New to cars... should I build a kit, but something cheaper and upgrade, or buy up?
03-01-2022, 12:56 PM
#1
New to cars... should I build a kit, but something cheaper and upgrade, or buy up?
Hi everyone,
Flown planes for a while. Wanting to dip my toes into ground stuff.
I don't want to spend a ton of money as I'll likely be buying two trucks, one for me and one for my girlfriend's son. I'd like to keep it at $300 to $400 per truck, but lower is better I'm just not sure I can get what I want for less. So I'm also wanting to maximize what money I do spend.
I'm hearing stay away from Traxxas. What should I be looking for? The only thing I know I want is LiPo and brushless. I'm not planning on racing or anything... just bashing in the yard and wherever we go. For now, anyway. And I already have a quad charger and wouldn't mind buying a dedicated radio up front for each of us.
Any particular kits or models stick out that would be great? Durability and parts availability are probably at the top of almost everyone's list, including mine.
I'm thinking I'll probably order steel drive shafts, extra gears, and a new steering servo almost no matter what I start with, assuming they don't come with anything too great (and they likely won't).
If anyone has any resources they'd recommend, I'd love to hear it.
Edit: Really like the Arrma Vorteks and the Losi Tenacity. Any thoughts about the differences between those two? Is the $100 more worth it on the Losi?
Thanks,
Brandon
Flown planes for a while. Wanting to dip my toes into ground stuff.
I don't want to spend a ton of money as I'll likely be buying two trucks, one for me and one for my girlfriend's son. I'd like to keep it at $300 to $400 per truck, but lower is better I'm just not sure I can get what I want for less. So I'm also wanting to maximize what money I do spend.
I'm hearing stay away from Traxxas. What should I be looking for? The only thing I know I want is LiPo and brushless. I'm not planning on racing or anything... just bashing in the yard and wherever we go. For now, anyway. And I already have a quad charger and wouldn't mind buying a dedicated radio up front for each of us.
Any particular kits or models stick out that would be great? Durability and parts availability are probably at the top of almost everyone's list, including mine.
I'm thinking I'll probably order steel drive shafts, extra gears, and a new steering servo almost no matter what I start with, assuming they don't come with anything too great (and they likely won't).
If anyone has any resources they'd recommend, I'd love to hear it.
Edit: Really like the Arrma Vorteks and the Losi Tenacity. Any thoughts about the differences between those two? Is the $100 more worth it on the Losi?
Thanks,
Brandon
Last edited by NeveSSL; 03-01-2022 at 01:49 PM.
03-01-2022, 07:52 PM
#2
Building a kit is definitely the best way to learn everything about the chassis, but unfortunately your price range is too low for any quality kit.
That said a RTR is your best route and you've done a good job with your homework already.
I don't have any experience with the Vorteks, but I have seen many ARRMA Typhon and Senton's at the track in my area to confirm they are very durable and the owners have been getting their money's worth!
Keep in mind that with any RTR, they take short cuts to keep costs down and ARRMA's don't need expensive upgrades like TRAXXAS does. Try to find some reviews on YouTube on the Vorteks before you pull the trigger so you don't get blindsided with any gotchas.
I personally don't feel that the Tenancity is worth the $100 exrta, though it does offer a lot more aluminum upgrades which is why it's more expensive... if you were going to race at a club, then I would recommend the Tenacity but since you're only going to bash around the yard, then I would go ARRMA for your case.
The Vorteks offers a higher ground clearance and comes with a wheelie bar to enhance your bashing experience.
That said a RTR is your best route and you've done a good job with your homework already.
I don't have any experience with the Vorteks, but I have seen many ARRMA Typhon and Senton's at the track in my area to confirm they are very durable and the owners have been getting their money's worth!
Keep in mind that with any RTR, they take short cuts to keep costs down and ARRMA's don't need expensive upgrades like TRAXXAS does. Try to find some reviews on YouTube on the Vorteks before you pull the trigger so you don't get blindsided with any gotchas.
