Panko75
RCTalk Champion
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I just wanted to share my experience with one of these for anyone new to smaller crawlers.
TLDR: Skip it and buy a Redcat, you'll quickly exceed the Jimnys base price tossing in upgrades, or wait for a KM model.
Out of the box, the C74 fixes a few of the problems that the earlier C RTRs had. It comes with softer tires (suprisingly with foams), and a 370 motor so it won't burn out after a few runs.
The wheelbase is noticably off out of the box (even the box art looks awful), as the leafsprings get worn in it's less apparent, but still there, this kinda hurts the "scale" aspect. Also, unlike the real Suzuki Jimny/Samurai, it doesn't flip over anytime you make a turn, why?
This thing is SLOW, even for a crawler it is very slow. One of those old Stomper toys could probably outpace it, let alone a newer toy RC.
As a trail truck (nevermind crawler), you need brass weights up front. Even after I stuffed the front bumper with wheel weights it would easily fall on its back.
I upgraded my truck with metal driveshafts from the get go, and later added weights. In less than a few battery packs, both axle housings began to split, and the upgrade costs half the price of the truck...so I just pinched them back together and kept going. It goes 3mph and it doesn't play nice with real 1:10 parts (electronics, wheels), I'm not spending money on it.
For the record, I've tried WPLs metal axles before and I really didn't like them, I had frequent binding/mesh issues. You have to leave a gap at the diff cover or shim it with something.
When I took the body apart to paint the interior and fit a driver (which isn't easy, the steering wheels too big), the headlights randomly quit working. I'd unplug and plug them back in, nothing, thankfully it still has steering/throttle, but I've had WPL control boards crap out on me in the past.
I paid maybe $65 for mine via bangood sale and coupons and it arrived without a hitch. For that price, it's a good shelf-queen or indoor crawler, but even as slow as it is won't hold up to outdoor crawling without upgrades (at which point you could buy something better from your LHS).
Wait for the KM (if they ever make one), it comes with the parts that you NEED, and not the crap electronics that you don't.
Finally, the "manual" is more in line with a toy, no exploded views nor any diagrams, just basic info. On the plus side, it won't cause cancer in California.
TLDR: Skip it and buy a Redcat, you'll quickly exceed the Jimnys base price tossing in upgrades, or wait for a KM model.
Out of the box, the C74 fixes a few of the problems that the earlier C RTRs had. It comes with softer tires (suprisingly with foams), and a 370 motor so it won't burn out after a few runs.
The wheelbase is noticably off out of the box (even the box art looks awful), as the leafsprings get worn in it's less apparent, but still there, this kinda hurts the "scale" aspect. Also, unlike the real Suzuki Jimny/Samurai, it doesn't flip over anytime you make a turn, why?
This thing is SLOW, even for a crawler it is very slow. One of those old Stomper toys could probably outpace it, let alone a newer toy RC.
As a trail truck (nevermind crawler), you need brass weights up front. Even after I stuffed the front bumper with wheel weights it would easily fall on its back.
I upgraded my truck with metal driveshafts from the get go, and later added weights. In less than a few battery packs, both axle housings began to split, and the upgrade costs half the price of the truck...so I just pinched them back together and kept going. It goes 3mph and it doesn't play nice with real 1:10 parts (electronics, wheels), I'm not spending money on it.
For the record, I've tried WPLs metal axles before and I really didn't like them, I had frequent binding/mesh issues. You have to leave a gap at the diff cover or shim it with something.
When I took the body apart to paint the interior and fit a driver (which isn't easy, the steering wheels too big), the headlights randomly quit working. I'd unplug and plug them back in, nothing, thankfully it still has steering/throttle, but I've had WPL control boards crap out on me in the past.
I paid maybe $65 for mine via bangood sale and coupons and it arrived without a hitch. For that price, it's a good shelf-queen or indoor crawler, but even as slow as it is won't hold up to outdoor crawling without upgrades (at which point you could buy something better from your LHS).
Wait for the KM (if they ever make one), it comes with the parts that you NEED, and not the crap electronics that you don't.
Finally, the "manual" is more in line with a toy, no exploded views nor any diagrams, just basic info. On the plus side, it won't cause cancer in California.
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