Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Hey Guys!

Premature newbie here with a deciding question. I have the go ahead from my accountant (wife of course) to satisfy my growing interest in starting an RC Hobby. I have read countless reviews on the Savage and T-Maxx. I have yet to hear of anyone talking about wether or not they are racing these things...and what their results have been. I don't mean backyard, baseball diamond, in the woods with a buddy racing. I'm talking getting with a local club, learning the ropes with your son, getting trophies racing. Based on all that I've read...The Savage (my pref as of now) and the T-Maxx are great knock around trucks. But are they race worthy? I live in a pretty fair sized city...with other large cities nearby. I can't find a dang thing on MT racing here on the internet. (Richmond, Norfolk). I want to have fun in the sun...but I'm psyched about the idea of racing. :cool:

Hope this wasn't too painfully new. My LHS acks like they are doing ME a fav when I'm asking them questions about a 500.00 purchase that I may make from them...(NOT!). I have around 500.00 to throw down.....Thnx

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

I haven't raced myself yet. But I visit the local track from time to time. I have noticed a interesting trend over time. When I first went there the MT class consisted of mostly T-Maxxes. Maybe one Savage per heat. About a month later it was 50/50 Maxxes and Savages. The last time I went it was mostly Savages and maybe one T-Maxx per heat. It seems that for that particular track (small with many tight turns), you have to drive a Savage to be competitive. I'll let you draw your own conclusions. :)

LT

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

In the current issue of NITRO they do a shootout between the T-Maxx and the Savage. The T-Maxx wins the overall shootout, however, the Savage and the T-Maxx tie on the track section. The article praises the Savage's soft suspension for rough track conditions. The Savage flat out wins the jumping contest!

Because the T-Maxx and the Savage tie in almost every category, it is really hard to say one is better than the other. In my opinion, suspension is more critical than power (for racing on a track).

A MT that is properly set up with drivers of equal ability will always beat a MT with more power and worse suspension.

The T-Maxx is not going away, and in fact I plan on buying one in the not to distant future. It is just that the Savage is starting to gain popularity. Both are a blast to drive and I have enjoyed every minute that I get to drive my Savage.

Good luck with the racing, I too am looking forward to getting out to the track and kicking up some dirt! Later.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

I think someone should combine a Savage and a TMaxx and call it"


A TAvage:p

hehe
 

do i have to laugh .. :confused:

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

or smaxx
or s-maxx

or saxx

on t-vge

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Yeah, that was great Irish. Lol I especially like the t-vge one. I think that anyone who is deciding about a savage or t-maxx should get the one that looks cooler to your eyes. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Keep in mind everyone compares the savage to the t-maxx and the savage is 1/8 scale and the t-maxx is 1/10 scale. I have a t-maxx and it is very durable but its width and height make it roll over while turning more than the savage does.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

thanks

looks is important for me

i love that sleek line look of the t maxx but also love that rough rugid savage look

its like a harley or a new stream lined super bike for me

I JUST CANT DECIDE

when whenver i get my money together ill decide

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

what sold me on the savage was the construction of the chassis. instead of the "bolt everything to a frying pan" that the maxx has, its built up,. to me that seems a bit stiffer and more resistant to flexing and impact. but i havent crash tested either truck so I cant tell for sure.


now that would be an interesting test... savage and t-maxx... 30 MPH into a concrete wall... which one stands up better....


if I only had $800 of throw away money to try that with.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

i like savage better. the chassis design of t-maxx is so out of

date. the dual verticle chassis that savage has makes the

mass to stay close to the center point.

this design gives savage good jumping ability and much better

handling.

some people like t-maxx's top end speed. pooh, is the TOP

speed so important to a Monster Truck? why not to get a buggy?

t-maxx engine---1.3 hp

savage engine--1.7 or 1.8 hp

t-maxx is about 9.5 pounds

savage is about 15 pounds


savage can use hyper 21 8 port(2.5hp, 120 bucks) directly

t-maxx can be upgraded to a 0.21 engine with a 130 bucks

converter kit

after this update, t-maxx will have nothing to compare with

savage.

some people say"power starter is good". trust me, after a month,

you will want a pull starter.

what is the disadvantage of pull-starter? it is that you need to pull. who in this forum has the problem of pulling? maybe someone who still goes to pre-school.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Well, after all of my searching and reading some great advice, I'm settling on the Savage. T-Maxx and Savage are just too close to nitpic. So on Bluhydro8's advice...Im going with looks. I like the larger size of the Savage...I like the wheelbase...I love the options and dif mods avail...but, most of all it's a damn good looking truck!
Good news!! I've found a local off road track to start my knowledge base on. Starting March 9th races begin. I'll be there. Here's a link for anyone curiouse. Thnx again for all your help.

xXOrionXx

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Oops! HERE'S The link

http://www.debbiesrcworld.com/

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

savage is about 15 pounds

Where did you get this number ?

