Maverick Phantom XT vs FTX Outlaw Ultra-4 Buggy (brushed)

[WHill]

Hi guys,

 

Which would you choose as a first RC car?

 

I have searched for this question on the Forum before posting and a few relevant topics have come up. The problem is that they are a few years old and both models seem to have undergone rebranding since then, which makes me think that the quality of both models could have drastically changed since then..

 

Personally, I am leaning towards the Maverick after reading EXTREMELY varying reviews of the FTX.

 

Also, I read on an older topic on this forum (one which I found while searching for this same question) that I could purchase upgraded parts for the Maverick from China under the name 'HPS' - is this still the case? If so, what is the exact search term I should be using?

 

Thanks a lot in advance for any help! 😀

[Lone-wolf]

Both the models you list are similar money,  the Outlaw brushed has a reputation for burning out the motor, but a brushless conversion makes a big difference indeed to both models, but if not planning to convert i might edge toward the maverick, hope this helps

[walkbythesea]

Most people nowadays seem to lean toward the Maverick though in all honesty they both appear to be about the same quality - though as said above the actual brushed motor in the FTX seems to be poor quality. 
 

I bought a brushless Outlaw in February as my first RC in over 30 years, I absolutely love it - brushless and lipo, either as the RTR or as immediate upgrade to the brushed kit is definitely the future!

[WHill]

37 minutes ago, Jack Reacher said:

Both the models you list are similar money,  the Outlaw brushed has a reputation for burning out the motor, but a brushless conversion makes a big difference indeed to both models, but if not planning to convert i might edge toward the maverick, hope this helps

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

The idea is to convert it to brushless eventually, but for now I would just like to learn how to handle RC cars as I'm a complete beginner! I've never driven anything RC before!

 

Would it be better to just buy the brushless version of the FTX, or would you recommend buying the brushed version and then upgrading it when I feel the need to do so?

 

Thanks again! 🙂

[walkbythesea]

50 minutes ago, WHill said:

I could purchase upgraded parts for the Maverick from China under the name 'HPS' - is this still the case? 

You can buy upgraded Outlaw parts from China under the VRX brand name, the model is known as the Octane or RH1043

[WHill]

1 minute ago, walkbythesea said:

Most people nowadays seem to lean toward the Maverick though in all honesty they both appear to be about the same quality - though as said above the actual brushed motor in the FTX seems to be poor quality. 
 

I bought a brushless Outlaw in February as my first RC in over 30 years, I absolutely love it - brushless and lipo, either as the RTR or as immediate upgrade to the brushed kit is definitely the future!

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for your response!

 

At first I was considering buying the FTX and very nearly did until I started reading/watching more reviews and eventually found the Maverick.

 

The thing about the Outlaw reviews is that there seems to be no middle ground. Everyone who owns one either loves it and has never had any issues with it, or says it is the worst thing they've ever bought and that it breaks every time they take it out.

 

 

[walkbythesea]

3 minutes ago, WHill said:

Would it be better to just buy the brushless version of the FTX, or would you recommend buying the brushed version and then upgrading it when I feel the need to do so?

Personally I’d buy the brushless version, for all the same reasons I did in the first place - it’s not just the upgraded motor and ESC, you also get a lipo battery, lipo safe bag and (basic) lipo charger.  Also I preferred the blue to the red body. 
 

The nimh battery and charger you get with the brushed kit are garbage and will give really short driving time and really long charging time, a recipe for frustration.    The performance of the stock brushed motor is pedestrian at best. 
 

It is said that you can spend the £75 difference on your own brushless upgrade that will be better than the motor/ESC combo you get in the brushless model - but you’ll still need to upgrade battery and charger to use it. 
 

I have a race session nearly everyday with work colleagues and we  play hard, I’ve broken bits sure but Outlaw parts are mega cheap and plentiful and I’ve never had a problem with the motor or ESC except for the time I drowned the on/off switch and that was fixed by drying it. 
 

I play rough and I’m a big fan, I have a whole bunch of cars now but the Outlaw still sees the most use. 

[walkbythesea]

8 minutes ago, WHill said:

The thing about the Outlaw reviews is that there seems to be no middle ground. Everyone who owns one either loves it and has never had any issues with it, or says it is the worst thing they've ever bought and that it breaks every time they take it out.

Yup, I’ve read a lot of that myself, with anything though it depends on how you use it - we race offroad wheel to wheel over moderate jumps, over gravel, forest paths and dirt roads, our breakages are generally due to collisions with each other’s cars or trees - if however you just want to send it high and far off skate ramps onto concrete then it won’t last long at all. 
 

We’ve all upgraded to alloy chassis and Torro bumpers at a cost of under £20 combined as the stock versions are rubbish, but other than that I find my Outlaw much more durable than I was lead to believe it would be 😂

[WHill]

13 minutes ago, walkbythesea said:

Yup, I’ve read a lot of that myself, with anything though it depends on how you use it - we race offroad wheel to wheel over moderate jumps, over gravel, forest paths and dirt roads, our breakages are generally due to collisions with each other’s cars or trees - if however you just want to send it high and far off skate ramps onto concrete then it won’t last long at all. 
 

