Helion Criterion available at Hobby Town USA 30+ mph RTR

Well I kept seeing ads for this buggy and decided to have a look see at what this buggy is all about . 

From what can be seen from the pictures available at this time Helion didn't really set out to break the mold but this isn't a bad thing as the basic buggy design is very reliable and with the addition of a substantial amount of plastic added to the most easily damaged areas such as the front shock tower I think this looks like a good basher for the person who may think about racing .

The first thing that intrigued me was the claim of  class leading top speeds . Upon further investigation I can say it probably does have the hottest sealed can brushed motor I have ever heard of since it is a 12 turn 540 motor instead of the  12 turn 550 motor some are using these days. What this means is more RPM for your money . As of this moment the next nastiest sealed can 540's are the 15 turn motors from HPI,Arrma, and dynamite so this should be a big kick in the pant's compared to the other offerings . 

The buggy also comes with front and rear 12mm wheel hexes The specs list the wheels as Team Associated and Kyosho compatible now thats a smart move.

I'm also glad that they include ball bearing everywhere including the steering bellcrank . I can't decide if I like the Idea of the plastic slider shafts but you never know .Hopefully the diff gears are good and strong.

I like that they designed the battery strap to accommodate a 7 cell hump pack and with waterproof electronics this new buggy is keeping up with the big names as most of them have went waterproof already . 

All in all I think Helion has made shopping for your next. budget buggy a bit more interesting but I do think the price ( $189.99 ) is a bit much for what you're getting . To be blunt I think there is someone out there this buggy is perfect for but my first thought after seeing the price was that a Traxxas bandit is only  $204.99 from Hobby town. I don't really think the price is low enough for what you get in my opinion this should be priced at $150 or below to compete with the ECX Boost and undercut the Arrma ADX-10 which runs around $160. 

If I was real picky I would point out that the Redcat Racing Twister XB in brushed form can normally be bought for $119.99 with free shipping and the brushless version runs about $185.99 with free shipping but they are in a slightly different category.

HPI Apache C1 VS Axial Racing Exo Terra Vs Redcat Racing Mirage and Sandstorm Baja Buggy .

Currently the big thing in RC is scale realism and why not thats what really made this hobby thrive in the 80's and early 90's and can always gain the attention of people not already Immersed in the hobby . My main goal with this post and many more to follow is to compare several similar RC's for the soul purpose of spreading information . This will be most usefully to the person thats not too familiar with all the option that are out there and may lead them to purchase a car or truck better suited to their needs than the one they seen driving around the park .

#107109 RTR APACHE C1  1/8th SCALE ELECTRIC 4WD DESERT RACING BUGGY with 2/4GHz RADIO      Price : hard to determine as it is listed discontinued on several retailers at this time. This big bad buggy is setup to run 2 7-cell NIMH battery packs or 2 2s lipo's . It features 2350 KV brushless motor and a 2.4GHZ radio system . All the electronics are waterproof but the ESC so take care if water is in your future.  SPECIFICATIONS: Length: 580mm Width: 300mm Height: 254mm Wheelbase: 375mm (adjustable) Drivetrain: Full-Time Shaft 4WD

Mirage 1/8 Scale Brushless Sand Rail:                           $259.99

 

SPECIFICATIONS: Length: 535mm  Width: 320mm  Height: 210mm  Wheelbase: 340mm  Drivetrain: Full-Time Shaft 4WD

Little smaller and a little slower but It really is RTR at a low price . Yes the charger is slow and the stock esc is only rated for up to 3S but there is a 3S lipo included . With a simple ESC change 4S power is in your grasp with its large battery compartment . Speaking of the battery compartment its accessed from the bottom of the chassis  for easy battery swaps.

 EXO - 1/10th Scale Electric 4WD Terra Buggy - RTR:                                                         $379.99

SPECIFICATIONS: Length: 482.6mm  Width: 295.3mm  Height: 228.6mm  Wheelbase: 334mm  Drivetrain: Full-Time Shaft 4WD

Now  This buggy is not all that much smaller than the last which Redcat calls a 1/8th scale and to be fair it is ruffly the size of a 1/8th scale buggy used for competition but as can be seen scale doesn't mean much .  But Just look at that pretty buggy .

Sandstorm 1/10 Scale Electric Baja Buggy:                   $119.99

SPECIFICATIONS: Length: 400mm  Width: 270mm  Height: 165mm  Wheelbase: 275mm  Drivetrain: Full-Time Shaft 4WD

THis little guy is small and cheap and doesn't look half bad but to be blunt it needs work. The stock esc being used at this time is mediocre at best and a replacement will be need if you have the need for speed. Eventually Redcat should have there brushless version out to match its brother the Sandstorm TK and when they do that the value will jump substantially .

