Redcat racing earthquake 3.5...

[Gummybear13]

I am interested in buying a nitro truck and I have found redcatracing to offer cheap prices and what seems like decent trucks. I am just wanting for our more experienced or professional members to give there input before I make my decision whether to buy or build.

specifically the earthquake 3.5....

 

[Hyster]

I had a Volcano... "had". Yeah it wasn't a bad truck except I was throwing a dog bone here and there, front and rear axles left and right. Not to mention, the fuel line that goes from tank to carb sits right over the gear that spins from the clutch. That you will have to modify on the earthquake too. not sure why they designed it that way. I would say try hard to save a bit more $$$ to get a Better RC.

 

[Gummybear13]

Well thank you Hyster for your insite on the redcat's. Sounds like there is some design flaws, but it sounds like you have managed to modify some of it to fix it though.

How often did the dog bones pop? and was the defects the reason you got rid of it? do you know if upgrading to better (aluminum) parts might fix the defects?

 

[Hyster]

It was trivial as to when the my old volcano would throw a dog bone. Usually it was at high RPMs and running over rough terrain or gunning the throttle at a stand still.

 

[Gummybear13]

thanks hyster for your input. Anyone else have anything to say??? or maybe an alternative for 300 or less???

And I am not against building from scratch either, kinda would prefer it..(less start up cost and in theory a better built RC)

 

[RC Addict]

From everything I have heard and read there is nothing really bad to say about the new RedCat line. They seem to be more durable than the older line. Most, if not all, of these rigs are made in China. That being said there isn't much part support from LHS' so you would most likely have to resort to online ordering of any replacement parts you might need. Most would shy away from such a rig for that very reason. If you can find a local source for parts or buy a stockpile of the most commonly broken parts then why not get one? You are not going to get anything else anywhere near the asking price of $239.99 that I saw online for a 3.5 Earthquake. http://www.bargainbloodhound.com/re...ro-gas-truck-4wd-rtr-p-8836.html?currency=USD

 

[Gummybear13]

RC addict, seems like you are right, nothing else is close to that price range. It looks like attracting new RCer's is kinda hard to do with the sticker shock that comes with a lot of these rigs commerically available.

Oh and as for the dog bone issue, I found a video by ali(something or other) explaining why it happens and how to fix it.

Also I was looking for aftermarket parts for the quake, and found a site that has some "upgrades" for this rig....which leads me to ask, what are the most common upgrades or best to do when just starting out?

 

[juggernaut12]

hey there

hey, i own a earthquake 3.5 and i hate it...it gives me nothing but trouble, i wish i never brought and agree with gentlmen that said it earlier wish i had saved some extra money and went with better brand, now i am stuck with the truck paid 250 for it and its now up to 400 with all the batteries fuel ect. and it is all just sitting there, waste of money time and effort, just plain junk, just my opinon

 

[BlackHogDown]

Kinda the same with my earthquake 3.0 witch i would have saved up for a traxxas instead but now i got the money for a traxxas.

 

[juggernaut12]

yeah I'm looking into traxxas as well also exceed and the hpi savagego with a known brand man it will be better in the long run

 

[BlackHogDown]

The earthquake can take a beating but my spur gear got killed in 2 days.

 

[Rolex]

The one point most often overlooked is parts support. If you have a hobby shop nearby, see what they stock most of the parts for. You'll probably see Traxxas, HPI and Losi to name a few. If ALL your orders for a tiny little part are through on line dealers, you'll spend a fortune in shipping. You'll also wait a week when a trip to the LHS will get you up and running again in a few hours.

 

[juggernaut12]

The earthquake can take a beating but my spur gear got killed in 2 days.

yup, stirpped my spur gear 2 tanks after break in and was meshed perfectly, and my local hobby shop has heard of redcat but thats just it....heard I'm the first in my town, so even through the hobby shop i still have to wait a week for them to order parts...but i dont have to pay shipping cost just the gas bill to drive 65 miles for 5 dollar part!!?? no thanks never again with the redcats...moved on to hpi savage...ordring soon, awaiting my next paycheck, 700 is steep but will to pay simply because it is soo much better my friend has one and lets me play with it and have fallin in love...the earthquake will collect dust...look for it on craigs list soon....cheap cheap!!!

 

[BlackHogDown]

Ya i brought a new spur gear on there site and it was 6.99 for the gear and 8.99 for shipping that's just to much money for me to be spending on it if I lived in AZ where there located then it may not be a problem but here in Texas a Traxxas sounds better since there based here. I ran about 10 tanks before it got mess up and the mesh was perfect too I dont know what happened.

 

[Gummybear13]

Now that is what I was talking about, real life experiences. Well thanks guys you have talked me out of buying a redcat...the shipping issue did not seem like a big deal but when I started thinking about it and after the money breakdown given, no thank you.

And after trying to research this product and finding very little I think you guys are right, name brand is the way to go.

 

[juggernaut12]

yeah brand name is the way to go...i was just like you, tryin to save money, more bang for the buck you could say, ended up with a earthquake 3.5 for my very first nitro truck, i was very disapointed, allmost made me leave the hobby all toghter, you can get the hpi savage for around 4oo hunderd from the little research i did on it, seems to be the way i am goin to go! good luck to you my man with whatever truck truggie or car you get!!

 

[BlackHogDown]

If all the plastic parts on the earthquake was replaced with steel and alu ones then it may not be a bad truck and may last quite awhile, but I just dont want to put the money into it to find out because that would total up to about 100+ i would think. I finish puting on my new spur gear and I'm not even sure how long this one is going to last.

 

[juggernaut12]

fitting steel spur gear as i speak, forgot i had ordered it before i got so mad at this thing, but while waiting to get my savage I'm goin to give this thing one more chance got a little advice on a few tricks to get her goin again will update later...dont hold your breath

If all the plastic parts on the earthquake was replaced with steel and alu ones then it may not be a bad truck and may last quite awhile, but I just dont want to put the money into it to find out because that would total up to about 100+ i would think. I finish puting on my new spur gear and I'm not even sure how long this one is going to last.

yeah, dont think I'm about to drop another 100+ bucks it to this thing, and forgot to tell every one, snapped the left front dogbone 3 WHEEL DRIVE BABY!!lol

 

[BlackHogDown]

Both of my front dog bones are bent a little but it dont seam to effect it.

I looked at redcat raceing and to replace most of the plastic parts with hop ups on the earthquake it would total up to $323.15 not counting shiping. You would be better off buying a name brand that has good quality parts on it than cheep china junk.

 

[juggernaut12]

wow man, thanks you saved me some research i was going to do that myself as well, that is alot, could not imagin what they would charge to ship it all across the country!! with the left front dogbone gone its just mostly rear wheel while the left front just spins freely with absloutly not weight so it just cancels out the right front, wish it had positrac.....mahaaahaaaa yea rightlol