Kid goes racing - Traxxas 4-Tec Tools

[Jerold]

If you were getting a kid (tween) some tools & accessories for a Traxxas 4-Tec 2.0 BL-2, what would you get? I need some feedback, cause I'm not a kid and I don't race . . . yet. So I don't really know how everyone sleps their stuff to and from the track.

The plan is for him to race at the local track. I'm avoiding power tools and hot things at the moment.

From what I can tell, the 4-Tec only has M2.5 (1.5mm hex) and M3 (2.0mm hex) screws, and 4mm wheel nuts, so he will need only 3 drivers. This simplifies things a lot. Trying to keep it fairly basic.

Drivers - McMaster Carr

• Wera 1.5 mm Hex $6.12
• Wera 2.0 mm Hex $5.46
• Bondus 4mm nut driver $7.29

Part Tray - Amain

• ProTek RC 5x9.75" Magnetic Screw Catcher $12.99

HF Stuff (do you think all the pliers are required to start off?)

• PITTSBURGH 5-3/4 in. Needle Nose Pliers $299
• PITTSBURGH 6 in. Diagonal Cutters $2.99
• PITTSBURGH 5 in. Micro Flush Cutters $2.99
• PITTSBURGH O-Ring Hook Scribe Set, 2 Piece $3.99
• STOREHOUSE Toolbox Organizer with 4 Drawers $18.99 (see below)
• WESTERN SAFETY High Performance UV Safety Glasses with Clear Lenses $3.99 - not that he'll wear it but I did my due diligence as a good uncle.

Other stuff that will be useful.

• Lipo bag $8 - required
• Pit mat ?
• Work light ? (He young and had good eyes, maybe not)

Tool box (also HF) could be something like this. The tools above should fit in the top. The bins below can be parts & stuff. But it doesn't have room for a charger, but maybe batteries.

 

[WickedFog]

The tried and trusted MIP drivers are about as good as they get. Buy once, cry once.
https://www.amainhobbies.com/mip-gen-2-metric-hex-drivers-set-1.5-2.0-2.5mm-mip9602/p1537774

Decent set of nutdrivers.
https://www.amainhobbies.com/dynamite-5-piece-metric-nut-driver-set-dyn2806/p38298

Might want to make sure he has a temp gun.
https://a.co/d/07cLn3A

I have that same toolbox that I bought for storing my micro drone stuff. For a 1/10 car, I'd probably just opt for a compartmented duffel bag and grab a couple small plano tackle boxes and lay in the bottom for tools, spare parts, etc. A divider in it to keep the radio away from other things would be great. One with a way to hold bottles of oil upright would be good too.

 

[DavidB1126]

Tools. MIP, dynamite, protek, Arrowmaxx. Used them all. They are pretty good. Team EDs @Greywolf74 uses alot. Hudy quality without the price tag he says.

Temp gun, I use a cheap AMES one from harbor freight. Only 20 bucks. Serves me well.

Pit mat. I have a Proline and protek one. The protek is a bit thinner and less wide but long enough to fit a 4ft folding table perfectly and is good for the track.

Lipo bags which the track requires, mine does too I use the hoovo bags of Amazon. Bigger one to store my charger, leads, adapters and batteries and I use 2 smaller tenergy charging sacks for charging. Obviously not as effective as using a lipo safe or ammo can but they are cheap enough just in case if something were to happen and you have time to get to it.

 

[DavidB1126]

For taking all of my stuff to the track and back. (10th scale offroad racer) I just use a backpack that I stuff 20 pounds worth of parts and tools on my back. I have a old soft case lunch box for my radio. And my hoovo bag for my charger and batteries. And carry my cars in. Yes I know I am cheap. I am looking to get a actual pit hauler though.

 

[Jerold]

MIP tools are very nice, but he's 12 and stuff gets lost ... all the time. However, I do like a matched sets. I will have to look around and see what's not total crap. I don't think that model has very many (if any) screws in metal so I'm not super concern with stripping heads, but more usability and comfort.

