Nitro Budget Racers Thread!
04-13-2012, 03:00 PM
#16
I don't know about that. I honestly think in the long run, its better to buy a kit. The 8ight 2.0 rtr is a great deal and is equipped better than any others. But eventually the servos will have to go, a new engine will be needed, have heard of the starter boxes frying, and up here at least, the spektrums seem to find dead spots on a lot of tracks. You will spend more initially, but it pays off in the long run. You also gain the knowledge of how the car operates when building a kit.
Associated, mugen, losi, kyosho all have great kits with readily availible parts. For things such as tx/rx, starter box, and servos, i recommend going used. Great deals to be had that way. Always remember that you dont need the latest and greatest to win, something i see a lot of drivers forgetting. They spend so much time buying new stuff and changing things that they dont actually spend much time driving. Practice makes perfect.
Associated, mugen, losi, kyosho all have great kits with readily availible parts. For things such as tx/rx, starter box, and servos, i recommend going used. Great deals to be had that way. Always remember that you dont need the latest and greatest to win, something i see a lot of drivers forgetting. They spend so much time buying new stuff and changing things that they dont actually spend much time driving. Practice makes perfect.
04-13-2012, 03:12 PM
#17
Tech Regular
iTrader: (25)
I don't know about that. I honestly think in the long run, its better to buy a kit. The 8ight 2.0 rtr is a great deal and is equipped better than any others. But eventually the servos will have to go, a new engine will be needed, have heard of the starter boxes frying, and up here at least, the spektrums seem to find dead spots on a lot of tracks. You will spend more initially, but it pays off in the long run. You also gain the knowledge of how the car operates when building a kit.
Associated, mugen, losi, kyosho all have great kits with readily availible parts. For things such as tx/rx, starter box, and servos, i recommend going used. Great deals to be had that way. Always remember that you dont need the latest and greatest to win, something i see a lot of drivers forgetting. They spend so much time buying new stuff and changing things that they dont actually spend much time driving. Practice makes perfect.
Associated, mugen, losi, kyosho all have great kits with readily availible parts. For things such as tx/rx, starter box, and servos, i recommend going used. Great deals to be had that way. Always remember that you dont need the latest and greatest to win, something i see a lot of drivers forgetting. They spend so much time buying new stuff and changing things that they dont actually spend much time driving. Practice makes perfect.
I have been out of racing for quite a while....10-15 years...wow Im getting old...lol Just bought a Kyosho NEO ST Race Spec to try and get back in the game a bit. The cost is pretty good for what you get and seems to have pretty good reviews from most. Unfortunately my lhs stocks nothing but crawler and airplane/heli parts, that's what I get for living in the middle of nowhere. They do have a few short course rigs but not much else, they are talking about trying to get a track up and going again as the nearest one in about 3 hours away. SO we will see how it goes, I am hoping that one of the locals steps up this year and opens a track up. P.S. anyone from the Flathead Valley are of Montana??? PM me if your up here and lets see if we can get a track going.
Last edited by Volvoartictech; 04-13-2012 at 03:23 PM.
04-13-2012, 03:15 PM
#18
there are several things I do to try and be a frugal racer. First off is you don't have to have a $4-500 Speed engine, there are many $175-225 engines that are very race worthy. Once you have your basic quality race stuff squared away one of the biggest weekly expences for the average racer is tires. You can save heaps of money here by recycling rims and foams where applicable. Another thing I see some racers throwing money away on are glow plugs... If your plugs are not lasting at least a gallon of fuel, stop and evaluate the situation because something is off... could be your tune, sloppy rod, bad bearing or something. I've seen people throw $30-40 worth of plugs at an engine before the decide to stop and find the real problem. I also agree with others that it is better to start with quality components to start with.. especially servos and engines. If you travel to large races, that is a good place to find screaming deals on products like tires and such.
04-15-2012, 06:55 AM
#19
Tech Adept
budget tires
a couple of weeks ago my buddy calls and asks if i need any tires, as he found a really good deal. i say what are they? his answer is a 45 square pin. my next question is how much? answer $5. so I'm thinking 5 bucks per tire and say for that price get me a set as i can burn them up on the street if i don't like them. yesterday we meet at the track and he asks me for 5 bucks i say sure and he hands me TWO bags of tires with foams.and says i still made a little on the deal. the deals are out there for us guys on a budget. it may not be a top brand but for a deal like that who cares about a name.
04-15-2012, 03:32 PM
#20
a couple of weeks ago my buddy calls and asks if i need any tires, as he found a really good deal. i say what are they? his answer is a 45 square pin. my next question is how much? answer $5. so I'm thinking 5 bucks per tire and say for that price get me a set as i can burn them up on the street if i don't like them. yesterday we meet at the track and he asks me for 5 bucks i say sure and he hands me TWO bags of tires with foams.and says i still made a little on the deal. the deals are out there for us guys on a budget. it may not be a top brand but for a deal like that who cares about a name.
