ECX Circuit/Traxxas Rustler questions.

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biggman100

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  1. Bashing
Let me start by saying, I'm not looking for fanboy responses, I'm looking for honest answers from those with actual experience with each vehicle. I recently bought a bunch of vehicles and parts (DHK Hobby Raz-R, Redcat Caldera SC, ECX Circuit, Traxxas Rustler), and, although the Raz-R and the Caldera are pretty much complete, the Rustler and Circuit arent, and, going through the boxes, i have enough parts (although, none of them are actual Traxxas parts, and most are cheap eBay stuff), to either build the Rustler or the Circuit, but, i have had zero experience with either brand, so, I'm looking for pro's and con's to each one. I'm looking not only for how durable they are (if you watch any of the videos i posted here and on the Arrma forum, you will know how hard i am on my vehicles), but, also how well they do in mild snow and winter conditions. I have enough 4WD winter cars (Arrma Granite, DHK Hunter, DHK Raz-R, DHK Wolf 2, Hobby King Quanam Vandal), but, the only 2WD i have is my over built Arrma Fury, and I'm looking for something mainly to play in the snow with, since i wont use the Fury in those conditions. Since this is just going to be to bash every once in awhile in light to moderate snow, I'm looking for something that wont easily break (yes, i know that any RC car breaks easier in the cold), since I'm not looking to spend money constantly on something that ill probably not have after the winter anyway. I have heard good and bad about both vehicles, and also about the whole Traxxas lawsuits and whatnot, but, I'm not looking to buy a brand new car (if i was, i personally would never consider Traxxas), just use what i already have.
 
Not speaking as a fanboy but as someone with hands on experience. Had a rustler vxl and stampede vxl which are both identical vehicles besides the chassis shape and wheels/tires. I got rid of both within around 4 months of ownership because of how often the damn things broke (even after spending almost as much as each vehicle in the necessary aluminum and Rpm upgrades). Money pits both of them that broke regularly and lost a ton of money selling each one. I also regularly watch Traxxas slashes (again same basic vehicle as rustler) break weekly at out indoor track weekly, even brand new out of the box. Just last week our stock slash class went from seven vehicles down to two in the mains from breakages and our track is far from being destructive on vehicles. Never buy Traxxas unless it's a trx-4 crawler. Only decent thing they seem to make. Anyone who tells you their Traxxas is good either has never owned anything else or had been extremely lucky.
 
Not speaking as a fanboy but as someone with hands on experience. Had a rustler vxl and stampede vxl which are both identical vehicles besides the chassis shape and wheels/tires. I got rid of both within around 4 months of ownership because of how often the damn things broke (even after spending almost as much as each vehicle in the necessary aluminum and Rpm upgrades). Money pits both of them that broke regularly and lost a ton of money selling each one. I also regularly watch Traxxas slashes (again same basic vehicle as rustler) break weekly at out indoor track weekly, even brand new out of the box. Just last week our stock slash class went from seven vehicles down to two in the mains from breakages and our track is far from being destructive on vehicles. Never buy Traxxas unless it's a trx-4 crawler. Only decent thing they seem to make. Anyone who tells you their Traxxas is good either has never owned anything else or had been extremely lucky.
I have heard that a lot, but, i have also heard the newer rustler is built better, but that was just from what i read on random forums after doing google searches. Until now, i have never owned a Traxxas anything, but, i have seen, albeit quite a few years ago, where there vehicles would break way more than anything else running at the place i used to race at. I was running a Tamiya Grass Hopper (the first version), and a friend had a Kyosho buggy, and they were always more durable than even the aluminum chassis Traxxas stuff, but, that was way back in the late 80's, early 90's. I got out of racing around 95, and havent done it since. i have been looking at the ECX stuff for over a year, but havent pulled the trigger, simply because i only want it for a winter basher, and the money i try to put aside for my winter car always gets spent to keep other cars running, but, what i know about them is from what i saw on the shelf at a LHS about 150 miles from me, and what i have read in forums and what videos i have seen of them. If you look at the few bashing videos i showed on here, and on the Arrma forum, you will see i can be quite hard on my stuff, so, some durability is a bit important for what i use them for.
 
Id pick the rustler hands down.. If you swap boken parts out to aluminum one all one is doing is transferring the designed weak points to the next part inline weather its in board or out.. the esc is by far more fragile than the traxxas..breaking a rc constantly is either the driver hitting immovable objects or a poorly skilled driver.And I dont see how Arrma parts and traxxas parts are able to be switched to just make 1 truck??R u taking about electronic or tires sure those can be switched along with shocks.spur gears..Just my 2 cents worth..lol I know toes ill be stepped on oh well...
 
