Turning my 2wd Rustler into a Bandit to race stock 2wd buggy? Or keep it as a stadium truck?

[DavidB1126]

Been thinking about converting my rustler into a bandit to race stock 2wd buggy. Although, it still be rear motor. I race on indoor carpet, and indoor clay. Mostly clay as the nearest carpet track is farther away. What is your thoughts? Would it be good and handle up against modern high end race buggies like associated Xray and TLR? Should I keep it as a stadium truck and try to race stadium truck? Both of my local tracks does 2wd buggy and 2wd truck, but buggies are more popular. This makes me want to rewatch some of MX Acres videos on YouTube. He races a bandit and slash. What parts are needed to convert a rusty into a bandit? Would it also be good to convert to a bandit for racing and convert back to a stadium truck for bashing? Kinda want a multi purpose car. Background: already got into racing last year, with my first race kit, B74.1 from associated.

(Copied from Reddit Post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/rccars/comments/191ywd6

)

Edit: I really know the responses I will get. Saying like, just get rid of it, get a actual race kit, keep it as a basher. But I want to try to race multiple classes and get more into it without spending more money. And also to try it out. Like I said earlier, MX Acres on YouTube races his bandit and slash.

MX Acres: https://youtube.com/@mxacres?si=eM56tmZCl4TGpmIR

 

[9x19]

Just do it... if you like 2wd buggy, you can always upgrade your ride later.

Or

You

Could

Send it to the moon.
...
And watch it break in a million pieces, and then rebuild it
Make sure to get a slow mo too.

 

[DavidB1126]

Just do it... if you like 2wd buggy, you can always upgrade your ride later.

Or

You

Could

Send it to the moon.
...
And watch it break in a million pieces, and then rebuild it
Make sure to get a slow mo too.

O
M
G

I should start watching what I say on here
,

 

[remote uncontrol]

You could just give it to me

 

[DavidB1126]

You could just give it to me

Nope
Can't seem to get rid of these cars. On how.much I am angry at them and how much I want to sell them. I just cannot for some reason.

 

[bill_delong]

It will be a complete waste of time, do yourself a favor and watch this video posted 10 years ago which was already a dated design back then, the current technology is so far advanced you will be taking a knife to a gunfight.

 

[ahr43]

David, regarding converting [your] Rustler into a Bandit and racing 2WD Stock.

Before you pick up a wrench or begin ordering parts, take a look at your overall racing program. What are your racing goals with your other cars? Will the time, effort and expense of effecting the conversion take away from wrenching and driving your primary cars? Do you care if that happens? Or is the object of your racing just to have fun and not so much to invest the commitment and expense to take your program to the next level?

Racing multiple cars/classes will get you more track time. That's a given. Question is will it be useable track time that adds experience to the class you want to excel in, or will it require a different driving technique that may or may not benefit your program overall?

My 2 cents for what it's worth. Hopefully it gives you food for thought. 'AC'

 

[DavidB1126]

Maybe sometimes I just over do myself.
I most likely want to run 2 classes a time as I can't go to a track alot anymore. (But still getting more into racing), and to try to get some race footage. Idk what my pathway is for that. Either to review for the future, or maybe start up a channel like mark santa maria or ryan harris. Already have almost 50 subscribers on Youtube. But the thing is, most of it is just track video, its really no talking or a vlog type of video.

What are your racing goals with your other cars? Will the time, effort and expense of effecting the conversion take away from wrenching and driving your primary cars? Do you care if that happens? Or is the object of your racing just to have fun and not so much to invest the commitment and expense to take your program to the next level?

Racing goals with other cars

B74.1 - continue to race in 13.5 stock class, move up to a mod class in the future if I improve driving skills, handle a faster car, and drive line

Slash - has as a fun type of class or spare class to race (most tracks around here don't race 2WD SCT but 1 place (carpet), tried the car on clay, it ain't that good. Gonna keep that as a carpet only car.

Rustler - Might turn it into a bandit so I can see how 2wd buggy handles and feels? Might keep it as a stadium truck and race it with other 13.5 stadium trucks if there are any.

Mini B - Since the closing of RC Undeground, there are really no other places running mini's on carpet, The closest carpet track, The Factory can/will run Mini B if there are people. There is a mini backyard dirt track an 1hr 1/2 away but only during the summer.

