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NitroMistress

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Location
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
RC Driving Style
  1. Bashing
Since I've been around here I've noticed some die-hard electric fans, just as equally die-hard nitro fans and some that are considering converting to brushless, so my question is.........................

Any of you work with gasoline trucks?

There is an awesome deal on a huge 1/5th clone, nice looking truck, I know I'd love driving it and considering the price of Nitro vs. Gas, having one nitro and one gas isn't all that bad of an idea. But, considering I am new to this all ways around, I wanted to throw out a ?? to see what you seasoned drivers think.

I'm trying to list the pros and cons, and I'm having a bit of trouble with the cons, but I don't want to just waste money and get something that's going to end up sitting in the garage. I'm still new, still learning about the trucks and haven't even yet begun tinkering around with engines and all that stuff.

Thoughts greatly appreciated.

thanks!
~NitroMistress.
 
I'm gonna move the to Large Scale where it will get more attention.

There are a few gas guys here. I know WoodiE has an FG gasser MT which looks like a kick-ass beast and there are a number of Baja 5B owners, too. I'm sure they'll happily give you advice.
 
I'm a diehard gas and brushless fan. The only con to buying that truck would have nothing to do with it being a large scale gas truck, it would be because it's a clone. There are some good clones out there, but there are way more bad ones. Whatever you get, make sure parts are readily available when something breaks. If they're only available from the company, the company could go out of business tomorrow, and you'd have no parts.

Now on to large scale gas RC's. I used to say that I would never have anything but nitro, yada yada yada. It's just because I was ignorant and set it my ways. Then I got my Baja 5B SS. A month later I had sold everyone of my nitros except on that I don't run. Large scale gas is SOOOOOOOO much better than nitro in my opinion. You know how with your nitro you have to go out there, start it, warm it up, tune it, check the temp, tune it run it for 7 minutes, now it needs gas, etc... When you get done you have to run after run oil through it and all that stuff.

With a large scale, you simply take it outside, turn the switch on, and pull the starter. You pull it once while choked, turn off the choke, and it starts on the next pull. There's no tuning once you initially set the needles when you first get it home. That's right, you don't tune it everyday you run it.

Another thing is, you take it out of the box, start it, and run it. There's NO ENGINE BREAK IN like with a nitro.

So you take it outside, start it, run it for about an hour on a tank of gas, then you turn it off when you're done and put it on the shelf. That's literally it. The break in consists of running the first tank mixed with a little more oil than the rest, but that's it, you can run it hard from the first time that you start it.

If you have any questions feel free to shoot me a PM
 
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I've contemplated getting one of those FG monster trucks for a while. it would be like any 2 stroke gas engine. lawn mowers, weed wackers, pressure washers...ect. they need little mantinace and last for a long time. and run at really high RPMs. the only thing standing in my way is... MONEY lol but if you were to get one. get a good one. spend the extra money for something that has parts everywhere and people know about if you have a problem with it.

they have anything from gas on roads to MTs so the choise is yours, just get a good brand IMO
 
i was big into nitros and then i got a 5th scale. never looked back. 5th scale has to be the most enjoyable aspect of the hobby. (for me..) i have found it to be cheaper in the long run as well. parts arent really that much more eather. i was on the fence with the hole "clone" thing too. i alway thought that they were morally incorect. its stealing.. but, due to the high cost of the large scale models, i did opt to buy my second rig as a clone.. and i love it. people get a kick out of watching me race, couse my $500.00 cloney is holding its own up against $2500 fg comps!! but anyway, just do your homework on what you get. there is lots of junk clones out there as well as decant ones. the biggest thing is parts of course. some companies say there parts are compatible, but there really not. where as some cloners are 100% identical, so you can go straight to the company its been cloned from and buy replacement parts. I'm on 3 other large scale forums that have gobs of info on all aspects of cloning and were to get them as well as whats good and whats not. if your really interested, send me a pm with what your thinking of getting and i'll try to help ya out an send you in a good direction. just be careful when buying clones. sometimes there junk, right out of the box
 
Thanks guys!

The truck is a clone of the duratrax firehammer big foot. I'm a little cautious, also, because it's an Ebay item, and I'm not too savvy with Ebay. But there are some good things on there. Parts are supposedly available with Towerhobbies.com.

I'd love to have a truck with size (I'm a girl, size DOES matter, hahahahahaa) and the truck just looks so cool. I'd love the baja but until I save up $1,000 this truck might just have to suffice.

here's the link to the ebay page with the truck - nobody better out bid me! just kidding....

Again, thanks guys for your input.
:)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230276081668&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX_Stores&refitem=230275072606&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget&_trksid=p284.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%252BIA%26itu%3DIA%252BUCI%26otn%3D4%26ps%3D42#ebayphotohosting
 
I can't believe that it's that cheap. Hell I would pay that for it, because if it was a piece of junk I wouldn't be upset like I would if it was $1200. I think they're saying parts are available at tower because you can put duratrax parts on it. I know tower isn't selling parts for a duratrax clone brand. That would be like Traxxas selling parts for the Max Truck clone that's on ebay, they would be supporting those that they loathe the most lol.

