Kraton EXB - recommend me some electronics

[mentvlo]

Hello guys, im in need for someone to help me make the decision for me.

I went trough all 15 pages and still cant make my mind up what would be best for me.
I am mainly driving on the beach so having some high top speed 100-125km/h is fine there, and i wanna try 8S, ive been running 6S for like 10 years on different cars and its time to step up a bit, but i don't need to break any speed record.

I am from the Netherlands and due to that some parts are a bit harder to get or more expensive.

Things i came up with so far are
MMX8s with 1717 1650kv motor €499,-
MAX6 and 1650kv motor for €259,- so that seems like a better deal but that motor is only rated for 6s, even though you can run it on 8s, right?
Spektrum firma 160 amp and spektrum firma 1250kv for a total of €380,-
MAX6 esc with a TPpower motor? 4050 1700kv for a total of €280,- or how about the TPpower 4070 1700kv for a total of €305,- or should i look at the MAX 5 with these motors?

Big thanks to anyone that can help me out!

 

[Wildvoodoomagic]

Hello guys, im in need for someone to help me make the decision for me.

I went trough all 15 pages and still cant make my mind up what would be best for me.
I am mainly driving on the beach so having some high top speed 100-125km/h is fine there, and i wanna try 8S, ive been running 6S for like 10 years on different cars and its time to step up a bit, but i don't need to break any speed record.

I am from the Netherlands and due to that some parts are a bit harder to get or more expensive.

Things i came up with so far are
MMX8s with 1717 1650kv motor €499,-
MAX6 and 1650kv motor for €259,- so that seems like a better deal but that motor is only rated for 6s, even though you can run it on 8s
Spektrum firma 160 amp and spektrum firma 1250kv for a total of €380
MAX6 esc with a TPpower motor? 4050 1700kv for a total of €280,- or how about the TPpower 4070 1700kv for a total of €305,- or should i look at the MAX 5 with these motors?

Big thanks to anyone that can help me out!

Im pretty sure you are going to want to stay under 1100kv if you are going to run 8s. I think the rule is you want to stay under 50k (or 75k not sure) rpms under max voltage.

 

[jondilly1974]

That MAX6 1650 combo is a great deal

 

[m4inbrain]

I'd argue it's between the Max6 1650 and the MMX8s 1650.

And the real question here is simply, how much do you want it to be your "magnum opus". I intended to throw a Max6 combo in mine (17th of december now ?), then i thought "well.. i have a DBXL-E 2.0, i have an X-Maxx, might as well push the EXB over £1000 as well".

The MMX8s combo is better. You just need to decide whether or not it's "better enough" to justify the price for you. The big ones: it runs cooler, it is sensored (yet retains sensorless efficiency with that smart stuff), it is very programmable (considerably more than a Max6 - you can download the link software, run it in demo mode for the mmx8s and have a look), it has data logging, and most importantly (to me), temperature limit for the motor. I bet there's other stuff, but that's the gist of it for me.

To me: it's worth the price. Though it's incredibly expensive in europe, you'll probably be cheaper off ordering it from Amain in the US with free shipping. 360usd, plus 20% vat and import duty should get you around 420 euro.

 

[L3phturn]

I am still gathering parts for my EXB. AlliExpress motor order was returned due to “failed security check” whatever that means. Banggood has no problem. I have a Max6 ready to go in it. I want to retain the stock motor mount and stay 6S. I guess it’s a matter of what motor that I can actually get within a couple of weeks in Canada for a reasonable price.

 

[mentvlo]

I'd argue it's between the Max6 1650 and the MMX8s 1650.

And the real question here is simply, how much do you want it to be your "magnum opus". I intended to throw a Max6 combo in mine (17th of december now ?), then i thought "well.. i have a DBXL-E 2.0, i have an X-Maxx, might as well push the EXB over £1000 as well".

The MMX8s combo is better. You just need to decide whether or not it's "better enough" to justify the price for you. The big ones: it runs cooler, it is sensored (yet retains sensorless efficiency with that smart stuff), it is very programmable (considerably more than a Max6 - you can download the link software, run it in demo mode for the mmx8s and have a look), it has data logging, and most importantly (to me), temperature limit for the motor. I bet there's other stuff, but that's the gist of it for me.

