Carisma scale Ford F-150....trail rig

[mark-essex]

I usually run it with a Defender body, this is a new shell.

Standard Defender wheelbase (324mm).

Yes the tyres are the wrong way around, I find they work better that way.

[mark-essex]

This is the usual body that I run.

[Stormbringer]

Wow thats a cracking picture 

[mark-essex]

1 hour ago, Stormbringer said:

Wow thats a cracking picture 

Cheers!  This was taken last Sunday AM after a deluge of rain.

[Lone-wolf]

1 hour ago, mark-essex said:

Cheers!  This was taken last Sunday AM after a deluge of rain.

Those 2 pics really do highlight the old saying on the back of some defenders     "Dont follow me,  you wont make it"

[tomr]

Did it arrive mate? 
 

[Lone-wolf]

Right, lets cut to the chase, my shiny new Carisma scale F-150 arrived and yes this will be the last carisma i buy, general feeling of poor quality, if this is the flagship of the range they have dropped the ball, little niggles like stupid window tints that are already peeling, side graphics not put on neat an tidy, front wheels need sorting out as they wobble and just look out of whack, sadly not enough wrong to return it but the unboxing excitement waned very quickly 

 

perhaps i am being overly fussy, but having wanted this rig for a long time, its a bit of a disappointment, i feel i did better quality on my own mod FS scx 

[tomr]

Cough cough Bronco cough 😂

[tomr]

Nice and shiny ,it looks the part mate 👍

Have you seen the wing mirror mod video on you tube ? Well worth watching if you haven’t.

[Lone-wolf]

12 minutes ago, tomr said:

Nice and shiny ,it looks the part mate 👍

Have you seen the wing mirror mod video on you tube ? Well worth watching if you haven’t.

Hmm, my hearing is playing up, i thought i heard Bronco mentioned, had i of got the bronco and it had these minor issues it would have a return label on it already!

Yes seen the mirror elastic mod, clever idea

[PraetoR]

Disappointing to see such squint stickers, especially on such a lovely body shell. Would it be possibly to get a very thin blade under them, to try and lift and reposition?

 

Try not to be too disheartened. She's still a beautiful truck.

[Stormbringer]

pity about the defects you found with it but it still is a good looking truck and once you get them sorted out youl be happy with it and yep i know you shouldnt have to sort it out 🍻

[Fat Freddy]

Once you’ve got it muddy you’ll stop noticing the niggles. 

👍

[Lone-wolf]

7 hours ago, PraetoR said:

Disappointing to see such squint stickers, especially on such a lovely body shell. Would it be possibly to get a very thin blade under them, to try and lift and reposition?

 

Try not to be too disheartened. She's still a beautiful truck.

I have managed to reposition the rear light stickers, nothing to lose as a spare set supplied, not risking the side cream stickers, would only make it worse, i now find the mirrors dont stay on, so they need gluing or the elastic string mod.

Really sorry to be negative over what seems to be minor niggles, but in this day an age i do expect better quality on a flagship model, a friend suggested sending it back but can i really do that having cut the bags open to get small parts out, it would be a different matter if say the body was cracked or a mechanical fault, i guess it is what it is and i just have to try and  accept that while its not a budget truck, also its not a premium rig either 

[Lone-wolf]

Okay, got a more positive head on, tonight the walmart toy grade window stickers are getting trashed, i have ordered a set of 96mm OD tyres these will go on the Alloy beadlocks, always felt the stock tyres are to big for the truck, gearing will go up 2 teeth on pinion to make up for smaller tyres.  Mirrors need mount on the elastic mount mod so ordered chrome 1.5m elastic string, also got some LED lights to fit and have the cab rear spoiler to cut and paint for it, plenty to do

[tomr]

2 hours ago, Jack Reacher said:

Okay, got a more positive head on, tonight the walmart toy grade window stickers are getting trashed, i have ordered a set of 96mm OD tyres these will go on the Alloy beadlocks, always felt the stock tyres are to big for the truck, gearing will go up 2 teeth on pinion to make up for smaller tyres.  Mirrors need mount on the elastic mount mod so ordered chrome 1.5m elastic string, also got some LED lights to fit and have the cab rear spoiler to cut and paint for it, plenty to do

Now that sounds like a plan 👍

[Only4Fun]

I agree with you @Jack Reacher about the quality of the body decals.

The cream ones never sat right on mine and  were peeling out of the box.

I took them off. They come off easily without any cutting.

Personally I prefer this look.

 

 

[mark-essex]

Looks good without the cream side stickers.  I'll be doing the same to mine at some stage.  Mine were applied well, lined up and not peeling, but I'm sure they will at some point.  I've also removed the horrible window stickers.

[Lone-wolf]

6 hours ago, Only4Fun said:

I agree with you @Jack Reacher about the quality of the body decals.

The cream ones never sat right on mine and  were peeling out of the box.

I took them off. They come off easily without any cutting.

Personally I prefer this look.

 

 

hey, just watched and commented on your video, great run, as promised window tints are now history, wipers fitted and still wondering about the mirror mount options, i realy dont trust myself with a dremel trying to drill tiny holes in the mirror frames, not even sure if i am allowed to operate dangerous power tools lol

[tomr]

Looking good my friend 👍 They look absolutely stunning when they’re brand new like that .

[Lone-wolf]

3 minutes ago, tomr said:

Looking good my friend 👍 They look absolutely stunning when they’re brand new like that .

It should stay looking like this, its likely only to get used trail running in my new FB trail drivers group, so it wont be sliding and rolling down crawler tracks, my FS can take care of that work

[Stormbringer]

Jack that does look better mate 🍻

[PraetoR]

12 hours ago, Jack Reacher said:

i have ordered a set of 96mm OD tyres these will go on the Alloy beadlocks, always felt the stock tyres are to big for the truck

 

I agree, first thing I noticed about these trucks. I have some brand new Gmade 1901 tyres at home that I intend to try, if I do end up getting one of these. However, at 105mm, they're only about 5mm smaller than standard. If they are still too big, the RC4WD Rock Creepers are where I'd go next (96mm).

[Lone-wolf]

19 minutes ago, PraetoR said:

 

I agree, first thing I noticed about these trucks. I have some brand new Gmade 1901 tyres at home that I intend to try, if I do end up getting one of these. However, at 105mm, they're only about 5mm smaller than standard. If they are still too big, the RC4WD Rock Creepers are where I'd go next (96mm).

A little word of caution here, Carisma claim the stock rubber is 110 OD, untrue....i measured mine and the stock is 105mm, so now i feel i should of ordered 90mm OD..........just another reason never to buy a carisma again lol

[PraetoR]

Ah, that changes things. Thanks for the info!