Now why didn't I buy the RPM stuff to go with my RC10B4.2ES from .

Well I skipped a few Items I had on my list when I placed my order To Tower Hobbies and I'm going to try to explain why I skipped them for now .

LXGGV2

RPM Front Mini Bumper Black B4/T4/GT2

1

$ 4.89

 I skipped this for 2 reasons . Number one is because I'm broke and cheap so I opted out on this one to spend a little more on necessities as i don't feel that at this time I will really benefit from the Little bit of extra protection or weight that this item adds . You can expect me to add it in the future .

LXVT96

RPM Heavy Duty Rod Ends Purple 4-40 (12)

1

$ 4.89

Now when I was putting stuff in y shopping cart I realized I already had around 20 new Team Associated ball cups setting in a parts box doing nothing . So I decided to hold off on these till I upgrade my Tie rod's to titanium  as it seemed silly to me .

73732 Front A-arms & Bulkhead for the

B4, B4.1 & B4.2 - Available 07.31.13

Suggested Retail

$14.95 pair w/ bulkhead

Now I didn't order these simply because of 3 reasons .

1 These are not scheduled to be released for sale till 7/31/13 and that is the same day that Tower has several of their discounts ending on  and I felt I would forget and end up paying more because of it .

2 The part has not really been proven yet and to be honest RPM is due for a flop .

3 If I bought these i would have a stock front suspension just lying around collecting dust . 

So I will wait till the ordering frenzy dies down and after i break a few control arms .

Another pair of things missing off my list was a set of tires and to be blunt my cheaper side won out . My decision here was because I found a good deal on some Team Losi treads on ebay from associatedelectrics and I felt they would do as good or a little better on the outdoor course I

 planned to run on compared to the Proline tires .

It almost here

Well my Tower Hobbies order is almost here It hit the big town today and should be on my porch tomorrow. For those wondering what this means for my Blog and YouTube page I think the main thing that I'm going to cover with this buggy are basic ways to improve , modify and customize on a budget and alot of people don't realize how much there is to do even if your car is a RTR.

well I made a order with Tower Hobbies .

Well I didn't make the order exactly like I planned but It was close and I think I will have all I need for now .

Stock Number	Product Description	Stock Status/Quantity	Extended Price
LXDNDVBY	Associated RC10B4.2 RS 2.4GHz RTR Blue/Yellow	In stock, shipping 1	$249.99
LXSF70	Associated Factory Team Green Slime	In stock, shipping 1	$2.29
LXBVF9	Associated Factory Team Buggy Front Spring Kit (8)	In stock, shipping 1	$10.99
LXBVG0	Associated Factory Team Truck/Buggy Rear Spring Kit(10)	In stock, shipping 1	$10.99
LX2594	Associated Shock Rebuild Red O-Ring (8)	In stock, shipping 1	$2.79
LX3305	Associated Silicone Shock Fluid 30 Weight 2 oz	In stock, shipping 1	$3.69
LX3304	Associated Silicone Shock Fluid 20 Weight 2 oz	In stock, shipping 1	$3.69
LX3306	Associated Silicone Shock Fluid 40 Weight 2 oz	In stock, shipping 1	$3.69
LX2605	Associated Shock Rubber Cap Gaskets (4)	In stock, shipping 1	$1.50
LXEAK4	Associated Kimbrough Spur Gear 84T	In stock, shipping 1	$3.69
LXEPF7	Associated Factory Team Heavy Duty Servo Saver Spring	In stock, shipping 1	$1.50
LXBNFX	Associated Front Buggy Dish Wheel Yellow (2)	In stock, shipping 1	$5.49
LXCRVB	Associated Buggy Rear Wheel Hex Yellow B4.1/B44.1	In stock, shipping 1	$5.49
LXCTER	STRC Alum Front Hinge-Pin Brace Associated SC10/B4/T4	In stock, shipping 1	$8.79
LXEX34	Robinson Racing Pinion Gear 6-Pack Even 16-26T	In stock, shipping 1	$12.69
LXZWK3	Associated Factory Team Arm Mounts 2.5/3/3.5/4 (4)	In stock, shipping 1	$5.49
PC7140	$40 Promotional Discount	In stock, shipping 1	$40.00-
The following is a membership and is not a shippable physical product
L61010	Tower Hobbies #1 Super Saver Club Membership	In stock, shipping 1	$9.99

Order Summary

In-Stock Subtotal: Standard Shipping: Total Current Charges:

$ 302.75 Waived $ 302.75

Only a few more to items left to order.

