Slow RC truck (AKA Crawler) for very young children - recommendations please

[jonUF02]

Hi all. I'm pretty big into everything RC, but as Ricky Bobby says "I just wanna go fast!" I've had mostly 1/8 or 1/10 fast RCs in Nitro and Electric. I'm an Arrma fan right now, and had quite a few Traxxas models before, some old buggies, a few on-road, but anyway.... I bought a crawler once, and Axial SCX 10 deadbolt. I took it out of the box, put a battery in it, ran a few circles around my yard and immediately said it's not my thing. Put it back in the box and sold it down the road. It's just too slow! I was tipping it over just turning circles on grass going about 10 mph max. Not very fun to me coming from 60+ mph beasts.



Now I have a little girl who is 3.5 yrs old, and I think it's time to teach her how to RC so we can do it together. I think a "crawler" is the appropriate hobby level RC to get started. It does what it says, goes quite slow. I figure it can't hurt anyone, like the neighbor kids that will probably want a turn too.



Choices?


I was not at all impressed by the Axial SCX 10 Deadbolt I bought. Very very full of flimsy plastic. I see the Gen8 is kind of popular and seems to be a better build, and not too pricey. I guess these things don't need to be very tough, since they go very slow, but I want something that has some quality feel to it and has replacement parts available when necessary. I don't want to go all out, I even considered buying the cheap ass Force RC truck from Tower. I just want something that is hobby grade, and that I can buy another body to paint it pink and purple, because all girls really care about is what color it is. (this continues as adults mostly). Right now, I'm considering buying a Gen8 "slider" on Ebay for $150, then buy some Proline body, pretty much whatever is cheapest, and paint it pink and purple. I would need some tires and wheels, maybe something pink is out there? or white seems pretty well available. I need to know what size, but I'll figure that one out. I have a spare servo and radio lying around that will work. The only other thing I would need is ESC and motor. I found the Hobbywing WP1080 ESC which seems like a good deal, and someone on a recent thread suggested the Holmes Hobby 21T motor. My other thoughts were to just purchase a set taken out of a stock Gen8 or Axial or whatever, or even to just buy some $25 GoolRC set from Amazon because it's just for a 3-4yr old anyway.



Thoughts? I don't really want to purchase a full RTR kit because I won't use the stock body, don't need the radio and servo, just seems silly to buy the whole kit for $300 plus. I'd also be open to some full trucks or slider/rollers for sale without those parts.



Thanks!

[Voodoobrew]

Trx4 sport, set esc to training. Tough and slow.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[MaxxRPM]

Do you know what a crawler is and its intended use?
………...Anyway, a TRX-4 Sport is very tough and if you ever crawl it you'll find it very capable.

[high plains drifter]

I'd make sure that the transmitter is suited for little hands. That's going to have a lot to do with her ability to control the vehicle and potentially, her enthusiasm.

[AK KRAWLER]

I bought my son an Axial SCX10 Deadbolt when he was 6, he is now 11.
The only things I’ve replaced are when I upgraded the suspension and steering links to aluminum ones.
I knew he would be driving it in cold weather and figured the plastic ones wouldn’t last too long.

So far, he still enjoys it. Currently, I’m waiting for my new RedCat Gen8 AXE Edition to show up, then he and I can crawl together. From what I have noticed with my son, if I’m into it, he’s into it.

Also look into the Gmade GS02 Komodo Double Cab TS 1/10 Trail Crawler Kit GMA57004. I just read a thread on it and watched some videos. Looks like a solid rig. It also has a 2 speed transmission for a little higher speed when she’s ready.

Fun video, till the end...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EBdm9dUHWCc

Honestly, I think and of the bigger manufacturers will have a decent product for you. Axial, Traxxas, RedCat and GMADE. (No specific order)

Have a blast my friend.

[Ddub]

How about an Arrma Granite. $80 RTR and you could always put a much slower motor (55t, 85t?) in for about $10-20. I doubt it has dual rate or EPA for throttle, but if it does just use that. Paint the outside of the body pink (yeah, outside. She's 3) and have her help you put stickers on it. Alternatively, anything that she can put a figure into. If you are handy, maybe find a new bright pink jeep body and get that on. That way she can use it to shuttle her figures (dolls) wherever she wants. Mostly she is going to want to do things with Dad and use her imagination mostly likely. Anything else is gravy.

