HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

I'll likely be buying one (Just want to know if driveshafts are pin through or set screw, never doing a set screw rig ever again!). I'll admit, I am fairly impressed with their initial offering as far as pictures and specs go, layout looks fairly typical of a scale offering (It works!), and I like the low gearing in the axles to minimize axle twist.

IMO...

Pros:

-Simple clean layout
-Metal diff covers!
-A decent amount of metal parts in high stress areas
-Reasonable price
-Nice low center drive train area great for scale body builds!
-Overall tried and true design layout

Cons:

-Fj Cruiser Body only initial offering. I literally don't know a single car enthusiast that has any interest in this vehicle IRL
-RTR radio is only a 2ch. 3ch would be nice to at least add lights, and a 3ch. has become a pretty typical RTR addition these days.

Questions:

-Are the drive shafts set screw mounted or pin through? I am ready to buy, but will not if they are set screw mounted. I will never own a vehicle with set screw drive shafts again.


I am positive there will be more body variations in the future, so not too worried about that part, but the FJ Cruiser is an embarrassing vehicle to me, so I have no interest in its style, but would still likely buy one because it looks pretty solid.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

Seen one, ran with one, pulled one out of the mud. Wouldnt buy one.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

Pros: TBD

Cons: You can't get one yet.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

The biggest pro I've seen so far is that Ditchrat doesn't like it, I'm gonna pre-order one directly:)


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Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

That seems like an overstatement with how long it's taken them to launch this product.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

Great to know I get under your skin, keep posting and validating that.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

It’s less about skin and more about our respective preferences.


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Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

all I see now is a thread going down the commode hole, but with the price tag its not worth it. the only thing I find usefull out of this truck is the lower link/ shock mounts. cant wait till those get released. easy upgrade for us losi axle guys.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

Remember, this truck is one of the few on which you can still use coupons on Tower and RPP. That brings the price down to around $320 if my memory is correct. $320 for an RTR crawler is not bad.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

This truck is on my short list for a Festivus gift to myself if it’s available by then....


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Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

im not paying 320 for a hpi rtr. ever. maybe 100 for a roller.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

I'm not the biggest HPI fan either. Their designs often leave a lot to be desired. But $320 for an RTR scaler is more than fair.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

Set screw driveshafts don't bother me, just clean all the mfr oils out really well and blue loctite the screws. Through pins are nice if the shafts are strong enough to not rip through the holes. Looks ok, design no longer cutting edge and someday maybe they will actually be for sale. Bodies are easily swapped and sold. :)

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

I was kind of interested in it about, what, three years ago now...? Mainly for the inverted steering linkage design. Now I just don't care. I'm glad we don't run our business like that where I work.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

Well funny after all the negativity and presumptiousness it's actually a very good and capable truck. Ok servo is a weak spot as always and the tires are for rock rather than mud, but apart from that the truck is tip top. Subtle things like the driveline with cvd's is more straight than the scx etc, the weight is pretty good and evenly distributed and the shocks amazingly don't leak at all. Proper quality items. Plenty of alloy on this beast and from what I can see not many upgrades needed at all. Probs tires and servo from the off. I'd definately buy one again. It feels like everything the scx10 should have been

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

FJ Cruisers have a following. There are quite a few around the Vegas area and they do trail runs. They're pretty capable for a new IFS 4X4...I saw one make it through S-Turn at Logandale, NV a couple weeks ago.

I'm not interested in the HPI Venture at the moment. It has taken them way too long to get it out.

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

Checked it out up close at RPP Hobby Jamboree couple months ago and agree it looks like a great truck. Steering servo had to go and all but one suspension link were flexy plastic and had to go too! Fit and finish, BTA steering, quality of plastic were all spot on, great stuff. Not sure about what metal the axle gears are made of since we didn't get to disassemble it lol. I'd run one with a few basic mods, but I see still says preorder on AMain and Tower Hobbies. "thumbsup"

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

The venture uses set pins on driveshafts and output cups. For all latest info on the Venture, hit us up over at the venture thread. Awesome truck and deserves to be checked out. I own 1 and have myself and others are modding ours out!

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

I really really came close to picking the venture over the ascender but eventually didn't because i don't like the lack of aftermarket support and flexible plastic links. I still have a deep interest in the truck though. As for set pins In the axle I agree. They suck. I kept losing set screws on my gmade r1 and I ended up drilling through everything and using a nut and bolt with loctite to fix the issue

Re: HPI Venture... Pros/Cons/?'s/Thoughts?
 

The set pins or screw pin setup is better than set screws imo. Use a little threadlike and they are going nowhere. The plastic links do suck, but can be easily changed out. Because the truck is so new, most of us at the HPI Venture thread can only tell what we know and our experience with the truck. So far our experience has been nothing short awesome!