nitrosportsandrunner

I haven't had a good, high-speed basher in a while.
I have a sc10 with a brushless system, but don't run it on anything higher than a 2s lipo.
I want something I can run on 3s.

It must take a beating, will be jumped, should do better than 60mph.

The rustler vxl is the most obvious. Oh, and I will be buying off tower hobbies.
Rustler with 7cell is about $300 shipped with the savings code.

Is there anything else in the price range that can do those things? I mean, the rustler aint bad but it will still need a little money put into it (shock caps at the least)

Thoughts guys?

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Foxy says the Thunder Tiger MT4 G3 (or is it MT3 G4?) is one of the toughest out-of-the-box truck you can get. But it's 1/8, and a few hundred more than the rusty. Are you trying to keep it under $300? If you're really planning on doing big air, you're going to need something tough, indeed. I think most of the big air guys run 1/8 don't they?

Sixtysixdeuce

Rustlers aren't very tough. They're like an Associated RC10T/GT, but more cheaply built. I think a 1/8 buggy or monster truck is your best bet.

And FWIW, Traxxas' speed claims are more than a little over-estimated. I have 16 kits, and only two of them top 60 MPH in real life (and my 3.9 lb brushless 3S buggy ain't one of 'em). I personally think Traxxas does their speed testing coming down a steep mountain pass with a tail wind, and running with a power arrangement or percentage of nitro fuel that would toast things in short order out in the real world. They say "50+ MPH!" on their nitro Rustler ad, but the best I've ever seen out of a stock truck (tuned well and running 30% fuel) was 37 MPH, which is right in line with other stock RTR .12/.15 powered stadium trucks.

Have you ever run a real 60+ MPH kit? It's a handful, and things get really broken when (not if) you crash. Very minor over-corrections or misjudgements at very high speeds end badly.

SyCo_VeNoM

I always thought they used the speed the truck hit on the expressways carrying them to the hobby shops

phmaximus

What about a 1/10 truggie's or monster truck... They are mental on 3s

In a way u kind of want 4x4 for 3s... That way u get killer acceleration with out the backed getting too loose.

I use to have a 1/10 Colt EP Truggy on a 3900kv and 3s.... It was one of the most fun cars ever... It's was stupid fast.
no kidding it was that mental I had to lock down the slipper all the way so it wouldn't slip...good old days lol

Foxy

Yeh, the suggested budget precludes 1/8th. Hm...if I were you I'd be looking for a hyper tt on ebay or a kyosho dbx new.

nitrosportsandrunner

Ive had a 60mph RTR other than traxxas. My Redcat mirage 1/8 did 59mph on 4s (gps)
A rustler I had a couple years back was as fast as the mirage on 3s.
I don't really buy into 75mph top speeds. I know its been done but that's on max gearing and pushing the limits. Obviously, mine would be used offroad as well. But 55-60mph is still possible with the vxl on 3s. 3s for onroad, 2s for offroad. You can get that top speed without killing the motor. But if you try to run the 3s offroad with that gearing you will burn stuff up at some point.

Im limited by budget as well as where Im buying. Im going threw tower for the easy pay options (only have $120 right now)

Ive had a rc10b3, and the brushless version thunder tiger phoenix. While they are tough for buggies, they are built more for handling than for racing.

Zonked

My Feedback: (6)

E-fire comes to mind but it is out of stock, 2wd Slash VXL or just a bit more money gets the 4x4 Rally/Slash VXL ? With coupon code the Slash 4x4 would just be 30.00 more than the Rustler.

http://www.towerhobbies.com/products...as/trad11.html

Sixtysixdeuce

OK, I was just curious. A lot of people think they've operated 60, 70, 80 MPH RC, but when they see the actual speed on a radar, they get a real eye opener. My NTC3 like it was doing 65 or 70 MPH, but on radar, it peaked at 49 MPH. I do have an actual, bona-fide 82 MPH RC10GT, and those minor over-corrections I was talking about have sent this thing cartwheeling off into ditches and barbed wire fences. And what it took to get that truck there was a lot of custom work, and considerably more motor than Traxxas offers (An LRP ZR.32 spec 2). It's still a work in progress, and the next step is $600 worth of modded Picco .28 & tuned pipe in a quest for the nitro speed record. But the thing is also a dedicated on-road vehicle now.

Same goes for brushless. My RC10 buggy is running a 3,300 and 3S, clocks 46 MPH on dirt roads with stock tire size. I could push it faster with more tire or more gearing, but as you noted, when you start doing that, things don't last. Engines, batteries and ESCs get hot, and heat kills. With the current gearing, it still has brutal acceleration, and the battery doesn't even get warm.

More to the point, while high speed is fun, it's of very limited usefulness. I play with my 40-50 MPH vehicles a lot more.

