grit621

Hi all, I'm just getting into RC. First car ever, but I remember drooling over my friends buggy years ago. I'll list what I think I want, but please feel free to offer input. I also have some questions I really need answered. So please, offere up what you can.

I'm looking at stadium trucks for bashing (is that the right term?) I'm not yet looking to race, and if I do, it wont be hard core, just against my friends or whoever. But I like having the option to upgrade if I want/need to later. But mostly, running in open lots, backyard, etc. w/a friend.

I'm thinking 1/10 or 1/18 scale. Any input? What are the differences (other than size)? Cost for parts? Difficulty to maintain? Durability? Ability to handle terrain?

What are the typical run times for 1/10 and 1/18 cars. I KNOW this varies on terrain, tires, motor and miliamps on the battery. But it seems 3000 mA for 1/10 and 1100 mA for 1/18 are typical. I'll be on mostly hardpack dirt, just goofing off. I have *NO* idea what kind of times to expect. I'm a do-it-yourself-er, and not afraid to get my hands dirty.

What does brushless provide that brushed motors do not? At this point, I'm primarily concerned with battery run time.

How important is battery quality? Any recommened brands?

How important is the charger? Should I get one that can discharge as well?

What does LiPo provide over NiMH or NiCad? Less weight? More run time? Again, I'm primarily concerned with battery run time.

How important is the remote control? I don't see myself wanting to be more than 50 yards away. Are the included AM RTR radios ok?

Finally 4wd vs 2wd. Associated makes a 4wd buggy, but is the lower clearance worth the 4wd? What about others?

Finally, product brands? I've been looking at the Associated T4, Losi XXX-T, Traxxis Rustler, and HPI E-Firestorm.

Thanks a TON for any input anyone can offer.

snowman6869

Well I cant really help on electric but nitro I could help you if all you're doing is bashing.

haole

Im a newbie too and im looking for just about the same exact information. I have researched a lot though. Most people will tell you to get the Rustler or stampede. The 1/10 scale will be more fun than the 1/18 scale models for bashing, and im guessing your friend have 1/10 scale models too so you wont want to get something smaller. I am still researching batteries and chargers, battery run time depends on mah, I was told by my LHS that a 3600mah will run a stampede for about 20-30mins.

The Mad Modder

To answer your questions:
Brushless motors offer more speed, power, and efficiency than brushed motors. They also require less matainance than brushed. The draw back is that they are also usually much more expensive than them too.

3000mah batteries last me 30+ minutes with my Tamiya Mini cooper(about 12th scale) however like you said it really depends on your vehicle terain as well as how you drive it.

Lipo batteries are smaller and more powerfull than nimh or nicad, however also pose a possibility of exploding if the user doesn't maintain them as they need. They need a lipo compatible charger and speed control too which are more expensive than ones for nicads and nimh.

The difference between nicad and nimh are that the nicads charge faster but don't last as long as nimh.

Chargers:
There are two main types of chargers, timed and peak.
Timed chargers (as you probably guessed) charge your batteries for as long as you set the timer. Peak chargers have computers that sense
when the battery is at the correct power.

Included AM remotes should fit your needs just fine.

Choosing whether to get 2wd or 4wd depends on your needs. 4wd offers more traction than 2wd but also cost a little more.

The Mad Modder

Most people I know like the XXXT and although I've not heard anything on the e-firestorm, the hpi trucks I own are made very well.
The t4 unfortunately has problems with part breakage.
My stampede, which is very close to the rustler, blew a shock and both my stampede and sledghammer have bodies made of some cheap plastic that is damaged very easily. The traxxas electronics are built poorly and perform even worse.

If I can help you further, in any way, let me know.

scheibler

What is your budget? Electric rc adds up quick with batteries and a charger, but is worth it over nitro in my opinion, ESPECIALLY is your a beginner.

I have a 1/10 traxxas stampede vxl and 1/18 mini t pro, and a micro t. I actually find myself using the smaller scale trucks more b/c you can also run them in the house. If I were a beginner I would certainly start out with a 1/18 scale because the parts, batteries, upgrades, and trucks are usually cheaper.

Again, let us know your budget and we'll hook u up

DARKWAV

1/18 is a blast because you can use it it smaller areas, but it is very limited off-road…pretty much relatively smooth surfaces with little debris. If you're thinking of racing in your area, you wont get to race if they don't have a 1/18 class. 1/10 class is more common.

Even 1/10 ST's don't rally have the best clearance for a shaggy lawn though I imagine 1/8 scale tires can provide additional ground clearance.

Don't bother with NiCd batteries, you can take that out of the equation right now! I'm sure NiMH will continue to be around for a long time and is the best way to get into the hobby with least expense. LiPo is the future but the entry fees are pretty high. If you can affort all the best stuff or have a sizable budget there appears to be a lot of good LiPo options specifically designed for surface RC, and enough info/documentation available to keep things safe. If you can afford LiPo there isn't much reason to not go for it (unless you plan to race and your local track prohibits use of LiPo) and get a nice charger too.

For NiMH, expect to spend an additional $80.00 over the cost of your RTR plus tax for the most basic peak-charger (take timed-charger out of the equation as well, not need to consider that) and a pair of economy 3000 mAH batterries.

Basically $300 in your pocket going-in will get you out the door of the hobby shop with a durable yet still raceable HPI E-Firestorm with a pair of economy NiMH batteries and a charger to get you started. Oh yeah, 8 AA alkalines for the transmitter too.

Run time maybe about 10-15 mins on one 3000 mAH battery on a 1/10 Stadium Truck.

