Is EMAXX Really the right truck.....
 

I've been having a lot of problems with my emaxx basically since I've had it...I've dumped a LOT of money into it and I'm starting to wonder if it's just not the right platform or truck! It seems that every time I take the truck out something breaks. I haven't even put the truck through half of it's paces which is really frustrating! I've bought all the good stuff (strong....etc..plastic where plastic should go and metal where metal should go). The other night I was adjusting my slipperential and ran my truck on the stand (wheels hanging) and one side of my r/f axle pins sheared off...I have about 4 battery cycles on them of LIGHT bashing at best...more light driving up and down my street and intermittently off my curb... Now I'm searing for a better axle set up...so, I'm open to any and all suggestions. I have aluminum axle carriers, traxxas axles and rpm arms. I was doing some research last night and it looks like Techno carriers are good..again...suggestions and feed back would be very much appreciated.

Then I started looking at different trucks/buggy's etc...I really like the HPI 5b flux...wondering...should I sell the Emaxx and just start over with a rig like that.... I like big rc's which draws me to the 1/5 scale. I don't want gas due to I like to run it on my street in front of my house...and I like my neighbors...and want them to continue to like me... :).


Thanks all,
Derek

haha Sorry not laughing at you by any means, but when I red this I just had to chuckle. This is just the nature of the hobby my friend :yes: There have been very few times I've taken my Maxx out and NOT come back with at least 1 broken part (most of the time its a few). I would say the majority of the time, the reason I head back inside after running it, is because I've broken something, not because I'm actually done. :lol:

As far as changing rigs...that is something you need to weigh the pro's and con's before making a decision. Like, can you get much from your current rig?...because a 5b flux is going to cost you. That would be the best place to start IMO, if you're really considering changing over to something else, and can't afford to have both.

Or you just save save save save save, and then have both :mdr:


-Travis

My experience with owning an E-Maxx was fairly short, roughly six months. Just like your experience I was also breaking parts everytime it was working again.

I've now gone to 1/8th scale Truggies. They are the complete opposite of my old Maxx. Yes I've broken my truggies but not nearly as much as the Maxx. Sometimes I go 3-4 outtings without breaking a single thing or having a single problem.

Most of the time I have issues with pinion/ spur gear alignment.

Nick

Nick...my point exactly! I don't expect to not break things...My 7 year old son has a 2wd slash that he pounds on and nothing breaks! Granted...it doesn't have nearly the power as a MM set up does so, I understand that. The emaxx just doesn't seem fun....I would think I'd be able to go out and drive around my street and jump off curbs with out issues...I've barely been able to do that.

I'm thinking of just keeping the emaxx and getting a rig like the 5B...I really like the buggy look but, this time I'm going to do research and get the best one available!

I really like the looks of the 5b but I don't like thats its only 2wd. I'm waiting for a 4wd 1/5th scale to come out that is either a buggy or truggy. I don't want a 1/5th scale SC truck, that just doesn't interest me.

My point being, with the big power of 1/5th scale I'd want 4wd as well.

I'm just a basher though and don't race at all.

Nick

agreed....I was watching them on YT last night and only saw dirt flying from the rear wheels...booo. Good reason to wait for sure!!

If you dont want to upgrade endlessly and still have to "repair" every couple runs, go 1/8 Buggy/Truggie. I BEAT on my 8ight-B and D8T and rarely break anything. 6 months of Hard bashing and I bent 1 CVD and a a shock rod end.

You can try to bulletproof the Maxx but it still handles like a turd compared to the 1/8 counterparts. I have over 1k in the maxx and it plain sucks compared to the $250 D8T. :diablo:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/i...pscecaba4c.jpg

Looks cool. But a huge waste of money.... IMO

Your shaft might have broke because you have traxxas shafts and they are nice, but too short. Is this the pin at the ball at the end of the shaft? The arms were probably at considerable droop and when they were turning the shaft came out of the cup and when being forced back in it couldn't and broke your pin.

You should probably look into longer cups, or lowering your ride height. The truck should still be able to smash over stuff. Turn the pivot balls in as far as they can go too, without binding the steering.

I might get flamed, but I have no idea why the emaxx is so popular...
I told my little bro to get one, and helped him buy one from these forums that was already upgraded pretty far with the "essentials". He broke it every stinking run when him and I would drive. I was driving my savage twice as hard as him, and he'd just try to follow off a jump or something, and break stuff.
I felt terrible for talking him into the emaxx after seeing how poor it performed compared to my fairly stock savage flux. We eventually got it sold off, and bought a savage for him (again, from these forums) and he's loved it since.
I guess if you can dump 3X the price in rare parts into an emaxx it can be tough from the testimonials around here, but I personally wouldn't touch an emaxx with a 10' pole, unless it was a brushed one for dinking around in water/snow or something.
Whew, felt like I had on my chest forever...

