Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Clear Body
for Yeti
#3238-02
PERFORMANCE SHOCKS
Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon
Customized Clear Body
for Wraith
Shown with Super Swamper 2.2” Tires on Titus Wheels, NEXT GEN TECHNOLOGY WITH FULL SCALE REALISM
#3380-00 PowerStroke Shocks, Roof Rack, Light Bar and Accessories 1 PRO-SPEC
for Short Course Trucks
#6308-30 Front ( fits Yeti Front * )
#6308-31 Rear ( fits Wraith Front and Rear * )
A
TRUE DUAL RATE HEAVY DUTY PERFORMANCE
2 POWERSTROKE
for Short Course Trucks
#6063-00 Front ( fits Yeti Front * )
#6063-01 Rear ( fits Wraith Front and Rear * )
3 POWERSTROKE
B for Yeti Rear
#TBA Coming Soon
70 | Readers’ Choice
Awards 2015
Te best of radio control as
chosen by you
›› By RC Car Action Team
RADIO CONTROL CAR ACTION (USPS 001-087; ISSN 0886-1609) is published monthly by Air Age, Inc., 88
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CONTENTS
39
test bench
102 | Futaba 4PX Metal 106 20
Carrying Case
104 | Pro-Line Destroyer
Monster Truck Tires
105 | Outerwears
Generation 2 Chassis
Shroud for Traxxas Slash
4x4
tech-know
90 | 8 Ways to Make Lexan 105
Bodies Last
Easy tricks to keep your plastic
looking fantastic
›› By Lito Reyes
Departments RCCarAction.com
14 | Starting Line Your source for up-to-the-minute
16 | Feedback RC—the latest news, tips, contests,
20 | Readers’ Rides and so much more!
24 | Pit Tips
31 | Tech Center LIKE FOLLOW FREE!
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RCCarAction and do what excitement on Instagram—follow when you visit rccaraction.
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87 | AirAgeStore.com page is a rapidly growing a there’s always something new favorite videos, updates on the
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industry professionals, and instagram.com/rccaraction editors and much more.
pros—and it’s a great way to get
the latest on the goings-on of
the RC world.
starting Line
est. 1985
T
›› peterv@airage.com
raxxas isn’t exactly keeping Senior Editor Kevin Hetmanski
›› kevinh@airage.com
the origins of the new Craniac Editor Carl Hyndman
and Skully trucks a secret. ›› carlh@airage.com
Visit the pages for the new Associate Editor
Matt Boyd ›› mattb@airage.com
skull-topped crusher at Traxxas. Editorial Manager Kayla Parent
com, and the first thing you’ll ›› kaylap@airage.com
read is, “based on the best-selling
CONTRIBUTORS
Stampede…” When the mission Joel Navarro, Michael Wortel, Lito Reyes, Trevor
is to build a tough, affordable, “Chilly” Duncan, Scott Murphy, Bill Zegers
good-time truck, it’s hard to top
ART
a Traxxas Stampede. And if you’re Creative Director ›› Betty K. Nero
Traxxas, it makes perfect sense to stick with develop new anything (or fund a race team). Art Director ›› Kevin Monahan
that winning formula—ain’t broke, don’t fix. Moonshots like the Traxxas Revo and X0-1 Photographer ›› Peter Hall
Videographer ›› Adam Lebenstein
And so it goes with many of the other vehicles were made possible by selling lots and
we enjoy. Pull the body clips on most RC cars, lots of Rustlers, Stampedes, and Bandits. DIGITAL MEDIA
Associated’s B5 series and the new RC8B3 Web Producer ›› Holly Hansen
and you’re likely to find a chassis that serves
on a few different models, or shares most of benefit from the long life of the B4 and T4 ADVERTISING
its parts with another vehicle. And if it doesn’t, models. HPI is in no hurry to reinvent the Mitch Brian ››203.529.4609 | mitchb@airage.com
Ben Halladay ››203.529.4628 | benh@airage.com
rest assured that it will soon. Te reason for Savage, because there’s no benefit to doing
Diane de Spirlet ››203.529.4664
this is simple: designing and tooling up new so, other than giving us something to talk | dianed@airage.com
vehicles and their many stamped, cast, and about.
CONSUMER MARKETING
injection-molded parts is incredibly time Believe me, I get it—everyone gets Te Media Source, a division of TEN,
consuming and expensive. “What about 3D excited for all-new stuff, and that certainly Te Enthusiast Network
printing,” you ask. It’s great for prototyping, but includes all of us at RC Car Action. Te
MARKETING & EVENTS
it’s not a cost-effective way to mass-produce manufacturers get excited too, and if they Associate Creative Director Leslie Costa
parts. Ten pieces, OK. Ten thousand pieces, no. could push out new cars and trucks based Marketing Assistant Erica Driver
So, whenever possible, manufacturers use on their creative whims rather than a Event Manager Emil DeFrancesco
the parts they have already designed and de- compelling business case, we’d certainly PUBLISHING
bugged, because they have to make money. see a much greater frequency of all-new Group Publishers Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr.,
Yvonne M. DeFrancesco
Tat sounds crass to some (just read Facebook vehicles. But it doesn’t work that way—
and message board comments), as if making and don’t even get me started on how
a profit somehow represents the customer impossible it would be for hobby stores to FOLLOW US
getting taken advantage of. Here’s the thing: if keep up with parts if it did. Te next time On Facebook: rccaraction
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that sell year after year are the bankroll for ASK FOR RADIO CONTROL
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Monster Action
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Te No Limits RC
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RCX.com
That Mini is
No Mini
Last month’s issue featured the DOWN FOR DURANGO Awesome!
most ironic RC car currently on Durango’s making a big push with their latest vehicles, Jeff Fireball Frederick
the market: Losi’s Mini WRC, and the DNX8 is the first to hit the pages of RCCA. We
which is actually enormous. And teased the new ride and you’re
Send me one to review
enormously entertaining, as we liking the look, but there’s only and I will tell you how I
discovered. If you think it’s an so much a body-on shot feel about the new
attention-getter on the cover, will tell you—flip to our model. Michael Christensen
you should see it in person. It’s full review in this
I won one of these in the
definitely a great car if you like issue! raffle at the Alabama
meeting people, and answering Manufacturers Shootout.
questions. Dale G. Robertson
I wish F1 RC
was bigger.
It doesn’t
get the credit or
attention it should.
Shannon Albitre
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16 RCCarAction.com
DRIVE WITH Harness the power of your ride with Spektrum
NOTHING
AVC ® (Active Vehicle Control™) technology.
Every jump, turn and straightaway feels
dialed in no matter how fast you’re going. You
have the freedom to dial in or dial out extra
stability to match how fast you want to go.
This is driving with nothing held back.
HELD BACK
This is AVC technology.
spektrumrc.com/AVC
©2015 Horizon Hobby, LLC. AVC, Active Vehicle Control, Serious Fun and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. The Spektrum trademark is used with
permission of Bachman industries, Inc. 49160
Readers' Rides
readersrides@airage.com
JeepZilla
BRenDa SuMneR ›› weSt JoRDan, ut
West Jordan must be the perfect environment for
Brenda’s custom JeepZilla. She started with a MattZilla
RC Works chassis, to which she added RC4x4
Performance stainless links, Kyosho Red Velvet shocks,
Team KNK stainless hardware and OttSix VooDoo
tires mounted on MotoWorx wheels. Te driveline
consists of a Tekin Pro4 3300 motor with a Castle MMP
controller putting power through a Robinson Racing traxxas slash
road Warrior
HD transmission and overdrive/underdrive HD gears.
Vanquish dif covers and Axial universals fnish things
of. A Savox 1283 servo handles steering. Covering it all RoBeRt StallingS
is a New Bright Jeep body done up by Mike Rowe. We ›› naPleS, Fl
love the diamond plate and little touches like the roll-bar In July we did a big feature on
padding, the detailed seats and even a Utah license plate. Readers’ Rides is also on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/rccaraction, Mad Max-inspired vehicles,
post your ride, and we’ll message you if we want to feature it here
in the mag. so we were stoked to see
several readers send their
20 RCCarAction.com
Readers' Rides
WIN
If we feature your vehicle as "Readers' Ride of the Month," you'll receive an RC Car Action hat and a one-year Digital Edition
subscription (or an extension to your existing digital subscription). To submit your vehicle, email your high-resolution JPEG
images to readersrides@airage.com. To submit photos to Readers' Rides by mail, send color prints and a description to
Readers’ Rides, Air Age Media, 88 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Include your name, address, and phone number in
A DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION your letter. Submissions will not be returned. Readers’ Rides is also on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/rccaraction, post your
AND AN RC CAR ACTION HAT ride, and we’ll message you if we want to feature it here in the mag.
22 RCCarAction.com
Pit Tips PLASTIC-SAFE
THREAD LOCK
Tread locking fluid can
attack plastic, so it should
only be used in metal parts. If
you have a screw that threads
into plastic and loosens
frequently, use white glue on
the threads. It will prevent
loosening but still allow the
screw to be removed.
Safe Blade
Disposal
Use a cutoff wheel to make
a slot in the top of a pill
bottle. When your hobby
knife blade is ready to be
replaced, discard it in the
pill bottle. Never place bare
blades directly in the trash.
WIN
SEND US YOUR PIT TIPS! Email your tips to PitTips@airage.com. Be sure to include your
mailing address with your email. If we feature your tip as our “Top Tip,” you’ll receive an RC
Car Action hat and a one-year Digital Edition subscription (or an extension to your existing
A DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION digital subscription).
AND AN RC CAR ACTION HAT
26 RCCarAction.com
Spektrum
ServoS
the right ChoiCe
Whatever
You Drive
Dakotah Phend
16-Time ROAR National Champion
there
here is a best-in-class Spektrum™ servo for anything you drive,
be it a monster truck or 1/8-scale competition buggy. All are
engineered with the fnest gear train components and the latest
processor and motor technology available so you enjoy a sense
of precision that is second to none.
©2014 Horizon Hobby, LLC. Serious Fun and the Horizon Hobby logo are registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, LLC. The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. 44119
Pit Tips
Shine Spray
Busts Mud
To help keep your
car bodies looking
good and make them
easier to clean, apply
a “detailing spray”
such as Lucas Slick
Mist. In addition to a
leaving behind a nice
shine, mud and dust
will have a hard time
sticking to the body.
