Looking for the "most recommended" upgrades for the VESLA.5 C1E (ie. Electric)

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Ninth Island RC

Ninth Island RC

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18
I know that asking for "the best upgrades" is always a 'loaded' (sometimes, VERY loaded) question...thus, the reason I'm asking for the "most recommended" upgrades. What I have (or, should I say, will have, come late April) coming is the VESLA.5 C1E SBK kit. I have my own thoughts on electronics (while I'm definitely considering the HW route, I'm actually leaning towards Castle), so no help needed there...but, being that this will be my 2nd 1/5 scale vehicle (the first being an XMAXX, that I built up from an RC chop-shop roller), and one from a brand I've never before purchased from, I could really use some help.

Starting with the gears, I was already thinking about getting the HD gears. At the same time, I am very aware of the idler gear problem affecting the standard, as well as the HD, idler gear. So, what other options are there? I'd also like to replace the transmission housing with a CNC billet housing (preferably 7075), but am uncertain what options might be out there (besides the Kraken option...except that, from what I can tell, all of the 'upgrade' parts from Kraken are 6061, as opposed to 7075).

I typically group upgrades into three categories - "definitely required", "recommended, but not absolutely required", and "nice to have, but not truly necessary. I also classify upgrades as 'performance', 'handling', and 'cosmetic'. For example, transmission gears would be "required" & 'performance', an aluminum trans housing would be "recommended" & 'performance', light bars would be "nice to have" & 'cosmetic', and aluminum suspension arms would be "recommended" & 'handling'. What I am primarily looking for is suggestions/recommendations for the "required" & "recommended" categories, which fit into the 'performance' & 'handling' classifications. I don't plan on purchasing everything (that would be, as I'm sure others would probably agree, overkill)...but, the more complete a list I can get, the better prepared I will be in ordering upgrades. Additionally, such information will be greatly helpful to others looking to upgrade their VESLA.5s.
 
I just pre-ordered the Vesla SBK in gas. I emailed Kraken RC directly to ask about recommended upgrades. They are pretty quick to respond. For my gas version they recommended billet transmission, HD gears, and aluminum front bulkhead.
 
Ferrebee88 said:
I just pre-ordered the Vesla SBK in gas. I emailed Kraken RC directly to ask about recommended upgrades. They are pretty quick to respond. For my gas version they recommended billet transmission, HD gears, and aluminum front bulkhead.
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Good thing you saved a few $$ for those expensive upgrades. I wonder who/what the test parameters were before release to the public. Not often a MFG recommends upgrades for what seems like a failed first attempt. Gotta love big scale RC's.
 
Well I’ve seen people blow those HD gears with anything over a 40cc. Nothing else available right now for better gears. I’m working on a work around for this but nothing solid yet.
Other than that yea anytime you run big power you don’t want to do it in plastic housings due to heat/friction and flex. Aluminum transmission. The arms are also known to snap so replace as you go (spares). Other than that it’s a very solid truck.
 
cmbscx10 said:
Good thing you saved a few $$ for those expensive upgrades. I wonder who/what the test parameters were before release to the public. Not often a MFG recommends upgrades for what seems like a failed first attempt. Gotta love big scale RC's.
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Oh I didn't save $$... I bought the other upgrades too
 
Kraken had been a crap show with the vekta and vesla imo. I like my vekta, but it required quite a bit of extra money/parts sank in it straight off the bat to make it reliable. The vesla seems to be much the same from reading the threads on here. Just sucks to pay all that money and throw half od it in the trash before you fire/wire it up.
 
Seandonato73 said:
Kraken had been a crap show with the vekta and vesla imo. I like my vekta, but it required quite a bit of extra money/parts sank in it straight off the bat to make it reliable. The vesla seems to be much the same from reading the threads on here. Just sucks to pay all that money and throw half od it in the trash before you fire/wire it up.
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Was your Vekta the early ones? I am reading about Version this and that but can't find the dates when these were changed. Save for my Tekno's NO MFG gets it right the first time.
 
cmbscx10 said:
Was your Vekta the early ones? I am reading about Version this and that but can't find the dates when these were changed. Save for my Tekno's NO MFG gets it right the first time.
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Mine is a v2 version I think. Whenever they came out with the updated bearings in the rear axle, shorted us the rear caster/camber blocks and stopped the black anodizing of certain parts. It's a good rig, don't get me wrong, but I'd say about 30% of it ended in the reject bin, including the trans plates, front diff housing, battery box front control arms (they didn't last long.) And front bumper. Oh, the stock resr drive shaft was straight garbage as well and the brakes are junk too.
 
