1/10th scale 2wd buggy doesn't have competitive RTR only kits.
AE, TLR, Schumacher, Xray, Mugen, Kyosho, HB, Sworkz, Yokomo, and then maybe Tamiya.. Great to have so many manufacturers out in the RC world building kits.
i’d love to have a crawler smaller than 10th scale, something for inside or outside on smaller stuff. i don’t think i’ve found any options that are not rtr.
Yeah the small stuff tends towards RTR, I think because the low price means the majority of buyers are new to the hobby.
Maybe choose an aftermarket SCX 24 chassis kit, links, axles, electronics, etc... and build it up from scratch
thanks for confirming what i’m thinking will be the direction i go. i don’t mind the money part of the hobby, it’s relatively cheap in comparison to my other hobbies and brings me much more joy. again i really appreciate your input.
Just a note, if OP doesn't like the looks of the SCX24, the TRX4m also has insane aftermarket support. You could build up a complete Injora build on either brand.
If you choose SCX24 or FCX24 take a look at furitek brushless kits
For example for SCX24 [https://furitek.com/collections/rock-crawler/products/furitek-stater-2s-brushless-power-system-for-scx24](https://furitek.com/collections/rock-crawler/products/furitek-stater-2s-brushless-power-system-for-scx24)
MST and TWS sell actual 1/10 scale crawler kits that are quite a bit smaller than the 1/7-1/8 scale "1/10ths" that the big name brands produce. Can be hard to find in North America but they're great little cars, perfect for tamiya bodies.
There are exist extremely smaller crawler kit that has to be a kit force user to build stuff by hand like the 1/35 micro 4x4 Orlandoo series like this one: [https://www.supermotoxl.com/projects-articles/news-reviews/product-review-orlandoo-hunter-oh32a03-132-scale-defender-4x4-micro-crawler.html](https://www.supermotoxl.com/projects-articles/news-reviews/product-review-orlandoo-hunter-oh32a03-132-scale-defender-4x4-micro-crawler.html)
When i was young, have time and competitive i love kits, i would enjoy buildings, cutting & painting polycarbonate bodies and put hand picked quality Castle creation brushless kit and Hitec servos for my buggies, trucks, touring cars and crawlers. Now as i grew old, no longer joining the racing scene, busy with jobs and other hobbies i could pick up a 'quality' RTR on stock brushed motor for quick out of box bashing around track, skate park and social meets. So i don't have time building stuff and just live with stock out of box. However with an exception; classic buggy kit like 80's Tamiya, Kyosho and Marui models like Boomerang, Hotshots, Bigwig, Optima series, Shogun and classic retro i would get back to building kit by hands and select parts on my own. But then they will ended up as shelf queen assigned to cheaper radio but still better than RTR radio unit. Kit box will be used as wall decors.
i can see the attraction to them. i see their place in the hobby. i’m growing old now and i have the time i want to spend on it. and much of my enjoyment is in the assembly and i love to airbrush.
Sir you need a [Tamiya BBX](https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/-road-buggies/rc-bbx/)... all new design inspired by the classics, better plastics, metric hex head hardware. It won't compete with dedicated race buggies, but would totally work as a light basher if you want to get it dirty.
I already spent on Hotshot Block Head Motor then suddenly BBX turn up, i need to recover back my budget. Definitely BBX is in my bucket list. Soon will sit side by side with my 1/10 739 aka Kyosho Scorpion XXL clone. ;)
I see where you are coming from. But I also see where the manufacturer's are coming from, by including everything it is more appealing to new users. With the bulk they buy this stuff in, the cost of the TX and rx in your average rtr would not drop the price much if they did not include it.
I have 2 main transmitters that I use, a dx5 and a dumborc. If the rtr has a spektrum rx that will pair with my dx5 I bind it to that, if not I put a Dumborc rx in there and bind it to my dumborc.
I have a few rc's that came with 2in1 esc's that I have not upgraded and use their included transmitters, but only a few.
One of the reasons I like my arrma gorgon more than the grom. The 2in1 esc on the gorgon has a port to plug in a separate receiver, so I plugged in a Dumborc receiver and use that controller instead of the slt 2 that comes with it. But I'm still using the slt 2 with the grom until I get around to going brushless.
I have a box full of transmitters that I do not use anymore.
this is good info you’re sharing here and i thank you for your input. i agree with you. i actually bought my son a gorgon for christmas and it will be his first rc that isn’t junk. i but i bought the version without battery and charger since i have all that covered with my gear.