And I dont see how Arrma parts and traxxas parts are able to be switched to just make 1 truck??R u taking about electronic or tires sure those can be switched along with shocks.spur gears..Just my 2 cents worth..lol I know toes ill be stepped on oh well...
I'm not interchanging Arrma and Traxxas parts. The whole point to the original question i posted is to help me decide, out of the two slider chassis i have, a Traxxas Rustler and an ECX Circuit, since i only have enough parts (electronics, wheels/tires, hubs, servo) to make one usable vehicle i can beat on in the upcoming snow and cold, which one might be more durable for that type of use. When i say beat on, i literally mean beat on it. Watch the videos i have posted on this and the Arrma forum, and you will see what i mean.
 
My son and I bash his 2wd Slash, which also shares most of the same parts as the rustler. I wish I had some 1st and experience about the ECX Circuit to provide the comparison you are looking for.

The 2wd Traxxas vehicles overall are pretty durable. My frustration has always been wheel hexes and a-arm screws coming loose all the time. Their extreme light weight is their advantage for durability. To date we broke one shock, a c-Hub, and stripped a wheel hex.

My son routinely goes full tilt into curbs, roof landings off a ramp etc and just keeps on going!

When comparing to a 6s line Arrma I'd say the durability of the Traxxas 2wd is about 10% of the Arrma if that helps give any perspective.

-Liberty
 
When comparing to a 6s line Arrma I'd say the durability of the Traxxas 2wd is about 10% of the Arrma if that helps give any perspective.
As i have never even owned an RTR 3S vehicle, 6S doesn't really tell me much, TBTH. All of my vehicles are either MEGA (in the case of my Arrma stuff), or, in the case of my DHK stuff (Wolf 2, Raz-R, Hunter), they all started out as the brushed versions. As for my current vehicles, my Granite and Hunter are beyond tough as nails. So far, on the Hunter, i have had one shock pop apart, and the axle pop out of the diff output, and, on the Granite, i have only broke one lower front arm, because i went around one row of trees, only to smack straight into a smaller tree that was behind them. I am starting to think though, in terms of durability, that few vehicles are as capable as an Arrma or my hunter, at least, not in a lower end model (by lower end, i dont mean quality wise, I'm strictly referring to the fact that they are brushed, or low end 2S systems), and, both the Rustler and the Circuit i have appear to be the basic versions of each vehicle, meaning brushed, 2WD, basic electronics, that kind of thing.
 
the 6 cell armma was never in the question. The traxxas will holdup the best in winter condition. but no rc plastics like frozen temps...
 
but no rc plastics like frozen temps...
I know that very well. I routinely take my cars out in all kinds of weather. I know a lot of people wont run theirs in rain, but, not me. I run mine in rain, snow, mud, sun, whatever it happens to be doing outside, and the only vehicle i have never broke any of the plastic on, oddly enough, broke the metal center driveshaft 3 different times instead, and is now discontinued. What i do find telling though, is the absolute lack of replies blatantly for or against the Circuit, and not just on this forum either.
 
Id just take old part if u have it and have a local machine shop make you 1... A man and a set of caliper and a drill press with a lathe cutting bit can do some great things.
 
As i have never even owned an RTR 3S vehicle, 6S doesn't really tell me much, TBTH. All of my vehicles are either MEGA (in the case of my Arrma stuff), or, in the case of my DHK stuff (Wolf 2, Raz-R, Hunter), they all started out as the brushed versions. As for my current vehicles, my Granite and Hunter are beyond tough as nails. So far, on the Hunter, i have had one shock pop apart, and the axle pop out of the diff output, and, on the Granite, i have only broke one lower front arm, because i went around one row of trees, only to smack straight into a smaller tree that was behind them. I am starting to think though, in terms of durability, that few vehicles are as capable as an Arrma or my hunter, at least, not in a lower end model (by lower end, i dont mean quality wise, I'm strictly referring to the fact that they are brushed, or low end 2S systems), and, both the Rustler and the Circuit i have appear to be the basic versions of each vehicle, meaning brushed, 2WD, basic electronics, that kind of thing.

I agree with that conclusion. I can say I won't be buying another Traxxas product after finding Arrma.
*edit except for the 4Tec 2.0 that cars is pretty great*
On the Slash 2wd we have upgraded shock towers and RPM A-Arms but ultimately it is the engineering/design that causes the problems.

I am on the fence myself about buying a mega model. Its hard to beat the price of parts for Arrma right now....
 