I personally don't feel that the Tenancity is worth the $100 exrta, though it does offer a lot more aluminum upgrades which is why it's more expensive... if you were going to race at a club, then I would recommend the Tenacity but since you're only going to bash around the yard, then I would go ARRMA for your case.
The Vorteks offers a higher ground clearance and comes with a wheelie bar to enhance your bashing experience.
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NeveSSL (03-01-2022)
03-01-2022, 08:27 PM
#3
I ended up watching a video that compared the two and pulled the trigger on two Tenacity Pros. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be worth it going with the Vorteks and buying maybe some extra batteries with the difference, but I doubt we will be unhappy with the Tenacity Pros!
Thanks for your reply!
Brandon
I'm wondering if it wouldn't be worth it going with the Vorteks and buying maybe some extra batteries with the difference, but I doubt we will be unhappy with the Tenacity Pros! Thanks for your reply!
Brandon
03-02-2022, 08:58 AM
#4
Honestly you can't go wrong with either choice, both offer a great value for the price, good luck and have fun with the cars!
Some things to consider:
Run different sets of tires for various conditions.
Street Tires: https://www.amainhobbies.com/duratra...xc3703/p642397
The stock tires will be decent for dirt/grass/gravel but if you ever visit a local race track, then be sure to invest a set of "track" tires to get the best possible performance:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/aka-imp...017sre/p379041
These are a softer compound which will improve traction but will also wear faster.
Plan to do a complete rebuild every 15-20 battery packs, pull every bearing and inspect for crunchy bearings that need to be flushed, carefully pry the rubber shield off the bearing with a hobby knife and flush with WD40 Dry Lube and re-pack with fresh grease. Also apply grease to all rubber seals in both the diffs and shocks as well filling the diffs and shocks with fresh fluid. Inspect all the parts for signs of wear, some important tools to consider here:Good Luck!
Some things to consider:
Run different sets of tires for various conditions.
Street Tires: https://www.amainhobbies.com/duratra...xc3703/p642397
The stock tires will be decent for dirt/grass/gravel but if you ever visit a local race track, then be sure to invest a set of "track" tires to get the best possible performance:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/aka-imp...017sre/p379041
These are a softer compound which will improve traction but will also wear faster.
Plan to do a complete rebuild every 15-20 battery packs, pull every bearing and inspect for crunchy bearings that need to be flushed, carefully pry the rubber shield off the bearing with a hobby knife and flush with WD40 Dry Lube and re-pack with fresh grease. Also apply grease to all rubber seals in both the diffs and shocks as well filling the diffs and shocks with fresh fluid. Inspect all the parts for signs of wear, some important tools to consider here:Good Luck!
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NeveSSL (03-02-2022)
05-03-2022, 11:14 PM
#6
Senior Member
The traxxas rtr's aren't that bad. I have the 35 Ford factory five and love it. Like you, I fly rc and it was kind of an impulse buy. I'm slowly finding aftermarket parts for it.
.It lives to drift, but is very easy to control that on the brushed 550.
It runs very smooth as long as everything is set correctly (I fubarred the gear mesh when I changed the pinion and melted the spur gear, my fault)
Traxxas replacement parts aren't expensive. Its when you start buying the aftermarket stuff that hits.
You'll find more aftermarket stuff for the 4tech 3 Stingray than the factory five. Even though they are both, technically, the v3 there are differences in suspension parts, but there is a lot that carried over from the v2
I'm sliwly going through, learning how it goes together, and finding compatable upgrades.
Like flying rc, theres a learning curve. Its a fun project with immediate payoff. A few screws, new part(s) on, throw in a pack, run and adjust.
Like on a real car, if you go brushlrss, the chassis has to handle it. You don't neccesarily have to throw a bunch of aluminum parts in to put in a traxxas brushless, but if you are looking to go faster, by putting in a castle creations setup, you'll want the upgrades.
Not many off the shelf kits can handle really high speed without breaking or bending parts. No matter what you do, off road or street, the faster you want to go, the stronger it has to be.