28 RCCarAction.com
sponsored by
tech center your questions answered
Servo Stripper
I had problems with stripping servo horns, so I upgraded to an aluminum
horn. Now I have a new problem: the aluminum horn strips out the
plastic output shaft. Other than getting a metal-gear servo, is there
anything I can do?
First things frst: if your car has an adjustable servo-saver, loosen it.
Tat will go a long way to preventing stripped horns and output shafts.
If it doesn’t have a servo saver built into the bellcranks, consider using a
servo-mounted saver instead of a fxed horn. With that out of the way,
let’s assume you’re still stripping output shafts. Getting a metal-gear
servo really is the best bet, but if you’re committed to your plastic-gear
model, then you’re half way there by getting an aluminum servo horn.
What you really want is a clamping aluminum servo horn. In addition to
the spline interface, a clamping horn squeezes the output shaft for a
tight hold. Use threadlock on the clamping screw, and just snug it up—
you don’t need to crank on it.
Time Out
I got a big 10,000mAh battery for long run times, but my charger “times
Quick Question out” before the battery is done charging. How can I prevent this?
I heard you shouldn’t Many chargers have a time-out function as a safety feature. But as you
switch fuel brands after discovered, this can cause the charger to shut down prematurely. Tere
breaking in an engine, are two fxes you can try. You can set the time-out for a longer period, if it’s
and I’ve used the same adjustable. Te other solution is to charge at a higher amp rate. If you set
brand for two years. But your charger for fve or six amps, it should fully charge the pack within two
now my local hobby store hours. But what if you’ve got a “plug and play”
no longer carries that fuel charger with fxed settings? Ten you’ll
brand. Is it OK to switch? just have to wait. As you’ve discovered,
Yes, you can switch brands, but if a battery that runs longer also takes
possible stick with the same nitro longer to charge, and most plug-
percentage. Switching to a lower or and-play chargers max out at
higher nitro percentage will change 4amps and may deliver even less
the engine’s operating temperature— under load. After the charger times
which shouldn’t hurt anything, but
out, disconnect the pack and plug it
it will change the “sweet spot” for
back in to reset the charger and fully
tuning. To keep things as goof-proof Te Dynamite Prophet Precept charger
as possible, don’t surprise your charge the pack. To avoid long charge allows you to set how long the “Safety
engine with diferent brands and nitro Sticking with one brand is a good times, upgrade to a programmable Timer” allows before it stops the charge
percentages if you can avoid doing so. move, but if you do have to switch it charger that can deliver at least fve process. Or, you can turn the Safety
up, try to get the same nitro content. amps. Timer of.
september 2015 33
TECH CENTER
TOOLBOX
LiPo power system? I picked up a Clod Buster at
a yard sale and I want to leave its vintage gear
in place.
Better Bearings
I took my car completely apart to clean everything, and
soaked the bearings in oil before putting it all back
together. Te bearings inside the transmission are
fne, but the wheel bearings feel gritty and notchy.
Can they be saved?
LE MANS LE MONSTER
Tamiya Nissan GT-R LM Nismo Launch Version
Nissan’s convention-busting front-engine car is the most distinctively styled Le
Mans Prototype on the track. Unlike the full-size car, Tamiya’s model is RWD and
holds its motor next to the rear axle. It’s based on the F103GT 2WD chassis and
comes to you as a kit. A 540 stock motor is included but it’s up to you to pick out
the rest of the electronics to get it going. Features include an adjustable height
gear case, double deck chassis, coil over rear shock and a ball differential.
tamiyausa.com
EXTRA LARGE
TRAIL TREADS
Pro-Line Flat Iron XL 2.2
Te Pro-Line Flat Iron 2.2-inch tire is popular with the trail crowd and
has now received the XL treatment, for a larger diameter than Pro-
Line’s “standard” 2.2” trail tires. Large lugs and siping gives the tire
good flex to help to dig in and get your truck moving in a hurry, with
all the grab you need for climbing over obstacles. Tey’re made using
Pro-Line’s sticky G8 compound rubber and include foam inserts.
prolineracing.com
WIFI READY
Hitec X2 AC Plus Charger
Hitec’s newest charger features dual ports
that are capable of charging two battery
packs at the same time. AC and DC inputs
make it easy to use while at home or out
at your favorite track or bash spot. It’s
designed to charge any type of battery
and has a build in 10 amp power supply to
get the juice flowing. It also features 10
charge/discharge profiles, large cooling
fan, internal balancing circus and you can
control it from your smartphone with the
optional WiFi module.
hitecrcd.com
MANGA MACHINES
Kyosho Initial D Mini Zs
Kyosho has just released three new Mini Zs and they are based on the popular AWD sport Mini Z chassis.
When it comes to body styles you can pick from a Toyota Trueno, Nissan R32 GT-R and a Mazda RX-7
F3CS, and all are replicas of the cars in the popular Initial D manga and anime series. Te chassis features
independent suspension, mid mounted motor, ball bearings, gear differentials and a lot more. Control
comes by way of a 2.4GHz pistol grip radio and motor power comes from four AAA type batteries.
FULL METAL JACKET
kyoshoamerica.com Spektrum Latest Surface
Servos
Te gang at Spektrum have been busy and
have just introduced a new generation of
REALISTIC ROLLERS surface servos designed to perform in 1/10
JConcepts Vengeance 1.9” and 1/8-scale vehicles. Te S6230 and
Wheel S6240 are high-torque and high-speed
units in a compact size for limited space
JConcepts has expanded its scale parts line
situations while the S6250 HV and S6260
with some trick wheels for your trail truck.
HV servos are more of a standard size
Te Vengeance wheel is designed for 1.9-inch
and great for high-voltage applications.
tires and has a sliver finish for a machined-
If you want the ultimate performance for
aluminum look. Dual vent holes allow your
1/8-scale applications you’ll want to check
tires to breath and the mounting surface has
out the S6280 HV and S6290 HV servos
a rough finish to provide more surface area for
with metal construction. All the servos
glue. Caps and screws are included and either
feature Spektrum removable wire leads
dress up the center section or completely
and metal servo mounting tabs to ensure
hide the not so scale wheel nut that holds
that they stay in place in the most extreme
them on.
conditions.
jconcepts.net
spektrumrc.com
SEEING RED
RPM Parts Now Available In Red
If black, blue, green and “dyeable” aren’t enough color
choices for you, RPM now has another option: red!
RPM’s gear for the Traxxas electric Rustler, 2WD Stampede and Slash are the first parts
to be cast in crimson, and you can expect more parts to get red soon.
rpmrcproducts.com
SEPTEMBER 2015 41
p e r f o r m a n c e t e s t
traxxas
craniac & skully
1/10-SCALE 2WD monStEr truCk | rtr
VEHICLE SPECS
Item no.: 36064-1 (Skully);
35.1
36094-1 (Craniac)
Scale: 1/10
Price: $250 mph*
Weight, as tested: 4 lb., 1.3 oz. (1851g)
A “Revo-spec” slipper clutch is
*with included battery standard, and Traxxas supplies
CHASSIS and 21T pinion two pinion gears: the installed
Material: Plastic 16-tooth for all-around running,
Type: Lifted tub and a 21-tooth for maximum
speed on hard surfaces.
SUSPENSION
Type: Lower H-arm with fixed-length camber link
Inboard camber link positions (F/R): 1/2
Outboard upper arm positions (F/R): 1/1
Shock positions, towers (F/R): 1/1
Shock positions, arms (F/R): 2/5 XL-5 & TITAN 550 BRUSHED POWER
Aftermarket sales are one thing, but when it comes
to total units actually in use, I’d wager that the
SHOCKS
Traxxas XL-5 speed control and Titan 550 motor
Bodies: Plastic, 10mm bore
are way out in front as the most common power
Shafts: Plated steel, 3mm
system in RC. Tis combo is standard issue in all of
Volume compensation: Bladder Traxxas’ 1/10 scale brushed-power 2WD models, and
it’s a highly reliable performer. Te XL-5 is rated for up
DRIVETRAIN to 9.6volts, so an 8-cell NiMH pack or 2S LiPo is no prob-
Type: 3-gear transmission lem. If you do go LiPo, you’ll need to activate Low Voltage
Spur gear/pinion: 90T / 16T (optional 21T also included) Detection to prevent over-discharging; out of the box, LVD
Differential: Planetary gear is deactivated since teach truck includes a NiMH battery.
Driveshafts: Plastic telescoping, dual universal joint Te speed control is also set up for full reverse-throttle
Bearings: Sealed ball (transmission); Oilite bushing (hubs) capability (which Traxxas calls “Sport Mode”), with Race
Mode (reverse-lockout) and Training Mode easily acces-
sible. Training Mode is a handy feature; when enabled, it
WHEELS & TIRES
Wheels: One-piece plastic, 12mm hex cuts speed and power Te 12-turn Titan 550
by 50% in forward motor isn’t much for
Tires: Rubber low-profile chevron tread
and reverse, so the RC style, but it does have plenty of
Inserts: None wheelie-popping torque.
learning curve doesn’t
include full-throttle
INCLUDED ELECTRONICS crashes. Te Craniac
Transmitter/receiver: Traxxas TQ 2-channel 2.4GHz and Skully can top Te XL-5 speed control includes
Servo: Traxxas 2056 waterproof, plastic gear, 80 oz.-in. 30mph, so the ability to Training Mode for easier new-
Speed control: Traxxas XL-5 waterproof driver control.
whack that in half for
Motor: Traxxas Titan 550 noob action is sure to
Battery: Traxxas iD Power Cell 3000mAh NiMH 7-cell spare a few suspension
Charger: Traxxas 4-amp DC peak detecting arms.
REQUIRES
Four AA batteries
44 RCCarAction.com
NARROW LIFTED CHASSIS Te Skully’s bumper
It’s technically a tub, but the trucks’ lifted chassis is more of a channel and just wide
and ladder bars
enough to hold the included 7-cell NiMH battery. Deep ribs are molded in for reinforce-
are green or blue
ment and the thick-walled molding is a stout hunk of plastic. Te chassis sits
to match the body
well above the transmission and front bulkhead, giving the trucks their color. If you go Cra-
jacked-up profile. Beneath the chassis, front and rear ladder bars reach niac, all the chassis
down to support the transmission housing and bulkhead, and modular parts are black.
construction allows the front suspension and transmission/rear
suspension assembles to be removed intact. Up top, a simple body-
clipped strap secures the battery. It’s a hump pack, as the tray is
standard “6-cell” length. Traxxas offers higher-capacity NiMH
packs as options, as well as a 5800mAh LiPo. With an optional
“expansion kit,” you can even install Traxxas’ 10,000mAh LiPo
for ultra-long run times.
