hellya

carson is made in the orient too

fgbasher

My Feedback: (10)

This may clear this up a bit: Smartech tools all the parts for the Duratrax, XTM, and smartech buggy. Duratrax and XTm pay smartech to rebadge their parts to duratrax and xtm. Duratrax and XTM sell them as their cars but at that they do is put their decals in them. I had the chance to make an RC Nut's Buggy that would have been the same as all three but with my name on it. They are all the same car and made in the same warehouse.

hellya

They also make the spider, which is someone from the UK's spider name on a hammer type buggie but they try to sell them for 500 GBP..................... Different decals, yellow colored shock spring and tires.

kengentry5000

My Feedback: (2)

I always thought the Carson buggy was an independent clone of the FG Marder. Does anyone know if Carson uses Smartech parts (or even completely OEMs their buggy from Smartech), a different OEM or makes their own buggy from scratch? I had heard of one buggy where FG was the OEM - don't recall the brand but it had a gold colored chassis plate.

I guess Smartech or the OEM partner could substitute a Zenoah engine or other brand for what is included in the Traveller. Smartech or the OEM partner could buy what ever engine suited the partner's 'build of materials' price point and bolt it onto the base buggy. That would explain the engine variations - CY, Solo or Zenoah.

The XTM Racing buggy *appears* to be a CY engine from the vague screen shots of the engine I have seen. XTM puts their own label on the pull start housing as well.

Ken

kengentry5000

My Feedback: (2)

Hey RCNut,

Curious how many buggies you had to commit to start such an agreement? Did Smartech require you to take 500 - 1000 buggies if you wanted them badged as "RCNutHobbies" brand? Would they allow you to choose which engine you wanted to bolt onto the car? Could you get it without an engine and bolt one on for yourself? Did Smartech offer to do all the packaging and manuals also?

I understand if you would prefer not to talk about the details (or are legally obligated not to talk about it) but I am curious how Smartech sets up these deals with partners.

Ken

hellya

Carson, smartech, XTM, Hammer, 100% same parts/cars from the orient ....when you buy a boat container full 200 units you get a deal on the prices $3-400 per unit but yoour looking at a $60,000 investment or more

m3otm

Im new to this but I love my traveller its excellent fun along with my xtm xlb and rush evo after all I do it all for fun some of you guys need to take some kind of tablet and cool off.All the best to eveyone and a merry christmas and happy new year from me and my family.
PS my engine saus G230RC I take it its a Zeno/komat

Axis21

My Traveller came with the G230rc Japan engine. What does that mean,what kind is it? Whats the cy?

kengentry5000

My Feedback: (2)

CY is a brand of engine that is a Taiwanese clone of the Zenoah. The CY is a good engine - some of us prefer Zenoah.

You G230 is a Zenoah. My Firehammer which is OEM'ed from Smartech has a CY engine. Duratrax must have specified that for the Firehammer because they had to make room for the expense of radio gear in the cost of the whole kit.

USABaja5B

Ken,

You could call Smarttech and set up an account with them. The minimum is usally a 20 foot container, for shipping purposes. If you got to GlobalSources, you can have the search set for any new RC comin gout of China. I get an e-mail every day with new products ready for sale. It quite interesting to see what they are making now. Even some of the older Tyco toys are being re-branded as New RC toys. Remembber teh Tyco Nitro-Dozer? They now have a Chinese version. Same thing with ATVs, and almost anything made there now.

gonsped69

My Feedback: (6)

Axis21 - of all the many traveller boxes I have seen, all have mentioned "Japan G230RC" engine. I've personally inspected these engines myself and although they are G230RC motors, I believe they are the 2003 edition instead of the current Zenoah G230RC 2004 edition.

This difference is cosmetically viewable as:

KILL SWITCH
---------------
* Red for 2003
* yellow for 2004

IGNITION CAP
-----------------
* black for 2003
* red for 2004

Inside the engine:

PISTON RING
----------------
* thinner for 2004
* thicker/original size for 2003

PISTON RING GROOVE
--------------------------
* thinner for 2004
* thicker/original size for 2003

My personal opinion the Smartech vehicles are equipped with CY motors - as they are considerably more affordable and help keep kit prices to a minimum.

But this does not stop distributors/retailers in changing supplied motors for genuine Zenoah motors.

Kemo

So, long story short, how are they value wise instead of getting the true FG? I know you can swap parts to get it to be a FG, but is the vehicle worth the 800 bucks?

I have been considering the HPI Baja 5B instead. I also found a nice 29 cc CY engine for it, 4 hp

hellya

$800???? gonsped69 sells them NEW to your door for $647 without a radio system.... thats cool if you have your own stuff
I think it $715 RTR

Worth every penny you could always buy second hand from ebay alot of FHs selling for $500-550 right now
spend that $300 savings on alot of hopups

Kemo

Yep, 800. This one is 900: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=LXGMP7**&P=ML

Meh, from what I have read up on and heard from others, its more agile, quicker, lighter... but they wouldnt say it was better... The Baja that is.

hellya

well i just found out the alloy gear carrier for the pinnion and spur gear wont fit the hammer or traveller now I get to use it on my MT

gonsped69

My Feedback: (6)

Very funky looking carrier though

JRexA

It fits, but you also need to replace at least the Large Engine mount, as the layshaft to clutch distance is different on the FG's and the FireHammer/Traveller

I don't know if you also need the Small Engine Mount.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

I have a Duratrax FireTechCar with a CY engine and I love it. Personally, I don't give a ratsazz if it was made in Timbuktu by lepers. The thing rocks and is more rugged than any nitro car/truck/buggy I own and I own plenty! And any person of reasonable intelligence can tell it is a Smartech car in different livery.

As for gonsped, why all the venom? This dude has not done anything different then all the other sellers on here do, what with all their multiple personalities, and etc, so to speak.

I also remember gonsped doing us Smartech/Fire Hammer/Carson owners a HUGE favor by disassembling and photographing every single componenet of these cars and publishing it for free for the taking!

I do not condone dishonesty or deceit and hopefully gonsped is telling the truth that it was a one day event that he just had not got around to fixing before he was jumped upon with such vitriol.

hellya

I have both alloy mounts I was saving for my MT..... FG part ## 6487, 6488

Yep that would slove the problem and then you could also use all FG pinion gears at that point

Kemo

Just checked ebay, some guy wants 999 (starting bid) and to "BUY IT NOW" would cost 1500 bucks. Where are YOU seeing the prices you post?

thopper

I think the HPi is a rebadged,shruken VW left over from Mexican built beetles. I also think cowbell man is really Elvis and has not only developed a hankerin for fried Peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches but RC cars with weedeater engines......so there!

Kemo

Aren't there any AMERICAN smartech distributors? Everyone has lost control of their pricing, thinking they can rake in 1000 bucks for a 1/5 buggy.

Kemo

bttt, anyone at all know of an american smartech dealer?

badz

My Feedback: (1)

The XTM is the exact same RC as Smartech's it's $699 or $599 depending on their mood, it's at Hobbypeople.net. [link=http://www.thehobbysuperstore.com/inside/store/index.php?cat=377]A Hobbyshop here sells the Firehammer, FG MB Pro[/link] and MT for $300-$400 less than anyone else online.

hndaman1

My Feedback: (6)

wow only 799 for a rtr firehammer, thats pretty cheap, I added that hobby store too my favorites list.