.

Must be down to truck setup then as its the complete opposite for me. Or
maybe the spool is killing the handling on the maxx...

> As far as wheelies are concerned the E-Maxx will wheelie all day long in
> 1st
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> than buy a ready made truck that still needs a lot of money spent on it to
> make it go fast.

Good luck with it, I've got heaps of info downloaded exactly for that. I
have an old inferno MP6 which I have been toying with the idea of running 2
brushless motors. 2 brushless motors in that thing would be absolutely
ballistic! It also gives you a nice sense of satisfaction knowing that you
have the only one of its type in the world :)

Cheers Dre

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Dre - 30 Oct 2006 23:47 GMT

>> > The hardest thing I had with an E-Maxx is keeping two batteries
>> > synchronized
[quoted text clipped - 126 lines]
>
> Cheers

Btw, what kind of tires was the Zilla running when it was racing against the
maxxes?? Those stock tires are sh.t off road so if they were running them,
put something decent on them and try again :)

Btw, to anyone that has either an E-zilla or an E-maxx, if you haven't
changed the crappy motor bullet plugs *and* the battery tamiya plugs over to
Deans ultra's, do it, you will notice an improvement!

Cheers Dre

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Richard - 31 Oct 2006 00:51 GMT

> Btw, what kind of tires was the Zilla running when it was racing against the
> maxxes?? Those stock tires are sh.t off road so if they were running them,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Cheers Dre

All the guys were running bowties or similar, the Zilla was on 40 series and
the Maxx's were on standard size rims. There's know way you could get a
decent lap on this track with anything else.

When the missus got the E-maxx it was well used and abused. The guy that
previously owned it obviously didn't know how to solder, so after
resoldering all the Deans on the truck and batteries, motor connections and
the EVX it went pretty hard.

The problem with the EVX has been sorted but I am still going to try the
twin Rooster's just to see how it works, if I'm not happy I might sell them
both.

Cheers

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Dre - 31 Oct 2006 03:23 GMT

>> Btw, what kind of tires was the Zilla running when it was racing against
> the
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> Cheers

40 SERIES!!?!??! holy sh.t! Thats more wheel/tire than truck, LOL!

Well a stock E-maxx with deans ultras on the motor/batteries wires and
decent batteries (3000mah+) should be able to flip onto its deck easily in
either 1st or 2nd without needing reverse. If it doesn't there is something
wrong...

Cheers Dre

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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Land Models / October 2006

Ping Dre re: E-Zilla