Capn kanuckles

i'm on a limited budget, about $215.Which truck would you get.I dont have much exprence with rc,non with nitro,but willing to learn and i do have alot of carb tuning skills with dirtbike,quads etc..Here are the ones i am looking at.
Caldera 10e and nitro
volcano s30
earthquake 3.0/3.5 nitro
volcano exp
I will be getting just after christmas just dont know what to get.I would like to se a size difference between the s30 and the earthquake.I have not seen any of these up close just online.Please give reasons why.

nitrosportsandrunner

thats alot of questions. ill try my best to help you out here. im a redcat dealer, and i own several redcats myself.
there is nothing wrong with nitros, but if you are fairly new to the hobby, then i highly suggest going with electric.
also, the least expensive nitro redcat has is the tornado S30(the shockwave is less, but the tornado is better) it costs $160. but then you need about $60 worth of other things, like nitro fuel($30 a gallon) fuel bottle, glow plug warmer and tools. thats gonna max out your budget.
the volcan S30 costs alittle more, so after all the extras you are over budget.
the earthquake 3.5 alone costs what your budget allows.

with all that said, i would reccomend the volcano or tornado epx PRO. not the regular epx version with a brushed motor. thats too slow. the PRO versions have a brushless motor. they go over 30MPH out of the box(with included battery) and later on you can get better batteries(or lipos) and it will run even faster. i have both of these models. they are tough and fast. best of all, they cost $180 shipped with a battery. that would leave you enough cash for some upgrade or another battery.
you can PM me if you like, and ill let you know what kinda deals i can get you.

my final words: you asked for reccomendations. but follow your heart. if you want a fun RC to bash and go fast, the epx PROs are great. but if you are dying to try out nitros, you want to hear the noise and smell the fumes and get your hands dirty, then by all means get a nitro. but be prepared to take your time. nitro motors need to be broken in, and then taken care of. if you really want a nitro, go with the tornado s30 or volcano s30(when you have enough cash)

oh, to answer your last question. the size difference. the volcano is 1/10 and the earthquake is 1/8. so, basically the earthquake is longer and alittle wider. it also uses a larger motor(both the nitro and brushless version do)

nitrosportsandrunner

here is a link to redcats volcano epx pro. check out the vid at the bottom and the pics: http://www.redcatracing.com/RC-Cars/...olcano-EPX-PRO

Capn kanuckles

Thanks for all the great info.I think you could read my mind.I really want a nitro,but i really like the simple electrics.What do you know about the Caldera's.Are they new?Any goods or bads?Either the nitro or electric.I'm really having a hard time deciding.One day i want nitro next electric.

nitrosportsandrunner

i hear you, so many cool models and soo little money!

i dont own a caldera, but from what i have read they are good, but nitro and electric version. basically, they are alitte bit wider and longer than the volcano.
it costs $10 more than the volcano. i will add that from looking at the pics, the bumpers on the caldera look a bit stronger than the volcano(tho i havent broken any on my volcano yet)
i can understand your wanting to go nitro. i started in the hobby 5years ago. i made the mistake of buying a USED nitro. please dont do that! even if you decide not to go with redcat, at least do yourself the favor of getting a NEW nitro.
the volcano and tornado are great starter nitros. the SH motor is easy to tune. they are tough, and pretty quick.
for me, i like the brushless versions i have. they are just as fast as nitros, but take less work.

my honest advice: sounds like you want a beafy nitro monster truck. the caldera 3.0 or the earthquake 3.5 will fill that need best. i might be able to get you a caldera with a starter kit in you budget. then you would only need some nitro fuel to get running.

nitrosportsandrunner

also, since you have alittle time before you can actually buy a model, look up some youtube vids. you can see many of the models you are considering in action, and see what people post about them. seeing the models in action, on different terrain, being jumped ect, really give you a better idea of what will be right for you.

Capn kanuckles

Let me ask this,the volcano you gave me the link to and the volcano nitro side by side in a flat out drag, who wins?

Capn kanuckles

My eyes are going crossed from watching so many vids.

nitrosportsandrunner

thats a tricky one. of the line, the electric. electrics dont have to build up RPMs to make power.
top speed..............might go to the nitro(if properly tuned) but that is the case with the stock battery that is included with the volcano. if down the road you choose to go lipo(a 2s lipo and charger off ebay will run you $70) then it would be the electric. brushless sytems are crazy fast today! they have crazy torque. the only thing you are giving up by going electic is smoke-noise and tuning. also, a $30 battery will last you a few years. a $30 gallon of fuel may only last a couple of months.

watch this, and youll want it! notice he hardly ever even uses full throttle!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzGn-jL6YXQ

nitrosportsandrunner

oh, dont forget there is a brushless version of the caldera, the caldera 10E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJA4c...eature=related

Capn kanuckles

That exp with the lipo is crazy fast and so is that caldera.I think you got me swinging towards electric.Hey thanks so much for the input,you have been very helpful.One more thing before i go when you run a lipo,you get more power but do you lose or gain run time.also is there any mods to do when switching to a lipo?

nitrosportsandrunner

you gain all the way around when you go lipo! they put out more amps, the weigh less, and store more energy.
i have 2s 30c 4200mah lipos i use in my redcats(they cost $30 each) and i get 20-25 minute runtimes, plus the crazy power.
there are no mods needed to run lipos. the speed control on the volcano and caldera electrics are 2S lipo ready!

even without going lipo, you can gain better runtimes just by getting a nimh pack with a better rating. i believe that the volcano comes with a 2000mah(storage rating) pack, and the caldera has a 3800mah pack. if you buy a 5000mah pack, you will get increased runtime(but you can still use the stock charger)

Capn kanuckles

Awesome thanks so much for your help,i've got some think'n to do.I really like that caldera,is the caldera a new model or has it been around for a while.It seems that there is more parts available for the volcano on ebay.Out of the two which do you recommend.I like the fact that the caldera is bigger,in my small mind i think that means more stable.Right.

nitrosportsandrunner

true, the caldera will handle alittle better.
ebay doesnt stock parts for redcats very well. there are many upgrades for both models. the caldera is only $10 more than the volcano, and does come with a better stock battery. that might be the one for you.

Capn kanuckles

Thanks alot!time to hit the sack!

nitrosportsandrunner

gotta go to, my pizza bite are done! time to watch burn notice[8D]

billymare

Captn, I have both the Caldera 10E and the Caldera 3.0, Ilove them both, but Ithink you should also go with the 10E.... you won't be dissapointed....

formula87

Get the Caldera 10E  I also heard that alot of the drivetrain is the same as the bigger Earthquake 8e diffs ect.........

billymare

A LOT of the parts are the same... Kurt at URCHobby just got some 10E's in stock. You should check them out

Capn kanuckles

Why the 10e.Please give some reason why i should get the 10e over the exp pro.I'm asking because i kinda a newbie.

billymare

The 10E is made by BSD while the EPX Pro's are made by HSP. All the BSD trucks are alot tougher.

Capn kanuckles

Who is bsd?

nitrosportsandrunner

ill have to look that up. sounds pretty good, considering that the caldera doesnt cost much more than the volcano.
however, both my volcano epx pro and tornado epx pro's drivetrains have been solid thus far. and i use lipo in both and jump and bash them. even tho there in no slipper clutch, the diffs seem to handle all the power just fine.

formula87

Yea ................who is BSD and HSP???

billymare

http://www.b****cing.com/app/menu.php?op=index Look at the 1/10 trucks....look familiar?