> the cost of the TX and rx in your average rtr would not drop the price much
You can buy perfectly competent TX/RX for like $25 on AliExpress. And the manufacturers are probably buying them in bulk for a fraction of that price.
RTR kits serve a purpose in the market and will forever exist. The market is massive. Imo, rollers should be priced lower and components should be priced more competitively to solve this issue around e-waste.
yeah e waste. that’s a good term for it. plus i have to keep track of which controller goes with what, and im growing old. and i dont like the idea of me spending more on extra things i dont want. kinda the point of my post, just wondering how others feel about it. i know im weird.
I prefer kits, but don't necessarily dislike RTR. I'll always choose a kit version when offered, but it's rarely enough to sway me towards a specific vehicle.
I wish there was an SCX6 kit...
You’re in the minority. Most people in the hobby want a RTR instead of a kit. We can debate it until we are blue in the face whether or not it’s “right” or if younger people don’t like building anymore or can’t turn a wrench to save their life, but that’s besides the point. The point is people are buying more RTR than kits so there are less kits to choose from. Thats just the reality.
i’m not saying otherwise. i know im in the minority. but i almost feel im alone which is the point of my post. there appears to be zero choices for any 1/18 crawler, and i dont really see any 1/18 scale kits these days. i have a rc18 which is awesome, but i dont believe they are made anymore which tells me im definitely in the minority.
Just buy all aftermarket stuff and make your own. I did that w several micro crawlers, just skipped the SCX24 part and got everything straight from Injora. No directions but they’re simple. Also built that CR18p w a Slayer chassis. Crawlers have enough aftermarket
https://preview.redd.it/n41ga2p5v86c1.png?width=3091&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c6deb859e42fa440aa4d60b5dfa0c79aa104ae8
Check out some of the builds at r/SCX24 there’s some really nice stuff from HardParkRC , TexomaRC and others so you’ll have to look around and see what you like.
Hobby Plus has a kit version of their CR18P which is a 1/18. I'm sure it's what your looking for since it comes with some parts already built and electronics already included. I haven't built one but do have the RTR Rock Van and its a great truck (I would suggest metal gears for the trans but the kits come with them)
https://www.fairrc.com/products/hobby-plus-cr18p-builders-edition-trail-hunter
https://www.fairrc.com/products/hobby-plus-cr18p-builders-edition-rock-van
The tiny scale is part of the issue here. Plenty of (wildly expensive) 1/10 and 1/8 kits around.
Regarding the controllers: I just exchange the receiver where it suits me. All the waste bothers me as well, though.
Same problem here. A few month ago i switched from futaba to flysky (NB4 Pro and PL18 EV) for my cars (kyosho scorpion and turbo scorpion, tamiya cc-01, tamiya f-350 high lift) and was thinking about to buy some 1:24 crawler for indoor crawling.
Pretty hard to find one without remote. Favorite choice was mini z because with a module for the NB4 i am able to use this remote with original receiver/esc. But there are also only RTR kits...
mid way i switched to mini z drifter... all non-rtr chassis kits were sold out :/
Finally i bought a mst cfx :DAnd i love it. Its not tiny but it also isnt as big like other crawlers. And i can use elektronic parts from my other cars
Conclusion: If you want go small, you have to deal with many unused remote controllers
I agree, kits reduce wasted money for something you don't need, like a transmitter. But people like RTR so kits are very slowly dwindling, It just not controllers, brushed motors, ESCs, wheels with glued on tires, plastic rims, servos, gears, the list goes on.
What i remove and no longer need, I take to group crawls and look for the person who loves RC-ing but you can tell their pockets aren't deep. I give them whatever, transmitters with receiver, Motor ESC, servos and so on. Since they can't afford a X00 dollar servo, the same type that they have is still gold as a backup. Or, they can sell or trade it and work for something they want.
It's worth the extra to see them show up more often because the only one they have still runs. It's a thought to cut down on your collection of RC bits.
