Advice on RC for sand dune bashing and general fun?

[drgoatboy]

Hi Everyone, can anyone offer RC advice?
I have a Tamiya Lunchbox that is great but I am toying with treating myself to another toy and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations? The lunchbox is getting well used now and I seem to break something every time I run it so its either time for a refresh/upgrade on the lunchie or just start over.
I only use it occasionally if I am honest at its just for general bashing and smashing. The 1 thing I like to do is take it on holiday and run it round the sand dunes and let the kids chase it about and have a go (they are only little so this involves a lot of crashing!) The lunchbox has been great but I find the giant turning circle a bit tiresome anywhere but the beach and as I upgraded the motor (only to a sport tuned) it has a habit of spending a lot of time on its roof when running on any sort of smooth surface.
I don’t want to spend loads of cash and it really must be a kit as building it is half the fun! Also would be good to be able to upgrade it either straight away or over time. More speed is always better right?

On my short list so far are :
Blitzer beetle – https://hobbyking.com/en_us/tamiya-1-10-scale-blit...
(looks great, but maybe not the best choice for sand dunes due to clearance? Seem to be short stocked everywhere)

Yellow King - https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/tamiya-1...
(6x6 traction, looks super fun, unusal, 4 wheel steering could make it turn OK, but will it spend most of its life on its roof and will I destroy the transmission running it in the sand)

Mad bull - https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/tamiya-rc-58205...
(Looks pretty well suited to sand running, cheap, but the rear end looks pretty basic not sure it will turn much better than the lunchbox, not sure I am sold on the looks)


Has anyone got any first hand experience on these to share? Any other options to offer up?

Thanks everyone!!
DRGB

[AshVX220]

I had a Madbull, and it was great fun. I wasn't hugely into RC, it was just for bashing around the garden and stuff. The mixture of Buggy design and massive wheels was one of the things I like about. Made using it in the garden much better I reckon.

[Porsche911R]

https://binged.it/2MeTgMwhttps://binged.it/2MeTgMw

Traxxas E-Revo VXL :-) not the remit though :-( buy a classic 1/10th buggy remake, great fun to build, I own about 6 .

[MrBig]

Can't help thinking modding the lunchbox might be your best option. All the cars you've listed there are very much at the budget end of RC and will have similar qualities to the lunchbox.

Never really noticed an issue with steering lock, unless its an issue with the front wheels rarely being on the ground?

Trouble is, pretty much everything these days comes RTR and not as a kit. Traxxas make some good stuff with great parts availability, but AFAIK its all pre-built.

Maybe a Clod Buster? https://wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/157020/ 4WS so would solve your steering lock issues!

[anonymous-user]

the FTX carnage I bought for my 6yo daughter(honestly not for me...) has stood up to her regular crashing. Just replace the wheel hubs with metal, add threadlock to the drive and buy spare body mounts

[drgoatboy]

Thanks everyone. Some good suggestions but with the exception of the clodbuster all ready to run. Where is the fun in that?!?
I really like the look of a sand scorcher but it's a lot more money and apparently isn't all that great.

Maybe I should just mod the lunchbox (more).
Nah. Must spend cash and buy more toys!!!

[Rude-boy]

Sand Scorcher

https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/tamiya-sand-sco...

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&a...

[The_Jackal]

Dont be put off by RTR, they are all hobby grade and prime for upgrading.
You will still need to take things apart to maintain and clean them, so you'll still do plenty of spannering.

Tamiya are overrated as kits, there are much better rivals these days, it's not the 80s anymore.

[sausage76]

Wouldn't bother with any of those that you have listed.

Why not just mod the lunchbox, better tyres for sand, wheelie bar and look at steering lock mods.

Or get a traxxas or axial yeti.

[drgoatboy]

Ooohhhhh!
Axial Yeti comes in kit form! Its double the price of the other stuff I was looking at but it does look like a serious bit of kit.
thanks...

[.:ian:.]

Go big or go home http://www.hpiracing.com/en/kit/112457

[drgoatboy]

.:ian:. said:

Go big or go home http://www.hpiracing.com/en/kit/112457

Hmmm... that does tick a lot of boxes but i think it might be a bit OTT.
Nice thought though

[C0ffin D0dger]

.:ian:. said:

Go big or go home http://www.hpiracing.com/en/kit/112457

I'd love one of them.

Extremely anti social running a chainsaw engine in the sand dunes

[300bhp/ton]

drgoatboy said:

Hi Everyone, can anyone offer RC advice?
I have a Tamiya Lunchbox that is great but I am toying with treating myself to another toy and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations? The lunchbox is getting well used now and I seem to break something every time I run it so its either time for a refresh/upgrade on the lunchie or just start over.
I only use it occasionally if I am honest at its just for general bashing and smashing. The 1 thing I like to do is take it on holiday and run it round the sand dunes and let the kids chase it about and have a go (they are only little so this involves a lot of crashing!) The lunchbox has been great but I find the giant turning circle a bit tiresome anywhere but the beach and as I upgraded the motor (only to a sport tuned) it has a habit of spending a lot of time on its roof when running on any sort of smooth surface.
I don’t want to spend loads of cash and it really must be a kit as building it is half the fun! Also would be good to be able to upgrade it either straight away or over time. More speed is always better right?

