WPL C74 Jimny

[Panko75]

I just wanted to share my experience with one of these for anyone new to smaller crawlers.

TLDR: Skip it and buy a Redcat Danchee or Ascent 18, 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.

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.

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.

Edit: Newer C74s have the wheelbase correct from the start. I'll give credit to WPL for listening to feedback and fixing that.

 

[Tunedfrog]

That's a bummer, it isn't a bad looking rig.
In my opinion, I wouldn't buy any rig from Banggood.

 

[Panko75]

That's a bummer, it isn't a bad looking rig.
In my opinion, I wouldn't buy any rig from Banggood.

It is pretty detailed for the price, but I'd rather have a model kit. $30 And I can spend a few more tenners on paint, then it'll do the whole "shelf-queen" thing quite nicely.

 

[Tunedfrog]

I will always stick with SCX24s or build my own.
Yes some need mods but they are still a quality rig.
I found a Element builders kit I might buy though.
Some guys buy from Banggood and that's ok if that's what they want,
but I'm seeing more junk than anything.

 

[Panko75]

I will always stick with SCX24s or build my own.
Yes some need mods but they are still a quality rig.
I found a Element builders kit I might buy though.
Some guys buy from Banggood and that's ok if that's what they want,
but I'm seeing more junk than anything.

From what I've seen SCX24s don't really "need" anything to hold together for trail use. They need mods to crawl better, but thats all a part of the hobby. WPL/MNs/whatevers need mods and glue just to stay in one piece (my MN78 just lost a wheel this morning btw).

Good idea avoiding Bangood, I've had better luck with buying used RCs over these Bangood/Aliexpress toys. Too many newcomers get duped into them from the youtube sellouts.

 

[Tunedfrog]

Also so many buy from them and then come here and ask where to get parts.

 

[Panko75]

Also so many buy from them and then come here and ask where to get parts.

I will give WPL credit there, their website is good about offering replacement parts. Also, Amain carries parts for UDIRC (surprisingly).

The catch with WPL is that some parts aren't always available seperately for some models. Like most Bangood RCs, you have to buy two of them and make a scrapyard.