Flying, we have to worry about certain things when building, this is no different, its precise. Every adjustable linkage has to be the same length both sides of the suspension, Tooth count and pitch have to match up, wheel alignment, camber, castor and toe..
These things make you think about all of that with each tweak of the suspension.
Shock oil affects it, the viscosity changes the stiffness. Lots to consider.
I went with an rtr because I'd have the factory set up to revert to if I screwed it up lol.
.It lives to drift, but is very easy to control that on the brushed 550.
It runs very smooth as long as everything is set correctly (I fubarred the gear mesh when I changed the pinion and melted the spur gear, my fault)
Traxxas replacement parts aren't expensive. Its when you start buying the aftermarket stuff that hits.
You'll find more aftermarket stuff for the 4tech 3 Stingray than the factory five. Even though they are both, technically, the v3 there are differences in suspension parts, but there is a lot that carried over from the v2
I'm sliwly going through, learning how it goes together, and finding compatable upgrades.
Like flying rc, theres a learning curve. Its a fun project with immediate payoff. A few screws, new part(s) on, throw in a pack, run and adjust.
Like on a real car, if you go brushlrss, the chassis has to handle it. You don't neccesarily have to throw a bunch of aluminum parts in to put in a traxxas brushless, but if you are looking to go faster, by putting in a castle creations setup, you'll want the upgrades.
Not many off the shelf kits can handle really high speed without breaking or bending parts. No matter what you do, off road or street, the faster you want to go, the stronger it has to be.
Flying, we have to worry about certain things when building, this is no different, its precise. Every adjustable linkage has to be the same length both sides of the suspension, Tooth count and pitch have to match up, wheel alignment, camber, castor and toe..
These things make you think about all of that with each tweak of the suspension.
Shock oil affects it, the viscosity changes the stiffness. Lots to consider.
I went with an rtr because I'd have the factory set up to revert to if I screwed it up lol.
Last edited by Txmustangflyer; 05-04-2022 at 08:15 AM.
05-04-2022, 07:15 AM
#7
If you continue to replace the "cheap" Traxxas branded parts then you will spend far more money on long term costs than buying the aftermarket upgrades.
If you buy all the aftermarket upgrades for Traxxas than you spend nearly the same as if you simply bought a race grade kit already loaded with upgrades and tuning options that aren't available on any RTR.
Most RTR's go with a setup that's in between which means the setup will do poorly in all driving conditions... facepalm
It's very important to apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the shocks and diffs to prevent leaks... there's no telling how long before the RTR was assembled and sat on the shelf, or if it sat in a hot shipping container for months.
Another problem with RTR's is that you end up buying the electronics twice... nearly everyone upgrades their electronics shortly after their purchase which negates the purpose of buying a RTR in the first place. Since you have to rebuild the RTR anyway, it takes more time to get a proper setup with an RTR than if you simply bought a kit and installed proper electronics up front.
The biggest problem is that to truly offer a "proper RTR" it would be far too expensive for most to buy it because a proper RTR would be assembled to order where the buyer fills out a setup sheet based on driving conditions and that's what they get.
There are many team drivers who offer a kit building service so this is what I would recommend for anyone who truly wants a quality RTR:
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RustyUs (05-08-2022),
TheRailroadBull (05-04-2022)
05-04-2022, 08:24 AM
#8
Senior Member
Here's my take, Traxxas designs are dated and loaded with design flaws when compared to modern industry standards. Traxxas was considered extremely durable when they were first introduced but they have relied on aftermarket upgrades to fix all the design flaws while the rest of the industry has improved their designs up front so consumers are not forced to making upgrades for a more durable product.
If you continue to replace the "cheap" Traxxas branded parts then you will spend far more money on long term costs than buying the aftermarket upgrades.
If you buy all the aftermarket upgrades for Traxxas than you spend nearly the same as if you simply bought a race grade kit already loaded with upgrades and tuning options that aren't available on any RTR.
