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Amazing work as usual @merak !
I was going to ask, do you (or anyone else) have any advice on using window masks? That beetle body I got came with them and I've never used them before. Is the process to clean the body as usual, then apply the masks then key with an abrasive pad once the masks are on? I assume I just have to go careful around the edges of the masks when keying?
Also, one of the shops over here has just got the holiday buggy back in at AU$150 delivered (£79 ish). I'm trying to convince myself that I don't want to just buy another HB to put that beetle shell on and keep the old one for the kids to bash around...
No abrasives! The first one I did I had no idea you paint the inside of a lexan body!
You just want to wash the body with soapy water (inside) wait till it dries and apply your masks.
Apply your polycarbonate paint in very thin layers. The first few just want to be a dusting build it up really slowly, patience is key to avoid runs!
I like to remove the masks whilst the paint is still tacky.
There should be a protective film on the outside which you remove at the end, the best bit.😎
ah ok, I'm glad I asked!
If I get time later I'll head out to the local hobby shop and get some paint, I think I'm just going to go all black for it.
Along side this, I'm also working on cobbling together a way to use 12mm hex on the front of the DT-02 so I will have a LOT more options for wheels for what is now becoming a monster ish beetle project! I've mocked it up using the hubs and stub axles (with dog bones removed) from a broken wltoys 12428 with the tamiya carriers, I just need to go to the hardware store to get the right sized screws to hold it all together, I'll some pics once it's done if it works out.
So, 12mm hex on a DT-02...
Tamiya on the left, wltoys on the right, needed a couple of spacers that it just so happens I had something suitable on the parts tree from some CVA shocks...
Screw it all together...
It all fits perfectly! The bump steer is now even worse though 😁
Just stuck some temporary wheels and the HB body on to try it, it's a wheelie machine now!
I'm really pleased with how it turned out, just need to paint the beetle shell and now I've got a lot of options for some chunky wheels to go on it 😎
I wonder what'll break first....
I just finished a TT02R which I bought on a whim in the Tamiya shop in Tokyo last month. Put a GT Tuned motor in it and the Yeah Racing steering upgrade + Tamiya hop-up servo saver and some nice blue alloy wheel hexes. It's quick! Now I need to source a body...
Finally got my beetle body painted for the DT-02 that was a holiday buggy.
Second body I've painted and first time using window masks and also the window surround stickers. It came with a lot more stickers but I decided to go without them. The tamiya metallic purple looks really good in the light. It looks like it's sat a little bit far back on the chassis when you look at the arches but it wouldn't fit any further forward because of the motor. I still think it looks great!
Another Escort!
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Incredibly good as always!
That looks ace
This is a good place to plug an event I went to, although not on again until next year.
I went to the Southern Scale Trail in Somerset a couple of weekends ago, was a busy weekend combining Goodwood Revival and that event. It's an event for RC crawlers, from scale versions to one off specials. It's ace, basically a weekend of blokes and their crawlers messing around in a quarry. Yes there were some women there but mostly not, and a few kids but not many
I went with my 12yo son and we shared driving an Axial SCX10. We both really enjoyed it. Friendly atmosphere and no competitiveness, just a bit of fun. There's a marked trail, plus a load of gated trails and some areas just to mess around in.
We broke a servo horn on the day and couldn't get a replacement to fit it from the traders on site, was gutted and thought that was the end of the day. Managed to get one from another attendee, what a result. Also came away with an Axial SCX24 because I fancied something on a smaller scale to mess around with
I've been enjoying crawling more than blatting around at speed. Both good, but there's something satisfying about the slower speed technicality, plus batteries a lot longer and there are less breakages
Some deals about for rival mt8s rtr bar batteries for £289. Now the mt8 is, it seems, made of tissue paper but I saw Tomley recently fixed his with redcat kaiju a arms. Great.... except he bought those arms months ago and no one seems to stock them anymore as the kaiju is discontinued. However rpm also do upgraded A arms, a front and rear set can be found for just over £30. A bit more research and it seems it is also worth upgrading the turnbuckles to 5mm, I think its buy some arrma parts, drill out the support to 4.2mm and screw in the better turnbuckles. I've not looked up the turnbuckles price but I'm guessing £20_30. So £350 plus batteries and charger and you've then got, it seems, a capable 8th scale 4s to 6s monster truck. I've got 3 matched 2s batteries....I just need a W or Y lead....
