Wraith Beginners Guide

[Harley]

I've got a couple of questions.

1.) How to set up a slipper for the Wraith. I'm running the RRP Wraith 48p Gen3 Slipper/Spur. Stock gearing. I've only set up slippers for racing Short Course, but wondering how much slip I should have for this application? Right now i've got it locked all the way down, then backed off 1/4 turn. It breaks all 4 tires loose (PL Flat Irons) on concrete on a full throttle start with Timbuk2 W.E. Should I loosen it to save on other drive components?

2.) Axle slop. Think i got this because my slipper seems tight. I know the right answer is better lockers, which I plan on getting when I'm ready to order stuff again. Is there anything I can do right now to reduce the axle slop? Maybe fill the locker with epoxy or gorilla glue? Next order will have universals and lockers in it, so not really worried if I can get them back out or not.

Any help is appreciated.

Your slipper is probably fine, just so that it breaks loose in a hard bind.

Not much you can do for the slop that will last other then getting new lockers down the road!

 

[nwnewbie]

Harley, Thank you for this sticky. From reading your pointers for setting up gearing for crawling I finally got mine dialed in! 35t motor 16/87 gears. couldnt have figured it out without this thread!

 

[trialbuyfire]

Sorry, but I am an information junkie. Unfortunately the link you've included for the manual returns a 404 not found error?
http://docs.axialracing.com/instruct...01-ae2-esc.pdf

Great info otherwise! Thanks!

ESC and Motor

Stock ESC
The stock Axial AE2 ESC is a good unit that performs well. It lacks the tuning capabilities of some of the higher end units but for a RTR ESC it is a nice piece. During testing I ran this ESC completely submerged. Axial does not advertise it as waterproof but I had no issues using it as such.

Manual: http://docs.axialracing.com/instruct...01-ae2-esc.pdf


Stock Motor
The stock 20 turn brushed motor is just a cheap brushed motor. Nothing too special. The life span of the stock motor will likely be limited, but depending on how you use it will have the most effect on the life of it. I spent the first 30 minutes of driving my Wraith bombing around in dirty creek water, as I would have expected the motor did not last very long doing that.

Motor

Replacing the motor will likely be on the list of things to do for most people, either by choice or by necessity. When doing this again you should look at what you plan to do with the truck and what you would like to spend. Some choices will require you also replace the stock ESC.

Motor - For Speed
If you are after some speed then a brushless system would be a great choice. Sensored brushless systems will give better low speed control then sensorless systems. A system between 2200 and 3600kv would be my suggestion. After running a 3700kv system in my wraith of nearly a month I have determined that the amount of wheel speed is overkill for anything other than a strictly go-fast basher type rig that will likely not see much if any trail use.

Motor - For Crawling
If crawling or trail riding is your goal then there are lots of options too. The cheapest option is to just replace the stock motor and utilize the stock ESC. I would suggest a motor in the 25-45 turn range depending on how much wheel speed you would like to have. If you would like a little more tuneability or the option to run higher voltage or more demanding motors than you may also want to change out your ESC. There are lots of options for this and depending on the features you want, many factors to look for are things like size, cost, voltage limits, motor limits, waterproof, and programming interface. You can also run brushless systems for this type of driving. It is very important to find a sensored system if you plan to do any sort of crawling.

ESC

There are several reasons to change the stock ESC but as covered before, it's not a necessity out of the box. Most of the reasons will depend on what you decided you wanted to run for a motor and what you wanted to use the truck for (bashing/speed or crawling or a mix).

Some things to consider in a new ESC is what voltage limit it has, if it is waterproof, how is the programmability, what’s the cost, and if it has crawling friendly features. The two brands I would highly suggest sticking with are Castle Creations and Tekin. These two companies make ESC’s that work fantastic for crawlers and you will find a wealth of knowledge on both them here on RCCrawler.

If you have room, the Mamba Max Pro would be a fantastic choice. It will run almost any motor you can fit in this truck, can go up to 6s LiPo and gives you the ability to run sensored brushless motors if you ever decided to change. It is NOT waterproof but precautions can be made to protect it in those situations. Another good choice would be the Holmes Hobbies BRXL which can be purchased in a waterproof version. The BRXL can also run 6s LiPo but has a better internal BEC and some special crawler specific programming. Both of these ESC’s use the Castle Link computer interface to program via your PC.

