Ruckus 2WD Upgrade? ESC, Steering Servo etc.....

[Bezbezik'73]

Hello! Just getting back in to this hobby after many years away, things have certainly come on a bit since my 1986 Blackfoot, so I got hold of a new/old stock Ruckus for general bashing and to learn with. After a couple of days of running stock everything (NiMh batteries at the minute), I've decided, I WANT MORE!! So I was wondering if anyone had any advice for hopping it up to a brushless system, changing the steering servo and eventually going over to LiPo, I've done a bit of LiPo research but not much. Regarding the ESC and motor assembly, are there tried and tested combos I can buy off the shelf or would it be best to do a mix n match thing? I'd be into over engineering it a tad so I'm future proof re LiPo but any advice at all would be great. Driveshafts, Teeth and other things will need attention I'm guessing but for now a brushless setup is what I need.

Thankings in advancing.........Ste.

 

[TacoDaTugBoat]

A budget would help.

Brushless:
I use this ESC: $60
I use a cheap GoolRC motor, but here is a nice HW motor: $80
Here is a nice combo: $130
You can spend more or less. I've done pretty well with the GoolRC type brands as short term parts. Enough to get me hooked enough to want the better brands.

Servo:
I use this: $20
I buy them several at a time. You can spend much more, but these have served me well so far.

Metal Diff Gears:
ECX are good: $35

Drive shafts:
ECX HD: $30 (Just stock replacements, if you havnt upgraded, keep spares)
Hot Racing: $55 (I use these, Hot Racing makes a few different styles. I find these very robust)

 

[Bezbezik'73]

Thanks a lot for the info mate, much appreciated! Looking forward to getting my hands, and my truck, dirty. ???

 

[zderekv]

Here’s my Ruckus build:

Donor vehicle:
1/10 Ruckus MT (brushed, NiMH 4x2)

Upgraded:
RPM F&R A arms
RPM Castor blocks
RPM Steering spindles
RPM Axle carriers
Tekno oversized wheel bearings (F&R)
RPM SSE bell crank
Traxxas F&R turnbuckles
ECX Torment front bumper and skid
ECX Torment nerf bar set
Traxxas wheelie bar
Spectrum MG digital servo - 155 oz
ECX all steel trans/diff gear upgrade
Hot Racing steel spur gear (85t)
Traxxas pinion Gear (19t)
Hot Racing HD splined steel axles
Hot Racing HD big bore shocks (went back to stock)
Castle SCT / 3800kv brushless combo
Lectron Pro 5200/35c LiPo
Traxxas Slash/Team Fox body
Arrma Granite tires & wheels

 

[TacoDaTugBoat]

I had a great bash session with the Ruckus yesterday. The new HW WP 120 ESC is baller. It’s hitting my batteries hard though. It pulls so hard that it causes some serious voltage drop, showing how tired the batteries are. I hit LVC and then it bounces back after a few seconds. Rolled so many times I destroyed the body. Totally worth it. Time to paint a new body!

 

[zderekv]

Taco’s truck is a prime example of what a truck should look like when it’s time to go home.

 

[TacoDaTugBoat]

Taco’s truck is a prime example of what a truck should look like when it’s time to go home.

Once it started, I was ruthless! Never been so excited to build a new body.

 

[TacoDaTugBoat]

Here’s my Ruckus build:

Donor vehicle:
1/10 Ruckus MT (brushed, NiMH 4x2)

Upgraded:
RPM F&R A arms
RPM Castor blocks
RPM Steering spindles
RPM Axle carriers
Tekno oversized wheel bearings (F&R)
RPM SSE bell crank
Traxxas F&R turnbuckles
ECX Torment front bumper and skid
ECX Torment nerf bar set
Traxxas wheelie bar
Spectrum MG digital servo - 155 oz
ECX all steel trans/diff gear upgrade
Hot Racing steel spur gear (85t)
Traxxas pinion Gear (19t)
Hot Racing HD splined steel axles
Hot Racing HD big bore shocks (went back to stock)
Castle SCT / 3800kv brushless combo
Lectron Pro 5200/35c LiPo
Traxxas Slash/Team Fox body
Arrma Granite tires & wheels

How much slop do the RPM axle carriers get rid of? Been thinking about adding those.

