I'm planning on purchasing a new car in the near future . I have a Nitro Traxxas Rustler w/ a O.S. .15 CV and a Bolink oval car (dont remember name ). So now I think I'll get into the on-road stuff. My plans for a new car are either a Nitro Traxxas 4-tec RTR or a TC3 RTR. which one is better? My ideas are to just cruise around the neighborhood and racing up at the local track. I'm leaning more towards the TC3 because its shaft-driven. But the kit for the TC3, what does it require? I've also had problems w/my Rustler (piston cracked in original motor, but thats because I go hardcore w/ my Rustler ). What experiences have you had with the Nitro TC3 or Nitro 4-tec?

NTC3 all the way! I have the NTC3 and a friend of mine has the 4-tex with teh electric starting system. I was still breaking in my engine running pretty rich tranny not shifting properly and I blew him away! His was a bit older running like a champ but it was still no contest!

__________________

If you're looking to go fast, get the 4 tec, it's a bullet and at 60 mph, the NTC3 just cant keep up. If you plan to race and occasionally win, get the NTC3. It's race proven and still pretty fast at 43-46 mph.

If you look at race results in any of the popular RC mags, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone racing the 4-tec competitively let alone winning anything. The NTC3 is built for the track while the 4-tec is built to have fun while going fast.

I don't know what your talking about. Put the same motor on the NTC3 that is on the 4-tec and you would go just as fast if not faster after changing the gears. Speeking from experiance, if you are looking for speed out of the box and that is it for running in a parking lot, go with the 4-tec, I did, but then I wanted to control the car. I went with the NTC3. I changed the gears in the NTC3 and put in a Rossi Pixi Black. 12. The car now will hit 60 easy. The last race at the sugar bowl in Ga, on the OVAL, ran a 5.280. It averaged 47.7mph.....that makes a strait away speed around 60-70mph If all you people out there have a touring car for speed, bring it to an oval track. after all, what do you do in a parking lot.

RCfoolz,

You are absoultely correct. If you put the 4-tec motor in the NTC3, they would have similar speed. The only problem is is that I never said that the NTC couldn't be as fast with a different motor. The question was "which car to go with, the 4-tec RTR or the NTC RTR ". Last time I checked, the NTC3 RTR was not available with the Traxxas 2.5 motor.

I stand by my statement that in "RTR" form, the Traxxas is quite a bit faster (in a straight line) than the NTC3. If you want to race and win, the NTC3 is probably the better choice. If Spazzyfry wants the best of both worlds, he can always upgrade the motor in the NTC3.

RCFOOLZ, do you live near the Sugar Bowl? Ilive maybe 5-10 away from it, maybe we can race together somtime. I'm going to the Sugar Bowl today in about 2 hrs to go race my awesome Rustler with its new tuned pipe and O.S. .15 CV. See yall at the races!

i personally own the ntc3,its great so far,im using a mugen .12 jp black,its super fast with little tuning,it runs very rich and keeps up with everything on my track.its a very simple car to set up,the front and back suspension is almost identical,plus there are alot of people who know lots about them,so you will never be left hangin when you have questions.

Back to the question, which is better, they both have good and bad points. But if you want to race it, you might want to add a new radio and steering servo to be competitive. Over time, you will want to add a 2 speed to the NTC3. The 4-tec is a hard car to work on, everything that seemed to wear out or brake on mine took 30min to repair. The NTC3 is easy to work on and has more aftermarket companies building parts for it. If you look at the cost of rtr with upgrades vs getting a kit and building one, it works out that the kit is the way to go. So if you ever think you will upgrade later on down the road, get the kit and put the cost up front. I see a lot of people come to the hobby shop and get the RTR cars. In a few weeks, they are frustrated because they broke something and want "warranty" to fix it when they were running full out and smaked a curb or something. Also if you get a kit, you build the car and that is education on fixing it. SO, BACK to the original. If I had a chis, between the 4-tec or NTC3, NTC3.....RTR or Kit, it is a better car.

I would rather buy a RTR to start whit.. and repair it once it go broken. If u sit there whit a kit and a manual and is a total newbee whit no tips.... good luck fixing it, my friend did so and he went insane and turned it in to a guy who fixed it up for about 30 dollar.. But if u got experince i would say a kit is way to go

I would suggest an HPI car over the NTC3 and the 4-Tec.

The RS4 is a much better car to start with, you wont have any problem finding parts at the local shop or online.
The RS4 3 is a proven design, it does not have problems such as the diff cases cracking for no reason on the TC3.
There are other breakage problems with the TC3, its the design and the plastic they use. Very unreliable car is the bottom line on the TC3. Feel free to check out other forums or PM me for links to other forums where you will see testimony about how bad the TC3 really is.

Keep in mind that some people support the TC3 because they have one and dont want to face facts.
Flame away TC3 lovers!


HPI All the way, visit your local track and you will see.