RTR actually means "Ready To Reassemble", this is not a joke... every RTR of every brand on the plant should be rebuilt immediately and inspected/tuned for driving conditions. Tires alone are the biggest problem where there is no such thing as an "All terrain tire" that works well on both dirt and pavement. Medium compound tires are best for pavement and Soft compound are best for dirt... same with springs and fluids in shocks and diffs, thinner for low grip and thicker for high grip.
Most RTR's go with a setup that's in between which means the setup will do poorly in all driving conditions... facepalm
It's very important to apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the shocks and diffs to prevent leaks... there's no telling how long before the RTR was assembled and sat on the shelf, or if it sat in a hot shipping container for months.
Another problem with RTR's is that you end up buying the electronics twice... nearly everyone upgrades their electronics shortly after their purchase which negates the purpose of buying a RTR in the first place. Since you have to rebuild the RTR anyway, it takes more time to get a proper setup with an RTR than if you simply bought a kit and installed proper electronics up front.
The biggest problem is that to truly offer a "proper RTR" it would be far too expensive for most to buy it because a proper RTR would be assembled to order where the buyer fills out a setup sheet based on driving conditions and that's what they get.
There are many team drivers who offer a kit building service so this is what I would recommend for anyone who truly wants a quality RTR:
If you continue to replace the "cheap" Traxxas branded parts then you will spend far more money on long term costs than buying the aftermarket upgrades.
If you buy all the aftermarket upgrades for Traxxas than you spend nearly the same as if you simply bought a race grade kit already loaded with upgrades and tuning options that aren't available on any RTR.
RTR actually means "Ready To Reassemble", this is not a joke... every RTR of every brand on the plant should be rebuilt immediately and inspected/tuned for driving conditions. Tires alone are the biggest problem where there is no such thing as an "All terrain tire" that works well on both dirt and pavement. Medium compound tires are best for pavement and Soft compound are best for dirt... same with springs and fluids in shocks and diffs, thinner for low grip and thicker for high grip.
Most RTR's go with a setup that's in between which means the setup will do poorly in all driving conditions... facepalm
It's very important to apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the shocks and diffs to prevent leaks... there's no telling how long before the RTR was assembled and sat on the shelf, or if it sat in a hot shipping container for months.
Another problem with RTR's is that you end up buying the electronics twice... nearly everyone upgrades their electronics shortly after their purchase which negates the purpose of buying a RTR in the first place. Since you have to rebuild the RTR anyway, it takes more time to get a proper setup with an RTR than if you simply bought a kit and installed proper electronics up front.
The biggest problem is that to truly offer a "proper RTR" it would be far too expensive for most to buy it because a proper RTR would be assembled to order where the buyer fills out a setup sheet based on driving conditions and that's what they get.
There are many team drivers who offer a kit building service so this is what I would recommend for anyone who truly wants a quality RTR:
I dunno much about rc chassis, and the traxxas gives me the "how it works" and the "how to make it better" if that makes sense. To me its like an rc trainer for flying. Baby steps.
I can take the stock chassis, do things to encourage some things, tune out the others, if it gets to out of wack, revert to the stock settings and try again.
05-04-2022, 10:52 AM
#9
Junior Member
Here's my take, Traxxas designs are dated and loaded with design flaws when compared to modern industry standards. Traxxas was considered extremely durable when they were first introduced but they have relied on aftermarket upgrades to fix all the design flaws while the rest of the industry has improved their designs up front so consumers are not forced to making upgrades for a more durable product.
If you continue to replace the "cheap" Traxxas branded parts then you will spend far more money on long term costs than buying the aftermarket upgrades.
If you buy all the aftermarket upgrades for Traxxas than you spend nearly the same as if you simply bought a race grade kit already loaded with upgrades and tuning options that aren't available on any RTR.
RTR actually means "Ready To Reassemble", this is not a joke... every RTR of every brand on the plant should be rebuilt immediately and inspected/tuned for driving conditions. Tires alone are the biggest problem where there is no such thing as an "All terrain tire" that works well on both dirt and pavement. Medium compound tires are best for pavement and Soft compound are best for dirt... same with springs and fluids in shocks and diffs, thinner for low grip and thicker for high grip.
