Suggestions needed - small vehicles to drive/race in garden

[valve90210]

Hi All

 

Having resurrected my age old Tamiya  1/10 buggy and gotten myself and my son a couple of 1/10 trucks, I was looking into the possibility of setting up a track in my garden for us to have a bit of a race around together but I think it might be a bit of a struggle with the size of the vehicles as my garden isn't huge, so now I'm looking at the possibility of getting something smaller to which will be better to use in the space but would be able to run well over grass which I'll keep as short as I can over the summer.

 

I don't want to be spending huge amounts as I'll need to save up and buy two, (maybe £150 all in for both would be good...) but I don't really know where to start or what's about, does anyone have nay suggestions of what's about and might be suitable?

[Noj]

1/18th works well in a garden.

 

I run a Helion Animus, La Trax Teton and a LaTrax SST, all good and perfect for the space I have available.

 

The Carisma GT24 R is also grand for some on drive drifting.

[Ross9999992]

I'm going to be turning our front garden into a track in the near future, planning on getting a couple carrisma gt24tr's to use out there.

[Noj]

What size do you actually have available? 1/24th may well be better suited than 1/18th....

 

Time to get the tape measure out, methinks....

[valve90210]

I quite like the look of the Helion Animus SC and a good price too. Can't quite tell from the pics, is that a normal tamiya sort of size battery or is it smaller?

 

What do you run this on in the garden?  Would it be ok on a normal uk lawn?

[valve90210]

My garden is a bit of a funny one as it's an unusual shape but there is a reasonable amount of room... (pic attached...couldn'tg et it to upload where i normally would so hopefully it'll work..)

 

 

[Noj]

Smaller than a standard sized NiMH pack, picture is deceiving.

 

The MT has the better ground clearance and now comes with lights! I found the TR was ok, then stuck the MT wheels on and it made a big improvement. I also lunched the rear diff (plastic internals), popped in the metal upgrades with plenty of grease and not had an issue since.

 

You will need a motor heatsink for the Helion offerings, the can just runs hot. I fitted the ally motor mount which made a small drop in temps. Not tried mine on lipo yet, the stock NiMH pack performance has been ok thus far, the ESC does have a lipo setting, so a quick connector change and I can try it out.

 

Only damage I incurred was a snapped dog bone (they are plastic), plastic spares are cheap, ally bits not so much and other than the motor mount, I'm adding nowt more (I don't pay RRP for the parts anyway, but the ally bits are still too much for a rig that costs around 60 quid, imho of course)

 

I like it for what it is at the price point

[Ross9999992]

Grass will be too much for the little gt24's I'd expect? Ofc I don't have any yet to say for sure.

 

The problems I can see you having are that with grass you need more clearance so bigger vehicles and/or more power but then speed and turning circles become more of an issue. Would you potentially be able to get some strips of old carpet or something you can unroll to make the track surface or anything? 

 

The smoother you can get the track surface then the smaller the vehicles can be which as I see it gets you a longer scale length track  

[valve90210]

That's my thought, the grass probably is too much for little vehicles which is a shame, as the space I have would make for a fun track for smaller vehicles. I'd need something that could be set up nice and quickly else my little boy will have lost interest before we even started driving.

 

Not sure on the strips of carpet idea ,it sounds like a good plan but then I'd have to factor in setup time and storage etc though as you say would make for better surface for smaller vehicles.

 

[dazp1976]

Dig it up and lay some very short astro.

[valve90210]

if money was no object then maybe but that would cost a fortune...oh and I do want it as a usable garden too

Edited March 17, 2017 by valve90210

[valve90210]

I saw mention on a youtube comment of a WL-Toys A959 which after a bit of looking baout i've found more about, looks like it might fit the bill

 

4WD 2.4GH RC car Buggy style

1/18 Scale suitable for indoor and outdoor control

Four-wheel independent suspension

With Proportional Steering function

100 metre control distance

 

and only £54

Also seems to run quite nicely on grass

https://youtu.be/7mbRq29QhrE

[Noj]

Astro would have to be very very short, ours is a medium pile and the cars just track across the pile. Cheap enough to buy, laying it properly is time consuming and requires both hardcore and grit sand.... Our third lawn is going in as I type, lol.

 

1/18th is what you'll need. The WL toys are very similar platforms to both the Helion and Maverick Ion range, so spares should be okay.... 

[Ross9999992]

I've saw a video of the brushless MT of those the other day with custom stud tires on snow. I was very impressed enough to scan China for prices...

 

You can actually get the brushed versions for £40 odd, they might actually be more use in the garden as well what with the slowness  

 

Oh I think Gearbest had the best prices at the time.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Ross9999992
Gearbest

[RCbutcher]

Will 1/18 drive over grass? my 1/16 rascal would stop dead from medium grass that was a heavy 18th nitro too. 

 

Im looking for a garden basher too and think the tamiya stuff is tops in my case. 

 

I like that ill be able to see the performance boosts from the upgrades ther such old designs they can be improved tons. 

 

Lunchbox and madbull are two ive been looking at. 

 

But im not sold yet on anything. I like the blackfoot stuff too or other tamiya hit. But the basic ones are very cheap. £90 ish on lunchbox. Same for madbull which i like the look of but since ive hardly seen them on here ill presume people who know. Know to stay away from it lol.

 

Subaru brat kinda stuff looks cool too i imagine them to look cool hopping around. 

 

One rc that very nearly turned it upside down was the carisma 1/16 or 18th vw bug. It looks so cool but ide guess needs silky streets. 

[Noj]

Not long grass, but anything mown and short isn't an issue. For their size, these wee rigs are pretty capable, especially in an MT format.

 

Brat is a great chassis, as is the Madbull, really. In the processes of trying to squeeze 3s into one....Which isn't going well, lol!

[johninderby]

Tamiya 4WD buggy of some sort perhaps. My Super Hot Shot handles grass a few inches long with no problem. Handles well so good in tight spaces.

 

              John

 

 

[valve90210]

It's more the size of vehicle thats the issue, both my amp abd fughter buggy handle the grass ok it's just that I want something smaller to make the most of the area I have available as a track

[atom3624]

My MERV and Mini-Raminator are great in the garden - MERV needs more room as it's too fast!

Micro-Raminator (1/36) has difficulties - needs level surface / very short grass - tarmac ideally.

 

X-Maxx has no problem!!

 

Al.

[valve90210]

Shame they're so expensive and not what I'm looking for... 

[NOFX]

Have a look at the hk basher stuff. Me & our little un are impressed with out bad bug & nitro circus mini monster truck.   Parts are an area to get, can take 79 days. But you'll not get up to the speed to break it on that garden 

[valve90210]

You dissing my garden. Grrr! 

 

Those HK bashers do look good but way over budget... Sadly.