We’ve all upgraded to alloy chassis and Torro bumpers at a cost of under £20 combined as the stock versions are rubbish, but other than that I find my Outlaw much more durable than I was lead to believe it would be 😂

 

Thanks again for your advice and opinion. From what you've said, it seems like the best thing to do would be the shell out the extra £75 and just buy the brushless model. The seeming availability of parts is one of the good things about the Outlaw and one of the biggest things that is causing me a headache regarding which model to buy! (out of the Phantom or the Outlaw) 

[walkbythesea]

If you were local I’d offer you a go with mine

[WHill]

2 minutes ago, walkbythesea said:

If you were local I’d offer you a go with mine

That would probably be a good start for me and help me a lot - but as you allude to, the distance is the problem. Thanks for the generous offer anyway bud! 🙂

[BUDFORCE]

The outlaw is great I have one since Jan - definitely spend the extra for brushless as mentioned above you also get a proper battery with it and charger when you factor that in.....

 

But ....,.....

 

Mine was fine for a good few charges, until things started to break, and now things break all the time.

 

Parts are cheap yes, and easy to get hold of yes. But going out for a run, for something to break, usually right at the start, then having to order a part, wait some days, then spend however long fixing, to most times since and repeat became demoralising.

 

I spent more and bought a Hobao Hyper VS which is built like a tank part of me wishes I had just done that in the first place.

 

But...I understand it's a lit of money up front if you are not 100% sure youll stick at it.

[walkbythesea]

Again, it’s worth asking yourself what you really want?  A huge part of the Outlaw experience for me is the Ultra 4 styling, so my choices are limited to the Outlaw, Element RC Gatekeeper, Losi Lasernut or FTX DR8 - the Outlaw was half the price of the competition and at that point I didn’t know if I’d stick with it or if it was to be a passing phase. 
 

20/20 hindsight is beautiful thing 😂

[Lone-wolf]

55 minutes ago, walkbythesea said:

Yup, I’ve read a lot of that myself, with anything though it depends on how you use it - we race offroad wheel to wheel over moderate jumps, over gravel, forest paths and dirt roads, our breakages are generally due to collisions with each other’s cars or trees - if however you just want to send it high and far off skate ramps onto concrete then it won’t last long at all. 
 

We’ve all upgraded to alloy chassis and Torro bumpers at a cost of under £20 combined as the stock versions are rubbish, but other than that I find my Outlaw much more durable than I was lead to believe it would be 😂

Just adding my experience here, when i got the wife the outlaw i started to hate it, motors always burning out (Brushed) but since going brushless its been great, she still loves driving it, and its been pretty reliable since brushless

[Redback]

40 minutes ago, WHill said:

 

Thanks again for your advice and opinion. From what you've said, it seems like the best thing to do would be the shell out the extra £75 and just buy the brushless model. The seeming availability of parts is one of the good things about the Outlaw and one of the biggest things that is causing me a headache regarding which model to buy! (out of the Phantom or the Outlaw) 

Your better getting a brushed outlaw and putting in some decent electronics as the brushless systems that come with the outlaw is bare minimum imo.
Whilst you miss out on the free lipo battery and charger, a car that doesnt run well isnt worth the money.
I love my outlaw but only after its had lots of love, as long as you know your buying a problem child and are willing to work with it, its a fun truck, just not made for bashing.

[scottie1314]

Not got any experience with the Outlaw but the Phantom is a good truck, the brushed motor & esc do burn out on 3s, the front suspension & wheels are pretty weak, snapped a fair few of each part and burned through 2 sets of wheels.

 

That being said, it's still my go to truck, good to change it to brushless, I'm running a 5200kv motor with 120a esc and only had stripped a few spur gears running 6s (not recommended), runs great on 2 & s3. 

 

 

Blink & you'll miss it on 6s

 

 

[WHill]

16 hours ago, Redback said:

Your better getting a brushed outlaw and putting in some decent electronics as the brushless systems that come with the outlaw is bare minimum imo.
Whilst you miss out on the free lipo battery and charger, a car that doesnt run well isnt worth the money.
I love my outlaw but only after its had lots of love, as long as you know your buying a problem child and are willing to work with it, its a fun truck, just not made for bashing.

 

If I was to buy the brushed version of the Outlaw, what Brushless motor and ESC would you recommend I upgrade to? I'm slightly confused as to how to match the KV rating of a motor and the ESC to get the best performance from a specific car?

Edited May 20, 2021 by WHill

[Redback]

2 hours ago, WHill said:

 

If I was to buy the brushed version of the Outlaw, what Brushless motor and ESC would you recommend I upgrade to? I'm slightly confused as to how to match the KV rating of a motor and the ESC to get the best performance from a specific car?

