Starting now

[need for speed]

I knoiw it's probably the worst question to ask but what is a good starter kit preferably electric for me. I like dirt but will also do aspalt and parking lot racing. I have nothing to start but tools (not for RC) and a huge backyard for RC racing and pavement for rc racing. Any tips thanks in advace.

[MrCrash]

Personally, I would say to go for the brushless XXX-T RTR. It can do off-road and on-road, and should be durable enough to handle whatever you can throw at it. If not that, any stadium truck or monster truck would work pretty nicely!

[need for speed]

alright thanks and do you have any idea where some tracks are in Peoria Arizona where I live and if anyone wants to go RCing with me Iam up for it. Well also do you have a link for that brushless xxx car

[need for speed]

nevermind the link but I saw the price on that truck and it is out of my league right now I don't care if it is brushless or not. I just want something under $300 or close to it and with radio and ect

[MrCrash]

A regular XXX-T would be quite good as well. I couldn't tell you if there are any travks near you, but on the main RCCA page, there is a track finder thingy.

[need for speed]

OK and I saw that the price on the street is 380 but I was wondering if a 1/18 scale mini T is a good starter

[z-man280]

first, welcome to the forum, and to the world of REAL rc's...

my advise to you would be either a T4 or XXX-T, RTR( ready to run), which is pre-built for ya, all you need is batteries and a charger. Either truck is the top choice for almost all local racers, and there are a few alternative choice by duratrax, ect.

Remember, the most important thing is to get a car/truck that best suits your driving area. I myself, enjoy the go-anywhere jumping, and "bashing" of the Traxxas Stampede, but this is more of a pleasure truck , and is NOT the ideal truck for racing, although i personally have won at local tracks with it.

If you look , the things you will want are bearings, ball diff, aluminum shocks, cvd's ( constant velocity drives) and light weight...these are STANDARD on the above mentioned trucks and also on the duratrax evader and others...

buying a truck with those upgrades already installed will save you money in the long run, and you wont have to spend money starting right off. You can put street tires on these trucks, and have a very fun asphalt truck as well...

on your budget, this should allow you a VERY nice truck, something you can race, or just "bash" without too much trouble, with funds for a charger, a few inexpensive packs, and truely enjoy the hobby... good luck with what you choose, and let us know!!!



~Ron

[MrCrash]

OK and I saw that the price on the street is 380 but I was wondering if a 1/18 scale mini T is a good starter
I would say no. I have one, and it is a shelf wreck. I would definitely recommend even the cheapest 1/10 truck over a Mini-T.

[need for speed]

ok I have made the choice of 1/10 Truck and am just searching for the best one any links anybidy and is anyone here and Arizona RCer cause I live in Peoria AZ and love RC I am just getting into it and need some good tracks to practice on.

[need for speed]

I also need some serious info on differentials and stuff like that any help is great cause I know almost nothing major about the parts besides the basics so any details will be much apprecited or point me in a link with some good info. Thanks in advance.

[MrCrash]

Anything in particular you want to know about them?

BTW, Horizon Hobby has the XXX-T for $269.99. This doesn't leave much for a charger or batteries, but the quality of the electronic components is truely top knotch.

[MrCrash]

I just looked at the Associated T4RS, and although I don't care for the radio, the rest of the truck looks to be great! It is also $30 cheaper.

[need for speed]

wow thanks for that and do you know of any sites that might have like a used one in great condition that is like a good buy besides ebay lol. Also can you teach me about the differentials cause I am like no mind of them right now so that would help alot thanks.

[MrCrash]

RC Universe and these forums both have great sections for buying and selling cars and other stuff.

The basic definition of a differential is: An arrangement of gears that permits two shafts to turn at different speeds. On the rear axle of an R/C vehicle, the differential allows the wheels to rotate at different speeds for better performance on curves. Although it specifically mentions gears, there are actually two styles of differential. The first is a gear differential, and the second is a ball differential. A gear differential is a casing that has a large gear attached on the outide that is driven by a smaller pinion gear. Inside the case, there are generally 4 spider gears, and two larger gears. The case is filled with grease or oil to control how easily the gears turn. The 4 gears sit between the two larger gears, and allow one axle to spin faster or slower while turning. The oil/grease is useful to prevent the differential from "unloading" or allowing all the power to go straight to one side, and making the tire expand and spin rapidly. Ball differentials operate on a similar theory, except instead of gears, they use two plates and a gear that holds several small metal balls. The balls fit into holes in the gear, and the two plates are clamed on the gear with a plate on each side. The tighter the plates are tightened down, the less differential action you will have, and vice versa. Odds are you won't find a gear diff in a 2wd truck, but I thought I might as well cover both styles.