GOOF-PROOF ULTRA-
SHOCK SUSPENSION
Traxxas keeps it simple in the
suspension department, with parts
that will be familiar to anyone with a
Slash, Bandit, Stampede or Rustler. More
importantly, these parts are familiar to countless
dealers who have stocked them for years, which means
you’ll never have to go far if you need to replace something.
Like most of Traxxas’ other brushed-power 2WD models,
the Craniac and Skully get fixed-length plastic camber
links to simplify the suspension system and trim cost, as
well as make the suspension settings goof-proof. “I can’t
wait to mess with camber” is something no bash-around
monster fan has ever said, so the non-adjustable camber
links are hardly a miss. Much more important is what you
do get, and that’s a nice set of shocks. Te thick-walled
plastic Ultra Shocks are very smooth, with damping and
springing that’s well matched to the trucks’ weight and
mission.
Fixed-length
camber links make
the suspension
Te “just plain TQ” transmitter is setup foolproof,
the simplest of the Traxxas lineup. and oil-filled Ultra
Steering trim is the only obvious Shocks smooth
adjustment, while a single button is the way.
used for binding and channel revers-
ing (neither of which you’ll need to
worry about unless you install the
transmitter in another model or
install a different Traxxas receiver).
Te TQ shares its comfortable case
shape with the TQi 3- and 4-channel
transmitters, but is not compatible
with Traxxas’ Bluetooth module.
For comfort and a quality feel, the
TQ is one of the nicer RTR pistols
out there, with a not-too-soft foam
wheel grip and smooth wheel and
trigger action.
SEPTEMBER 2015 45
+
Pure bash-around monster
-
Included charger is DC-only
truck fun
Wish the optional wheelie bar
Fast, with wheelie-popping was standard
power
Tons of factory and aftermarket
options
Includes 4-amp charger and
high-quality battery
POWER-UP TO
BRUSHLESS
Te Craniac and Skully, like
Traxxas’ other Titan 550-pow-
FINAL WORD
Te Craniac and Skully are classic kick-back-and-have-fun machines. I’ve driven plenty of faster, more expensive, more SOURCES
exotic machines, but they all ask for more attention and make me feel I’m doing something wrong if I just run them around Traxxas traxxas.com
the neighborhood. Te Craniac and Skully, on the other hand, live for it. Tey’re made for tearing up the street, back yard
and vacant lot without a care for camber angles or end points, and the answer to every, “should I hit that jump/curb/
obstacle?” is an emphatic “yes, you should totally hit that.” Other than the optional AC power supply and spare batteries,
there’s nothing I feel like the Craniac or Skully need to have the most monster truck fun possible. Te horror-show styling
is a bonus if you’re into it, and if you’re not, just get a Stampede for traditional truck styling with the same specs. Tere are
cheaper trucks out there, but for overall performance, versatility and fun (plus incredible factory and aftermarket hop-up
potential) the Craniac and Skully are top choices.
46 RCCarAction.com
P E R F O R M A N C E T E S T
TEAM DURANGO
DNX8
Out-of-the-box thinking
makes this buggy stand out
1/8-SCALE 4WD NITRO BUGGY | KIT
WORDS & PHOTOS BY KEVIN HETMANSKI
3.7 in.
93mm
12.8 in.
307mm
SHOCKS
Bodies: Treaded aluminum, 16mm bore
CLUNK-STYLE FUEL TANK Te clunk style fuel tank will
pick up fuel no matter what po-
At first glance, the fuel tank looks like a strange
Shafts: Coated steel sition the car is in. Te included
submarine ready for deep sea exploration. Tere are molded handle and splash guard
Volume compensation: Bladder a lot of things going on with it, all adding up to having makes filling up quick and worry
reliable engine power no matter what conditions the free.
DRIVETRAIN buggy is driven in. Inside
Type: 4WD shaft drive the large opening you’ll see
Differential: Sealed bevel gear a clunk style pickup with
Driveshafts: Steel CV-style filter and baffles to help keep
Bearings: Rubber sealed ball the fuel near the pickup. Te
spring loaded lid is opened
ENGINE & ACCESSORIES by way of a molded plastic
Engine, pipe and manifold: Not included handle that sticks out of the
Clutch: 3-shoe body. During the heat of bat-
tle fuel spills are inevitable,
and a large molded plastic
TEST GEAR (NOT INCLUDED) rim around the opening
collects the fuel and directs
Transmitter: Futaba 4PX it through an opening in the
Receiver: Futaba R304SB chassis plate. Small clips
Receiver battery: TrakPower 2S 7.4V 2400mAh LiPo Flat Rx on the side of the tank hold
Pack onto the fuel and exhaust
Engine: O.S. Engines B2101 Ty Tessmann Edition lines and keeps them away
Pipe: O.S. Speed T-2090SC from the heat of the pipe.
Steering servo: Futaba BLS371SV
Trottle servo: Futaba BLS471SV
Switch: ProTek R/C Electronic switch with voltage cutoff
Starter box: Duratrax Kwik-Pit universal starter box
Fuel: O’Donnell 30% Speed Blend
Tires: JConcepts Remix
50 RCCarAction.com
Machined chassis A standard 3mm aluminum
Supporting the gear for the DNX8 is a lightweight 3mm
plate chassis is the base for the
thick aluminum plate chassis that has been anodized for
DNX8. Molded plastic chassis
corrosion resistance and to enhance its look. Reduced
braces support the chassis while
weight comes by way of pockets that have been machined a foating rear body post lets it
in specifc areas. Tere’s a small amount of kick up in the fex slightly while the body is
front end and the opening around the engine’s fywheel in place.
has a slight chamfer to keep it from cutting the rubber
wheel on your starter box. Support for the front and rear
place comes from front and rear chassis braces while a
molded plastic brace ties the steering bell cranks to the
front gearbox. A standard body post is used to support the
front of the body while a unique foating post in the rear
lets the chassis fex freely.
Te front suspen-
sion features a
very adjustable
TEST GEAR O.S. Speed pivot ball setup
that lets you adjust
B2101 Ty Tessmann camber and alter
Edition Engine the front width of
Te DNX8 is a serious race machine, the buggy.
and I wanted to have serious power in
the chassis to get it around the track as
quickly as possible. so I went with the
new O.s. speed ty tessmann edition
.21 race engine. It’s a replica of the en-
gine that ty tessmann used to get his
buggy into the winner’s circle. It started
out as a b2101 engine and includes the
same header, pipe and carb restrictor
that ty himself uses. Other features
include a custom etched low center of
gravity heat sink head, DLC crankshaft
with balanced tungsten weights and
type 21J carburetor. breaking in the
engine was a bit tough due to the tight
ft between the piston and sleeve
at top dead center, but once it was
running and tuned, it ran strong and
reliably.
Pivot Ball susPension
When racing, you want a buggy that is as adjustable as possible to help you get it dialed into
any type of track that you may run on, and the DNX8 is packed full of adjustment. Te front
suspension is a pivot ball design that lets you change Ackerman, adjust width and change
camber with a hex wrench through the hub or with an open end wrench from above.
Molded inserts on the inner upper and lower hinge pins add to the adjustment capabilities.
In the rear you’ll fnd a more traditional suspension where a lower H-arm and adjustable
upper link takes care of the action. Rear toe and antisquat is adjusted by swapping out
inserts on the inner hinge pin mounts while the adjustable upper link can be mounted in
one of several holes in the shock tower, and four holes in the rear hubs. Te shocks can be built
Te shocks large 16mm bores and feature threaded aluminum bodies with adjustable with bladders or you can
collars to alter ride height. Te shocks come with everything you need to build them as use the bleeder cap to
make them emulsion style
a standard bladder or emulsion style units. Plastic inserts for the caps cushion the con-
dampers.
nection between the shock caps and bushing on the shock tower. All shock shafts are
protected by rubber boots and the rears have plastic dirt shields for extra protection.
september 2015 51
on the bench
Building the DNX8
Tere’s no confusing the DNX8 with an RTR
or “roller,” but Durango does build some
sub-assemblies for you including the front
hubs and suspension arms, turnbuckles and
shocks. Each parts bag is numbered to match
instructions in the manual, but the bag num-
bers are not the same as the step numbers—
for example, step 23 requires bag seven. Te
manual makes it clear which bags go with
each step. I found the manual to be a little out
of date and unclear in some areas, so here are
a few tips that will help you with your build.
Screw SizeS
A lot of the screws shown in the manual have a length call
out, but they aren’t drawn to show actual size. Use a caliper or
metric ruler to make sure you’re putting the correct screw in
the right place.
52 RCCarAction.com
p e r f o r m a n c e t e s t
F1’s popularity stateside is higher than it has been thing out; they tend to take their time and do it right
in decades, so it’s not surprising that there is a resur- before their name goes on it. The resulting
gence in RC F1’s popularity. What is surprising is that Yokomo YRF Formula 001W was designed by multi-
Japan’s Team Yokomo, with its long history of champi- IFMAR World Champion Naoto Kitagawa, whose suc-
onship-winning on-road cars, took so long to produce cess with on-road cars in the past five years is nearly
an F1 car kit. On the other hand, they didn’t build their unmatched. Many design cues from Yokomo’s suc-
reputation by doing anything hastily just to put some- cessful 1/12-scale platform have made their way to
56 RCCarAction.com
the larger F1 car. Designed to be built as either the
older-style foam-tire wide platform or the more modern
rubber-tire narrow setup, the YRF Formula 001W (from
here on referred to as the “YRF”), looks to be a robust
platform, capable of handling any racing situation. And
with support from new distributer, A Main Hobbies,
Yokomo kits are more accessible than ever.
september 2015 57
P E R F O R M A N C E T E S T
3.7 in.
93mm
7.4-7.9 in.
187-200mm
FLEX PLATE
FRONT SUSPENSION
Instead of a traditional sliding kingpin front suspension, Te YRF’s lower A-arm
Yokomo designed the front end around a flexible carbon flex plate is designed
lower A-arm plate. Te upper A-arm is free to pivot on a to bend in the middle to
hinge, as it does in traditional designs, but the steering pin, allow the suspension to
instead of being a sprung piece that slides up and down, is move. It is milled down
from 3mm to 1.4mm for
fixed in place. Spacers installed above and below the steer-
controlled flex.
