Any opinions on the DHK Maximus?

[ausher]

Looks to be a solid truck. Don't know about the electronics tho. I'm just looking for a brushless monster truck for around $500 for my boys to play with.

https://www.gearbest.com/rc-cars/pp_697450.html

 

[NHB_RC]

Here's a buddy of mine running his Zombie, he beat on it pretty good and has been since he got it.. Might help in showing the durability..

 

[MailManX]

DHK Maximus Poor Electronics

I realize that this post is about a year old, but it comes up during searches for the DHK Maximus, so I want to provide my feedback as an experienced owner. I have had my Maximus for 5 months and it's been interesting.

If anyone asks me these days whether I'd recommend the DHK Maximus, I say no. There are three reasons for that:

1. The stock electronics tend to fail, so you have to factor in the cost of a new motor and ESC

2. Aftermarket support does not exist – all replacement parts must be purchased from a dealer

3. The motor mount is non-standard and very hard to work with when replacing a motor

During the first 2 months, I took my Maximus back to the store 5 times to have the motor and ESC replaced. To their credit, they honored the warranty every time. However, I finally got tired of going back to the store, so I installed my own electronics.

That's when I discovered that, due to a rather unusual non-standard motor mount, it will only take a 36mm diameter motor. That is typically the size used on a 1/10 scale truck. However, Leopard makes a 3674 motor and Castle makes a 3670 motor. Both are excellent. I used a Leopard 3674-1900Kv motor. I replaced the miserable stock 80a ESC with a 120a ESC from Hobbywing. That is a winning combination that has been trouble-free since installation.

On a positive side, the truck is fast, stable and pretty durable after you upgrade the electronics. I bent a rear shock tower, but it was easy to bend back and has not bent since then. I also broke the rear bumper at the lower mounting point, but replaced it with one made by T-Bone Racing for the DHK Optimus.

As long as you are pretty handy and don’t mind the cost of replacing some electronic parts right away, you will end up with a very nice truck. However, that's a tough compromise. It's not a truck for newbies, nor is it a good value for someone with tight purse strings. I have spent as much on it as I have some of my more prestigious and expensive trucks. At least now I can truly say that I like it as much as those.

 

[MailManX]

It is now 2018 and I am updating my report on the DHK Maximus. I now highly recommend the Maximus. This also applies to the Zombie and the Optimus. The fact that DHK is still in business 4-years later after having so many negative reports on their electronics is rather amazing. How can that be? It's because they actually listened to their customers and made positive changes to correct the problem. I am not familiar with their 1/10 scale line, but all of their 1/8 scale rigs now come with Hobbywing ESC's and better motors. There are no more reports of failed electronics. Since the chassis and drivetrain were already really durable, adding reliable electronics has made the Maximus, Zombie and Optimus excellent trucks, especially for the money compared to something like a Traxxas or an Axial or even an Arrma. If you catch it on a flash sale, it can be as low as $299 (previously seen on Gearbest for that price). For that price, it comes RTR with everything needed, including Lipo batteries and it's brushless! The Maximus can be run pretty hard right out of the box without having to dump money into it like some other brands. Another positive point is that DHK has improved their parts support. It is now pretty easy to find DHK parts on numerous websites. BRAVO DHK!

 

[WoodiE]

@MailManX Sounds like the electronics issues have been resolved, but how are parts availability for the DHK Maximus? Is your only source GearBest?

 

[MailManX]

@MailManX How are parts availability for the DHK Maximus? Is your only source GearBest?

The availability of DHK parts has gotten much better in the past 4 years. Here are some of them in addition to Gearbest:

ONLINE
www.RCHobbyExplosion.com (USA - Texas)
www.HobbyRecreationProducts.com (USA - Utah)
www.Banggood.com (China)
www.AsiaTees.com (China)
www.MonkeyHobby.com (China)
www.AussieHobbies.com.au (Australia)
www.AllThingsRC.com.au (Australia)
www.HHQ.com.au (Australia) HHQ = Hobby Headquarters

EBAY STORES
ColdBeerHobbies (USA)
KTStoreGroup (China)
Kanzezol (China)
HTDirectComAu (Australia)
Itawol_0 (Israel)

RETAIL
Ripmax Dealers throughout Europe

 

[WoodiE]

Here are some of them in addition to Gearbest

That's not to shabby of a list.

 

[olds97_lss]

Is there any aftermarket support for DHK?

Just curious... as I wait for Arrma parts/trucks to start coming out again so I can get an outcast...