On my short list so far are :
Blitzer beetle – https://hobbyking.com/en_us/tamiya-1-10-scale-blit...
(looks great, but maybe not the best choice for sand dunes due to clearance? Seem to be short stocked everywhere)

Yellow King - https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/tamiya-1...
(6x6 traction, looks super fun, unusal, 4 wheel steering could make it turn OK, but will it spend most of its life on its roof and will I destroy the transmission running it in the sand)

Mad bull - https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/tamiya-rc-58205...
(Looks pretty well suited to sand running, cheap, but the rear end looks pretty basic not sure it will turn much better than the lunchbox, not sure I am sold on the looks)


Has anyone got any first hand experience on these to share? Any other options to offer up?

Thanks everyone!!
DRGB

TBH all of the Tamiya stuff is a bit limited performance wise. But the market has changed, kits are not the norm and Tamiya take the lions share of the kit market these days. Many of which are re-issue kits of models from 20-30 years ago. The thing to note is, even when new most of the Tamiya kits were out dated.


I'm not bashing on Tamiya, I have several, including a Lunchbox, Konghead and a VX-01 based Asterion 4wd truck.

For those saying mod the Lunchbox. I wouldn't bother spending loads on it. You'll never fundamentally change how it drives. There are some super expensive bits for them, but you would be better off with something else.

The Madbull looks great, but uses the same basic suspension as the Lunchbox, so will go very similar, just a low C of G, so should roll over less.

The Konghead (same 6x6 as the Yellow King). It's fun and 4ws does give it a good turning circle. But it will flip over a lot on some surfaces and isn't really built for speed. It's also really heavy and the transmission isn't sealed. I suspect dry sand may be an issue unless you do something to prevent ingress.


The Blitzer Beatle is one on my list to get. They can be ok performers, but are a million miles away from modern stuff in terms of performance and capability. Sure you can fit a hot motor in them, but you are just likely to end up breaking bits in short order.

It has reasonably good suspension design as standard and will perform way better than the Madbull/Lunchbox and for beach bashing would be my pick from your list.

If you really want a kit, have a look at Hobbyking, they offer some alternatives you might not find in other places.

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/cars/cars/all-cars.htm...

I've got one of these Turnigy SCT-2. Performance wise is leaps and bounds above the Tamiya's. Although a little more fiddly to build.

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-sct-2wd-1-10-b...

[The_Jackal]

This, Tamiya is not the pinnacle of RC anymore (not that it was). But it was all you could get in the 80s and 90s.
Everything is from China and Korea these days and there is much better stuff about.
FTX and Turnigy are great bang for buck brands and the spares are easy and cheap to get. I was looking at one of those SCTs myself a while ago.
Once you see what is out there, you'd look at your Tamiya and wonder why you spent soo much on it. And Tamiya spares/upgrades are one of the biggest rip offs ever invented.

[drgoatboy]

Thanks everyone, I realise the Tamiya stuff isn't the pinnacle of RC, I was just struggling to find other kit alternatives, so you have all helped

Even Back when I was a kid Tamiya was a bit of a toy brand, Schumacher was the brand to have (at least I thought it was) but always a out of reach to a 10 year old who had to save a whole year and combine birthday and xmas presents to get a Tamiya Bearhawk.
Schumacher don't seem to have anything that ticks the right boxes (and maybe isn't the brand to have anymore anyway)

Some good thoughts, I am leaning towards the Axial yeti at the moment (just won't tell the wife how much it costs!) but I will have a look at the SCT too.
Thanks for all the tips. If there is something I have obviously missed then do let me know.

Its a shame kits have gone out of fashion, another victim to the age of instant gratification...

[generationx]

I have a mildly upgraded Tamiya Dark Impact which I've used on the beach several times, it's an awesome thing and would run rings round any of these classic big-wheel contraptions.

There are several buggies on this chassis and the upgrade options are extensive.

https://www.tamiya.com/english/products/58370dark_...

[100SRV]

Many of the Axial buggies are sold as kits or ready to run. They are well engineered and have excellent spares or upgrade availability.

Good choice of vehicles too from buggies, Baja truck and rock crawlers to the more normal looking scale things like Jeep Cherokees.

I bought a Bomber a few years ago, it's a very versatile buggy and great fun to drive.

[300bhp/ton]

drgoatboy said:

Even Back when I was a kid Tamiya was a bit of a toy brand, Schumacher was the brand to have (at least I thought it was) but always a out of reach to a 10 year old who had to save a whole year and combine birthday and xmas presents to get a Tamiya Bearhawk.
Schumacher don't seem to have anything that ticks the right boxes (and maybe isn't the brand to have anymore anyway)

Schumacher only sell high end racing machines these days. Very good, but pricey. They could be used for bashing, but aren't really aimed at that market. I think the cheap RTR packages have meant they can't really compete in the basher marker as well. Although other players do, but for lots of money, Traxxas, etc.