Most RTR's go with a setup that's in between which means the setup will do poorly in all driving conditions... facepalm
It's very important to apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the shocks and diffs to prevent leaks... there's no telling how long before the RTR was assembled and sat on the shelf, or if it sat in a hot shipping container for months.
Another problem with RTR's is that you end up buying the electronics twice... nearly everyone upgrades their electronics shortly after their purchase which negates the purpose of buying a RTR in the first place. Since you have to rebuild the RTR anyway, it takes more time to get a proper setup with an RTR than if you simply bought a kit and installed proper electronics up front.
The biggest problem is that to truly offer a "proper RTR" it would be far too expensive for most to buy it because a proper RTR would be assembled to order where the buyer fills out a setup sheet based on driving conditions and that's what they get.
There are many team drivers who offer a kit building service so this is what I would recommend for anyone who truly wants a quality RTR:
If you continue to replace the "cheap" Traxxas branded parts then you will spend far more money on long term costs than buying the aftermarket upgrades.
If you buy all the aftermarket upgrades for Traxxas than you spend nearly the same as if you simply bought a race grade kit already loaded with upgrades and tuning options that aren't available on any RTR.
RTR actually means "Ready To Reassemble", this is not a joke... every RTR of every brand on the plant should be rebuilt immediately and inspected/tuned for driving conditions. Tires alone are the biggest problem where there is no such thing as an "All terrain tire" that works well on both dirt and pavement. Medium compound tires are best for pavement and Soft compound are best for dirt... same with springs and fluids in shocks and diffs, thinner for low grip and thicker for high grip.
Most RTR's go with a setup that's in between which means the setup will do poorly in all driving conditions... facepalm
It's very important to apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the shocks and diffs to prevent leaks... there's no telling how long before the RTR was assembled and sat on the shelf, or if it sat in a hot shipping container for months.
Another problem with RTR's is that you end up buying the electronics twice... nearly everyone upgrades their electronics shortly after their purchase which negates the purpose of buying a RTR in the first place. Since you have to rebuild the RTR anyway, it takes more time to get a proper setup with an RTR than if you simply bought a kit and installed proper electronics up front.
The biggest problem is that to truly offer a "proper RTR" it would be far too expensive for most to buy it because a proper RTR would be assembled to order where the buyer fills out a setup sheet based on driving conditions and that's what they get.
There are many team drivers who offer a kit building service so this is what I would recommend for anyone who truly wants a quality RTR:
I have one final suggestion. A Tamiya TT-02. 100 bucks and change. Will come with an ESC and a very basic (and pretty slow) motor... perfect for learning on. Buy a bearing kit for it for another 30 bucks or whatever it would cost. Buy a flysky radio w/ receiver for undeer 50 bucks (cheap but definitely worth the low price tag) and a LIPO battery to get that budget motor movin' (I assume you already have a charger?), and you can have an assembled yourself car... with ENDLESS tuning/performance/spare parts availability. In my opinion... a TT02 (or the TT-02R if you have the cash for body/esc/motor in a better car w/ factory upgrades, including bearings) is THE best "build it yourself" RC for folks new or dabbling in the surface hobby grade RC world. Plus, Tamiya makes arguably THE best bodies... so even if it ends up a shelf queen.... it will still look rad. Just my two cents. Whatever you choose will still be fun... of this I have no doubt.
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bill_delong (05-04-2022)
05-04-2022, 11:49 AM
#10
Spot on TheRailroadBull
Another great starter is the BTD (Build To Drive) series from ECX:
https://www.horizonhobby.com/product.../ECX03034.html
Again, the electronics are questionable, but most bashers tend to want something that drives on both the street and dirt.
I actually started with flying .40 planes in the 90's then stopped when my kids were born in 2000, and started racing cars with my son when he turned 10 in 2010, I never went back to flying planes and have immensely enjoyed the competitive racing aspect since. I plan to go back to flying planes again when my reflexes taper with age and are no longer competitive at the local track.