If this becomes a real hobby for him, we can look at some higher end tools.

I was thinking about a temp gun, but they might use foam tires at that track. It's an indoor foamy looking track from what I recall.

 

[DavidB1126]

I was thinking about a temp gun, but they might use foam tires at that track. It's an indoor foamy looking track from what I recall.

Is this for racing indoor carpet? does it look like anything like this or is it a different surface? (This is my local onroad track - 180 raceay) - some people still use foams for some cars/classes but I see most people use slicks, and if the track allows it, SXT 3.0 tire sauce. Those rules might be outdated but check in with the local racers first before doing so. They know setups the best.

If this becomes a real hobby for him, we can look at some higher end tools.

I started out with Dynamite's starter tool kit. Has the basics and is only around 30 bucks. 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm hex. Phillips/flatheads. 5.5mm, 5.0mm, 7.0mm, 8.0mm nut drivers. Pretty good tools. Although the tips do wear out after a few years. (I had this kit for almost 4 years now, the 7.0mm nut driver I use alot, its worn out to the point most of the time it slips on the wheel nut, but pretty cheap so its to be expected after daily use throughout the years)

These Dynamite RED tools are beasts, and @WickedFog can agree with me. Had a set of these for almost 8 years now and I still use them daily. Tips are still sharp, but the handle is a bit faded. Going to get a new set for me and keep my old faded set as my bash/to go tool kit.

 

[Chubaka]

Is this for racing indoor carpet? does it look like anything like this or is it a different surface? (This is my local onroad track) View attachment 210431

I started out with Dynamite's starter tool kit. Has the basics and is only around 20 bucks. 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm hex. Phillips/flatheads. 5.5mm, 5.0mm, 7.0mm, 8.0mm nut drivers. Pretty good tools. Although the tips do wear out after a few years.

I too use those. Keep your screws clean and replace when needed. Your tips will thank you.

 

[Jerold]

Is this for racing indoor carpet? does it look like anything like this or is it a different surface? (This is my local onroad track - 180 raceay) - some people still use foams for some cars/classes but I see most people use slicks, and if the track allows it, SXT 3.0 tire sauce. Those rules might be outdated but check in with the local racers first before doing so. They know setups the best. View attachment 210431

I started out with Dynamite's starter tool kit. Has the basics and is only around 30 bucks. 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm hex. Phillips/flatheads. 5.5mm, 5.0mm, 7.0mm, 8.0mm nut drivers. Pretty good tools. Although the tips do wear out after a few years. (I had this kit for almost 4 years now, the 7.0mm nut driver I use alot, its worn out to the point most of the time it slips on the wheel nut, but pretty cheap so its to be expected after daily use throughout the years)

These Dynamite RED tools are beasts, and @WickedFog can agree with me. Had a set of these for almost 8 years now and I still use them daily. Tips are still sharp, but the handle is a bit faded. Going to get a new set for me and keep my old faded set as my bash/to go tool kit.

View attachment 210432

I believe the track is puzzle mats. They live like 1,000 miles away so I can't go see it at the moment. But Google Earth helps.

So I'm liking the Dynamite more and more.

Stupid me, I figured out the 4mm wheel nut is an M4 nut not a 4mm wrench size. I was thinking that's even too small for my SCX 24. It's 7mm.

 

[WickedFog]

I believe the track is puzzle mats. They live like 1,000 miles away so I can't go see it at the moment. But Google Earth helps.
View attachment 210440

So I'm liking the Dynamite more and more.

Stupid me, I figured out the 4mm wheel nut is an M4 nut not a 4mm wrench size. I was thinking that's even too small for my SCX 24. It's 7mm.

The metal handled Dynamite drivers are surprizingly very nice tools. Mine are close to 10 years old and still look like new. Best allen drivers I have ever had.

