Contributed by: Marc Vigod | Published: March 2003 | Views: 75972 |  Email this Article
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RC Universe Product Review
by Marc Vigod
DuraTrax Evader BX RTR
1/10th Scale Ready to Run Electric Buggy
The Duratrax Evader BX RTR is a ready to run (RTR) 1/10th scale electric powered buggy. The buggy comes out of the box and is ready to run after installing the transmitter batteries (supplied), charging the 6-7 cell pack for the car (not supplied) and running the receiver antenna wire up through the antenna tube. All components are already installed making this buggy just raring to go from the moment you receive it.
The vehicle includes a 2 channel Pistol Grip Radio by Futaba, Sprint Electronic Speed Control with reverse and a Photon Speed 20 turn modified motor. The Evader comes in 6 body color choices which all pair to a different frequency. Duratrax offers their Stress-Tech guarantee on the Evader which means if any of the plastic Stress-Tech parts break in the 1st year they replace them free for you.
Another exciting feature of the DuraTrax Evader BX RTR is the availability of hop-ups. Certain hop-ups are actually standard & already built into the stock Evader such as adjustable shocks, camber adjustments, wheel base adjustment, ride height, slipper clutch, shock oils, adjustable racing wing and more. We also show several of the parts available to hop up your evader at the end of this review.
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PACKAGING:
The Evader arrives in a snazzy looking 4 color box. The components were packed well and after inspection all components checked out ok. I removed the car, transmitter, video, instructions and decals and prepared for what was to be one of the shortest assembly tasks I've ever had in the RC hobby.
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COMPONENTS:
To the left you see the Evader, Pistol Grip Radio, instructions, decal sheet, batteries, allen keys, wrench, batteries and instructional video.
It is quite apparent by looking at how this car comes out of the box that we are just about ready to race!
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PISTOL GRIP TX:
The Evader BX RTR includes a Pistol Grip Radio by Futaba. This radio comes equipped with both throttle and steering trims, adjustable steering rate (dual rate), battery LED, an SX100 servo, BEC receiver, removable antenna plus a charge jack for (optional) NiCd battery use. On-board components come factory-installed on the chassis.
- Adjustable Steering Travel
- Servo reversing
- Steering and throttle trims
- SX-100 Servo
- Recharging jack (for use with optional NiCd batteries)
- LED battery status light
- Removable Antenna
Pistol Grip Transmitter
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Photon Speed 20 Turn Motor
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I decided to first read through the directions and watch the video before proceeding. Once I completed the video I installed the 8 AA batteries into the transmitter, applied the decals to the Evader BX's body, screwed in the transmitter antenna, routed the receiver antenna through the antenna tube, secured my freshly charged battery into the Evader and put the body on the chassis. The Evader BX was now ready to race but before we head to the dirt track let's take a closer look at what is under the hood.
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Below top left is the front chassis. Top right is the motor and gearbox. Bottom left is a view of the rear chasis with the receiver in the foreground of the photo. The bottom right picture shows the rear chassis overview as viewed from behind.
The Evader comes with several performance enhancements so you can tune the vehicle and race competitively. There is an adjustable slipper clutch which helps to keep wheel spin under control. A race tunable suspension with steel turnbuckles allow you to make adjustments based on conditions by using the included wrench. Adjustable ball differential gives you control of power delivery based on track conditions. DuraTrax's Rapid-TuneĀ aluminum oil shocks which are oil-filled coil-over shocks with fully adjustable spring tension. The instructions and video clearly go over these adjustments as well as maintenance procedures for the Evader.
Other standout features are the steel universal drives which provide more efficiency than standard "dogbones". A motor guard shieds the Photon electric motor from rocks, dirt, dings or other vehicles.
A composite racing chassis which has a sunken centerline tray to spread the battery weight and keep the CG low is part of the Evader's design. The Sprint ESC provides smooth throttle transitions while being energy efficient. The pre-installed BEC eliminates the need for separate receiver batteries. Also pre-installed is the SX100 servo which gives ample steering strength for the Evader while racing on any type of track!
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Drving the evader....