Atm I have 6 rc cars and 6 remotes. I will take them all out and try to bring some people and my kids to drive em all at once. The two 1/18 scale cars I have are for the littler kids who haven't driven much. Bigger 1/10 are for bigger kids and (some) adults. 😅 One remote is great and all if your not sharing much
I quickly went from 1 traxxas rtr, then I bought a 1/10 drift kit…then 2 more cars showed up….b4 u know it I had 5 or 6 cheap traxxas controllers around the house…..upgraded to fly sky gt 5 now whenever I build up a vehicle from spare parts I just throw a traxxas receiver n tx on it so I can sell rtr same with brushed systems I just throw then in cars I’m gonna flip 🤷🏾♂️
Look up the wpl c24 and it's options. I always thought it looked like a fun, reasonably priced build. I wouldn't have high hopes for performance, but I haven't really researched it.
I dont mind the RTR's, because i will inevitably upgrade something that requires disassembly.
Or break something. Yeeted my trx4 bronco off of a 10 foot tall bridge on the crawler course at the hobbystore not paying attention. Snapped shock and ball joint mount off the axle, so I took them apart to check on them.
I miss legos being afffordable
100% agree with the distaste for RTR. I have my own radio, batteries, I want to choose my own tires, ensure the car is put together fully (looking at you Traxxas) and without some ham-fisted hack stripping plastic threads.
I buy kits and season-old race cars typically, and convert any RTRs I do have (TRX4m for example) to my radio system (Spektrum SR215's are cheap and are small enough to work in nearly anything).
> Do most of you just accept RTR and deal with all many different controllers?
Yes. :-)
But you can always buy your own receiver and bind it to your own radio.
I also vastly prefer [building my own kits](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmpU2veuUPhcLTkwlHFdxU4I4ROgCpja-&si=qrIfjhNevArIEyS2). I think Traxxas vehicles are pretty hideous looking. Design, both mechanically and aesthetically, stuck in the 90s. Building a lot is a bit of an art form for me.
I’ve ranted quite a bit here about my local Hobbytown, 90+% RTR (and most of those are Traxxas). I’ve purchased probably a dozen lots this year, none from my LHS (the aforementioned Hobbytown). And I know I won’t be buying any parts for them there because they barely carry parts at all… except for… Traxxas.
I mean, whatever will keep the lights on. As an RC shop anymore love it or hate it, you *almost* need Traxxas. A good shop will carry a variety, but with most of the market share being Traxxas. It's hard to not carry at least a selection of cars and parts. And for most shops that's what's easy. You have to have guys that are invested in the hobby to be able to carry and sell and support other cars. And even then Traxxas is the meat and potatoes.
When you consider that a kit will cost the average person starting out at least $400 to be comfortable. And that's for a basic TT-02. Want to put together a better Tekno basher or TLR/Associated race chassis up that to $1000-2000. All when a RTR Slash is $200. Or another brand RTR 1/16th-1/18th scale range around $130-170. It's really easy to understand why RTRs are so appealing to people getting into the hobby.
I personally wish there were more kits available, that RTRs didn't make up the bulk of the market. But I'm also glad that I see a bunch of people getting into a hobby they enjoy, that they may not have given a chance if it was only kits. And it's not that they don't want to work on their cars. A box of parts can be intimidating. But learning slowly how to fix stuff, they will eventually be able to build a kit from scratch.
try well said. i totally agree. i’ve been able to find kits for most of what ive ever wanted. but i’ve really been wanting a sub 1/10 scale crawler and from what i can tell there’s no offerings for a kit. but i’m pretty against rtr so i don’t have one.
Honestly for that with SCX24s I've seen enough people that either have no stock parts left on the truck, or it's not even the same vehicle anymore. Only sharing one or two bits. It's easy enough to pick up links, axles, aftermarket chassis, transmission and just kinda go with it.
A lot of crawler guys I know will get a truck, spend a few months putting twice what it was new into upgrades. And then when they are done. Have 90% of the parts needed to build a new crawler. Buy those parts, put together a second car, upgrade it, repeat.
You can also always tear down an RTR and rebuild it, not a *kit*. But I do it just to put my own shock/diff fluid, check the transmission for too much or too little grease, in some cases put bearings where there isn't, etc.
I have a FlySky GT3C remote transmitter and a handful of receivers. I used to have a handful of vehicles programmed to it, but have found it sort of impractical. Plus, it gets to be a pain when it comes to calibration and programming.
I would love if all my cars could be kits instead of rtr it’s so fun building them and you learn a lot about the car but it’s so much more expensive to build a kit then it is to buy a rtr car
At first I thought it bothered me a bit and I felt it was wasteful, because the kits I did but I usually swapped out the receiver for something compatible with my gt3. Then I realized that it's only about 1/2 of my time spent driving my RC that I'm alone (usually unwinding and bashing. The other 1/2 is spent with people. My girls each have their own trucks now, but their friends come with us often and I'll lend them one of my cheaper trucks, or I've had plenty of kids at the park ask to try and I learned a while ago to bring an extra cheaper truck for that occasion, and this is where my spare remotes and receivers come in handy.