GazooRC said:
I have both a vekta and a vesla. Love them both. I had some growing pains with the vekta but what manufacturer doesn’t. It’s all part of the hobby. We all upgrade parts sooner or later.
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True. With very two exceptions, every RC I own (including boats) has been upgraded...not just because I 'want' to upgrade, but because they 'needed' upgrades. As for those two exceptions, both are 1/28 (ie. Mini-Z) scale cars, and both were "high-end" kits (meaning, they were, essentially, already 'upgraded' by the designers). To answer my own question (since I created this thread), the reply I received from Kraken RC was similar to the reply those purchasing the gas version were told - billet trans housing, HD trans gears, and HD diff spider gears. There were a few others, but they were 'optional' upgrade parts (when I emailed them, I had asked for a list of "necessary" upgrades, and a list of "recommended, but not absolutely required" upgrades). Now, just need to continue waiting for my SBK to ship, as they have been delayed.
 
Ninth Island RC said:
True. With very two exceptions, every RC I own (including boats) has been upgraded...not just because I 'want' to upgrade, but because they 'needed' upgrades. As for those two exceptions, both are 1/28 (ie. Mini-Z) scale cars, and both were "high-end" kits (meaning, they were, essentially, already 'upgraded' by the designers). To answer my own question (since I created this thread), the reply I received from Kraken RC was similar to the reply those purchasing the gas version were told - billet trans housing, HD trans gears, and HD diff spider gears. There were a few others, but they were 'optional' upgrade parts (when I emailed them, I had asked for a list of "necessary" upgrades, and a list of "recommended, but not absolutely required" upgrades). Now, just need to continue waiting for my SBK to ship, as they have been delayed.
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If you are going to be running alot of power through it then yes. Wait till next month when they release their V2 trans and gears.
 
GazooRC said:
Ahh I hate when that happens. I just bought mine too then they came out with this. I'm with ya there.
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Honestly, I'm not overly worried. I know the upcoming trans housing & gears are designed to be near-bulletproof...but, at the same time, I don't plan to run 12S. I'll be running 8S & 57T spur with an 800kv motor, so I'll just go slightly up in pinion, which should put me somewhere between the max speed on 8S & 12S when running the same motor. Since the stock pinion is 16T, I'll probably end up using a 19T or 20T...but, what I'll do is test using the 16T, and then 'estimate' top speeds using a gearing calculator to determine what tooth pinion to move up to.

On a somewhat-related note, I've had the chance to go over the manual for the SBK. It's not the 'best'...but, it's definitely far from being the 'worst'. I guess, the only word I can use to describe it is 'different'. As the manual is currently organized, it's sort-kinda in three parts. If building the gas version, you go straight through, from page 1, through page 71...but, if building the electric version, you start with pages 1 through 20, then you move to pages 73 through 86. After that, you go back to pages 36 through 53, then pages 64 through 66, then to page 87. Finally, after all that, you go back to page 67, and finish the build on page 71. To me (and, I'm certain, many others), a more logical way of arranging the manual would have been to have everything from page 1, up through where the gas & electric versions differ, followed by electric & gas sub-sections, and then the remainder of the manual being the remainder of the 'identical' build. The organization of the manual isn't the only problem, as how the actual instructions are laid out is also a bit 'different'...again, not saying it's a 'bad' thing, just 'different'. Actually completing the build should be easy enough, as the manual does (to the best I was able to discern) provide all the necessary information. It's quite different than the manual of any other kit I've built (and, I've built quite a few).

In some ways, I'm not really liking this manual...but, in other ways, I'm seeing it as much better than the manual of any other kit I've built. The organization is anything but 'good'. Maybe, by the time the kits actually ship (which, as I was informed yesterday, via email, will be delayed by approx 3 weeks, primarily due to some design changes...most notably to the rear axles, and the transmission motor plate), the digital version of the manual will be reorganized (since, I'm assuming, the printed manuals have already been printed). As for how each individual step (ie. the 3D-rendered images) is shown in the manual, this is something I'd like to see other manufacturers doing, as everything is very clear & concise.
 
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Ninth Island RC said:
Honestly, I'm not overly worried. I know the upcoming trans housing & gears are designed to be near-bulletproof...but, at the same time, I don't plan to run 12S. I'll be running 8S & 57T spur with an 800kv motor, so I'll just go slightly up in pinion, which should put me somewhere between the max speed on 8S & 12S when running the same motor. Since the stock pinion is 16T, I'll probably end up using a 19T or 20T...but, what I'll do is test using the 16T, and then 'estimate' top speeds using a gearing calculator to determine what tooth pinion to move up to.
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Yea you should be fine. The problem is the idler gear. There should be a aftermarket fix for that coming soon for that anyways.
 
GazooRC said:
Yea you should be fine. The problem is the idler gear. There should be a aftermarket fix for that coming soon for that anyways.
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Someone (I can't remember who, other than he's an individual, not a business) already came up with a 'fix', which involved carefully using red threadlock or retaining compound on the outside of the bearing, and "locking" it into the idler gear. The "problem" I saw with his idea is that it permanently binds the idler gear & bearing...so, if/when the bearing needs t be replaced, he will have to also replace the idler gear. Using his idea, I came up a modified version, and plan to see if I can get it to work. If you search the thread (at least, I think it was in this thread), you should find his 'solution', as well as my 'counter' to his solution.
 
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