I really want to try to race the slash and rustler just for funs type of class, but converting it to a carpet setup, to a clay setup, back to a street basher setup. Can't ideally have a multipurpose car. My main focus is the 4WD Buggy, as thats an actual race kit.

Racing multiple cars/classes will get you more track time. That's a given. Question is will it be useable track time that adds experience to the class you want to excel in, or will it require a different driving technique that may or may not benefit your program overall?

Both usable track time, get to know the car, especially racing on multiple surfaces. Mostly doing indoor clay (glued) but I am really itching for some carpet action. Also, learning driveline, and driving techniques as sometimes, I'm all over the place, sometimes I take the inside, sometimes I take the outside in a turn / corner.
At the local clay track, I need to get the corner entry on the straight and sweeper correct. As the track is pretty rough, at the end of the straight and into the sweeper, most people take the outside on the straight and come on the inside for the sweeper as there is alot of rough spots on the track. Sometimes i like to hit those and ruins my lap, or traction roll.

If I had the 4x4 versions of the rustler and slash, it would be ultimately more race able, as I feel like they would be more controllable, and I can drive like how I drive my buggy.

I think just focusing one class by one day would be my thing. My uncle only has is 4wd buggy right now, and only focuses on that.
I really don't have enough time or cannot have time to go down to a track for a practice day. Usually its an hour drive, and I ideally only get about 3 hours to practice, and tune if needed. While when I used to go to RC Underground during last summer, It was closer too home, and I could be there for more time, and practice time to myself.

Here was one of my recent and last races

Edit: Most likely what I need to focus on is consistency. Here was that race result from that video.
https://thetrackgaithersburg.liverc.com/results/?p=view_race_result&id=4775764

 

[ahr43]

Ha. Yeah, forgetting here what it means to be young. Youth has unlimited energy reserves it seems. Great you are trying all manner of things RC. Eventually you'll settle into what appeals to you. Meantime have fun.

Were it me, I'd keep the Rustler a Rustler and run it as a fun car in ST. That way you can take it out and do a throw-down in the neighborhood. Conversion Rustler to Bandit, buggy compromises the surfaces it can run on off track. That limits where you can do a neighborhood throw-down for a bash session. Whatever you decide, know you'll have fun doing it and will learn from it. 'AC'

 

[DavidB1126]

Were it me, I'd keep the Rustler a Rustler and run it as a fun car in ST. That way you can take it out and do a throw-down in the neighborhood. Conversion Rustler to Bandit, buggy compromises the surfaces it can run on off track. That limits where you can do a neighborhood throw-down for a bash session. Whatever you decide, know you'll have fun doing it and will learn from it. 'AC'

Lets make a 20 foot ramp and lets send er to the moon!
Lands*
Breaks like legos*


But for real now, Yea I think its best to keep it how it is.
I have a set of carpet tires for it that I only used once.
I have a pair of slick tires, I just need another pair and a set of wheels. But I might just keep those pair of slicks for future use.

Just keep it as a basher.
Hopefully some days in the spring me and my dad can go out somewhere with them. Maybe might give the rustler to my uncle for a day. Let him rip it out in the baseball diamond like it was 10 years ago.
I have a picture somewhere with me and him.Around 2012/2013ish.

For the racing side of things. I will only race, race kits I build, or buy (for 10th scale off-road at least)
I will always keep 4WD Buggy. I'll get a 2wd buggy at some point. And maybe get either a 4WD SCT, 4WD ST (or Mini Truggy),.or 2WD ST for a fun type of class. Sure you can get competitive with those types of classes. But buggies are the main thing now so that's why I consider the others the fun type of classes instead of competition type.

 

[DavidB1126]

 

[DavidB1126]

 

[bill_delong]

Proof that it's a turd was that he couldn't make the A main and was one of slowest fast laps in the B Main with an 18.2 (3rd in the screen shot below) which also paralleled in the top 5 avg putting him close to 1.5 sec off pace each lap from the B main winner which is painfully slow which is why he was more than lap behind in the main, and my guess is probably 2-3 more laps behind the podium winners in the A Main.

I watched the video of the car going around both clips on carpet and clay and the steering throw is horrible, suspension tuning jacked and on power cornering abysmal... the guy is trying to talk up the car like it has a chance, but it would take a pro level driver to run against sportsman level drivers to make it to the podium.

