Looking for a good kit that won't break the bank

[stallsmithb]

A lot of drivers in my club are running Hot Bodies Lightning Stadium truggies and like them alot.

$519.99 - Hot Bodies 1/8 Lightning Stadium Pro RTR at Tower Hobbies.
(plus don't forget the "Save $25.00 Instantly Off Your $149 Order!" - promotional ad number 010KY)

this comes with a HB .26 engine that is pretty good for bashing and not bad for racing.
It comes with a basic radio & servos, but I would upgrade them. Also get a few King Headz parts to stiffen it up and you have a great racer.

I would use the Hitec HS-645MG or Hitec HS-925MG for steering and the Hitec HS-625MG for T/B

 

[godale03]

Hey Guys,

Well I went ahead and did it. I ordered the CRT X1 kit. I got a great deal on it and my electronics. I got it all for 790 out the door. I should have the kit by Friday, hopefully. Well besides the kit itself, I got an JR RS300 reciever cuz it was a bit cheaper than the 310, Hitec 5999 servo with the titanium gears and a 645MG for throttle brake. I know the 645 may not be the best but it should do the trick for me until I can get a better throttle/brake servo. So what do you guys think? I know I didn't buy the best stuff money can buy, but I could afford to do it this way. I can always upgrade stuff later. I am very excited my friends... can't wait to get it home. Thanks for all of your help. If there is anything else you guys could suggest let me know I am all ears. I will post pics when it comes in and throughout the build process. This is the first kit I have ever attempted to build. I think I am ready though! I know if I have trouble I could always post pics here and get help. Take care all.

Tom

 

[Plaidfish]

find a setup sheet for it based on your track style so you are really ready to build.......I'm sure the OFNA site has em up by now.....get a set of panther tire bands....does the kit come w/ tires?? I think it does.....new batt pack???paint for the body?? trim the corners of your tire foams at a45* angle and duct tape belt the inside of your tires...that's all I can think of.....for now

 

[godale03]

find a setup sheet for it based on your track style so you are really ready to build.......I'm sure the OFNA site has em up by now.....get a set of panther tire bands....does the kit come w/ tires?? I think it does.....new batt pack???paint for the body?? trim the corners of your tire foams at a45* angle and duct tape belt the inside of your tires...that's all I can think of.....for now

Cool. I have been to Jammin's website and indeed the do have setup sheets posted by driver and particular track for the X1 CRT. I didn't even think to use those in the build. The kit does come with tires... Proline CrimeFighter MT's. I know nothing about that particular tire so hopefully it works. I have purchased an Orion 1400 Rx Pack to go with it along with a switch and charge lead. I was reading about the duct taping the tires in a past issue of XRC just the other day.. how cool is that? So that is something you recomend? I have not chosen a paint yet, but I am sure I can come up with something. I will remember to trim the foams, thanks for the advice. What are panther tire bands? Thanks for the info and keep em coming! Take care...

Tom

 

[godale03]

Well guys... have to turn in for the evening. I hope I can sleep... I am so excited about the CRT Kit. I hope it comes in soon!

Tom

 

[Revo Rancher]

Nighty, night...:sleeping:

 

[digger]

Congratulations on the new kit. Looking forward to reading about it bro.

 

[godale03]

Thanks Bro! I am looking forward to getting this kit in and start working on it. This is the first RC vehicle that I have owned that was not an RTR, or 80% RTR. I haven't put a kit together since the days I was flying and it seemed as if I was putting one together, or fixing one after every flight! LOL I also have a prather DeepV boat that was a kit. I think everything will go just fine. I promise I will keep everyone posted as well as post some pics of the progress. Take care guys... I can't wait till it gets here!

Tom

 

[digger]

I'd like to try a kit one of these days.
Built several planes and even scratch built 3. Had a small pic of one in a magazine. Don't have that plane now. (A mix of my flying skills and gravity.) The other 2 are still flying. I enjoy building. But after spending so much time on one, I'm almost scared to fly it. pps:

Good luck with the kit. Kick some butt on the track this year with it.
Hope the leg is healing.

 

[godale03]

Thanks bro. The leg is doing ok. I had another round of Xrays yesterday and the good news is the fracture has not moved. The bad news is I am still under a no weight on the leg for another 4 weeks. Then if everything is still going well I get to put some weight on the leg, albeit still on crutches. Then gradually adding weight to the leg over the next 4 to 5 weeks. So I still have about 9 weeks to go. I am just happy everything is healing right so far.

As far as building the planes... I know what you are talking about. You spend all that time buliding the kit... making it perfect. Then spend all of that time covering it, trying to get the monokote smooth as glass and as tight as J-lo's deriere'. LOL You just don't want to fly it after that. Of course we all do, and just like you said, my flying ability and gravity took over. LOL I am hoping to have better success keeping the truck in one piece. I still need to work on my driving ability... you know practice, practice.... I know the truck will handle better making it easier to drive, but I still have work to do. There is this one kid at my local track and his folks have $$ and he gets all the best stuff anytime he wants it, and I would like to shut him and his fancy "LSP" up this year. He talked all kinds of smack last year, but he was racing against hopped-up maxx's, stock revo's, and other bigger bulkier MT's. Don't get me wrong the kid can drive, but he really had no competiton. I hope to give him some this year! LOL

Tom

 

[digger]

Give the little mama's boy hell, bro!!! :devious:

 

[beason]

just an idea to make the build go by faster. make a project thread. that way you stop and take picks of EVERYTHING you do. then you have to resize, upload, and post. that alone will easly add a few hours total to the build. and prolly help many people in the furture who buy this truck.

congradulations on FINNALY making up your mind!! now have fun!!

