XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
07-20-2005, 02:29 PM
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XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
Hi All,
This may be stating the obvious here in the forum...
I have had a Firehammer for a few months now and have enjoyed it. I run it hard and have broken and lost a few parts. I was testing a recent gear fix in a parking lot when I hit a curb head on. It cracked the fuel tank and all the fuel leaked out within a few minutes. Luckily my Firehammer didn't become a Fireball.
The Duratrax tank is on back-order until September so I had my favorite shop order the XTM tank (same OEM manufacturer, so same tank). I priced the Duratrax tank on the web at $4.50 USD and figured my shop wouldn't charge much more than that. I went to pick it up today and it was $40 USD! I thought they were mistaken on the price but bought it anyway to get my car going again. A little searching later revealed that is the going price for the XTM tank.
In fact, ALL XTM parts are 2x - 10x more expensive than the SAME Duratrax parts!
I will never make the mistake of buying XTM parts or cars in the future.
Just wanted to warn anyone who isn't aware.
BTW - Any newbies out there will want to tighten down the Firehammer screws often. I have had many problems with screws backing out. I have used the "blue" thread lock on screws going into metal and CA glue for screws going into plastic for the known culprits.
Ken
This may be stating the obvious here in the forum...
I have had a Firehammer for a few months now and have enjoyed it. I run it hard and have broken and lost a few parts. I was testing a recent gear fix in a parking lot when I hit a curb head on. It cracked the fuel tank and all the fuel leaked out within a few minutes. Luckily my Firehammer didn't become a Fireball.
The Duratrax tank is on back-order until September so I had my favorite shop order the XTM tank (same OEM manufacturer, so same tank). I priced the Duratrax tank on the web at $4.50 USD and figured my shop wouldn't charge much more than that. I went to pick it up today and it was $40 USD! I thought they were mistaken on the price but bought it anyway to get my car going again. A little searching later revealed that is the going price for the XTM tank.
In fact, ALL XTM parts are 2x - 10x more expensive than the SAME Duratrax parts!
I will never make the mistake of buying XTM parts or cars in the future.
Just wanted to warn anyone who isn't aware.
BTW - Any newbies out there will want to tighten down the Firehammer screws often. I have had many problems with screws backing out. I have used the "blue" thread lock on screws going into metal and CA glue for screws going into plastic for the known culprits.
Ken
07-20-2005, 02:39 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
ORIGINAL: kengentry5000
Hi All,
This may be stating the obvious here in the forum...
I have had a Firehammer for a few months now and have enjoyed it. I run it hard and have broken and lost a few parts. I was testing a recent gear fix in a parking lot when I hit a curb head on. It cracked the fuel tank and all the fuel leaked out within a few minutes. Luckily my Firehammer didn't become a Fireball.
The Duratrax tank is on back-order until September so I had my favorite shop order the XTM tank (same OEM manufacturer, so same tank). I priced the Duratrax tank on the web at $4.50 USD and figured my shop wouldn't charge much more than that. I went to pick it up today and it was $40 USD! I thought they were mistaken on the price but bought it anyway to get my car going again. A little searching later revealed that is the going price for the XTM tank.
In fact, ALL XTM parts are 2x - 10x more expensive than the SAME Duratrax parts!
I will never make the mistake of buying XTM parts or cars in the future.
Just wanted to warn anyone who isn't aware.
BTW - Any newbies out there will want to tighten down the Firehammer screws often. I have had many problems with screws backing out. I have used the "blue" thread lock on screws going into metal and CA glue for screws going into plastic for the known culprits.
Ken
Hi All,
This may be stating the obvious here in the forum...
I have had a Firehammer for a few months now and have enjoyed it. I run it hard and have broken and lost a few parts. I was testing a recent gear fix in a parking lot when I hit a curb head on. It cracked the fuel tank and all the fuel leaked out within a few minutes. Luckily my Firehammer didn't become a Fireball.
