10 replies to this topic

[Nitroholic]

Been doing a bit of soul searching and pondering about RC and what is missing from my colection. I have come to the conclusion it's a size issue. Everything I have is 1/8 scale or bigger...and whilst great fun....it does leave an issue should I want to pack one in a bag for a holiday trip etc.

Sure...you can fit a Baja in a suitcase if it's big enough....but then you have to wear the same clothes all week and explain the smell of petrol to the check in desk....

What I am looking for has to meet a few criteria.....

1) It should be able to fit in a small rucksack...so I am looking for something that will pretty much fit on the keyboard of my laptop

2) Electric as it saves the hassle of fuel etc. and I already have an IMAX B6 that will take up little space

3) Be 2.4Ghz and RTR ... prefer brushless...but would accept something I could upgrade later.

4) Looing to spend up to around £150 though there is a small degree of flexibility

5) Be able to cope with tarmac, beach, gravel and short grass. I am aware ground clearance is always an issue for a small car...so I am realistic on what to expect.

Been looking at a few cars, but I know so little about the genre as a whole that it;s hard to decide. Did have a look at this and liked it...   http://www.modelsport.co.uk/associated-rc18t2-truck-brushless-rtr-2.4ghz/rc-car-products/368498

And this ... http://www.modelspor...products/369189

[pieman5]

100% recommendation on the mini 8ight

[Nitroholic]

I thought it was out of my pricerange until I saw t heused one MS had for sale

[Vranpede]

So something in the 10th scale?

I cant comment too much on the carnage but i find that the FTX Vantage is an awesome little buggy, it deals fine an all surfaces you mentioned (only one i havnt tested is sand) but obviously factors affect that - the gravel i run on is super slippery an the stock tires dont know what to do about it, which can be annoying bit is a simple fix.
The carnage should be slightly better on the surfaces being a truggy thats slightly higher off the ground but other than that i think they are the same.

Cheap to run and repair - new a-arms cost me less than a fiver for a pair, and the parts are easy to come by.

I feel as though i could put this in my pocket!! It just seems that small to me (next to a friends 1/8 hyper 7 and my p2de). I have a 30 liter rucksack and it will fit in there shell, batteries, tools, charger and a few spare with enough left over space to get a few other bits in like a drink, bit of food etc etc.

Over that i would say a Stampede or Rustler. Both are slightly bigger and a little trickier to fit in my bag (i cant get a shell in with the p2de) i have to remove a wheel off the p2de to fit it in properly but i cn close the bag without doing that.

The traxxas options are slightly more expensive unless your looking at the brushed versions (the titans die fast without care and maintenance) but can be upgraded easily. Bonus that they are 100% waterproof and i will happily back that 100% claim - trust me i have found out more than once that my p2de doesnt mind going underwater (this is woth the velinion VXL system). They are much harder wearing than the FTX and have a bunch more option parts available for them. They are easier to fit a 3s+ in there (the FTX will require mods to fit a 5000 3s overlander hardcase lipo) so more battery options. But they arent 4wd (unless you look at the super expensive 4x4 stampede). I dont mind this at all but now im getting more used to my vantage on 4wd i fond that sometimes the 2wd is annoying - though my rusty needs new tires!!

To be honest i have all 3 of those. The vantage is the best for traveling and dropping out whenever you want to. The pede is a little overkill unless you can jump it off a 20ft drop most of the time (its a basher not a driver) and the rusty is just a bit of a speed freak. The traxxas are easier to work on and faster to get running out in the field (the FTX is a bit tight under the shell). The FTX is cheaper though. Better support for traxxas imo as their forums are awesome if not a little restricted and the people there will get you upgraded and running almost bulletproof fast and cost effectively.
Traxxas would be my suggestion but then i really enjoy my traxxas trucks and would always reccommend them. The FTX would be my next suggestion based on the price:quality (i was worried about buying something so cheap but have been amazingly surprised by it - despite my breaks so far lol all my fault really!)

[Baja 5b]

Not many 1/10ths will fit in a back pack unless its a TC. Id go with an 8ight looks to be the best mine atm.