Really, at her age, maybe a Jada Toys GIRLMAZING pink or purple jeep from Walmart and a fun 1/16 scale for you to play along side her. Some 1/16 figures that you can both play with and its a winner.

source: Dad of two and uncle to many including a 3 yo girl

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Voodoobrew

Trx4 sport, set esc to training. Tough and slow.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I agree with this answer.

The Traxxas ESC's have modes built into them for beginners.

[Mudsplat79]

Redcat Everest 10

[jonUF02]

Traxxas TRX4 seems overpriced compared to other popular models. I just saw the kit version with clear body, but still seems high without electronics when I can buy a complete Gen 8 for $20 more. Wish I would have grabbed the Ascender for $200. I think I can build the Gen8 slider for cheaper than the base TRX4 builder kit after the parts I need.

I have considered the Granite 4x4 brushed, but still thought it was too fast. Maybe tune it down. I think she will like a more scale looking truck vs. the Granite.

Not into the low end Axial for reasons originally stated, feels too flimsy, the Gen8 looks more stout.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by jonUF02

Traxxas TRX4 seems overpriced compared to other popular models. I just saw the kit version with clear body, but still seems high without electronics when I can buy a complete Gen 8 for $20 more. Wish I would have grabbed the Ascender for $200. I think I can build the Gen8 slider for cheaper than the base TRX4 builder kit after the parts I need.

I have considered the Granite 4x4 brushed, but still thought it was too fast. Maybe tune it down. I think she will like a more scale looking truck vs. the Granite.

Not into the low end Axial for reasons originally stated, feels too flimsy, the Gen8 looks more stout.

The Gen8 isn't in the same league as the TRX-4. The TRX-4 is very high quality and it has a great design. The Gen8 has both design flaws and durability issues. That's why the new Gen8 AXE edition is getting upgrades.

[Thorsteenster]

I'd go for a Slash, reasonably priced, durable, parts plentiful and they used to, and probably still do, have a novice mode on the ESC.
Plus they're fun for the whole family!

[Jim85IROC]

I'd recommend something besides a crawler. I started both of my kids at around the same age as your kids, but I started them with 2wd ECX trucks. Kids want to go fast just like you do, and no matter what you get them, they're going to hold it at WOT all the time. Both of my kids did great with the ECX trucks, and they liked that it was just like Dad's. We were able to use them together, on the same terrain, and that made it more fun for them. I didn't get my kids into crawling until they were older, but just like with the high speed vehicles, they enjoyed it because we did it together, each with our own vehicles.

Recently my daughter (who's 7 now), who prefers the slower crawlers to the faster bashers, still managed to destroy her truck as soon as she used it alone. Take Dad out of the picture, and it's WOT into every obstacle she could find, and she managed to destroy both front axles. She definitely should have been using her basher and not a crawler.

[durok]

I agree, the ECX Amp, Brutus, Axe, or Ruckus would be tons of fun and hold up well to kids usage...

The new Amp is even pretty good looking next to a crawler:

[jonUF02]

I'm really not interested in anything 2WD, they're pretty much useless in the tall grass we have everywhere in FL.



Not interested in toy grade stuff that has no replacement parts.



I know it will be 100% WOT, that's why I figure crawler type truck intended to go slow. I think my fall-back would be the Granite 4x4 brushed with power limited or motor downgrade.



I'm reading lots of good things about TRX4, but maybe too overkill for the intentions. I like the builder kit with clear body, but looking at nearly $350 just to get it going with ESC and Motor that I will need. I'd hate to buy a complete RTR truck just to pay another $50 for a body that can be custom painted, I'd rather choose my electronics and use stuff I already have.



Is there really a down side to the Gen8 chassis with the WP1080 ESC and some brushed motor in this use case? I keep coming back to this as the cheapest route to a decent truck. I could come in under $300 including a custom body and wheels/tires. I guess it's only maybe $50 difference from the TRX4 sport kit +ESC/motor. I'll have to price it all out.

[Jim85IROC]

2wd monster trucks will do just fine in grass. My back yard is thick, tall grass, and that's where we spend most of our time running our 2WD trucks.

I agree that toy grade stuff is a waste of time. The ECX and Arrma trucks are 100% hobby grade with excellent parts support, and don't cost much more than toy grade stuff.

The thing about crawlers, is that when you drive them like bashers, they break. A lot. Unless, of course, they're so slow that they can't hurt themselves, but in those cases, most kids lose interest almost instantly.