The bid is at $435, but you can buy it at $450. If you're bidding on it, you've got a lot more restraint than I do. If it was within about $100, I'd say oh well, it's just money and click buy it now lol.
 
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Restraint is normally not something I have, but I've been debating on this truck for a little over a week now. However, I'm getting the itch to click that buy now button, just spent the last 1/2 hour on youtube watching duratrax firehammer trucks roughing it. If the clone can take as much abuse as the original then I might just be a happy camper. And, yeah, you have a solid point about the price. It's better to pay cheaper price when you're first learning the trade and grow little by little.
 
Honestly, I think you could buy that truck, run it, keep it clean, and sell it used for nearly as much as you bought it for. I can't imagine that truck lasting longer than a day on the forums at $400.

The only thing that I'm not sure about is the smartech engine. I haven't dealt with them at all. I think if you're used to running nitress, even the durability of the clone is going to blow you away. When was the last time you were bashing your nitro as hard as you could bash it, jumping over your head and such for six months, and not having a broken part and maybe $20 in fuel?
 
Thats the Smartech Bigfoot. I had one for a while and she was a good rig. With the Jetpro V1 powerpipe and a big air filter it goes really well and is very strong. Being 2wd doesn't stop it in the sand. You WILL need to put new radio gear in it. The rubbish it comes with is a waste of plastic, and a bigger steering servo is a must. Just remember any FM radio will do if spektrum is too much, and you WILL have fun.
Sorry Nitromistress, just read the add. My Smartech didnt have a Futaba radio so they must have upgraded.
 
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Nitro Mistriss, welcome to the BIG Dark Side. IF you want an MT, there are a few options FG, and Duratrax and the new REDCats are pretty decent units. they all have a few things that will likely need some immediate attention, but what RC doesn't.


how much do you want to spend, how / where do you plan to drive and what are you looking for as far as control/performance. the answers to these 3 questions will narrow your search down considerably and then allow us to nitpick the issues out of each possible choice with you to help determine which unit will best suit you and your needs.
 
hey guys...

I'm leaning towards getting the truck. I had to wait until Friday, after payday to buy it, but I'm still leaning heavy on it.

I'm still so green about all the tweaks and burbles that I'm going to have to learn (had a great experience this weekend with my Traxxas and the muffler.. That was fun!) so I'll just have to take it little by little and learn as I go.

As for what I want and what I want it for.....

well, I think this truck will be my beach-buddy. It looks sound enough and the engine protected enough that it will handle the grit and salt better than the traxxas.

And yeah, I love big trucks. So the size is definitely a favorable factor.

I'm just afraid that I'll neglect my Traxxas once I run the big guy :)
 
ok so MT and Beach Buddy.

next big ? is how much you have to spend?


i would lean toward the Rampage MT (4wd), i guess that Hurricain is doing OK (2wd), ofcourse the FG and MCD line (pricey but nice).

the Rampage and MCD are 4wd, the FGs are 2 and i think the Hurricain is 2 (maybe 4 I'm not sure)

most any of them will need a few things. ONE good air filter.

considering you want a beech bunny, i would opt for the HPI Baja air filter housing and prefilters, with the TGN RedNeck Dual Stage airfilter, covered by the Outerwares air filter bag. Properly oil the pre filter and inside of the TGN Redneck, Greese ALL mating surfaces with wheel bearing greese or the like, and put the Outerwares on. keep it maintained and you should have NO sand thru the intake issues if your are meticulas. and you ll want to be with the sand. (also be very aware of your exhaust pipe and the sand, as the sand can and WILL get to the motor via the exhaust pipe if it can.

put some paddles on the rear (and front if you go 4x4) use HIGH QUALITY 2 stroke oil, Premium pump gas n mix at 25:1. keep it richly tuned as the sand creats some good drag unit your up flying acrost it.
 
Wow, you really know your trucks. I'm just reading all that and now my head is spinning in circles! lol

I would LOVE to have a baja, but that is out of my price range. My local store wants just under $1000 for it, which I know is good, considering other prices I've seen for it have been upwards of $1100+. But still a bit out of reach for me any time soon.

I'm hoping if I buy a decent truck for $500 then I can afford to put bits and pieces of upgrade in it as I go along.

Thank you so much for the valuable info. I'm going to have to keep this thread in mind so I can refer back to it when I get the truck and from there on out!!

:)
 
for the amount of cash you have to put towards one, i would seriously consider buying a used item. you can find some decent bajas for 600 to 800, in good shape, with a fair amount of hop ups on it.

or maybe look for a decent priced roller that you can toss a bit more at it as time goes on.

but honestly for 500.00, i would buy a good used roller, or find a Firehammer MT or Buggy, they are probably one of the best units avail, for the cost, and has good parts support and aftermarket support as well.
 

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