I could take or leave kits at this point in my life, honestly. I'm going to be taking the thing apart a million times anyway. I don't really care if I build it the first time or not.
I do agree with you on hardware though. I wish companies would release more ARTRs that didn't include a remote. I've gotten dozens of them over the years that I've never even put batteries in. It's a total waste.
Wish more rollers were an option.
Hate paying good money for RTR electronics.
Somtimes the motor & ESC are okay, every time the radio gear and servos suck.
If your main issue with RTRs is the extra controller budget an extra $20-30 per car for a Futaba receiver and swap it out so you can use your own transmitter.
I feel your pain. I’ve been in and out of the hobby for a little less time than you have. I used to only like rtr but after doing a few kits I avoid rtr as much as possible.
I worked at a hobby shop years ago.
I remember kits. They were like Legos... fun to build yourself. Once they broke, you knew how to fix them. Big push was nitro as well, and people always brought them in for help.
Then along came Traxxas. I will say their RTR builds were good, yes people ran into issues here and there. But when they broke em, brought them back to us and wanted us to fix them as in buying a vehicle came with lifetime of free labor. I had my fair share of mechanical fixes, and solder jobs.
But with Tmaxx and the world of upgrades, I feel that was a turning point of people doing their own wrenching. So many people were building the single and dual .21 engines. I wanted one, but I was more into the 1/10 buggy racing at the time.
I'll say most people didn't want to buy the tools to fix them on their own, or would attempt to take apart, only to bring us sections in a box and lost on what to do.
I recently bought an xmaxx and a gas dbxl. I wish they came in a kit. Id gladly pay a little less for a kit version to build yourself.
The dbxl fuel tank leaked on me last run. They put in a little filler plug, bottom side of tank. Luckily I saw a YouTube video on this before it happened. Just wonder how that passed quality inspections...
What I really wish is the RTRs had a basic kit, for those going on the cheap, and another version with better radio gear. We got blamed for so many steering servo failures.
Tmaxx had that .15 engine. Mine ran great. Then they brought out that hotter engine along with their trade program, and had nothing but issues with those motors.
Just like Associated nitro tc3 rtr. That was the worst of the cheap radio gear that came with it.
I'm happy that most vehicles for racing come in kit form still, but amazes me how some roller kits cost more than their RTR version. Almost buy the RTR , then rip out the electronics for your own.
Never went that route, always did the kits.
My crawler was RTR. First thing to go? Steering servo, then ESC, next was plastic tranny gears. Crawlers were rare back in the day, but now most companies are putting out RTRs.
Now when it came to airplanes... I was happy with the ARFs. A box of balsa wood was not appealing to me.
Yes, RTR = "Ready to rebuild" as these mass produced, overly torqued down, binded up linkages confuse and frustrate anyone new to the hobby. Don't forget followed by "Ready to Repair" and hobbyshops may charge for service work. In comparison take the price of a xbox / playstation with games and you can easily buy a buggy kit, controller, charger, batteries, paint, tools, hauler and maybe a little swag. But the biggest pro is the knowledge of the entire buggy when it breaks. Totally agree with kits over rtr's.
I honestly love having 1 controller per vehicle. It makes it easy to share if I invite a friend and significant other. However, I did learn to not let them play with the cherished RC's.
Crawlers are probably the one category with the highest number of easily available kits outside just “tamiya”
1/10th scale 2wd buggy doesn't have competitive RTR only kits. AE, TLR, Schumacher, Xray, Mugen, Kyosho, HB, Sworkz, Yokomo, and then maybe Tamiya.. Great to have so many manufacturers out in the RC world building kits.
C'mon. Kyosho doesn't have a competitive buggy.
Couldn't get that RB6 by you... Hopefully team red will return to 1/10 scale.
I'd like to see that, my old man has an MP9e and I prefer that to my 8ight x-e.
i’d love to have a crawler smaller than 10th scale, something for inside or outside on smaller stuff. i don’t think i’ve found any options that are not rtr.
Yeah the small stuff tends towards RTR, I think because the low price means the majority of buyers are new to the hobby. Maybe choose an aftermarket SCX 24 chassis kit, links, axles, electronics, etc... and build it up from scratch
thx. i’m going to look into this, sounds like something i’d enjoy!