The Duratrax tank is on back-order until September so I had my favorite shop order the XTM tank (same OEM manufacturer, so same tank). I priced the Duratrax tank on the web at $4.50 USD and figured my shop wouldn't charge much more than that. I went to pick it up today and it was $40 USD! I thought they were mistaken on the price but bought it anyway to get my car going again. A little searching later revealed that is the going price for the XTM tank.
In fact, ALL XTM parts are 2x - 10x more expensive than the SAME Duratrax parts!
I will never make the mistake of buying XTM parts or cars in the future.
Just wanted to warn anyone who isn't aware.
BTW - Any newbies out there will want to tighten down the Firehammer screws often. I have had many problems with screws backing out. I have used the "blue" thread lock on screws going into metal and CA glue for screws going into plastic for the known culprits.
Ken
I own a XTM all firehammer parts are exactly the same. Sucks about your fuel Tank I just got 2 off tower few days ago they had limited stock on them and yes they where complete fuel tanks for $4.50..missing was the fuel filter and hose...which ya use from the old tank. I can't see really how Hobbypeople is getting away with the insanse price markup on the parts but they are. However my first original order to tower for 2 fuel tanks they sent me tops only...I called them and they 2nd day aired me two complete tanks since thats what website advertises. Since that mistake is when the tower tanks went back to backorder....maybe tower priced them wrong and I got lucky no clue.
TOWER SPECIAL OFFERS-A 1 .00
DuraTrax Fuel Tank Firehammer 2 8.98
AC03 PROCESSING ERROR 1 -8.98
SHIPPING AND PAYMENT
Current Charges (U.S. Dollars)
In-Stock Items: $.00
Surface Shipment: Waived
Total Current Charges: $.00
07-21-2005, 08:12 AM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
I also had the shop sub an XTM pinion gear for my Firehammer. In the waiting period I found another "not so local" shop that had the pinion on the shelf. The price was 2.99 (or something close to that). The EXACT same XTM pinion was 10.95 at my local shop and on the Internet!
I value the local hobby shop. They have been very helpful and I try to throw as much business their way as possible. So I paid the higher prices this time. Next time I know to get only the Duratrax parts.
Ken
I value the local hobby shop. They have been very helpful and I try to throw as much business their way as possible. So I paid the higher prices this time. Next time I know to get only the Duratrax parts.
Ken
07-21-2005, 07:30 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
ORIGINAL: kengentry5000
I also had the shop sub an XTM pinion gear for my Firehammer. In the waiting period I found another "not so local" shop that had the pinion on the shelf. The price was 2.99 (or something close to that). The EXACT same XTM pinion was 10.95 at my local shop and on the Internet!
I value the local hobby shop. They have been very helpful and I try to throw as much business their way as possible. So I paid the higher prices this time. Next time I know to get only the Duratrax parts.
Ken
I also had the shop sub an XTM pinion gear for my Firehammer. In the waiting period I found another "not so local" shop that had the pinion on the shelf. The price was 2.99 (or something close to that). The EXACT same XTM pinion was 10.95 at my local shop and on the Internet!
I value the local hobby shop. They have been very helpful and I try to throw as much business their way as possible. So I paid the higher prices this time. Next time I know to get only the Duratrax parts.
Ken
Sucks you paid $40 for a fuel tank I had one sitting I could have sold you. I bought 2 to have a spare. I get 99% of my replacement parts off tower for the XTM...Usually I order about $150+ worth of parts to keep a good stock specially the spur and pinion gears I seem to toast a pair about every 3rd tank of fuel, I'm still working on setting it up for steel gearing to get rid of them plastics...may have to order the steel pinions though from Germany...not crazy about it but if a local machine shop can't hook me up I'm stuck. Also some of the FG parts will fit firehammers/xtms...they have a listing of those substitute parts on a site. FG parts are a bit more pricey but made very well. I run FG air filters on mine cause the xtm's where junk and tower didn't have the firehammers for the longest time. But if ya need a part next time and can't find it drop me a line I may have one sitting.
07-22-2005, 07:57 AM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
I have replaced one set of pinion/spur gears so far. There is an RC expert at my local shop
who has been running electric and nitro RC for many years. He got a Firehammer 7 - 8 months
ago and is just now replacing his gears.
