Ruckus is my first RC...

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mikeyinid

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I purchased an ECX Ruckus 2wd base model for $189 12/29. Upon purchase I bought a 5000 mAh 2s lipo and castle sidewinder 3/4600kv combo. Threw it all on and not a full pack later destroyed the plastic gears. No surprise. Went down to my LHS and bought the metal gears. Not even a full pack later my drive shafts were toast. Ok, went and got the steel HR shafts. Get them installed and 10 minutes later chewed through the new metal gears. Fine. Went and got some more. After install I'm running it and it's quieter since I actually did it right the second time around(The first set of metal gears were my fault. I tightened the gear box to tight. And my slipper was cinched all the way down. Lesson learned). About 10 minutes into my next pack I start hearing a click coming from the back hub. Bearing is shot. So I plan to order the oversized carriers and steering spindles and the corresponding bearings.

I should add that I've ordered a new servo(It arrived today, gonna install after work), and a gyro to help stabilize it.

I haven't made it through a full pack without something breaking, so my question is, at what point will I upgrade enough on this thing to be able to drive it? Any suggestions on anything else I may want to do? And what about a motor/esc with lower kv? Any suggestions? I probably want to go pretty cheap for a new motor/esc until I get everything else ironed out, and get something in the 3300-3500kv range.
 
I think the answer is, you have an entry level car, with huge power. Big power, and high speed breaks stuff...

If you really want to "Go big" with power, you need something that was designed from the ground up to take it. All metal driveline, big bearings, big solid metal motor mount, aluminum chassis, etc... Plus 4wd so you can actually put the power to the ground and control it. IMHO, 1/8 scales is the answer if "how can I bash at 40+mph without constantly breaking stuff" is the question.

But as for your truck -

(mine is Torment)
I blew some bearings early on. ECX bearings are not great. Get some Avid or fast eddies, or even just the house bearings from Amain, and they will last longer.

up front - The axle carrier, I swapped for the ECX blue aluminum version, due to the shoulder screws stripping out. Servo - yeah, stock is not great. hopefully you ordered a Metal gear servo, or even a steel gear servo. While you are installing it, pull the servo saver, and super-glue the three pieces together. (only do this if you got a MG servo - this will kill a plastic gear servo first run). you can also add a zip-tie around the round part for a less permanent solution. Gyro, yeah, I use one too. Don't set it too high, I think I am at about 25%-30%.

Motor - I think you are on the right track with mid-3k kv. The stock Dynamite is 3300kv, and it is about all the power this chassis can handle.

Last - gears - I hear some people have issue with the spur stripping, I think there are 32p gears that are available. I think HR makes a steel 32p spur. Or maybe that was the 4wd Ruckus, not sure.
 
Jerry-Rigged said:
I think the answer is, you have an entry level car, with huge power. Big power, and high speed breaks stuff...

If you really want to "Go big" with power, you need something that was designed from the ground up to take it. All metal driveline, big bearings, big solid metal motor mount, aluminum chassis, etc... Plus 4wd so you can actually put the power to the ground and control it. IMHO, 1/8 scales is the answer if "how can I bash at 40+mph without constantly breaking stuff" is the question.

But as for your truck -

(mine is Torment)
I blew some bearings early on. ECX bearings are not great. Get some Avid or fast eddies, or even just the house bearings from Amain, and they will last longer.

up front - The axle carrier, I swapped for the ECX blue aluminum version, due to the shoulder screws stripping out. Servo - yeah, stock is not great. hopefully you ordered a Metal gear servo, or even a steel gear servo. While you are installing it, pull the servo saver, and super-glue the three pieces together. (only do this if you got a MG servo - this will kill a plastic gear servo first run). you can also add a zip-tie around the round part for a less permanent solution. Gyro, yeah, I use one too. Don't set it too high, I think I am at about 25%-30%.

Motor - I think you are on the right track with mid-3k kv. The stock Dynamite is 3300kv, and it is about all the power this chassis can handle.

Last - gears - I hear some people have issue with the spur stripping, I think there are 32p gears that are available. I think HR makes a steel 32p spur. Or maybe that was the 4wd Ruckus, not sure.
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I really wasn't looking for a speed demon, I'm only gonna run 2s. But I also should have made the purchase I went into my LHS to make instead of letting the guy talk me into the base with the SW3. I planned on getting the brushless model.
As for my new servo, it is metal geared. Cheap JX 6221. Probably way more torque than necessary but for the price...
Overall I'm happy with the Ruckus, I just want to be able to run a pack maybe two through it without having to replace something.
 
The new servo is amazing. Quicker than I expected and very very torquey. Took a second to get use to it. Only ran it for about 5 minutes so not long enough for anything to break :)
 
How can I get rid of the slop in the steering assembly? I've done the zip tie thing which helps a lot but it's still pretty bad.
 
Took it out after making my kids dinner. Literally two runs up and down the street and I hear a clicking sound. Immediately shut it down and take it in. I just had a gut feeling so I tore the gear box out. Sure enough, missing teeth on the idler. I'm about to throw this thing in the trash and get something else.
 
