I'm thinking about getting into this. Yes / No?

[knuckleslammer]

I took a break from 1/10 RC a few years back. was into the xx4 and xxx4 I think, Losi.

Anyhow as you all know, it's an endless money pit. At least those things were. I didn't race, but would driven them fast and they would do nothing but break. So I ended up buying like 2 extra kits of each and extra motors and I spent like 20G on all this crap.

Just so you know, I'm 38, so I'm not a youngster. I can wrench but I can't stand stuff constantly breaking. I'll spend $$$$ up front to prevent that if need be.

So I saw some rock crawlers and I was like hmmm?????

Now my thinking is like this so let me know if I'm correct. First off, I know nothing about rock crawlers. But here's my questions.

1. Since they probably move a lot slower than the rc buggies, do they break as many parts?

2. Can I go brushless?

I want to build this thing. The chassis is out of stock, but I'm wondering if this is a cool way to go. I want durability #1 and not have to endlessly wrench. I work, I have kids, I want to build it and use it. I understand there's a certain amount of wrenching involved but anyhow let me know what you think. My wife is going to be pissed when she finds out I'm looking at this sh*t again. LOFL.

This is what I want. I will not compete, I've just been looking at these for a couple days and I've decided to build something like this. I have no idea what I'm doing, I just think this thing looks bad ass.

[legion1capone]

Yes you can go brushless if you choose. You can build very capable and durable crawlers and it will be much much cheaper than what you are used to. PM me and I can help you decide on some what exactly you want. read around this site too. There is so much information here.

How much are you looking to spend?
Do you have batteries, battery charger, reciever and transmitter?

[azfabguy]

i am from the same boat! i sold a b4 and a t4 and bought a losi mini crawler. it has taking a beating and all we have broken is the stock plastic shock which has been up graded to aluminum now. you will be hooked once you try it

[knuckleslammer]

Yeah, the thing that concerns me is that I don't want to wrench 24/7 like I did on the Losi buggies. I got into it when brushless first came out and had to send back 3 speed controllers to Novak and 1 brushless motor.

What I'm overwhelmed with is wondering how the hell you know what fits what? I'm assuming these guys @ RCP will know what I need.

I'm hoping the speed controllers have become more reliable than 3-4 years ago when I was into this. I don't have a lot of time. I want to build and play.

Kevin

[azfabguy]

the only wrenching i do is (besides the broken shock) is upgrading it. clean it with you paint brush and blow it off with the compressor. check the bearing every so often. as far as brushless, you might look into the 1000kv out runner motors or go get you a holmes brushed motor. a good brushed motor will last a long time due to you not running it up to 30k. that is why most guys can get 15 mins out of a 1000 mah, 2s lipo battery

[azfabguy]

go get an axial rtr kit or a losi mrc and go have some fun.

[knuckleslammer]

Well, I don't mind building one. RTR usually doesn't have as good a parts set as a build in my experience. But it's been a few years. The losi you are referring to is 1/18 scale, correct?

[MCSCOTT]

Originally Posted by knuckleslammer

Yeah, the thing that concerns me is that I don't want to wrench 24/7 like I did on the Losi buggies. I got into it when brushless first came out and had to send back 3 speed controllers to Novak and 1 brushless motor.

What I'm overwhelmed with is wondering how the hell you know what fits what? I'm assuming these guys @ RCP will know what I need.

I'm hoping the speed controllers have become more reliable than 3-4 years ago when I was into this. I don't have a lot of time. I want to build and play.

Kevin

Lucky for you you've come to the right place. Those guys are RCP are right here on the site, as well as several others listed in the vendors section. Your best bet right off the bat is to read around on here to get a better idea of what holds up the best, and what you really want. I can tell you this, I've had more fun with crawlers than any other form of rc I was ever into. There is an amount of wrench time, but for the most part if you spend the $ up front like you say, you wont break much at all on normal non-comp running. The speed controllers are alot better than they were years ago. Look into a Mamba Max and it will handle pretty much anything you want to throw at it. There are several brushless motors out for crawlers, but imo brushed gives you much better control on the low side. Check all the different sections here on the forum, and look through their galleries in that section to give you an idea of how things will look.

You will be hooked once you drive one if you get it built and set up good.

[knuckleslammer]

Well how long do brushed motors last? I don't have a lathe and don't want to mess with that really. If there was a good motor for $50 that would last 6 months, I'd be cool with that.

Yeah I emailed RCP on their site. Seems everything is out of stock but I haven't heard back from them yet.

Thanks for the help gentlemen.

[MCSCOTT]

Originally Posted by knuckleslammer

Well how long do brushed motors last? I don't have a lathe and don't want to mess with that really. If there was a good motor for $50 that would last 6 months, I'd be cool with that.

Yeah I emailed RCP on their site. Seems everything is out of stock but I haven't heard back from them yet.

Thanks for the help gentlemen.

Probably not as long as brushless, but there's several that will last more than 6 months. I've been beating on my 7t Cobalt Puller for a year now with no issues. Go down to the Holmes Hobbies section or check out HolmesHobbies.com. JRH is the absolute best when it comes to electrical, and his motors are 100% top notch.

As for RCP check their section and post up. Most of those vendors here have one big thread in their section for asking questions. I've found in most cases you will get a reply by posting there alot sooner than hearing back in an email. That's one of the best things about this hobby and this site.......everyone is right here.