That's exactly why my shaft broke (that sounds weird.....). I was running it on my stand and heard this nasty clacking sound....looked in the arm...and saw the shaft off to the side in the boot. I pulled it out and found one side of the pin sheared off. I picked up some MIPP ones today...so, we'll see how those work. I'm sure they'll break driving out my driveway at 5mph.....

I've been looking at HPI stuff all day...I like a buggy but, want electric and 4wd.

Seriously the 1/8 Buggies are the best all around car In my opinion. Very durable and versatile. Buggy body and Wing, Short Course Body and Bumpers or even GTP Sreet bodies all fit perfect on 1/8 buggies and make them very custom. (See my avatar 8ight-B and Ofna LX-1E) They make the Ofna LX-2E now for about $200 and you can get coupon for maybe $175 shipped at Tower. Great car for the price...:yes:

If you want bigger I'd suggest a D8T only because it is much cheaper in price compared to the other manufactures but also very durable as I said before.

OF COURSE IT WOULD BE ELECTRIC, GET ONE OF MIKES MOUNTS AND RUN A FATTY MOTOR! 1520 OR 1717 ALL DAY!:rules:


edit: I DID find out what the emaxx was good for........ Pushing my niece around on her Big wheel (Tricycle). That was fun.

Anyone have any experience with HPI RTR TROPHY BUGGY FLUX 2.4ghz?

Isn't HPI one of the most durable? It's cheap enough....and it's buggy...although I'd love to get 1/5 scale 4wd buggy.

I do not have any personal experience with that buggy. From what i have read online its on the lower end. I would get a used D8 or another buggy and use one of the RCM Conversions.

Nick

Its between the hpi trophy buggy and the team associated rc 8.2e rtr buggy.

D8 is a truck.. I want a buggy. What is rcm conversion?

Personally I am a huge E-maxx fan. Not that much due to the performance of these trucks, cause yes, you have to throw quite a lot of $ in them, to perform good and hold up. Anyway I like the endless posibilities of modifying the E-maxx.

If you want to stay at the MT platform, why not convert a Losi LST. It is by far the best performing truck I have had, and I never broke anything when I had it. I have also had a couple of Savage Flux's (which were also great trucks), but nothing beats the LST imo.

I agree with a few things being said here. The maxx is good but not great. LST is the pic of MT but buggies are the toughest hands down. RC8 was the toughest car I had, admittedly I haven't had another buggy but out of the MT's and truggies it came out on top for durability and versatility.

The Hot Bodies D8 is a buggy and the D8T is the truggy. The RCM Conversion is RC-Monster nitro to electric conversion kit. RC-Monster sells conversion kits for almost any 1/8th scale vehicle.

Have you looked at this buggy yet? It's pretty cheap for what you get.

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/ite...uct-id=84067SD

Nick

why not the 1/5 scale conversions for the flux? cost more, but i had tons of fun with mine and after a few modifications like a hd drive gear hd servo spring that kinda stuff it was a real fun basher. went plenty fast on 4s, would have been tons more fun on 6s, but i sold it off and started over on a flux xl conversion. still miss the 5b conversion though.

I'm talking with Mike and might buy a buggy from him...I really want a BUGGY. Here are my choices so far.

Mugen MBX6 buggy
AE RC8T kit

Both have been converted to electric.

Another choice I'm looking at getting is the HPI Vortex. I like the fact that I have warranty but, we all know it will be "upgraded" and thus the warranty is out the door :) I would like one with good/great power (3s lipo), would love water proof and DURABLE!

You should buy Mike's MBX6 buggy. The RC8T kit is really nice but Mike isn't currently making the conversion kit for that truck. Unless he is going to do a one off one for you.

You could get the waterproof with the New Mamba Monster ESC and one of their motors with a few things done. Most like you would be running 4-6s depending on the motor you chose. 3s will probably be to small of a battery.

Nick

If you're looking for a buggy you can't go wrong with the mbx6. Mugens are awesome, and tough as nails, though most 1/8th buggies are pretty stout.

The HPI Trophy series is based on the old Hot Bodies Lightning Stadum series. This platform is old, but plenty durable with some well known upgrades. However thats like the maxx, can be made great but with upgrades only. The Trophy would require less upgrades. The HPI Trophy Truggy Flux is essentially a 1st generation Truggy, or as they used to be called "Unlimited Monster Trucks".

I had a Hot Bodies Lightning Stadium Pro-R. This was the best of the best, and durable as all get out. I once headbutted a 2x4" at nearly 40mph, The 2x4 lost.

