Backbone/Rockrider
 

So i recently got back into rc after selling all my short course race stuff probably 8 years ago. This time it was because i had an accident involving a table saw and my left hand and needed an activity to rehab my fingers.

i stopped by Hobby Town and saw the Dromida Backbone. Thought it was cheap enough and was seemingly what i wanted, not too slow, not to fast, some scale realism but some similarity to my short course trucks that i know. And did i mention cheap.

Now that im back into it....I want to start upgrading or getting it more towards the scale crawler side rather than rock bouncer/racer.

i have a 3D Printer and i can make things work but im amazed at the fact that there is almost nothing at all on the internet regarding Dromida Backbone or Helion Rockrider.

Anyone else have them? Any ideas on upgrades?

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

I bought one "for my wife" about a month ago. Its an alright rig for what it is in my opinion. Just remember, it is an entry level rig with open diffs and a live rear axle. I bought it as a twin hammers replacement, so my wife would have something a bit larger and more reliable than her old T.H. For upgrades, I plan on dropping a HW 1080 into it and throwing a smaller pinion on it, then going to 3s...

Then we will see what breaks.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

Personally, I wouldn't put a single dollar into it. If you want to go more scale then go with TRX4, Axial SCX10ii or iii, or the Element Enduro. All three platforms are well built and have lots of OEM and Aftermarket support.

There is just nothing you can do with the Dromida to make it not cheap and low grade. It is what it is and putting money into it is just going to lead you down a into a pit. This hobby isn't about return on dollars investment, but investment in the right areas for return on reliability and enjoyment are key.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

That doesnt make much sense...im only in it 200 bucks and a few upgrades still wouldn't put me at the total price of the others.

Im not trying to compete with it or make some diorama with it.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

Both the Dromida Backbone and Helion Rockrider look very similar to FTX Outlaw. Those vehicles seem to have spur and pinion only while a crawler has normally more reduction. I would guess those vehicles would be best on going medium speed on gravel surface. One thing I do not personally like on FTX Outlaw pictures is how the spur gear housing opens. I would prefer two sides opening along the shaft direction like AX10 gearbox for example.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

Do what you want, it's your money. "thumbsup" However, having learned my lessons I don't buy cheap RC's with little to no parts support. Hell I've had expensive RC cars with little to no parts support and won't go there either. You haven't saved anything when you buy cheap, it breaks, and you can't get it running again. But, YMMV, so again, do what makes the most sense to you.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

it looks like a yeti clone i wounder if its the same rig as the redcat camo yeti clone if it is you might be able to upgrade to axial parts

however even the axial parts wont solve all the issues and the yeti it self was never the most durable platform

i would start building something else and just be nice to that one and hope you can find a solution to broken parts when they do break

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

Replacement parts are not an issue. Horizon hobbies has one of the best customer support systems and people ive ever dealt with and hobbie town has nearly everything for it.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

stock up before they discontinue them

and be nice to it its not a rig you want to beat on
but the main thing is to keep up on your theropy so pick up something else for when this one is broken

you dont want any gaps in your truck tharopy

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

Yup, this is one of those here today gone tomorrow vehicles. Reminds me of back in 2002 when a local hobby shop was trying to get me to by some CEN model over an E-Maxx. You can still get E-Maxx parts, the CEN, well........

If the OP doesn't want the truth from experienced people, not sure why they posted in the first place. Oh well, not my money. "thumbsup"

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

I'm curious if this is exactly the same as the rock rider except maybe electronics. If so yes a cheap car but helion /hobbytown had good parts availability until that one was discontinued. Have 2 rock riders here bought for kids rather than spend a bunch of money on something that won't get used. No aftermarket support but hobbytown had aluminum upgrade parts available at the time (no experience with them and looked cheap as could be but...). Only part I stocked up on was e-clip for the steering servo saver as they tend to fall out and then steering binds. Granted these things get bashed on a small gravel pile and a bike ramp on gravel driveway and that's about it. I'm actually about to see if an axial ar60 stock locker will work in the rear since I have one laying around (I think I read on an FTX forum from Britain that it would).