Another great starter is the BTD (Build To Drive) series from ECX:
https://www.horizonhobby.com/product.../ECX03034.html
Again, the electronics are questionable, but most bashers tend to want something that drives on both the street and dirt.
I actually started with flying .40 planes in the 90's then stopped when my kids were born in 2000, and started racing cars with my son when he turned 10 in 2010, I never went back to flying planes and have immensely enjoyed the competitive racing aspect since. I plan to go back to flying planes again when my reflexes taper with age and are no longer competitive at the local track.
Last edited by bill_delong; 05-04-2022 at 11:53 AM.
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TheRailroadBull (05-04-2022)
05-04-2022, 06:52 PM
#11
Txmustangflyer
I just noticed on your signature block that you're from Boerne. If you ever happen to be in the Austin area on a Saturday, I would encourage you to check out Thornhill sometime:
https://www.thornhillrc.com
1575 County Road 101
Hutto, TX 78634
I just noticed on your signature block that you're from Boerne. If you ever happen to be in the Austin area on a Saturday, I would encourage you to check out Thornhill sometime:
https://www.thornhillrc.com
1575 County Road 101
Hutto, TX 78634
05-05-2022, 01:24 PM
#12
Senior Member
Txmustangflyer
I just noticed on your signature block that you're from Boerne. If you ever happen to be in the Austin area on a Saturday, I would encourage you to check out Thornhill sometime:
https://www.thornhillrc.com
1575 County Road 101
Hutto, TX 78634
I just noticed on your signature block that you're from Boerne. If you ever happen to be in the Austin area on a Saturday, I would encourage you to check out Thornhill sometime:
https://www.thornhillrc.com
1575 County Road 101
Hutto, TX 78634
05-05-2022, 01:46 PM
#13
No both tracks are off-road only... 1/10 turf and 1/8 dirt with club racing almost every Saturday, they close the track for rebuilds before a big event with the Lonestar Challenge coming up the weekend of May 20-22, which is a 3 day event, many of the worlds top drivers will be attending this event:
https://thedirt.us/race/2022-lonestar-challenge/
https://thedirt.us/race/2022-lonestar-challenge/
05-05-2022, 02:37 PM
#15
That's a beautiful ride there!
There's a on-road track out in Dale,TX called N-Control, I don't race there but that would be a place you can drive your car and get your feet wet into some club racing:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/197175760905197
It's a much smaller club than Thornhill, but visiting a big race event like the one I posted above is worth checking out.... they often have raffle drawings with lots of big prizes with raffle tickets available for purchase by anyone.
There's a on-road track out in Dale,TX called N-Control, I don't race there but that would be a place you can drive your car and get your feet wet into some club racing:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/197175760905197
It's a much smaller club than Thornhill, but visiting a big race event like the one I posted above is worth checking out.... they often have raffle drawings with lots of big prizes with raffle tickets available for purchase by anyone.
05-05-2022, 03:20 PM
#16
Senior Member
I noticed you ignored the whole borrowing part lololol. I'll check it out if I'm home then. I'm an OTR truck driver. Once the above is built up a bit, I'tll go on the truck with me. I suppose I could bring this up to austin though..my other rc "car" ish thing
..aka mancrates rc buggy
Does 40 mph on a 2s 1800..not bad for 140 bucks and a brushed no name motor and esc
Only things not wood: axles, steering cups, drivelines, motors, gears, diffs, electronics.
Suspension arms: wood
chassis: wood
Body: obviously wood.
held together by gorilla glue lol.
I'll let you borrow it ifn I can borrow yours lol
Its on the truck with me now. On the 1800 it gets a little crazy at full throttle. Not a whole lot of tuning can be done. Punch it..it lifts its nose way up and rides its butt till you let off..mud, dirt, gravel, grass..it don't care.
I need to seal it with clear Klass Kote at some point...
..aka mancrates rc buggy
Does 40 mph on a 2s 1800..not bad for 140 bucks and a brushed no name motor and esc
Only things not wood: axles, steering cups, drivelines, motors, gears, diffs, electronics.