Heading to my LHS shortly. Gonna buy a new transmission housing, gears, and bearings. If that doesn't fix the issue I'm done with this truck :-/
 
Too much power.

And you wanted to get the Brushless version, and the LHS talked you into getting the base and a the Castle SS? That guy is borderline crook IMHO. As a ECX dealer, he should know that the SS motor was too much power. At the very least he should have steered you towards a lower KV motor. I bet "Same money and it will be faster" was part of the pitch? And faster = more broken parts = more parts sales for him. Plus lots of those parts were expensive aftermarket, not just the $10 ECX plastic parts.

Wow. Just Wow. I am mad over here just thinking about it, and it was not even my money.
 
Jerry-Rigged said:
Too much power.

And you wanted to get the Brushless version, and the LHS talked you into getting the base and a the Castle SS? That guy is borderline crook IMHO. As a ECX dealer, he should know that the SS motor was too much power. At the very least he should have steered you towards a lower KV motor. I bet "Same money and it will be faster" was part of the pitch? And faster = more broken parts = more parts sales for him. Plus lots of those parts were expensive aftermarket, not just the $10 ECX plastic parts.

Wow. Just Wow. I am mad over here just thinking about it, and it was not even my money.
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That was his EXACT pitch, actually. Lesson learned.. I'm heading down there now.
 
Bingo! You can't buy a pinto, throw a Ferrari engine in it, and have it drive like a Ferrari...no matter what the used car salesman says.
Sorry that you're first experience wasn't great, but with the right setup, you can have a blast.
 
Biz73 said:
Bingo! You can't buy a pinto, throw a Ferrari engine in it, and have it drive like a Ferrari...no matter what the used car salesman says.
Sorry that you're first experience wasn't great, but with the right setup, you can have a blast.
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I just left the shop. He fixed it for free. There was a broken bearing, or a partial piece I should say, and I totally thought it was part of the housing. Whoops. He was really cool, threw new bearings in and the gears, lubed it up and promised if I have anymore issues with the transmission he'll take care of it. I feel 1000x's better lol
 
I was like you in the beginning. I like wrenching and learning so I had no problem with things breaking. My mentality was, buy basic and fix what breaks and I will know everything I need to know about this truck to make it sypmpatico to my needs. I knew it was going to break and in the end cost as much as a new heavy duty truck, but I was ok with that. In the end my 2 wheel ruckus that I am into for about 350$ will smoke 95% of any truck it goes up against. All around too not just speed. Handles like a champ in all conditions and to me, I think it’s balanced perfect.
When something breaks, spend the money and upgrade parts. Sooner or later you will have replaced all you need to and have a awesome teuck
 
topher33 said:
I was like you in the beginning. I like wrenching and learning so I had no problem with things breaking. My mentality was, buy basic and fix what breaks and I will know everything I need to know about this truck to make it sypmpatico to my needs. I knew it was going to break and in the end cost as much as a new heavy duty truck, but I was ok with that. In the end my 2 wheel ruckus that I am into for about 350$ will smoke 95% of any truck it goes up against. All around too not just speed. Handles like a champ in all conditions and to me, I think it’s balanced perfect.
When something breaks, spend the money and upgrade parts. Sooner or later you will have replaced all you need to and have a awesome teuck
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Yup, exactly same mentality. I love the fixing and stuff, just aggravating when I can't figure something out LOL. I do love this truck and I have more into it in add-ons than I do into the truck but I feel like it's worth it. I am looking at the Losi Tenacity now as well, a different type of truck...
 
We've had snow on the ground since before Christmas but it melted yesterday due to rain. So I was finally able to get the Ruckus on some dirt and hit some jumps at a little bxm spot a block from my work. For dirt, my current setup is definitely to much. A gyro will help straighten things out but man is this thing hard to control. Really have to be easy on the trigger. And I'm pleasantly surprised at how it jumps. Very balanced and doesn't take much work to nail landings. And I was launching it 10 feet or so across a table top. IMG_20180110_095630.jpg
 

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Glad you got it running well now. I also got a the brushed version with lipo, and put a brushless system in it. I went with the GoolRC ESC and 3930kv motor. I am running 32 pitch 16t metal pinion and 54t plastic spur gears. I have not broken any parts on mine, aside from stripping the 48p spur gear which was my fault from incorrect gear mesh. I have even run a 3s pack through it in the snow.
 
streetracer621 said:
Glad you got it running well now. I also got a the brushed version with lipo, and put a brushless system in it. I went with the GoolRC ESC and 3930kv motor. I am running 32 pitch 16t metal pinion and 54t plastic spur gears. I have not broken any parts on mine, aside from stripping the 48p spur gear which was my fault from incorrect gear mesh. I have even run a 3s pack through it in the snow.
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I was planning on buying a 3s this weekend but after driving it on dirt with a 2s today I don't see the point.
 

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