It's mostly about heat. If you run your car in grass the clutch and gear assemblies heat up and
tend to melt the gears, undermining their strength. I also had an issue where my clutch would
not "hook up" until I throttle way up. I took the car apart enough to get the clutch bell away from
the clutch and hit it with some 120 grit sandpaper to rough it up a little. The clutch shoes have plenty
of life left, they just got glazed up from heat. I also roughed up the clutch bell interior surface a little.
Now I can see the clutch hook up with just a small amount of throttle.
Ken
who has been running electric and nitro RC for many years. He got a Firehammer 7 - 8 months
ago and is just now replacing his gears.
It's mostly about heat. If you run your car in grass the clutch and gear assemblies heat up and
tend to melt the gears, undermining their strength. I also had an issue where my clutch would
not "hook up" until I throttle way up. I took the car apart enough to get the clutch bell away from
the clutch and hit it with some 120 grit sandpaper to rough it up a little. The clutch shoes have plenty
of life left, they just got glazed up from heat. I also roughed up the clutch bell interior surface a little.
Now I can see the clutch hook up with just a small amount of throttle.
Ken
07-22-2005, 01:23 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
ORIGINAL: drevil
Are the pinions and spurs that bad on the xtm's that they go bad every 3 tanks? Thats insane!
Are the pinions and spurs that bad on the xtm's that they go bad every 3 tanks? Thats insane!
Yeah I chew them off every 3 tanks like clockwork. I run in dirt also, they just seem to have too much slopp in them and tear up easily.
07-22-2005, 01:57 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
I had a great lunch-time run today. I had to adjust the diff gear mesh three times using the screws under the engine. I need to see if I can use CA glue as a form of lock-tite for these screws into the plastic engine carriers.
Besides having to adjust the mesh every 10 minutes, it was a blast. I was running it on a highway construction site with a lot of ruts and jumps.
Very dusty, though, so I have some cleaning ahead.
Ken
Besides having to adjust the mesh every 10 minutes, it was a blast. I was running it on a highway construction site with a lot of ruts and jumps.
Very dusty, though, so I have some cleaning ahead.
Ken
07-22-2005, 03:14 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
Hi,
I replaced the 4 mounting screws with #8-32 flat head machine screws and they hold much better than the original sheet metal or wood screws Duratrax provides. I think you will find all is corrected if you change the screws.
Glen
I replaced the 4 mounting screws with #8-32 flat head machine screws and they hold much better than the original sheet metal or wood screws Duratrax provides. I think you will find all is corrected if you change the screws.
Glen
07-22-2005, 03:32 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
Thanks for the tip!
I guess you are still using the washers that came with the Firehammer screws?
Ken
I guess you are still using the washers that came with the Firehammer screws?
Ken
07-22-2005, 04:27 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
ORIGINAL: kengentry5000
I had a great lunch-time run today. I had to adjust the diff gear mesh three times using the screws under the engine. I need to see if I can use CA glue as a form of lock-tite for these screws into the plastic engine carriers.
Besides having to adjust the mesh every 10 minutes, it was a blast. I was running it on a highway construction site with a lot of ruts and jumps.
Very dusty, though, so I have some cleaning ahead.
Ken
I had a great lunch-time run today. I had to adjust the diff gear mesh three times using the screws under the engine. I need to see if I can use CA glue as a form of lock-tite for these screws into the plastic engine carriers.
Besides having to adjust the mesh every 10 minutes, it was a blast. I was running it on a highway construction site with a lot of ruts and jumps.
Very dusty, though, so I have some cleaning ahead.
Ken
I replaced the screws also using 8-32's but I used one's with a 3/8" hex nut head and tossed the washer out, I ran them in using blue locktite...also you can ease the mesh ajustment by taking the 4 screws loose on the rear assembly which allows you to get a better mesh..you gotta remove the small gear cover underneath to losen them though, but I found it much easier to get the mesh proper that away and it holds alot better then, I have no mesh problems since replacing them poor stock engine mount screws I just toast off my plastic gears.