10.6 in.
ing block allow for front ride height adjustments. Camber
270mm can be adjusted with steel turnbuckles, and caster can be
16.4in. changed by installing clip-in shims in various configura-
416mm tions on the upper A-arm mount. Tough the flex plate is
VEHICLE SPECS made from thick 3mm carbon stock, it is milled down to
1.4mm in the middle for controlled bending, with set screws
Item no.: YRF-001W used to limit up and down travel. It is a fairly stiff design
Scale: 1/10 without a large range in motion, so it appears to be best
Price: $290 used in high traction situations, like carpet or very well-
Weight, as tested: 2.4 lb. (1072g) prepared asphalt.
CHASSIS
Material: 3mm Carbon graphite laminate A lightweight carbon
Type: Pan graphite axle and
heavy-duty hubs
SUSPENSION come standard with the YRF.
Type (F/R): Flex plate / floating rear pod A 64-pitch spur is included,
though a pinion isn’t. Te rear
pod shares parts with Yokomo’s
SHOCK
World Championship-winning
Body: Treaded aluminum
R12 pan car.
Shaft: 2mm steel
Volume compensation: Foam
DRIVETRAIN
Type: RWD direct drive
Spur gear/pinion: 93T 64-pitch / pinion not included
Differential: Adjustable ball-type
Axle: .025” carbon graphite 1/12-STYLE DIRECT DRIVE
Bearings: Metal-shielded Te YRF’s relationship to Yokomo’s R12 pan car shows
in the rear end design. Not only do the kits share the
WHEELS &TIRES composite links used to locate the rear pod, they also
Wheels: Black nylon foam-style 10-spoke with 14mm hex (rear) share the same pivot hardware and rear axle. Tis axle is
Tires: not included an industry-standard ¼” size and is
made from strong and light carbon
58 RCCarAction.com
Foam- and RubbeR-TiRe CompaTible Te YRF accepts standard-size
LiPos and “shorty” packs. A
Troughout the U.S., RC F1 racing programs have primar-
shorty allows three positions to
ily adopted the use of rubber tires, which means a narrow adjust weight distribution.
190mm car width. However, many places in the world still
race with the older foam tire standard, which allows for
a 200mm-wide car. Te YRF kit comes with the parts to
build it in either 200mm or 190mm wide confgurations.
Really, the diference is only in the front end, as the type of
wheel you use, be it an F103-style wheel for the 200mm
foam setup or an F104-style wheel for a 190mm rubber tire
setup, determines the rear width. Tere are two lower A-
arm fex plates — a wide one, and a narrow one — included
for use. Te printed instructions come with an insert show-
ing what settings to use for the narrow setup. Included
in the kit are a set of black 10-spoke wheels designed for
foams.
Te chassis shock mount and battery retainer is held in place by two Te nylon difuser works to keep the rear end planted at high speeds. And any Tamiya-compatible wing can
thumbscrews. Te receiver and speed control are mounted on raised be used on the YRF.
composite platforms on either side of the battery.
september 2015 59
Behind the wheel
Te F1 series that I participate in only allows rubber tires, so I built up the YRF in the narrow
190mm confguration. Te series also encourages scale realism, so with the help of Bill Zegers
of Zegers RC Grafxx, I prepped the Yokomo High Nose body to mimic Robert Kubica’s 2009
BMW Sauber F1.09. Because the stock front and rear wings were designed for a diferent era
of F1, I replaced them with Tamiya and 3Racing pieces. My initial testing was at the Freedom
Park racetrack in Camarillo, CA. Because I was there on a non-race weekend, the track was
dry and not at all prepped. With the YRF geared similarly to one of my other F1 cars I had raced
there before, the Tekin powertrain propelled the lightweight chassis noticeably faster than I
was used to, even with a shortage of grip. Driven conservatively, due to conditions, the YRF
was planted and predictable, with a touch of of-power understeer going into turns. It was
easy to induce oversteer by yanking the throttle, but after all, this is a direct-drive F1 car, not
a point-and-squirt AWD touring car. My next test was at a much larger, prepared track in
Gardena, CA. Tis track allowed me to really get a feel for this Yokomo platform. Te stif fex
plate front end felt much more at home with the mechanical grip generated by the VHT-
TEST GEAR Tekin RS Gen2 Spec covered track. In this situation, I found the YRF to be nimble and responsive, and even able to
and HotWire 2.0 keep pace with the more powerful 17.5T touring cars. On this larger track, I was able to gear up
Tekin is one of the most recognizable names in RC electronics, and taller than I would at my smaller tracks; this let me test the difuser to see if it actually made
with their HotWire interface, they continue to be at the forefront of RC a diference. After removing the two screws that afxed the difuser to the rear pod, I headed
technology. Te RS Gen2 Spec is an excellent speed control, trusted by back out on the track. Te infeld felt the same as before, but once I hit terminal velocity on
racers all over the world. When you combine it with the HotWire inter- the back straight, a couple twitches of the steering wheel told me that the car wasn’t quite as
face, you can unleash features and settings most other manufacturers planted as it was with the difuser on. Heading into a high-speed sweeper of the back straight,
only dream of. Te best feature is the data logging capability that lets I could feel the rear end wanting to swing around, so I had to back of the throttle a bit to keep it
its user review time-based graphs of throttle position, battery voltage, under control. Having to scrub of speed to keep my driving line around the turn time after time
speed control temperature, motor RPM, and motor temperature for a pretty well confrmed for me that the difuser was functional and helping to keep the YRF’s
run. Tis information can help fne tune a setup, a driving style, or even rear end planted. During a lap when I was pushing the car hard, I tapped a board on the inside of
help determine installation problems. Especially impressive is the An- a high-speed turn, which sent the YRF sliding on its lid only to come to a stop by smacking hard
droid interface; you can actually review run data on your smartphone—
against another board. After it landed right-side up, I gingerly drove it back to the driving line,
how cool is that!
where I was surprised to fnd that the setup had not tweaked one bit. Tere was some cos-
metic damage to my beautiful BMW Sauber livery, but putting it on the bench showed there
was no damage to the chassis, and it drove exactly as it did before the shunt. Later, I went back
+
Premium Yokomo quality
-
Stock servo mounting position
to the Camarillo track, prepared with softer monoshock and side springs. Additionally, I in-
stalled the optional sliding kingpin suspension on the front end, making it more like a traditional
F1 car. Te softer front and rear let the YRF generate more traction on the dusty surface than
requires removal of servo the stock setup, giving me the room to drive the car harder than my previous session. It still
Unique fex-plate suspension mounting horns wasn’t quite as planted as on the prepped tracked, but it was world’s better; I would consider a
Accepts Tamiya-type wings setup just a little bit frmer for a race weekend at that track.
Final Word
I had high expectations from the YRF Formula 001W from the start. With its lineage and pedigree, I expected it to SOURCES
perform at the top level. What I didn’t expect was how durable the car is. I know frsthand the weak points of other Yokomo and ProTek rC
distributed by Amain.com
cars in its class; the team at Yokomo must have analyzed them also, as they have eliminated these faws with their
airtronics airtronics.net
design. Pan cars are traditionally very sensitive to tweaking. Not so the YRF, as it feels pretty forgiving, as far as F1 Exotek racing
cars go. Still, it is a high-end kit and deserves attention to detail when assembling to appreciate the precision and exotekracing.com
attention to detail Yokomo put into it. And it’s not a parking lot basher—it also deserves a proper track to really see Tekin teamtekin.com
what it can do. If a new F1 car is on your shopping list, and you want a car that can perform and has parts support Zegers rC Grafxx
from one of the biggest retailers in the U.S., this Yokomo is defnitely worth a serious look. facebook.com/zegersrcgrafxx
60 RCCarAction.com
Tere’s a lot of anticipation and build up when
the Invite drivers hit the stand.
T
BY CARL HYNDMAN PHOTOS CARL HYNDMAN & JOEL NAVARRO
62 RCCarAction.com
Negotiating the large striped
curbs has always been
challenging.
Tamiya Raceway
Te Reedy Race has seen many different venues over
its history, but has settled at Tamiya Raceway in Aliso
Viejo, California in the last few years to the delight of
all who attend. Originally built by Tamiya in 1993 to
provide a spot for testing and evaluating products, it Invite drivers discuss lines and set-ups for the notoriously
has been host to many racing events and has grown challenging layout. Over the years the record for the fastest lap
to become one of the premiere on-road facilities continues to drop with technology and design
anywhere. Key sections like the big sweeper at the theory constantly pushing.
end of the straight and the critical “kink” in the center
are legendary features of the track along with the
sloping candy-caned curbs that adorn the lanes.
However, the track sits outside and braves the
Southern California weather year round with only
a small group of die-hard on-road fans and a bit of
help from Tamiya to help it along. A few years ago,
the asphalt that has provided smooth and consistent
traction was starting to show its age and went
through a much needed slurry-seal makeover. Tis
helped bring back the traction and filled in the cracks
and rough spots that had been forming. But this seal
only lasts so long, and this year racers were again
starting to see the affects that Mother Nature can
dish out. Te slurry-seal is starting to peel up and
cracks and rough spots are appearing in key areas.
It held together for the event (barely), but was a hot
topic that circulated among the drivers and industry
in attendance, and brought up a concern that has yet
to be resolved. We’re keeping our fingers crossed
and hope a fix happens soon. Much like Le Mans or
Daytona, the track is a big part of our on-road identity Te famous Tamiya Raceway is loved by all
and its demise would leave a hole in our racing—pun and its permanent layout provides challenges
intended. that have pushed vehicle design and tire
technology. Marc Rheinard considers it the
best in the world.
SEPTEMBER 2015 63
Invite Round
gridded up and
ready to do battle.
RACE FORMAT The Reedy Touring Car Race shares the same unique
format as its off-road counterpart with a few small differences. Instead of two Marc Rheinard
started out the
different kinds of vehicles, this race is only touring cars. For the Invitational
event with a
Class, there are 30 drivers who have earned their spot on the roster either
win and kept in
by past Reedy Race accomplishments, being an IFMAR finalist, or by posting
front of the field
high enough results in other National and International events. The group runs by consistently
12 rounds of heads up racing with drivers gridded and set in their racing heat posting winning
randomly. Ten of the 12 rounds are then added up to provide a final point tally for results.
an overall winner. Open mod, super stock (13.5T) and stock (17.5T) classes used a
fairly standard triple A-Main format. Qualifying used the points system with two
of the four qualifiers tallied up for positions in the mains. The winner from the
Open Mod class is then qualified for the following year’s Invitational Class.
