Help me spend $$$ to upgrade 7 Rustlers.

[Twopu]

The RC Club that I started in school last year has been a big hit. The kids are getting an opportunity to participate in a hobby that most of them could not afford. I'm in the process of working on my budget for the 2006-2007 school year and need your help spending the money. I really don't know what they are going to budget for me ($100-$500) but I want to be ready with whatever they give me.

Two things I'll be focusing on is replacing worn parts and accessorizing cosmetically/functionally. With new drivers come many worn/damaged parts. The bushings, servo, etc. are wearing and need to be replaced with more efficient durable parts. With shows like Pimp my Ride and Overhaul the kids love making the trucks unique. With all the trucks looking the same I know the first accessory they want to change are the wheels and tires. My plan is to use the accessorizing as my incentive plan. This could range from winning races to doing well in school. I would like for you guys to help me put a list together (in order of importance) on upgrades for the seven Rustlers. Please feel to modify, add, or change my order. THANKS!!!

1. RPM Front Carrier
2. RPM Rear Carrier
3. Ball Bearings (Didn't know they’re so many types. Help?)
4. New Servo (Brand???)
5. Servo Saver
6. Wheels (Can any fit? What size?)
7. Tires (Need more traction on loose dirt; Proline???)
8. Stock Motor (???)

[z-man280]

hi again Twopu,....
congrats on yr 1 of your club. First off, what you are doing with those kids is amazing, i give you the utmost credit and respect.
RPM carriers are a great choice, bearings? duratrax makes a good bearing, you really dont need to spend the high dollars for the top of the line IMO.
Look at metal gear servos, or at least high torque, Futaba would be a great starting point, your choices are depending on your wallet really. Keeping in that budget, i know you want the most for your $$, and buying for 7 trucks, look for deals!!!!
Wheels? Again, RPM makes some great, inexpensive wheels for your rusty's, as do many others. ( dont forget to buy for elctric rustys, as the nitros are completely different)For alot of this, google traxxas rustler wheels, ect. and your options will come up. tires???? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, depends on where MOST of your running will be. If you plan on alot of asphalt running, pro-line and HPI make some AWESOME street rubber, jsut go to www.hpiracing.com, or to prolines site and look under tires, ....motors? Gonna race amongst yourselves? there are some inexpensive machine wound mild mod motors out there, by orion, venom, and many others to give the rustys a kick in the butt, so shop again. Many can be had for as little as $13.00, so shop smart,( like i need to remind you of that) and remember, this is for school, i almost would bet ya your LHS would be willing to make you some kind of deal , to do or get the kids something...

Best of luck, and get some pics of those rustys and the kids!!!!

Ron

[Twopu]

Ron thanks for your support. This is a really great hobby and I have been trying to cut through the bureaucracy to get it through. We had a lot of little kinks in our 1st year but we managed. My ultimate goal is to use this as an incentive to increase academic performance. If I can document this, we might have a chance of building a track on school grounds. They keep telling us to think outside of the box so who knows maybe it'll happen.

I'll check out all your suggestions. THANKS!!! Do you know of any really good EBay sellers? I would like to see if they would like to help support our club. Most of the big online stores don't offer sponsorships so I figured I can try smaller stores. I’ve tried several of my LHS but even their discounted price can't touch Towers.

[Giant655]

you are headed in the right direction there thinking of tower. It would be better to go direct to see if you cant get the big price break that retail shops get( I kinda doubt it, but hey, you can hope right?). As far as the upgrade stuff, I side with Z-man. Duratrax makes a complete bearing upgrade kit for the stampede/rustler ( a lot of the moving parts are the same). So here is my list of recommendations.
1. Go ahead and drop in the new bearings, the cars will be quite bit faster and will not require QUITE as much maintenance to keep them going ( but after so long, bearings will crap out and need to be replaced, but this is from a racing standpoint lol, just to keep them running, just oil them occasionally)
2. Rpm carriers: Since those cars will be going a few MPH faster than before, it should only be right that you put plastic parts on that can handle the abuse. Also look at the A-arms as well, much more flexible than the stock traxxas ones, and I can remember, but I think RPM has a lifetime warranty on those guys, so if you do break one, you can send it in FOC ( I am not sure on this cause I dont have any sitting next to me)
3. Wheels and tires: since those guys already have a year of run time on them, I am pretty sure the stock nubbies look like psuedo slicks lol. Depending on where you guys run them, the best all aroun tire I am thinking will prolly be the dirt works, or dirt hawgs. They are all around tires, so they have lugs on them, but they are flat, so it work in loose dirt as well. And go ahead and let kids decide which rims they want to Bling their truck up. You want any size 2.2 rim ( needs to have the hex in the rear rim to work!)
4. new servo/servo saver: For what its worth, you would be fine to throw another traxxas 2055 high torque servo in, which will be better than the 2018 they supply it with. Then throw a big ol' kimbrough servo saver on the list as the cherry on top lol
5. Motor: Notice how I put the power mods at the end of the priority list. Depending on how well the students drive, they may get an upgrade to a 19t!!!!!!!!
This is rather large list lol of stuff for the cars, hope it helps out!