Hmm.
Any recommendations for a 1/10th scale trailer to fit a TRX4 ?
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Flipping heck merak. Show off! 😜
More rival mt8 research. To fully fully beef it up some people upgrade the hub carriers too, to alloy. No one does alloy mt8 carriers, you need to fit the redcat kaiju carriers. Not cheap though. I've found 2 ebay sellers liquid rc and rc express, both us based. After shipping (both combine shipping at least) a set of front and rear carriers will be £80-90.
Still tempted.
2 sets of 5x50 arrma turnbuckles
1 set of 5x65 arrma turnbuckles, £32 from appliance electronics, after postage
Front and rear redcat kaiju alloy hub carriers, £74 delivered from the us, from liquid rc on ebay.
Rpm upgraded a arms, front and rear, £27 delivered from Rochester rc
Rival mt8 4-6s rtr, £289 from at model's, kings Lynn models, maybe more.
Deans y cable (to make 2x2s run 4s) £3
Total £425. I shouldn't, but
Well my 'adventures' with the Typhon are over. Took it out a few weeks ago with the local bashing crew and it shat a centre driveshaft, rear differential, both rear driveshafts and the slipper clutch assembly cracked too. Rebuilt it all only for the front differential to die as well as another centre driveshaft 5 mins into the next run! Went to the local hobby shop to get a differential casing as I have the other parts already (bulk buys come in handy some times) and was so fed up and in need of some retail therapy that I walked out with this:
The MT10 that I was going to buy originally, well the V2 version of it! Haven't run it yet in anger (just a squirt round the living room to check it all works on a 2S) as it has the wrong connector for my big batteries - Deans on a 3S truck, really?! - so that needs to be swapped plus I want to Drywall tape and ShooGoo the body before I get carried away.
Have done a bit of work on the crawlers too. The Gatekeeper now has a 1800kv Fusion SE, such a good motor/ESC combo for the money, and the Sendero is now blue. I do plan to switch the Gatekeeper to do dual duty with the original body and the Sendero shell, making it a trail truck and a rock bouncer with just a switch of body and wheels. This will allow the Sendero chassis to be switched to a LCG one, but this is a just a plan so far. Had a go with a mate's LCG build and it's a ridiculous amount of fun on tough terrain but his is worth well over £900 with carbon chassis, Furitek Outrunner motor (£££), silly powerful servos, 4 wheel steer with Dig and full carbon headlock wheels. Need to sell a few cars first though as the collection is still growing despite my best efforts.
@neilnevill - the MT8 is on offer everywhere as it's selling really poorly, the initial reviews did it no favours, and a V2 is mooted for the New Year. Not saying don't get it but might be something to keep in mind.
Seems to be a lot of talk around a make from china called MJX hyper go: http://www.mjxrc.net/goods/hyper-go.html
I just ordered 2 from aliexpress for £52 each (for my 2 boys)
comes with metal axles, chassis, oil filled shocks, spare tyres and LED lights. Total bargain
http://www.mjxrc.net/goodshow/14209-14209.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBWENVp77Sc
Any chance of the aliexpress link?
Cheers
Those MJXs look brilliant.
Are they a better option than something like this that I was about to buy for mini-a11y#2's Christmas: A959-B off-road buggy. She's 8 so the requirements are tough and ability to run on grass/off-road.