Suspension arms: wood
chassis: wood
Body: obviously wood.
held together by gorilla glue lol.
I'll let you borrow it ifn I can borrow yours lol
Its on the truck with me now. On the 1800 it gets a little crazy at full throttle. Not a whole lot of tuning can be done. Punch it..it lifts its nose way up and rides its butt till you let off..mud, dirt, gravel, grass..it don't care.
I need to seal it with clear Klass Kote at some point...
Last edited by Txmustangflyer; 05-05-2022 at 03:28 PM.
05-06-2022, 10:21 AM
#17
Gonna be honest, I only let experienced racers run my gear... learned that lesson the hard way when I let a close friend try to run one of my cars once and he went through about $40 in parts after the driving session was done... nothing was broken and still drivable, but he bent up a bunch of aluminum and threw the car way out of tune, just wasn't worth it so I only offer to help tune the cars of new drivers who show up at the club and need to get their cars dialed in to be easy to drive.
When you make the trip out this way, you'll see the size of the jumps and punishment these cars see on the track... it's like a mini motocross track.
When you make the trip out this way, you'll see the size of the jumps and punishment these cars see on the track... it's like a mini motocross track.
05-06-2022, 11:44 AM
#18
Senior Member
Oh I get it. It was meant as a joke. Be like me handing you the transmitter for my baby...well...the curent "baby"...nuh uh lol
Wife calls it "the mistress" She's just about finished now as far as building goes. Wiring tuning adjusting and balancing left.
Wife calls it "the mistress" She's just about finished now as far as building goes. Wiring tuning adjusting and balancing left.
Last edited by Txmustangflyer; 05-06-2022 at 02:32 PM.
05-06-2022, 01:29 PM
#19
Very nice!
I used to have a .46 size P-51 with retracts myself with a pitts muffler, after a repair to the tail section, I wasn't happy with the color match so I made it a red tail design after the Tuskegee Airmen.
I used to also be a flight instructor as well which was nice to have a buddy box, but there is no concept for a buddy box with surface controllers... we all see it at the track when someone's about to wreck and there's nothing you can do but sit back and eat popcorn, ha!
I used to have a .46 size P-51 with retracts myself with a pitts muffler, after a repair to the tail section, I wasn't happy with the color match so I made it a red tail design after the Tuskegee Airmen.
I used to also be a flight instructor as well which was nice to have a buddy box, but there is no concept for a buddy box with surface controllers... we all see it at the track when someone's about to wreck and there's nothing you can do but sit back and eat popcorn, ha!
05-06-2022, 02:31 PM
#20
Senior Member
Lolol..
I got more wrapped up in the engine of that plane than we spent on new furniture, thats the sad part lol.
I got more wrapped up in the engine of that plane than we spent on new furniture, thats the sad part lol.
Last edited by Txmustangflyer; 05-06-2022 at 03:37 PM.
05-08-2022, 08:32 AM
#21
....
RTR actually means "Ready To Reassemble", this is not a joke... every RTR of every brand on the plant should be rebuilt immediately and inspected/tuned for driving conditions. Tires alone are the biggest problem where there is no such thing as an "All terrain tire" that works well on both dirt and pavement. Medium compound tires are best for pavement and Soft compound are best for dirt... same with springs and fluids in shocks and diffs, thinner for low grip and thicker for high grip.
Most RTR's go with a setup that's in between which means the setup will do poorly in all driving conditions... facepalm
It's very important to apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the shocks and diffs to prevent leaks... there's no telling how long before the RTR was assembled and sat on the shelf, or if it sat in a hot shipping container for months.
Another problem with RTR's is that you end up buying the electronics twice... nearly everyone upgrades their electronics shortly after their purchase which negates the purpose of buying a RTR in the first place. Since you have to rebuild the RTR anyway, it takes more time to get a proper setup with an RTR than if you simply bought a kit and installed proper electronics up front....