Depends on many things, whos driving, how is it being driven, hills / grass / mud etc.
A 2800kv - 3000kv sensored brushless 3655 - 3660 motor on 3mm shaft will work flawlessly.
Anything else will likely cogg a little or a lot depening on what you get vs the size of the truck, steer away from cheap brushless combo's for the outlaw imo.
I wouldnt recommend an Outlaw as a first RC.
 

[WHill]

19 hours ago, Redback said:

Depends on many things, whos driving, how is it being driven, hills / grass / mud etc.
A 2800kv - 3000kv sensored brushless 3655 - 3660 motor on 3mm shaft will work flawlessly.
Anything else will likely cogg a little or a lot depening on what you get vs the size of the truck, steer away from cheap brushless combo's for the outlaw imo.
I wouldnt recommend an Outlaw as a first RC.
 

 

Well, I decided to go against your advice and purchase the FTX Outlaw anyway. It's just something for me to see if I enjoy the hobby and I couldn't find anything better in that price range. I could have spent more, sure, but it would be a waste of money if I used it a couple of times and then left it to gather dust.

 

Having said that, I anticipate getting bored of the brushed motor rather quickly, so I am eager to upgrade ASAP.  I also think fitting a new motor and parts will help me learn more about how the car works.

 

I have a few more questions if you don't mind? Sorry for the amount of questions, but as I stated above I'm a complete beginner when it comes to RC cars and the world of RC in general.

 

Firstly, I have seen a few people online fit a 3800kv (GoolRC) brushless motors in their outlaws, but as I understand it, these only come with a 5mm shaft and there is no 5mm pinion which will fit the Outlaw? How are they doing this?

 

Which parts upgrades would you recommend? I have seen a few aluminium and steel parts online but I'm not sure which of these are just cosmetic and which actually make it more robust.

 

When I purchased the outlaw, I also purchased a 2S LiPo battery and a balance charger after reading about the supplied 1800mah NiMh and charger being complete rubbish.

 

Thanks in advance and all the best! 🙂

Edited May 21, 2021 by WHill

[walkbythesea]

I’d get an alloy chassis plate

 

Rc Car Parts For FTX Outlaw  VRX Racing RH1043 RH1045 RH1043SC RH1045SC OCTANE EBL EBD,VRX 10977 10902 10909 10995

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKKBJTL

 

 

 

 

[walkbythesea]

… and personal preference obviously but I’d also get a Torro bumper.  You’ll need some 20mm screws to install it. 
 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ftx-Zorro-Front-Bumper-Set-FTX6953-/153693314739?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

[walkbythesea]

Those are by far the best two upgrades I’ve made for starters - beyond that your upgrade/breakage journey will be your own. 

[WHill]

17 minutes ago, walkbythesea said:

I’d get an alloy chassis plate

 

Rc Car Parts For FTX Outlaw  VRX Racing RH1043 RH1045 RH1043SC RH1045SC OCTANE EBL EBD,VRX 10977 10902 10909 10995

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKKBJTL

 

 

 

 

 

16 minutes ago, walkbythesea said:

… and personal preference obviously but I’d also get a Torro bumper.  You’ll need some 20mm screws to install it. 
 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ftx-Zorro-Front-Bumper-Set-FTX6953-/153693314739?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

 

14 minutes ago, walkbythesea said:

Those are by far the best two upgrades I’ve made for starters - beyond that your upgrade/breakage journey will be your own. 

 

Thanks mate. The alloy chassis and Torro bumper was something I was already thinking about getting. I was also thinking about getting some steel gears for the differential and a steel driveshaft - are these necessary if I want to upgrade to a brushless motor?

Edited May 21, 2021 by WHill

[walkbythesea]

I’ve battered the hell out of my brushless model nearly every day since early February and still have the original plastic drive shaft fitted. 
 

Ironically the FTX steel driveshaft has a habit of falling to bits and throwing its pins, there are alternatives but I wouldn’t rush 1 when I finally break mine I’ll be putting a plastic one back in. 
 

I’ve not changed my diff gears either, but I would buy a spare toughened acetal spur gear and upgraded pinion from RW racing - change them together when either of the stock pieces eat themselves. 
 

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/rw-.6-pinion-17-teeth-13756

 

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/rw-hardened-acetal-outlaw-main-spur-gear-62t-433883

 

[walkbythesea]

59 minutes ago, WHill said:

 

Firstly, I have seen a few people online fit a 3800kv (GoolRC) brushless motors in their outlaws, but as I understand it, these only come with a 5mm shaft and there is no 5mm pinion which will fit the Outlaw? How are they doing this?

I’ve not looked that hard as mine already came brushless, I thought people were fitting the 3300kv GoolRC or Surpass (I have the Surpass version in a different type of car). 
 

Admittedly I’m fully invested in the hobby now but I’d probably buy the 3300kv Hobbywing Max10 combo if I were upgraded or replacing now, it’s just better. 

 

￡70.55  51％ Off | Hobbywing EZRUN MAX10 60A Waterproof Brushless ESC +3652 G2 KV5400/4000/3300 Motor for 1/10 RC Car

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLxnm4p