[Grant Tokumi]

Cheap bearings.
http://avidrc.com/
Many racers use them.

[EZM]

Forget bearings bumpers and all of that. if you want to be n bussiness i would suggest
1. Extra arms handy, first thing that breaks.
2.Get some servo savers to get those servos.(if you must repalce them use hitec servos(really fast sport versions for around 15 bucks.
3. Alot of stock bumpers.
4.If you must make the trucks unique get some rpm claw rims with some meaty tires like the dirt haws so they never wear out(hence all the thread plus monster looking size)
and finally some bodies to go with the new look because thats the thing they see the most.

[Grant Tokumi]

Its great to see your R/C program for your school is doing well! If accessorizing is the priority, then perhaps let the kids decide on their own by providing them with catalogs instead of purchasing what you think they might like.

I do agree though that first priority before anything else should be spare parts, or more generally, whatever is needed to keep the vehicles working. If you need a recommendation for servos, then IMO the best bang for the buck would be the Hitec 645 high torque servo for ~$40.

Keep up the good work!

[z-man280]

Forget bearings bumpers and all of that. if you want to be n bussiness i would suggest
1. Extra arms handy, first thing that breaks.
2.Get some servo savers to get those servos.(if you must repalce them use hitec servos(really fast sport versions for around 15 bucks.
3. Alot of stock bumpers.
4.If you must make the trucks unique get some rpm claw rims with some meaty tires like the dirt haws so they never wear out(hence all the thread plus monster looking size)
and finally some bodies to go with the new look because thats the thing they see the most.

Um,i would have to disagree..... i havent had a big problem breaking arms on my 7 Traxxas vehicles, yes, upgrade servos, and if you want durability, get bearings and carriers....

stock bumpers break??????????????

bodies and wheels wont make the trucks better or last longer, this is a school project and the budget must be used to keep these going, not looking good, although yes, it is nice to personalize your ride. remember, he must prove this worthy to faculty or else this whole project will be lost....

look at tie bars for the front as well, they are inexpensive, and help the front ALOT!!!


Ron

[microrcdude]

one thing we invested in on my brothers rustler was the RPM Wide Front Bumper. Its much stronger and wider than the stock bumper and it protects the car alot better than the stock bumper

[Hard Core RC Guy]

don't forget the stub axles all around!!! Remember, you're bearings will be junk if the axles don't fit.

J :cool:

[EZM]

Hey buddy, he said he wanted to customize his trucks for his 10 kids if they did well in school or won races, as for parts not breaking, i think you have to run an rc to break something not have it sitting in the closet inside a cardboard box like you.Tie bars are not necessary.

[z-man280]

Hey buddy, he said he wanted to customize his trucks for his 10 kids if they did well in school or won races, as for parts not breaking, i think you have to run an rc to break something not have it sitting in the closet inside a cardboard box like you.Tie bars are not necessary.

i didnt think i said anything offensive enough to deserve that, but oh well. Oillite bushings DO WEAR OUT, and the larger bearings are just good sense. Tie bars do help, ask anyone with vast experience running rustlers, including Vato Loco and many others. I do agree with you , as you will see in my post, that bodies and wheels do personalize a truck, but i think making them durable is the 1st priority, then making them look good.I agree with also on bumpers too, but form follows function, or in other words, a McLaren with no motor looks nice, but it doesnt help the car move. As far as the truck in the box crack, was that really called for?
i could have said things back in retaliation, but i am above that, and by seeing your other posts, you call yourself a pro, which i would assume you meant as a person as well, as in you can carry yourself in a professional manner.
I have been in this hobby for nearly 20 yrs, so i do have a pretty good grasp on things.

Ron

[EZM]

Im not lashing at you, I responded to the arms issue the way I did because even aluminum parts break and these kids are not pro's so I doubt the'll land jumps like a pro.As for priorities, if you look at my post I mentioned spare parts before looks so read next time. Thats all, lets keep it clean "rc veteran"(in your eyes only).

[z-man280]

good luck on your choices twopu, as for me, i will remain quite, as the PRO can tell you what to get.

[t44ever]

i would deffinatly recomend spare caster blocks and stearing bellcranks! those are the only 2 things that i have really broke

o ya and spur gears!
motor wise if u want to go faster i would reccomend a raven s 19 turn they are cheap and a few pack of brushes just in case

and for battries i assume that you have that covered but if not venom makes good cheap packs or radio shack gp 3300 for $25 a pop! picked up 2 yesterday and they rock!

good luck and enjoy your selfs!

(i gotta talk to ppl and get them to open up an r/c car club at our school!0
how did you do it towpu?

[Twopu]

I want to thank all of you again for your input. It's great to see how much passion we all have for this hobby. We can all learn so much from each other; everyday my students teach me something new. My students will argue like cats and dogs during a heat, but when the race is over we all sit back and laugh/praise each other about what was cool and funny during the race.

