NitroBurn1

Im getting impatient, i want to buy a 1/5 scale ASAP. I like the looks of a truck so i might get the Duratrax Firehammer MT next month if my funds allow. Who on here has a Smartech Bigfoot or any other clone truck of that type? Could you guys who own these trucks tell me the good and bad about them? Let me know if you had any problems with it, and how you made it better. Overall, are they worth the money?

Thanks.

ditchy

My Feedback: (2)

HI,
I have one and have been quite happy. I do not own an FG or HPI Baja5b so I can't directly compare. The mods I have done to mine are, alloy diff housing, steel pinion gear, 27cc O'neil Kit, FG tuned pipe, and firehammer air filter kit. The stock air filter on the Smartechs are a peice of crap. You need to clean them real often and be very careful that you assemble them correctly to not allow any dirt to go inside. I would suggest that if you get a Smartech, an air filter upgrade is your first upgrade.
The plastic stock diff housing exploded after a couple of gallons of gas and I replaced it with an alloy. The gears inside the diff were damaged from the explosion but not worn. I think the gears are OK but the plastic diff housing may not stand up to bashing.
I have replaced the original servo with a hitec 855 as well after burning out the stock servo. I connected the battery leads backwards and this toasted the servo and not use. It was my fault so I can't knock the stock servo. Althought the 855 gives much better response than the original an was a good investment.
I have broken a couple of dogbones, worn out a set of drive cups etc. but I feel this is normal after the abuse I have given it.
So if I was to make a list of suggested upgrades it would go like this:
1. Firehammer air filter
2. steel pinion gear
3. aluminum diff housing
4. Tuned pipe (23cc with tuned pipe runs great. I didn't see a huge advantage with the 27cc kit)
5. Steering Servo

I have owned many nitro cars and trucks and I bashed my Bigfoot in the same way as my HPI Savage at first. I have since learned that with the large scale you need to drive a little differently to minimize damage, but I still beat the crap out of it. Let off the gas before a landing and you will save drive components!

My .02 cents

Glen

NitroBurn1

Thanks ditchy. If i do get one ill probably get the Duratrax Firehammer MT, but i think the Smartech and the Duratrax are the same truck. What tuned pipe do you use on yours, and how well does the suspension handle jumps?

hellya

The carson Comanche is also the Same vehicle About $700 plus shipping...All these Trucks are able to use FG upgrades or other manufacturers upgrades.

http://www.rc-car-online-shop.de/cgi...son%20comanche

I owned one of these...... the only thing you cant really get a Alloy upgrade for is the rear upper A-arm.

The upgrades ditchy mentioned are great[sm=thumbup.gif]...Add a Stainless Steel diff cover to your alloy diff housing
http://www.fg-hopups.com/images/Kopi...fferential.JPG

huw4027

My advice is to buy an FG because sometimes in life you get what you pay for.
It is better to buy the "real deal". If you check with places like FG Performance RC
you will get some real nice prices and the people there are great. [sm=thumbup.gif]
RC Nuts Hobbies is another good place to check also.
Trust me if you can, try and squeeze out the extra cash and buy the real thing and not an immitation because i bought a new Firehammer off E-bay not so long ago and there have been issues and the parts are not durable but the engine seems to be good. I got fed up with the problems and am treating myself to a FG Stadium truck for Christmas.

hellya

the clones use 95% FG parts but are about $300-400 less....... why spend $1000-1100 on hype no radio,

$1375 with a radio system installed http://www.largescalerc.com/FGStadiumTruck.html

or $1400 with radio http://www.rcnutshobbies.com/product...&product=32952

If you can use FG parts on the clones whats the difference..... why spend more $$$ on your vehicle than you need too

Parts are cheap to buy compaired FG parts prices http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=DTXD97**&P=Z

My Firehammer with FG alloy upgrades

kengentry5000

My Feedback: (2)

There's a used FG Monster Beetle Pro in the RCU Marketplace for $700 which includes a JetPro pipe and servos. It needs a radio ($150).

