Good and Bads about the DURATRAX Nitro Evader ST ??

[c3racing0082]

Evader Nitro ST Best Value For The Money.

 

[bashmaster]

DURATRASH IS EVIL
Drummerjames and i know firsthand how much they suck. Evader buggy, not so bad but everything else with a label called Duratrax sucks big time DO NOT BUY FROM DURATRAX :censored: :moped:

 

[canadian-mgt]

I have a nitro evader and I think for someone looking for a first ST it's great.I don't know why some people say they're so bad,it's got bad points but so does most (if not all) other trucks on the market.I have yet to find an rc of any scale or make that doesn't have something bad about it,that needs upgrading.when you look at what you get for the cost,the evader is a great choice.I've been racing it really hard this summer and the only bad thing I find is that the rear shock tower seems to be the part that breaks.even that in itself is not that big of a deal since you can find an aluminum or graphite replacement for it.when you factor in that you get a strong engine made by O.S,a futaba radio system that isn't on 27mhz,batteries and a glow ignitor,aluminum threaded shocks,a video that shows you basic tuning and how to break in the engine,ect... I think it's probably the best value out there,not to mention you get a 1 year replacement warranty on alot of parts.

 

[c3racing0082]

It Really Is A Great Buy I Own 2 Evaders Elecs And A Nitro ST. Give Em A Chance. Try It. Youl Be Satisfied.

 

[SuZQ213]

Hmmmphh... Yeah, "give them a chance" you say.... What happens is, you get 30 minutes of practice out of it the night before and it doesn't run for squat the next day. Took apart and resealed EVERYTHING still doesn't run. I've had a Nitro Evader since August 2004, and ran 5 tanks through it slowly in the parking lot (like the video said to do) basically learning to steer it, practiced on another 5 tanks and now, race day comes, and you can't even complete a lap without flaming. Had to replace the tank with an Ofna LD3 because the tank on the Nitro Evader's are AWFUL and won't seal, replaced numerous brake/steering parts and got rid of the awful Futaba radio (using Hubby's JR3 right now) The darned thing won't run. Have tried EVERYTHING, including having hobby shop mechanics (and guys at the track) look it over. Runs WOT, then flames as soon as you hit the brake. It's going up on e-bay soon... not worth the hassle. I have more fun turn marshalling my husband's monster truck class than trying to keep this darned thing running (and THAT'S pretty bad) I will say this, when it runs, it rips like you wouldn't believe. Lots more fun than driving hubby's Savvy, but there's no fun in it if you can't even get a lap on the track without flaming out in a turn (not upside down, just regular braking causes it to flame). :argue:

 

[mr_bob]

wow some people really have had hard times with these st's

I've had mine fore about 2 months and I've only had problem with it once


and that was a couple days ago

i git a car tire and broke a couple things but that was my fault so for those of you who have had troubles with them well u must have got a bad truck or something or maybe i just got a good one who knows i have no problem with mine

 

[c3racing0082]

Like i Said Before Give Them A Chance...Duratrax Products Are Not Bad!

I Own 2 ST Elecs And A ST Nitro(O.S.MAX .15CV-R(X) POWERED)..

 

[SuZQ213]

C3, I've tried and tried and tried to give it a chance. Now the darned thing just won't stay running. First it was the steering that broke 15 minutes after I bought it. Husband fixed it. Then some brake parts. Husband fixed it. There were several other parts that broke, but we bought a whole bunch of spares on the weak-looking items. Now that we have enough spare parts to start our own HS, the engine won't work. Air leak. Finally figured out that (from the factory) the exhaust was cross threaded. Got it fixed, ran GREAT for 1/2 an hour Saturday plus 12 minutes for practice before the race Sunday. Didn't even finish a lap in the qualifier and it crapped out again.

Only thing we can figure is an air leak "somewhere". We've sealed just about everything that can be sealed. The guy that owns the track looked at it because he has one that is AWESOME; even he couldn't figure it out. (he's affiliated with a hobby shop as well) I don't mind not racing, but to drive an hour and a half one way, pay an entry fee and not even make a single lap in the qualifying heat, let me tell you it sux! (Not once, but THREE TIMES-- although the first time was the steering problem). I've marshalled the guys I was running against, and I KNOW I could have qualified for the main so it's killing me that my little truck is sitting in the garage with a big question mark over it. I've had four guys, all VERY mechanically inclined (work on their own cars, lawn mowers, quads, tractors, snowmobiles, you name it) they're all scratching their heads.

SO, if you have any suggestions on where to go from here, I'd LOVE to hear it. (Really, I would). It's a cute little truck and when she runs, she runs GREAT, I'd just like to race it before the season ends. (Besides, rumor has it, if they can't figure out what's wrong, they're going to drive it to the Hoover Dam and see how fast she can really go) :hammer:

 

[ZANDOR]

Suzq make sure you get a vid of it going over the dam

 

[mr_bob]

suzq i would send it back to duratrax cuz it seems u have a crap truck there shouldnt be that many problems with it


but thats just me so yeah thats the next step i think

 

[c3racing0082]

C3, I've tried and tried and tried to give it a chance. Now the darned thing just won't stay running. First it was the steering that broke 15 minutes after I bought it. Husband fixed it. Then some brake parts. Husband fixed it. There were several other parts that broke, but we bought a whole bunch of spares on the weak-looking items. Now that we have enough spare parts to start our own HS, the engine won't work. Air leak. Finally figured out that (from the factory) the exhaust was cross threaded. Got it fixed, ran GREAT for 1/2 an hour Saturday plus 12 minutes for practice before the race Sunday. Didn't even finish a lap in the qualifier and it crapped out again.