It turns out that a good friend of mine is taking over the coordinator position and understands the value of this club. Please keep sending me ALL YOUR SUGGESTIONS because this could be a good chunk of $$$ but also probably the last.

There is a lot of pressure on teachers to raise math and language art scores. We are always asked to think outside of the box. I tend to teach in a way that students don't even know their learning. I remember growing up and understanding a lot of the math concepts through my first RC car (Tamiya Thundershot). I pitched all the unlimited math lessons that could be taught through these cars and they ate it up. In addition, I'm able to incorporate language arts (letter writing), science (physics), and social skills (team work). The possibilities are limitless.

Again thank you for all your input and please EVERYONE keep them coming.

[Vato Loco]

Great to hear that your club is working out great! Now get the other schools to form the same Club, form teams and have races against the other schools! Get in touch with the traxxas company and see if they can help out your schools any! This is money and exposure for them and they should help you out! no reasion why they won't! Your a good teacher, and your students are very lucky to have you! Keep up the good work and someday all your hard work will return to you 10 fold! Chris

[Twopu]

Update:
A co-worker/good friend of mine was able to get one of the building's custodian to donate $300 from his Moose Club. I have the wonderful job of shopping this weekend for the 7 Rustlers. My main focus will be on front/rear RPM carriers, ball bearings, and servo savers. If I have any money left I'm not really sure where to put it. I guess a few servos, arms, tie bars, axles, bell cranks, tires, etc.; I really don't know. I'm hoping when I'm given the funds from the school I'll be able to look at motors, wheels, bodies, etc.

I really don't know how much $300 is going to get me with 7 Rustlers so I really have to be frugal. I was going to get the Duratrax ball bearing set for each truck but if I get the front and rear RPM carriers I won't have the right bearings. I really don't know how many or what type I need because I left all my manuals in school. Any suggestions on how to get the most for my money? I see a lot of different bearing companies but I don't know what's good. I usually do a search and go with what the majority goes with but I can't tell( avid, RCboyz, Teambluestar, etc.) RCboyz is offer RPM carriers with bearings for $10.99. I don't know what to do?!?!?!?!

[SS Pede]

$10.99 for bearings and carriers is a very good price, though I can't find that offer on the RC Boyz website. The bearings I got (and other people have gotten too) are these: Duratrax 5x11 (http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXD122&P=ML) There may be better deals out there, but in any case these bearings have been working well for me. 5x11 is the size bearing the RPM carriers take. It's a set of 10, so that's 2 more than you need for each truck. You could buy 6 sets for about $78 (plus shipping) and you'd have 4 bearings left over. You only need 8 per truck because the transmission already has bearings (also 5x11's in there). Two bearings support each axle. 4x2 = 8. :p

You might save on shipping costs if you buy the bearings at a local shop instead of online. Although...Tower Hobbies has a coupon running right now to get $20 off an order of $149 or more. That could be useful if you bought a good chunk of your parts from them.

Did you already get RPM wide front bumpers? If not, they protect the front of the truck really well. Tie bars will keep the front arms from busting off as easily, but I think you might need to buy longer hinge pins to fit the tie bar on. Not sure about that one. I've never broken an arm on my Stampede. The front end is pretty durable. The caster pins get bent pretty easily though in my experience. Aluminum caster blocks would help, though they may not be worth the price in your situation.

I've never had axle problems either. Bell cranks I dunno...I just have a Stampede that doesn't use bell cranks.

What servo do those trucks have? If you haven't broken any of them, you may not need any upgrades in that area. But if you do want to upgrade servos, the Hitec 645MG is a popular one. Personally I use a JR Z590m. But 7 servos would be really pricey. If it ain't broke, don't fix it IMO. :) You can buy replacement gears for Traxxas servos for just a few bucks if you only break them occasionally.

Good luck, let us know if there are any more questions.

[z-man280]

WOW! that is excellent!! Ok, question, if that is per pair, break it down. thats roughly $140 to outfit all the trucks, ( 10x7, x2( frt. rr)...Or you need 56 bearings for all trucks...bearings on e-bay are averaging about a buck a piece, from what i see, so there is $56 to run stockers, or $56 plus the carriers. If the carriers are $10/pr, thats $140 PLUS the $56, so you are saving a good chunk of money, or , almost 3 budget machine wound motors for free. Going by the buck-a-bearing theory, thats $4.00 off per pair of carriers, so if they are $10.99, figure $6.99 bare. Tower has them for $8.59, so overall, you would be saving to buy them in "kit" form loaded.

heres a link on some metal gear servos, $14 /pc.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Metal-Gear-Ball-Bearing-Servo-for-RC-Car-Airplane-MG995_W0QQitemZ320012477138QQihZ011QQcategoryZ3405 6QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

thats $100 more roughly, so with abotu $50 to play with, servo savers????

then, when you get the school money, you can do bodies and wheels??

Ron