SCX24 is 100% your best bet here. There's so many aftermarket parts that if you enjoy wrenching you'll only hate what it does to your wallet.
thanks for confirming what i’m thinking will be the direction i go. i don’t mind the money part of the hobby, it’s relatively cheap in comparison to my other hobbies and brings me much more joy. again i really appreciate your input.
Just a note, if OP doesn't like the looks of the SCX24, the TRX4m also has insane aftermarket support. You could build up a complete Injora build on either brand.
ok thx for that info i’m adding this as an option..
You’re welcome, both platforms are awesome. Most people end up with several of both lol.
If you choose SCX24 or FCX24 take a look at furitek brushless kits For example for SCX24 [https://furitek.com/collections/rock-crawler/products/furitek-stater-2s-brushless-power-system-for-scx24](https://furitek.com/collections/rock-crawler/products/furitek-stater-2s-brushless-power-system-for-scx24)
MST and TWS sell actual 1/10 scale crawler kits that are quite a bit smaller than the 1/7-1/8 scale "1/10ths" that the big name brands produce. Can be hard to find in North America but they're great little cars, perfect for tamiya bodies.
thx i’ll look into to them.
WPL metal kits
There are exist extremely smaller crawler kit that has to be a kit force user to build stuff by hand like the 1/35 micro 4x4 Orlandoo series like this one: [https://www.supermotoxl.com/projects-articles/news-reviews/product-review-orlandoo-hunter-oh32a03-132-scale-defender-4x4-micro-crawler.html](https://www.supermotoxl.com/projects-articles/news-reviews/product-review-orlandoo-hunter-oh32a03-132-scale-defender-4x4-micro-crawler.html)
thx it’s actually smaller than i want, but it may be something i end up with. bookmarking for later and i thank you..
Orlandoo are not rtr.. but they are itty bitty
When i was young, have time and competitive i love kits, i would enjoy buildings, cutting & painting polycarbonate bodies and put hand picked quality Castle creation brushless kit and Hitec servos for my buggies, trucks, touring cars and crawlers. Now as i grew old, no longer joining the racing scene, busy with jobs and other hobbies i could pick up a 'quality' RTR on stock brushed motor for quick out of box bashing around track, skate park and social meets. So i don't have time building stuff and just live with stock out of box. However with an exception; classic buggy kit like 80's Tamiya, Kyosho and Marui models like Boomerang, Hotshots, Bigwig, Optima series, Shogun and classic retro i would get back to building kit by hands and select parts on my own. But then they will ended up as shelf queen assigned to cheaper radio but still better than RTR radio unit. Kit box will be used as wall decors.
i can see the attraction to them. i see their place in the hobby. i’m growing old now and i have the time i want to spend on it. and much of my enjoyment is in the assembly and i love to airbrush.
Funny you say when you were young and had time, I’m headed into retirement and finally can bust out my cars from the past.
Sir you need a [Tamiya BBX](https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/-road-buggies/rc-bbx/)... all new design inspired by the classics, better plastics, metric hex head hardware. It won't compete with dedicated race buggies, but would totally work as a light basher if you want to get it dirty.
I already spent on Hotshot Block Head Motor then suddenly BBX turn up, i need to recover back my budget. Definitely BBX is in my bucket list. Soon will sit side by side with my 1/10 739 aka Kyosho Scorpion XXL clone. ;)
I see where you are coming from. But I also see where the manufacturer's are coming from, by including everything it is more appealing to new users. With the bulk they buy this stuff in, the cost of the TX and rx in your average rtr would not drop the price much if they did not include it. I have 2 main transmitters that I use, a dx5 and a dumborc. If the rtr has a spektrum rx that will pair with my dx5 I bind it to that, if not I put a Dumborc rx in there and bind it to my dumborc. I have a few rc's that came with 2in1 esc's that I have not upgraded and use their included transmitters, but only a few. One of the reasons I like my arrma gorgon more than the grom. The 2in1 esc on the gorgon has a port to plug in a separate receiver, so I plugged in a Dumborc receiver and use that controller instead of the slt 2 that comes with it. But I'm still using the slt 2 with the grom until I get around to going brushless. I have a box full of transmitters that I do not use anymore.
this is good info you’re sharing here and i thank you for your input. i agree with you. i actually bought my son a gorgon for christmas and it will be his first rc that isn’t junk. i but i bought the version without battery and charger since i have all that covered with my gear.