04-15-2012, 04:38 PM
#21
I don't know about that. I honestly think in the long run, its better to buy a kit. The 8ight 2.0 rtr is a great deal and is equipped better than any others. But eventually the servos will have to go, a new engine will be needed, have heard of the starter boxes frying, and up here at least, the spektrums seem to find dead spots on a lot of tracks. You will spend more initially, but it pays off in the long run. You also gain the knowledge of how the car operates when building a kit.
Associated, mugen, losi, kyosho all have great kits with readily availible parts. For things such as tx/rx, starter box, and servos, i recommend going used. Great deals to be had that way. Always remember that you dont need the latest and greatest to win, something i see a lot of drivers forgetting. They spend so much time buying new stuff and changing things that they dont actually spend much time driving. Practice makes perfect.
Associated, mugen, losi, kyosho all have great kits with readily availible parts. For things such as tx/rx, starter box, and servos, i recommend going used. Great deals to be had that way. Always remember that you dont need the latest and greatest to win, something i see a lot of drivers forgetting. They spend so much time buying new stuff and changing things that they dont actually spend much time driving. Practice makes perfect.
Buddy of mine recently picked up the Neo Race Spec and he has had pretty good luck with it. I tried to convince him to go another route but this fit his budget. He has been using my RTR truggy box, again without issue.
04-15-2012, 05:13 PM
#22
I wont argue about going with a kit if you have the patience but for a lot of people, something like the Losi RTR is good enough to start racing again and at a price point many can afford. I did the LiPo conversion on the starter boxes and I have replaced a single part on either one in the 3 years I've owned them. I didnt use the stock servos vary long but didnt have a failure, I just wanted something better. Never had an issue with the radio or receivers. I'm still using the starter box only now it fires my RC8.2.
Buddy of mine recently picked up the Neo Race Spec and he has had pretty good luck with it. I tried to convince him to go another route but this fit his budget. He has been using my RTR truggy box, again without issue.
Buddy of mine recently picked up the Neo Race Spec and he has had pretty good luck with it. I tried to convince him to go another route but this fit his budget. He has been using my RTR truggy box, again without issue.
04-15-2012, 05:40 PM
#23
So i know a lot of us are on a tight budget these days and cant afford the latest and greatest or brand new stuff every weekend. I figured people like myself could have a place to discuss tips and tricks to save money, share results, and of course personal mods to our cars that we use instead of bolt on products.
Tires. Other than a couple of other items, this is where a lot of money can and does get spent by racers. A 2.5gal bucket with some Acetone can go a long way in helping the tire budget. Recycle the rims if possible, and foams if they're molded and in ok shape. There's usually always someone at the track that'll toss a set of tires. Don't be afraid to do a little dumpster diving. If all you get out of it is a ok set of rims to use, it's worth it.
Plus (as Jazz pointed out), there's always shops getting rid of old stock. Med. and hard tires can usually be found pretty cheap, but you have to know they'll work for you or the track you run on. Also look at the newer tires just out on the market. Take the AKA Evo Truggy wheels and tires for example. With those being the newest truggy tire setup from AKA, the older style have been drastically reduced in costs as a result ( I think they're discontinued too). When Mfg.'s have the new hot item on the market, many will off the old items to get the new items. Can find some real good deals when that happens.
Bearings. There plenty of cheaper options for bearings now and it's a items that is what I consider, expendable. Answer, Avid, and ProTek all have real cheap bearing options. Buy in bulk and you'll have bearings for a long time. Get some other budget minded racers in, and make a bulk order. That alone can help.
Drive lines take a beating and won't last forever no matter what you do, so it's either buy new axle/dog bones, or spend a little extra once and get the right tools to simply replace the pins as needed. You'll end up spending money at some point so you'll have to decide when and how you want to do that.
04-15-2012, 08:25 PM
#25
Tech Adept
yes they are. i'm planning on gluing them up later tonight. i don't expect them to be a go to tire but under the right track conditions i expect them to do just fine. and how can u beat the price.
04-15-2012, 09:33 PM
#26
Tech Regular
iTrader: (1)
Vennom 45s
They had terific grip on my home track. I ran them at another track,which had a harder surface ,with stones sticking out ,and after a couple heats they all had tares in the side-walls.so imo good low budget tyres for loose track ,but avoid sharpe objects.
06-20-2012, 02:09 PM
#29
What I've learned to save money:
1.) Those racers that seem to have bottomless money pits of parts, tires and tools, usually don't. They just know how to maximize thier budget and not be wasteful. Chances are that the guys you think spend a ton, really aren't. (If you figure how much they spend per race, they may race more often)
2.) Buy quality stuff once. Avoid the fancy new thing, stick to tried and true. Ignore sponsored drivers. They are paid to say good things about products.
