ORIGINAL: TSNF
Wonderful information EXT2Rob, I really do appreciate it, the part numbers especially - I like those wheels and tires. Great idea for the drive pins.
I had to order some parts today for the Brushless. My son (15 years old) hit a curb or something and ripped a front shock apart yesterday.
The stock plastic shocks unscrew at both ends, and the end with the shock shaft can become loose, and when that happens and it takes a hard hit, the threads break off and the shock is now junk. Loc-tite those babies!
Actually the front bumper is not bad when I think about it. Sorry to hear about the Subaru body not being protected.
Do you think there is any benefit to buying any of the aluminum upgrades available for the Evader? Has anyone done that and can you provide feedback? I realize that the all plastic nature of the Evader is what makes it so light and flexible (energy absorbant?) and that if you do replace a part with aluminum that this part will now probably transfer all the energy to another, different part, and will most likely cause more damage than if the part was plastic. (My son and I are flattening out our learning curve on the Evader so it will be less of an issue as time goes on, I hope...)
The only aluminum parts Igot were the shocks (see above comment) and the motor plate. The motor plate ($25!!) is nice because it helps dissapate heat from the motor and is strong. But Igot it as a gift (thanks Warren!!) and it's kind of a pricey part. The shocks.....well, Ihaven't broken anything on them except the occasional rod-end. The AL shocks are a different design...no bladder-cap, and you fill them by removing the shock-shaft cap that screws into the shock body. The issue there is, that cap is an assembleage of pieces, and one of the pieces tends to come un-snapped and your shock starts to leak. Idoubt if a cap already soaked in silicon oil can be cleaned enough to be glued properly. Iget a re-build kit and asseble the cap and I GLUEON the last piece. That seems to work pretty well, but they still can come apart again. Iput up with it.
I ordered a plastic front bulkhead (51) with my order because I think (after inspection) that once you bash the front end in good a couple of times that the screws on the Front Brace (52) strip out the holes in the bulkhead and therefore does not provide rigidity to the front end. I actually ordered two bulk heads - It is a Stress Tech Guarantee part so I will send that back after I get it replaced and not have the car out of commission for a week or so. Crashing into soil is much better than crashing into something that does not compress, like a curb or fence post, in my experience.
Ohhh yeah...been there! You might also want to order a spare chassis. In my experience that hinged connection between the chassis and bulkhead will break one or more hinge-loops then finally break altogether. But, since we started wrapping trees with foam and orange cones, no more breakage from tree impacts. Cones will actually direct the forces upward and save you damage. providing of course they are in the right place at the right time!
I am very happy with the Evader and have no regrets about the investment costs for this much fun. I will have my T-Maxx (sorry for cussing) with me on vacation also and this and the Evader will provide hours of good family fun. FWIW, my Dad is a retired mechanic and he is amazed at the power these electric and nitro motors put out. He's got a couple of old nitro motors somewhere and I'll have to convince him to break them out. I would love to get them running for him.
Keep that great info coming guys (any ladies out there?) we all appreciate the wisdom and the feedback - I know I do!
Sincerely,
TSNF
That;s the good thing about the Evader, probably its main selling point: cheap entry price, and the stress-tech guarantee. But, Do what my bud did, save up all the stress-tech parts you break, and send them in just before your year runs out. Buy your own replacements. They take FOREVER to replace the warranty parts. (low priority) That way, you'll have spares, and your car won't be down for months.
RC has come a long way. Brushless motor systems and high-tech batteries give these little models amazing power and speed. And with very little maintenence when compared to Dad's old nitro cars. Unless one feels the need for engine noise, the smell of nitro fuel, and the angst that comes from trying to keep them running right, who needs nitro? (Well, ok, probably the guys running 1/5-scale SC 4x4s) Brushless can give you all the power you need and more. Maybe one day I'll get a Losi, or Associated, or an Ofna, and I'll be singing their praises and dissing ol' DTX, but the Evader got MEhooked, ANDmy buddy, and the hobby NEEDS cars like that, one that's inexpensive enough to hook a newb but tough enough to learn and grow with and make that newb a dedicated RC fan. Am Iright? or am Iright?