However, there have been a number of times where I have had to reach for something else because the tips just aren't long enough to reach. I love them, but I also have Team EDS ones that Greywolf sent me, and they are a lot longer. I have not used them enough to know if they are durable. But the Team EDS stuff sure looks nice.

 

[DavidB1126]

I believe the track is puzzle mats. They live like 1,000 miles away so I can't go see it at the moment. But Google Earth helps.
View attachment 210440

So I'm liking the Dynamite more and more.

Stupid me, I figured out the 4mm wheel nut is an M4 nut not a 4mm wrench size. I was thinking that's even too small for my SCX 24. It's 7mm.

Ah ok it's a rcp "Mini Z" track. Is the 4tec small enough or do they race 10th/TC on that track?

 

[Jerold]

Ah ok it's a rcp "Mini Z" track. Is the 4tec small enough or do they race 10th/TC on that track?

I'm guessing so. I dropped in on the hobby store last time I was in town. The track area was pretty large and they would reconfigure it a few times a week for different races. They don't do Arrma or Drift cars. They had a falling out the HH at some point. A customer had a broken part and HH wouldn't do anything for a warranty. And drift cars have a particular crowd that . . . lets just say they are are a particular crowd.

They have a Slash series too and they swap the tires for something less grippy. Likewise they do use some other non-stock tires for the 4-tec as well.

I found a tool kit from Horizon on clearance, it's basic but has the right sized and will get him started along with some tweezers and a pit mat. Got a lipo bag and checker from Amazon and will hit up HF for some pliers. Skipping the tool box for now. Let's see what he is hauling around first, there are plenty of extra back packs laying around.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Jerold]

So I arrived with a bag full of stuff and it's all good, and the kid was very happy. He still needs a few things but it's minor stuff at this point.

Took him to the track for some practice. He had ran the car in a parking lot and apparently it needs to be "pristine" to run on the carpet.

Ah didn't know that one?

So we went back to the house pulled it apart and cleaned it up. Then had his ADD mother inspected it. She can find cat hair in a hay stack and approved, so we know it was clean.

So we went back for practice. He did pretty good, then started getting too frisky and killed the servo. We (I) swapped the crappy plastic, broken, gears form some nice metal gears and it was all good. First time I pulled apart a servo, it was a bit fiddley to put together but it worked. He buttoned it up. Got him an extra battery too.

He's doing good with the tools, wears the safety glasses and is paying attention to the LiPos. He was a bit flippant at first then I showed him and his mother a video of a LiPo fire and now they are all over it.

Thank you all for the advice!

 

[Doom!]

Ya done good! Glad he's enjoying it.

 

[WickedFog]

So I arrived with a bag full of stuff and it's all good, and the kid was very happy. He still needs a few things but it's minor stuff at this point.

Took him to the track for some practice. He had ran the car in a parking lot and apparently it needs to be "pristine" to run on the carpet.

Ah didn't know that one?

So we went back to the house pulled it apart and cleaned it up. Then had his ADD mother inspected it. She can find cat hair in a hay stack and approved, so we know it was clean.

So we went back for practice. He did pretty good, then started getting too frisky and killed the servo. We (I) swapped the crappy plastic, broken, gears form some nice metal gears and it was all good. First time I pulled apart a servo, it was a bit fiddley to put together but it worked. He buttoned it up. Got him an extra battery too.

He's doing good with the tools, wears the safety glasses and is paying attention to the LiPos. He was a bit flippant at first then I showed him and his mother a video of a LiPo fire and now they are all over it.

Thank you all for the advice!

Awesome daddio. Please keep us updated on future adventures. That was a fun read.

 

[Jerold]

This is for my nephew and unfortunately, we don't live in the area. I'm hoping his parents keep supporting this and getting him to the track. I will see him in a few months I'm sure.

The owner, staff and other racers are super supportive. They will help him out if he needs something. It's seems to be good atmosphere.