Latrax and Traxxas's motivation for bringing it back.part 2

Now this the second part of what I think could be expected of the Latrax line and why.
,
As most Traxxas fans are aware Traxxas is kind of running low on  electric 1/10 on road chassis's as of late. Yes they have introduced the Rally but its not really a dedicated on road car as it is primarily for multisurface driving as it should be . This hole has been empty for quite some time since the electric 4-TEC
was discontinued and given the popularity of awd touring / drift cars especially entry level RTR cars I could see them marketing a new 1/10 onroad chassis with the Latrax line as there are several brushed models and even a few brushless cars below $200 so I can see this as a very possible direction for them to be heading .

Now a few people have been hoping for a electric 4-TEC  Re Release and I don't think that will be the case if they were to try and recycle some of their older Technology I would think it would be based more on the Nitro 4-TEC . Despite their similar names both the electric and nitro were very different but I really think a all new chassis and design would actually be more likely . With the XO-1 in their stable another electric on road speed demon seems a strange direction to go so I'm going with a new 1/10 on road chassis optimised for drifting as that seems like a logical choice.  

Well now I'm out of Ideas again maybe there will be a part 3 to my speculation.

Latrax and Traxxas's motivation for bringing it back part 1

Well there has been a lot of chatter about the new Traxxas brand Latrax and there LaTrax Rally – 1/18 Scale 4WD Rally Car and the purpose of this new brand is pretty well summed up on the about Latrax page.http://latrax.com/about.htm

Now the important part to me of this mission statement if you will is this : 

Today, LaTrax is powered by Traxxas and is staying true to its heritage by offering fun, high-quality, radio-controlled models that are backed by world-class Traxxas customer support, and priced under $200. LaTrax delivers the perfect combination of great value, leading performance, ease of use, and award-winning support that make radio control fun for everybody.

Now this statement has lead me to wonder if Traxxas is planning to use this line to retire some of the older Traxxas models and rebrand them under the Latrax name as they fit in this category and would be a easy way to fill the lineup. I mean you can't have a RC brand with just one RC.

Now bear with me here some of the vehicles that I think would be retired are some of the most popular RC's of all time but most are some of the oldest RC's still in production today, only being beaten by several tamiya models.

The vehicles I'm referring to are the  Traxxas Bandit , Rustler , Stampede 2wd , and even the Slash 2wd .

Now why do I think these fit in the Latrax lineup: The Xl-5  Bandit currently has a Suggested Sale Price of $199.99 the Rustler XL-5 is currently at $224.99 the Stampede is currently at $229.99 and finally the 2wd Slash XL-5 is suggest at $209.99. A $30 dollar price cut is all that would be required to get them under the $200 price limit and as I count it this would add at least 13 part number to the Latrax vehicle lineup. 

Then comes the question why make a whole brand just to move a few models .Well the simple answer is the most obvious the cars still make a lot of money for the company and as they have a huge following because of their reliability and aftermarket support this makes them the #1 recommendation for the first time hobbyist . All this makes taking them out of production a bad business move even if there replacements are just as good or better there will be public outcry. 

So you're asking yourself why not keep them under the Traxxas name . Well Traxxas has slowly been changing their image over the years and It seems they are taking new technology and racing more seriously  and the big 3 don't really fit in to this  image well . Now I'm not saying  any of their other cars are top of the line race machines but most are or were at the top of their Category . 

Now to those of you who disagree about the taking Racing seriously all I can say is just look at the LCG Slash 4x4 conversion kit . If they didn't care about racing it wouldn't exist let alone the Slash 4X4 Ultimate or the Slash 4x4 platinum edition Granted they may not be the top of the line racer but they are competitive.

Now if nothing else you should be able to admit Traxxas has always kept themselves

in the spotlight or right at the edge of it and its always been a mixture of  innovative / inventive products that have kept them there . 3 new vehicles from traxxas would be a huge deal 

I really do mean every word I have Typed hear as I love Traxxas and I really do see this as possible direction and motivation for Traxxas to bring this brand back .

So if you have read this far I'm sure you are wondering what I think the replacements may be .

