Returning to RC and have questions

[CHawk]

Back when I was into this, Team Associated and Losi were the big names. I see they're still there but I was wondering if there were any others just as good?
And where would be a good resource to educate myself on today's RC ?

 

[Littlemotor]

Back when I was into this, Team Associated and Losi were the big names. I see they're still there but I was wondering if there were any others just as good?
And where would be a good resource to educate myself on today's RC ?

What class are you inquiring for, as the heavy hitter vary wildly from class to class.. For example-TA is killer for 1/10 wheeler (4wd) & Gas Truck (1/10 nitro stadium tucks), but Losi & TA specifically are pretty far down the ladder as far as quality, out of the box performance, parts support in 1/8 IMO.. I ran Losi 20yrs back with 1/8 buggy & truggy, but you couldn’t pay me to do that today.. Also, what part of the country are you in, what are your tracks like, and if 1/8 is what you’re wondering about; nitro, electric, or both?

These answers will help to give you the best opinions possible from a variety of members here.

 

[CHawk]

What class are you inquiring for, as the heavy hitter vary wildly from class to class.. For example-TA is killer for 1/10 wheeler (4wd) & Gas Truck (1/10 nitro stadium tucks), but Losi & TA specifically are pretty far down the ladder as far as quality, out of the box performance, parts support in 1/8 IMO.. I ran Losi 20yrs back with 1/8 buggy & truggy, but you couldn’t pay me to do that today.. Also, what part of the country are you in, what are your tracks like, and if 1/8 is what you’re wondering about; nitro, electric, or both?

These answers will help to give you the best opinions possible from a variety of members here.

I'm thinking 1/10 buggies 2wd. I'm in East Central Michigan. I started with an TA RC 10 I believe, it had a gold colored body pan.

 

[Littlemotor]

I'm thinking 1/10 buggies 2wd. I'm in East Central Michigan. I started with an TA RC 10 I believe, it had a gold colored body pan.

Oh ok, wow-I thought ya mentioned something about 20+ years ago.. The OG “gold tub” rc10 was new around 40yrs back now.. I’m primarily 1/8 nitro/elec bug/trugg, but there are several 1/10 members that should be along shortly-who can be a better help.

 

[CHawk]

Oh ok, wow-I thought ya mentioned something about 20+ years ago.. The OG “gold tub” rc10 was new around 40yrs back now.. I’m primarily 1/8 nitro/elec bug/trugg, but there are several 1/10 members that should be along shortly-who can be a better help.

LOL, guess I started further back than I remember....dang I'm old!!!

 

[Littlemotor]

LOL, guess I started further back than I remember....dang I'm old!!!

I’m with ya bud-I raced mine brand new out of the box in ‘86 or so lol.. Getting old suuuuucks.

 

[Doom!]

Welcome aboard! Dang, the 80's seem like 20 years ago, frick, I'm old too.

 

[CHawk]

Sounds like I'm in good company here, old guys with RC toys....nice...

 

[Spksh]

Good news is that you can buy brand new TA re-releases of the RC10 gold pan if you want to really travel back in time.

 

[CHawk]

One thing I've noticed with what little exploring I've done, everything as far as electronics are concerned have gotten more ...complicated from when last I ran cars.

 

[Littlemotor]

Good news is that you can buy brand new TA re-releases of the RC10 gold pan if you want to really travel back in time.

Like eleventeen different classes too..

 

[Spksh]

One thing I've noticed with what little exploring I've done, everything as far as electronics are concerned have gotten more ...complicated from when last I ran cars.

I was in the same boat recently. It’s very different. But 2.4ghz tx/rx and brushless motors make things way more robust with less maintenance.

You can still pick up a very affordable brushed ESC and rebuildable brushed motor, though.

 

[Spksh]

Like eleventeen different classes too..

“You want Worlds? We got Worlds! You want 4x4? We got 4x4! You want us to exhume the corpses of our best factory drivers? We’ll… hey why are you running away?”

 

[RudyF6]

Things were so much simpler - silver tin can = stock. Anything else? Mod. 2wd or 4wd. Done.
Oh, BTW, Welcome!

 

[Lucifur10]

Welcome in. I'm from that same ancient Era. We were all googly when we got a new Novak ESC!!! Good times.

 

[CertifiedMike]

One of the trends that seems common is when a manufacturer will completely discontinue parts for a certain model. They tell you they lost the parts supplier, the molds are gone...
I think its a bit more intentional than that.
Either way, your buggy that was 100% fine for the track up until that announcement has suddenly become a collectors item, shelf queen... and you need to buy a new buggy.

TLR discontinued their entire race program. Seems like they don't want to race any more.

I am building an Optima Mid from 1987.
I'm modding it, building it to compete on a track today. No idea if it will do well or not. Haven't run one on a track in decades.
I am never gonna be the worlds fastest anything or compete on any international level... in other words, win or lose, I'll be the happiest guy at the track running my favorite car from 40 years ago. Don't care what AE or TLR says is the hot new set up.

Kyosho has been a solid company for decades.
If online parts ordering, being a little different in the crowd works for you, maybe consider a Kyosho RB7.5.

PR Racing is another company that looks really good but isn't main stream. No idea how parts coverage is on these guys and would be the first thing I looked into.

I still have my gold pan too.

I don't like AE's parts coverage. I think their cars are pretty good still tho.

Have you been to a local track lately just to check the place out. You might get an idea to run in a class you never considered before.
You can also get an idea of what everyone else is running and why.

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

Welcome, this place is awesome!

It sounds like you poked your head I to the local scene, what were people running?

Racing in the city here dried up roughly a decade ago. The car to have was TA B6 then the B7 came out. Almost everyone ran them.

Wanting to be different and empty my bank account I went with a Kyosho RB6.

If I could do it all over again I would have just gone TA. I would have had way more support from the local community instead of trying to forge my own path.

 

[Beer_Goggles_RC]

Welcome back to the scene! Right in time to pick up right where you left off now that AE is re releasing tons of vintage stuff

Looking forward to see what you go with! I'd pick AE over TLR any day

 

[hood52]

The most popular classes around me for 1/10 buggy is AE, TLR and Xray. I have a 2 AE B6.4's, great buggies no problems with them. But I've heard of people having problems with the new B7 & B84, chassis snapping. For TLR I have a 22x-4 elite, again great but it's been a while since it's been updated. TLR did stop sponsoring pro drivers if that bothers you. But they did release a new 2wd buggy and stadium truck this year, I haven't heard any complaints about them. I've never owned a Xray but I'm hoping to change that in the near future. Biggest knock I've heard on them is the parts are expensive compared to other brands. Good Luck

 

[ferrebee88]

I'm thinking 1/10 buggies 2wd. I'm in East Central Michigan. I started with an TA RC 10 I believe, it had a gold colored body pan.

The Team Associated B7 2wd buggy is a pretty nice kit. I have a 22.5t motor in mine and it is pretty fun driving around my local track. It is 1/10 indoor clay. I haven't had any problems with quality and parts support has been great.