Invitational Action
Tis is the class to watch at the event. It’s ridiculously fast and the talent is on a level that all
spectators rush to witness. Tese guys are the best of the best and to drive among them
in this format is something most dream about. From the moment practice started, it was
obvious the heavy favorites were there to do business. Tamiya’s Marc Rheinard, Yokomo’s
Ronald Volker and Meen Vejrak came out
swinging with early wins that had the rest
of the field scrambling to catch up. But as
the rounds progressed and the final day
was under way, it was these top four that
also included Tamiya’s Christopher Krapp
that were making a bid for the overall win.
Rheinard was holding on to a precarious
lead, and as the day progressed things
got tight with one race to go. With Volker
needing a win in his own race and Rheinard
posting a sixth place or lower, it was
very conceivable for Volker to move up.
Complicating things was Vejrak and Krapp
who were trying to make their own bids
for the other spot on the podium. Te two
drivers were out of the hunt for the win,
but Krapp who was at the time sitting third
overall made a big mistake in round ten by
hitting the kink and relegating his car to the
DNF position and thus opening up the door
for Vejrak. Vejrak didn’t miss his opportunity
and won his final round with Volker in tow.
Tis put Vejrak in third overall, but also left
Volker out of the win hunt. Rheinard then Rheinard was nearly flawless with his Tamiya TRF
went on to take the overall and break a 419 and he declared “finally a win again” after the
record that’s been shared by himself and last round of racing. His victory broke his and Barry
Barry Baker. Baker’s shared record of 4 wins.
64 RCCarAction.com
Volker had a lot
of confdence,
but couldn’t close
the point gap on
Rheinard.
SEPTEMBER 2015 65
Tire Rules Help Keep Racing Close
Te Reedy Touring Car Race has always been known for its professional
approach and that includes the rules that help to establish close and
competitive racing. Tires are always a hot topic and this race is no
exception, but things were taken up a notch for the Invitational drivers.
Tis year Sweep EXP36 EVO-R tires were used as the control tire and
the drivers were limited to six sets. With twelve rounds of racing they
were forced to alternate new and used. Tires were also impounded and
delivered to the drivers as they went through technical inspection prior
to their race. Paragon FXII was the only allowed traction compound
and could only be applied in the designated staging area during the
running of the previous race, giving them approximately fve minutes to
complete the entire process. No modifcations other than removing the
molded seem was permitted to the tires and tire beads could be re-
glued to help reduce the chance of the tire tearing of the rim.
Current IFMAR TC World Champ and Tamiya factory driver Naoto Matsukura
preps his tires for racing.
open ModIfIed
F Q Driver Vehicle Motor Battery Speed Control
1 3 Felix Law HB/HPi HobbyWing MooreSpeed HobbyWing
2 TQ Randy Caster Team associated Orion Orion Orion
3 4 Kyle Bergstrom awesomatix - - -
4 2 Eric Albano Team associated Reedy Reedy Reedy Marc Rheinard put up ferce attacks round after round in the invite class to win the overall
and set a new record of fve Reedy Race wins.
5 9 Brandon McNally Yokomo lRP SMC HobbyWing
6 7 Ethan Erchinger XRaY Team Powers Team Powers Speed Passion
7 6 Sean Williams Serpent lRP lRP lRP
8 5 Korey Harbke VBC Racing ORCa ORCa ORCa
9 8 Toshinko Hara HB/HPi ORCa MTB ORCa
10 10 Steve Weiss Team associated Reedy Reedy Reedy
stoCk 17.5
F Q Driver Vehicle Motor Battery Speed Control
1 TQ Christian Lopez Tamiya R1 Wurks R1 Wurks lRP
2 3 Ryan Cooper XRaY Trinity ProTek HobbyWing
3 6 Kevin Cole Tamiya SchuurSpeed - HobbyWing
4 2 Albert Benavidez aRC R1 Wurks R1 HobbyWing
5 7 JD Ramsey Tamiya Trinity ORCa Orion
6 4 Dave Berger Yokomo SchuurSpeed lRP lRP
7 8 Gabe Harvell awesomatix Trinity aeromodel HobbyWing
8 9 Mike Molina Tamiya R1 Wurks lRP lRP
9 5 Johnson Thai Yokomo R1 Wurks R1 Wurks Orion Viktor Wilck recently switched to Serpent after a long stint with Tamiya. His car was fast
10 10 Kevin Smith Tamiya SchuurSpeed TrakPower HobbyWing and was able to drive it to 5th overall.
reedy wrapped
Sunday was the last day of this amazing event and it
had all the action and nail-biting drama you’d expect in
a Reedy TC Race of Champions. Champagne bottles
were opened and trophies were handed out. Tamiya’s
Marc Rheinard got his record setting ffth overall title and
solidifed himself as the man to beat. It didn’t come easy
and he was challenged all the way to the last round by
Yokomo’s Ronald Volker who was racking up a big list of
wins on his own. But Rheinard was on a roll and made a
strong statement that began when practice started and
proceeded with as close to a perfect event as you could
ever hope for. It was magic to watch and truly a display
of control and speed. In open mod and the other spec
classes, it was equally exciting and a chance for the non-
invite drivers to have a bit of their own fun. It’s why we
love racing and an event that will stick in our memories.
Can’t wait for next year.
Readers’ Choice
AWARDS
2015
Last month, the editors of RC Car Action picked the Car, Truck, and
Innovation of the Year winners. Now it’s your turn to name the best gear
of the year! While we handed out just three awards, the Readers’ Choice
Awards goes much deeper in the categories—there are eighteen in all!
The many manufacturers of the RC biz all hope to earn a Readers’ Choice
Award because you’re the guys and gals who make the whole industry run.
When you say “I want that!” with your votes, they listen. From the top cars
and trucks to your picks for best servo, tire, and charger, you’ll find all of
this year’s winners on the pages ahead. Thanks to all who voted!
70 RCCarAction.com
Team Associated
RC10B5M
Te A-Team has only given
up the Electric Buggy award
four times since 1996, so it’s
no surprise they’ve kept the
category on lockdown for
another year. It’s the second
award for the B5 series, but
unlike last year when votes
split between the rear-motor
B5 and mid-motor B5M, this
year you told us loud and
clear that mid-motor is your
favorite B5 flavor. Tat’s
a sweet sixteen Readers’
Choice Awards for Team As-
ELECTRIC BUGGY
sociated buggies!
ELECTRIC TRUCK
SEPTEMBER 2015 71
ELECTRIC ON-ROAD
Traxxas XO-1
Make no mistake, we collected lots of votes for the latest com-
petition touring cars, but when there’s a 100mph RTR out there, it
tends to overshadow everything else. For a fourth year, the Traxx-
as XO-1 is the top choice for on-road action. Te rocket sled is
easily one of RC’s wildest rides on full 6S LiPo power and uncorked
for 100+mph speed blasts, yet surprisingly easy and fun to drive
with fewer cells aboard. Plus, it’s over two feet long, and just look
at it—it’s impressive even before you pull the trigger.
TLR/Horizon Hobby
NITRO BUGGY
8IGHT 3.0
Last year marked eight wins for
the 8IGHT, and the streak contin-
ues. Undefeated since its first win
in 2009, the breakthrough buggy
remains the standard bearer for 1/8
scale awesomeness. Votes were
split between the Losi-branded
RTR and TLR kit versions, but
the top vote-getter was the TLR
8IGHT 3.0. You can’t get any more
top-of-the-line than that! Hit any
nitro track, and you’ll find plenty of
8IGHTs in action, and the buggy is
a multi-time National Champion.
More competition is coming, but
it’ll be tough to topple TLR’s mighty
A-Main maker.
72 RCCarAction.com
NITRO TRUCK
SEPTEMBER 2015 73
TRANSMITTER
Spektrum/Horizon Hobby
DX4R Pro
Tis is the DX4R’s second year as your
number-one pistol pick, and the eighth
consecutive win for Spektrum.
Since the DX3R took the 2008
trophy, there’s been a Spektrum
DX in this spot every year. Natu-
rally, you went for the premium
model with the DX4R. Spektrum’s
top gun has all the features you’d
expect of a competition transmitter,
including telemetry capability, drop-down
wheel, all the parts you need to convert for
left-hand use, and two grip sizes. Lots to
like and lots of votes.
BATTERY
MaxAmps 6000XL
Lots of brands got their fair share of votes,
but just like every year since 2008, no
battery maker got as much love as Max-
Amps. Te specific MaxAmps packs that
got your votes were all over the map,
ranging from the latest shorty-style
configuration to mega-capacity bricks
for all-day running, but the sweet
spot was high-capacity 2S and 3S
packs like the 6000XL pictured here—
exactly the type of thing you’d plug
into this year’s “Electric Truck” winner,
which makes sense.
74 RCCarAction.com
BODY Pro-Line Flo-Tek
Pro-Line easily scored the body category with votes for a wide variety of shells, but it
was the Flo-Teks that popped up most frequently. Pro-Line offers a variety of the anti-
parachuting vented truck lids, and the Ford Raptor SVT version is shown here—you can
also get RAM 2500, Toyota Tundra, and Chevy Silverado versions, plus the SUV-style
Desert Raid and original “just Flo-Tek” design. If you go with the standard Flo-Tek,
there are even pre-cut and pre-painted options.
CHARGER
Duratrax ONYX 235
Tat’s two in a row for the ONYX line, four total. And
before that, Duratrax scored four wins with the
ICE charger—remember that one? Te ONYX 235
is Duratrax’s best single-battery charger, and can
charge all types of RC batteries (NiCD, NiMH, LiPo,
and LiFe) with eight amps on tap to juice up high-
capacity packs in a hurry.
ENGINE
Traxxas TRX 3.3 Racing Engine
We counted lots of votes for the top Japanese and Ital-
ian fire breathers, but the mill that got the most love is
also the one that’s likely in more cars and trucks than
any other: the Traxxas TRX 3.3. Tis rugged and reliable
engine has been a Traxxas staple for years, powering
the largest Revo and T-Maxx trucks with torque to
spare and winding out the Jato and Nitro 4-Tec to ludi-
crous speeds. Easy to tune, crazy power, and electric
starting—what’s not to love?
