A little rant, if you will.

[biggman100]

That makes sense, but I generally am referring to actual aftermarket support when I make that statement. An RC may have a hundred available option parts, simply because the engineers were bored, and the RC can still be a pile of crap. But if there is a ton of aftermarket stuff for it, it shows a lot of people like it, and it's probably worth a go. That's just how I look at it all.

That sounds like what HSP designers did when they came up with the aluminum shock mounts. They are actually weaker than the plastic ones.

There is not a single stock kit on this planet that you can bash at a skate park that isnt going to break something at least every second or third trip. I get that youd rather keep replacing broken parts with stock one but you're in the minority here. Most people prefer to rebuild their rigs stronger when they break so they dont break as often.

I run my Hunter quite often at that park, and so far i have, in over a year, only blew a front bearing, and had the screws pull out of the front bumper because the ones i used when i put it back on were the wrong ones and too short. You made me curious though, so i started looking, and noone anywhere makes DHK upgrade parts, probably because there isnt much of a need for them, and stock parts, if you do need them, are super cheap. I just finished setting it up with belted tires (i frankensteined it, and turned it into a pseudo monster truggy, using a mix of Hunter and Raz-R parts, with a JLB Cheetah body), so i can run it in the snow this winter on 3S, just like last year.

 

[Maximum_Quake_Pro.com]

I am with ya there man. I don't have a problem with cheap RC's. But you have to understand people here aren't really trying to say you are a tightwad, or cheap because you are buying off-brand or lower grade RC stuff. It's just hard to be on here giving advice to people and say "yeah, that is going to work great", when it is an unknown.

A lot of us have been in the hobby awhile (1983 was when I bought my first RC), and knowing parts, or brands that work, it's hard not to recommend them. So don't take it the wrong way if someone says something that might be viewed as a slight against you, or your budget. It's just in this hobby, sadly, there has been a long line of stuff come out of China that has not been very good. So pointing it out is just a way of steering someone in a direction of the least problems sometimes. Take what is said with a grain of salt. But I will agree... some here need to be a bit more couteous when it comes to being blunt about off-brand RC's.

I personally have probably $1000 or more worth of cheap Chinese RC's. From WLToys, Feiyue, WPL, HG, and even some name brands I can't ever remember how to spell. Every one of them work, and have for years, except the WPL stuff that is only down because I mod them to the point they aren't any brand name anymore

Oh, love the race stuff man. I used to love going to LRP in Putnamville and watch them run. I even worked in the pits one time helping a buddy on an Outlaw Sprint. Lots of killer action on those small tracks.

got any spares for the yeti looking truck?

 

[biggman100]

got any spares for the yeti looking truck?

What Yeti looking truck?

 

[Out4lox]

I constantly hear comments about me doing things the cheap way, which i admit i do, but, there are valid reasons for it, the first being, RC is not my only, or even my first hobby. My first hobby is 1:1 Race cars, and, anyone who knows anything about dirt cars knows that by the time you build them, there typically isnt much money left for anything. I only got into RC stuff as a way to have something to do in the off season, and, frankly, because of a couple girls i went to school with that raced RC stuff. I dont feel though that, even if i had more in the budget to spend on them, that it is necessary to spend exorbitant amounts of money on something i am just going to beat on in fields, yards, skate parks, and BMX tracks, and typically, i dont feel i should have to justify why i do the things i do, but, after the last couple of days, i feel it is warranted. Over the years, i have had expensive kits from TLR and AE, and spent the money on Castle and Reedy stuff, but, then i found i can spend a lot less and have just as much fun with the cheaper stuff, and, in some cases, much less maintenance, as i did with the more expensive stuff. Perfect example, i have a Losi 22S, and an Arrma Fury, and, honestly, i like my Fury a lot, but, the 22S is much simpler to deal with, since it has things like fixed links, so i dont have to spend time adjusting things. I can just throw a battery in it and go run it. I am also not one to spend a bunch of money to impress anyone, or for bragging right, like i see a lot of people doing. I very rarely ever run my stuff with other people, except for my step-son, who has a custom built Arrma Granite 4X4 police truck. If i can spend less money, and it still works for me, i am perfectly ok with that. This, however, is my real hobby, which i dont skimp on:




View attachment 135477

Honestly, with your actual race cars — the ones you can SIT IN — I believe you are operating in a different galaxy of cost and commitment.

I am with ya there man. I don't have a problem with cheap RC's. But you have to understand people here aren't really trying to say you are a tightwad, or cheap because you are buying off-brand or lower grade RC stuff. It's just hard to be on here giving advice to people and say "yeah, that is going to work great", when it is an unknown.

