Rc self build kit

[logie1980]

im looking for a kit to build over the xmas holidays. Not for racing or anything just something fun for my garden/local park. Any recommendations? Cheers

[Magic919]

Grasshopper.

[Razor O Rourke]

I'd also go for the Grasshopper. Cheap, robust and straightforward to build but not snap-together simple so it does give you a worthwhile bit of tinkering.

Buy a proper ballrace kit to replace the plastic bushes that come with it to greatly increase performance and run time. These cost less than a tenner and are well worth it.

[logie1980]

Thanks. Grasshopper is def on the cards but if I wanted 4wd is there a go to option?

[Razor O Rourke]

logie1980 said:

Thanks. Grasshopper is def on the cards but if I wanted 4wd is there a go to option?

The Tamiys Plasma Edge is the cheapest 4WD kit I can see but for fun use round a park or on waste ground I would go for 2WD as they are more fun to drive. 4WD models tend to corner like they are on rails, great for racing but not otherwise. I have a Toyots Celica which came as a 4WD kit but I later removed the drive shaft to the front diff and it was much more fun to use, as well as being faster.

Check out Modelsport UK's website for a vast range of kits.

[sgrimshaw]

You don't mention a budget, but there's a good selection here:

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/rc-electric-models/rc...

[AlexC1981]

I bought a Tamiya Hornet last Christmas. They don't take long to build, but I stopped when I got to the painting stage. I might get it painted this Christmas

[logie1980]

So been looking at a few different kits and cars. Has anyone had a neo fighter? And will I get better performance out of something like an arrma raider mega?

[MBBlat]

For garden/park my advice is forget about a buggy, they don't tend to cope with tree roots or long grass that well.

Budget choice Tamiya CC-01 or Heavy Dump Truck, realistic driving or a big yellow thing doing wheelies
Non budget choice Axial Wraith

2wd will be cheaper, but less capable. The Tamiya Mad Bull or Lunchbox is probably the budget choice, followed by the monster beetle/blackfoot. For non stop wheelies then a Tamiya Wild Willy.

Budget for a full set of bearings for the Tamiyas, followed by oil shocks (depending on kit)
For the Axial bearings are included, but not the motor, also get a high torque steering servo and replace the steering links as soon as you get used to controlling it. For speed go for a brushless set-up, £££ as a reasonable motor & ESC can cost more than a Tamiya kit, or go for a high torque brussed motor & climb over anything you want.

Money no object and you want a project for the the long winter nights - Tamiya Bruiser or a 1/16 tank. The former has one of the most intricate mechanical builds, 3 speed with selectable 4wd, the later is a big plastic kit that drives & a remote controlled turret + sound. Neither IMO will be as good to drive as the Wraith.

[_Neal_]

logie1980 said:

So been looking at a few different kits and cars. Has anyone had a neo fighter? And will I get better performance out of something like an arrma raider mega?

I enjoyed my Neo Fighter build and paint - oil shocks etc. I bought it from ebay for a good price, and did the full ball-bearing kit too.

Good point on it not loving grass though - I'd probably go Mad Bull/Lunchbox as said above.

[.:ian:.]

One of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132023958543

[Triple7]

_Neal_ said:

I enjoyed my Neo Fighter build and paint - oil shocks etc. I bought it from ebay for a good price, and did the full ball-bearing kit too.

Good point on it not loving grass though - I'd probably go Mad Bull/Lunchbox as said above.

Link to the correct Neo Fighter Ball bearing and shock replacement please.....

[_Neal_]

Triple7 said:

_Neal_ said:

I enjoyed my Neo Fighter build and paint - oil shocks etc. I bought it from ebay for a good price, and did the full ball-bearing kit too.

Good point on it not loving grass though - I'd probably go Mad Bull/Lunchbox as said above.

Link to the correct Neo Fighter Ball bearing and shock replacement please.....

My Neo Fighter kit came with the oil shocks in the box - think they did a run of kits with the upgrade as standard.

Bearings here

http://www.rcbearings.co.uk/index.php?route=produc...