This is true, 1/8th scale has evolved since then and while it is still an excellent truck it pales in comparison to modern stuff.

Stay away from Tamiya stuff for 1/8th scale. Tamiya has yet to test their metal against the big boys in the 1/8th scale world.

If you want a $250 Buggy, I suggest the OFNA Nexx8 Buggy over a Ultra LX which is $200. You have to add electronics and radio gear but its built on the Nexx8 platform which is a direct evolution of the Jammin X2 and older X1 lines. The aluminum is all high quality hard annodized 7075-T6.

I'm STILL bashing a Jammin X1 CRT Pro converted to electric. Most people don't even know what it is because its old and converted to electric. When I tell them its a 7yr old Truggy they are shocked when I tell them that pretty much everything except for the A-arms and a few of the rod-ends is as it came out of the box. The Jammin/Nexx8 stuff is VERY durable.

If you've got more money you start to get more options, the $350 range has quite a few nice kits, and the $450-$550 range has some extremely nice stuff.

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Personally, a Buggy will always out handle a Truggy on a track. Its the same drive system but in a shorter wheelbase, lower CoG, and Lighter vehicle. Its more nimble, and because of the lighter 1/8th buggy wheels vs Truggy wheels and decreased overall weight can do more with less power.

BUT!!! If you bash then a Truggy will enable you to take on more substantial terrain with more finesse.


___________________

Between an Emaxx and a Truggy I'd ditch the Emaxx every time. The 1/8th scale platforms have proven their worth time and time again. I haven't broken a part on my Jammin Truggy in almost a year. Most of the breakages happen in the colder weather when the plastic is more brittle. During the summer months I've bounced it hard on nose dives and it just drives off.

I ended up ordering a hpi Vorza 1/8. In talking with Mike its basically a D8...so,that's cool. I get it tomorrow... Feel like a kid waiting for Christmas lol.
I'm ordering some batteries and a new high end charger from Mike. Going with 5s 4200 and a 5s 6500mah and charger.
I live in PNW and its supposed to be nice on Saturday so ill be out running it!!

is the Tork 2200 pretty much a Castle 1515?

Seen a few of them on the track, they move out pretty good, 5S will certainly make the nitro guys scramble to get out of your way on the straights.

4S would probably be your "track" pack so the power is not uncontrollable.

We were looking at it today and it looks like it may be a MM 2200... I'll l know tomorrow... Id really like to geta waterproof electronic package.. Not for submersion but puddles, rain etc. Water resistant would be ok.

I gave my brother inlaw my heavily upgraded brushes emaxx. I just couldn't handle the fact its a such a weak design. I was always breaking it. I have a hpi trophy truggy flux and a hpi vorza. Both are great and l haven't had to replace a part in a long while.

Friends don't let friends drive Emaxx's.

the vorza flux HP does in fact have castle OEM equipment, its a rebranded MMM 2200Kv kit. Same thing that's in the Savage Flux HP.

What if any upgrades have you done to your Vorza?

Just mud guards and skid plates. That's it. Its a solid buggy. I have yet to have to replace a part. I have 5k oil front, 10k center, and 3k rear diff.

The right truck? For me? Yes. I like the mass behind a brushless powered monster that gets a wild hair on its ass every now and then. The racer-x suspension adds too the way it handles. Combine that with the powerstroke shocks and you have a lethal combination of fun. 40 series Micky Thompson' are in the mail on their way to my house. Castle 1717 on 6s?????? Maybe

When I put titanium skids on the truck, the bulks seem to hold up better. I think the added rigidity of the skids contributed. Or maybe it was a temperature change but it took a pretty good lick the other day with a wooden fence with the ridiculously wide offset monster pirate wheels.

The maxx is fun... lots of fun. The handling seems to have a bashing sweet spot compromise of low cog vs ground clearance so it handles reasonably well over various terrains. As others have mentioned though, it needs a certain amount of upgrading to roll with the punch's that other cars can deal with in stock standard form.

True. When the E-Maxx first came out, I was too young to own one. I think its reputation has been over looked by some of the younger crowd? It was the monster truck to have back in its day. The aftermarket parts list clearly shows that. It holds a special place in my heart so I guess I am biased, lol.

There are better platforms out there now, no question. The savage I have has been borderline indestructible except for the shocks and diffs and that is out of the box! But it will never be a Maxx to me.

Why not use 1/8 parts when you upgrade your e-maxx? Cuts down on broken parts,and theres a lot of 1/8 parts out there for an e-maxx

The LST is a much better platform for brushless. After locking the trans in forward only, single speed, you need a motor mount, battery tray and aluminum c hubs. I set my diffs up correctly and have not had an issue...

I had a brushless lst2. Loved it. It was a tough truck