Gear differentials
http://www.hotbodiesonline.net/minizilla/diff_s.jpg
http://ww4.tiki.ne.jp/~tbo-yuki/rc/diff3.jpg
http://www.monkeyview.net/id/1981/rc/diff_rabbit.jpg

Ball differentials
http://www.rcnitro.com/rn/images/articles/ball_diff/2.jpg
http://www.powerlineracing.com/ProductImages/products/K1453%20G4%20Lightweight%20Ball%20Differential.jpg
http://www.duratrax.com/cars/dtxc6190a-2.jpg

[need for speed]

Thanks for that info much clearer. I also was wondering how exactly I would dink with the motor andlike what Ineed to know about it in the pits and all.

[MrCrash]

Sorry, but I don't know much about electrics.

[need for speed]

well what could you tell me about the shock system cause I would like to learn the details on that. And are you sposored.

[z-man280]

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3825/is_200202/ai_n9024957

Here is some very good info on the duratrax Evader, alot of truck for the money, ($169.00 RTR).. featuring a ball diff, slipper clutch( to protect gears, works much like slipping the clutch for a moment in a car, hence the name, it allows the drivetrain alot of "give" to protect it), threaded aluminum shocks, obviously oil-filled, for suspension like a off road buggy, i am sure you have watched them, full bearings, an electronic speed control with reverse, and many more.....

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXXJ49**&P=0

that could be the hot truck for you, it will give you a great starter truck for you, inexpensive, but has a host of built in performance parts, and if you dont like the radio, scan your LHS, or ebay for maybe a radio you like...
To answer your question on shocks,.......

"Oil-filled shocks give RC vehicles more stability over rough terrain. Without the oil the shocks compress and rebound too quickly and fail to absorb or dampen the bumps in the road. When you feel that your shock absorbers aren't performing properly you can check the fluid level and add more oil to the shocks.
Shock oil comes in different weights such as 40, 70, or 100. Ask your hobby shop for recommendations based on your car/truck and the conditions under which you run it. Changing the weight of the oil changes the damping rate -- the compression of the shock -- so that you can finetune it for different road or track conditions."

Now, on a personal note, remember, even if these trucks dont have the fastest motors in them, 20mph is 200 mph scale speed for these, and that is faster than one would think, especially if hit in the ankle with one at that speed! Whatever you get, practice your driving skills, learn to drive smooth, with fluid-like motions, and you can be very competitive at your tracks with what might not be considered the best truck, because driving skill plays the BIGGEST part in any race in my opinion...

good luck, hope this helped

~Ron

[need for speed]

Wow thanks that evader looks cool and actually pretty good for only 160. I am just wondering though what else I would need to get started in RC racing. What tools and accessories. Thanks for the help.

[Steve323]

For tools any associated car only uses hex drivers so a good set of hex drivers would work. Towerhobbies has the integy hex drivers for $25 (i think) which are really nice. You will also need a soldering iron and tire glue. Most kits RTR usually come with a few tools to get you started though.

[z-man280]

try this: batteries-
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/dtxc2022.jpg
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LG2705&P=1
grab 3, lets say...so $60 more, now a charger...
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/dtxp4120.jpg
i use this one myself, love it.... $75.00
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXUF45&P=0
and on to some tools....
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/dtxr0375.jpg
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LG7253&P=1
$25.00 more...
and maybe something to put them in???
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/P7140025Small.jpg
plano tackle box, found at wal-mart for $25,
so, batteries-$60
charger- $75
tools- $25
tool box- $25
----------
$185

plus your truck @ $170. so, you can short-cut on ALOT of that, cheaper charger, basic tool box, and cheaper batteries, but this will give you an idea...


~Ron

[need for speed]

Thanks for that help and i think I will go for a traxxas rustler for my starter $170 unless you can give me a link to a better car and I will buy a duratrax charger for $13 and to v batteries I was shown for $30 that will be $213. Any better combos for a good price. As for the tools I hav em in the garage.

[z-man280]

well,.........i was gonna mention the rusty', but i didnt want to let my bias for Traxxas shine thru! you will enjoy that truck alot, thats the going price, so you did just fine there, i owned a rustler for a while and raced it locally with good results.
Congrats on your descision, i know you will enjoy!

[need for speed]

well it will take me a lil while to save up for the stuff considering I am 14 jobless and summer is nearing it's end. So to get started earlier how would a mini T be for $100. Could it be fun to jump around with if I upgrade the motor and get a good batter pack 1400 mah so I could run for a while, get some bigger tires for offroad jumping and some nice shocks. Basically revamp it.