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Id just take old part if u have it and have a local machine shop make you 1... A man and a set of caliper and a drill press with a lathe cutting bit can do some great things.
It was a ForceRC Warhawk that i only picked up because it was cheap, and i didnt have an SCT at the time, and, due to other issues, like parts rapidly becoming out of stock literally the day they announced they were being discontinued, i went and bought a couple better ones and completely gutted it, and now i use the parts for when my wife breaks her ForceRC Outbreak (same truck with monster trucks wheels/tires and body), which isnt often, since it rarely every gets used.
 
I agree with that conclusion. I can say I won't be buying another Traxxas product after finding Arrma.
We have upgraded shock towers and RPM A-Arms but ultimately it is the engineering/design that causes the problems.

I am on the fence myself about buying a mega model. Its hard to beat the price of parts for Arrma right now....
Until i picked up the Circuit and Rustler, i had been considering an Arrma Fazon Voltage, since my nephews have a couple of them, but, I'm not a big fan of the 2 in 1 ESC, and, i know I'm going to want to upgrade it to BL at some point, which i have heard stories from both sides about issues, as well as others without issues, after turning the Fazon vehicles they own into BL. I can't say i actually dislike the Arrma MEGA/550 line, except for the brushed motor's. I never buy BL out of the box of any kind, i always put in my own BL combo's.
 
Until i picked up the Circuit and Rustler, i had been considering an Arrma Fazon Voltage, since my nephews have a couple of them, but, I'm not a big fan of the 2 in 1 ESC, and, i know I'm going to want to upgrade it to BL at some point, which i have heard stories from both sides about issues, as well as others without issues, after turning the Fazon vehicles they own into BL. I can't say i actually dislike the Arrma MEGA/550 line, except for the brushed motor's. I never buy BL out of the box of any kind, i always put in my own BL combo's.

Funny.... my son was looking at those Fazon Voltage Mega 2wd on Amazon last night for $99
Hard to beat that price. I wouldn't feel bad about abusing it versus a 549.00 Kraton.

I agree the 2 in 1 receiver/esc is annoying. I almost always upgrade my electronics (The Kraton 6s only needed a new TX/RX)


FYI I edited my post above to add that I do like the Traxxas 4Tec 2.0, if you do on-road those are great!
 
Funny.... my son was looking at those Fazon Voltage Mega 2wd on Amazon last night for $99
Hard to beat that price. I wouldn't feel bad about abusing it versus a 549.00 Kraton.
I agree the 2 in 1 receiver/esc is annoying. I almost always upgrade my electronics (The Kraton 6s only needed a new TX/RX)


FYI I edited my post above to add that I do like the Traxxas 4Tec 2.0, if you do on-road those are great!
I always get my Arrma stuff (vehicles, parts) directly from Horizon Hobbies, since, if you actually look at the Amazon and Ebay seller, half the time they are Horizon. When i bought my Warhawk, and my wifes Outbreak, both bought more than a month apart, i did it through Amazon, only to have them show up in Horizon labeled boxes, and with the only part i ever did a warranty claim on, the servo, Horizon told me they would honor it, even though i actually got it through Amazon, because they were the actual seller. On Ebay though, you have to be real careful, especially with the Voltage vehicles, because they are typically more on there than on Horizon's site. I dont do any on road stuff. I am strictly faster off road. My wife does a little on road and crawler stuff though.
 
Let me start by saying, I'm not looking for fanboy responses, I'm looking for honest answers from those with actual experience with each vehicle. I recently bought a bunch of vehicles and parts (DHK Hobby Raz-R, Redcat Caldera SC, ECX Circuit, Traxxas Rustler), and, although the Raz-R and the Caldera are pretty much complete, the Rustler and Circuit arent, and, going through the boxes, i have enough parts (although, none of them are actual Traxxas parts, and most are cheap eBay stuff), to either build the Rustler or the Circuit, but, i have had zero experience with either brand, so, I'm looking for pro's and con's to each one. I'm looking not only for how durable they are (if you watch any of the videos i posted here and on the Arrma forum, you will know how hard i am on my vehicles), but, also how well they do in mild snow and winter conditions. I have enough 4WD winter cars (Arrma Granite, DHK Hunter, DHK Raz-R, DHK Wolf 2, Hobby King Quanam Vandal), but, the only 2WD i have is my over built Arrma Fury, and I'm looking for something mainly to play in the snow with, since i wont use the Fury in those conditions. Since this is just going to be to bash every once in awhile in light to moderate snow, I'm looking for something that wont easily break (yes, i know that any RC car breaks easier in the cold), since I'm not looking to spend money constantly on something that ill probably not have after the winter anyway. I have heard good and bad about both vehicles, and also about the whole Traxxas lawsuits and whatnot, but, I'm not looking to buy a brand new car (if i was, i personally would never consider Traxxas), just use what i already have.
I have run both the tra rustler and a ECX ruckus (mt version). Both are decent. RPM does make parts for ECX. ECX only thing broken so far was hub carrier. Rustler has RPM arms all around out of necessity, RPM hub carriers (rustler had bushings stock, RPM uses bearings. You can get bearings for rustler stock carriers, but are very wimpy to say the least.)RPM rear shock tower, and so far on the second trans case because impact with a granite broke the A arm mount, and so far none of the shocks are original. That said the Rustler had been brushless a little longer than the ECX. Side note to that the rustler steering servo is a PITA to center the servo horn to the steering and to remove. Unless I'm doing it wrong.
 