A lot of us have been in the hobby awhile (1983 was when I bought my first RC), and knowing parts, or brands that work, it's hard not to recommend them. So don't take it the wrong way if someone says something that might be viewed as a slight against you, or your budget. It's just in this hobby, sadly, there has been a long line of stuff come out of China that has not been very good. So pointing it out is just a way of steering someone in a direction of the least problems sometimes. Take what is said with a grain of salt. But I will agree... some here need to be a bit more couteous when it comes to being blunt about off-brand RC's.

I personally have probably $1000 or more worth of cheap Chinese RC's. From WLToys, Feiyue, WPL, HG, and even some name brands I can't ever remember how to spell. Every one of them work, and have for years, except the WPL stuff that is only down because I mod them to the point they aren't any brand name anymore

Oh, love the race stuff man. I used to love going to LRP in Putnamville and watch them run. I even worked in the pits one time helping a buddy on an Outlaw Sprint. Lots of killer action on those small tracks.

Wow Wicked, you took the wind out of MY sails, Lol, I just put down the princely sum of over $270 on an HG F-350 Hi Lift clone. I thought it was likely I was making a shrewd buy. I was thinking this RC was actually perhaps made in the same Chinese factory by the same OEM as the original. Your thoughts? The name of the company is — though probably you know — Guangdong Hengguang. I got the (maybe incorrect) impression they were somewhat of a substantial operation. Imagining they got (maybe maybe) Tamiya’s permission to carry on making these. A licensing deal. But now, I’m just wondering now how Santa is going to deliver it; I have no chimney.

 

[Out4lox]

They all break. We pulled our Arrma Granite out of the box, I set the slipper clutch per a video on the Arrma forum, and ran it through about 3/4 of a pack when it shredded a driveshaft. I managed to fix it and it shredded another driveshaft on the next pack. Same on the 3rd pack, but both rear driveshafts were mangled pretty good by that point.

Horizon warranted them and gave me 4 new ones. Sure enough, next run, smoked a brand new one. Since then, we don't run it in grass because it destroys the axles every time. Bummer. Yet my son has 3 other RC's he runs through grass, dirt, asphault, snow, and they have never once broke. They have cartwheeled on asphalt over and over and keep going. They are Chinese ones that were some of the earliest releases by WLToys and Feiyue. I bought upgraded parts for them as soon as I ordered them. Those upgrades are still in their packages. So not all cheap Chinese stuff is bad. Some of it is better than some big name stuff.

And to be fair - almost everything in this hobby is made in China. Especially anything sold by Horizon, and now it seems Kyosho. I am sure Traxxas is too? I mean look how many people complain about the electronics in Arrma, Traxxas, etc. Our WLToys is still running the stock servo, and it has had at least 50 packs ran through it.

I’m ashamed to say that your stories about shredding drive shafts made me feel better; less alone: that’s the amazing speciality of my Tamiya OG, CR-01 crawler. Every time. Every shaft. Stock or upgrade. But rest assured, I don’t wish this on you or anyone.

 

[biggman100]

Honestly, with your actual race cars — the ones you can SIT IN — I believe you are operating in a different galaxy of cost and commitment.

I just made that commitment even larger, because i convinced my brother we need one of these:

 

[Out4lox]

I just made that commitment even larger, because i convinced my brother we need one of these:
View attachment 161910

I am not knowledgeable about these kind of cars. It’s called a sprint car? I’m curious, what is that, some kind of 302 Ford engine in there, or a small block Chevy? Does it make more than a few hundred horsepower? It must be quite fast. I can’t see that it would weigh very much. I’m not nosy, but I have to imagine that is a very expensive hobby, if you can even really call it a hobby at all. More like a vocation?

 

[WickedFog]

I am not knowledgeable about these kind of cars. It’s called a sprint car? I’m curious, what is that, some kind of 302 Ford engine in there, or a small block Chevy? Does it make more than a few hundred horsepower? It must be quite fast. I can’t see that it would weigh very much. I’m not nosy, but I have to imagine that is a very expensive hobby, if you can even really call it a hobby at all. More like a vocation?

Yeah, that's a sprint car. The Outlaw sprint cars actually have more power than a NASCAR. My friend drove one, and I think he said it was around 900hp. NASCAR is around 750hp. Imagine all that power in an overgrown go-cart lol. People that drive them have big ️

 

[biggman100]

I am not knowledgeable about these kind of cars. It’s called a sprint car? I’m curious, what is that, some kind of 302 Ford engine in there, or a small block Chevy? Does it make more than a few hundred horsepower? It must be quite fast. I can’t see that it would weigh very much. I’m not nosy, but I have to imagine that is a very expensive hobby, if you can even really call it a hobby at all. More like a vocation?