RTR actually means "Ready To Reassemble", this is not a joke... every RTR of every brand on the plant should be rebuilt immediately and inspected/tuned for driving conditions. Tires alone are the biggest problem where there is no such thing as an "All terrain tire" that works well on both dirt and pavement. Medium compound tires are best for pavement and Soft compound are best for dirt... same with springs and fluids in shocks and diffs, thinner for low grip and thicker for high grip.
Most RTR's go with a setup that's in between which means the setup will do poorly in all driving conditions... facepalm
It's very important to apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the shocks and diffs to prevent leaks... there's no telling how long before the RTR was assembled and sat on the shelf, or if it sat in a hot shipping container for months.
Another problem with RTR's is that you end up buying the electronics twice... nearly everyone upgrades their electronics shortly after their purchase which negates the purpose of buying a RTR in the first place. Since you have to rebuild the RTR anyway, it takes more time to get a proper setup with an RTR than if you simply bought a kit and installed proper electronics up front....
"Bashing", "bashers", "bash" terminology has gotten to the point where people automatically think of extreme jumps/speed/stunting that must be going on in the non racing side of the hobby. I whole heartedly believe race bred kits make the best "bashers" simply, because of the machined parts, refined composites (just better quality materials in general), and top notch shocks that an off-road RC needs to make it around today's "hard" surfaces that tracks are made of.
I get the whole "I only got this much money to work with" type posts. I try to plead my case, what "R" "T" "R" really means, with those wanting opinions with what to buy as a first RC. Sometimes I will get through to them, but most of the time they want the "cheap" way into the hobby. Sometimes it is best to let people get a taste of the great fun hobby with one of the lower end RTRs, and hope there isn't too much of a sourness taste/struggle once addiction sets in. Face it, I think we have all traveled down the "been there, done that" road in one form or the other... we just try to better inform others of all our mistakes.
After a person has that long drawn out discussions with what RTR to get... a couple weeks later you see that person asking what servo; shocks; radio; ESC, or motor to get for their new-ish RTR platform. One good thing about being in/getting into the hobby... learning moments, and facepalms are not in short supply .
Last edited by RustyUs; 05-08-2022 at 08:35 AM.
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bill_delong (05-08-2022)
05-08-2022, 10:01 AM
#22
Senior Member
Being an rc car newb, a redneck as well (I openly aclnowledge it) it was a. Shiny b. Red and c. Had chrome.
we rednecks are genetically predispositipned to reach for our wallets when we see that combo. Its like a dog seein a squirrel...
CHROME!
we rednecks are genetically predispositipned to reach for our wallets when we see that combo. Its like a dog seein a squirrel...
CHROME!
Last edited by Txmustangflyer; 05-09-2022 at 07:05 AM.
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bill_delong (05-08-2022)
11-19-2022, 04:22 PM
#23
Senior Member
No both tracks are off-road only... 1/10 turf and 1/8 dirt with club racing almost every Saturday, they close the track for rebuilds before a big event with the Lonestar Challenge coming up the weekend of May 20-22, which is a 3 day event, many of the worlds top drivers will be attending this event:
https://thedirt.us/race/2022-lonestar-challenge/
https://thedirt.us/race/2022-lonestar-challenge/
Might see ya soon
11-19-2022, 06:04 PM
#24
Looks great, they have a solid turnout for 4WD SCT this weekend!
https://trc.liverc.com/results/?p=vi...ult&id=3978257
Normally the SCT's only show up for big races and don't typically see them for club races, the next big race with expected turnout for SCT will be the Series Finale which is a 2 day event with dinner included on Sat with raffle drawing for a TEKNO EB48 2.1 with your entry in the race:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1223...5730619556611/
https://trc.liverc.com/results/?p=vi...ult&id=3978257
Normally the SCT's only show up for big races and don't typically see them for club races, the next big race with expected turnout for SCT will be the Series Finale which is a 2 day event with dinner included on Sat with raffle drawing for a TEKNO EB48 2.1 with your entry in the race:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1223...5730619556611/