[Jeeper Creeper]

I have an integy 55t that I got on a very used 2.2 crawler about 3 years ago. The label was almost worn off from scraping on rocks then. I have continued to run (often) and upgrade that rig and the motor still runs perfect. I even totally submarined it once and never even re-oiled it and it still purrs. I run 35t to 55t brushed motors on all my rigs and am very pleased.

[knuckleslammer]

I'm thinking either a hustler, if they email me back. I've replied in the forum and it looks like it's dead. Just about all their products are out of stock.

Or a copperhead.

What do you think?

there's a hustler stage 1 that's in stock. Not sure what the difference is between that and the SE that is out of stock.

[robbio4422]

if your willing to dump the $$$ up front so that u wont have to spend later then do it! but these little guys have MAD torque and will break under preasure or from a fall... only thing i break now a day are rod ends and stripping gears

[MCSCOTT]

Originally Posted by knuckleslammer

I'm thinking either a hustler, if they email me back. I've replied in the forum and it looks like it's dead. Just about all their products are out of stock.

Or a copperhead.

What do you think?

there's a hustler stage 1 that's in stock. Not sure what the difference is between that and the SE that is out of stock.

The stage 1 is just the chassis and links. The stage 2 is a complete roller with Clod axles, and everything else you need except the electronics. Not sure how close to the one in your pic you're wanting to get it, but you should note that the one in that pic appears to have Twin Force axles, so it would be a shafty instead of a motor on the axle rig like the Clod axles. Somewhere in that section is a Hustler Pic thread, so you could check out some of those to get even more ideas.

Personally if this is your first crawler you would be just as well off the do some lookin in the Axial AX10 section. Then you could go with the 2.2 Hustler chassis if that's the one you're set on, or check into the Edge chassis. These are the easiest to build, and the price range doesn't go overboard like it can with the super class rigs that you're looking at. Then if you like the hobby you can go back once you've learned a little more about it and build that super.

[knuckleslammer]

OMG I'm lost what's a 2.2 chassis? Is that a bigger one? I'd rather have one motor with shafts rather than have to worry about 1 motor on each axle. I'm not competing, just screwing around, so I don't know anyone who is into this so I wouldn't know the difference between motor on axles vs. drive shafts. I mainy like the look of the one in that pic I put. I'm looking for something with that type of look to it.

[CRAZYACE63]

You might actually call them. I know that they have a ton out of stock but it takes them awhile to actually put it back up. I have one of there receipts here so I will find that and get you the number. These guys are awesome to deal with and if you start with this kit and the hustler chassis you will be onto a great start.

Here is the starter kit for axles and tranny.

http://www.ckrccrawlers.com/shop/ind...oducts_id=1355

HTH.

[MCSCOTT]

2.2 is the next size down from the super. Here is a pic of my Edge chassis AX10 based 2.2....



The one you are looking at is the super class which is much bigger and can get alot more expensive. Personally for just getting into it you would be much better off with the 2.2 class as a first rig. They're not as small as the 1.9's, so they are more capable. At the same time they're not as large and expensive to build as the super class rigs, but can be built to be nearly as capable as a super. Scroll down and look through the gallery in the Axial AX10 section and see if you see anything that catches your eye. You overbuild a 2.2 for around $1k or $1500, or less if you choose to and still have a good rig. That super class Hustler you're looking into would end up costing much more than that if you set it up with all the bells and whistles.

If you would rather have that Hustler chassis, RCP has it in the 2.2 size as well.

[CRAZYACE63]

The pic he put up is of the super but in his posts he is looking for the 2.2 chassis. Go for it. I was looking at the hustler myself for awhile and ended up going with the Blackjack. But I still want a Hustler someday.

[knuckleslammer]

Originally Posted by CRAZYACE63

The pic he put up is of the super but in his posts he is looking for the 2.2 chassis. Go for it. I was looking at the hustler myself for awhile and ended up going with the Blackjack. But I still want a Hustler someday.

I'm lost. Remember you guys are talking to an idiot here.

I have no idea what 2.2 is. I just thought that the pic in my first post was a 2.2.

I know what 1/18, 1/8 and 1/10 is. I have no experience / knowledge of anything else.

If I could build what is in that first pic, I'd be stoked.

What scale is that thing? Now that I look at it, it is big. I don't care about $$$$
This wont be till I pay off some billz but I don't mind spending $500 for a rig that isn't going to break, then buy the motor and all the other sh*t.

Here's what it says in the rig section about that thing.
Steve Heinze (raptorman57) has built a good number of Kyosho Twin Force based crawlers, but until now they had all been Super Class rigs. He decided he wanted to build a new bomb-proof tuber, but this time a 2.2 Class version. As a basis for construction Steve chose a Team Carnage Crew Hustler tube chassis, designed for use with Clod gearboxes. As is his norm, he again used Twin Force axles, but getting those big, wide axles to conform to 2.2 Class.

so it's a 2.2.

Is that bigger or smaller than a 1/8 or 1/10?

Damn this sh*t is so complicated. LOL. I thought being an oracle database admin was complicated. LOFL

[CRAZYACE63]

Well with the 2.2 hustler it is somewhat a 1/10th. On the 2.2 hustler you will be using a shaft driven setup. On the Super Hustler you will be using axles that have motors on them. What that means is that each axle has a motor that hooks straight up and drives that axle. 2.2 and 1.9 are actually defined in the usrcca rules. mostly because of the wheel size. If you are looking at the 2.2 you will use a rim that is 2.2 inches around at the bead. ergo you will use a 1.9 inch wheel in a 1.9 class rig. Hope this clarifies some of the word usage we have on here.