07-22-2005, 06:40 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
I can't believe that those gears wear out so quickly. I've been running my marder for more than two years now without a gear cover, and although i run in gravel, sand, dirt, tall grass, asphalt, etc the gears are still fine. They do have some "chips" in them from pebbles but they still work/look fine.
There has to be some type of problem either in the way they are meshed or the material the gears from xtm are made of that causes them to wear out so quickly because that isnt normal.
If i were you i'd be pulling my hair out by now.
There has to be some type of problem either in the way they are meshed or the material the gears from xtm are made of that causes them to wear out so quickly because that isnt normal.
If i were you i'd be pulling my hair out by now.
07-23-2005, 01:40 AM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
The thing is Tower has the wrong price on that tank. If you price parts that they give you with that tank they are more then the tank with all the hoses, cap etc. Get it while you can, as I am sure someone will catch it one day and the price will be up where it should be.
ORIGINAL: kengentry5000
The Duratrax tank is on back-order until September so I had my favorite shop order the XTM tank (same OEM manufacturer, so same tank). I priced the Duratrax tank on the web at $4.50 USD and figured my shop wouldn't charge much more than that. I went to pick it up today and it was $40 USD! I thought they were mistaken on the price but bought it anyway to get my car going again. A little searching later revealed that is the going price for the XTM tank.
The Duratrax tank is on back-order until September so I had my favorite shop order the XTM tank (same OEM manufacturer, so same tank). I priced the Duratrax tank on the web at $4.50 USD and figured my shop wouldn't charge much more than that. I went to pick it up today and it was $40 USD! I thought they were mistaken on the price but bought it anyway to get my car going again. A little searching later revealed that is the going price for the XTM tank.
07-23-2005, 01:44 AM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
Try keeping the screws to the diff/layshaft mount adjusted also, as they too attach to the engine and have a lot to do with the mesh on the rear and the mesh.
ORIGINAL: kengentry5000
I had a great lunch-time run today. I had to adjust the diff gear mesh three times using the screws under the engine. I need to see if I can use CA glue as a form of lock-tite for these screws into the plastic engine carriers.
Besides having to adjust the mesh every 10 minutes, it was a blast. I was running it on a highway construction site with a lot of ruts and jumps.
I had a great lunch-time run today. I had to adjust the diff gear mesh three times using the screws under the engine. I need to see if I can use CA glue as a form of lock-tite for these screws into the plastic engine carriers.
Besides having to adjust the mesh every 10 minutes, it was a blast. I was running it on a highway construction site with a lot of ruts and jumps.
07-23-2005, 05:24 AM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
I think that one of the most expensive parts is the body. $99 at hobby people, a little steep for that cheese piece of plastic.
07-23-2005, 03:28 PM
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RE: XTM 1/6 scale parts WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!
ORIGINAL: drevil
I can't believe that those gears wear out so quickly. I've been running my marder for more than two years now without a gear cover, and although i run in gravel, sand, dirt, tall grass, asphalt, etc the gears are still fine. They do have some "chips" in them from pebbles but they still work/look fine.
There has to be some type of problem either in the way they are meshed or the material the gears from xtm are made of that causes them to wear out so quickly because that isnt normal.
If i were you i'd be pulling my hair out by now.
I can't believe that those gears wear out so quickly. I've been running my marder for more than two years now without a gear cover, and although i run in gravel, sand, dirt, tall grass, asphalt, etc the gears are still fine. They do have some "chips" in them from pebbles but they still work/look fine.
There has to be some type of problem either in the way they are meshed or the material the gears from xtm are made of that causes them to wear out so quickly because that isnt normal.
If i were you i'd be pulling my hair out by now.
I do notice I have a little slop on the pinion gear...when it's mounted to the clutch bell with the clip it has a slight amount of slop which will allow it to slid about 1/16 to 1/32" maybe thats causing my gear wear I'm adding a washer to shim it this time and try it. I also have added a big bore kit to my motors went from 23cc to 27cc but doubt that'd cause the gears to tear off so easy.