 

[MailManX]

Is there any aftermarket support for DHK?

Just curious... as I wait for Arrma parts/trucks to start coming out again so I can get an outcast...

There is not. However, many people are not aware that DHK offers some of their own aluminum upgrades. I don't recommend most of them (I've tried ALL of them) because the aluminum is too soft. However, there is one aluminum upgrade that I do highly recommend, and that is the aluminum differential case. Here is the link to the RCHobbyExplosion listing for them. They are more compact and much stronger than the plastic housings. The plastic ones will change shape under high power and heat which leads to blown diffs. The aluminum housing does not do that. Take pains to shim correctly when building one of these and the differential will be SO much stronger!

Actually, there is one aftermarket part made that I highly recommend: T-Bone Racing makes front and rear bumpers for the Optimus. Since the Optimus, Maximus and Zombie all share the same chassis mount points for the suspensions, I put those bumpers onto my Maximus. The trick is to leave the original DHK bumpers on the truck, then add the T-bone bumpers over them. The shape of the front bumper doesn't perfectly conform to the underside of the chassis where the chassis meets the existing bumper. However, it flattened out once I screwed it in using slightly longer screws. Here is a link to a write-up that I did with pics. Ignore the first half because it was showing how to pull some broken screws out of the rear mount.

Here are three simple FREE changes that worked well for me. I especially liked lowering the body, but that's not to everybody's taste.

Also, there are ways to install larger motors. The easiest way is just to buy a longer motor for more torque. The stock diameter is 36mm. You can fit up to 74mm length. The article is pretty old - HobbyPeople has been out of business for about 2-years. A more customized option cuts down the existing motor mount and use it along with 2 hose clamps to hold a 4074 motor in place. I had a great write-up on that in the URC forum a few years ago, but it is defunct now that Jang is out of RC's and into Lego's.

I feel your pain on Arrma. I've had a new Kraton on pre-order for 2-months. The due date has gotten pushed out two or three times now. The latest I have on that rig is June 5. The Outcast is saying late June.

 

[Ronnie]

It is now 2018 and I am updating my report on the DHK Maximus. I now highly recommend the Maximus. This also applies to the Zombie and the Optimus. The fact that DHK is still in business 4-years later after having so many negative reports on their electronics is rather amazing. How can that be? It's because they actually listened to their customers and made positive changes to correct the problem. I am not familiar with their 1/10 scale line, but all of their 1/8 scale rigs now come with Hobbywing ESC's and better motors. There are no more reports of failed electronics. Since the chassis and drivetrain were already really durable, adding reliable electronics has made the Maximus, Zombie and Optimus excellent trucks, especially for the money compared to something like a Traxxas or an Axial or even an Arrma. If you catch it on a flash sale, it can be as low as $299 (previously seen on Gearbest for that price). For that price, it comes RTR with everything needed, including Lipo batteries and it's brushless! The Maximus can be run pretty hard right out of the box without having to dump money into it like some other brands. Another positive point is that DHK has improved their parts support. It is now pretty easy to find DHK parts on numerous websites. BRAVO DHK!

I have one but it seems to be very nose heavy when I jump it and it shocked seem to be absolute junk

 

[MailManX]

Mine jumped better before I installed the huge 4074 motor on it. Now it is totally nose heavy. I plan to take that motor out and use a 3674.

I like the shocks. I did bend shafts a few times until I upgraded to high strength shafts coated with TiNi. I use approximately 70wt (give or take a little) front and rear on most of my 1/8 scale bashers. I have good luck with that. Increasing spring strength may help.

 

[Ronnie]

Thank you for the reply I think what I'm going to do is just sell mine for cheap minus the steering servo which burnt up

 

[JapanRCAdventures]

Mine jumped better before I installed the huge 4074 motor on it. Now it is totally nose heavy. I plan to take that motor out and use a 3674.

I like the shocks. I did bend shafts a few times until I upgraded to high strength shafts coated with TiNi. I use approximately 70wt (give or take a little) front and rear on most of my 1/8 scale bashers. I have good luck with that. Increasing spring strength may help.

On 6S Total beast Stock shocks, shafts etc.

 

[WoodiE]

On 6S Total beast Stock shocks, shafts etc.

I'm going to have to try out one of these DHK Maximus' one of these days. Looking good.

 

[JapanRCAdventures]

I'm going to have to try out one of these DHK Maximus' one of these days. Looking good.