SEPTEMBER 2015 75
MOTOR
Castle Creations Neu-Castle 2200Kv
When it comes to electric motors, you guys are loyal and like to go big—for proof, here’s
Castle Creations with a third consecutive win for their hard-hitting monster motor. As
the choice for countless mega-powered projects and standard equipment with Traxxas’
“Brushless Edition” E-Revo and E-Maxx models, Castle’s green gargantuan is an easy
pick for heavy-duty horsepower.
FUEL
Byron Originals Race
Gen2
SPEED CONTROL
Byron’s orange juice continues to be your
favorite fuel. It’s the choice of top pros
including Ryan Lutz, Cody King, and Mike
76 RCCarAction.com
TIRE
Pro-Line
Badlands
Pro-Line continues to
dominate the tire cat-
SERVO
egory, and your votes hit
every type of tire in the PL
lineup, from race treads to
DRIVER
ready for any RC duty including 1/5 scale.
INNOVATION
Traxxas On-Board Audio Ty Tessmann
If there’s one thing electric cars and trucks don’t do
well, it’s make cool noises. Traxxas fixes that with If nice guys finish last, then Ty Tessmann must be keeping his bad side
On-Board Audio, which syncs the actual sound of a under wraps because he sure seems like the nicest guy to ever win an
race-prepped V8 to throttle inputs to add a realistic IFMAR Worlds. Te 2014 Nitro Off-Road World Champion and the Mom-
auditory experience to trigger time with the Slash and-Dad Tessmann team have been tearing up RC since Ty began racing
VXL and Slash 4X4 (and more models soon, we in 2003, and the secret to Ty’s success isn’t much of a secret: it’s just
hope). Te system is loud and sounds fantastic, and talent, practice, and preparation. We celebrate winners, but it’s espe-
Traxxas builds in a “neutral” function so you can rev cially nice when they’re good guys worth cheering for. You cheered for
the “engine” freely and even do a “neutral drops.” Ty with your votes, and he’s earned them with results on the track and
Bwwaaaaah! Definitely innovative, and you said so respect in the pits.
with your votes.
SEPTEMBER 2015 77
Q U I C K S P I N
DHK SHOGUN
Tis monster-truggy hybrid gives big-truck
thrills without a big price tag
BY MICHAEL WORTEL PHOTOS BY CARL HYNDMAN
and features including adjustable suspension and oil-tuned differentials offer plenty
of opportunity to tune performance if that’s your thing. DHK saves a few bucks with -
Tires rub the body
plastic-body shocks, dogbone driveshafts and brushed power, but delivers where it
counts (and saves you as much as $160 compared to other brushed-power 4X4 trucks).
78 RCCarAction.com
{
BEHIND THE WHEEL
Te Shogun rolled out of its box well assembled, leaving only battery charging (three hours with
the included charger) and rear-wing mounting (two body clips) as the required steps before
pulling the trigger. I added one more step: setting front toe-in. A degree or two of toe-in is helpful
for straight-line stability, but the Shogun looked pigeon-toed with about five degrees of toe on
each wheel. With as few twists of the steering turnbuckles, I set the wheels with zero toe so they
pointed straight ahead. Testing was done on hard-packed dirt trails and varied terrain in Laguna
Hills, CA, where the medium-compound tires and soft inserts gave good all-terrain traction. Ac-
celeration was strong considering the Shogun’s size and heft, and the truck topped 25mph easily.
High-speed handling can be squirmy on the large tires, but the 125 oz.-in. servo keeps up well
and the low-slung truggy stance lends extra stability. Tire rub was an issue at full steering travel,
requiring some body trimming to allow clearance. Te three oil-filled diffs helped the Shogun find
lots of forward bite and maneuverability around sweeping turns and the shocks soaked-up ruts
well, but bottoming out was frequent on large jumps. Going up to 40 weight shock oil or swapping
the heavy NiMH battery for a lighter LiPo will help the Shogun better absorb big hits. Te truck’s
adjustable battery pack straps make it easy to fit different packs onto the chassis, and since the
speed control is rated for 3S LiPo packs, I installed a 3S 5500mAh battery to see how the truck
improved. Even though the LiPo only offered a 0.3 volt advantage over the NiMH pack, the LiPo
pack holds more of its voltage longer than the NiMH pack. Every aspect of performance was
measurably improved. Run time nearly doubled thanks to the extra 2500mAh of capacity, and
the pack’s higher average voltage and lighter weight allowed higher speeds, punchier accelera-
tion, and bigger air. In short, more fun all around.
55 amp speed
control
775 Brushed
motor
Front, center,
and rear
differentials
9-cell, 3000mAh
NiMH battery pack
with Deans-style
plug Turnbuckle
camber links
Plastic tub chassis
with aluminum
bracing
Steel dogbone
driveshafts
9 kg-cm
(125 oz.-in.)
steering servo
Oil-filled
shocks
Te D302T 2.4 GHz transmitter has dual-rate knobs for both What makes the Shogun more of a truggy than a
steering and throttle. Most drivers will leave the throttle dial standard monster truck is nice low stance. While it still
cranked to max, but the ability to “turn down” the max throttle has plenty of ground clearance, the center of gravity
setting is very handy when letting an inexperienced driver sits relatively low, which improves maneuverability and
take a turn behind the wheel. stability.
25.8
Item no.: 8385
steering knuckles. Steel
Scale: 1/8 turnbuckles set camber
MPH and toe.
Price: $270
Wheelbase: 13.07 in.
(332mm)
Length: 20.55 in. (522mm)
Width (F/R): 14.92 in. (379mm) / 15.23 in.
(387mm)
Height: 8.46 in. (215mm)
Weight, as tested: 7 lb. 12 oz. (3500g)
CHASSIS
Type: Plastic
Material: Semi-tub with center aluminum
braces
SUSPENSION
Type: Lower H-arm with adjustable upper link
SHOCKS
Bodies: Plastic
Bore: 12mm
Shafts: 3.5mm steel
Volume compensation: Bladder-style
DRIVETRAIN
Type: 4WD Shaft
Differentials (F/C/R): Bevel gear, steel
Driveshafts: CV-type, steel (F/R), Dogbone,
steel (center)
Bearings: Metal-shielded
80 RCCarAction.com
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service
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The No Limit RC crew has come up with an event like no other that
attracts hundreds of racers every year. It’s called the No Limit RC World
Finals, and at this event you can compete in mud racing, truck pulling
and side-by-side truck racing that provides exciting racing and close fin-
ishes. If that doesn’t sound like enough fun, the gang holds this unique
About No Limit RC
event at Digger’s Dungeon, home of the world-famous Grave Digger No Limit RC started when three friends out of Florida
monster truck. It’s located on the outer banks of North Carolina, which decided to start a club where the RC monster truck world
makes a great vacation for a lot of the racers. Since so many vacation- could come together through a large annual event. The
club was started in 2006 and that big event is the World
ers stop by the Dungeon as they make their way down the coast, the Finals. No Limit RC has branched out and now there are
World Finals gets RC in front of a lot of spectators who are new to the several different clubs around the United States. You
hobby. This was the 10th year for the event, and like many I was excited can find out more about No Limit RC by checking out the
nolimitrc.com website.
to attend.
82 RCCarAction.com
The Track
The weekend before the World Finals a 1/5-scale track was setup and used for the East Coast Nationals. After a lot of
rain and drying time it was leveled and used to build the track for the side-by-side racing. Left and right side tracks were
set up and each had three lanes with a double and two single jumps on them. Each driver started in an elevated box and
once the green light on the tree came on they drove from the starting box to the outside lane. At the end of that lane
each driver had to make a 180 degree turn and drive back towards the start line. Then they had to turn again and drive
down the outside lane a second time before returning to the middle lane; this tripped up a lot of racers all weekend long.
Many turned towards the last lane with the finish line and had to stop to turn around and make that second pass. The
last lane had a large jump towards the beginning and
once the truck settled after landing there was a drag
race to the finish line. If it wasn’t for the electronic tim-
ing system figuring out who won the race there would
have been a lot of races to redo to find a winner. The
racing was that close.
Te track was built a few days before the World Finals and required a
little maintenance before racing started.
Dennis Anderson himself was a judge
for the show-n-shine competition. He
was also available for pictures and auto-
graphs throughout the weekend.
Show-N-Shine
Before racing takes place on Saturday,
all the trucks are placed on the track for
everyone to see. After the group photo, the
judging for the show-n-shine competition
begins, and what makes it special is that
Dennis Anderson himself looks all the trucks
over and does the judging. He has seen it all
so you know you have a cool rig if he picks
it. Several awards such as Shelf Queen, Best
Chassis and King of Bling were awarded.
september 2015 85
Getting of the line was almost as important as
getting through the slick turns.
Side-by-Side Racing
The side-by-side racing is easily the biggest the two was used to set up the racing brackets.
event of the weekend, and it all starts off on Racing started late on Saturday after some
Friday with qualifying. Racers in short course, last minute qualifying was taken care of. The
nitro monster truck, electric monster truck, No Limit RC crew runs the racing just like they
monster jam replica and solid axle race against do in Monster Jam: with brackets. A fast truck
each other on the track. Each truck was able is put up against a slower truck and once the
to run on both the right and left lanes to post race is done the loser is out of the race while
a time during qualifying. The best time out of the winner advances to the next round. So you
Truck Pulling
Truck pulling also takes place during the weekend. You can’t go to your local hobby shop
and buy one of these rigs, all the trucks are custom built and designed specifically for
pulling. They are basically stretched versions of trucks such as the HPI Savage or Losi LST.
They are geared low to give them plenty of grunt to easily drag that pulling sled out of the
hole. The electric guys are running 1/8-scale power systems while the nitro guys are using
big block engines and in some you’ll find a pair of engines. They are capable of pulling well
over 100 pounds and put on a great show.
86 RCCarAction.com
Beauty on a
BEAST
You had to be on your toes to beat the other guy.
Racing during the weekend was very close. • Made of high quality steel
• Extra welds and reinforcements for
added strength
can have a bad round 1 and be done for the
weekend, but if you advance you get more • Protects internal parts
track time. With this type of racing you have • Factory body ts over roll cage
to hope that everything on your truck is good • Competitively priced
to go because there is little to no time to work
on your vehicle before you’re up again. The big-
• Easy install
gest class of the weekend was the solid axle • Quick ship
trucks with over 80 in attendance.
Manufacturers of roll
cages, chassis braces,
springs and more!
facebook.com/
vgrhobbies.com
september 2015 87
Tere are so many
things to do and
see while you are
at the Digger’s
Dungeon. My
favorite was all the
old Grave Digger
trucks.