I can't hate on these trucks personally since my son's interest in it is what got me back into the hobby after nitro pretty much ruined it for me.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

I had a Helion Rockrider a few years back. I bought mine from HobbyTown too lol. They had anything and everything I needed. It was a fun little truck back then. That thing got me into the crawling scene. My experience is I went in one day to get a part for it, and they said they stopped stocking parts for them and they were discontinued. After that I could never drive it because every outing something would break.

With that being said, I would either build something else that's reliable like Ferp said, or leave it stock. As previously stated, these are the come and go trucks. Not worth dumping a whole lot money into. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have touched it with a 10ft. pole; nor any trucks I had before it.

Trust me, its not worth it. It will NOT last long. It'll probably be gone in a month due to not enough sales on the 10th 'recreation'.

If you want a rock bouncer that'll last and isn't a waste, look into a Capra, Bomber, Wraith. All 3 good options and miles better than the flavor of the week trucks. If you want something more scale weekend warrior, look into the SCX10iii, TRX4, or Trail Finder 2. Yes, more money up front, but less in the long run. "It's cheap, fixes wont be a problem cost-wise!" Until you break somethin every run. You get what you pay for.

Anyway, that's my .02

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

So I brought mine to a family gathering yesterday, and let a beat down happen...

My niece,(6) nephew (5) and their aunt played with it battery after battery... It got run on grass and dirt, ran into a concrete curb and jumped over and over and held up just fine. Overall I am impressed.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

So I have two of these rigs. One each for my daughters and I enjoy giving them both a rip. I run them both on 2s brushless setup. It hauls pretty good. I got them used in RC trades. They come stock with a brushed setup but I enjoy them in brushless.

Don't listen to that one guy calling them cheap. I've been around long enough to know that there are some in the RC community that are just a bit of elitist. And by that I mean those who think if you don't spend your money on a Traxxas, ARRMA, or Axial and also buy one of their $600+ rigs it's crap and cheap stuff and you'll waste your time doing nothing by buying replacements all day long and furthermore you won't be able to find them. You'll see this rhetoric repeated all day long by some. Just say "okay. got it." nod your head and quickly move on from their input.

Here's the truth. 99% of those guys have never, and would never drive the car your referencing. Did they get a cheap RC when they first got into the hobby 15 years ago? I'm sure. And I'm sure back then it was pretty bad. But have they driven & worked on the car you're referencing? I doubt it. If they have, they'd know that this Dromida Backbone, also a Helion Rock Rider, also a FTX Outlaw, also a VRX Racing Octane XL. Meaning part support is not an issue. Zero. Your local hobbytown either has parts for the Helion Rock Rider left over or Dromida Backbone. And if they don't there's this thing called ebay where you can get any part you want. Rebrands happen all the time in RC. If the Dromida Backbone eventually goes away. Give it a couple of years and a new company will be back with it that is the exact same model with a different name attached. With so many vehicles that are all the same platform, You'll always be able to get parts online.

Now my backbones I've never broken anything on running brushless 2S. The only thing I've done to both of them is an upgrade I choose which was metal rear driveshaft because I wanted to. Not because of a broken part. They're good rigs.

People who say "You'll do nothing but break parts" don't really factor in that there are different driving styles. I've seen people rip it up and others I've seen driving where you think "do you look where you're going? Are you trying to break it?". Some people drive bashers like they hate them. "Hey what happens if I run this 3s and jump it off my roof? Lets see what happen. Oh damn it broke from that fall." shocking. Driver is a big, big factor.

With that out of the way, I'm not sure how you turn this into a crawler. You mean for trail runs with friends? or comp crawls? If comp, you can kiss class 1 bye bye. Maybe with some mods make class 2 but I'm guessing class 3 with those big ole tires it has on it. I also think the battery placement is awfully high and would hurt your CG. Might look to see if there's something you can do there. Past that I don't have any ideas. If you're just looking for trail running craws with friends. Then keep it brushed, get a good motor for crawling and see where it goes.

Re: Backbone/Rockrider
 

I know this is an old thread, but RCAWD carries upgraded parts (not many) for the VRX Octane, which other owners say is a rebadged Backbone.