I was looking at SCT bodies for my Ruckus the other day. Looks pretty sweet.

 

[zderekv]

How much slop do the RPM axle carriers get rid of? Been thinking about adding those.

I was looking at SCT bodies for my Ruckus the other day. Looks pretty sweet.

Yes, but it was like opening a can of worms. The stock parts are tough as nails but tolerances leave quite a bit to be desired. Each RPM upgrade made a noticeable reduction in slop, as did replacing the stock plastic fixed tie rods/upper control links and the stock servo saver. Also, the RPM axle carriers require oversized bearings. Can of worms ...

... but I enjoy the tinkering aspect of the hobby and it was a fairly cheap build considering the donor vehicle had just been sitting around untouched for a few years.

 

[TacoDaTugBoat]

Yes, but it was like opening a can of worms. The stock parts are tough as nails but tolerances leave quite a bit to be desired. Each RPM upgrade made a noticeable reduction in slop, as did replacing the stock plastic fixed tie rods/upper control links and the stock servo saver. Also, the RPM axle carriers require oversized bearings. Can of worms ...

... but I enjoy the tinkering aspect of the hobby and it was a fairly cheap build considering the donor vehicle had just been sitting around untouched for a few years.

Mine was a basic brushed model my old man found with a Circuit at a tag sale for $20 together. I started with cheap hand me down parts from upgrading other cars I have. It has turned into one of the more fun trucks to drive. Especially with the new HW ESC.

So I already did the links and rpm servo saver. My 17mm hubs and oversized ( but surprisingly light) tires seem to stress the stock carriers so I’ve looked at the RPM carriers with the slightly bigger bearings. Just wondered how much difference it made. I find I have a lot of slop where the control arms meet the chassis too. I will have replaced the whole truck soon.

 

[zderekv]

Mine was a basic brushed model my old man found with a Circuit at a tag sale for $20 together. I started with cheap hand me down parts from upgrading other cars I have. It has turned into one of the more fun trucks to drive. Especially with the new HW ESC.

So I already did the links and rpm servo saver. My 17mm hubs and oversized ( but surprisingly light) tires seem to stress the stock carriers so I’ve looked at the RPM carriers with the slightly bigger bearings. Just wondered how much difference it made. I find I have a lot of slop where the control arms meet the chassis too. I will have replaced the whole truck soon.

Yup - that’s where I’m at. Tons of spare parts though. LOL!

 

[Bezbezik'73]

Hello gentlemen, I was wondering.......if I made the jump up to 2s for my stock 2wd ruckus would this combo be ok for it?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/283299324383

Thanks again!

 

[zderekv]

Hello gentlemen, I was wondering.......if I made the jump up to 2s for my stock 2wd ruckus would this combo be ok for it?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/283299324383

Thanks again!

Sure, but I wouldn’t recommend going any higher than the 4300kv. We run a GoolRC in my daighter’s Arrma Granite and it goes pretty good. Don’t expect performance like you’d get from a Castle or other higher end setups but it’s a good entry level brushless setup and I think the stock gearing would be in the ball park with the 4300kv motor. The benefits of brushless go beyond additional speed. Your run times will be longer, they run cooler and they’re pretty close to zero maintenance. FWIW, I’ve never had good luck running LiPo on brushed setups.

 

[TacoDaTugBoat]

New body and wider 17mm adapters.

