Getting back into the RC game

[Clintd]

Well, I've been out of it for a while and since the last time I was here I've bought a house and changed jobs (Hopefully for the better). Anyway, during the move, My 12-year old has shown some interest in my Nitro RC's and I've slowly getting everything back together and working. So, my question's are, How far behind am I? Have they discovered a fix for the HPI Savage lean issue besides the antenna tube in the tank? are there affordable lithium battery options for the receivers? Are people still using RF type controllers or is everything now spectrum? I've included some pictures showing my current progress and the amount of dust on most of my stuff for your entertainment.

 

[WoodiE]

Dang @Clintd haven't seen you in ages, glad to see you're making a come back and congrats on the new job!

The days of AM/FM radios are all pretty much behind us now. Most every radio made or included in a RTR (even the lower end models) all include digital 2.4Ghz radios. Lucky for you, you can upgrade to a 2.4Ghz radio for cheap, heck just get yourself a new/used Traxxas radio setup and that will get you going for less than $100.

 

[Clintd]

Might just do that to upgrade the radios. Anyway, just clicking around it looks like nitro is a dying field! Might start looking into a brushless setup. Hey, Remember the track on route 70 in Browns Mills NJ? Its closed now and all 11 acres are up for sale, so... so much for a future meet in Jersey!

 

[WoodiE]

Nitro is still hanging around, but yeah electric is certainly dominating in the RC hobby right now. With brushless motors and high voltage LiPo batteries you get on quick and more on demand power - all without the tuning issues some people run into.

Hey, Remember the track on route 70 in Browns Mills NJ? Its closed now and all 11 acres are up for sale, so... so much for a future meet in Jersey!

Do I remember? Of course I do, in fact the wife and I was just talking about that trip not just last week. I hate to hear that track has closed up, but I can't honestly say I'm surprised. The RC hobby has been taking some pretty big hits now for a while. You know it's rough with a number of major RC manufactures close up shop - heck even Tower Hobbies declared bankruptcy and sold out to Horizon Hobbies.

 

[Clintd]

Nitro is still hanging around, but yeah electric is certainly dominating in the RC hobby right now. With brushless motors and high voltage LiPo batteries you get on quick and more on demand power - all without the tuning issues some people run into.



Do I remember? Of course I do, in fact the wife and I was just talking about that trip not just last week. I hate to hear that track has closed up, but I can't honestly say I'm surprised. The RC hobby has been taking some pretty big hits now for a while. You know it's rough with a number of major RC manufactures close up shop - heck even Tower Hobbies declared bankruptcy and sold out to Horizon Hobbies.

What's the deal with HPI? It's Damn near easier to get Panhead parts!

Also, I still have the video from the last meet hosted on my youtube channel.

 

[WoodiE]

@Clintd same story, different company...HPI went bankrupt.

Rumor has it that their manufacturing company was holding parts for payment and the new owners (Ripmax) of HPI pretty much walked into a mess. Parts are still a mess but from what I'm hearing it starting to get a bit better.

 

[olds97_lss]

There's a name I haven't seen in a long time! Welcome back!

You can find some knock off parts at rc4me.us for the savage. I've bought a few things from there for my Savage Flux HP.

I started running electric a year and a half ago. Was running nitro only for 18 years. A year and a half ago, I had 7 nitro vehicles. Now I have 3 nitro and 5 brushless.

If you want to go brushless, check out arrma. That was my latest addition to the fleet. I got the arrma outcast. It's similar in length to the savage, but handles a lot better and with very few upgrades, a very tough truck. There was an issue for a while with arrma as hobbico went bankrupt and was bought by horizon. Parts and new vehicles have started coming out in recent months though. Which is why I finally bought one of theirs. They have quite a few flavors, but all are electric. The Outcast (short chassis) and Kraton (long chassis) are the basher truggies, Talion is the racer as well as buggies and ST's.

 

[Clintd]

There's a name I haven't seen in a long time! Welcome back!

You can find some knock off parts at rc4me.us for the savage. I've bought a few things from there for my Savage Flux HP.

I started running electric a year and a half ago. Was running nitro only for 18 years. A year and a half ago, I had 7 nitro vehicles. Now I have 3 nitro and 5 brushless.

If you want to go brushless, check out arrma. That was my latest addition to the fleet. I got the arrma outcast. It's similar in length to the savage, but handles a lot better and with very few upgrades, a very tough truck. There was an issue for a while with arrma as hobbico went bankrupt and was bought by horizon. Parts and new vehicles have started coming out in recent months though. Which is why I finally bought one of theirs. They have quite a few flavors, but all are electric. The Outcast (short chassis) and Kraton (long chassis) are the basher truggies, Talion is the racer as well as buggies and ST's.

OK, I'll give the knock-off parts a shot for now. Finally get a house with plenty of space to build a nice little RC workshop and now the availability of parts becomes the problem. Definitely going to look into electric in the not so distant future.

I wasn't totally gone! I still lurked now and again, especially when I would get the "Happy Birthday" reminders.