Epoch Indoor Racer - epoch1-43.com

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  #1  
Old 08-09-2005, 05:01 AM
crazydave crazydave is offline
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Default First impressions of an Epoch newbie

I don't hate it, but I'm not really impressed either.

Fresh out of the box, I liked it's solid feel, and I noticed the metal steering pins, and fat steering motor. I was impressed with suspension, and it's adjustablity.

Now the bad. Had an issue with the diff out of the box. Which made me realize how difficult its gonna be to take this rear end apart. I was warned that there's no motor options, but for some reason I was shocked by the lack of gearing options too. I think that's important to track tuning. The stock tires were off round. The radio felt really cheap, but I think that was mostly due to the adjustable handle being really loose, and making the radio feel like it flops around in your hand. The controls did have a nice smooth feel, and the steering a good amount of throw. I thought maybe if I screwed the handle in place it might work for me.

So I was a little disapointed, but figured if its a driver's car, and its fast, then I'll still be happy with it. Well at first I was just trying to get it to go straight. It kept going left. I kept adjusting right, and it kept going left, with no change, until I ran out of adjustment, so I thought maybe I was turning it the wrong way, and tried adjusting the trim to the left, and it just went farther left. I got fed up, and whipped out the ol' Iwaver digital radio, and what do you know, it tracked dead on straight with the steering trim centered. I was just starting to get into driving the car with my nice radio when the battery died. I think I got 2-3 minutes of running time.

So I gave one more go today. Meantime I lowered the suspension, leaving the back a little higher than the front, so the arm is about level with the chassis, set the wheelbase to the shortest setting, and switched to the high grip tire set. I went ahead and gave it a double charge, and this time the batteries warmed, like they should. Upon my second try, I was really impressed with the handling, and how my adjustments effected it. It now turned on a dime at full speed, and threatened to break the rear tires free. It seemed a bit faster with the batteries getting a better charge, but I could still use more top speed and more punch off the line.

So I'm kinda digging it. I'm seeing potential in it with a 4th cell, and maybe a FET mod, but in all honesty, if I was Joe Smoe, and I didn't have the resources, such as the radio, or the know how to fix the diff, I may have chucked it through the wall, before I asked for a refund or an exchange.
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Old 08-10-2005, 12:42 AM
arch2b arch2b is offline
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fair opinion.

i highly recommend using a better tx such as a mini-z tx or similar.

i still don't get long run times with mine best i ever got was 5 minutes.
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  #3  
Old 08-10-2005, 03:56 AM
crazydave crazydave is offline
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Got the 4th cell in, and much better now. Radio Shack's 1/43rd scale Vette came up over at bitPimps, and now that I think about it, that was my expectations for speed, at least as fast as I remember the Vette being when I tried it. I think its about that fast now. So I'm happy.

I'm using my Iwaver digital radio with it, and that's the way I would have gone eventually anyways, but I really wanted the stock radio to work. I'm gonna fiddle with it, and see if I can fix it.

The diff is getting smoother now that I'm running it too.
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Old 08-10-2005, 06:01 PM
epoch1-43 epoch1-43 is offline
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Glad you're digging the 4th cell CD; swapping to a better Tx and adding a 4th cell are fairly critical to long term enjoyment. Maybe we should start offering a low-end full-size AM Tx in the Shop?
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Old 08-10-2005, 10:21 PM
LBRC LBRC is offline
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Quote:
Glad you're digging the 4th cell CD; swapping to a better Tx and adding a 4th cell are fairly critical to long term enjoyment. Maybe we should start offering a low-end full-size AM Tx in the Shop?
If you haven’t tried the Iwaver Digital TX with an Epoch yet you should, it’s surprisingly nice. Unfortunately the 2PL and most of the other AM radio’s I have laying around won’t work with the Epoch. If I remember right the straight AM module for the M8 works but my Mini-Z module does not.
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  #6  
Old 08-11-2005, 12:13 AM
crazydave crazydave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by epoch1-43
Glad you're digging the 4th cell CD; swapping to a better Tx and adding a 4th cell are fairly critical to long term enjoyment. Maybe we should start offering a low-end full-size AM Tx in the Shop?
See if you can get a hook up on the digital Owaver Tx's. Loads of features, budget priced, and work perfectly with the Epoch.

TE is advertising they're now painted with some paint that give them a "Quality feel". Whatever that means, probably used that rubber paint like on the Zip Zap controllers.
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  #7  
Old 08-11-2005, 01:16 AM
arfin arfin is offline
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Hey i posted about your controller problem at BP, but you just overlooked it lol Here is its again.



That adjusts the steering, and keeps it that way, so make the steering rate to center on your epoch controller, and use that to center your steering.
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Old 08-11-2005, 05:34 PM
epoch1-43 epoch1-43 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crazydave
See if you can get a hook up on the digital Owaver Tx's. Loads of features, budget priced, and work perfectly with the Epoch.
Good call - we do in fact have these in stock (email shop@ if you'd like one) and I'll get some more in.
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  #9  
Old 08-11-2005, 11:19 PM
crazydave crazydave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arfin
Hey i posted about your controller problem at BP, but you just overlooked it lol Here is its again.



That adjusts the steering, and keeps it that way, so make the steering rate to center on your epoch controller, and use that to center your steering.
Oh yeah, hey, sorry. Saw that. Forgot to reply.

I don't believe that is my problem. As the steering is dead centered and perfect with my Iwaver radio's trim set at 0.

Also when I put the 4th cell in, my steering had fallen completely apart. I was afraid I messed up the centering on the pot. Then when I turned it on the wheels flicked back and forth violently. I shut it off immediately. Then went ahead and tried it again, this time it worked fine, and the steering is still perfectly centered with my Iwaver Tx. I think that was the IC's way of orientateing itself, like when you reset a Firby.
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  #10  
Old 08-11-2005, 11:59 PM
arfin arfin is offline
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Hey, that problem happened to one of my epoch, it just kept turning violently, and wouldn't stop. I just give it a smack and it works!

Btw at least you know for next time, if you want to set it on center with your controller you can use that.
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