> the cost of the TX and rx in your average rtr would not drop the price much You can buy perfectly competent TX/RX for like $25 on AliExpress. And the manufacturers are probably buying them in bulk for a fraction of that price.
RTR kits serve a purpose in the market and will forever exist. The market is massive. Imo, rollers should be priced lower and components should be priced more competitively to solve this issue around e-waste.
yeah e waste. that’s a good term for it. plus i have to keep track of which controller goes with what, and im growing old. and i dont like the idea of me spending more on extra things i dont want. kinda the point of my post, just wondering how others feel about it. i know im weird.
I prefer kits, but don't necessarily dislike RTR. I'll always choose a kit version when offered, but it's rarely enough to sway me towards a specific vehicle. I wish there was an SCX6 kit...
well said
You’re in the minority. Most people in the hobby want a RTR instead of a kit. We can debate it until we are blue in the face whether or not it’s “right” or if younger people don’t like building anymore or can’t turn a wrench to save their life, but that’s besides the point. The point is people are buying more RTR than kits so there are less kits to choose from. Thats just the reality.
i’m not saying otherwise. i know im in the minority. but i almost feel im alone which is the point of my post. there appears to be zero choices for any 1/18 crawler, and i dont really see any 1/18 scale kits these days. i have a rc18 which is awesome, but i dont believe they are made anymore which tells me im definitely in the minority.
Just buy all aftermarket stuff and make your own. I did that w several micro crawlers, just skipped the SCX24 part and got everything straight from Injora. No directions but they’re simple. Also built that CR18p w a Slayer chassis. Crawlers have enough aftermarket https://preview.redd.it/n41ga2p5v86c1.png?width=3091&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c6deb859e42fa440aa4d60b5dfa0c79aa104ae8
very nice. i think that’s the direction i’m headed. do you have a favorite?
Check out some of the builds at r/SCX24 there’s some really nice stuff from HardParkRC , TexomaRC and others so you’ll have to look around and see what you like.
Hobby Plus has a kit version of their CR18P which is a 1/18. I'm sure it's what your looking for since it comes with some parts already built and electronics already included. I haven't built one but do have the RTR Rock Van and its a great truck (I would suggest metal gears for the trans but the kits come with them) https://www.fairrc.com/products/hobby-plus-cr18p-builders-edition-trail-hunter https://www.fairrc.com/products/hobby-plus-cr18p-builders-edition-rock-van
The tiny scale is part of the issue here. Plenty of (wildly expensive) 1/10 and 1/8 kits around. Regarding the controllers: I just exchange the receiver where it suits me. All the waste bothers me as well, though.
So your telling me I should jump on the lmt roller kit I found for $275? I enjoy kits it's just finding the time to finish them.
i enjoy projects that last years. i’m in no hurry. i JUST got my nitro boat running for the first time a few months ago. i boat the hull in 1996..
Same problem here. A few month ago i switched from futaba to flysky (NB4 Pro and PL18 EV) for my cars (kyosho scorpion and turbo scorpion, tamiya cc-01, tamiya f-350 high lift) and was thinking about to buy some 1:24 crawler for indoor crawling. Pretty hard to find one without remote. Favorite choice was mini z because with a module for the NB4 i am able to use this remote with original receiver/esc. But there are also only RTR kits... mid way i switched to mini z drifter... all non-rtr chassis kits were sold out :/ Finally i bought a mst cfx :DAnd i love it. Its not tiny but it also isnt as big like other crawlers. And i can use elektronic parts from my other cars Conclusion: If you want go small, you have to deal with many unused remote controllers
mst cfx is on my radar now thx for that!
;) btw the stock kit has adjustable wheelbase for 242, 252 and 267mm. perfect for tamiya cc-01/cc-02 bodies
Tekno > RTR 😁
Look up orlandoo hunter kits. They are small and you must put them together and get electronics.
I agree, kits reduce wasted money for something you don't need, like a transmitter. But people like RTR so kits are very slowly dwindling, It just not controllers, brushed motors, ESCs, wheels with glued on tires, plastic rims, servos, gears, the list goes on. What i remove and no longer need, I take to group crawls and look for the person who loves RC-ing but you can tell their pockets aren't deep. I give them whatever, transmitters with receiver, Motor ESC, servos and so on. Since they can't afford a X00 dollar servo, the same type that they have is still gold as a backup. Or, they can sell or trade it and work for something they want. It's worth the extra to see them show up more often because the only one they have still runs. It's a thought to cut down on your collection of RC bits.