[Triple7]

Thanks 👍

[TonyF55]

I'm looking to build a Tamiya model over Xmas.

Someone I know has said I can have his Acoms Techniplus RC unit with receiver and servos, it comes with a 4 x AA battery box for the receiver, do the newer Tamiya models have room to fit these ?

Thanks

[Rude-boy]

TonyF55 said:

I'm looking to build a Tamiya model over Xmas.

Someone I know has said I can have his Acoms Techniplus RC unit with receiver and servos, it comes with a 4 x AA battery box for the receiver, do the newer Tamiya models have room to fit these ?

Thanks

Most will have the space to fit it but it is extra weight and with the basic radio gear available for £35-£40 I would buy new.

Fairly sure that you can get a bypass for the old battery block though to run the receiver off the the main battery.

This being PH and all you should also think about the weight and the effect that that will have on acceleration, handling and battery life. The only place that you will be able to find space will also be high up on the chassis and so you will raise the COG quite a bit as well...

[TonyF55]

Rude-boy said:

TonyF55 said:

I'm looking to build a Tamiya model over Xmas.

Someone I know has said I can have his Acoms Techniplus RC unit with receiver and servos, it comes with a 4 x AA battery box for the receiver, do the newer Tamiya models have room to fit these ?

Thanks

Most will have the space to fit it but it is extra weight and with the basic radio gear available for £35-£40 I would buy new.

Fairly sure that you can get a bypass for the old battery block though to run the receiver off the the main battery.

This being PH and all you should also think about the weight and the effect that that will have on acceleration, handling and battery life. The only place that you will be able to find space will also be high up on the chassis and so you will raise the COG quite a bit as well...

Thanks for that, think I'll just buy a kit with new RC gear then.

[MBBlat]

TonyF55 said:

Rude-boy said:

TonyF55 said:

I'm looking to build a Tamiya model over Xmas.

Someone I know has said I can have his Acoms Techniplus RC unit with receiver and servos, it comes with a 4 x AA battery box for the receiver, do the newer Tamiya models have room to fit these ?

Thanks

Most will have the space to fit it but it is extra weight and with the basic radio gear available for £35-£40 I would buy new.

Fairly sure that you can get a bypass for the old battery block though to run the receiver off the the main battery.

This being PH and all you should also think about the weight and the effect that that will have on acceleration, handling and battery life. The only place that you will be able to find space will also be high up on the chassis and so you will raise the COG quite a bit as well...

Thanks for that, think I'll just buy a kit with new RC gear then.

Ditch the battery box, modern ESCs (Electronic speed Controllers, the gubbins that make the motor go fwd or backward) have a BEC (Battery elimination circuit) that basically feed power from the drive battery to the receiver via the throttle channel cable.

Use either the tamiya supplied ESC or this https://www.modelsport.co.uk/hobbywing-quicrun-106...
plug into the throttle channel of the receiver, plug the steering servo into the steering channel and your good to go.

The only exceptions are
1: IC power
2: running a massively powerful steering servo, ie not an Acoms one.

[russy01]

Heads up to anybody wanting a cheap car.

Absima TR02TV2 Stadium Truck RTR - just needs battery and charger to complete. 2 Kits left, want to shift...about to be reduced to £69.99.

https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/absima-tr02tv2-...

Paired with something like this and you'll have a bargain - http://jadlamracingmodels.com/overlander-3300mah-7...

[TonyF55]

MBBlat said:

Ditch the battery box, modern ESCs (Electronic speed Controllers, the gubbins that make the motor go fwd or backward) have a BEC (Battery elimination circuit) that basically feed power from the drive battery to the receiver via the throttle channel cable.

Use either the tamiya supplied ESC or this https://www.modelsport.co.uk/hobbywing-quicrun-106...
plug into the throttle channel of the receiver, plug the steering servo into the steering channel and your good to go.

The only exceptions are
1: IC power
2: running a massively powerful steering servo, ie not an Acoms one.

Thanks for that, really useful.