Brushless for Super Astute?

[McMike]

OK, I don't want to destroy my gearbox as it's 20 years old but what should I run in this car? I used to run a 15x2 Parma Cyclone 2 with a Silverstar Pro in my old Astute but understand that old tech is rubbish now. Thinking a 10.5 cheap and cheerful Hobbywing combo system but not sure if that will kill my precious gearbox. I don't think it will but any advice on gear ratios would be appreciated.
Here it is by the way

[cjm_2008]

Originally Posted by McMike

OK, I don't want to destroy my gearbox as it's 20 years old but what should I run in this car? I used to run a 15x2 Parma Cyclone 2 with a Silverstar Pro in my old Astute but understand that old tech is rubbish now. Thinking a 10.5 cheap and cheerful Hobbywing combo system but not sure if that will kill my precious gearbox. I don't think it will but any advice on gear ratios would be appreciated.
Here it is by the way

the last time I ran my astute (8 years ago?) was with a 27t stock motor - and it couldn't cope with that. the idler gear lasted two heats. could just be that the nylon goes brittle over time?

yours looks superb - be careful

[Dyna]

In the Super Astute, if the gearbox is all original, 10.5 maximum, maybe even a 13.5 for safety. Plastics do get brittle with age, and the Super Astute gearbox was never that brilliant originally anyway !

If you just want to run it around the yard, a 10.5 or 13.5 will be fine.

If you want to run it seriously, you need a few mods... New set of gears and the intermediate metal option idlers ( if you can find one ), metal idler holder instead of the plastic one that always breaks, and mod the spur to take 48dp rings. The SA gear diff is ok, as long as both drive wheels are in contact with the ground, but the moment one comes up, you lose all drive instantly....

The basic slipper cries in pain at any serious torque put through it, so dont bother. It cant handle it for long. Another reason for low torque motors...

There is a mod to use a Top Force idler to be able to use the old Astute ball diff in the SA gearbox, if you can make the slipper last

Thorpe did a few options for it, their ball diff was good, if you can find one.

I built a SA to use in our vintage series but couldnt get the gearbox to last very well even with the mods above, so i simply got an old Astute gearbox with no slipper and the old ball diff, and used that instead, much tougher - low speed controller settings and a easy thumb take place of the slipper

[McMike]

Thanks for the advice. The car has never been run so it is in tip-top condition. I can get spare gears for it and then modify them to make a 48dp spur but,as for the other otions mentioned, I have never heard nor seen these option metal parts.
I was thinking a 10.5 as a max motor to be honest myself. Probably get a hobbywing kit or something. No emtal motors or escs for this as I know I would probably tear the back end off!

[Jamesk]

I put mine on the shelf and purchased a 201x. Astute spares are mega money espically the rear hubs.201x spare's are easy and cheap and ive found is a very reliable car so far (have uprated box internals)

jK