[Vranpede]

Baja 5b, on 22 May 2012 - 01:40 PM, said:

Not many 1/10ths will fit in a back pack unless its a TC. Id go with an 8ight looks to be the best mine atm.

My 3 different 1/10ths all fit in my bag with relative ease. The pede was simpler before i widened it. But i think that any 1/10th buggy would drop into a bag half the size of mine with space to spare for the tx and other required items. Rustler and pede needthe shell removing and the pedes shell wont fit in my bag as well but i run shell-less on those occasions.

Depends on the size of your bag but a 20 liter bag would be fine for all buggys of this size, unless some companies make a different 1/10 to everyone else!

[Nitroholic]

My youngest lad has a Stampede....and it's bigger than I want. I really want to go sub-1/10. He also has a little Carson Stormracer, but again...I am talking smaller than that.

I want something I can take on holiday....and my 'holidays' tend to not be the suitcase type. Last one was to the Scillly isles, which meant geting to Penzance by train, then flying out by small plane and back by helicopter. When your total luggage allowance is small and you have to carry it ALL on your back, I need compact fun!

Next trip is sailing the Caledonian Canal....and again..we are going up by train, and that means carrying a bag with a weeks worth of clothing etc. and still fitting in the truck. Hence the 'laptop' size. I just want to be able to take something along to mess about with when we moor up for the night... or else sneak it into work to mess about at lunchtime etc.

The Mini 8ight is 292mm long, 204mm wide and if you pop off the wheels and wing....it's a small thing to slip in a bag. The RC18 is smaller at 252x182.

[wan2learn]

what about a mini crawler of some sort go in a totally different direction esspecially if your going abroad all those rugid landscapes holiday places have worth a thought. but the mini 8t does look the buisness i would love 2 of them in mini and 8th scale im looking to get a shell off the big 8t on my revo from jconcepts same as a dude in show us your revo thread plus losi give some great accessorys i think like free specktrum radio gear thats awsome

[mydoddy69]

I have had a few mini rc's over the years and if i was to ever recommend one it would have to be the mini 8 it pretty much knocks the socks off all mini's that are around at the minute a lot of people say there more for racing but thats not the case i only bash mine and with a couple of mods there pretty much done

Here's all i have done and i'm sorted but there's a lot of other hop ups should you fill the need

Shock top protector buy one or make'em thetoyz stock a front shock tower with'em built in
Shock bottom's swap out to traxxas ones
Carbon fibre top plate helps save on the spur stripping out
Go lipo much better
change out the servo
I have swaped out the ESC to a Ezrun 35a as it gives a better punch and brakes but you dont have to

All of this can be done over time but my frist fix would be the shocks as it gets frustrating keep fixing them but once you done them thats it plus it fits nice in a small back pack with the transmitter you can get a handful of lipos from Hobbyking for the mini revo that are under a tenner each and last like 20 mins a pack on 2s or about 15mins on a 3s

It handle's like a dream and as for jumps it will take a fair few feet up before it brakes it has a good speed can run on short grass loose dirt sand tarmac and pretty much anything and secondhand there within your budget and for that you should get one with a few upgrades already done

Edited by mydoddy69, Yesterday, 03:34 PM.

[Nitroholic]

I was watching your youTube on battery fitment last night

So cheap to get stuff for the small cars! Forget £30 batteries...Can get GensAce batts form GiantCod in the UK when they have stock too. Still uner £10 but I would need to check the sizes.

I got my eye on the used one MS are selling. Ex shop demo car with just a few scracthes on the chassis and a scuff on the bumper/front wheels. £140. Hasn;t had much run time and should still get me warranty backup etc. if there are problems. Leaves me enough spare to buy a lipo or two.

Just waiting for funds to clear in PayPal before I make the final decision.

One last question on Losi ....

I know the old trucks used to use imperial sized fasteners. Have they switched to metric yet? If they have...it will mean buying a new set of tools to work on it.

[jony nitro]

I have had a lot of cars, And my Mini 8ight is the most fun race bash, what ever you want to do, it's great

HyperTT is fun on 3s but hands down the 8ight

Edited by jony nitro, Today, 08:50 AM.