Yes, its a sprint car. The ones we run are called winged sprint cars, or, winged demons, because, this is what they actually look like when they are ready:

The engines run on methanol. and are anywhere from 360-410 cubic inches, and, can easily hit the 900+HP mark. The 410 is the most popular engine choice. The cars are light, and fast enough to pull wheelies coming out of the corner. The downside to a light car with that much HP is that they crash hard most of the time. As for expensive, It's all relative. To build even a hobby or street stock without sponsor help can easily pass the $20,000 mark, and a 410 sprint can be more than $75,000. The car in the pic was over $100,000. Racing is a hobby, but, it's one where, you really have to love it to do it, and being a bit insane helps at times. Heres a couple videos of one of my all time favorite sprint drivers (Steve Kinser):

The second video was from the old Syracuse mile, and is of the race that took place during Syracuse dirt week, a week long event that features some of the best name in dirt track racing. Syracuse is just under 2 hours from me, and, even though the track isnt at the N.Y.S fairgrounds anymore, they still run dirt week just up the road from the fairgrounds, and, that event is the biggest reason, to me, for building a sprint car.

 

[Doom!]

In the early 70's my dad was on a pit crew for one of the dirt track stock cars. We went to the races every Saturday night and watched the sprints and stocks. Those things can sure tumble.

 

[ahr43]

Crewed a sprinter back in the '70s. B-feature dirt track car. 327 cu in hilborn injected small block chev. Car ran the Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas bull rings. Best education an aspiring race car mechanic can get.

Go get 'em, biggman. . .

 

[WickedFog]

Yes, its a sprint car. The ones we run are called winged sprint cars, or, winged demons, because, this is what they actually look like when they are ready:

View attachment 161943
The engines run on methanol. and are anywhere from 360-410 cubic inches, and, can easily hit the 900+HP mark. The 410 is the most popular engine choice. The cars are light, and fast enough to pull wheelies coming out of the corner. The downside to a light car with that much HP is that they crash hard most of the time. As for expensive, It's all relative. To build even a hobby or street stock without sponsor help can easily pass the $20,000 mark, and a 410 sprint can be more than $75,000. The car in the pic was over $100,000. Racing is a hobby, but, it's one where, you really have to love it to do it, and being a bit insane helps at times. Heres a couple videos of one of my all time favorite sprint drivers (Steve Kinser):

The second video was from the old Syracuse mile, and is of the race that took place during Syracuse dirt week, a week long event that features some of the best name in dirt track racing. Syracuse is just under 2 hours from me, and, even though the track isnt at the N.Y.S fairgrounds anymore, they still run dirt week just up the road from the fairgrounds, and, that event is the biggest reason, to me, for building a sprint car.

Have seen the Kinser boys race many times at the Terre Haute Action Track. It kinda sucked though, because if Steve was out there, you kinda knew how the end of the race was gonna go. He was a god out there amoungst mortal men.

 

[biggman100]

In the early 70's my dad was on a pit crew for one of the dirt track stock cars. We went to the races every Saturday night and watched the sprints and stocks. Those things can sure tumble.

I got my automotive start in the late seventies at around 6 getting tools for my dad who, at the time, owned a shop that built every type of dirt car you can think of. The first car I pulled an engine from by myself, I was 12, and it was a small block modified.

 

[Out4lox]

Yeah, that's a sprint car. The Outlaw sprint cars actually have more power than a NASCAR. My friend drove one, and I think he said it was around 900hp. NASCAR is around 750hp. Imagine all that power in an overgrown go-cart lol. People that drive them have big ️

Yeah, that's a sprint car. The Outlaw sprint cars actually have more power than a NASCAR. My friend drove one, and I think he said it was around 900hp. NASCAR is around 750hp. Imagine all that power in an overgrown go-cart lol. People that drive them have

I got my automotive start in the late seventies at around 6 getting tools for my dad who, at the time, owned a shop that built every type of dirt car you can think of. The first car I pulled an engine from by myself, I was 12, and it was a small block modified.

Yeah, that's a sprint car. The Outlaw sprint cars actually have more power than a NASCAR. My friend drove one, and I think he said it was around 900hp. NASCAR is around 750hp. Imagine all that power in an overgrown go-cart lol. People that drive them have big ️

Holy mackerel. That must give a very favorable power to weight ratio! Respectfully, given the cost, this kind of thing sounds like something where a regular guy, not really rich, would require some sponsorship. It’s a little different from picking up a Traxxas sledge at your LHS, and screwing on an upgraded chassis. Or screwing some Integy upgrades onto your sprint 2 flux. Lol. The closest I ever got to anything like that was a bug stinger go kart with a McCulloch engine back in the 60s,
- early 70s, when I was a kid. I wasn’t very fast though, sad to say.