I'm not really convinced there is significant benefit to discharging NiMH stick packs. From what I've read, and I'm newb too, it seems to me the main reason you want to discharge is if you have an expensive side-by-side pack and an equalizer tray which will allow you to "equalize" the voltage in the cells so you get the most performance, run time, and longevity out of your expensive NiMH batteries. But that kind of investment if you're just getting into the hobby gets you pretty darn close to LiPo territory. Basic AC only charger that does around 3-4 Amps is fine to start. Things just get a little more complicated if you need both AC/DC capabilty, LiPo capability, or want to futz around with all that NiMH side-by-side pack optimization stuff.

AM RTR 27MHz radio is fine. Don't need to upgrade that until you are certain that you will be club racing on a regular basis. You may even get by the first couple times on your first outings to an organized race with the RTR radio and an extra set of crystals.

The Mad Modder

$80 for a charger? A MRC superbrain can cost less than half of that.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXRPP7&P=ML
Or
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXRST9&P=ML
I own two Superbrain 960's they both work fine.

DARKWAV

Desert_Fox,

I was including the cost of some cheap 3000 mAH batteries in that $80 in addition to the charger.

Concur the Superbrain 960 is a good charger to start with since it will provide up to 4.5 amps both ac and dc. Similar priced Propeak and Duratrax limit AC to 3 amp. I think the adjustible delta peak feature is worth the extra cost over the 820 in case you have a false peek situation, not to mention ability to adjust the current output.

cheech4

i say get the new evader EXT,it only cost 99 bucks. its tuff as nails, has a great tranny for brushless,, and best of all its handles GREAT.

scheibler

I second the evader ext...

you can't beat the 1 year stress tech warranty from duratrax, the tranny is super tough stock, upgrades and parts are easy to find, it can be raced or bashed, and how can you pass this up for something with the same or less performance for more money?

If you do get the evader ext you will save money that can be put towards upgrades such as ball bearings, a faster motor/esc, servo, etc

uncle everett

get a traxxas vxl rtr (rustler or stampede) $360. Get a 12,000 mah lipo and the eos6060i charger from maxamps $390. Run time.........pricless!

If it breaks the LHS has the part. 1+ hour run time!! Great life time charger.

Beat the hell out of it!

Livlrge

pede_187

The 12,000 won't fit without major mods.

cheech4

once again, evader EXT, bullet proof with the new magnaflex materials used and a strong tranny for upgrading to brushless... oh and it will destroy a rusty in the handling dept.. and best part is it only costs 99 bucks...

uncle everett

Good point the Evader ext would do a good job, and it has the (first year?) parts replacement deal. Get bearing soon though!

I think if this guy wants run times do the major modifications so you can play for an hour+ at a time. I think it only weights a 100 grams more then the nickel metals.

Livlrge

haole

So you guys think a Duratrax Evador Ext would be better than a Rustler/stampede for a solid beginner basher? How do these trucks compare?...(not planing to upgrade)

I saw they have two Evadors at towerhobbies...

[link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXSGU7**&P=0]DuraTrax Evader EXT EP ST RTR $120[/link]

and

[link=http://http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXXJ49**&P=0]DuraTrax Evader EP ST w/ESC RTR $140[/link]

The Mad Modder

I would go with this one.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=LXXJ49**&P=ML
It's $30 more, but it include more upgrade parts, including ball bearings, which will make it last much longer. It also allows the the truck to run more smoothly.

cheech4

get the EXT, the regular evader does not have the magnaflax material and the tranny on the EXT is stronger,, plus you can find one for 99 bucks... tower sells it for more.

cheech4

get the EXT, the regular evader does not have the magnaflax material and the tranny on the EXT is stronger,, plus you can find one for 99 bucks... tower sells it for more.

heres the link.....[link]http://www.ultimatehobbies.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=DTXD29!1001[/link]

haole

How does the Evador EXT compare to the Rustler xl-5? As far as speed, bashing and durability. I'll be using it in a mix aff areas, grass, street, dirt and gravel

thanks for all the advice so far

The Mad Modder

The tranny is stonger? How do you know that? And if it's stonger then why is it also have a lower price?

Phelansa

Look, I do not own an Evader... But at $99..... How could you possibly go wrong?

I would personally never recommend an Traxxas vehicle to anybody. That is probably because of the consistent bad luck I have had with them (Bandit, TRX, Rustler all lying in spares in my shed). None of the Traxxas products I have ever owned have lasted.

Many, in fact most people on this forum would disagree with me though.

The Mad Modder

The Evader has a warranty so that if a part breaks, it's replaced free of charge. I don't think the Rustler has such a warranty.

Other than that, the Rustler has a slightly larger motor and ball bearings.
The EXT version of the evader does not include bearings

One part I replaced on the tranny of my stampede(has exact same transmission as rustler) was the gear cover. The stock cover(and most aftermarket covers) has a hole in the bottom of the cover. This may allow dirt to enter the case.
Example.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNMP0&P=Z

So if you buy a rusler you may want to get one these as an upgrade.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXTB13&P=7
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXTB14&P=7
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXVU03&P=7

Stock, I believe, the rustler is faster and more powerful. It also has more upgrades for it(both trucks have quite a few option parts for them).

uncle everett

are you concerned about the $? $99 Evader and have fun upgrading to a better transmisson, bearing etc! Have fun!

cheech4

being an evader owner and having testing out the EXT and hearing reviews about the EXT, i know the tranny is stronger and tougher overall, just being a gear diff makes it stronger and there alloy. i will STRESSSSSS AGAIN for 99 bucks, imo its the best bang for the buck. and it handles way better than a rusty, and it can be raced.