RCNewcomer

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im planning on getting a nitro i wonder which are fun to bash around and inexpesive here in the desert. Which are least maintenace and tuning? Come on guys VOTE VOTE VOTE

peed

the thing is that if you play with a nitro car in the desert, sand will go in the motor, and the motor will break down, so i really don't know, i would choose a electric car to bash in the dessert.

RCNewcomer

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Dont they sell some kind of cover preventing the sand or dirt get into the engine?

peed

never heard of that, i don't have a nitro car, but any car, electric or nitro its going to break down after a while.

capone12

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I would have to go electric here. Either way you go, sand is not an rc's friend. Especially the gears. Sand = Death for gears. Just make sure you clean you truck after every run and I think you'll be fine. I would get a 2wd stadium truck (t4 team kit) and then get some paddle tires and a brushless motor. That way you'll have the speed of a nitro and without the maintance of a brushed motor. Just if you get a good brushless motor then you are going to need some top of the line batteries because if you dont use them, then its going to cause a bunch of cogging. Then again if you get a novak brushless system then you can run basically any type of batteries on there but the better the batteries the better performance you get out of it.

lildacktyle

id get a stadium truck so when your driving tho the desert it kinda looks like trophy truck. yeaaaaaaaa!! if you do drive it in the sand just get an air compressor and blow the car off with that. that should get all the sand outta there.

gerwen

You can run nitro in the sand. Just make sure you're anal about air filter maintenance. Either clean and re-oil after EVERY run, or even better, replace the elements often(they're cheap). Upgrading the air filter wouldn't be a bad idea. Having a spare to pop on after you've run for a bit wouldn't be a bad idea either. (shut 'er down first)

Take the time to strip clean and reassemble everything fairly often as well. Cleaning and re-oiling your bearings will have to be done more often.

Running in sand just requires more maintenance, much more maintenance.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

you sure don't, that's what an air filter is for,, LOL

I run my cars and trucks in the Dez all the time
a ST/2WD sucks in the sand. No traction. + the sand will mess up the plastic spur gear
and you'll go through tires real fast

Go with a 4WD buggy or monster truck,
You'll have much more fun with the high ground clearance of a MT
and the sand won't be a problem for the metal gears

The desert sand is heavy, unless you run in the sand washes or at the dunes, it's not going to be a problem for the filter either, the dust underneeth is just like any other dry dusty dirt, clean or change the filter when it looks dirty Saying you have to change it every run is a little much. From experiance that's about every 30min of run time, or 5-6 tank fulls, just like running at a dry track

RCNewcomer

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That's why I want to get the new XTM MAMMOTH ST

peed

yes, you are right, i don't know almost nothing about nitro, just electric, i also listened that buggies are the best trucks for the desert.

lildacktyle

NO BUGGIES!! STADIUM TRUCKS!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA just get a 4wd stadium truck

CapUSA

You could make it a Bubble Boy Buggie.

Tigger N. Bennie

Do you plan to race at all? Even if you don't, visit the R/C tracks and local hobby shops. Of course, inexpensive upfront may be more expensive in the long run. Whatever you do, don't impulse buy at the first or second hobby shop since you can always go back.

For those who don't think you can run Nitro in the desert--think Silver State Nitro Challenge.

RCNewcomer

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I just bash I'll show you guys how the dirt looks like.

Tigger N. Bennie

Those are photos from the Boulder City dirt track where the Silver State Nitro Challenge was held. Since you apparently also live in Las Vegas, you may or may not have been out to that track (or any of the other area local tracks).

RCNewcomer

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where do you bash in vegas man? I bash at trop and decatur. I bash at this place this how my dirt looks like. OFF_ROAD THEN IT GOES ON_ROAD I might build a track at this place no one owns this place it's just plain desert dont have many friends to bash with just me

Tigger N. Bennie

For the last six months, I've been running Kyosho Mini-Zs on my own track which I've had set up in a warehouse near downtown (or racing Zs in California). However, the warehouse was just sold so I have since moved all my track out. Lately, I have been running either a 1/16 brushless Kyosho Mini-Inferno, a 1/8 nitro Mugen mbX5, or a 1/10 electric Tamiya F1 at Finishline which is located on Nellis near Harris (by Bonanza).

I'm not really into loading all my R/C stuff just to bash in a dirt lot. I could do that very near where I am at now, especially since there is a lot of construction in town. If I have to do that, I'd rather just go to a track. Here is a photo of my last onroad-mini RCP Track layout. The straight was around 43 feet which is quite long for a 1/28th scale, especially indoors.

RCNewcomer

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do you think sand wont get into my engine and brake it?

Tigger N. Bennie

How would it get into your engine? Use an air filter with filter oil and clean the filter regularly. Also, make sure the air filter is on tight. Just don't drop any dirt inside the engine when you remove the glow plug whether it is to change the glow plug or to clean the engine.

jsn

My Feedback: (8)

wow... lots of bad info in this thread... I've been running the NV desert for...ten years+... sand/dirt is not the evil most claim it to be, like tiger said keep a clean well attached air filter and clean/lube your truck/buggy every outing you'll be fine... no need to clean it every run... hell I'd have given up years ago if that were the case! I run mostly in the desert... dry lakes, the dunes or where ever my Jeep happens to take me for the weekend... never had a problem related to the environment I run in... since your running in the area you pictured you can go with anything you want... me I find MT's or 1/6 gassers suit me best... lot's of power or ground clearance works for me

John

gerwen

I don't know what you mean when you say no need to clean it every run, but to me that means every outing, and that's what i meant. Did you think i meant every tank?

After an hour of running my ST on the beach, my air prefilter was filled with sand, and my oiled filter element was caked. I had sand in just about every part of the truck, and the bearings were gritty. It required a lot more cleaning an maintenance than if i had been running in dirt.

It was also a lot of fun. Sand is a great surface for these things, if you don't mind the extra maintenance.

RCNewcomer

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I might get the MAMMOTH ST because my LHS carries parts for it. Hobbypeople

Tigger N. Bennie

Thinking 1/6 scale gasoline/oil mix FG Monster Truck with 4WD option. For more photos and video, visit: http://www.molzermoweryracing.com/off_road.html



Good luck and have fun.

spazzyfry123

I voted for "other type". Given the conditions, I really think a nice 1/5 scale monster truck or buggy with a 4-stroke engine would be amazing. Fuel would be cheaper and the tanks of it would last a lot longer than the nitro. I really think that a good 4-stroke with maybe a 23cc size engine would handle the sand better too. That link Tigger gave looks to be something I would look into...

Check out the hottness... http://www.neweramodels.com/item.cgi?part_id=602
http://www.neweramodels.com/item.cgi?part_id=1121

RCNewcomer

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I was thinking about getting the XTM GRIZZLY GAS TYPE. OR THE 1/6 SCALE Buggy. The only problem is that my lhs might not have many parts for it and hop-ups. I JUST BASH IN THE DESERT NOT PLANNING TO RACE AT ALL UNTIL I GET EXPERIENCE. DAMN THOSE GAS ONES ARE SO EXPENSIVE I CAN ONLY AFFORD THE TIRES(4)