[z-man280]

size-wise, the mini-t is pretty small for that but could be revamped. check your lhs for something used, maybe mom or dad could help, birthday money, yard work??

my best advise is to look for something like that rustler, you should be able to find something like that used, and just start building things up, batteries, different charger as you go. maybe something to shoot for at x-mas time? check our for sale forums too, and you can post in the want ads here as well. make sure you explain what you have for money to work with, and what you are looking for, i am sure someone on here can help ya out

[need for speed]

well I have a nasty job i got today. I am now working for my neighbor earning some good monney cause she is real paying. But the job is horrible. My neighbor is a grandma and has a dad still. He is old and in bad shape. He smokes is 70+ has by pass surgeries never takes his medisine and is overweight. This guy really is not in good shape and can't make it to the bath room easily. So thats where I come in. When he can't make it to the crapper I get to mop up the mess clean the toilet scrub evrywhere in the mini guest house. I have to watch him and make sure he doesn't fall when I go over todsay and on a regular basis even in the school year clean his mess. This job blows but works for a 14 year old wanting an RC car. If you guys see any screaming deals please point em out cause I want an RC car bad.

[Tig]

Welcome to the WORLD of RC :D

Thats great that you got a job, and I give you credit where credit is due for working with the elderly. Thats a tough job, thats coming from a Laborer of 8 yrs and an Iron Worker of the past 2. Keep this up and you will have a pretty sick truck.

My advise for you about what truck to get. I would see what your LHS has available and also what parts they keep in stock. Unless you dont mind ordering things. You can always check TowerHobbies.com, they have package deal which include everything (all batteries and charger) to get started. I am a BIG fan of Losis XXX-T, well made and top notch gear. That was my first electric truck :)
Good luck with your search, and what ever you get will be great.
Later

[need for speed]

yeah working for the elderly is tough and I will be heading over to work in an hour or so. So thanks for the credit. Today I might earn 2-5 bucks. cause I sit and just watch the elderly man and take a puppy outside every 15 mins for pee. So it is easyu today mabey I will earn more but aww wellll. I'm gonna go check that losis mini T out right now and as for LHS I have like none and they are super expensive so unless I really need a part fast it's the net.

[z-man280]

let me just say that i am impressed!!!! thats is a very rough job for someone your age to do, so i hope you get more than $5 a day! :eek:

i have a nieghbor who is a bit crazy, but has alot of rc stuff even thogu he knows next to nothing, but THINKS he does, which makes him twice as ignorant as someone who admits they dont know anytihng.

i will see what he has, and what i can come up, where are you located?

[need for speed]

Well I am in Peoria, AZ if you want my exact adress I will tell you

[Tig]

$2-5 for the day, wooooow. I give you even more credit for hanging around. That is not cool my friend, you need to get more than that. Did you agree to this, if yes tell them you want more. If you didnt agree to this, tell them you want more. How many hours are you putting in in a day?
Back to the subject.
Are you only looking for an electric truck?

[need for speed]

it's 2 and a half hpurs today. And all I need to do today is make sure he is doing ok mabey talk to him and take the dog out to pis every 15 mins. She might pay more depends on how long she's gone. I am going to clean her house to butter her up for a tip. Well I will be going now so cya in about 3 hrs. Have fun RCing.

[Tig]

There is nothing wrong with a little buttering up ;), Good Luck.

[need for speed]

Well I am back and after 4 hrs of hospitality as far as keeping him oqqupied and talking to him. But the worst was that flipping dog that is a puppy great dane. He bites and it is annoying and if bit right hurts like a winch. I earned $10 and so did my brother. I also had free refreshments such as a gatorade and iced tea. I quit soda. Do you think I was paid fairly:

4 hrs work

dog bites which were flipping annoying considering I couldn't hurt him with the paranoid owner

talking and watching westerns with an elderly man who wheres no shirt, smokes close to me, and is actually ok to talk to

take dog out to pee every 15mins

[MrCrash]

Nope. You should of easily gotten double that.

[tmacfan4321]

man there are some much better deals on chargers: mrc 959 is only $45 its got an lcd display you can change the charge rate from 0.5 amps to 5.0 with 0.5 increments and its a peak charger and you can save 30 bucks over the intellipeak charger
There are also some good deals on batteries also in stead of the 1900 mAH nicd u can get the Orion super duty batteries (http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCUH3&P=7) more mah= more runtime

[Tig]

Do you think I was paid fairly: NO, you should get $10 an Hour. Your services are worth more than that, you're doing more than one job. You take care of the old fella and also take care of the dog. Around my area dog walking is HUGE, people pay big bucks just to walk there dogs. My sister-in-law gets anywhere from $20 to $40 an hour(that is set, even if she has the dog for 20 minutes, its still 20-40), she also has daily rates to. Maybe you should sit down with whomever is in charge and discuss getting more money for your services. Are there any paper routes in your neighborhood?
Good Luck

[need for speed]

Well I was a little ticked at that damn dog biting me and not being able to dicipline the son of a witch. I think I should be getting paid 5 an hour at least but it's a neghbor and my brother came iver and helped so we had to split the damned monney. Next time I will go alone. I also will be getting a mini T and a 7.2 v 1200 mah battery with a charger any great links for good deals on chargers.