My daughter trashed her crawler in one battery pack the first time she used it without me. With me, she crawled it as intended and it was fine. The first time I turned my back, it became a basher. My daughter has yet to break anything on her ECX Amp. My son's ECX has a 3100kv brushless setup that does 30mph and wheelie's on demand. He's smacked that truck into everything in sight over and over and still hasn't broken it. Every time he drives one of my crawlers, he breaks something.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by jonUF02

I'm really not interested in anything 2WD, they're pretty much useless in the tall grass we have everywhere in FL.

Not interested in toy grade stuff that has no replacement parts.

I know it will be 100% WOT, that's why I figure crawler type truck intended to go slow. I think my fall-back would be the Granite 4x4 brushed with power limited or motor downgrade.

I'm reading lots of good things about TRX4, but maybe too overkill for the intentions. I like the builder kit with clear body, but looking at nearly $350 just to get it going with ESC and Motor that I will need. I'd hate to buy a complete RTR truck just to pay another $50 for a body that can be custom painted, I'd rather choose my electronics and use stuff I already have.

Is there really a down side to the Gen8 chassis with the WP1080 ESC and some brushed motor in this use case? I keep coming back to this as the cheapest route to a decent truck. I could come in under $300 including a custom body and wheels/tires. I guess it's only maybe $50 difference from the TRX4 sport kit +ESC/motor. I'll have to price it all out.

Depending on how tall we are talking about, a 2WD Stampede will do just fine on grass and similar sized trucks would as well.

The brushed Granite Mega is known for having overheating issues with the motor. Not good for a child that's going to run wide open all the time especially in tall grass that can overheat any RC. I found this out in my extensive search on the Arrma Granite 4x4 Mega trucks. I decided to go with the Traxxas Stampede 4x4 for my nephew instead.


$50 is nothing in RC. I'd suggest getting the TRX-4 which is a better and much more durable truck. As I stated, the Gen8 has weak spots and a child basher would definitely find them. The $50 that you'd save initially with the Gen8 would easily be eaten up by buying replacement parts if your child did enough damage.

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

The thing about crawlers, is that when you drive them like bashers, they break. A lot. Unless, of course, they're so slow that they can't hurt themselves, but in those cases, most kids lose interest almost instantly.

In a lot of cases this is true, but not so with the TRX-4. It's built much tougher than the rest. Have you seen what people are doing to them on YouTube and the TRX-4 is eating it up?! It would do just fine bashing it with the stock electronics.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Depending on how tall we are talking about, a 2WD Stampede will do just fine on grass and similar sized trucks would as well.

The brushed Granite Mega is known for having overheating issues with the motor. Not good for a child that's going to run wide open all the time especially in tall grass that can overheat any RC. I found this out in my extensive search on the Arrma Granite 4x4 Mega trucks. I decided to go with the Traxxas Stampede 4x4 for my nephew instead.

This is a common problem with a lot of entry level brushed monster trucks. The ECX trucks are plagued by this too. Fortunately, it's only a pinion swap away from running cool, at least with the ECX. I'm not as familiar with the Arrma, but I would imagine that dropping the pinion will get you where you need to be also.

$50 is nothing in RC. I'd suggest getting the TRX-4 which is a better and much more durable truck. As I stated, the Gen8 has weak spots and a child basher would definitely find them. The $50 that you'd save initially with the Gen8 would easily be eaten up by buying replacement parts if your child did enough damage.




In a lot of cases this is true, but not so with the TRX-4. It's built much tougher than the rest. Have you seen what people are doing to them on YouTube and the TRX-4 is eating it up?! It would do just fine bashing it with the stock electronics.

I was aware that they broke less than other crawlers, but since portal damage isn't unheard of, I didn't figure that the trucks were that bullet proof for bashing. Good to know!

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

I was aware that they broke less than other crawlers, but since portal damage isn't unheard of, I didn't figure that the trucks were that bullet proof for bashing. Good to know!

Nothing is bulletproof!

There's somebody on YouTube throwing 6S at a TRX-4 and absolutely sending it. It's pretty amazing what it can withstand.

Here's the video of TRX-4 with a 3800kv motor on 6S getting bashed and beaten silly at a skate park. Tell me this video isn't impressive!

https://youtu.be/hkcM5PiGK9s

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