RC Cars.

[71T Targa]

Anyone here into remote control cars? There were a couple of kids on my street running gas powered 4x4 trucks. These things flew! Real shocks, ability to tune the suspension, set camber, toe etc.

I’m thinking about getting something like this, and was wondering where to start. I’ve done the google search and it looks like there are a couple of popular brands, but I’m looking for some ‘real’ experience.

[lendaddy]

I have a Kyosho MP7.5 4x4 buggy. Yes it hauls, maybe 50-55 MPH depending on gearing. They are a riot, but not cheap. Check out Towerhobbies.com for the best prices. My setup is probably $1,200 or so but Ebay has some good deals on used setups. The buggies are a far more serious and capable vehicle than the monster trucks, but to each their own. The buggies can easily leap 35-60 feet and land easily. The trucks flip alot. You can adjust attitude mid flight with the brakes and throttle too Very fun.

Forgot to say that buggies are 1/8th scale, and is the most expensive and serious class. 1/10 scale is very common and Associated makes some nice stadium trucks in this size, which are considerably cheaper and of high quality.

[Jeff Higgins]

My now 13 year old son and I have been racing RC cars for years. We don't run the 4x4 trucks like your neighbors; we run on-road cars. The RC world is divided between on and off road racing, as are real cars. Within those two arenas, there are two broad catagories: gas and electric. We run electric indoors on a carpeted track and gas outdoors on pavement. The currently most popular classes are the 1/10 scale touring cars, meant to represent their full-scale counterparts. If you want to race, start with an electric 1/10 scale touring car if you can. The gas cars are very tempting and a lot of RC novices start with them, but avoid them if you are just starting. Maintanence is a bigger deal and they break more because they hit things harder. There are very good electric monster trucks, if that is where you want to start. The Traxxas E-Max electric (or T-Maxx gas if you really want one) are the standards by which others are measured. If you want to race, your choice of class will be influenced by what is actually raced in your area, i.e., if you want to run on-road but there are no tracks locally, you won't be able to race. Check with a local hobby shop that specializes in RC cars and ask where the local racing is. 1/10th scale touring is by far the most popular on-road class right now, so assuming there is a local track, go and see what they are running. Local parts support is a huge consideration. You will break a lot of parts. Mail order for some off-brand of parts just don't cut it when you need it before the next heat. You will probably find the racers are running Associated TC3's, Losi XXX's, X-Ray's, or some kind of Tamiya cars. My son and I run Associated exclusively. They are more than competitive and parts support is superb. And yes, they do haul the mail. On the indoor track, speeds approaching 40mph on the backstretch are common. My Nitro TC3, complete with two-speed tranny and a .12 ci engine that spools up to just over 35,000 (yes, thirty five thousand) rpm, will top 60 on a big enough track. Open class 1/8th scale Can-Am style cars, running unrestricted .21's (over 40,000 rpm) will push 75 -80 mph on a big track. Not for the faint of heart, and certainly no place to get started. Anyway, decide what you would like to do - race or not, on or off road, gas or electric. Check with the locals and see what's popular and supported. I can't stress that last point enough.

[71T Targa]

Thanks for the info. I’m sure that the electric is the way to start, but the sight, sound and smell of the gas was pretty cool.

I’m not planning to race, only get a truck or two that my son and I could run around the yard and neighborhood. And I guess I’m not looking for a monster truck either. More of a pre-runner or stadium truck. Something that could run off of the curb and through the grass and keep going.

The Kyosho buggy looks hot. But might be a bit high to start with. I was thinking about something like this: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCLU0&P=0 or this: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJH00**&P=0 Would these have brakes? Or is that something else to look for?

These trucks are RTR, but are they really? What else will I need to get started?

Also, are the radio’s ‘programmable’? If I were to get two, would they have the same or different frequencies?

[lendaddy]

My brother has the RC10GT plus RTR and it is a great package for the money. You will need Nitro and batteries for the radio. The radios would likely have defferent freq's anyway, but you can specify. You'll find there is a bunch of crap you'll want soon, like a starter box, very worth it. Other than that, the RC10 kit is quite complete I believe.