All I feel I can predict on this matter is that the Stadium truck would probably be based loosely on the Traxxas Jato  as most of suspension would already be in production and the front bulkhead would be easy to adapt. A replacement for the slash would probably be similar but with a stretched chassis and new control arms .For a 2wd buggy I could see using the jato front bulkhead with new control arm found all the way around and new shock towers . As Losi has brought aluminum chassis back to 1/10 2wd racing I could see Traxxas implementing one also on the new models . When it comes to the Transmission I don't claim to  know what they might do but i would like to see quick differential removal like the Jato has as I think that would be a nice addition .

Now on the new vehicles I don't see brushed power at all . I see a RTR Vxl brushless powered trucks and buggies and hopefully some highly optioned rollers similar to the Slash 4X4 Platinum Edition some time after the RTR releases.

Granted they have always specialized in RTR models in the early years they were also successful at producing competitive off road racers . Can you imagine if Traxxas had a win in a Nationals championship today with a buggy or stadium truck . It would probably be the biggest news of the year . If you want a small history lesson and to look at some of the old Traxxas ads referencing different wins follow this link.http://www.rc10talk.com    

Now you're thinking I left the Stampede out and to be honest I'm not sure they would add a new 2wd monster truck. To me a 2wd monster truck is a beginner RC and it really wouldn't fit into the Traxxas line up any more as the remaining Vehicles would be targeted at the more experienced Hobbyist. Think of it as a Latrax would be your first car and a Traxxas would be your second or Third car. 

Tires for your 1/16th scale ZD Racing RC trucks and buggies

Well This post was inspired by a person who asked me a question on ebay about whether I had any tires for the 1/16 RC cars for sale . Since I have put all of mine to use I decided to pass on some places to get tires cuz well im a nice guy and I'm going to pass this on to you as well .


Ok tires for the MT and Truggy.

http://www.amainhobbies.com at the time of this writing has a few of the stock rims and tires left.

Monster Truck Wheel 6107
Truggy Wheel 6113

Tire Set Monster Truck 6106
Tire Set Truggy 6112



                                                                                                                                                                   

http://www.gotnitroonline.com/ has lots of compatable parts.

Wheels White 2pcs 32150

Truggy 1/16th Scale Tires 32160

Truggy Tire Set Mounted 1/16th Scale 33186










White Rear Dish Wheels (Rims) 2 pcs 30734W

White Front Dish Wheels (Rims) 2 pcs 30732W

Vulcan, Photon Yellow Front Dish Wheels (Rims) 2 pcs 30732Y

Yellow Rear Dish Wheels (Rims) 2 pcs 30734Y

Vulcan Photon Rear Tires 2 pcs 30737

Front Tires 2 pcs 30731



Rear Tires Mounted on Rims for Buggy 1 16th Scale B1036
   
Front Buggy Tires Mounted 1/16th Scale Buggys B1035

Front Tires 2 pcs 30731



                                                                                                                                                                   

Hobbyking.com also has sever compatable parts

monster beetle tires

monster beetle rims

1/16 buggy front tire
1/16 buggy rear tire

1/16 front buggy wheels yellow
1/16 rear buggy wheels yellow

1/16 front buggy wheels white
1/16 rear buggy wheels white

Well one more Item for the list of stuff I would buy right off the bat for a RC10B4

Well RPM just announced a new product for the RC10b4 SERIES of Team Associated buggies and its Just in time for me to put it on my list of things to buy IF I BuY a RC10B4.2RS that is .

Here's a link to it on there web page


Here is there description 


B4, B4.1 & B4.2 Front A-arms & Bulkhead
RPM A-arms for the Associated B4, B4.1 & B4.2 were designed to solve several customer-related complaints about the stock A-arms. Foremost is durability. Our B4 front A-arms are designed to withstand some serious abuse! We’ve redesigned the entire front end, replacing the stock front bulkhead with a version that helps spread impact forces over a larger area at the inner hinge pin mounts. RPM front A-arms are wider at the inner hinge pin by nearly 3/16” without altering suspension geometry.
We also focused on the hinge pin retaining system used on the stock A-arms. Using a small screw hole so close to the hinge pin like the stock arms do creates structural weaknesses. We moved the hinge pin retaining screws in-line with the hinge pins, significantly strengthening our A-arms in the process. By eliminating the smaller 2-56 hinge pin retaining screws, we’ve also eliminated the problem of the hinge pins falling out due to varying screw head diameters.