You wont be dissapointed brother let me know if I can help with any advice I've got my truck running good after alot of trial and error on a monster 4274 2200kv motor and dual 3s 6000mah lipos 100c burst retrofitted a BLX 150amp ESC. Tbone love all over and and a few tips for setting up your drivetrain properly to handle 6S

 

[derschlambi]

Hi guys,

I am from Germany and have been following the videos and forum threads of @MailManX and @JapanRCAdventures for a while now. You guys are awesome. There are not a lot of people who own the Maximus here, most of the people are going for the big brands. I ordered my Maximus and hope it will arrive soon this month. I want to keep the stock electronics since it has been improved since the beginning. Not really planning to go for 6S or something like that. Maybe change the motor or the pinion, don't know yet.

A few changes are planned to enforce the whole thing:

• Changing servo --> I will go for 36 kg with aluminum servo arm
• Enforcing body --> Maybe tape is fine?
• Enforce central diff --> metal gear, maybe 43T plus aluminum housing
• Enforce rear/front diffs --> Video from JapanRC, the one with the screws
• Change diff oil --> Front: 7k-10kwt, Center: 10k-15kwt, Rear: 5k-7kwt
• Install bumpers --> TBones are not available here in Germany, will go for universal ones and adjust
• Enforce shock towers --> maybe double them like MailManX or add more stability
• Minor changes from the videos...

Please le me know if I missed anything.

Another thing, I have seen something interesting in a video of JapanRC:

This is very interesting. I think one of the weak spots of this vehicle is the fact that the shock towers are connected to the diff casing, which is plastic. This takes a lot of force and some enforcement is highly recommended. Otherwise it tends to break like in the video of Kevin Talbot.

@JapanRCAdventures - Can you tell me where you got this part from?

Ok, found it myself: Haodasi Metal Front Shock Tower Holder for RC DHK 8384 Monster Truck

I am thinking about starting a thread about the Maximus in a German forum and you guys are definitely on the list of people to follow

Thanks again for your effort!

Cheers DS

 

[JapanRCAdventures]

Hi guys,

I am from Germany and have been following the videos and forum threads of @MailManX and @JapanRCAdventures for a while now. You guys are awesome. There are not a lot of people who own the Maximus here, most of the people are going for the big brands. I ordered my Maximus and hope it will arrive soon this month. I want to keep the stock electronics since it has been improved since the beginning. Not really planning to go for 6S or something like that. Maybe change the motor or the pinion, don't know yet.

A few changes are planned to enforce the whole thing:

• Changing servo --> I will go for 36 kg with aluminum servo arm
• Enforcing body --> Maybe tape is fine?
• Enforce central diff --> metal gear, maybe 43T plus aluminum housing
• Enforce rear/front diffs --> Video from JapanRC, the one with the screws
• Change diff oil --> Front: 7k-10kwt, Center: 10k-15kwt, Rear: 5k-7kwt
• Install bumpers --> TBones are not available here in Germany, will go for universal ones and adjust
• Enforce shock towers --> maybe double them like MailManX or add more stability
• Minor changes from the videos...

Please le me know if I missed anything.

Another thing, I have seen something interesting in a video of JapanRC:

View attachment 95252

This is very interesting. I think one of the weak spots of this vehicle is the fact that the shock towers are connected to the diff casing, which is plastic. This takes a lot of force and some enforcement is highly recommended. Otherwise it tends to break like in the video of Kevin Talbot.

@JapanRCAdventures - Can you tell me where you got this part from?

Ok, found it myself: Haodasi Metal Front Shock Tower Holder for RC DHK 8384 Monster Truck

I am thinking about starting a thread about the Maximus in a German forum and you guys are definitely on the list of people to follow

Thanks again for your effort!

Cheers DS

Hi DS,

Congratulations on getting your Maximus and thank you very much for watching my videos I am glad this is helping feel free to reach out to me anytime brother!!

My apologies for not responding sooner this video has the link to all of my upgrades:

 

[derschlambi]

Hey @JapanRCAdventures,

I really appreciate what you and all the other Tubers do for people like me. No apologies needed, information takes time to travel from Japan through a US forum all the way to Germany

I got a lot of ideas from your videos as well as others what to improve, like I listed in the post above. At the moment I am preparing on getting more strength and stability into the vehicle. Especially on the shock towers, the gears and the stiffness of the steering. I am considering to install a tower to tower brace made out of glass-fibre reinforced plastic. That could prevent the shock towers from bending off the top of the diff housings. Thats's an easy and cheap upgrade. I will keep you guys updated on my progress. Might take some time, my Maximus is still not on the way. Estimated delivery day is this Saturday.

Cheers DS