Newbie advice

[tramp]

Hello All, I'm Luke and I'm new to this sort of thing, I've got the basics but I'd like some advice. To start with I have just ordered a Schumacher Cougar SV (not the pro) to get me into 2wd 1/10 buggy racing. Although I'm just starting out my theory is that I don't want to buy the cheapest things available just to have to upgrade them at a later date (false economy) What I would like is to get myself into a position where my buggy can be competitive and able to be keep up with the middle of the pack. I'm willing to listen to any suggestion as I have no experience at all
My shopping list is:- Speed controller and motor
Lipo batteries
Tyres
Steering servo
controller/reciever

So speed controller, I know this is going to be an expensive part, Reading these pages speed passion seems to get a good review so I've been looking at this combo on ebay... Speed Passion Citrix stock ultra Sportsman 17.5T any thoughts on this? what appeals to me is the no nonsense esc, no laptop required to set it up just plug and play, Also with it being a combo I don't have to worry about getting a matching motor and controller. Will 17.5t be torquey enough for me? My heart isn't set on any particular brand so convince me if you know a more suitable set up, I'd say my budget is up to £150

Batteries,
obviously saddle (what cougars were built for) any brands to watch out for? I know the higher the C the better the battery punch.

Tyres,
This I have no clue, I'm completely out of my depth, I think my racing will be on clay or astro turf, any recommended brands, tread patterns or compounds?

Steering Servo,
I was thinking a savox just because they seem to be the ones advertised at the moment,

Finally, the transmitter receiver,
This is the least important things for me, I have an Acoms 40mhz transmitter/receiver that I'm happy to use short term. I know every one will say 2.4ghz 2 channel which is great, I prefer the conventional type controller and would be happy to continue with Acoms,

I appreciate all positive criticism and advice

Thanks
Luke

[sosidge]

First bit of advice is to get down to the club/track that you plan to race at - that will definitely be the best place to get advice on tyres, and will also be a pretty good place to get advice on the motor/esc and LiPo - the club might have rules about which ones you can use.

In general terms I'd say that the Cirtix combo you've mentioned is OK, although I have seen people have more problems with the motor in that combo than with the full-race motors. 17.5 is a bit on the slow side for off-road, even for a relative beginner, it just doesn't have a huge amount of power to get over the bumps and jumps. 13.5 or faster may well be better (but ask advice at the track). My personal opinion is that the best value ESC is the Hobbywing (look for a 120A V2.1, 60A or Xtreme Stock should also be OK). Most of the race-spec motors (as approved by the BRCA) are pretty similar and work well.

For LiPo's, most clubs will insist in hard cases, some will insist on them being on the BRCA list - again, best to check at the track. There are very few "bad" LiPos out there., the quality and performance is very consistent from brand to brand, especially if you are looking at a race-spec pack (typically 5000mAh or more with a C rating in excess of 30C).

Servo - Personally I would avoid Savox as they have a tendency to draw a lot of power and cause other problems for your radio gear. If you are going to spend good money on a servo, I'd be putting it into a Futaba (or perhaps a Sanwa or KO) which acause no problems. A standard servo will get you around the track at first, especially with a 17.5 motor.

Radio - Quality 2.4GHz stick sets are expensive, Futaba 3GR is the cheapest, then you are into several hundred for a Futaba 3GR or Sanwa Exzes. There is a cheap stick set out there sold under the Etronix and Code brands - it's OK. Lots more options if you are prepared to move to a wheel. If you are happy with your Acoms there is no need to change, 40MHz still works!

[tramp]

Fantastic, great advice, thanks for taking the time to reply! Ive ordered the Hobbywing Xerun 120a v2.1 esc, a KO servo and a Turnigy 5100mah saddle pack. So when everything arrives I'll be ready to hit the track! I'll hang on a bit for the motor... well at least until payday! I'm looking forward to getting stuck in now.
Thanks again
Luke

[adam_u]

Hi Luke,
Excellent choice on the HobbyWing, I've used these without a hitch since returning to the hobby after a long break, I really can't see any point in spending more to be honest, it does all I need and more The Savox servos are good value for money, but you really need to be adding a power cap when using them to ensure you don't have any power issues - these are only a couple of quid on ebay so no big drama.
When you do come around to motor choice I can highly recommend the HPI Pro Flux range - at around £55 new with a sensor cable included they are a great motor, and an 8.5 in a 2wd would be manageable but still nice and quick - you can always limit your throttle a little whilst you get used to it. Good luck with the racing mate

[adam_u]

You can ignore the Savox servo bit, just read that you have a KO