 

[WickedFog]

Holy mackerel. That must give a very favorable power to weight ratio! Respectfully, given the cost, this kind of thing sounds like something where a regular guy, not really rich, would require some sponsorship. It’s a little different from picking up a Traxxas sledge at your LHS, and screwing on an upgraded chassis. Or screwing some Integy upgrades onto your sprint 2 flux. Lol. The closest I ever got to anything like that was a bug stinger go kart with a McCulloch engine back in the 60s,
- early 70s, when I was a kid. I wasn’t very fast though, sad to say.

My friend that got into Outlaw Sprints spent $60k just to get a car and some parts when he started. His 3rd race, he got scared and blew the engine (his dad said on purpose), which messed up a cylinder or two, messed up one of his heads, and ended up dropping another $12k just getting it running again.

 

[ahr43]

My friend that got into Outlaw Sprints spent $60k just to get a car and some parts when he started. His 3rd race, he got scared and blew the engine (his dad said on purpose), which messed up a cylinder or two, messed up one of his heads, and ended up dropping another $12k just getting it running again.

Took him 3 races to get scared? Only took me one. And heck I was just warming up the oil in the prelims for our driver's qual run.

Went back to wrenching full time after that. Only time I ever drove a sprinter again was after repairing the steering box/rack once. Driver would not get into the car until I proved to him steering was A.O.K. Only way to do that was by hot-lapping it. Yikes I was scared.

Be careful biggman. Sprinters bite and bite hard. Not like crashing an RC. You're in this one. 'AC'

 

[WickedFog]

Took him 3 races to get scared? Only took me one. And heck I was just warming up the oil in the prelims for our driver's qual run.

Went back to wrenching full time after that. Only time I ever drove a sprinter again was after repairing the steering box/rack once. Driver would not get into the car until I proved to him steering was A.O.K. Only way to do that was by hot-lapping it. Yikes I was scared.

Be careful biggman. Sprinters bite and bite hard. Not like crashing an RC. You're in this one. 'AC'

Well, the first two races, he gunned it for a blip coming into the straight, and pretty much coasted through the corners. His dad called him yellow. He went back out and blew the engine lol.

 

[ahr43]

Well, the first two races, he gunned it for a blip coming into the straight, and pretty much coasted through the corners. His dad called him yellow. He went back out and blew the engine lol.

"Here Dad, you drive this bear", comes to mind.

Reminds me of a driver we'd hire on occasion. "Gear me low, the groove is inside and tight". Yeah, for quals and heats. Come feature time, he'd be rim riding in the marbles. The over-rev that came with that usually drove the pushrods through the rocker arms and out the top of the valve covers. He'd coast into the pits mid-feature saying, "junk car". Got so I'd keep a half-dozen or so cheap stamped steel valve covers specially for him instead of the expensive aluminums we usually ran. Swap 'em out when he got in the seat. Like we ran a B-feature car and couldn't afford all the high dollar valve train stuff. B-feature car was a money maker. A-feature car was a money pit. Yeah we tried running with the big dogs once. Didn't have deep enough pockets. Good years those were.

Biggie, you're gonna get a lot of great experiences to write home about. 'AC'

 

[WickedFog]

"Here Dad, you drive this bear", comes to mind.

Reminds me of a driver we'd hire on occasion. "Gear me low, the groove is inside and tight". Yeah, for quals and heats. Come feature time, he'd be rim riding in the marbles. The over-rev that came with that usually drove the pushrods through the rocker arms and out the top of the valve covers. He'd coast into the pits mid-feature saying, "junk car". Got so I'd keep a half-dozen or so cheap stamped steel valve covers specially for him instead of the expensive aluminums we usually ran. Swap 'em out when he got in the seat. Like we ran a B-feature car and couldn't afford all the high dollar valve train stuff. B-feature car was a money maker. A-feature car was a money pit. Yeah we tried running with the big dogs once. Didn't have deep enough pockets. Good years those were.

Biggie, you're gonna get a lot of great experiences to write home about. 'AC'

I wish I had gotten the chance to run em once. I was a pretty fearless driver in my day, taking corners way faster than I should, and sideways. I bought a brand new Camaro in '89. I was 18 years old. On the way home after picking it up I had it sideways around a circular offramp, pedal to the floor lol. The first time I saw sprints run I wanted in one of those cars pretty bad.

 

[Out4lox]

My friend that got into Outlaw Sprints spent $60k just to get a car and some parts when he started. His 3rd race, he got scared and blew the engine (his dad said on purpose), which messed up a cylinder or two, messed up one of his heads, and ended up dropping another $12k just getting it running again.

And the additional $12k is just for starters I’m sure. That’s not a poor man’s avocation. It doesn’t sound like it’s for a regular guy with a good job. It sounds to me like you need an extra $10 grand a month floating around. Pretty hard to do if you don’t make lots more than that, all in. Lol.