Dbow

well,maybe thats your personal experiance.i dunno.my freind has a hpi and when he first got it he spent alot of time fixing it and still does,the knuckles on the hpi are designed very weak,the ball ends that hold them on get tore up real fast and then the knuckles are shot.so the camber and steering go to hell.the tc3 is a taotally different design that cant be torn up.i agree that the plastic parts break on ALL r/c cars,not just tc3's.but i have yet to break anything on my tc3 (knocks on wood).and its all plastic,i plan to upgrade a few parts to alloy,just for better steering response.to me,a car is a car,ALL of them have the good points and the bad,they are all made of plastic and therefore will all break with a hard enough impact.HPI's are good cars and so are tc3's,tc3 are also well supported my your local hobby store.either one you get you will have a blast with.

I have driven an HPI RS4 RACER for something like 5 years, I still have it and its still running strong.
Any car will break under hard conditions but the design of the RS4 is not new, its been around for years. They just tend to use the same design and add some parts etc to bring it up to speed.

THe TC3 design on the other hand was new and had lots of issues. To my knowledge they have not updated or FIXED the problems. All of the threads I have read show that Associated does not even acknolegde the problems with the kit.

Also, the 2 cars mentioned in the initial thread are marketed in different classes. The 4-Tec is a beginner car much like the RS4 design.
The TC3 is marketed more towards the racer which places it in a different class.

If I was going to purchase a race level car it would be the Mugen MTX-3. The TC3 cannot even attempt to compare to the technology of the MTX-3. Maybe when Associated decides to put out a newer version then there will be something to argue about.
Thus, there really is no comparison between the 4-tec and the TC3 because they are a different class of car.

If you want to compare the 4-tec and the RS4 just check the local shops and 9 times out of 10 you will find HPI before you see Traxxas anywhere. That is because HPI has more than 80% of the entry level R/C RTR market.


Dbow

The NTC3 is better for racing.

The NTC3 RTR is only s single speed. It only goes between 30 - 35MPh - add the 2 spd tranny then you can get 50-55MPh.

Take same 2 spd and put the TRX 2.5 motor. I bet it would rip. But since the NTC3 come with a .12 and the TRX 2.5 is a .15 motor - I would expect some performance difference. You can get more power out of NTC3 with the Mugen .12 MT2 and regear the tranny.

I have heard a lot of people at the track complain about the handling of the TRX Nitro 4-Tec

I have the NTC3 RTR w/ 2 spd upgrade, then I regeared the 2 spd to the following:

Stock 2 speed gears:
Spur divided by pinion = gear ratio X transmission ratio = final drive ratio
1st gear
50/22=2.27x2.5=5.68
2nd gear
54/26=2.07x2.5=5.19

1 - Upgraded gearing (pinions only):
1st gear
50/20=2.5x2.5=6.25
2nd gear
54/27=2x2.5=5

2 - Upgraded gearing (pinions & spurs):
1st gear
50/20=2.5x2.5=6.25
2nd gear
48/27=1.77x2.5=4.44

3 - Upgraded gearing (pinions & spurs):
1st gear
54/20=2.7x2.5=6.75
2nd gear
48/27=1.77x2.5=4.44

Bro, what are you on. The whole idea about having fun is not to wreck. And besides, I just finnished a race today. I had a 3 port sirio in my ntc3 and I was up against a mtx3 with a 5 port turbo. I got through the corners a whole lot faster and it didn't have anything on me in the straits. I even smacked the wall hard enough to break the wheel clean off. No damage to the ntc3. The ntc3 has its weak points, but I will say that if you think about what causes it, you can fix it. The guys I raced today couldn't believe the car too the hits it did and didn't have any problems.
The MTX3 is a tank of a car, yes, but it won't handle as well as the ntc3. The new ld3 that just came out is set up like an mtx3 and it has major issues. Also, the MTX3's that raced today, I saw 5 belts break.
Everything has its good and bad points. Just go with what you can afford and drive to your skill level.
Good Luck

Glad to hear you are doing well with you car.

Everyone is entitled to thier opinion. Bottom line is that TC3 is older technology, Thats Fact.

As to which handles better, its all in opinion.

Good luck.


Dbow

umm..... i was asking for a comparison between 4-tec and tc3. Mugen was not involed at all. y i am asking between the two cars i stated in the original thread, is because one is belt and one is shaft, another reason is i want fun around the neiborhood and for people there to say wooh! that thing is awesome. i also want to do good in racing though. this will be my first at a road course though. ive been cruisin' w/my off-road and oval. but im not sure w/ these traxxas engines either, i had one for my rustler(i mean it had its last harah drag racing) it lasted for about a year(didnt drive it for about 6 of those 12 months). now ive moved on to an o.s. .15cv. and the traxxas is belt too, how will this last on my pavement for the neiborhood? but as u said the tc3 is for racing, (but its shaft so will last longer on pavement). im a begginner at road, so wats for me?