Well hopefully this has lead you couple of more options that are out there but make sure to do your own research and get opinions from several people .

Cheap speed esc 2S-3S lipo compatible brushed esc Redcat Racing WP-1040

Well seems the esc that is coming in the Redcat Ground Pounder might be a good buy for someone looking for cheap speed . If the specs listed on ebay by Revolution Hobbies are correct this would be a good buy for a lot of people.

Product Description:

Specifications: FWD Cont. / Burst Current : 40A / 180A BWD Cont. / Burst Current: 20A / 90A Input: 2-3S Lipo, 5-9 Cells NiMH/NiCd Cars Applicable: 1:10 on-road, off-road Buggy, SCT, Truggy, Crawler, Tank & Boat Motor Limit: 2 Lipo or 6 NiMH: 540 or 550 size motor ≥ 12T, RPM < 30000 @ 7.2V 3 Lipo or 9 NiMH: 540 or 550 size motor ≥ 18T, RPM < 20000 @ 7.2V Resistance: FWD: 0.002 Ohm; BWD:0.004 Ohm Built-in BEC: 2A/5V (Linear mode BEC) PWM Frequency: 1KHz

Additional Information:

SKU rcvp3310006 Motor Type Brushed Forward Current (A) 40 Forward Burst Current (A) 180 Input Voltage (v) 7.4 - 11.1 BEC 2A / 5V Linear mode BEC Programmable Yes Fan Heatsink No Water Cooling No Dimension (mm) 46.5 x 34 x 28.5 Net Weight (kg) 0.065 Cross Weight (kg) 0.09

Now this ESC is available under Redcat Racing part Number's B7003R and B7003SR-T  and they place the MSRP is $31.99. Since they are available from Redcat Dealers  for around $25 dollars and since they can be bought from US sellers you won't have to wait for it to get here from overseas.

RedCat Ground Pounder 1/10th scale Monster Truck

Well I have had my second acquaintance with this truck having seen one about 4 years ago for the first time I can definitely say Redcat Racing has made some improvement to this little beast and definitely raised its value abit in the process . Now After browsing the Internet a bit on this truck I realized that there have been at least 3 revisions of this truck and the one I received may very well be version 5 . Now I don't know everything that has changed but I'm going to list the stuff I noticed was different on the one I have now and the one I seen previously .

1 The first thing I noticed was the esc had been changed and it now sports a esc that is labeled splash resistant plus 2 and 3s capable . According to some spec's I found listed for this esc it should be able to handle down to a 12 turn motor on a 7.2 volt NIMH pack or 2S lipo. On a 3S lipo it rated to handle down to a 18 turn motor so If you already have a 3s lipo pack it should be a blast especially with a 550 motor installed .

2 The transmitter and the receiver have been upgraded to a 2.4ghz radio system  and though the transmitter feels cheap " ok it is cheap " it seems fully capable of doing its job without driving you nuts plus it only takes 4 AA's and does allow for some unique steering action normally only found on more expensive models .

3 The servo's have been upgraded to metal geared units and if the spec's are right they should be plenty strong at 15kg or around 200 oz/in.

4 The motor mount has been changed to prevent the motor and pinion from deflecting under load .

5 The transmission has had a second brace installed to prevent it from deflecting and affecting the spur and pinion mesh.

6 Now this one could just be be me and my foggy memory but it seems the shock/ lower link mount has been beefed up a bit .

http://www.redcatracing.com/GroundPounder

Since this truck and its parts are widely available online through Redcat Racing and their many dealers I really think this truck should not be overlooked when shopping for a solid axle monster truck as it has several advantages compared to its competitors namely the HPI Wheely king (size), Tamiya TXT-2(price) , and to some extent the  Kyosho Kruiser VE (much more realistic as far as chassis and suspension).

General Specifications: Fully Assembled RTR kit with 4 wheel steering Gunmetal anodized 6061 aluminum “tube” style chassis and suspension links Gunmetal anodized aluminum threaded oil-filled shock bodies Pre-trimmed and finished monster truck body Shaft-driven, solid axle 4WD system 3ch 2.4ghz radio/receiver with independent front & rear steering functions included Powerful 540 brushed motor/ESC combo included Built-in adjustable motor mounts allows for quick gear ratio changes Hi-torque, metal gear front and rear steering servos included 7.2V battery pack and trickle charger included Dimensions: Length:  18” (457.2mm) Width:  13-1/4” (336.5mm) Height:  10-1/4” (260.4mm) Wheelbase:  12-1/2” (317.5mm) Tire Size:  5-7/8”h x 3-1/4”w (149.2mm x 82.6mm) Drive Hex Size:  12mm Axle width (hex to hex):  12-1/8” (308mm) Required Items: 4AA batteries required for radio transmitter