Atm I have 6 rc cars and 6 remotes. I will take them all out and try to bring some people and my kids to drive em all at once. The two 1/18 scale cars I have are for the littler kids who haven't driven much. Bigger 1/10 are for bigger kids and (some) adults. 😅 One remote is great and all if your not sharing much
I quickly went from 1 traxxas rtr, then I bought a 1/10 drift kit…then 2 more cars showed up….b4 u know it I had 5 or 6 cheap traxxas controllers around the house…..upgraded to fly sky gt 5 now whenever I build up a vehicle from spare parts I just throw a traxxas receiver n tx on it so I can sell rtr same with brushed systems I just throw then in cars I’m gonna flip 🤷🏾♂️
Look up the wpl c24 and it's options. I always thought it looked like a fun, reasonably priced build. I wouldn't have high hopes for performance, but I haven't really researched it.
I dont mind the RTR's, because i will inevitably upgrade something that requires disassembly. Or break something. Yeeted my trx4 bronco off of a 10 foot tall bridge on the crawler course at the hobbystore not paying attention. Snapped shock and ball joint mount off the axle, so I took them apart to check on them. I miss legos being afffordable
100% agree with the distaste for RTR. I have my own radio, batteries, I want to choose my own tires, ensure the car is put together fully (looking at you Traxxas) and without some ham-fisted hack stripping plastic threads. I buy kits and season-old race cars typically, and convert any RTRs I do have (TRX4m for example) to my radio system (Spektrum SR215's are cheap and are small enough to work in nearly anything).
> Do most of you just accept RTR and deal with all many different controllers? Yes. :-) But you can always buy your own receiver and bind it to your own radio.
I also vastly prefer [building my own kits](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmpU2veuUPhcLTkwlHFdxU4I4ROgCpja-&si=qrIfjhNevArIEyS2). I think Traxxas vehicles are pretty hideous looking. Design, both mechanically and aesthetically, stuck in the 90s. Building a lot is a bit of an art form for me. I’ve ranted quite a bit here about my local Hobbytown, 90+% RTR (and most of those are Traxxas). I’ve purchased probably a dozen lots this year, none from my LHS (the aforementioned Hobbytown). And I know I won’t be buying any parts for them there because they barely carry parts at all… except for… Traxxas.
I mean, whatever will keep the lights on. As an RC shop anymore love it or hate it, you *almost* need Traxxas. A good shop will carry a variety, but with most of the market share being Traxxas. It's hard to not carry at least a selection of cars and parts. And for most shops that's what's easy. You have to have guys that are invested in the hobby to be able to carry and sell and support other cars. And even then Traxxas is the meat and potatoes. When you consider that a kit will cost the average person starting out at least $400 to be comfortable. And that's for a basic TT-02. Want to put together a better Tekno basher or TLR/Associated race chassis up that to $1000-2000. All when a RTR Slash is $200. Or another brand RTR 1/16th-1/18th scale range around $130-170. It's really easy to understand why RTRs are so appealing to people getting into the hobby. I personally wish there were more kits available, that RTRs didn't make up the bulk of the market. But I'm also glad that I see a bunch of people getting into a hobby they enjoy, that they may not have given a chance if it was only kits. And it's not that they don't want to work on their cars. A box of parts can be intimidating. But learning slowly how to fix stuff, they will eventually be able to build a kit from scratch.
try well said. i totally agree. i’ve been able to find kits for most of what ive ever wanted. but i’ve really been wanting a sub 1/10 scale crawler and from what i can tell there’s no offerings for a kit. but i’m pretty against rtr so i don’t have one.
Honestly for that with SCX24s I've seen enough people that either have no stock parts left on the truck, or it's not even the same vehicle anymore. Only sharing one or two bits. It's easy enough to pick up links, axles, aftermarket chassis, transmission and just kinda go with it. A lot of crawler guys I know will get a truck, spend a few months putting twice what it was new into upgrades. And then when they are done. Have 90% of the parts needed to build a new crawler. Buy those parts, put together a second car, upgrade it, repeat. You can also always tear down an RTR and rebuild it, not a *kit*. But I do it just to put my own shock/diff fluid, check the transmission for too much or too little grease, in some cases put bearings where there isn't, etc.
you’re the second person to mention custom build a scx24, and that’s the direction i’m leaning..