Yep, there are trucks under all that mud. Tey are work-
ing their way through the Hill and Hole course.
88 RCCarAction.com
LIKE.
FOLLOW.
JOIN.
Want to see
your ad in
Email us at sales@airage.com
How to
8 ways to make
lexan bodies last
Easy tricks to keep your plastic looking fantastic
words & PHotos by lito reyes
l
et’s face it: you can’t always keep the shiny side up. You
can’t experiment with diferent lines, jump approaches
or rhythms without ending up on your lid once in a while.
Or maybe your car somehow became the randomly
designated crash magnet for one evening. In any case, your
body will get banged up and beaten on. Here are a few things you
can do to extend the life of your Lexan body and keep it looking
its best.
1. RepaiR
teaRs Preventing cracks
One thing I always beats fxing them.
keep in my toolbox is
a roll of 2-inch-wide
clear packing tape. 3. Beef up joints oR
For trackside repairs, stRessed aReas
nothing beats it. It’s Tere are times when you need to reinforce a
cheap, it’s light, it’s stressed area, such as around body mounts,
easy to use, and if or just beef up an area that might be a bit
you’re going fast weak. Shoe GOO, or an equivalent RTV
enough, no one will silicone compound is the tool for this job.
even notice the repair. Apply a dollop of RTV, then spread it around
Just clean of the area the area with a wet fnger (keep a cup of
you are going to repair water handy). Prop up the body, so the RTV
with a plastic-safe doesn’t drip where you don’t want it. Let
degreaser (no motor it cure overnight. For extra reinforcement,
spray on bodies, apply multiple layers of RTV over the course
please), and apply of a few nights.
tape on the outside
and inside of the body. Clear tape makes an invisible repair.
90 RCCarAction.com
No more skid Double the bumper,
marks! twice the body life.
september 2015 91
Q U I C K S P I N
Monster trucks are the preferred weapons of choice for serious all-terrain fun,
and more manufacturers are stepping up to the plate with big-tire machines to feed
+
3S LiPo compatible speed
the need for high-riding mayhem makers. Helion is answering the call with their 1/10 control
scale 4WD monster truck, the Invictus 10MT. The Invictus was originally offered Excellent all around power
with a 2-pole 3500Kv motor (as reviewed in our August 2013 issue), but Helion has Waterproof electronics
High ground clearance
upped torque for the latest version of the truck, and now includes a 3000Kv 4-pole
powerplant. An 8-cell NiMH pack unloads 9.6 volts to top 30mph, and the truck’s
metal-gear 4WD system can handle even more power (good thing, since the brush- -
Included battery is only
less system is rated for 3S LiPo power). Waterproof electronics and fully-adjustable 1800mAh capacity
suspension complete the RTR package, which ticks off a lot of boxes for a $310
truck. Let’s see how the Invictus 10MT does in the dirt.
92 RCCarAction.com
{
BEHIND THE WHEEL
When it came time to drive the Invictus, I aimed for obstacles that might impede it and soon real-
ized that not much is going to get in the way of this truck. Its big stance, big tires and big power on
tap begged me to take on the rough stuff. Even though the Invictus is ready for any extreme con-
dition you’re ready to throw at it, at slow to medium speeds, its tame behavior makes it a perfect
vehicle for some one new to RC and learning to drive. When I started to get on the throttle more,
the Invictus exhibited surprisingly nimble handling. Helion’s servo ratings must be conserva-
tive, as the truck felt like there was a lot more than 83 oz.-in. pulling on the tie rods. Te squishy
chevron-style tires aggressive turns at high speeds without upsetting the handling. Te high-
riding chassis gives that Invictus 2.5 inches of ground clearance, which doesn’t sound like a lot,
but it gives access to terrain that included tall rocks and deep ruts that would have most trucks
in the class scraping their chassis and getting stuck. Te Invictus could jump all day. Te heavy
tires and responsive throttle response allow you to achieve level flight with some inputs from
the transmitters trigger or do front/back flips by stabbing the brakes or staying on the throttle.
Returning to earth and sticking the landing was easy thanks to the plush suspension working
in conjunction with the fat tires to cushion hard hits. Te fully-adjustable suspension worked
beautifully and soaked up challenging terrain leaving the Invictus unfazed. Te only thing that was
leaving me wanting more of during testing was longer run times. Although the included 1800mAh
battery gives the Invictus monster punch and power, it delivers less than 10 minutes of run time.
3000Kv 4-pole
brushless motor
50A, 3S LiPo
compatible
speed control
Turnbuckle rear
camber links
1800mAh 9-cell
NiMH battery
Metal-gear
drivetrain
10mm bore
oil-filled
shocks
Turnbuckles set rear cam-
ber, but the front end gets
a pivot ball setup. Dogbone
driveshafts are used front
and rear.
32
Item no.: HLNA570 acceleration hill-climbing
Scale: 1/10 grunt.
MPH
Price: $310 INCLUDED BATTERY
CHASSIS
Type: Molded tub
Material: Plastic
SUSPENSION
Type F/R: Upper and lower wishbone with
pivot-ball carriers/lower H-arm with upper
camber link
Inboard camber link position: (F/R) 1/1
Outboard camber-link positions: (F/R) 1/3
Shock positions, towers: (F/R) 2/2
Shock positions, arms: (F/R) 2/3
SHOCKS
Bodies: Plastic, 10mm bore
Shafts: 3mm steel
DRIVETRAIN
Type/ratio: Shaft-driven 4WD/8.58:1
Differential: Bevel gear, oil filled
Shaft drive, ball bearings and metal gears get power to Te 50 amp speed control easily accommodates the volt-
Driveshafts: Steel front and rear dogbones
the ground. age of the included 9.6V 8-cell NiMH battery and is rated
Bearings: Rubber sealed
to use up to a 3-cell LiPo battery.
WHEELS & TIRES
Wheels: Silver finish one-piece, 12mm hex
Tires: Helion V-tread Swampers FINAL WORD
Te Invictus 10MT’s combo of big power, solid
INCLUDED ELECTRONICS
Transmitter & receiver: Helion RC HRS-3.1
handling and overall brute monster truck at-
3-channel 2.4GHz/Helion HRS-3.1 titude brought its fun levels to heights that
Steering servo: Helion 6KG-WP
exceeded my expectations. Te low-capacity
included battery is one area where cost-cutting
Speed control: 50A Programmable, 3S LiPo
compatible
comes through, but for first-timers with no ex-
isting battery stockpile, it’s nice to have a pack
Motor: 3000Kv Radient Reaktor 4-pole brush-
less, sensorless
in the box. Te Invictus delivers where it counts
with quality electronics, a bulletproof drivetrain
Battery: Helion 8-cell 1800mAh NiMH
and all-around fun that’s easy for any beginner
REQUIRES to drive. For $310 bucks, you get a lot of truck.
4 AA Battery (For transmitter) Helion supplies an 8-cell pack that powers the Invictus
to over 30mph, but its 1800mAh capacity cuts run time SOURCES
short. Swap it for a 3S LiPo and you’ll see close to 40mph. Helion helionrc.com
94 RCCarAction.com
subscribe and save!
Since 1985, Radio Control Car Action has been the world’s number-one
RC car magazine. It’s loaded with the latest tech, product reviews,
personalities, how-tos and so much more. From high-speed sedans
and terrain-conquering trail rigs to dirt-roosting buggies and massive
monster trucks, Radio Control Car Action brings you the full spectrum
of RC excitement in every issue!
W
hen building the ultimate scale rig, there’s nothing that compares to an injection-molded body.
Most often referred to as “hard” bodies, the type is preferred because injection molding offers
finer, crisper detailing and allows more complex shapes than the vacuum forming process used
for Lexan bodies. However, painting and detailing a “hard” body requires more steps and care
than spray-bombing a clear shell. Te body needs to be prepped, the paint needs to go down smoothly and
special care is required to get the details right. I’ve painted a lot of hard bodies in my time as an RC modeler,
and I’m going to show you how to transform your truck’s body from a piece of plastic into a work of art. Follow
these steps and you’ll have an award-winning paint job.
Step 1: Black It Out
Te very frst thing I do to all bodies is coat the inside with semi gloss black
to give the body a more realistic look. When you look inside the wheel
wells of a full-size truck you see nothing but black, and painting the inside
of your body will give it the same look. To make this step even easier I
completely skip any prep steps and simply apply the paint. You don’t
need a perfect fnish here but you do want to make sure you get as little
overspray as possible on the outside surface of the body.
A quick coat of semi gloss black is all you need to give your truck a more realistic look. No prep
work needed here; just spray away.
SEPTEMBER 2015 97
How to Paint a “Hard” Body
TIP
usually sufcient.
When
airbrushing
acrylic paints, use
lacquer thinner to
Step 7: Polish thin them out. The
the Paint paint will spray
Now, you may be happy with the better and dry
fnish of the body at this point quicker.
and if so, you can give it a coat
of wax to bring up the shine and
call it a day. I like to take it a step further and polish the paint
out to give it a mirror shine using sand papers from a polishing
kit from Micro Mark. Polishing the paint removes the “orange
peel” texture often associated with sprayed paint. If you have
a lot of orange peel, start with 4,000 grit sand paper, but if you
have a pretty good surface then you can skip to 6,000 and start
there. Wet-sand the entire body until you have a uniform matte
fnish, then sand again with a fner grit sandpapers until you get
to 8,000 grit. Use caution around any corners and raised areas
because the paint is at its thinnest there and you can easily rub
through. If you do rub through the color, spray a little paint into
a mixing cup and use a fne paintbrush to blend in the area and
sand if necessary. All that’s left to do after sanding is to buf the
Polishing the paint removes any orange peel from the surface and will give you a glass like shine.
Here’s a shot of the roof after a quick sanding with 4,000 grit sand paper. See the diference in surface with wax and a soft rag to get that mirror fnish you’re
color? looking for.
98 RCCarAction.com
Applying grAphics
If you’re adding stripes or other graphics to the body, be sure
to triple-check your masking to make certain the tape is fully
adhered so paint won’t bleed under, and no areas are exposed
to overspray. When spraying the color, apply light coats. Don’t
overdo it with thick and/or too many coats of paint, or else
you will end up with a lip of paint on the edges of the graphic.
Pay careful attention to areas where the making
Once the paint has dried you can remove the masking tape tape passes over raised details and recessed panel lines.
and enjoy the custom look of your truck. In addition to tape, Silly Putty can be useful for masking. I used putty
to fll in the gap between the cab and bed before laying down the paint.