I Have a dirt lot located close to my house which was the ideal place to test out the Evader BX in some real dirt and track like settings.
The Evader handles extremely well on the dirt and gravel as I soon found out. I made some fast runs down the straightaway to see how fast the buggy would go. I didn't have a speed trap setup to get an exact figure but suffice it to say this buggy can move out.
One of the really fun parts of any buggy racer are the jumps. There were some smaller bumps on this lot and I was able to make some really good jumps. The Evader's suspension handles the landings with ease There were some jumps that got out of control and the durability of the car shines through as nothing got damaged. There were spots on this lot that had harder rock and gravel and even on the harder surface the Evader was not harmed.
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The climbing power on the Evader is very good but since this is a 2 wheel drive vehicle there were some steep inclines where the wheels will just spin and it cannot climb unless it has momentum going up the hill.
A few days later I decided to make some really big jumps so I setup a ramp in my driveway and pointed it so the Evader would land in the grass. I was able to get the Evader about 4 feet up in the air and as long as I hit the ramp ok the Evader came down on all four wheels. If I missed hitting the ramp straight the buggy would sometimes do some in air tumbles (and on the ground) but still survive the abuse without a scratch.
I did not race the Evader BX head to head against other off-road buggy's but it is clear from running and jumping the Evader in the dirt that this vehicle will be a formidable competitor on the track and I'm looking forward to some competition this summer with it. I will update this review and let you know how many races I have won!
I've had a few electric RC cars before but nothing this advanced and I must say I was impressed at the overall engineering and performance. I'm relatively new to the "real" RC car scene and have to admit they are way more fun than I even imagined they could be.
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Below you see me catching some air with the Evader BX in the dirt.
Click image above to view Evader BX video (3.2MB High Bandwidth)
Click this link to view the LOW BANDWIDTH Video (932k - Low Bandwidth)
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 MAINTENANCE
| CLEANING THE MOTOR
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The video provided with the Evader BX explains in detail how to maintain the motor. Basically it involves removing the motor, cleaning the brushes and commutators and then spraying some cleaner inside the motor until completely clean. Doing this every 15 races will give you the racing edge. |
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SLIPPER CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT
The slipper clutch needs to be adjusted after break-in and periodically as well. The video goes over this procedure in detail as well. It involves loosening or tightening a bolt on the motor/clutch assembly until the Evader's clutch is slipping within the recommended 2 foot distance.
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CAMBER, TOE, SHOCKS
The camber and toe can be adjusted on the Evader which will allow you to fine tune performance to your driving style You can also adjust the shocks by moving them in, out or changing their mounting hole. You can also change the weight of oil in the shocks for a faster or slower reacting shock. You will find over time that you can continue to keep the Evader tuned for performance by tweaking these parameters.
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HOP-UPS
HOPPIN' UP THE EVADER BX
One of the great things about the Evader BX RTR is the ability to hop up the car and customize it. This allows you to add parts or components that will give you the racing edge and make your car match your personality. Items such as anodized shocks, colored springs, titanium components and more.
Some of the cool hop ups available I have shown below for reference.
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Hop-Up Shocks
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Hard Anodized Shock
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Steering Bellcrank
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Shock Springs
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Titanium Kingpin Set
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Aluminum Battery Straps
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Aluminum Front Bulkhead
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Aluminum Rear Hub
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Ball Cups
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Carbide Differential Balls
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Front Sway Bar Set
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Motor Guard
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Front Wheels
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Rear Wheels
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Aluminum Rear Tranny Brace
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Aluminum Hinge Pin Front Brace |
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| DuraTrax Evader BX
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The Duratrax Evader BX RTR 1/10th scale off road buggy is a well designed, rugged and fun to drive RC vehicle. Whether you are into serious racing or just playing around the Evader is sure to please.
DuraTrax's "stress tech" guarantee will give you peace of mind that if you break any of the stress tech plastic parts in the first 12 months that they will replace it for free.
The Evader BX RTR is available from your local hobby store or online at Tower Hobbies
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Manufacturer & Distributor Information |
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The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review. |
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EMAIL THIS ARTICLE OR CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT REVIEWS! |
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