pritch

Ha ha ha! ? Actually the nice Chinese person eventually gave me a refund, and of course every time something is damaged it's an excuse for an upgrade.. how about a splash of blue RPM arms all round? Still don't know what driveshafts to fit though ? I'm tempted just to go back to stock. Does anyone know if the 4x4 heavy duty stub axles fit the 2wd ok?

Hi all I have an ECX Barrage that is basically the same as the Outback 1. Things I've done so far; Better servo, arm, alu servo plate and mounts, swapped battery to front, 2s lipo, alu steering knuckles, Ranger body and posts from Outback 2 (still had to double up on body posts to get it to sit high enough) I think all I need to finally eliminate the sloppy steering now is a better steering rod - the plastic one is pretty horrible. The Outback 2 one is very sturdy but too long. Has anyone else bought one that fits? It has to have rod ends for M2 screws and I measure it as 102mm long approx., or 94mm eye to eye. I'm having a hard time finding anything that is listed with that much detail. Has anyone fitted a winch to the Outback? Are the winches you see on ebay complete with remotes any good and do they fit standard servo mounts - the measurements seem close? I had the idea that I might be able to mount a winch on a spare servo plate fitted on the rear axle. I also replaced the front bumper with another rear one, as it looks a bit more authentic without the bull bar and I figure it'll be easier to mount a winch there - again any experience of doing this / pics much appreciated.

Just a warning against buying these cheap steel driveshafts off ebay - I needed some for my Stampede but they'll fit Slash etc. as well - they're basically sound but have these little keyring things to hold the pins in on them, well they're rubbish and after 50 yards I had a pin come half way out and eat my a-arm. It may just be possible to replace them with some O-rings from my set if I have some that are a good fit - but I kinda wish I'd not been a cheapskate and bought CVDs. These are also a bit heavy and a bit sloppy - had to put a bit of pre-load on the shocks to compensate. You win some, you lose some with the cheap stuff - but maybe now you won't have to with these!

The Firestorm will always be a good choice for bashing. Knowing how fickle ten-year-olds can be I would buy the Firestorm and if the interest holds, think about a second vehicle along the lines of what RCbutcher said - what's in use at the local clubs if he wants to progress into racing. You'll also both have something to play with at the same time and sort out a birthday/xmas pressie at the same time maybe

If you find a solution please tell me because, they are everywhere. Three are under the desk next to me. One is under the table opposite, one is on the table and the Revo is sitting next to the table resting on its front wheels and bumper... Two are in the bedroom, one's in the garage, one's on the kitchen table being built (don't ask how well that's going down...) The boats are on a chest of drawers and on top of the wardrobe... Um... it's chaos in here and I'm for it, basically

Just think about what the model car is doing compared to a full scale car. If you drove your real car like it, would nothing ever break on it? Do you ever see a rally or racing car go a whole season without anybody working on or fixing it!

Thanks Tamiyacowboy Yeah the HEMTT has sort of been in my mind, just googled it and it is the one I was thinking off. Could have a go at making a HEMTT body out of balsa or something when it comes to it. I think even quite thin alu sheet metal would end up being too heavy on something potentially this big... Anyway first things first, sort the drivetrain and the wiring out!

Thanks mate. Indeed, to each their own, and that's fair enough. To be fair I am not expecting great things from this performance-wise, it's just a bit of fun. And I kind of want to be true to making it cheap, anyway, as Medic's original idea was to build a viable 1/5th scale crawler for about 200 dollars, and he pretty much succeeded. I'm at the point in the hobby, and perhaps the age too lol, where I've owned most types of things so I just want to mess about with stuff and be creative these days. I like anything that is a talking point and will get people and kids interested in the hobby. Gunning the Revo on 6S is one way to do it, but I reckon an enormous 8x8 on a sunny day on the beach may do the trick too lol One idea is to build a sort of enormous military shell for it maybe - like an Argonaut or similar. I'd have to do something about the look of the wheels, though. I've got spare four of the "real thing" - Proline Moabs on Weld Racing rims - ironically probably worth more than one of these crawlers lol - but that won't cover all eight wheels. Anyway, cross that bridge when I come to it. For now I'm thinking, may extend the chassis as discussed, may space out the front and rear two sets of axles and have all four axles steer (!) who knows, will see how it goes. I love it when you don't quite know what's going to happen with something