5.240 kg is 11.54 lb... That's 2 lbs more than t-maxx :D

My (nearly) stock Savage:
http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL17/8...4/18584694.jpg

BTW, You'll soon see my C5 Savage Racer... and some video, pics and result of REAL races against all type of MT, i.e. fellows Savage, T-Maxx 1 & 2, Dom, Mad force, Terra Crusher, hygly modified buggies based MT and the like.

DFF

Re: hehe
 

No....you can cry if it makes you feel better.:p

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

My sources say that the T-Maxx weighs in at 7.5lbs. stock
http://www.bouwhuis.ca/Robin_stuff/R...tmi_savage.asp

and that the Savage weighs in at: 11.2lbs. stock
http://www.rccaraction.com/articles/hp

Can't wait to see those pics and vids DFF! I've sorta built up a collection through all of my searching.

T @ 7.5 lb ?
 

Yeah, I'll show you pics as soon as I have it all together...

Your links didn't work for me :confused:

I can believe the 11.2 lbs for the Sav, since mine is slightly different, I have the Euro version without electronics (so must be different from the RTR US truck) and some perf upgrade, like filled the diff with silicone oil, tuned suspension, different linkage)

Anyway, 7.5 lb seems way off for the New T-Maxx

Robin weighted it @ 9.15 (8.940 without batteries, so add .21 lbs)

http://www.unlimitedengineering.com/...2.5OnScale.jpg

DFF

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

I have had my T-Maxx 2.5 with the electric start for over a month now, and it is still running strong. So I am not sure where you get your info from, other than personal opinion. Which is totally fine, everyone is entitled to it, and I like hearing differences in opinion....

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

I don't claim to be a expert on these two trucks, so I have to rely on what I have seen happen at my local track. T-maxxs have dominated for the last few months then the Savage was released and 3 or 4 have shown up to race but I have yet to see one make a complete lap even while practicing. The guys who have bought them are pretty good with the engines and are fairly smart when it comes to r/c vehicles. I like the way the Savage is designed and how it looks. The power of a .21 is very appealing also, but I have never had a problem with my Maxx(2.5). And after the experience that these guys have had, I will not buy a Savage until all the bugs are worked out.
Just my opinion

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Well, you might not live next to the right track, because my sav did numerous fast laps without any sort of failure. Box stock that is (or almost, just have a few perf and tuning upgrade, stock engine)

I don't see how and why a Savage wouldn't be able to run on a track consistently, unless you have the worst driver / tuning ppl on the whole country.

BTW, there's not that much bugs on stock Savage. Anly a few things to look at, like loctite on all screws, new updated upright and stuff like that. I heard ppl complaining about the stock dogbones, but I have yet to broke one.

Then with a more powerfull engine, you have HB CVDs and stuff that you can do to it to withdstand the worse abuse, i.e. the most powerfull RB engine.

Only my 0.02 Euro

DFF

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

DFF,
Yeah it seems that the most problems with the Savage has been the dogbones. I think that exactly 3 savages have come out to race and the reason 2 of them didn't make a lap was because the dogbones kept popping out. The other guy just couldn't get his to run. But I have seen that happen to T-maxxers too.(the not-running part)

As far as locktiting, Ive had to do that on almost everything that Ive driven and flown, (especially my heli,lots of vibrationthere) no matter what the manufacturer. I will probably end up getting a savage but will definatley change the dogbones to cvds.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

DFF,
I have heard about the dogbones too. I think that if you break them you send them back to the company and they will send you new ones. (recall or something) Landshark had posted something about it I believe.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Alteramond,
You are correct. If you do manage to break a dogbone from the truck, all you have to do is send it in along with the other non-broken parts and HPI will send you a new set of reinforced dogbones for free. The tranny screw is not too much of a problem. In fact I tried to loosen mine and it would not budge, I bent the Allen wrench I was using.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

Are you guys sure about the dogbones. I thought it was just the uprights that HPI would replace.

Racing the Savage/T-Maxx
 

i checked the HPI site and it only lists the uprights/steering arms in the recall.

what I want to know is how people are breaking dogbones... are they landing jumps with the power on/full brake?

I have been thrashing mine and havent had a problem yet...