Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

I have never had a problem with HPI's 1/5 scale RTR servos. Worst case you put a metal gear kit in place of the stock plastic gears, but the electronics were fine.

mooman007uk

welcome to the rampage world Dale...at least they've addressed most of the other problems they had with the earlier versions...I had a V1 and had to use the dogleash everytime i ran it to drag it back to my truck. Still take it with me when i run mine but it's far from stock now and alot more reliable. I've about 5 tanks in a row thru it now and only broken 3 dogbone pins, nothing else[X(] that is a record worthy of the guiness book of moo

noyb98098

My Feedback: (1)

Agreed- my steering servo from the HPI baja ss kit is still going strong after 3 years of abuse..

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

I think I am probably over the hump now with all of the changes I made. I suspect that I will get some mileage out of it now though the true cost of getting it this way puts the $650 Rampage in the ballpark of other 1/5 scales. Including the radio, 2x 1/5 servos and 1x standard throttle servo, air filter, etc. and not including 'optional' parts I am into the truck about $1,000 now.

noyb98098

My Feedback: (1)

Your kill'n me lol.... But they have come A LONG way.. I've been through almost 5 tanks in a row without any issues, which is a record in my book of Redcat..Only took about 2years to get it that way, better late then never..

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

I just ordered a new body and 5T wheels/tires for this and then it's done.

RAMTech-HBF-LSF

You actually only need one HPI servo. It can handle the load with no problems.

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

Ok, don't tell my wife that.

pwaicon

I don't think so, that engine in the picture is the one I have in my Hurrax. He lifted that pic of of my build thread, it is on pg. 2 post #37.


Dale,
Nice write up on the Rampage, do you plan on taking it to Milestone and see how it handles the track?

Noom-RC-Thailand

No, i order some Hobby shop in Thailand(My local)....

http://www.kermithobbyshop.com/index.php

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

I definitely will be racing it soon... I need to dump these tires for something lighter that will spin up faster. I am still faster with my 5T.

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

I have a bunch of goodies coming in tomorrow... Exhaust, wheels, tires, body, etc.

Stay tuned!

DarkFire989

Jeeze how much money do you have into this thing. Not really the budget MT anymore.

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

That is an interesting observation which brings up an interesting point I want to make. My previous 1/5 scale experiences were HPI Bajas only. The HPI Baja 5B/5T is a tremendous platform and is super fun and fast. Bajas can throw roosts and do donuts all day long with impressive acceleration. HPI Baja 5B/Ts are everything that people say they are. They do live up to the hype. I ran the stock electronics without issue and my 5T still has its original radio gear almost 2 years later. I have had to replace parts here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary. Parts are readily available and hop-ups are endless. The Baja is my 1/5 benchmark for 1/5 scale.

So, a few months ago, I am looking for another 1/5 scale. I REALLY, REALLY like the Bajas but I wanted something different. The Redcat Rampage MT caught my eye and there was enough positive information for me to go for it. Honestly, after running the Rampage a few times, I can say that the Rampage is a little slow in stock trim and I am frustrated that the stock radio gear is par-subpar. In my opinion, the Rampage MT is not enough to satisfy a Baja owner out of the box. It is a little sluggish and feels slower. I think this is mostly due to truck's overall weight and the large size and weight of the tires/wheels. Perhaps the other iterations of the platform like the buggy are faster and more responsive. My guess is that they are so I won't pass judgment on those platforms.

I have been on a quest to build my Rampage to give me the same amount of satisfaction that my Bajas have. I think I will get there, and I really do like the Rampage and the support and Redcat Rampage community. I am having fun building it up and have no intention of getting rid of it. I would still recommend the Rampage, but I would say to prospective owners: be prepared to buy a steering servo and get a good tuned pipe to wake the engine up.

Even after a pipe and servo, the Redcat Rampage is still a good deal cheaper than the HPI Baja and the 4wd gives a lot more control over the terrain. I am excited that the Rampage continues to gain market support and is now getting parts made from popular HPI Baja aftermarket vendors. Parts are cheap and availability is good.

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

Plus, the Redcat Rampage IS a brand name; it doesn't have the 'clone' stigma surrounding it. Although it is an OEM platform made by another manufacturer, Redcat makes it their own and supports it very well. The Redcat Rampage is supported by the large scale community as a legitimate platform. Since I run with a bunch of 1/5 scale HPI 'purists' that shun clones, that is a good thing for me.

I have taken the Rampage to a few large scale events, and it is acknowledged as a legit platform.

RAMTech-HBF-LSF

Dale, put some Baja tires on it and it will perform much better for your taste. The Big MT tires are great for bashing and running over things, but its not a Baja at that point. 2 different classes.

mooman007uk

lol, so putting baja tires on it will make it one???...if you buy an MT in the first place surely it's because you wanted an MT and not an MT with little wheels on it may have well just bought the TT then
If you want more get up and go I'd suggest a race ported or full mod 30.5 and a good pipe; comparing it to the 5T isn't really a good idea...as said in the previous post they're 2 totally different classes...the hpi's are rocket ships in a straight line so expecting 38lb of MT with a mediocre engine to go as fast is hoping a bit...

and wow you run with a pretty uppity crowd if you're not welcome with a clone, do you have to go thru park ferme as well to make sure you don't have any cloned parts[X(] so much for 1/5scale camaraderie

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

Comparing it to a 5T is perfectly legitimate. They are both 1/5 scale platforms and they are both trucks. The tire diameters are close. A 1/10, 1/18 or 1/8 scale 2x4 truck is pretty comparable to a 1/10, 1/18 or 1/8 scale 4x4 truck in terms of acceleration and speed even though the 4x4s typically weigh 20-30% more. They aren't orders of magnitude different. I did expect the Rampage MT to be in the ballpark of the 5T in terms of acceleration and speed, at least within 10-20%. That isn't an unrealistic assumption without knowing anything else about the platform.

Plus, this is my review and it is good to let other potential buyers know what they may expect.

HPI is a local company for me and sponsors many of the local events I participate in. So, it is frowned upon to bring a cloned 5B or 5T to an HPI sponsored event but it's not like they have a tech inspection to confirm originality or anything.

mooman007uk

Fair points on both quotes

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

Aw, some goodies showed up today... Honestly in retrospect, I can't believe I spent $200 for 4 wheels/tires, 4 HPI Hexes and 4 hex nuts. Fifth scale is not cheap....



And the new body, I am hoping to splash some paint on it tonight.

RAMTech-HBF-LSF

Good choice on the wheels and tires. That is what my son runs at Milestone.

noyb98098

My Feedback: (1)

Hey Dale,

Where is that body from? Looks different from the stock redcat.

mooman007uk

how do those trenchers grip?, my tracks a little looser surface than milestone and has some gravelly sections.
can you get an end on pic Dale, they look more aggressive in your pics than on websites

srt10

My Feedback: (20)

is these some video of these bad boys running?

Dale Gribble

My Feedback: (4)

It is the body from the Duratrax Firehammer MT... Painted pics shortly...