I had the pleasure to test drive a Bandit on our local turf track about 4 years ago when someone tried to make a spec class out it, durability was piss poor and lap times couldn't be justified, folks starting modifying them in similar fashion to these videos and they just couldn't hold a candle to any current gen tech

 

[DavidB1126]

Yea gonna keep those cars as bashers.

Now for that. I'm looking for offroad bashing tires.

https://www.reddit.com/r/rccars/comments/192ry28

I will still keep my race tires for these cars if something does pop up.
Like I said, just really want to run those cars as a fun class. And, yea @ahr43 is right, ill probably keep it as a stadium truck. More bashable than a buggy. Also, not to mention, the bandit body and wing looks kind of weird. Idk if its just me that doesn't like older style 2wd bug bodys, or if I'm too modernized.

 

[Cowboy Yert]

I got a set of these for bashing on my rustler. They are about the same overall size as the stock tires and about the same weight. As long as you glue them good they are perfectly suitable for bashing on 2s with the stock rustler 83/25 gearing. For $23 for a set of 4 I have no complains so far. They would probably wear out fast on the road though. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075C4DPX3?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[DavidB1126]

I got a set of these for bashing on my rustler. They are about the same overall size as the stock tires and about the same weight. As long as you glue them good they are perfectly suitable for bashing on 2s with the stock rustler 83/25 gearing. For $23 for a set of 4 I have no complains so far. They would probably wear out fast on the road though. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075C4DPX3?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
View attachment 178734

That is what I will get for my next body.
Stampede body
Do you use stock rustler body mounts?
I don't like the way on how the rustler bodies look. And there aren't other body options.
Jconcepts as a few, but, ehh. I might not be a fan of ST bodies. Vintage ST bodies, sure. Bodies for a rustler, not really. Bodies on modern STs, sure.

 

[Cowboy Yert]

That is what I will get for my next body.
Stampede body
Do you use stock rustler body mounts?
I don't like the way on how the rustler bodies look. And there aren't other body options.
Jconcepts as a few, but, ehh. I might not be a fan of ST bodies. Vintage ST bodies, sure. Bodies for a rustler, not really. Bodies on modern STs, sure.

Stock rear body post for the rustler and taller Stampede front body posts added to level it out. Just had to drill the hole in the bed of the body for the rear post. You will have to push down on the rear of the body to get it on though. The stock rear rustler body mount is level with the shock towers. No big deal it goes on fine, and it makes the body sit as low as possible on the rear. There are lots of other aftermarket Stampede bodies as well. My next body for the Rustler will be an old chevy C/K 10.

 

[ahr43]

Hey guys, here is a shot of extended body mounts on my Rustler 'Global Explorer' version circa 2016.

Longer DuraTrax body posts in all three locations without any additional drilling or hacking. Angle aluminum at the rear mount location attaches to and uses existing holes in the rear bulkhead. That positions the body post directly over the TRX body post nub without having to remove it. Allowing for flexibility in either raising the standard body, as here. Or fitting an aftermarket body using existing mounts.

I'll see if I can find the rear adapter and get you a better pix. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[Nate G]

I will give you a different take on your situation. I have gotten back into racing after being out for several decades. I race slashes on carpet oval indoors but started going to the track that MX Acres uses - BigDog RC. Wonderful facility with very helpful people and great prices by the way. I want to learn and improve in 2 and 4WD buggy classes. I started with an RC10 B6.4 and am crashing a lot. I stepped back and decided to get a Bandit after seeing MX Acres vids. The sportsman's class discourages hi end buggies like say a Teckno until you graduate to the std classes and I usually start with that class as my base. If I am going to crash a bunch and may need repairs, why not use a cheaper buggy ? Bandit $200 RTR with radio vs RC10 $750+ before battery. also, parts are cheap. I have been running a Bandit with tires for the track - AKA slicks - and when I get some practice time ahead of a race, very few racers pass me unless I make a mistake. I have run in the std buggy class as well and , while I am not as good as MX, my placement is 90% due to on track errors rather than equipment.
mods - stock shocks with thicker oil, slash front axles to hold the hexes without binding, forward mounted shorty battery with bullet connectors, heavier front shock tower for durability in a crash and some needed weight to balance in the air and it has done well. not sure a rustler conversion is worth the money since the Bandit is so cheap. I do think it has merit as a starter due to cost of maintenance. something to consider.

 

[luke66]

hey, a bandit MM would be cool...
make your rusty a MM, will change ur life.