Only thing we can figure is an air leak "somewhere". We've sealed just about everything that can be sealed. The guy that owns the track looked at it because he has one that is AWESOME; even he couldn't figure it out. (he's affiliated with a hobby shop as well) I don't mind not racing, but to drive an hour and a half one way, pay an entry fee and not even make a single lap in the qualifying heat, let me tell you it sux! (Not once, but THREE TIMES-- although the first time was the steering problem). I've marshalled the guys I was running against, and I KNOW I could have qualified for the main so it's killing me that my little truck is sitting in the garage with a big question mark over it. I've had four guys, all VERY mechanically inclined (work on their own cars, lawn mowers, quads, tractors, snowmobiles, you name it) they're all scratching their heads.

SO, if you have any suggestions on where to go from here, I'd LOVE to hear it. (Really, I would). It's a cute little truck and when she runs, she runs GREAT, I'd just like to race it before the season ends. (Besides, rumor has it, if they can't figure out what's wrong, they're going to drive it to the Hoover Dam and see how fast she can really go) :hammer:

its not a duratrax as a whole problem.. its sounds like you got a lemon of an engine.(is it the dxt .18?) i know my true o.s. made .15cv-r(x) is really user frendly and wicked srong.

 

[SuZQ213]

Yes, it's the .18 engine. (Made my OS for Duratrax) and I believe you're right, it's gotta be the engine.

Suzq make sure you get a vid of it going over the dam

Hey Z, if I did that, then there'd be evidence that I desecrated the Hoover dam.... LOL!

 

[vbgagnon]

well I would have to say stay away from duratrax. I have a few friends that have these and they spent big money to get them to run. I would stay away and get a higher end rtr like the rc10gt. just my .02

 

[SuZQ213]

C3, we figured it out, and it isn't pretty:

3/4 of a gallon through it.

 

[mr_bob]

i would return it to duratrax I'm sure thell be glad to replace or fix it

 

[c3racing0082]

you did get a lemon of an engine...... make sure you get a new one for free or tell your LHS you want a better engine for a big azzz. discount............

 

[SuZQ213]

you did get a lemon of an engine...... make sure you get a new one for free or tell your LHS you want a better engine for a big azzz. discount............

Talked to a woman yesterday at the LHS, she informed me that I didn't know how to run a nitro engine and I leaned it out (this was at the beginning of a PHONE conversation) Sounds to me like they need to B****slap this woman or not let her answer the phones. She, nor did anyone else at the LHS, even look at the piston and sleeve. Hubby showed me that the piston is setting ABOVE the top of the sleeve and it shouldn't even get to the top of it. Could have been the piston that caused it all, of course the sleeve didn't have a lot of chrome on it also. Temp NEVER went above 220 on it either.

LHS doesn't even want us to bring it in, so we're going to go to Hobby Services (Duratrax's website refers us there) and hope they come through for us.

::::: grumble.... not even 3/4 of a gallon .... MAYBE an hour and fifteen minutes of play.... grumble::::::::::

 

[c3racing0082]

you got a crap engine . what LHS sold you the duratrax ? usually you can take the part of a warrantied part (in this instance the whole engine) to the LHS and they will send it in. and then in return get a new one for you. sound like your LHS employees dont know the diff between thier bellybutons from thier buthole.. why would this woman have the balls to tell you that its basicly all your fault! she probably has no clue about RC's.

i might look into finding a real hobby store.

 

[SuZQ213]

Oh yeah. The owners are usually there in the evening. I probably just called to early to talk to someone that knew what they were talking about. (She's the same person that told me that she didn't have any Picco "Outlaw" motors -- got to the shop (because my husband saw the one he wanted in their display case the week before) and showed her exactly where it was, and then showed her the article that called the Ofna Picco 26 an "outlaw" motor for the monster trucks. But I'm getting off track. I believe I'm going to call Duratrax tech department and see if they want the whole motor back for review, or if they just want the piston and sleeve. Don't remember if I mentioned or not before, but the piston isn't supposed to go all the way through the sleeve, it's supposed to stop before reaching the top. Mine goes all the way about 1/8" past the top, which could be the issue as well. I'll keep you guys updated on what Duratrax does. Another guy at the track has the same model and was baffled that all this happened. Wish me luck!

 

[SuZQ213]

Well, we sent it back, and today a new one should be on our doorstep. We had put a lot of parts (Servo, JR Receiver, battery pack, Ofna LD3 tank, aluminum hubs, etc) into the old one, so basically they just replaced the engine for us. But it should be back today. Quick turn around.

So, I guess the bad news was the motor was bad, BUT, Duratrax stood behind their product and repaired it (they offered a new vehicle, but we returned all our parts on it and wanted the one we'd fixed up back). AND they turned it around within a week. They received the truck 9/16 and I should have it back today (9/22) .... just in time for the last trophy race of the season! :devious: