JK or Not

[fiveo]

So I have basically transferred the title to my Honcho over to my 5 year old and am left with my XR to play with. Now that he is going out with me I have quickly realized that A) I miss having my scaler to drive B) It pays to have two scalers so that we can run trails together instead of me playing on the big-boy rocks with my comp crawler and him off by himself.

Never been much of a "jeep guy" but I have to admit the JK is really sweet, don't like the wheelbase of the Dingo, don't want another Honcho and can't afford to build a Land Rover (which I really love).

There is a question in all of this......

How is everyone liking their JK so far?
What mods are a must for the new owner?
Is there any other scaler out there you would recommend as an alternative?

[Perkolator]

besides the body, there's nothing really new about the JK other than different shocks and tires (both of which can be added to any rig) - so really it sounds like you're just having a "which body?" dilemma. Dingo is already based on a Land Rover body.

Personally, I would look into buying a Tundra body to put on an SCX10 platform and get a Tacoma sticker set for the Honcho- that way you have Father and Son scale Toyotas to play with.

[fiveo]

Originally Posted by Perkolator

besides the body, there's nothing really new about the JK other than different shocks and tires (both of which can be added to any rig) - so really it sounds like you're just having a "which body?" dilemma. Dingo is already based on a Land Rover body.

Personally, I would look into buying a Tundra body to put on an SCX10 platform and get a Tacoma sticker set for the Honcho- that way you have Father and Son scale Toyotas to play with.

Thanks perk...good feedback and interesting perspective. I really like the Tundra but was skeptical about the Tamiya as a truck and its performance, then again I know nothing about it and have been very much into Axials since getting into the hobby.




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[Shinjari]

Well I think Perkolator is saying get teh scx10 but buy the body separate. =)

Yeah the new shocks are nice. I would say find a dingo/honcho kit since the majority of it is the same except the body and the shocks.

[fiveo]

Originally Posted by Shinjari

Well I think Perkolator is saying get teh scx10 but buy the body separate. =)

Yeah the new shocks are nice. I would say find a dingo/honcho kit since the majority of it is the same except the body and the shocks.

Are there any more honcho kits out there, or just buy the jk or honcho rtr then swap the body?




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[Perkolator]

I was referring to buying another SCX10 and putting a Tamiya Tundra body on it.

You can still find Honcho RTRs, but I don't think they've had a kit version for a while now. JK and Dingo are the only kit versions currently I think.

If you buy a JK you'll pay more, but you get better shocks and scale tires - so that kinda evens out. after selling JK body and bumpers you'll likely be ahead vs parting the honcho body/cage (which might be good to keep as backup for your son's rig). Swapping the Tundra body will not be a direct swap - you'll have to do some customizations since it's a hard-body that was intended to be mounted from the sides. Small price to pay IMO.

[RMK]

After crawling my t-rex jk, I really dislike the body. It's super wide and snags on everything. Sure, it looks cool, but I really don't like it. So, I'm gonna be selling the jk body that came with my Rubicon kit.....

[RebelRacer]

Everybody has a Heep. Why dont you buy another Honcho for the WB, sell the body and get a body that you want.

[chevyfan3]

Trail Honcho, the Jeep can hit E-bay.

[thisdougsforu]

I just built a new Jeep kit and loved every second of it. I also have a honcho as well as a second scaler. The new shocks are great and don't forget that the JK kit also has aluminum bottom 4 links and steering. If you already have a Honcho I'd recommend the kit. You'll love it, and the body looks fantastic with the hardtop.

[fiveo]

Whatever I build will be personalized and while the logic holds true that everyone has a JK, so is the case with all the others and I don't love my Honcho any less just because there are a billion out there. I refuse to pay the ridiculous price for some of the bodies that people are selling out there. I still don't understand how you can charge $100 for a body from an $80 toy at Walmart but if people will pay then knock yourself out. Having said that, I am also not technically savvy enough (nor do I have the spare time) to start modifying wheelbases and doing a lot of custom work to make an alternative body work. Wish I was because I have some great ideas but they get lost somewhere between me thinking of it and my poor attempt at executing it.

That's my rant for the day, the feedback on the JK is awesome (positive and negative) so please keep it coming as this will be a lot of money for me to drop and I need to make a sound decision.

G

[RMK]

Originally Posted by fiveo

Whatever I build will be personalized and while the logic holds true that everyone has a JK, so is the case with all the others and I don't love my Honcho any less just because there are a billion out there. I refuse to pay the ridiculous price for some of the bodies that people are selling out there. I still don't understand how you can charge $100 for a body from an $80 toy at Walmart but if people will pay then knock yourself out. Having said that, I am also not technically savvy enough (nor do I have the spare time) to start modifying wheelbases and doing a lot of custom work to make an alternative body work. Wish I was because I have some great ideas but they get lost somewhere between me thinking of it and my poor attempt at executing it.