 

[barnyard]

Ok quick question. I need to know what hd gears to get for my diffs (front and rear). I am running 13.5 tekin, mmp, 32p 14/60. I do some trail running but, mostly crawling and hill climbing.

 

[bongrips420]

Pretty sure it was mentioned somewhere but just double checking that ax10 mip shafts will work. they are cheaper than wraith ones

 

[Harley]

Pretty sure it was mentioned somewhere but just double checking that ax10 mip shafts will work. they are cheaper than wraith ones

I use them, but they can interfere with the spur cover. I do not run it though.

 

[bongrips420]

cool im getting the kimbrough 60t anyways, so looks like ill be ditchin the ole spur cover

 

[crusher]

i got some r35 tires today and got a question .my wheels dont have air holes in them should i put some in and if so how many .im new to this and trying to get my rig going.thanks

 

[Jeepfixer1]

Yup, nothing more complicated than that. I should probably add that to the guide.

If you need some wheel weights in a pinch and don't want to have to order or drive out to the Lhs. Almost all tire stores (full size cars) have stick on wheel weights strips (for mag wheels) that are the same or close to what you can buy at hobby shops. Typically 1/4 oz segments on one strip that add up to 3oz ea. I put one strip ea in my front axial bead locks and they go all the way around. Had to add an extra 1/4 oz to complete the full circle. Worked great and really could tell the difference. Not only in crawling but also not as easy to flip over on it's side at full speed!"thumbsup"

 

[durwank]

Okay, I just got my Wraith last week and am looking for a good battery for it. After reading the beginning of this thread and finding out that a 2c/2s? lipo is best for it that is what I am going to get but there are SO damn many of them on the market I still don't know what the heck to get. I will also need a charger for it but don't need to spend a ton of money on the best thing out there so if you guys could give me some suggestions on this I would appreciate it. I have been into r/c for a long time but haven't kept up on lipo tech at all so try to be nice.

 

[buffet]

I want to change the stock servo to something more powerful and durable. I'm not all into crawling, my preferences can be described as "good speed and a bit of crawling". Mostly forest trails, some mudding. What is your servo advice if I don't want to install a BEC? Budget is below $100. I want to keep my config clean (sooner or later I will purchase HolmesHommbies motor + ESC, that's why I don't want to bother with a separate BEC now).

 

[Harley]

If you need some wheel weights in a pinch and don't want to have to order or drive out to the Lhs. Almost all tire stores (full size cars) have stick on wheel weights strips (for mag wheels) that are the same or close to what you can buy at hobby shops. Typically 1/4 oz segments on one strip that add up to 3oz ea. I put one strip ea in my front axial bead locks and they go all the way around. Had to add an extra 1/4 oz to complete the full circle. Worked great and really could tell the difference. Not only in crawling but also not as easy to flip over on it's side at full speed!"thumbsup"

I buy the 30lb box from O'Rielys auto parts since I build a lot of rigs. It usually lasts me a couple years. :lol: I also think they have a smaller box you can buy, maybe 10lbs.

 

[Harley]

Okay, I just got my Wraith last week and am looking for a good battery for it. After reading the beginning of this thread and finding out that a 2c/2s? lipo is best for it that is what I am going to get but there are SO damn many of them on the market I still don't know what the heck to get. I will also need a charger for it but don't need to spend a ton of money on the best thing out there so if you guys could give me some suggestions on this I would appreciate it. I have been into r/c for a long time but haven't kept up on lipo tech at all so try to be nice.

Stock location, any hard case 2s lipo will pretty much fit. To save cash though you can compare any non-hard case pack size and throw it in. A 2s 25c pack will work fine. I use hobbypartz.com for most my packs. They have tons of charger options too.

 

[Harley]

I want to change the stock servo to something more powerful and durable. I'm not all into crawling, my preferences can be described as "good speed and a bit of crawling". Mostly forest trails, some mudding. What is your servo advice if I don't want to install a BEC? Budget is below $100. I want to keep my config clean (sooner or later I will purchase HolmesHommbies motor + ESC, that's why I don't want to bother with a separate BEC now).