Happy to recommend jk-rc on ebay for Ansmann bits n bobs. Always helpful. I ordered Hot Rod manual but received Mad Rat, more or the less same model really but I mentioned in feedback and to my surprise received correct manual as well in post a few days later. What I call good service

Thanks guys. Can anyone recommend a decent BEC for larger heavier models at this point? I've never been entirely happy with the 5A Turnigy one on my X-Crawler which is another large motor on axle affair. Don't want to spend too much though until I've satisfied myself this thing could actually work and be fun. All components are in theory equal, though in my experience even with dual motors and/or battery packs, there's frequently imbalance and I'm doubling the potential for that here. I often throw the stock electrics away with the cheaper stuff, but with crawler ESCs and high-turn brushed motors I'm hoping they'll just do a job. I would have preferred the front two axles steering as Gaz says, but unfortunately not possible in this current layout as the chassis plates foul the steering radius for the middle two axles, not by much annoyingly. One of the reasons why this may not be the final configuration by any means. I have this spare Exceed chassis hopefully on the way from the US - it's basically the same with just slightly different shapes, but I'm sure the overall dimensions will be the same and the mounting points will line up if I decide to use it. There will be a couple of cross braces with that and some hardware too, but I'm also going to stiffen the chassis across a few of the spare holes with some M3 threaded rod cut to 120mm and some nuts/washers. It's worth me saying that a viable 6x6 layout is easily achieved with one HSP / Himoto / Exceed crawler plus an additional axle, relevant links and chassis side plates. This doesn't have to cost very much and could be the basis for some large scale custom builds, a dump truck etc. I know Exceed offer a 6x6 now but that's only available in the US I think, but you can easily make one up yourself. But of course I couldn't leave well enough alone and have to put the fourth axle back on somehow As parts and whatnot arrive in the post and I steal a bit of time to fiddle with it some more, I'll keep taking photos and update the thread.

Hi guys I'm trying an experimental 8x8 build using a couple of cheap Himoto 1/8 scale crawlers I picked up at wholesale prices. This is basically the same 1/8 crawler as HSP / Exceed - just the colour is different. At first I was just going to make one cheap 1/5th scale out of two chassis as Medic did on rcsparks.com, but then I got a bit more ambitious What you see below is where I'm at after a bit of tinkering - I can route the links to make it just about work but may need to add a third set of chassis plates (spare Exceed chassis is on its way) to get decent suspension range on the middle two axles. I'd rather not though... it's long enough already and I'd prefer all the axles closer together to improve steering and help avoid it getting stuck. I've got the front and rear axles steering which I plan will be done via a Y lead and servo reverser. Question is, I've got two ESCs and 4 motors (2 per ESC) - can I control these from a single throttle channel? In my mind first and third axles would be supplied by one ESC, the second and fourth by the other, so like two models overlapping each other. Advice gratefully received before I buy any radio gear etc. http://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/gallery/image/32391-/ http://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/gallery/image/32392-/ http://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/gallery/image/32393-/

I wouldn't make the Scout do both things. I would look to buy a rock racer as Gaz mentions, or option 2 buy a Scout and he can work on improving it and making it the best crawler it can be, plus buy something like a Helion Invictus for bashing maybe. A third option is something 1/8th scale - they often have the torque, with brushless, to outperform smaller crawlers on general obstacles and terrain, but are of course pricier. In my experience though they are more satisfying, it's a clich

I meant the Slash is versatile in that it could be changed back again - it can be made to go very, very fast, and it can also be made back into an off-roader when you get bored of high speed runs ;-) Can't do nowt else with an XO1...

I just had a look at Hobbyking's lipo size finder out of interest and to try and find what OP is looking for... I can't seem to actually get it to find anything! But the bad news is I don't think there's a twin 1s saddle pack or anything that size - 68mm is too short. Time to Velcro a 2s lipo somewhere...