When applying the masking tape, make sure you press it down along the edge of what Paint can be applied with a brush, spray can or airbrush. A paintbrush is the least time
you are painting. Your fngernail or back of a small paint brush will do the job. consuming method.
Wrap-Up
It’s not difcult to get a high-
quality fnish on an injection-
molded body, it just requires
patience. Most goofs happen
when people get impatient
and handle a still-tacky body,
or try to cover the body
with a single coat. Don’t
rush it, and if you do make a
mistake, don’t sweat it too
much. Unlike a Lexan body,
there isn’t really any mistake
you can’t undo with a hard
body. Runs can be sanded
out, imperfections can flled
… all the techniques an auto
Tip
body shop uses apply to hard
Use a block of wood, a servo
plastic bodies too.
box, empty paint cans or anything
else handy to elevate body components SourceS
for painting. That way, the paint won’t stick Tamiya tamiyausa.com
them to the work surface. Testors testors.com
Test Bench tried • tested • tortured
Testing
Once you unwrap the protective packaging
from the case, the only thing required from you
before using is to remove the various cutouts
of foam in the large center block. If you aren’t
Carrying Case With the foam block back in place, I put my ra-
dio in the case and it easily slid right in with no
signs of movement once it was at the bottom
Bomb-proof protection for Futaba’s top gun of the foam. Removing the radio from the foam
wasn’t as easy. It’s not hard to get your radio
W
out but it will take you a few extra seconds to
hen you purchase a grab it from the steering wheel and wiggle it
out of the foam. It would be nice if there were
high-end radio, you want
cutouts around the handle area to help you pull
to protect your invest- the radio out.
ment. Your radio is the When going on a photo shoot or a test ses-
most vulnerable when transport- sion, I only need a few tools. Tanks to the extra
ing it to and from the track or your storage in the radio case, I have all the room I
need for those few items. With the lid closed
favorite driving spot. Te box it came
and the case full I was able to shake it up, and
in provides plenty of protection, but there was no damage to the radio inside and all
isn’t convenient to carry and open and components that I placed in the case were still
close, nor will it hold up to repeated where they should be. After about a month of
use. Padded bags use, the case has proven capable at transport-
ing and protecting my transmitter and related
are handy, but
gear, but I am disappointed that the “carbon”
don’t protect covering isn’t more durable. It scufs easily,
against crush- which is a bummer but does not afect the
ing. Te best integrity of the case.
way to protect
your radio is by
placing it into a
padded metal
case. Futaba has a PLUS
case specifcally for its + radio fts snugly
4PX radio and it’s designed + attractive carbon fber styling
for maximum protection and pro- + lockable
vides plenty of storage.
MinUS
Above: Te case has a great look to it and it’s constructed out of lightweight
aluminum. Left: Each clip features a lock so you can secure your radio when
- radio is a little difcult to get out
you’re not using it. Below: Te radio fts well but getting it out is a little bit of - expensive
a challenge. You have to wiggle it out a bit or manhandle the foam. Tere’s
lots of extra storage for any other items that you need to carry with you.
The VerdicT
Futaba’s 4PX case is as high-luxe as the radio
Te case is constructed out of it holds, and is priced to match. At $110, there
aluminum, which provides a are defnitely cheaper ways to tote your 4PX.
sturdy and lightweight platform. It’s doubtful any look as factory though, and
Faux carbon fber covers the if you’re a traveling racer, the investment may
panels and features attractive spare the much greater cost of replacing a
T-FHSS, 4PX and Futaba logos transmitter that arrives at your destination in
on the face and sides of the case. more than one piece. I’m not exactly careful
All the edges have a gun metal with my gear so I’m happy to have this case
fnished rolled edge and other to keep my 4PX operating the way it should.
metal touches add to the look. —Kevin Hetmanski
Rubber feet keep it from sliding item no. FutP1014, $110
when placed on a surface and fatter feet on the back side do the same when opening and loading
the case. Te clips that keep the top and bottom half together feature a lock so you can secure your SourceS
radio when it’s not being used. Inside the case are three pieces of foam that keep the radio from Futaba futaba-rc.com
moving around. Te bottom is covered by a thin foam pad, the middle features a large block of foam
with cutouts for the radio and other accessories, while the lid has an egg crate type foam to protect
any items that may bounce around.
102 RCCarAction.com
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Download order form online
Test
Bench
PRO-LINE DESTROYER
MONSTER TRUCK TIRES
Scale looks and great performance for your
solid axle monster truck Testing
After cleaning the tire bead and rim I stretched
T
the tire over a Tamiya Clod Buster wheel and I
he solid-axle monster truck scene is growing, but tire options have had no trouble getting them into place, unlike
lagged behind. Te Tamiya Clod Buster wheel remains the standard other Clod tires that I have mounted. Te tire
size for solid-axle trucks, and the firm-compound rubber offered to fit bead fit perfectly into the rim and it didn’t take
just isn’t up to modern specs. Pro-Line is on the case with their new much working to get it fully seated. Once the
glue was set I mounted the wheels on my
Destroyer design, which has quickly created a lot of buzz. Tunder Tech Ripper Pro Clod to see what
these tires could do. I’ve raced my Ripper for
many years and have had just about every tire
It has a scale look, soft compound and the available for the Clod Buster on it, so I have a
performance that everyone has been asking PLUS good understanding of how the truck works
with the different tire types. I began testing on a
for. Te Destroyer tires come molded in Pro-
Line’s soft M3 compound and come with very
+ Looks like full-size BKT tire combination of short grass and hard packed dirt.
large and soft open cell foam inserts to support + Lightweight I mashed the throttle and the truck took off hard
the carcass and help soak up landings. Tose + Soft compound with a dirt and debris flying behind it. Te tires
who are familiar with Monster Jam will see really do a good job of digging in and propelling
that the tires have a design similar to the BKT PLUS the truck forward with greater authority than
tires used on full-size monster trucks, which - Limited side-bite on hard packed dirt other tires I’ve used before. Te Destroyers are
sticky, very soft and pliable just like Pro-Line’s
is great for scale builds. Te sidewall detailing
is incredible. Of course I expected to see the other race-type tires, which will allow them to
name of the tire and Pro-Line on the side wall conform to various surfaces. While bombing
but I was very surprised to see the wording that around, the tires soaked up the imperfections of
you would find on the full-size tire. Some of the the area very well. It was much more controllable
words are so small you almost can’t read what and required less steering and throttle input to
they say; it’s amazing how much detail Pro- keep it going where I wanted it to. On pavement,
Line packed into the mold. the tires showed no wobble and I was very happy
with the grip. My final test of the tires happened
at the No Limit RC World Finals at the Digger’s
Dungeon in North Carolina. Te dirt on the race
track was hard packed and very loose and a lot
of the competitors were struggling to find grip
all weekend long. My truck had plenty of forward
bite, but the low profile treads allowed more slip
when cornering. Jumping performance was im-
proved with the Destroyers. Te soft tires don’t
Te tires fit well on a Tamiya rebound harshly like firmer rubber, so I was able
Clod Buster wheel and easily to get back on the throttle quickly.
stretch and maneuver into
place.
THE VERDICT
Overall I give the new Pro-Line Destroyer tires an A+. Tey look the part and
provide awesome performance in the all-terrain conditions monster trucks
are most often subjected to. I would have liked more hard-pack side bite when
racing at the World Finals, but that’s a very narrow performance niche that
the vast majority of monster truckers aren’t worried about (and everyone at
the race had the same problem, so it’s hard to fault the tires for that). More
than anything, I really love the scale look of the Destroyer design and I can’t
wait to get them on other project trucks. —Kevin Hetmanski
Item no. 10114-02, $37
SOURCES
Te Destroyer tires are molded using Pro-Line’s M3 Pro-Line prolineracing.com
compound, which is much softer than the firm rubber
other Clod-compatible tires use.
Testing
My testing methodology was highly scientific:
drive truck, get truck dirty. My first session was
a thorough thrashing on a sand volleyball court.
Te powdery sand really gets into everything.
Some dust snuck under the elastic at the front
and rear edges of the chassis, but the shroud
kept the vast majority of the stuff off the car. To
up the challenge level, I poured handfuls of sand
directly onto the shroud. Same result, nothing
gets through.
Water and mud were also easily foiled.
Despite a full load of goop on the outside, a
peek under the zipper revealed a clean chassis
on the inside. Nice. Once I got home, I hosed the
Can’t stand gunked-up gear? whole car off with the shroud in place, and the
Outerwears chassis shroud is Terra-Flo material shed the mud easily. Other
the way to go. than a few drops here and there, the chassis
beneath the shroud was dry.
PLUS
OUTERWEARS GENERATION + Easy to install
+ Keeps dirt, water, and dust off the chassis
2 CHASSIS SHROUD FOR and electronics
+
TRAXXAS SLASH 4X4 Speeds up car cleaning
O
uterwears and its filter products are popular
with powersports and motorsports enthu-
siasts, as well as RC fans. In the RC car realm,
Outerwears chassis shrouds are an easy upgrade
and do a good job of keeping the chassis free of dirt and
debris, and even shed water.
Te NSP-1 shreds just like a full-size trophy truck, and lights up the night
with a functional LED light bar.
FOUR-TIME
BEST
NITRO ENGINE
RC Car Action
Readers’ Choice
REAL-TIME Awards
TELEMETRY
INCLUDED!
KING OF
MONSTERS
Nitro-powered 4x4 monster truck fun starts with T-Maxx. No other truck can top
T-Maxx’s versatility and performance. Thundering TRX® 3.3 power gives T-Maxx
incredible speed, a high-torque digital servo delivers razor-sharp handling, and
T-Maxx’s class-leading durability goes beyond ‘monster tough’ to
‘Traxxas tough.’ And nitro is easy with the Traxxas EZ-Start®. Traxxas
makes experiencing the brutal torque and searing horsepower
of the TRX 3.3 engine as simple as pressing a button. Power,
performance, speed, convenience...T-Maxx brings it all together
and unlocks a whole new level of monster thrashing potential.
Go faster, jump higher, and let your creativity find new forms of
torturous off-road pounding.
pounding It’s stronger, bigger, and meaner
right down to its monster core. Make no mistake, T-Maxx reigns
supreme as King of Monsters.
© Copyright Traxxas 201. 1P-49077-1-150618 Use Top Fuel Power Plus for optimum power and performance!