It looks like x2beach is selling it for a friend.

That looks like a great deal to me.

The Firehammer MT air filter looks completely different than the Firehammer buggy air filter. I think ditchy is advocating the buggy filter. I also think the Firehammer buggy filter is a great design (but I'd still jump all over that used MB Pro )

hellya

Hey Ken......look what you can get for about $400 more .... about the price of a stock FG

A RTR(spectrum radio) elcon alloy(Blue Anodized) front and rear upgraded MB, king kobra wheelie bar & bull bar.....this is a deal

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...2111&rd=1&rd=1

rc51racer0023

My Feedback: (7)

hellya
it must be a deal since youe bidding on it

hellya

Yep Look at the prices on any of the US website for a Stock FG Beetle.

no alloy... no radio......no pipe atleast $1000 .....RTR links are posted in 4 threads above

Price out the Elcon alloy from the only Elcon dealer in the USA over $1000..... then anodize it

http://www.rcnutshobbies.com/cart.cg...17&child=36418

huw4027

Hey Hellya, I hear what you are saying and if it is 100% accurate it would make sense but there are differences and you can get a brand new Fg truck with the Zenoah 26cc engine without radio and servos for $925.00 which i feel is worth it to spend the extra $200.00 over a clone. [8D]
That Monster Beetle looks real nice and i was thinking seriously of getting it but i really love the stadium truck and would prefer buying smething new.

hellya

Man our power went out yesterday from 2pm to 11pm...I couldnt bid anymore on the ST and got out bid by $25 it sold for $1125

Someone stole this Beetle from me[sm=punching.gif]

frumpy

Damn hellya no battery in that laptop?[] Or do you have a desktop?[&o]

hellya

Battery in my laptop works fine....... the comcast cable modem doesn't work with out power.... neither doesnt my wireless router

frumpy

OOOOhhhhh! I thought maybe you had a wireless card that picks up the nearby towers??[sm=confused.gif] well you know what i mean

kengentry5000

My Feedback: (2)

I bought my Firehammer used - paid $575 for it. It was completely stock. I saved $200 over the 'new' price at the time of purchase.

I'd buy 'adult owned/maintained' used in large scale anytime if the deal is right. It's kinda like that new car value depreciation. You pay a premium because it is new.

Buy a used one, clean it up and enjoy.

I guess if you buy a new one you can paint it like you want.

OversizeRc

The smartech and carson vehicles are manufactured in the same factory(dont tell anybody) As we are the dealer in Australia for Smartech we can assure you of this,
Alloy upgrades are available in full at http://www.auctioncityaustralia.com....-and-more.html

The clone 26 cc truck is also a winner( now available in version 2 with stronger chassis, gear cover and some hardened plastic parts) and i can personally say has more overall grunt and top speed than the Smartec 23 cc,
A good going over with the screwdriver is allways recomended for the clones and originals. I also recomend upgrading righ and left handside engine mounts and metal small drve gears. This will genuinley improve drive, with less flex and movement around the gears.
A nice jet pro pipe will also greatly improve performance in bottom mid and top range. Anice dome airfilter always helps with airflow(and looks good).
Hopefully this helps out a little.

NitroBurn1

Can that Carson Titan thats on the site you linked to be ordered here in the states? I have been wanting one of those after i saw a picture from RCX. If its not available in the states, i will order one from Australia as soon as i sell enough of my nitros to make up about $700 that ill need.

OversizeRc

yes the Titan i can be orderd from the site, its a worldwide delivery site- thanks.

motors4fun

Are the prices on your site in Australian or US currency?

OversizeRc

All prices are listed in australian dollars, Thanks

huw4027

What would the price be in US Dollars ??

Maybao333

[link]http://www.smartechracing.com/web_2006/product/cars/05341/main.php[/link][img][http://www.smartechracing.com/web_20...1_d.jpg/image]

Maybao333

1300usd

mopar jake

you need alloy motor mounts big and small they have to be for the clones. i sold my firehammer mt and bought my baja and i never looked back.