Our final focus was on slop elimination. Our strict quality control allows us to tighten up all of our tolerances without fear of binding the suspension system. The final result: a smooth, free moving suspension system with minimal slop. Our tighter tolerances on our A-arms allows other critical adjustments such as camber and toe angles to be much more consistent, which provides better and more consistent control of the B4.

RPM B4 A-arms come with all necessary mounting hardware and instructions. RPM B4 A-arms are sold in pairs and include the front bulkhead.

Tech Notes: RPM B4 Front A-arms require the use of the bulkhead we supply in the kit. Stock or any other aftermarket bulkheads will not work with RPM A-arms.

73732

Front A-arms & Bulkhead for the B4, B4.1 & B4.2 - Available 07.31.13

Suggested Retail
$14.95 pair w/ bulkhead


hehehe

The list I posted

Now the list a couple postt before this may lead some to think that this is exactly what I would do but thats not entirely true as I have said before I haven't really  raced before and I don't know If I would really like it . So in reality I probably would not end up placing that order to hobbyking for at least a little while as I don't have a instant need for a new brushless system . I do have a sensorless system and even though it isn't as smooth as a censored system it will still get me around the track fast enough to be competitive.I also have a couple servos that would be overkill or just good enough so I don't need one immediately    The Tower hobby order would be just like I showed it. A few parts to tune and a few durability upgrades to save me money down the road . Now one kink is that Rpm has added a new product that will be on list now and I'm sure if I placed this order something else new will come to the market with in a day or 2 but thats the way it works.

So if I buy a Brand new car to race .

Now in my last post I said I really think 2wd buggy is where I would have the most fun but I also sayed I didn't like the Idea of buying on ebay unless it was uber cheap because most of them have been raced and probably need a good deal of work . So I have done a bit of research and have came up with this list to roughly figure what my budget would need to be to a fairly competitive buggy with parts support at the track I plan to be at .

Oh yah parts support for the most part points me directly at the RC10b4.2 and if it was in my budget the factory team kit would be superb but really it has a lot of things I don't feel I need I might want them but I don't think I need them . So that leaves the B4.2RS RTR .

Now I'm not suggesting you go out and buy one and expect to win with it as it does have a few problems as the motor and speed control leave a lot to be desired and the steering servo well its supposed to be very slow .Some people do like the radio but after holding it i'm not a big fan and would prefer some of my cheapos. The tires are also a area of debate but I know they probably won't do well where I plan to run

So if I was to go this route I think this exactly how I would do it .Prices are  from tower hobbies and hobbyking.(this doesn't factor in coupons, shipping, or any other possible discounts)

Tower Hobbies order.

Stock Number Product Description ITEM NOTE Order Qty Ship Qty Back Order Qty Price Each Remove From Cart  LXDNDVBY  Associated RC10B4.2 RS 2.4GHz RTR Blue/Yellow 1 $ 249.99   LXBVF9  Associated Factory Team Buggy Front Spring Kit (8) 1 $ 10.99   LXBVG0  Associated Factory Team Truck/Buggy Rear Spring Kit(10) 1 $ 10.99   LXSF70  Associated Factory Team Green Slime E 1 $ 2.29   LX3306  Associated Silicone Shock Fluid 40 Weight 2 oz E 1 $ 3.69   LX3304  Associated Silicone Shock Fluid 20 Weight 2 oz E 1 $ 3.69   LX3305  Associated Silicone Shock Fluid 30 Weight 2 oz E 1 $ 3.69   LXEAK4  Associated Kimbrough Spur Gear 84T 1 $ 3.69   LXEAK5  Associated Kimbrough Spur Gear 87T 1 $ 3.69   LXEPF7  Associated Factory Team Heavy Duty Servo Saver Spring 1 $ 1.50   LXBNFW  Associated Front Buggy Dish Wheel White (2) 1 $ 5.49   LXCRVA  Associated Buggy Rear Wheel Hex White B4.1/B44.1 1 $ 5.49   LXGGV2  RPM Front Mini Bumper Black B4/T4/GT2 1 $ 4.89   LXVT96  RPM Heavy Duty Rod Ends Purple 4-40 (12) 1 $ 4.89   LXDCKG  Pro-Line 4-Rib 2.2" 2WD M4 Off-Road Buggy Front Tires 1 $ 12.29   LXZJS6  Pro-Line Caliber 2.2" M3 Off-Road Buggy Rear Tires (2) 1 $ 12.29   LXCTER  STRC Alum Front Hinge-Pin Brace Associated SC10/B4/T4 1 $ 8.79   LXEX34  Robinson Racing Pinion Gear 6-Pack Even 16-26T 1 $ 12.69  In-Stock Items:  $ 361.03