I just watched that video shared by @trickydisco and utterly amazed at the robustness of those! Especially compared to how fragile the Tamiya R/Cs were when I was a kid...
looking purely at specs the mjx is better specced: metal chassis, brushless, lipo batteries, waterproof receriver cases, metal axles, spare tyres, extra springs and oil filled shocks. THe MJX is 1 /14 whereas the buggy is 1/18th
I guess the worry i have is it being too fast. I went with the s2 battery which isn't as fast. the s3 lipo is 45mph!
the controller does have a speed restricter to 70 or 75% but think i might have to sellotape a stopper for my boys (6 and will be 9)
Thanks @trickydisco
I'm so far out of the loop with R/C cars and arrived at the same conclusion of what you've just posted about the specs.
Well I was just innocently getting out of my shower and I fell and landed directly on my phone which was forced right up into my aliexpress account and ordered me a 3S MJX 14210.
Am I missing something between these 2 - they look the same but the price difference is significant;
I've just seen the reviews on the cheaper one saying it's a scam, I guess trickydisco's looks like the one to go for.
Now spotted a review has appeared on trickydisco's link saying it's a scam too! 😬
The review shows the cheaper model that's in the multi-listing, I wonder which one they actually ordered?
Aliexpress customer protection is actually surprisingly good, in my experience, pretty much always leads to quick refunds but still. How much should these cost? Like, at what point should you look at a listing and think "that must be dodgy"?
Well spotted, hopefully that's what they've done by mistake
Now spotted a review has appeared on trickydisco’s link saying it’s a scam too!
Eeeek
Well i'll post up findings when it arrives - something has been shipped
@trickydisco I have nothing to add about RC vehicles, but excellent user name.
@Northwind the link from the Tomley video (to AliExpress) has these priced up at £133.80, so I'd guess anything showing half that price might be a bit too good to be true.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005623978907.html
there are 2 versions of the MJX
v2 is the newer version which is more expensive. Also some come with 3s batteries
Have noticed a UK seller stocking them
https://www.seriousrc.co.uk/collections/electric-monster-trucks
Also lists lots of spare parts
I found these from what claims to be a R/C car store on Aliexpress. Don't appear to have the metal chassis etc so I'm wondering if they're the v1 version? Inbetweeny price at £77.
And also noticed that first/cheap seller link posted by @versus above (with the 1* reviews) is no longer for sale.
I bought 1 x 14209 and 1 x 14210 from @trickydisco's link yesterday morning, so will report back on what arrives. If they're legit then I might buy another, for me...
The review shows the cheaper model that’s in the multi-listing, I wonder which one they actually ordered?
Yup! mine arrived today and it's definately not the mjx hyper go. Its the really small one. Too good to be true (sorry folks for getting excited and posting links)
Can't request a refund until another 5 days for some reason
Will be interested to see how the returns procedure is. It does state free returns after 15 days
Yeah, me too, thought it was likely but was worth a flutter. You can start the process right with the seller right now if you want, but since it's definitely a scam rather than an error you might not get far with that. Probably easier to wait and get aliexpress to step in though
For anyone intersted. There is an official UK reseller of the MJX
i've spoken to them and they stock every spare part for it and offer free 30 day returns policy
My Alixepress ones (same as @trickydisco's link) have estimated delivery of 11th Dec. Given they're supposed to be Christmas gifts for my mini a11y's, I think it's prudent to start looking at alternatives - I'm not holding out much hope for what's going to arrive now and it wouldn't go down well if I Santa don't deliver on these...
I'm looking at the cheap/slower MJX and HBX offroad trucks/buggies on
https://www.seriousrc.co.uk/
but TBH don't know the good from the bad. Now I realise how non-cyclists must feel when navigating the cheaper end of the bike market.
I’m looking at the cheap/slower MJX and HBX offroad trucks/buggies on
https://www.seriousrc.co.uk/
but TBH don’t know the good from the bad. Now I realise how non-cyclists must feel when navigating the cheaper end of the bike market.
the v2 has got uprated/thicker steering parts and hub carriers.
not sure on the others but the mjx does seem better than a lot of models onn modelsport from the point of view of metal parts/chassis,oil filled shocks etc