Can the Hustler conquer anything a Stick can?

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by rockbuggy

ohhhh nooo. there is ALOT more to play with than just elctronics. You really have to play with the 4link geometry and the length of the rig. Since the rigs are so long you have alot of axle steer and that's the biggest pain trying to figure how to get rid of axle steer.

I would say the hottest set up is a 6 channel radio with (this is a must) channel mixxing and dual ESCs.

Unless you start cutting the 4 link lengths down, and drilling new holes in the chassis so you can mount the links in different locations, you are pretty much stuck to one link geometery type, and that leaves shock tuning left.

Electronics are no big deal. You do that with every Clod based crawler. And yes, I agree, independant throttle control and steering is a huge advantage in some instances, but not exactly necessary. I run a dual ESC set up with mix that lets me bias the front and rear wheel speed/power. One stick controls both ESC together, and the other stick handles the bias front to rear. If no throttle for both ESCs in applied, if I move the stick that controls the biasing, the axles spin opposite directions.

[rockbuggy]

[QUOTE= you are pretty much stuck to one link geometery type, and that leaves shock tuning left.
[/QUOTE]

Sounds like you haven't practiced spacing in or out your links. That's where the major adjustment is.


Espeefan, if you want a good crawler out of the box buy a Stick. If you want a crawler that you have to dial in and it will be better than a Stick than go with a Hustler.

In the end it all just matters how well you can drive. There are SO many controll that you can make the crawler do weird things and it's really easy to screw up. I often compare driving a 4 channel super in the rock just as hard as flying a 6 channel helicopter.

[Espeefan]

I started flying helis last summer. I'm pretty used to working 2 sticks to get a model to do what I want. It takes more thought, but you adapt quickly.

I'm not buying a stick anytime soon. I already have the Hustler. I haven't done any rock crawling with it yet, but adjustability beyond shock tuning seems limited. You mention spacing the links in or out. Do you mean more or less triangulation? At the axle or at the tube chassis? Both?

[rockbuggy]

yes, triangulation is what you'll have to play with. If you leave it all at the stock mounting locations the hustler will have a very hard time going up steep inclines because is has so much axle steer that the front end will walk around every where.

[clarkrw3]

You got pictures???

[Espeefan]

I'll second that. I'm kind of curious to actually see how you've tweaked your's.

[rockbuggy]

I would send you pics but then i would be showing you my top secret link set up that took me over a year to set up. hehe. The biggest hint i can give you is to play around with the triangulation on the lower links and bring them in using spacers.

[clarkrw3]

Originally Posted by rockbuggy

I would send you pics but then i would be showing you my top secret link set up that took me over a year to set up. hehe. The biggest hint i can give you is to play around with the triangulation on the lower links and bring them in using spacers.

That's what I was thinking you were hinting at....




One of the things that was so great about Crawling and RCC in the past is how helpful everyone was and how people liked to share what they found out. It's funny how now that crawling is getting more main stream and RCC is growing soooo much it's getting more and more like the race scene.

but thanks for your hints

[Rockpiledriver]

Originally Posted by rockbuggy

yes, triangulation is what you'll have to play with. If you leave it all at the stock mounting locations the hustler will have a very hard time going up steep inclines because is has so much axle steer that the front end will walk around every where.

Completely false statement. If you had axle steer you set it up wrong.

[CreepyCrawl]

X2...I've been running my Hustler for almost 3 years and I've never had any axle steer. I'd suggest tearing down and start the build clean again.

In my humble opinion the Hustler an extremely predictable and capable chassis design. It goes where I point it and it amazes me with the lines that it will pull.

Very stable in off camber situations, which is personaly one of my favorite crawling challenges and I've never had an issue with steep inclines. It will dance a bit when it's almost verticle, but any crawler is going to do that regardless, even if you employ dig. The front wheels can dance around just as much depending on what you're trying to ascend. That boils down to throttle control more than anything.

Don't get frustrated, sit back and examine your set up, and make any needed adjustments, it will pay off on the rocks