Out with Gas, in with Electric and a Yeti XL Kit

[Deckard]

I can relate to this thread. The Yeti Xl is my second RC since returning the hobby from a 30+ year hiatus. I got back into it because the cars they sell at Target/Walmart are not fun. I was tired of seeing my son struggle with crappy cars that just go in the trash when they break. Hobby grade RC are fast, can be insanely fast, and they break (my Big Wig was on the bench more than on it's wheels until I reinforced the bumper and chassis with aluminum). Part availability is spectacular now. If LHS doesn't have it, you can get it in a few days. Thanks internets!

So, my first "modern" RC was a Rustler VXL that I modded and chopped into a pretty nice machine. I can shed parts from it to keep my son up and running. He's learned a lot since he first started driving. He listens to me (for now) and has proven himself enough that I upgraded his Rustler to brushless.

Now the problem is that his Rustler can't handle the terrain the YXL glides over. Plus, he absolutely loves my Yeti XL and he I can tell he really wants his own.

Even though I love this beast and absolutely love driving it and wrenching it. I don't want my son to have one. I can't support 2 Yetis in my house hold. I can't imagine having to support 2 of these things. Every time I get the lipo cutoff, I want to throw a party to celebrate. Every rollover, hard landing, etc. I run over to it like it's a new born that just fell out of a 2nd story window.

Now that I have some key parts hardened/upgraded and that I understand how to drive it, it may not be as bad as I fear if he had his own.

I was thinking of posting in this forum looking for suggestions on what to get my son instead of a YXL. Something that can cover the same terrain, but requires little wrenching. I'm trying to find a used Summit for him but can't find a roller in my price range. Soon I may have enough parts to build him a Yeti XL though.

BTW, the writing on the driveshaft is a bit odd. It's completely worth the money though. It's a solid product. I can't believe Axial put plastic there.

 

[Motorider]

No worries, it is not legible while moving.... Oh wait, this thing rarely moves under its own power.... Hahahaha

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[BarHarborBasher]

It's a mixed bag for me Motorider - I'm pissed that the rear shaft has deformed within 15 mins and I can't totally enjoy running because in my mind it's when is a wheel gonna bounce off or the diffs click. Parts here are scarce and pricey compared to the US. With these problems the kit should be £100 cheaper to compensate - or Axial should grow a pair of balls and back their design. It's one thing to replace parts but it's another to admit and rectify inherent design flaws AND see your supporters right. Upgrading should be optional not a requirement out of the box.

On the other side today I really enjoyed it. I was not expecting how glued to the road it was on full trigger. Phone charge died so only have a few secs of warm up vid but I had people walking past asking q's and one standing around just to see it go. It felt really different and less stable in terms of body movement but glued at speed at the same time - a crazy style and one that I found really cool. But now it's which way to go - start upgrading manufactured items which I've paid for already that have failed and start what may become a money pit or go XXL2-E, which going by rep of the platform is a whole lot tougher. I mean, I ran the XL in straight lines on tarmac, the frikkin' liquorice strikes again.

I've got a used brushless XXL from Ebay due tomorrow and I've ordered a lot of red shiny Losi parts from the US. If I can pull off a decent XXL2-E version and see how it compares, I think that'll be decision time on whether to sack the XL or keep and invest in it. I hope I do. It's a new platform that deserves support but Axial needs to understand we're paying customers and not giniuea pigs. I remember Mond had a rear shaft problem out of the box - so I checked mine before running and it was definitely straight. This is what has me pee'd off. Personally, and this is just me, I think Axial knows they're f'ing XL owners over and have not acknowledged it or are taking steps to rectify it.

An example of one which does stand by it's product - HPI.

I bought a Savage Flux on release. Diffs were being chewed up so HPI acknowledged it. Put together bullet proof diffs and got them at no charge to their customers. What have Axial done? F'all!

I can really empathise with the owners who have got immediately pissed and sold up.

Ok, rant over.

First upgrade is a must. I'm looking at the GPM metal shaft but it got this italic writing on it? That's like a cage fighter secretly wearing French lingerie under his shorts - WTF!

Well said !! It's super discouraging friend ... I contacted them back in January about the HD gear issue , published a thread / video, vigorous testing on my own dollar to reinsure it was the proper modifications were done...contacted Vanquish,GPM & Dhawk (V2 Bulkhead) to notify them of the implications then 2 months later they started issuing the HD helical beveled gears in the RTR & KITs despite my actions in trying to save their reputation as a Badass company ........ So I was told R&D found NO issues with the factory speck and I must be imagining things.........So meanwhile I spent 100$ for a "Vendors" member RCC so I could offer ( FREEEE ) services ... I've done aprox 125 mods ....most were full sets so that's more like 200 pinions...
I've came up with 5 AXIAL concepts that are getting some awesome reactions from professional sources "thumbsup" But I KNOW AXIAL will never acknowledge my commitment to THEM... I just like the XL's design .....