FTX Vantage - good first buggy choice?

[NOFX]

On 07/02/2017 at 23:33, TheTwig said:

thanks - is there a standard technique for helping the battery stay in place in the buggy? ours seems to have a good half inch of play in it and slides around the battery bay quite freely.

before I just stick a lump of blue tac in there, I wondered if the was another way I should do it, in case of heat issues or something...

 

oh, and are there recommended rechargeable AA batteries to use for the Radio handset? It takes 8 so I thin rechargers is going to be the best way.

and there's a power connection port on the handset itself - is that usable to recharge them with or do I need to get a whole charging unit that can take eight AAs.

Any thoughts?

 

sorry if i should be starting other threads with these other questions - let me know and i will

 I found bits of hard black foam that's used for packaging & cut them to size to stop the lipos flapping around.  No heat issues & it's free. ? Glad little man loves it. Our 4 year old son has a basher nitro circus mini monster truck. He managed a back flip with it last summer.  Good dad & son times are to be had with rc cars.    The tyres won't last long on tarmac.  Is there anywhere local with short grass or dirt?  

[TheGinja]

No worries at all, anytime.

 

[yhryigej]

On 04/02/2017 at 23:54, TheTwig said:

We're up and running . We headed to a big empty car park today and had a brilliant hour full of fun, after an apprehensive start to the day when he was a bit nervous about even taking it out because its 'too precious'.

 

He spent the first 15 minutes driving it along at walking pace, following it around and repeating "Wow this is awesome!!"

(top tip: if you want to avoid damaging your off-road vehicle, simply drive it at 4mph on a smooth flat surface in a straight line with no potential obstacles or hazards within 100m.)

 

After a little encouragement and a decidedly inept 'dad demo', he spent the last 15 minutes drifting it about and doing J-turns with a huge grin on his face, finishing with a 180 to parallel park it next to our bag.

 

Due to popular demand we'll be returning tomorrow. And we didn't break anything.

 

Hi TheTwig.  I got the FTX Vantage brushed myself the other day but I get nowhere near a full hour.  I get 5 or maybe 10 mins tops before it's starts to splutter (like the transmission going on-off on-off so assuming that's low battery).  Did you upgrade it or something?

[Nickarla]

Buy a larger capacity battery. I fitted a 6000mah lipo that gives me nearly an hour in my Carnage.

[yhryigej]

Made a video of mine to explain the issue - is this normal or should I bring it back to the shop?

https://youtu.be/G-hOeIxDjHw

 

[Nickarla]

how does the motor and ESC feel? Very hot?

[badrubbish]

On 01/02/2017 at 01:12, Si Coe said:

[snip]

The Rustler is a popular model - if you prefer a buggy it has a brother in the Bandit but I'm not sure the Bandit shell fits the Rustler. Either way they are fairly tough out of the box and with a few aftermarket parts virtually bombproof. That said they are overpriced for what you get and if you want the truck version the HPI Firestorm is a better model all round. Unlike the Rustler it needs no upgrades at all to be nigh on indestructible, it has better handling than the Rustler too.

[snip]

Heres a real left field option to look at - http://answer-rc.com/en/4634-sworkz-fox-4x4e-cage-buggy-rtr.html

 

Hello all,

 

I bought my son a brushed Vantage from the local hobby shop (LHS)for Xmas after reading this thread.  It's SUCH fun and he loves it to bits - literally!  He loves bashing down at the skate park - and less aggressively than the first time, but pretty much every time he takes it out he breaks something.  He was rather downcast today and said "I'm not meant for RC - I keep breaking it".  I've ordered some aluminium suspension holders that hopefully will improve things - but today something started grinding when the motor was going but the wheels didn't turn.  I'll get it sorted on Monday at the LHS.  The point is that the breakages are putting him off, which is sad.  The questions I'd like to ask you folks are:

 

What would be a much more robust but dynamically similar car for bashing, zooming around and doing jumps at the skate park please?  Is the HPI Firestorm 10T still the nigh on indestructible choice?  Would an ECX AMP MT be 'better' (with the additional plus of learning by building) than a Firestorm?  Would the Sworkz Fox be toughest of all?  I don't think he's particularly fussed about truck vs. buggy, etc.  It would be nice to have something that could handle some mud and puddles without fizzing and dying though.

 

If a big addition to robustness requires a next step up from plastic fantastic 1/10 to something else, what might a well regarded starter next step be please?  Possibly not appropriate; my son is not yet 7?

 

Many thanks to you all - we've just joined this world, and are finding it VERY EXCITING! 

Edited January 5, 2019 by badrubbish

[Nickarla]

For what he is using it for I personally would get the Firestorm every time. The FTX Vantage isn't cut out for the punishment of a skatepark. 

[PH001]

I also fitted the Carnage bumper to my Vantage but find now that even a minor front impact breaks the top plate and the chassis front plate every time. It’s like it’s diverting the impact energy to a place it wasn’t intended. i’m not sure if the Carnage is any different in that area?? For now I’m keeping the Carnage bumper on and upgrading the top plate to carbon. See how that goes. It’s a pretty fragile thing the Vantage, I think some of the issues are down to the increased weight of the massive 6600Mah lipo I run in it!

[badrubbish]

Thanks very much folks!

 

 Massive Lipo!

 

Are there parts of the Firestorm that one should stock up on spares for?