Hobbyking order (US Warehouse) :

Quantity	Stock	Product description	Price	Weight
	OK	9192000047 - Turnigy Trackstar 80A Turbo Sensored Bru..	$35.32	115
	OK	9192000049 - Turnigy TrackStar Turbo and Waterproof E..	$10.19	152
	OK	9192000037 - Turnigy TrackStar 9.5T Sensored Brushles..	$32.63	250
	OK	TGY-1258TG - Turnigy 1258TG Digital Titanium Gear Ser..	$32.75	169
TOTAL: $110.89				686g

Now I know this isn't cheap but some money can be gained back from selling off parts you don't need right off the bat on ebay and really this is the best thing you can do as you can sell them as new and freshly removed from the car. Rough figures as to what this stuff should go for.

XP SC-500BL & Reedy 540-R 3300 KV Motor Brushless Team Associated $85.00

Team associated 9664 premount rear tires $10.99

Team associated 9663 premount front tires $12.99

TEAM ASSOCIATED XP2G 2 CHANNEL  2.4ghz RADIO i RECEIVER 29215 $34.99

Team associated servo SHV1504MG or S1903mg  $5.00-$11.00

Total  - $149.00


Now I didn't put a radio in this because this really is up to the individual user and I don't think I need to add another into my collection just yet so I left it off I also added some tuning supplies into the tower hobbies list that are pretty much gotta haves if your going to run on a track.

I hope this helps someone out there .

So now I have gotten the race bug

Well now I'm on the lookout for a chassis that I can race with at a local track and to be honest I'm not to picky well wait I am picky right now since I really don't have the money to buy a new RC I'm watching ebay for something that should be competitive and frankly is a great deal for what I'm getting .

 Right now what I'm looking out for are cars that fit in these classes 2wd SCT Mod, 4wd SCT Mod ,2wd mod buggy,4wd mod buggy, Stock Slash,1/8 E-Buggy .Now I know the odds of finding  a competitive 4wd buggy that suits my needs in my price range is pretty low and I know a 1/8 e-buggy is rather unlikely to sell in my price range as well  unless it needs a good chunk of work .That pretty much leaves 2wd sct,4wd sct, and 2wd buggies , After looking on ebay a lot I have decided the odds of me finding a buggy I like for cheap is pretty unlikely as most have been raced and probably are going to need everything rebuilt and that wouldn't be very cost effective but there still is a chance . After all this typing that leaves 2wd and 4wd short course trucks and here is why . They are bought by more people as a first rc at this time than any other car on this list I have to choose from and that does two thing it means I should be able to find a lightly used model from someone who decided it wasn't for them .

This really does happen a lot person thinks RC's are cool drops 300-400 dollars on a RC and then it sits and sit then they throw it up on ebay to try to get a little cash back .

Now this isn't a good way to save cash on buying Your first RC. If you do buy used buy in person and have it demonstrated to you. On ebay I try to never pay over 50% the original price on a used car/truck and I don't recommend you do either as there are too many unknowns .

But i will continue this in another post later . So back to the purpose of this post Now I haven't ruled out some other options totally as I really think I would enjoy  2wd buggy a lot more than Short Course Racing Which leads to my next post .

Well I went to a race this past weekend as a spectator only

Well a found out about a RC track close to where I live (not real close but close) I made a visit a while back on a practice day and was impressed by there 2 tracks 1 indoor offroad and 1 outdoor offroad and this past weekend I went back to watch a race .This past weekend they were hosting a race for the Circle City electric offroad championship series or CCEORCS for short . Can't say there was a huge crowd of spectators as pretty much everybody was there to race but there were a few . To my wife's dismay this definitely has stirred the idea of me going racing but first I have to free up some funds to buy a new 2wd buggy as they don't have a 2wd stadium truck class and I would also need to buy a transponder to participate but neither of these will prevent me from showing up on practice days to play around for a bit .

Well to wrap this up if your around the Indianapolis west side I recommend stopping in and checking them out they also have a small hobby shop on site and i'm sure if they don't have what you need they would be glad to order it for you .  For more details visit there website http://www.e2raceway.com/# or their face Book page.https://www.facebook.com/esquared.raceway?fref=ts .