To me: it's worth the price. Though it's incredibly expensive in europe, you'll probably be cheaper off ordering it from Amain in the US with free shipping. 360usd, plus 20% vat and import duty should get you around 420 euro.

i am leaning towards the mmx8s 1717 but the price is indeed way to steep here. If it was like €330 ( which it would cost me more or less if i lived in the US ) it was a no brainer, maybe i should look into importing, never done that but it saves me quite a bit and gets me what i want, not that the hobbywing seems bad. but i usually just try to find a excuse to get the best

 

[m4inbrain]

i am leaning towards the mmx8s 1717 but the price is indeed way to steep here. If it was like €330 ( which it would cost me more or less if i lived in the US ) it was a no brainer, maybe i should look into importing, never done that but it saves me quite a bit and gets me what i want, not that the hobbywing seems bad. but i usually just try to find a excuse to get the best

That's why i said, gotta decide for yourself if it's worth it. To me it is.

https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

Plug in the numbers, see where you come out. It won't be 100% that price, since the exchange rate fluctuates and there might be hidden fees (for example, royal mail is charging £8 for "handling fee" on items that you have to pay customs on), but it'll be close.

Other than that, importing is actually nothing but ordering from Amain to your address, waiting for the post office to send you a letter telling you that there's an item with outstanding duty/VAT, pay online, have it delivered two days later.

 

[autoshmo]

hey guys, im about to get a kraton exb. I am between the max6 with either the 1650kv or the 1100kv(8s looks stupid) or the mmx8s 1717 combo. I want to run 6s and bash hard! I don't do speed runs. I normally send my rc of a jump do as many back flips as possible and lawn darting into the nose. Im looking for a back flip monster off jumps. any input before I drop the cash on a system that I wont like??
p.s I will most likely never go 8s in this car.

 

[jondilly1974]

I would go HW at this point. Too many issues with the 1717 blowing the wraps on the rotor.

 

[autoshmo]

I would go HW at this point. Too many issues with the 1717 blowing the wraps on the rotor.

Ok so do you have any advice between the max6 and max8?
And on each ok them is there a motor combo I suggest. I see the max6 can run the 1650kv and the 1100kv. I wanna do 6s deff

 

[jondilly1974]

Ok so do you have any advice between the max6 and max8?
And on each ok them is there a motor combo I suggest. I see the max6 can run the 1650kv and the 1100kv. I wanna do 6s deff

From others accounts the MAX6/1650 combo is what I would pick today.

 

[autoshmo]

From others accounts the MAX6/1650 combo is what I would pick today.

That’s kinda what I also get out of these 16 pages! Lol. Just hard to know if these people bash as hard as I do! Thank you!

 

[m4inbrain]

I would go HW at this point. Too many issues with the 1717 blowing the wraps on the rotor.

Huh, that's a new one to me - any pointers to videos/forums etc where that issue pops up?

edit: googling doesn't reveal anything either (apart from a few issues in 2013, the old 1717)?

 

[walloftvs]

Huh, that's a new one to me - any pointers to videos/forums etc where that issue pops up?

edit: googling doesn't reveal anything either (apart from a few issues in 2013, the old 1717)?

I highly doubt this is an issue that warrants not buying one.

There was a thread on here a couple of weeks ago with a blown 1717. It was replaced under warranty. According to Robert @ Castle, their first production run had some rotors that had a faulty wrap job that would potentially fail at high rpms. He said that it was already fixed in subsequent batches.

 

[m4inbrain]

I highly doubt this is an issue that warrants not buying one.

There was a thread on here a couple of weeks ago with a blown 1717. It was replaced under warranty. According to Robert @ Castle, their first production run had some rotors that had a faulty wrap job that would potentially fail at high rpms. He said that it was already fixed in subsequent batches.

Well.. Now to find out which batch my 1717 is from, ordered tthe combo last week from Amain. I'd assume that that's a subsequent batch? The reason why i'm a bit unsure is simple, in the UK the ESC hasn't actually released yet (i'm from the UK) - but i've seen it in the loop for quite a while now, so.. no idea.

It'd be a pain in the arse to have a faulty motor and then ship it back to the US.

 

[jondilly1974]

Huh, that's a new one to me - any pointers to videos/forums etc where that issue pops up?

edit: googling doesn't reveal anything either (apart from a few issues in 2013, the old 1717)?