 

 

[Nickarla]

7 hours ago, PH001 said:

I also fitted the Carnage bumper to my Vantage but find now that even a minor front impact breaks the top plate and the chassis front plate every time. It’s like it’s diverting the impact energy to a place it wasn’t intended. i’m not sure if the Carnage is any different in that area?? For now I’m keeping the Carnage bumper on and upgrading the top plate to carbon. See how that goes. It’s a pretty fragile thing the Vantage, I think some of the issues are down to the increased weight of the massive 6600Mah lipo I run in it!

 

I’ve never come across such an issue on the Carnage. If the top plate is breaking in wonderibg whether there is an issue somewhere else, like a part that’s not screwed in correctly or something.

[Nickarla]

Regarding the Firestorm. A skatepark is one of the most punishing places for a rc car (and also one of the most fun). I don't want you to think that it will be without damages, its just got a much better chance than the FTX with better quality plastics and being 2wd...and the car I would choose to buy if I mainly used it on tarmac.

[badrubbish]

7 hours ago, Nickarla said:

Regarding the Firestorm. A skatepark is one of the most punishing places for a rc car (and also one of the most fun). I don't want you to think that it will be without damages, its just got a much better chance than the FTX with better quality plastics and being 2wd...and the car I would choose to buy if I mainly used it on tarmac.

 

Thanks Nickarla and for sure - I fully expect that it would break; I'm just hoping it would be less often than the Vantage.  My local hobby store doesn't stock HPI, so I've been emailing around HPI Help Centres  - none of which are near me - to ask what kind of help they could offer me remotely when it's not really practical for me to go there with a broken Firestorm in person.

 

 

[badrubbish]

HI Nickarla,

 

Just to follow up, one of the HPI Help Centres I contacted said that HPI are pretty good but that the supply of cars and parts are lacking at the moment, and recommended a Traxxas Rustler as similar to a Firestorm, well built and many parts available. They offered to help by phone and email.  

 

Another offered to help by Messenger too.  

 

Another said don't use RC car's in skate parks!  

 

My local hobby shop said Tamiya's are built to last (they have a Grasshopper kit on offer for about £100), but spend the money on upgrading the Vantage instead.  A metal servo went in today, replacing the stock one that's shed some teeth.  Alu suspension holders waiting to go in too, when the plastic ones next break. 

 

Thanks all for your help!

[Nickarla]

The upgrades the FTX desperately need are unavailable unfortunately. RPM plastics and a hardened gear set. A real shame as these two would be worth their weight in gold and transform the FTX models into a formidable car.

 

i don’t know a huge amount the Rustler. It’s a Traxxas so I stay well clear. Not saying it’s a bad car I just can’t stand the brand.

[RWJ]

I've heard talk of grub screws coming loose and needing to be Threadlocked in.  As I need to do some repairs, which involve removing the front assembly of my Vantage, it might be an opportunity to do this.

 

Can anyone confirm where these grub screws are located?

 

Also, basic question but how do you use Threadlock?  Apply to the screw first then insert or insert screw then apply?

[PH001]

You will see the grub screws either side of the spur gear, on the slipper clutch assembly. Yes, you apply a small amount to the screws then insert it - it takes 24hrs or so to set.

 

The gear wear problems are pretty much sorted on the Vantage with the RW set, all available and in stock from Modelsport:

 

RW 23t pinion - part no. RW0600-23    £3.65

RW Hardened acetal spur 65t - Part no. RWFTX   £9.95

 

...alternatively, member @daveyboi73 does fully hardened steel spurs and pinions for £23.50. Probably has them on Ebay by now. See thread here... https://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/forums/topic/138437-ftx-vantagecarnage-owners-thread/?page=190

 

 

If you combine this with the gear cover:

 

FTX6260 - £3.13

 

Then you pretty much have a permanent fix for any issues there. The cover does need a small amount of hacking to fit properly in my experience.

 

 

Finally fit the aluminium front suspension holders, Carnage front bumper and carbon top plate:

 

FTX6361 - £10.92

FTX6324 - £3.32

FTX6370 - £18.04

 

 

..and you have a pretty well sorted Vantage. It will still break the  FTX6253 chassis front plate from time to time but at £2.18 ech it's not the end of the world. Upgrading this part to aluminium will just mean the chassis breaks instead which is more money and a lot more work.

 

 

So for an additional £49.01 you can get the Vantage where it needs to be.... ish, and it will survive most minor impacts and make a decent soft basher. Still wouldn't take it to the skate park. Of course you can spend more on full alu chassis, carbon shock towers etc but by the time you have spent all that you probably would have been better off getting a tougher car to start with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RWJ]

I'll be bookmarking this post PH001, brilliant ?

 

For the current repairs I've remained stock till I see how it goes and learn some mechanics, I toyed with the idea of going aluminium for the suspension holders as those need replaced and the carnage bumper as the vantage one was broken but I was fearful of transferring impact to the chassis.  I definitely don't want to deal with a broken chassis any time soon so good advice on the front plate. 

 

Next repairs I'll probably start to strengthen the front end and if (when) the gears go I'll upgrade to those you mention.  Thanks for the part numbers and link, very helpful.

 

I'm actually quite impressed with how little damage there is (bumper, chassis plate, servo saver, suspension holders), given it was a full speed head on with a high kerb - the throttle was nailed instead of the brakes.

[PH001]

Welcome, most of it is in the owners thread to be honest but as that's over 100 pages now it's not very usable.

[daveyboi73]

FTX Steel and a 32DP acetal Version available here :-

 

Ebay Shop