Traxxas took a big step backwards for me when they closed their dedicated UK parts support here in Bristol, which I kind of depended on to get me into the hobby back in the early 2000s... Like RCButcher I can't think of not having any Traxxas vehicles - but they need to appreciate the Chinese competition is opening the game up a bit and respond. I'd love to own a Summit but I bought my Revo used for a reason - I'm not shelling out

Since the Pede got the magnum transmission it's been pretty bullet proof - I upgraded my XL-5 with a brushless set up and lipo close to what Nitroholic advises above - it's solid and feels like it could handle more power to be honest, but as said the chassis is the limiting factor really. It's the vehicle I take with me on holiday because it can fit in the car but still reasonably do everything and go anywhere. I have mine geared 21/90 which is reasonable for a decent 4000kv~ ish bl setup. You could go a bit higher for mostly on the road or drop to a 19t pinion or smaller off road. I wouldn't bother changing the shocks (superior options are pricey and don't really get the benefit because of the chassis) or much else really until you break something - it's a tough truck out the box these days. I actually quite like the full size Talons on my Revo, but I don't like the smaller ones on the Pede nearly as much and I want to change them. I think 1/8th buggy wheels and tyres could work well with adapters, I haven't looked into it enough yet but it's on my lengthy to-do list!

That's mad - they look like they have 3/5mm LED holes and the little screw hole for the LED holder... and yet they aren't clear?!? Edit: Just a thought - would the Lunchbox clear headlight lens fit? Else it's a look through the Tamiya clear parts catalogue.

Hmm, nice rims, but nearly

Thanks Noj. Any thoughts on shock weight? My hot rod didn't come with a manual so don't know what they pre-fill em with. She tips the scales at a fraction over 1.7kg now. I thought about getting some bling wheels for it but nothing is a standard size on this thing - 63mm diameter? Regular 1/10th road wheels are going to look too small on it I think (though might be better suited to this motor?). Can't be much bigger either or I'll be overgeared.

AKA Time Tunnel Models, as per my recommendation above I have always found it a bit confusing that they have two names... never know which to use! Nitroholic - I will say this - I remember reading somewhere of the M06 being much more difficult to set up well than the M05, maybe that's been sorted now though...

It's great that you've got a Firestorm Flux - I would've said Helion Invictus with your predicted type of use above as well, though this would've been a blind recommendation as I'm yet to own or see one in person - just going on what I've heard. The Invictus seems to have its limitations but then it is a big 1/10th sized brushless 4WD basher all in at under

Just a little update as it seems determined to rain on my day off when my newly 3S powered Hot Rod wants test running... But I did get it out on the road. It's that much quicker, that my road isn't actually long enough now - with a couple of cars parked up today as well - for me to hold full throttle down. That's a good thing There is a lot of acceleration - too much for racing - but fine in a crazy Hot Rod thing. The tyres got a bit damp which didn't help. The extra power seems to have cured the cogging as well. The Floureon lipo seems ok - came with a deans plug and fits my balance plug so that was all good. It wanted just over 2000mAh putting into it prior to first use which suggests it was at about the right storage level. The extra lipo weight is causing a bit of sag. I'm not sure I can be bothered to change the oil in the cheap shocks. Does anyone know of some firmer spring sets or even cheap firmer complete shocks that'll fit the Hot Rod / Macnum / Mad rat etc.?

A Lunchbox or a Pumpkin are indeed a kind of a rite of passage. I loved building my Lunchbox, and you do really appreciate Tamiya's attention to detail, even on their low-end kits. The LB is mad to drive, in fact unless you do the "third shock mod" it won't really handle at all, but it is a bit of a blast. Bear in mind that even if you have leftover or spare electrics to pop in it, you need paint and stuff to finish the model and it does add a few quid - I would always get bearings to replace the bushings as a matter of course. I've always used Time Tunnel Models to source my Tamiya stuff in the past - keen prices, fast shipping and been impressed with the service. You did say on-road though. I am tempted to get myself the Mini as well - I'd favour the M05. Really, I think the M05 with the Mini shell. This can be had for

I can't seem to get the links to work but I think I can see enough to chime in with brushed Firestorm/Stampede for these general kind of requirements. I agree it would be great if the Pede could just be bought as a kit, but that's not Traxxas, but what both these vehicles do, especially with youngsters, is allow a lot of potential for upgrade as they get more competent whilst being pretty tough already out of the box. They don't hurt the wallet too much initially either, just in case they lose interest.

Thanks for the tip jims. I have built one of these transmissions in my Ansmann DT which was a kit, and if I do say so, it's quite a bit slicker than the RTR one in the hot rod which I haven't touched yet... First time I put it together I thought the diff was way too loose at what they recommended, I tightened it and the slipper up and it's been fine since, though it is only a standard 540 brushed in that DT. And as Gordon Ramsay might say, my one is "packed with