[Jeff Higgins]

I would go with the Associated (see above post). Parts are readily available in most areas, where the Traxxas may not be as common. Most shops have Traxxas T-Max parts, but rarely anything for the less popular Traxxas models. Once you have driven for awhile, the racing bug just may bite. In that case, the Associated makes a far better race truck. It's even a popular class among the off-road set. Get the package deal from Tower and you should be on your way.

[blogic]

Associated - is the way to go....truck or buggy....

[Ove]

Let's not forget the vintage Tamiya models.
They made some very detailed Porsche 934s and 935s in the early - mid 1980s. Some of them go for as much as $1000 now on eBay.

Not something you would buy and run now obviously, but it's well worth to take a look at this website:

http://www.tamiya.at/history/history001.htm

[JavaBrewer]

Hi Joel,

It's been a few months since this thread was posted. Did you ever pull the trigger on a RTR? For our 10 year wedding anniversary my wife got me this:

XTM Nitro Stadium Truck

My neighbor whose really into the sport picked it out. It's my first ever RC vehicle. With the .18 engine it really hauls and for a RTR has some nice stuff. The coil over shocks are sweet and it's fun to play with the settings. What's nice about the truck is that it can play both on the street and dirt. I have a set of street tires on it as it see's 90% blacktop vs. dirt. We have those rolled curbs in our neighborhood which has saved me from the typical newbie repair bills plus they are great ramps for jumps. Supposedly the truck is good for 45+ mph and after a few straight line WOT runs I believe it. So much fun.

[Mule]

Don't rule out, Losi they make good stuff too.

[71T Targa]

I ended up getting a LOSI MINI-T. It's battery, but it rocks. I've upgraded the cells and put some shocks on and am having a blast. It's a little too fast for the house though so I've just been running it in the street and driveway.

[71T Targa]

By the way, your truck looks like a LOT of fun. And I will get a nitro one day...

[JavaBrewer]

Observations with nitro:

- Messy. The exhaust (especially during break-in period) is full of oil that coats the truck. After 1 gallon the thing is a mess. I am looking to get a downturned exhaust tip.

- Smells and sounds awesome.

I'd like to pick up a nitro racing 4wd sedan next. I'm starting to get hooked on this sport. My neighbors nitro sedan goes 80 mph and is really something to see. A electric car would be cool too cause I won't annoy the "older" neighbors and the thing would be easier to maintain. I'll post a couple pics this week sometime.

[Glasgow 911SC]

Originally posted by Ove
Let's not forget the vintage Tamiya models.
They made some very detailed Porsche 934s and 935s in the early - mid 1980s. Some of them go for as much as $1000 now on eBay.

Not something you would buy and run now obviously, but it's well worth to take a look at this website:

http://www.tamiya.at/history/history001.htm

They did a 959 too. I nearly bought one when I was a kid after saving up. Ended up buying a model called the Ninja instead

[cstreit]

You might also try and find a local track and see what they race. They're fun, but get a little old fast if you're just toolin' around the back yard. I used to run a XXXT truck in the winter down time at an indoor off-road dirt track....

[project935]

Kinda a shame the "glory days" of R/C racing are over - I was into it BIG TIME in the early 90's. Racing is still going on, but it's no where near as popular as it used to be ... the good kept getting better - spending tons of $ - and it eventually scared the newbies away.

I still have all my old stuff - most of them are the great-great grandparents of what you can get today.

[mattr_914]

There are a few rc guys on the 914club too. Ive been racing cars for about 7 years, and now I design part time. I work for a company called PTI. We have a couple of cars coming out really soon in addition to our bodies on the market right now. I dont really want to advertise, but RC has been a hobby of mine for a long time.

Im a touring car racer. I raced my nitro touring cars for 2 years without missing a weekend and on and off for another year. Then I went into micros for a little while, and now Im going to start another project, so Im doing some off roading (losi xxxt).