Handling is racing. And that's what most Associated and Losi vehicles are designed for. These days, they both offer 1/10 and 1/8 SCT and monster trucks that are good bashers, but still sell primarily tuned, lightweight racing vehicles. Well, tuned & lightweight does not make for a good basher. And though the Rustler (like all Traxxas vehicles) is marketed to the basher, it is still built like other stadium trucks, weighing in at under 4 lbs and not good at absorbing hard hits.

nitrosportsandrunner

LOL, I meant more for handling than bashing...I shouldn't type when im tired

A stock rustler vxl is a decent basher. The reason its a good basher (IMO) is cause you can upgrade a lot of parts to RPM parts...which do take a lot of abuse.

On a side note, now im considering getting a Tamiya Fast Attack Vehicle! I got the sudden itch to build a kit. And while I could get a $300 rustler...I really shouldn't be spending that much money right now. The Tamiya FAV is only $140ish.

And the redcat mirage does 59mph on 4s. The motor in that is a 2500kv 4 pole 1/8 scale motor. That motor would have no trouble powering a emaxx or savage. While the mirage did have poor plastics (arms, pin holders were weak) the electronics and driveline were awesome for a $300 RTR.

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

X01......yo?

Actually, I'd go with a 2WD Slash and 2.5 motor and ESC off HK.

echthelion

To bad it has to be at towerhobbies. this is on sale http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...cing-Truck-Kit seems like its what you want

Zonked

My Feedback: (6)

Available at your local junkyard



30+mph *

* with proper gearing and strong backwind

Dads like rc too

I have a friend with a HPI Vorza that is insane on 6s. It will run 60 no problem and will take as much air as you can throw at it. I think awhile back I put up a video of it jumping off a skate ramp. Nitro, do you remember the video? It was jumping in the yard next to a house and you could see it going as high as the roof line in the video. It never breaks, very tough 4wd buggy.

nitrosportsandrunner

that's nice but more of a racing truck than a basher.
and if I was gonna spend that much for that type of truck, Id get a thunder tiger phoenix XT pro. On tower right now for $180 shipped! That's a AE T3 with a brushless system and 2.4 radio for under $200. Actually comes to $160 with tower savings and if you have free shipping. Ive considered it, and while its a decently tough buggy....its still meant more for handling than bashing. I don't think it will take as much abuse as a rustler. Its not waterproof either, nor will it do over 50mph. (esc is 40a and motor is ripper 3900kv 2 pole)

I was leaning toward the Tamiya FAV, then the Tamiya F150 Baja (which could be fun on the track) and now leaning back toward the rustler. Been watching some vids and forgot just how fast they were on 3s.
My current only brushless is my sc10. It has an ezrun 60a and novatech 540 3300kv motor. I can run 3s in it but I don't like to beat on the sc10 too hard as I want to race it again this winter.

I know the rustler isn't bulletproof. but at $300 I cant come up with anything that is RTR, as fast, or as tough.
Ive had rustler vxls before but its been a couple of years. I have bought 2 used ones in past years for $150 shipped (RTR) off ebay. But these days everyone wants what they paid new for their used RC

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Not sayin' anything against the Rustler, I say 'get what ya like'. But, you don't REALLY believe the speed claims on the Traxxas boxes, do you?

nitrosportsandrunner

not on all of them...lol
But a rustler vxl can do what it claims.
the XL5 models can do the speeds listed, but only for a couple of packs before the overgeared titan motor burns up.

A rustler vxl cant do the speeds listed if you plan to drive offroad tho, as the motor will overheat and not last long. I don't plan to drive offroad on 3s....just 2s. But I will drive onroad with a 3s. And without having to use max gearing that will still do 50-55mph.

I have a GPS now, so I will be able to tell the actual speeds. I plan to do some speed runs with my sc10 tomorrow. It has a ezrun 60a and 3300kv 540 2 pole motor. I think it does around 35-38mph on 2s. Once I run the gps on it I will be able to see how close my "eye radar" is to actual speeds

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Do you use different tires/wheels when you drive it on-road at higher speed?

nitrosportsandrunner

hum, Ive had a couple different rustler vxls in the past. I know I had masher 2k's on one of them. the other may have had proline dirt hawgs. Don't think ive ever run stock rear wheels.
I never geared up tho. I know the traxxas speed chart shows gearing up when running 3s...but with slightly larger 2.2 tires and a 3s the top speed was always fast enough for me. Plus, as I would run on and off road keeping the stock gearing would provide plenty of top speed without being to high gearing for offroad running.
Ive never run street tires or foams on a rustler. I know they make it easier to control at high speeds....but being a hand full and having tires ballooning is part of what makes high speed running fun. I love popping a wheely at 40mph!

trying now to trade my Tamiya cc01 pajero for a vxl model.

nitrosportsandrunner

well I ended up trading my cc-01 for a nicely modded stampede 2wd vxl. rpm, strc parts all over and alloy shocks. looks clean. should have it by the weekend. hopefully it will fill my "basher" needs. should do the speed thing well to. Only thing I will have to change on it is ESC plug and Ill need a Velcro strap for my 3s pack.