That's my rant for the day, the feedback on the JK is awesome (positive and negative) so please keep it coming as this will be a lot of money for me to drop and I need to make a sound decision.

G

I agree with you. But, supply and demand. Gotta love it. As for not having time to make your own links and such, well, use your resources here.... I machine my own links and I would do it for anyone that asks. Good luck on the build!

[Perkolator]

There shouldn't be too much work making a body fit...and building is half the fun! Yes you'll have to change the link length, but DIY links are VERY simple to make. Otherwise, see what length others have used for the body you want and order some from a vendor or online (you're not going to be the first to run the commercially made body you choose)

for making a body mount, there are many ways. it's more involved to get a body (like a Tamiya) to mount using the existing side-holes - since you'll need sliders/boatsides with a mounting flange to bolt up to (but you may find something in the vendor section ready to go). another simple way to mount bodies is to use HD velcro - All you'd really have to do is modify your body posts with a flat plate on top, or find another place to put your velcro - many people have done this...also, when the rig bites the dust the body can pop off vs breaking with a rigid mounting setup. another common way to mount a hard-body is with body posts like a lexan body - sure not the most scale but it works and is about as simple as it gets.

I agree that there are many bodies being sold at ridiculous prices. For a custom, hand-made body I can see the justification - but for a mass-produced New Bright or similar, I truly don't get it. The Tamiya and RC4WD hard-bodies are somewhat appropriately priced IMO. Many of the lexan bodies out there I think are overpriced as well since they take like 30 seconds to make one.

Since you're already a member here, why not check out the classifieds and find a nice used rig, it'll keep your spending down if that's what you're concerned with. For example, I just picked up a RTR SCX10 for $200 last week and when I opened the box yesterday there were upgraded parts I was not expecting. Deals are out there, you just have to keep looking and be ready to pounce as soon as they appear.

[fiveo]

Originally Posted by Perkolator

There shouldn't be too much work making a body fit...and building is half the fun! Yes you'll have to change the link length, but DIY links are VERY simple to make. Otherwise, see what length others have used for the body you want and order some from a vendor or online (you're not going to be the first to run the commercially made body you choose)

for making a body mount, there are many ways. it's more involved to get a body (like a Tamiya) to mount using the existing side-holes - since you'll need sliders/boatsides with a mounting flange to bolt up to (but you may find something in the vendor section ready to go). another simple way to mount bodies is to use HD velcro - All you'd really have to do is modify your body posts with a flat plate on top, or find another place to put your velcro - many people have done this...also, when the rig bites the dust the body can pop off vs breaking with a rigid mounting setup. another common way to mount a hard-body is with body posts like a lexan body - sure not the most scale but it works and is about as simple as it gets.

I agree that there are many bodies being sold at ridiculous prices. For a custom, hand-made body I can see the justification - but for a mass-produced New Bright or similar, I truly don't get it. The Tamiya and RC4WD hard-bodies are somewhat appropriately priced IMO. Many of the lexan bodies out there I think are overpriced as well since they take like 30 seconds to make one.

Since you're already a member here, why not check out the classifieds and find a nice used rig, it'll keep your spending down if that's what you're concerned with. For example, I just picked up a RTR SCX10 for $200 last week and when I opened the box yesterday there were upgraded parts I was not expecting. Deals are out there, you just have to keep looking and be ready to pounce as soon as they appear.

Yea, I scour the classifieds multiple times a day and have bought/sold a fair amount through it....it is an awesome resource to have and well worth it. I have noticed though that so many postings happen from people on the west coast while us east coast boys are asleep....then they are bought when I wake up...even at 5:30est. Not whining, just saying that it is sometimes hard to catch a deal before it goes away. It also doesn't help that I am picky as hell....prefer to put my own scratches on stuff. If you look at my rigs you will see just how anal retentive I can be about keeping them nice. They are no shelf queens believe me, but I still give them the TLC needed to keep them running properly and help the resale value.

I have never had a hard body on any RC. How (or does) it affect the performance at all? I would think the added weight can be an issue for the COG, but are there other negatives to using them?




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[Perkolator]

yeah i'm in CA, so I have the advantage of being able to see what the East coast guys post up in the morning, and what the West coast guys post late at night doesn't always work, just gotta figure out what timing is best.

i'm not running a hard body yet, but i'm thinking of picking up a Tundra for the chassis i just got, and will definitely be running one after I finish my Hundy. you've pretty much hit the nail on the head - weight is a big issue with hard body - not only because it's thicker plastic, but you'll tend to want more scale stuff like a full interior to complement it. one major drawback to hard bodies is that they don't yield the way a lexan body can = cracks/breaks. on the plus side, you can fix cracks and can customize with styrene - something you can't really do with lexan...well aesthetically i guess.