You are describing a difficult situation. No BEC is nearly a killer. Rule of thumb on servos, more money = more power so spend as much as you can to get a good servo. The Savox 1256TG is a decent piece and under budget.

 

[buffet]

Thanks for help, Harley!

I have another question, after receiving my Wraith RTR today (I am still waiting for battery to arrive, so no real testing yet): it looks like one of the shocks is tighter than the others, the rear left one. Not only it feels tighter, but also it doesn't fully return to its position, like all other three are doing. Here is a video:
Shock problem - YouTube

Is that something that will solve itself after running the rig? Or should I dismount this shock? If so, what should I look for? Not enough oil? Something else?

 

[Harley]

Thanks for help, Harley!

I have another question, after receiving my Wraith RTR today (I am still waiting for battery to arrive, so no real testing yet): it looks like one of the shocks is tighter than the others, the rear left one. Not only it feels tighter, but also it doesn't fully return to its position, like all other three are doing. Here is a video:
Shock problem - YouTube

Is that something that will solve itself after running the rig? Or should I dismount this shock? If so, what should I look for? Not enough oil? Something else?

Didn't watch your video, disassemble the shock and check the outside of the piston is very smooth. If not then clean it up with an exacto.

 

[Scurvy]

OK, sorry for the confusion, but I'm wondering if the wiring I'm attempting is even possible.

I'm thinking about upgrading my steering servo to something more higher amp than the stock ESC can supply so I was going to hook it up with a CC 10A Bec, but I'm also wiring in a castle link quick connect, so removing wires would defeat the purpose of installing the quick connect since I'd still need to rip open the receiver to reconnect the disconnected wire anyway wouldn't I?

---- Edited after here

OK, so after more research and reading, I think I've figured it out:

The CC Quick Connect is between ESC and Receiver, and can all be wired together properly as per normal.

Bec parallels ESC, powers front servo, and the power wire from BEC-Rx is removed to stop feedback into stock ESC (and it can probably be removed in such a way as to leave a way to plug in castle link to program BEC)

Is that basically correct?

(IIRC, I could also power the Rx from the BEC by removing instead a power wire from quick connect to RX, leaving the quick connect to ESC connection untouched and usable, but I think I'd rather do it the first way unless there are real differences...)

 

[buffet]

Another question is bugging me for a day already It seems to me that in stock setup, my Wraith RTR has a jerky and fast reverse speed. I mean, it's not really that much faster in reverse than it is in forward, but forward acceleration seems very smooth, while it is really a challenge to go slowly in reverse (and stock AX-3 radio doesn't have any Expo stuff). I searched the forum, found some information, which is a bit controversial:
1. RTR Wraith bevel gears are installed wrong way, opposite to how it is described in the manual p. 15 - this is due to assembly line mistake. And this is one of the causes for stock motors being burnt quickly.
or
2. these bevel gears were installed the opposite way from what is described in the manual in order to support a stock 20T motor which is a reverse motor unlike the majority of aftermarket ones.

which one is correct?

 

[SpecE30Racer]

I have a question. I have a HS-5995TG servo on order and I was wondering if I will need to install a BEC for this servo? Specs on the servo are 333oz.@6V and 417oz.@7.4V. Thanks for any help someone can give me. It's a RTR with stock electronics. Not running Lipo but wiill be moving up to them in the next week or so. I know if I run 3S I will have to install a BEC. If I move to 3S would a PRO BEC be enough to handle everything? ALLEN

 

[Harley]

I have a question. I have a HS-5995TG servo on order and I was wondering if I will need to install a BEC for this servo? Specs on the servo are 333oz.@6V and 417oz.@7.4V. Thanks for any help someone can give me. It's a RTR with stock electronics. Not running Lipo but wiill be moving up to them in the next week or so. I know if I run 3S I will have to install a BEC. If I move to 3S would a PRO BEC be enough to handle everything? ALLEN

Yes you need a BEC. A 10 amp BEC from Castle will be fine. A pro is only suggested with 2 high power servos.