R/C car - advice wanted

[clonmult]

percymon said:

Think we have now ruled out the truck types, he wants more a racer than a trundler, and the buggies look more stable with lower centre of gravity.

Rising Storm looking favourite !

I was going through the modelzone website with my son on saturday, asking what he reckoned "I should buy for myself".

Saw the Tamiya Pumpkin, in his words "You'd be an idiot to not want one!". He also liked the look of the Tamiya Lunch Box.

But the one that got the biggest nod - the Ansmann Master Smacker. Well within the initial budget of £200 as well.

[clonmult]

PeetBee said:

If it was my choice I would go for the Tamiya over the HSP. But I wouldn't rule out the Ansmann 2wd cars or maybe the new 'Blizzard' 4wd (avoid the older 'Master Smacker' cars)

Edited by PeetBee on Monday 8th November 13:02

Whats wrong with the master smacker? Build, quality issues?

[xllifts]

Brushless verse's brushed motors.

The main difference is obviously the lack of brushes in the brushless motor, this gives added response time and faster free running due to the fact there is less friction on the armature due to the lack of contact by the brushes.
In addition to this they are relativley maintenance free and more reliable, and size for size are lighter.

Hope that helps towards your knowledge on the differences in motors, good luck with the project

[clonmult]

xllifts said:

Brushless verse's brushed motors.

The main difference is obviously the lack of brushes in the brushless motor, this gives added response time and faster free running due to the fact there is less friction on the armature due to the lack of contact by the brushes.
In addition to this they are relativley maintenance free and more reliable, and size for size are lighter.

Hope that helps towards your knowledge on the differences in motors, good luck with the project

Helps a lot, many thanks. I like the idea of doing some maintenance though, it'll help to give my son some ideas as to how to generally work on things.

As for faster free running, the Master Smacker is claimed to be good for up to 40km/h, which is probably way faster than my son is capable of handling ..... any faster and it'd be a nightmare!

[PeetBee]

I know a few people who've tried the Master Smacker and they were forever replacing the spur gears and other gears as they wore out in no time and that was before they tried upgrading to brushless. At which point an aftermarket steel gear set became a neccesity.
It was poor design rather than poor materials. They often get justified by saying "but parts are so cheap" - I'd rather run something that's not going to break to start with!
I would also question how much longer they'll be selling them now they've brought a far better car out with the Blizzard.

I'm not sure I would believe their speed claims either!

By free running I think he means whilst coasting off power, there's virtually no resistance.

Edited by PeetBee on Monday 8th November 15:28

[Scott W]

I looked at the Master Smacker as I was after a cheap RTR bashing car. The shop advised me to get the Mad Rat as it handled better and was slightly cheaper. I have to say, get this car and fit an EZRun brushless system (mine is the 8.5t one) for £65 and you've got one quick car (2s LIPO - Turnigy for example is fine for it) for not a huge amount of outlay. I've got a Traxxas Rustler VXL as well and the Mad Rat isn't all that slow now when comparing it with this truck.

I also looked at the Lunchbox as I've always hankered after one and tbh, I will still get one sometime as there is just something about them.

[Scott W]

PeetBee said:

I'm not sure I would believe their speed claims either!

This statement is very true! The standard brushed engine in the car is pretty gutless and I'm convinced I didn't get anywhere near the top speed they claimed my car would do.

[clonmult]

Smacker is out then.

Reckon then that its either the Midnight Pumpkin :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-midnight-pum...

or the oft mentioned lunchbox :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-lunch-box.ht...

Personally prefer the pumpkin, and its the one that got my lads eyes opening wide when he first saw it ....

[y2blade]

clonmult said:

Reckon then that its either the Midnight Pumpkin :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-midnight-pum...

or the oft mentioned lunchbox :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-lunch-box.ht...

Personally prefer the pumpkin, and its the one that got my lads eyes opening wide when he first saw it ....

wow they take me back to my youth....they were both out back then but in kit form...you had to spend all day making them first when I were a lad

cool as...might get myself another Lunchbox actually

Edited by y2blade on Monday 8th November 15:33

[clonmult]

y2blade said:

clonmult said:

Reckon then that its either the Midnight Pumpkin :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-midnight-pum...

or the oft mentioned lunchbox :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-lunch-box.ht...