I have both a Circuit and a Rustler. Of the two the Circuit is more stock. The Circuit parts are very flexible which depending how you look at it is a good or bad thing. The Rustler most of the stock parts can be bought cheap but better to go ahead and upgrade like RPM when they break rather than replacing with stock parts. Broke both shock towers, rear and front a-arms, front and rear carriers, caster blocks, bent kingpins, had screws constantly back out, front bulkhead, shock caps pop off, cracked chassis, broke top shaft roll pins, stock driveshafts maybe more don't want to keep thinking about. The Rustler also uses different offset wheels front and back you can't just buy all four of the same wheels and switch them around. The Circuit IMO is tougher as far as stock parts go but has it's weaknesses. The driveshafts are worse than Traxxas shafts (IMO), servo saver sucks, shoulder screws for steering knuckles keep coming out, plastic diff, the metal gear upgrade can't buy each individual parts separately (diff, idler, top shaft gear) those are just off the top of my head. The appeal of the Rustler was the parts and aftermarket support you can dump a lot of money into it whether you want to go ahead and upgrade when something breaks. If it was brushed I would of probably broken less parts.

The Circuit I have is actually from when they used to be called Electrix. Over time things were upgraded but still using most stock parts. Not for a lack of upgrade choices just that stock parts aside from the servo saver, driveshafts and shoulder screws for the steering knuckles aren't that bad for a basher. In all fairness to the Rustler after the first break I usually just upgraded the parts maybe when the parts broke could have been a one time thing (i.e. bad landing, crashing into something) and another stock replacement would have been fine don't really know. My HPI Blitz and E-Firestorm since they are basically the same have been the most reliable as far as stock parts go.
 
I have both a Circuit and a Rustler. Of the two the Circuit is more stock. The Circuit parts are very flexible which depending how you look at it is a good or bad thing. The Rustler most of the stock parts can be bought cheap but better to go ahead and upgrade like RPM when they break rather than replacing with stock parts. Broke both shock towers, rear and front a-arms, front and rear carriers, caster blocks, bent kingpins, had screws constantly back out, front bulkhead, shock caps pop off, cracked chassis, broke top shaft roll pins, stock driveshafts maybe more don't want to keep thinking about. The Rustler also uses different offset wheels front and back you can't just buy all four of the same wheels and switch them around. The Circuit IMO is tougher as far as stock parts go but has it's weaknesses. The driveshafts are worse than Traxxas shafts (IMO), servo saver sucks, shoulder screws for steering knuckles keep coming out, plastic diff, the metal gear upgrade can't buy each individual parts separately (diff, idler, top shaft gear) those are just off the top of my head. The appeal of the Rustler was the parts and aftermarket support you can dump a lot of money into it whether you want to go ahead and upgrade when something breaks. If it was brushed I would of probably broken less parts.

The Circuit I have is actually from when they used to be called Electrix. Over time things were upgraded but still using most stock parts. Not for a lack of upgrade choices just that stock parts aside from the servo saver, driveshafts and shoulder screws for the steering knuckles aren't that bad for a basher. In all fairness to the Rustler after the first break I usually just upgraded the parts maybe when the parts broke could have been a one time thing (i.e. bad landing, crashing into something) and another stock replacement would have been fine don't really know. My HPI Blitz and E-Firestorm since they are basically the same have been the most reliable as far as stock parts go.
I'm looking to just build something i can literally beat the hell out of in the snow and cold, so, having more flexible, and less brittle parts is actually a good thing. Last year, i ran a Racers Edge Pro2 with Redcat Volcano EPX monster truck tires, and until i built a snow jump that was about 8 feet high, and landed wrong on the front, i didnt break anything on it, and, i still have it, i just can't find parts that i need for it (axles and rear hubs, since i robbed the CVD's and hubs for my Arrma Fury after i snapped a dog bone twice), or i would run that again, so i figured, since i already have the Circuit and the Rustler, might as well build something out of one of those. I've been leaning towards the Circuit, but only because i have to order any parts i need online (both local hobby shops closed this summer, so the nearest ones that carries Traxxas, ECX or Arrma parts are now 150+ miles away), and i have heard the circuit doesn't break as much in the cold as the Rustler does, which translates to less waiting on parts to show up.
 