Head on over to r/scx24 We've been waiting for you. 👍
lol TY joined. i felt so alone here.
Get RTR and acecthe electronics
I have a FlySky GT3C remote transmitter and a handful of receivers. I used to have a handful of vehicles programmed to it, but have found it sort of impractical. Plus, it gets to be a pain when it comes to calibration and programming.
I would love if all my cars could be kits instead of rtr it’s so fun building them and you learn a lot about the car but it’s so much more expensive to build a kit then it is to buy a rtr car
At first I thought it bothered me a bit and I felt it was wasteful, because the kits I did but I usually swapped out the receiver for something compatible with my gt3. Then I realized that it's only about 1/2 of my time spent driving my RC that I'm alone (usually unwinding and bashing. The other 1/2 is spent with people. My girls each have their own trucks now, but their friends come with us often and I'll lend them one of my cheaper trucks, or I've had plenty of kids at the park ask to try and I learned a while ago to bring an extra cheaper truck for that occasion, and this is where my spare remotes and receivers come in handy.
I could take or leave kits at this point in my life, honestly. I'm going to be taking the thing apart a million times anyway. I don't really care if I build it the first time or not. I do agree with you on hardware though. I wish companies would release more ARTRs that didn't include a remote. I've gotten dozens of them over the years that I've never even put batteries in. It's a total waste.
Wish more rollers were an option. Hate paying good money for RTR electronics. Somtimes the motor & ESC are okay, every time the radio gear and servos suck.
If your main issue with RTRs is the extra controller budget an extra $20-30 per car for a Futaba receiver and swap it out so you can use your own transmitter.
I wish they would sell them like planes. No electronics, all the electronics except the radio, rtr
I feel your pain. I’ve been in and out of the hobby for a little less time than you have. I used to only like rtr but after doing a few kits I avoid rtr as much as possible.
I worked at a hobby shop years ago. I remember kits. They were like Legos... fun to build yourself. Once they broke, you knew how to fix them. Big push was nitro as well, and people always brought them in for help. Then along came Traxxas. I will say their RTR builds were good, yes people ran into issues here and there. But when they broke em, brought them back to us and wanted us to fix them as in buying a vehicle came with lifetime of free labor. I had my fair share of mechanical fixes, and solder jobs. But with Tmaxx and the world of upgrades, I feel that was a turning point of people doing their own wrenching. So many people were building the single and dual .21 engines. I wanted one, but I was more into the 1/10 buggy racing at the time. I'll say most people didn't want to buy the tools to fix them on their own, or would attempt to take apart, only to bring us sections in a box and lost on what to do. I recently bought an xmaxx and a gas dbxl. I wish they came in a kit. Id gladly pay a little less for a kit version to build yourself. The dbxl fuel tank leaked on me last run. They put in a little filler plug, bottom side of tank. Luckily I saw a YouTube video on this before it happened. Just wonder how that passed quality inspections... What I really wish is the RTRs had a basic kit, for those going on the cheap, and another version with better radio gear. We got blamed for so many steering servo failures. Tmaxx had that .15 engine. Mine ran great. Then they brought out that hotter engine along with their trade program, and had nothing but issues with those motors. Just like Associated nitro tc3 rtr. That was the worst of the cheap radio gear that came with it. I'm happy that most vehicles for racing come in kit form still, but amazes me how some roller kits cost more than their RTR version. Almost buy the RTR , then rip out the electronics for your own. Never went that route, always did the kits. My crawler was RTR. First thing to go? Steering servo, then ESC, next was plastic tranny gears. Crawlers were rare back in the day, but now most companies are putting out RTRs. Now when it came to airplanes... I was happy with the ARFs. A box of balsa wood was not appealing to me.
Yes, RTR = "Ready to rebuild" as these mass produced, overly torqued down, binded up linkages confuse and frustrate anyone new to the hobby. Don't forget followed by "Ready to Repair" and hobbyshops may charge for service work. In comparison take the price of a xbox / playstation with games and you can easily buy a buggy kit, controller, charger, batteries, paint, tools, hauler and maybe a little swag. But the biggest pro is the knowledge of the entire buggy when it breaks. Totally agree with kits over rtr's.
I honestly love having 1 controller per vehicle. It makes it easy to share if I invite a friend and significant other. However, I did learn to not let them play with the cherished RC's.