Personally prefer the pumpkin, and its the one that got my lads eyes opening wide when he first saw it ....

wow they take me back to my youth....they were both out back then but in kit form...you had to spend all day making them first when I were a lad

cool as...might get myself another Lunchbox actually

Edited by y2blade on Monday 8th November 15:33

I was into the computers as a kid, never really into the R/C cars that much. But just looked up some videos of both on youtube. I now want both of them!

eta - regardless of which one I buy, I can't see it actually making it to christmas without my having had a good old play with it first.

Edited by clonmult on Monday 8th November 15:40

[clonmult]

Almost wish i hadn't started looking now.

1x midnight pumpkin or lunchbox. Around £90.

then add on a controller, servos, decent sized battery pack and one battery. Another £70. Already cheaper than what our local modelzone would offer (but large capacity battery and a faster charger).

Then look into a set of lowering springs for the truck.

And a primary (or secondary) larger capacity battery (3700mAh?).

I'll buy the truck/battery/charger, and then get the rest of the family to look at springs and secondary batteries.

This is going to be a metric shedload of fun!

[y2blade]

clonmult said:

y2blade said:

clonmult said:

Reckon then that its either the Midnight Pumpkin :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-midnight-pum...

or the oft mentioned lunchbox :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/tamiya-rtr-lunch-box.ht...

Personally prefer the pumpkin, and its the one that got my lads eyes opening wide when he first saw it ....

wow they take me back to my youth....they were both out back then but in kit form...you had to spend all day making them first when I were a lad

cool as...might get myself another Lunchbox actually

Edited by y2blade on Monday 8th November 15:33

I was into the computers as a kid, never really into the R/C cars that much. But just looked up some videos of both on youtube. I now want both of them!

eta - regardless of which one I buy, I can't see it actually making it to christmas without my having had a good old play with it first.

Edited by clonmult on Monday 8th November 15:40

I was the opposite, I was outdoors as a youth and a teenager....I never got my first PC until I was in my 20s

looking at other cars on that modelzone link...I had one of these http://www.modelzone.co.uk/rc-boomerang-4wd-2008.h... that I used to race on a specially built (with jumps and high banked corners) off-road track locally ...I did pretty well with it once it was in the modified class and hopped-up to suit happy days

[Hedders]

y2blade said:

I did pretty well with it once it was in the modified class and hopped-up to suit happy days

My first racing was when i got into mini stocks in the 80's. We raced indoors on a big oval track made of carpet. With very little experince i started climbing up the ranks very quickly. I found all I really needed to do was avoid the crashes and i would win easily. One day i used someone elses car and found the steering was way too sensitive and i could barely control the car.

I tried someone elses and found the same thing. I could not compete even though their cars were all souped up and mine was boggo standard.

It tuned out my steering was set up in such a crap way that the bends on the track matched my maximum steering capability perfectly so all i was doing was racing at full speed and mashing the steering all the way over when i got the end of the straights and my car would naturally follow the curve of the track until the next straight..

I had no skills at all, as it turned out

[percymon]

Well have struck a deal on a Tamiya Rising Storm kit, plus the usual starter gubbins (slow charger, 72.V 2000mAh battery and Techniplus 2ch controller).

Including 2 cans of paint the grand total of £140 delivered :bannana:


Not bad considering my local place wanted £120 for the kit alone and £180 with the accessories and paint.

I'll pick up another battery and ball bearing races one bay - 3000mAh battery £16, ball races £3.

I'm going to be a happy bunny at christmas even if the youngster isn't lol

Now looking for a used Tamiya for myself

[percymon]

Best price i could find (outside if ebay) for the midnight pumpkin metallic edition was £94 for the kit or £144 with controller battery and slow charger ( both Wonderland models), or as a already built XB RTR Prebuilt with a different (wheel) controller £145 from tjdmodels. Note the body on this edition comes painted anyway whichever way you buy it.

For Lunchbox..

kit only £80 (Wonderland again)
kit + starter pack £136 (Wonderland yet again)
XB RTR PreBuilt £140 (TJDModels)

Note unless you go for the XB Prebuilt the body is white unpainted plastic, so you need to add £5 for a can or Tamiya paint.

[HereBeMonsters]

Everyone should have a VLB...

[y2blade]

oh yes

Edit= how did I spell "cloud9" wrong

Edited by y2blade on Tuesday 9th November 07:26

[Emsman]

You will never regret getting a lunchbox

[percymon]

Oh bugger - i'm now fancying a Unimog for myself..

[y2blade]

Emsman said:

You will never regret getting a lunchbox

I know
I had one "first time around"