I'm looking to just build something i can literally beat the hell out of in the snow and cold, so, having more flexible, and less brittle parts is actually a good thing. Last year, i ran a Racers Edge Pro2 with Redcat Volcano EPX monster truck tires, and until i built a snow jump that was about 8 feet high, and landed wrong on the front, i didnt break anything on it, and, i still have it, i just can't find parts that i need for it (axles and rear hubs, since i robbed the CVD's and hubs for my Arrma Fury after i snapped a dog bone twice), or i would run that again, so i figured, since i already have the Circuit and the Rustler, might as well build something out of one of those. I've been leaning towards the Circuit, but only because i have to order any parts i need online (both local hobby shops closed this summer, so the nearest ones that carries Traxxas, ECX or Arrma parts are now 150+ miles away), and i have heard the circuit doesn't break as much in the cold as the Rustler does, which translates to less waiting on parts to show up.

Since Horizon made ECX a in store only brand part sources have dried up used to look on Ebay for whoever sold the parts the cheapest. They at one point didn't even sell their parts for them on Horizons website but they went back to at least have them available on the website now. Things I would change is the servo saver, get aluminum steering knuckles, driveshafts, metal gear diff set and get a T-Bone front bumper. The rest replace as things break.

The Racers Edge Pro 2 is a just a rebranded Team C TS2 might not be able to find parts looking for Pro 2 parts but maybe looking for Team C parts. Here's a possible source for some parts https://www.nitrohouse.com/ofna_ts2_2wd_parts.html
 
Since Horizon made ECX a in store only brand part sources have dried up used to look on Ebay for whoever sold the parts the cheapest. They at one point didn't even sell their parts for them on Horizons website but they went back to at least have them available on the website now. Things I would change is the servo saver, get aluminum steering knuckles, driveshafts, metal gear diff set and get a T-Bone front bumper. The rest replace as things break.

The Racers Edge Pro 2 is a just a rebranded Team C TS2 might not be able to find parts looking for Pro 2 parts but maybe looking for Team C parts. Here's a possible source for some parts https://www.nitrohouse.com/ofna_ts2_2wd_parts.html
I finally found the parts for it on Ebay, but, i have pretty much given up on that truck, since i have several others that are more current. I actually ended up stripping it today, and used some of the parts, like bearings, since they were rubber shielded ones i put in about a week or so before i quit running it because the motor went, in my Arrma Fury, because i also found i would need a new ESC and motor for the RE, and, I've already got a 2WD buggy (Tamiya grass Hopper), the Rustler and the Circuit, as well as a DHK Raz-R 2 that ended up being 2WD because it snapped the driveshaft, and i just never bothered to replace it. Right now, i have 6 4WD vehicles, and with the Circuit, since i decided on that, 4 2WD vehicles. My problem is, i have too many vehicles all together, but, everytime i try to thin them out by getting rid of a couple, i end up buying even more. This year, i have sold 19 complete, and 22 incomplete vehicles, and thought, I'm down to the 7 i want (Arrma Fury, Arrma Granite, DHK Hunter, DHK Wolf 2, DHK Raz-R, Redcat Blackout XTE, Hobby King Quanam vandal), then, the Vandal the parts were constantly backordered, so i ended up ordering the lower arms from Europe, the Blackout i tried to run on 3S and it kept breaking, so i finally gave up on it and put those parts in another Raz-R i picked up, then i bought a whole bunch of parts and cars at a garage sale, which is where i got the Rustler and Circuit, so, now I'm back up to 10 (11 once the circuit is done), not counting my wifes 4 (Modded Exceed RC drift, turned into a rally car, Force RC Outbreak, and another Quanam Vandal (i bought 4 of these ARTR when they were $80 or less from Hobby King) that i made 2WD for her to run in the snow, Nylint 1/6 Scorpion rock crawler). I keep trying to only have one of certain types (monster truck, Truggy, 2WD buggy, 4WD buggy), and at least two SCT's, but i always seem to end up with more.
 
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