Mattudor Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 Hi All I am completely new to the hobby and after 3 weeks of tearing around I am completely hooked. However, I now have a conundrum and am looking for a bit of advice. I have a Maverick Quantum XT which initially felt great and was so fast. I've had some issues with it, over the past 3 weeks I've bent or had 3 different drive shafts pop out, bent 2 pillowballs and 1 axle bit (the part that connects to the drive shaft). I'm already at the point where it feels like its not quite enough so the question I have is: Do I sell it and spend a fair bit more money on something better specced, or do I mod it? Can I get the same or similar performance by modding what I already have. I've noticed I can replace a lot of the plastic parts with aluminium ones which I assume will improve durability and I've seen some guides for other cars about changing from brushed to brushless, presumably at that point from nimh to lipo etc. I quite like the idea of modding what I have but I don't want to pay for it if it would just be better to buy something else in the long run. Hope that makes sense, thanks for reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totlxtc Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 (edited) Welcome to the hobby! And welcome to the forum. With RC 9 times out of 10 you get what you pay for. If you buy on the cheaper end you will break things more often and you will also have more trouble finding parts. That is the key to RC. Getting the parts. No parts, no running, no fun. So you have your optionsUpgrade what you have and strengthen. This is great but it has its downfalls. Often when you buy a stronger part you will need to consider what it connects up to. No point upgrading to aluminium hubs if you have weak suspension arms. You will in fact break them quicker than before as there is no flex in the aluminium part and that all goes into you nice bendy plastic arms. So it's a process of strengthening the vehicle rather than strengthening a part. This can (depending on parts cost and aftermarket support) cost as much as a new vehicle especially if you are thinking of going brushless as this can mean a new stronger drivetrain, gears, diffs...you get the point.Sell the vehicle You can look at it this way. You didn't go out and spend £800 on a new car and decided you don't like it. You do! And that is good. There are plenty of options for you to go for and they are all priced in around the same bracket - £250-£450. Vehicles I would personally recommend are:Arrma 3s BLX Series - Senton (Truck), Vorteks (Stadium Truck), Big Rock (Monster Truck) and the Infraction (On road). Great solid vehicles. Parts are cheap. Loads of upgrade options if needed. There are the lower end 2WD Boost versions with brushed motors for about £220 but they are reasonably slow but still great.Traxxas Slash - Great truck and really tough. Top of the list for parts and upgrades options. Does need some upgrades out the box to toughen up to the Arrma levels.Associated MT10 - Awesome little truck. Stupidly tough, great upgrade options and looks cool. Sadly the V2 body is not as nice as the V1 but hey that's my opinion. PS: Just to add. All these are Lipo except the Arrma Boost series. Edited February 9, 2023 by totlxtc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattudor Posted February 9, 2023 Author Share Posted February 9, 2023 Thanks for the great response, I hadn't considered that almost everything would need to be replaced. I think I will get something else, your recommendations look good, I particularly like the Arrma Vorteks and the Associated MT10. Anyone out there in the market for a slightly scuffed Maverick XT? 😄 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitroholic Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 Yeah .... upgrading is a potential minefield if you are not careful. Most 'strengthening' upgraders add weight. Weight saps hte performance...so you increase the power and fit a faster motor...which then eats the transmission. Sometimes, an easy path to upgrade exists. Like, for example, where the manufacturer makes a brushless and a brushed version, and you got the brushed one. Then you can upgrade the car with parts. Often, though, the options are more limited. In this case, you have started off with an entry level truck, enjoyed it ... but got to the point where you want more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattudor Posted February 10, 2023 Author Share Posted February 10, 2023 Thanks again folks. Quick follow on question, I've done a bit of research and I wonder if I'm also getting the wrong type of car for what I'm using it on. I thought stadium trucks and monster trucks were the same just with different body shells but I've now read that the stadium trucks have lower ride height and I think part of the reason I break mine all the time is because its not designed to withstand what I put it through. I mostly use it in my garden where I have set up a bit of a track with a couple of small jumps in (literally just a paving slab on a couple of bricks so not high). However I also live next to a car park and a park with a skate area in. In order to do this sort of stuff should I go for an MT or is a stadium truck ok, I just have a rubbish weak one? I decided on the Associated MT10 but its not in stock anywhere so my fallback is the Arrma Vorteks, although I have read elsewhere that it has low GC and is only really good on the flat. The Arrma Kraton appears to be about the same price and imo doesnt look as good but seems to be a better all rounder? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattudor Posted February 10, 2023 Author Share Posted February 10, 2023 Went for the Arrma Vorteks in the end, excited! 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totlxtc Posted February 10, 2023 Share Posted February 10, 2023 (edited) 8 hours ago, Mattudor said: Went for the Arrma Vorteks in the end, excited! 😁 Nice one! Did you get the 3s BLX? There is one thing you need to do before you run it and that is to threadlock the outer drives as they tend to not be done up that tight from the factory. Certainly on my Senton 2 of them were barely hand tightened. Ill try to find a video for you to show what i mean and what to do. But get some blue threadlock as a first buy. Other than that you are good to go. Edit: Here you go >> PS: Think they are a 2mm hex Edited February 10, 2023 by totlxtc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattudor Posted February 12, 2023 Author Share Posted February 12, 2023 Heya, yeah I got the 3s BLX. I didn't see this reply before so I took it out a couple of times, I am honestly mind blown by how fast it is, got a bit of a learning curve to drive it properly but its addictive! I'll get some blue threadlock ordered and watch the vid you shared, thanks again! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.