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Thread: What should a rock crawling noob do....

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Old 12-12-2009, 11:16 PM   #1
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Default What should a rock crawling noob do....

Sup all, im a complete and utter noob to the world of rock crawling. I've been in RC for a long time and had my fair amount of different machines over the years. Mostly store bought RC junk until I got a Team Losi XXT truck back 1995 and got my first taste of "hobby" grade RC. Then Playstation launched and I was out of RC until 2007 when I got a Revo 3.3. Was alot of fun, but the nitro work and maintenance burnt me out and I parted it out later that year and was out of RC for awhile. Earlier this year I got myself a Savage Flux and modified it into "Frostbyte" I had lots of fun with it until old man winter rolled into Montana and now im snowed out and wanting to some RC bad instead of just sitting inside playing games.


I went to my LHS a few days ago and decided to play with the Losi Micro crawler, my first time driving on ANY crawler EVER in my life. The LHS guy who I know well, set me up on the Losi test cardboard with some obstacles to try and conquer to the top of a parts pile. I amazingly was finding myself having fun trying to figure how the hell to crawl up this rolled up car mat and up to this next box that was nearly as high as the crawler itself, while trying not to flip the crawler over like a retarded turtle or rolling off the side onto the floor. Unbelievably, I found the challenge fueling my drive to get up that box kept me going, I wasn't gonna let that damn box get the best of me! The LHS guy was watching me, laughing and smiling at me the whole time, as if he knew something.... After draining two batteries, I finally got up the box and on the RC parts pile and did a little victory pose with the micro crawler and I literally jumped into the air with a "Woooo!* I was so excited and proud of myself! The guy smiled at me and said "Now you know...." I was shocked at how the "challenge" of that damn box beating just forced me keep trying and going until I conquered the damn thing!

Now I want a Losi Micro crawler to play with in the apt this winter and a Night crawler in spring! What the hell has happened to me??!

I'm trying to make a good starter choice about going into rock crawling. I think if I start with the Micro crawler and see how long that keeps me interested over the winter. If don't burn out of it like I did with Nitro, maybe this coming spring i'll go for a Night crawler or RTR Axial.

Suggestions?

Last edited by DarkFrost; 12-13-2009 at 12:04 AM.
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Old 12-12-2009, 11:48 PM   #2
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read,,read,,read get into the threads on here in all the different types of crawlers and see what interests you more,,a scaler or a comp/basher level rig,,a comp or basher rig is generally built to climb anything while a scaler is built to look like its 1:1 counterpart,,,look at the different rigs and what electronics people are running,,tires, wheels, links bodies,,everyhting

welcome to the addiction,,i call it "articulation anxiety"
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Old 12-12-2009, 11:52 PM   #3
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I couldn't care less about scalers and the whole "realism look", so that's not an option for me
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Old 12-13-2009, 01:56 AM   #4
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How about the Losi mini 1/18th crawler. Its a cool little rig, with some real climbing ability. Wont be as good as a 1/10 scale or 1.9 or 2.2, but you will be able to do a lot more with it than the micro. If you decide you like it, and want to get another, you can keep it, or sell it. I would imagine it might be a lot harder to get rid of the micro, and get any good return. I could be wrong, but I would never get something that small, but the 1/18 could have its place in my fleet. So my opinion and $5 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks - I think?
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Old 12-13-2009, 02:00 AM   #5
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go with the 1/18 mrc, you will love it!
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Old 12-13-2009, 07:37 AM   #6
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If you are interested in competing locally , 1/10 or 1/18 are pretty much the options.
Our club (FVRCRC) up here in Kalispell runs 1/10 or 2.2 Class once a month (Indoors even for the winter) and are going to start running the 1/18 or 1.9 class soon.

MTRCRC out of Helena runs 2.2... once every month and a half or so. And I believe is going to start 1.9 as well as Supers.

Here's all the info you will need for Mt Rockcrawling

http://fvrcrc.myfreeforum.org/

And welcome
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Old 12-13-2009, 08:33 AM   #7
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Run away i was bit by the crawler bug like 3 years ago and i have been tuning and running rc trucks ever since not to mention spending alot of money on it and hanging out here all the time ask your self "is it better to have loved then lost or never to have loved at all" this crawling thing is a sick obsession but if u must this forum holds all the magical tips and tricks you will need axial and losi are a good place to look for a starter rig
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Old 12-13-2009, 09:11 AM   #8
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Its a bug and looks like you have caught it. I just got into the crawling maybe a year ago for the raining days I couldn't run my drifter. I picked up the losi mini rock crawler upon reading the reviews on here and like you I was looking for something to run inside.