[morganb]

I had a 1/8 scale gas tamiya buggy, 4WD, 4 wheel suspension (similar to yours David), what a machine!! it would come out of corners sideways with all 4 wheels spinning on grass and gravel. it also had brakes so you could turn it sideways, hit the brakes (rear only) get it to change direction and then mash the throttle.Moved to Hong Kong and sold it (not enough off road).
They are great fun and mine one was really fast, maybe 45 MPH. Its a bit of a hassle starting them and getting them to run, or at least it was 6+ years ago.
Mine ran on a special fuel mix, not nitro though.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by project935
Kinda a shame the "glory days" of R/C racing are over - I was into it BIG TIME in the early 90's. Racing is still going on, but it's no where near as popular as it used to be ... the good kept getting better - spending tons of $ - and it eventually scared the newbies away.

I still have all my old stuff - most of them are the great-great grandparents of what you can get today.

I know what you mean; I was racing through the '80's and 90's. I got out of it as other responsibilities took priority. I'm back into it again, this time with my 13 year old son. It's amazing how sophisticated (and expensive) the modern equipment has become. We race on-road, mainly 1/10 touring cars. Gas outdoors and electric indoors. We recently picked up the old 1/12 scale pan class again, and have been instrumental in reviving it at our local indoor carpet track. The folks that grew up on touring cars can't believe how (relatively) cheap and easy it is. It's amazing to me what these folks are willing to spend on toy cars these days. It's gotten so expensive that kids just can't compete. A competitive touring car, gas or electric, will set you back about a grand by the time you get everything you need. 1/8th on-road, my favorite class "back in the day" is completely absurd today. Race engines are pushing $600-$800, cars are over $500, tires run close to $50 for a set of four, etc. The fast guys bring at least two engines to a race, go through two or three sets of tires in one 45 minute main; it adds up to a couple hundred dollar day to race toy cars in the "big leagues". That is after an initial investment, to get started in 1/8 on-road, of at least two grand; more if you want top drawer equipment. Yikes. How did it ever get this far? I feel like the old frog in the boiling water; all of these guys have been in it for years so they didn't notice what was happening, but I just jumped back in and cannot believe where it has gone. You are right; attendance is way down. The racing is no better, just vastly more expensive. For what it costs to run 1/8 on-road, I'll buy something I can sit in, like a go-cart or something. As an aside, check out the Serpant website. They have a vested interest in 1/8 on-road. They know there is a problem, and it sounds like they might be trying to do something about it before it is too late. I hope they succeed; I want back in 1/8 scale.

[project935]

I remember back in the early 90's we'd start a racing night around 6PM and we'd be running until 2-3AM ... just 2 heats and a main (10 cars/heat) ... that's how many people there were. And this was in a smallish town - the Metro areas must have been crazy.

I attended a national event once in Columbus OH ... WAY to many people. I think I qualified for the L-main (20 cars/heat) and if I remember correctly there was a TT-main. That's A LOT of racers - actually had the race start at pre-set times. You would show up at the track for your heat, then go back to the hotel room and wait for the next one if you didn't want to hang around and watch. After that experience I just kept to local events.

I ran just about everything electric - 1/12th (Assoc 12E - way back), 1/10th pan (started MRC Pro-10 ... eventually went Assoc 10L-SS), off-road buggy (Losi JRX2 - their first) and truck (modified the JRX2 to JRXT). 1/12th was THE class back then - sorted out the men from the boys.

A couple years ago I tried getting back into it. Took my Losi JRproSE buggy (sold the JRX2 for that purchase - circa '92-3?) ... people were like "what is that?" ... "that's the grandfather of your Losi XXX my boy." Managed to qualify on the pole for the B-main with it, but decided it was going to take some new technology to keep up (not to mention spares were NLA). I dabbled with a Trinity 1/12th for a bit, but it wasn't the best handler.

Tinkered with a couple 1/8th gas cars in parking lots (ancient and beat up Assoc cars) but there wasn't any racing interest for 1/8th where I grew up ... always wanted to do that though. Those things were wicked fast at the national level - esp the 4WDs.

I'll probably get back into it when my boys are a bit older in a couple years ... better start saving $ now (oh wait, I have Porsche ... what am I thinking )