 

[godale03]

Yeah, I was planning on posting my overall progress as I make it through the kit. Not only may I be able to help others, but in turn others may be able to help me just get through the build. I am excited and looking forward to it. Does anybody have any good advice on a build strategy? Does anyone know of any pitfalls that I may be able to avoid with some advice? Thanks guys.

Tom

 

[Revo Rancher]

Get good tools, threadlock if they do not provide, and turn the screws slow enough so you do not strip them, trim all tree burrs and mold marks. Oh, and a cold 12 pack per night.

 

[godale03]

Yeah.. got the beer covered! LOL I don't know if I have all the right tools, but I do have a decent set of hex head wrenches and some blue thread lock. I am sure it will take me a good amount of time to get this done. I am hoping to have this truck built in about 2 weeks. I am going to take my time and enjoy it, as well as learn all I can about how the truck goes together. There is nothing better for getting to know your truck then to start with it in a few hundred pieces. I am sure alot of beer and cuss words will flow during the build... but at least I will be having fun!

Tom

 

[Plaidfish]

when I tear an RC down ( I nut and Bolt EVERY used RC I buy), I set up small plastic trays you buy from outdoor world, like 1.50 a tray up to 5.00 a tray...buy a few different sizes that have lids and can hold all the parts in separate compartments....then organize the parts as you open the box...if there are no markers on the parts tree trim the excess plastic real good w/n X-acto too......all this is more so it's all easy to clean up and store if you can't finish and need to clear the spot....it's also easier to look for the little parts when they are organized......AND you'll have somethign to dump all the lil extra stuff for that RC and keep it out of the "Pit Pile" we all seem to accumulate......I do shocks and diffs first myself...then as you get to that part of the build the unit just drops in and you keep your stride on the rest of the build......test teh radio gear before you mount it.....and sand all CF edges and superglue them, that will keep the edges from splintering too easily......loc-tite (DUH!)......you'll have plenty of time to practice painting for the bad ass body now.....get a peice of lexan or acrylic sheet from Home depot and practice masking/painting designs on it...you can just strip it off and repaint it over and over......I've only done this once but it worked really well and I will be doing this every build, take the new bearings and remove the grease.....get a thicker grease and repack em.....then get a syringe and super glue the shields on the OUTSIDE plate only...you don't want them totally sealed but the outside plate won't let ANY grime in or out that way.....the grease can run out the inside plate and make a mess but it's contained this way...my Xray had a new set of spare bearings when I bought it used...I did that and I'm just now under 9 gallons I'm replacing the whole set...I should have done it 2 gallons ago but it was still working okay then........those are my tips.....so stick em in your ear hole and smoke that......

 

[Revo Rancher]

Hex head tools in regular and ball end are useful, plus a good set of hardened tip Philips and blade style screwdrivers. I do not use much more than that, except for a good set of specialty tools like turnbuckle wrenches and a clutch tool.

In all seriousness, you can literally build your first kit in 3-4 days, a few hours a day. They really are not that hard and usually the instructions are clear. Like cutting wood, (measure twice, cut once) always double check the fit and location of the part before wrenching it in there. Some parts on the manual diagrams look a lot like the other parts in the same bag.

 

[godale03]

Hey Plaid.. are you sure you have never built a kit before? LOL Sounds like you have things down pat my friend. Alot of those tips I would have never thought of. So you put locktite on the edges of the carbon fiber tray after sanding right, not super glue? Can you get bearing grease at the Hobby Shop? I like the idea of building the diffs and shocks first. I just hope the diff fluid and and Shock oil come in when the kit arrives. I hope the instructions that come with this kit are fool proof! That kit cost a bunch of scratch so I better not screw up the build! I downloaded the setup sheets from Jammin's site too.

Tom

 

[godale03]

Hex head tools in regular and ball end are useful, plus a good set of hardened tip Philips and blade style screwdrivers. I do not use much more than that, except for a good set of specialty tools like turnbuckle wrenches and a clutch tool.

In all seriousness, you can literally build your first kit in 3-4 days, a few hours a day. They really are not that hard and usually the instructions are clear. Like cutting wood, (measure twice, cut once) always double check the fit and location of the part before wrenching it in there. Some parts on the manual diagrams look a lot like the other parts in the same bag.

Hey Revo,

You mention clutch tool? I do not have one of those... will I need one to get the clutch and flywheel on the drive shaft?

Tom

 

[Revo Rancher]

No. There are two tools I use. On holds the clutch/flywheel so you can tighten the cone nut, the other is to get the clutch itself. On my first two kits I used whatever I had sitting around as far as tools. In other words, they are specialty tools for convenience.