retaining mech brakes in 1/8 buggy conversions

[pinolelst]

I see most if not all the buggy e-conversions do away with the mechanical brakes and rely solely on the electric motor/esc to do the braking...I can see the reasoning..lighter weight but the downside is hotter electrics.
Is it just that or do most 36mm/540 motor cans conflict with the brake holders as well ??

just priming myself for the Matrix conversion and the possible problems I might encounter since I'd like to keep the mechanical brakes if I can find the room for the servo amongst the brushless lipo system.
thanks in advance...

pinolelst

[BrianG]

Like you said, it eliminates extra weight. It also simplifies things and looks tidier with the removal of the servo, linkages, mounts, pads, etc - not to mention trying to find a spot to install that stuff without interfering with the other components. The downside is that it is a little harder on the ESC.

Also, depending on how you make your motor mount, it may interfere with the brakes. Most motor mounts are right up against the diff where the brake usually sits.

[MetalMan]

While it may be harder on the ESC to use the motor's brakes, you can make up for it by using a fan over the ESC if it heats up to much because of the motor brakes. Overall, ditching the mechanical brakes is a good idea IMO.

[Sedri]

pinolelst, if you ARE interested in running disc brakes, I have run a dual-disc mechanical brake setup on my brushless-converted MP 7.5, using a brake servo, of course, in conjunction with a 9920BK esc programmed for throttle only.

Now there were two reasons I used mechanical brakes on my car

1. It's an onroad car, and I originally ran it with a two speed which allowed the car to top out at 55 - 60 mph which demanded A LOT of brakes to haul it down to a stop in a short distance

2. and, I was still getting used to the difference between the lazy acceleration of nitro and the "blink-and-it's-already-gone" whacked-out acceleration of my new 540XL.

A bit extra weight naturally and more components, but I always knew I could tromp on the brakes as hard as I wanted (usually while trying to avoid plowing into something when the car got away from me!) and not worry about any strain on the brushless system. My car spent a lot of its driving time howling to a fully locked-up stop while I was learning how to drive "brushless" - huge fun but crazy!!!

It's certainly a trade-off either way, less weight and more simplicity for more electrical heat, or more weight for a brutal, worry-free braking system.

With my first couple months driving my brushless conversion, i needed all the brake I could get to avoid destroying my car in a crash - but you might know about that stuff already! Now my car runs a single-speed center spur, geared to a more sensible top speed of 45 mph, and I'm a little better at driving - as a result, I'm only rarely hard on the brakes, and so I've converted over to letting the motor do braking the "emf" way. Also very nice, and very powerful brakes as well. Just more heat for the ESC to deal with.

[glassdoctor]

I have found the "electric" brakes to be stronger than any servo mechanical brakes... you can do instant front flips with BL brakes.

One of the most-asked question I get from the nitro racers is "what about brakes?"... they think it won't have good enough brakes. Then they see it and can't believe it.

The MM has so much brake that I have it dialed out to about 30% to keep it from locking up the tires.

My brother in law's JATO takes forever to stop with the stock servo setup. He needs to get a stronger servo int here....

[jhautz]

GD. I agree the motor brakes are stronger than mechanical brakes, but The feel of the mechanical brake is still better IMO. I use motor brakes on most everything for smplicity, but for controll I really like the feel of the mechanicle brakes. Just my opinion though.

[glassdoctor]

I hear you there... mech brakes can be set up to feel good... and they don't make a funky chatter noise like the MM brakes can. :)

[Sedri]

No argument here about the power and nice progressive action of emf braking; now that I've switched to emf braking, I really love the unanticipated side benefits, such as being able to adjust the brakes even while I'm driving - like GlassDoctor pointed out, you can "dial in" braking power just by adjusting the "brake end point" on the transmitter, nice!

While I was running the mechanical brakes, though, I immediately pulled the factory steel single disk setup (with the "pads" glued to the calipers, yuck) which had basically burnt up during the first day, and replaced it all with a dual fiberglass disc setup - that had my car screaming to a halt when I needed serious braking!

[coolhandcountry]

I think it really comes down to preference.
On a center diff the oil has an effect on the brakes as well.
With a center diff and dual brake adjustment you have more control.

[starscream]

Ah, the age old question, mech or elec brakes.
Like Leroy said, its all preference. I like the feel of a center diff with rear only brakes. The center diff still brakes gives a touch of brake to the front so a front end oneway with elec brakes won't do the job quite as nicely as mech brakes do. But, thats just me

[MetalMan]

I've never had mechanical brakes on any of my conversions, but the electric brakes work just fine for me. I feel I can work the motor's brakes and get used to the "feel" of them.

[GorillaMaxx360]

I personaly like the feel of mechanical breaks just my opinion though and in some situations for example some one here said the converted a bl jato but it did not handle as well as a nitro one because it was lighted in this situation IMO the weight would only help but in other situations it would hurt. IMO i do not think the weight of a servo will win or lose you the race unless you totally screw it up. YOur choice but totally personal prefrence. I like mechanical and that is what I would chose but that is me see what you prefer yourself.

[GorillaMaxx360]

just curious how would you set up the servo on a mechanical setup to when you push forward on the throttle it breaks. I do not have mechanical breaks on any of my cars but i have driven many cars with mechanical ones. so i am wondering what allowes this to happen the channel of the servo on the rx or the radio settings. Thanks guys.

[BrianG]

Well, if you have channel mixing on your radio system, you can set up CH3 to be coupled to your throttle. Then, just set the EPA on CH3 so min brake is at neutral on the throttle. CH3 hooks directly to the brake servo.

If you don't have channle mixing, you simply use a Y adaptor on the throttle channel. One leg of the Y goes to the ESC, the other leg of the Y goes to the brake servo. Since the servo is going to move through the full 60 degrees when you go forward and brake, you have to set up the servo horn linkage to only push the brake at the right point of the throttle throw.

[starscream]

Channel mixing is the best way to go.