I highly doubt this is an issue that warrants not buying one.

There was a thread on here a couple of weeks ago with a blown 1717. It was replaced under warranty. According to Robert @ Castle, their first production run had some rotors that had a faulty wrap job that would potentially fail at high rpms. He said that it was already fixed in subsequent batches.

Well.. Now to find out which batch my 1717 is from, ordered tthe combo last week from Amain. I'd assume that that's a subsequent batch? The reason why i'm a bit unsure is simple, in the UK the ESC hasn't actually released yet (i'm from the UK) - but i've seen it in the loop for quite a while now, so.. no idea.

It'd be a pain in the arse to have a faulty motor and then ship it back to the US.

The person with the warranty from Castle was me. Also @jhunter had the same issue with his original AND his replacement 1717. I am no longer advocating for the 1717 until I can be assured it’s no longer an issue. My replacement is waiting for decent weather to run.

 

[Malice]

Unfortunately this is correct. I run....I ran my 2 1717s in the lower 50k rpm range and have had two come apart. That being said, I'm not sure if I'm the issue or if there is still an issue or which batch my motors came from. Castle was superb in getting me a replacement. I was actually surprised at how well and quickly they took care of me. I am currently shopping for another motor. I think I'm going to try a TP 4050 1570KV. I was going to grab a Spektrum 1250 but they are literally the same price and the TP is something different. The main reason I got the 1717 is because it is sensored and I parking lot race with it. The parking lot isn't open, it is filled with islands with only one straight. I need/wanted a sensored motor for the more technical parts. That straight, which isn't very long, I can hit 86mph faster than you can drop two four letter words. 1650 kv is just plain nasty in a 8s 1/7th scale car!!!

 

[m4inbrain]

That of course sucks for you two, surprised actually.

That said, i kinda feel slightly better, because if it were an actually wide spread issue, i'd have heard it somewhere (much like the clustertruck that was the 6s X-Maxx ESC, or the current 8s ones).

We'll see. Certainly hope you get yours sorted out, it does look like Castle is looking after people with that problem. Would suck in my situation, living outside the US (shipping a motor back), but, i mean.. I've had considerably less decent experiences with other RC companies (team corally after bending my Dementor for no apparent reason, which now with the replacement V2 they acknowledge a design flaw on the V1 that leads to my situation - bending it without actually jumping it)), having to run after some kind of compensation for weeks and only getting it after being told "everything is my fault" and of course after i've bought the replacement parts myself.

 

[Malice]

I can definitely see how being outside of the states limits your options. Castle has been great. I had some fan issues early on, they resolved that and they resolved the 1st motor. I have no issues with Castle. If they warranty this one, cool, if not, cool. At this point there is an acceptable amount of loss I'm prepared to deal with when running so close to the 56k threshold. Admittedly I didn't anticipate that loss to occur immediately. While they ran, the 1717s were complete beasts. I am in no way shape or form trying to discourage anyone from buying them. Truth be told, I'm a little saddened by the fact that I am shopping for another motor. (I have not contacted anyone at Castle via official channels regarding this issue (perceived issue? It just happened yesterday. Regardless of a replacement or not, I'm still going to grab another motor to experiment with) The power is very manageable(8s running sensored), but I'm also not the kind of guy out doing donuts / burn outs / drifting. I run GRP belted tires and once they heat up they grip very well (S4 compound 60-65 degrees). If you don't preheat your tires or drive around slowly for a bit you will not get very far before heading sideways. And where I'm running if I go any direction other than the one I have the nose pointed at, it's going to smack a concrete curb. I have about 7 full packs (between the two motors) worth of run time on my tires and they still look great.

I run Castle MMX 8S escs exclusively now. I own 4. I wouldn't switch esc brands if they were given to me for free. I absolutely smurfin' love these things! The data logging is just awesome.

 

[m4inbrain]

Yep, the main reason why i decided to get an MMX8s even though they're not available in the UK (meaning expensive import) and i already had bought a Max6 (which i already sold on at a slight loss, sigh) - the data logging. And the thermal shutoff for the motor, assuming it holds (which i am assuming - duds can happen, had a dud holmes hobby motor before, doesn't mean they're not the best crawler motors out there).

It does suck, as i said, but I don't think it's a widespread issue.