 

[risban]

Here’s my Ruckus build:

Donor vehicle:
1/10 Ruckus MT (brushed, NiMH 4x2)

Upgraded:
RPM F&R A arms
RPM Castor blocks
RPM Steering spindles
RPM Axle carriers
Tekno oversized wheel bearings (F&R)
RPM SSE bell crank
Traxxas F&R turnbuckles
ECX Torment front bumper and skid
ECX Torment nerf bar set
Traxxas wheelie bar
Spectrum MG digital servo - 155 oz
ECX all steel trans/diff gear upgrade
Hot Racing steel spur gear (85t)
Traxxas pinion Gear (19t)
Hot Racing HD splined steel axles
Hot Racing HD big bore shocks (went back to stock)
Castle SCT / 3800kv brushless combo
Lectron Pro 5200/35c LiPo
Traxxas Slash/Team Fox body
Arrma Granite tires & wheels

Very nice build. Why did you put the stock shocks back on?

 

[Lephturn]

Hello gentlemen, I was wondering.......if I made the jump up to 2s for my stock 2wd ruckus would this combo be ok for it?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/283299324383

Thanks again!

You don’t need to go brushless for 2S. I ran dead stock Amp MT on 2S all summer with a cheap voltage checker/alarm zip tied to the battery hold down and plugged into the balance port. 40 minute run times with a 5,500 mAh 2S LiP.

I got a $25 TSky 120 amp ESC and a Rocket 3650 (540 size) 3,300 kv brushless motor from Banggood. I think the motor was $35 Canadian? I went metal gear set only when I went to 3S.

 

[Steve g]

You don’t need to go brushless for 2S. I ran dead stock Amp MT on 2S all summer with a cheap voltage checker/alarm zip tied to the battery hold down and plugged into the balance port. 40 minute run times with a 5,500 mAh 2S LiP.

I got a $25 TSky 120 amp ESC and a Rocket 3650 (540 size) 3,300 kv brushless motor from Banggood. I think the motor was $35 Canadian? I went metal gear set only when I went to 3S.

How is that tsky holding up for you? I bought 2 of those for like 14(USA) each for my son's crawler, first one lasted about 6 months and fried, 2nd one had issues with reverse, and lasted a couple packs.
I do agree with the lipo buzzer alarm. I run them on my son's circuit, as it has the goolrc 60a esc, and the cut off for it is lower then I'd like, so I use one of those.

 

[Lephturn]

How is that tsky holding up for you? I bought 2 of those for like 14(USA) each for my son's crawler, first one lasted about 6 months and fried, 2nd one had issues with reverse, and lasted a couple packs.
I do agree with the lipo buzzer alarm. I run them on my son's circuit, as it has the goolrc 60a esc, and the cut off for it is lower then I'd like, so I use one of those.

TSky running great. It has survived bashing on 3S and a dozen or more full speed pulls with no issue. I bought 2 and the second spare has not been needed. Yet.

 

[Justin C Bee]

You don’t need to go brushless for 2S. I ran dead stock Amp MT on 2S all summer with a cheap voltage checker/alarm zip tied to the battery hold down and plugged into the balance port. 40 minute run times with a 5,500 mAh 2S LiP.

I got a $25 TSky 120 amp ESC and a Rocket 3650 (540 size) 3,300 kv brushless motor from Banggood. I think the motor was $35 Canadian? I went metal gear set only when I went to 3S.

So I bought two older style ruckus’ old batteries were junk, so automatically upgraded to 2s lipo.. well... after running it through some trail terrain (working on making it like a track... not there yet!!) I smelled the smell!! Grabbed it in the back side and oh yea bit warm..... not quite as hot as my old ladies .. but the smell... I’ve heard of this smell... It is not as elusive as I had thought. So.... now what! Go brushless.. .. ? I want power.. to pull it off a stick on the trail or something.. no need for speed... they are for my kids... I’d like to tone it down on speed if anything..

 

[Justin C Bee]

Also... what’s up with the voltage checker alarm?? Thought the truck had one.. for low voltage rt.. obviously I’m fresh at this. .
I like to keep it simple...
what is the most bomb set up that will take a serious beating.. I don’t need to do back flips .. just want them to hold up to my kids.. so tough.