Onslaught

I have been in electric RC cars and trucks for a long time. I'm getting the urge to get into nitro. I have chosen the Redcat Racing Backdraft 3.5 buggy as my first nitro car. It comes with a 2.4 ghz radio. I'm not sure how good that radio is. Now my question is. Will I need a fail safe unit for this type of radio? I have seen a few of the fail safes say they dont work with 2.4 ghz radios. If this is the case do I need one? If not anybody know if redcat racing sells a throttle return spring for this buggy or if it comes with one already? Any help would be appreciated.

aci155

man a redcat is not the car you want to get involved with.

tommygun32

Well Onslaught, to answer your question, most 2.4 ghz radios come with a built in failsafe. Can you tell us exactly what model trx it is? Also, as aci155 so eliquently put it.....you may want to rethink you choice of buggy. Especially if it's your first nitro. What exactly are you going to do with it? Bash or Race? What's your budget? Are there and LH's around you and what brands do they carry? Getting a POS right off the bat can send you running away from nitro real quick. There are a lot of good guys on here that could offer alternative suggestions.

SyCo_VeNoM

you might want to think about getting a Hyper 7 TQ Black for $290 http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXRUS1&P=ML seeing your already going to spend at least $240 on the red cat.
The stock AM radio should be fine, but if you want a 2.4ghz you can pick up a cheap hobbyking 2.4ghz radio for $25 http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...dProduct=10608 (which is the same radio in the redcat) or pick up a eurgle/flysky 3 channel 2.4ghzfor $55ish http://www.r2hobbies.com/proddetail.php?prod=rcps2805001(I use one and its a great radio for the price IMO)

The redcat might look nice, pretty, and very tempting but in general its not a good deal. All parts have to come from redcat (or himoto seeing they sell the same exact relabeled chinese RC's), or one of their handful of resellers, and they also have a reputation for durability issues when compared to the rest.

Other good low budget buggy is the Jammin X1x RTR http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...-4WD-RTR-Buggy for $340 (I got one) or the Ofna Picco http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXVGM6&P=7

Now I have heard of people that have a good background getting the Redcats moving fine but seeing your a newbie in nitro its very highly not recommended. Also when dealing with nitro going cheap will get you a big headache.
But that is my opinion

Onslaught

I was looking at the Hyper 7 TQ Black. I also like the Ravager from Ofna. I can get one on ebay for 360 brand new since the Ravager is discontinued. I'm thinking of going with the ravager based on your info. I dont plan on racing I just want a basher I can have fun with.

aci155

hyper 7 is a better choice if you wanna bash

Onslaught

I'm also thinking of getting the Ofna Ultra MBX Comp [link]http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/1_44_48/products_id/115659/n/OFNA-1-8-Ultra-MBX-Comp-RTR-1-8-Off-Road-Buggy-w-Force-26-Auto-start[/link] This one looks pretty good. Has electric starting which is one of the features I want and its included. Has a 2 speed tranny upgrade also which I wanted. I might go this route. Anybody like this buggy?

The_Shark

no you dont.

electronic start is crap. pull start is better than elecro start and bump start is the best. also, you dont want a 2speed diff in a 1/8 buggy, one, they are fast enough, two, it makes it difficult to run in dirt and jump and 3, they break alot.

i would say get the picco. its similar to the mbx, but the whole layout is stronger and you get goodies, like bigger shocks and the picco engine.

any how, whatever you pick, you would be better off getting a Amish guy to build you a balsa-wood buggy than buy a redcat.

SyCo_VeNoM

man I'm tempted to build a buggy out of balsa wood now that you said that

Onslaught

Whats the matter with electric start?

JsK

Get a Hyper7 or a Jammin X1. At least these are race proven chassis. These
cars have proven themselves at the highest forms of 1/8 scale racing and have
shown there ability to survive and be competetive. Racing breeds durability
plain and simple. It does not matter how much driving skill you have you can't
win with a chassis that breaks.

Now I know you said that your just going to bash it , but why would you want an
unproven cheap price point chassis when you can get a older but proven race
chassis for the same price?

Notice I said chassis and not the entire RTR package. ALL RTRs are built around
a price point and are loaded with cheap Radios, Servos, Engines ect. Point is your
gonna have to upgrade almost any RTR at some point so why not start with a good
foundation.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have seen a Ravager/ UltraMbx/ Raze show up
at the track and make maybe one pass over the feature jump before breaking.

ginnz

My Feedback: (2)

i had bought a used Ofna Ultra Comp LX from a kid here, it was in perfect shape, i changed out the stock servo's for top of the line, HIGH torque JR servo's and ditched the stock crap radio for a 2.4 ghz. Acoms technisport i got for a good deal..... it has built in failsafe, and all works well. i just need to find more receivers, as i have an RC10GT id like to run with the same radio.... just look around, good deals are to be had.

Onslaught

After much thought about this. I am wondering if buggies run on grass or do they need dirt to run on? I plan on just bashing around in a field like a local soccer field or just a wide open space. Would I be better getting a monster truck rather then a buggy?

SyCo_VeNoM

a 1/8th MT would be best like a Savage X, but a 1/8th buggy should work fine.
I drive my 1/10th scale MT2 in 1-2inch deep grass all the time and its literally almost the exact same size as my 1/8th scale Jammin X1x (tires ground clearance and all) so a 1/8th scale buggy should do fine IMO.

big_poppa49

Yea they go in grass good. Like somebody said earlier, tires are about the same size as a MT. Just MT are wider. You can also get some big knobbies (i.e. ProLine Badlands) for the buggy if you want to hook up good and grass/think dirt.

The_Shark

huh, i guess that jump is off a cliff then.

the 9.5 frame (ravager, violator, mbx pro/comp) is increadibly strong and is another old race proven chassis.

i built up a ravager to a mbx comp pro, it was tough to start with and now is bullet proof, untill i got into a freak accident with a spigot, i broke nothing but a tie rod end.

both the hyper7 and 9.5's are very tough and good handling cars.

i would go with the Picco, its on the 9.5 frame with pivot ball suspension with a .21 picco engine and 16mm shocks.

JsK

[link]http://www.youtube.com/user/frenchblue72#p/a/u/1/hx8sZgY3pMU[/link]

[link]http://www.youtube.com/user/frenchblue72#p/a/u/1/lNxgrQSnNeg[/link]