I was pointed to the mini (the micro was not out). They say it is the perfect size to run inside and indeed it is. While it wont climb the staircase (yet lol) it tries very hard but is a blast to run on the couch, over carboard boxes, duct tape bridges, the dog, etc lol. With a few free mods it is very capable. Its been raining this whole weekend and its nice to have something small enough to run inside but not too small. It also works great outside on the rocks and suprises me everytime still.

Be warned, once you get started it can put a drain on the pocket. Within the last year I have enjoyed it so much that I have upgraded the shocks, lower links, diff lockers, tires to flat irons (than cut the treads), built a custom upper 4 link and at the end of the month will be a brushless. Once you get started its endless.

Now that my drifter is fully upgraded I will be looking into the losi comp or a berg to fix my need to crawl on bigger things come the spring.
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Old 12-13-2009, 09:32 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tommygunzgrafix View Post
Now that my drifter is fully upgraded I will be looking into the losi comp or a berg to fix my need to crawl on bigger things come the spring.
And you think the hobby has a drain on your pocket now!

If your a noob, you should check out this thread:
Adopt a newbie todaayy!!!

Post any questions you have, and I will try to help. Also may look through some of the pages and read up what other noobs have posted, and the answers that were given from all
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Old 12-13-2009, 10:45 AM   #10
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I'm really new and unsure about the whole rock crawling thing still, i've only just played with a micro crawler at my LHS found it surprising fun, but I dunno how long that will last as I tend to get burnt out real quick on something if turns out to be too complicated or I go full throttle into it and then get tired of it and I blew all that money on nothing.

Part of me wants to get a big crawler so I can run with you guys and see what all this is about, but part of me whats to get a micro or mini and not modify it so in the event I decide im not into this, I can sell and get most of my money back. I also live in an apartment which I feel is better suited for the micro vs the mini.

I have a hard time NOT wanting to splurge money into my RC's and make them better and stand out from everyone elses, guess thats the curse of having OCD, I always feel I have to keep doing something rather then just leaving something stock and just enjoying it. I learned that the hard way from my Revo 3.3 two years ago. Spent tons of money in the truck just to impress other people and make my truck stand out but the work and stress of maintaining nitro burnt me out quickly and I lost alot of money in the process, so i'm trying to avoid that again.
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Old 12-13-2009, 01:19 PM   #11
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I live in an apartment as well. Its a town house style but the mini is mainly used just down stairs on the couch and come card board that I set up. Check out my couch crawl with a slightly modded MRC. Took me about 20 or so tries to get a single shot run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV5mnRHrYa0

A well put together 1.9 can do some amazing things. Check out some of the videos on them. Now that mine is modded more I have been about to climb between 55-60 degree angles and can climb up some large rocks. The downfall is there are some things it cannot do that you know a 2.2 will just due to the size. Mainly on larger gaps.

For maintaining, it is so much easier. I have had several nitros. Buggies, trucks, boats, etc and they are a pain. Electric has come a long ways since then and is so much easier than the nitro. With a good brushless and lipo you can easily hit the high speeds if that is the way you want to go. For crawling you can get a really good setup for reasonable cost. I think I get about an hour runtime on mine as it sits and I have 2 batteries so I am not down for very long if at all. No time spent tunning, rebuilding, buying pistons and sleeves. Just charge, plug and go.
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Old 12-13-2009, 01:26 PM   #12
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I too would also go with the mini over the micro. The micro is just too small and you will have more fun with a more capable rig. The mini is actually quite small still and you could easily have fun with it in an apartment. If you get the mini you can also buy the micro bind-n-drive version (everything except for the radio) and use the radio from the mini with it for some coffee table fun!

Good luck and read as much as you can.
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Old 12-14-2009, 11:48 AM   #13
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I may just end up going a local meet and maybe someone will let me drive one, then I can know for sure to prevent wasting money.
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