I would say drive is easier to keep running - if there are any pebbles around if they get up inside and get in the belt the car stalls.

I have owned both of these cars and the 4 tec just has such sloppy handling compared to the NTC3. If you want to race or just whoop people in the streets racing with corners get the NTC3, but if you want a ridiculously fast car for drag racing and drifting get the 4 tec.

heh, it's a hard decition but i would defenitly go by the 4 tec, its more of my taste. it's my next car probely to next summer if it's not coming anything like it. gonna finish my kyosho this summer / winter and use it as back up to next summer when i get the 4 tec . my plans anyway =)

If you have not decided what can you will get, well, I can guide you to some considerations that you must think about, such as.;

1. Are you going to get the RTR or Kit version.
2. Will the car be for racing (NTC3) or for bashing (4TEC) or both,
3. Make a detailed comparison of specs for both cars,
4. Adjustability and tunabililty to various race track conditions,
5. How durable is the car, ask for some feedback or comments from other users.
6. Parts support, is your LHS be able to get the parts for you.
7. How much are you going to spend for the brand new kit.
8. How much are you going to spend for hop-up parts.

I have an HPI RS4 SS so I cannot comment what will be the car that will most fit your requirements.

Hope this helps.

get the ntc3 and put a 2 speed tranny in it, $50 on ebay and then you have a car that will run 50+ and it handles better then the 4-tec. The steering of the 4-tec is sloppy and the long screws that hold it bend easy. If you have to work on the motor, it takes almost disassembling the back half of the car to work onit. The clutch for the 4-tec is a "finger" type and if you are running all out speed, every time it shifts, it wears on it. I replaced both parts of the shifting mechanism 2 times in 1 year. I havn't had to replace anything on the ntc3 in a year and a half in the drive line.

I was always working on my 4-tec and it was hard to get clean too. The little rubber boot that they used for the exhaust always seemed to crack and the little balloon they used to cover the receiver was always covered in oil from the exhaust. The battery case was right behind the front time and that also a dirt magnet. The fuel tank had a way of catching grime as well being encased in the middle of the car and was hard to keep clean. And also the screws that they use in the 4-tec are Phillips heads. they strip out easily. I also remember something about the front end with a set screw that gave me problems.

Then only thing that I dislike about the NTC3 is the rear tow adjustments. They have a tendency to have the ball cup pop off the ball when you smack something hard, and the front bumper piece under the foam is a joke. For the cost, go with an rpm blue bumper and that is solved.

Now you have enough information with all the posts to make a well informed choice. Let us know what you get.

Spazzy,

I realize that you were not asking about the MTX-3, but your initial question compares 2 cars that are not in the same class.

Thats what I was trying to relay in my post and give a good idea of whats out there.

Like I said before, the 4-tec is a beginner level car and not in the same class as the TC3. The NTC3 is classified in a more race type class. So the question you ask really seems to be asking should I get an entry level car or a race breed car.

Thats how I look at it and you really have to look at other options in those classes to decide what to get. If a beginner class car is what you want then the RS4 and the 4-tec and the top contenders. You will find that the RS4 is the top car in that market. Traxxas cannot even compare when numbers come across. I think the general consensus on the forum would be HPI would be the best entry level car.

The race breed cars again is a different class and in that spectrum you have to realize the other contenders. There are a few but the MTX-3 prevails in technology. 9 times out of 10 people want the latest and the greatest which of course is the recently released MTX-3.

Its a tough decision but keep in mind that owners on the forum tend to support the car they own. Anyone hates to hear that the car they have has issues.
Click over to RCtech.net and browse and search the forum on the TC3, HPI, 4-tec, etc and you will find more opinions and info than you have time to read.

To close if you want a proven car right out the box on the entry level grab the HPI.
If you want the hottest of the race breed out right now its the MTX-3.

I would also disredgard posts that talk about how fast they were on the track and all that mumbo, has nothing to do with it.

Look for reliability and support, and in this hobby the most popular cars usually have the best support because everyone has one.


Whats the real question here?

Should I get a race breed car? MTX-3, NTC3, ETC.

Or should I get an entry level car? HPI RS4, 4-tec, ETC.


Dbow

If you are more leaning to the racing spectrum, another excellent car is the Yokomo GT-4 pro or RTR, but with the RTR you still have to make some changes to get an excellent race car. I bought the RTR not wanting the trouble of assembling it but now I realize I wouldnt have gone through the hell of taking parts off all the time changing out stock parts for the parts on the PRO. But now when I race it at my LHS's track on the weekend I have started winning races even over the NTC3 and HPI cars.

this is pretty late, but i havnt been in this thread in forever. you said the ld3 has problems, what type of problems? cause now my decission is between the NTC3 kit with either an O.S. or a Rossi Pixi R12 and the LD3 Pro with Picco .12