rlyons124

Hi all, first post here. I have been searching the forums and internet to find the best truck for my son and myself for a while now. We are looking for a basher, something that is super reliable that we can run all day and not brake anything under normal use (obviously no wall strikes at 60 or 100 foot jumps, I have a good idea of the limits). We will mainly be driving it on hard packed dirt with jumps (not super chunky but some bumps), street, skate parks, some snow and most importantly we want to be able to hydroplane it. I don't see us hitting up any rock crawling or mud.

Can you guys recommend something for us. I have a lot of experience when I was younger, haven't done much lately. My son has very little experience. If there is a truck or transmitter out there where I can cut the throttle down for him I think that would really help and something that is more resistant to flipping when turning. Price isn't really an issue but I don't want to go out and blow a grand for something we don't stick with, cheaper the better. Oh yea, this thing will never be raced. It doesn't have to be crazy fast, just fast enough to hydroplane. Thanks everyone for you input, this has been a really hard decision and any input would be great.

The Saylors

So first let me welcome you to the forum, a lot of good guys here! As for your questions, most of the areas that you want to run at will be fine for most rc trucks aside from three of them so i will do my best to list off what you need to know. Skatepark: The skatepark will probably be one of the funnest things you ever do with an rc car but be warned! There is almost no way that you will escape the park without some kind of damage. Skate parks push the limits of what rc cars can take even with upgrades and even if you drive halfway easy you will still break something after a battery pack or two especially if your son is inexperienced but like i said it is amazingly fun (i have done this multiple times and i love it lol). Snow: this one seems like it would be so fun but you have to think of the scale of your car vs how much snow there is. I have run my 1/10th short course truck in about 2 inches or less of snow and that's with paddle tires, trust me it's a struggle to get momentum and keep it. To run effectively on the snow you would need to invest in a snow track kit which is really expensive for what it is but if you get consistent snow for a couple months every year then it would be worth it. And finally one of my most favorite rc activities, Hydroplaning: To be able to hydroplane you have to have a few things going for your truck to have a chance at doing this. It has to be fast 45-55 mph. Its has to be lower to the ground I.e. a buggy or a short course truck no monster trucks (it can technically be done but it's not as enjoyable). Waterproof electronics for obvious reasons. And the last one that i can think of which is very important is an overpowered motor and esc (usually something made for the next scale up i.e. a 1/8th scale system in a 1/10th scale truck) When you run in water it puts a crazy amount of strain on the motor and esc and if it's not an overbuilt truck you can have a fire. i know it seems counterintuitive but i have seen it happen with my own eyes before and it's not a nice thing to have happen to your truck. Now that you know that this is what cars i would recommend you check out. Look at the slash 4x4 vxl-3s WITH THE LCG CHASSIS (the platinum version comes out of the box with some tasteful upgrades so if you don't mind spending extra then it's worth it especially since you will end up doing those upgrades at greater cost later if you get into the hobby). The slash is NOT the best truck out there but they make a great basher and are great for teaching kids as the esc has a training mode which limits throttle to half until you decide otherwise, also think about the 2wd version as that will teach you to be a better driver but you will grown out of it faster. If buggies are more your thing then i recommend the team associated 8.2e 1/8th buggy or the losi 8ight 1/8th scale but be warned a child could really hurt someone with either of those buggies as they are super heavy for an rc and have a metal chassis! (people get their ankles broke by them a handful of times a year. Also they could have some issues at the skate park depending on how its driven. If you wanted to skip the hydroplaning then i would recommend the team associated Yeti 1/10th (not the XL 1/8th version, those have some issues). The 1/10th yeti is very uniquely set up as well as styled and it's a lot of fun to bash, you can also get the 2 speed trans that way you can do slow hill climbs and rock climbs but i know you said that's not your thing. Anyway hope this helps and sorry to have written you a book but there is a lot of info to cover! If you have anymore questions let us know!

Alex

rlyons124

Wow great write up. Thank you so much. It seams like the Slash 4x4 is a staple for bashing but I have also heard lots of people say it's not the best, why so? Is it just a good all around truck that doesn't do anything great? Would you recommend any other short course trucks? Also, do you think it's necessary to have 4x4 for hydroplaning? Would you look into 2wd stadium trucks? I would imagine 2wd is a little harder to control than a 4x4. What do you think about the 4x4 monster trucks like the nero and e revo. I found a good deal on a 4 year old e revo for 500 with everything (batteries, charger, truck, remote, parts......) Thanks again.

The Saylors

The revo style is one of the only monster trucks that you can hydro halfway easily because of its low center of gravity (it's essentially a large buggy with monster truck tires on it). Be very careful buying used, it's much like buying a used auto i.e. the more knowledge you have the better chance you have of catching something fishy. $500 for an old revo is prolly not a great deal but if it's packed with upgrades and was rarely used then it could be a decent deal. As you suspected the slash isn't the best at anything aside from it being really forgiving as it's tough aside from a few cheap and easy upgrades and is also very user friendly while still being stupid fast with the right set up (my 2wd does 60mph easy). Another thing about the slash is that parts are everywhere and plentiful. The slash is a great middle ground when compared to other niche rc trucks. The biggest reason most people put the slash down is because it's not good for racing for a few reasons but if you're not gunna compete then you will enjoy it. The reason i recommend the 4wd over the 2wd is because the 4wd will keep you interested longer as it is more capable, especially in high speed turns. The 2wd on the other hand will teach you to be a better driver as its control factor will be lower but like you said. Once you master it you will be bored of it leaving you wanting something more. The 2wd WILL hydro just fine, i have done it many times and it so much fun but taxing on the car and you need a particular kind of spot to do it. It's really all about your personal goals, for me i wanted to just bash but then i hit the track ONE TIME and was addicted lol. As for other trucks to look at the losi baja ray (this one has an interesting solid axle making more squirrely but very entertaining) and the team associated sc10(2wd) or ProSc(4x4) would be good rtr candidates. Just be warned that the supplied chargers and batteries that come with either will not be good for much of anything so factor a good lipo charger and a couple good lipo batteries into your budget.

Alex

DriveForFun

I've had great luck as far as durability goes with a Slash and Rustler, at least once i swapped out the radios. I would definitely go for 4wd though, so much easier for my son to drive than 2wd vehicles.

If i was going to buy a truck for my son specifically, would likely be the 4x4 Slash. He has a RedCat equivalent that is not bad at all, but not as tough as the Slash has been. My rustler has had about the same amount of broken parts as the Redcat, mainly due to the large wheels sticking out at all 4 corners....slash you get a bit more protection.