3.) Xray, Kyosho, Mugen
4.) The Hitec 7955 servo is the only servo that exists.
5.) Airtronics M11x is extremly reliable and lipo ready (Tx and Rx both run well on 2s lipo Rx packs). Avoid low end radios, especially the old cheaper Spektrums.
6.) Hobbyking has Rx lipo packs for <$10 and good Turnigy chargers. The Turningy chargers are actually better and easier to use than my expensive brand chargers.
7.) Don't buy race tires and practice tires, or hard trires for practice. Oncce your race tires have lost thier edge, use them for practice.
8.) Ofna Truggy box, 4500 4S1P lipo, and an adjustable glow driver. Screw those little battery drivers.
9.) Stick to full race mills, but avoid fancy engines. The OS .21XZB is plenty. Avoid cheap mills.
10.) Buy bearings in bulk.
11.) Ace hardware has plenty of shims, washers, and Hex screws for RC. Grab a ton of setscrews.
1.) Those racers that seem to have bottomless money pits of parts, tires and tools, usually don't. They just know how to maximize thier budget and not be wasteful. Chances are that the guys you think spend a ton, really aren't. (If you figure how much they spend per race, they may race more often)
2.) Buy quality stuff once. Avoid the fancy new thing, stick to tried and true. Ignore sponsored drivers. They are paid to say good things about products.
3.) Xray, Kyosho, Mugen
4.) The Hitec 7955 servo is the only servo that exists.
5.) Airtronics M11x is extremly reliable and lipo ready (Tx and Rx both run well on 2s lipo Rx packs). Avoid low end radios, especially the old cheaper Spektrums.
6.) Hobbyking has Rx lipo packs for <$10 and good Turnigy chargers. The Turningy chargers are actually better and easier to use than my expensive brand chargers.
7.) Don't buy race tires and practice tires, or hard trires for practice. Oncce your race tires have lost thier edge, use them for practice.
8.) Ofna Truggy box, 4500 4S1P lipo, and an adjustable glow driver. Screw those little battery drivers.
9.) Stick to full race mills, but avoid fancy engines. The OS .21XZB is plenty. Avoid cheap mills.
10.) Buy bearings in bulk.
11.) Ace hardware has plenty of shims, washers, and Hex screws for RC. Grab a ton of setscrews.
06-20-2012, 04:06 PM
#30
Tech Addict
What I've learned to save money:
1.) Those racers that seem to have bottomless money pits of parts, tires and tools, usually don't. They just know how to maximize thier budget and not be wasteful. Chances are that the guys you think spend a ton, really aren't. (If you figure how much they spend per race, they may race more often)
2.) Buy quality stuff once. Avoid the fancy new thing, stick to tried and true. Ignore sponsored drivers. They are paid to say good things about products.
3.) Xray, Kyosho, Mugen
4.) The Hitec 7955 servo is the only servo that exists.
5.) Airtronics M11x is extremly reliable and lipo ready (Tx and Rx both run well on 2s lipo Rx packs). Avoid low end radios, especially the old cheaper Spektrums.
6.) Hobbyking has Rx lipo packs for <$10 and good Turnigy chargers. The Turningy chargers are actually better and easier to use than my expensive brand chargers.
7.) Don't buy race tires and practice tires, or hard trires for practice. Oncce your race tires have lost thier edge, use them for practice.
8.) Ofna Truggy box, 4500 4S1P lipo, and an adjustable glow driver. Screw those little battery drivers.
9.) Stick to full race mills, but avoid fancy engines. The OS .21XZB is plenty. Avoid cheap mills.
10.) Buy bearings in bulk.
11.) Ace hardware has plenty of shims, washers, and Hex screws for RC. Grab a ton of setscrews.
1.) Those racers that seem to have bottomless money pits of parts, tires and tools, usually don't. They just know how to maximize thier budget and not be wasteful. Chances are that the guys you think spend a ton, really aren't. (If you figure how much they spend per race, they may race more often)
2.) Buy quality stuff once. Avoid the fancy new thing, stick to tried and true. Ignore sponsored drivers. They are paid to say good things about products.
3.) Xray, Kyosho, Mugen
4.) The Hitec 7955 servo is the only servo that exists.
5.) Airtronics M11x is extremly reliable and lipo ready (Tx and Rx both run well on 2s lipo Rx packs). Avoid low end radios, especially the old cheaper Spektrums.
6.) Hobbyking has Rx lipo packs for <$10 and good Turnigy chargers. The Turningy chargers are actually better and easier to use than my expensive brand chargers.
7.) Don't buy race tires and practice tires, or hard trires for practice. Oncce your race tires have lost thier edge, use them for practice.
8.) Ofna Truggy box, 4500 4S1P lipo, and an adjustable glow driver. Screw those little battery drivers.
9.) Stick to full race mills, but avoid fancy engines. The OS .21XZB is plenty. Avoid cheap mills.
10.) Buy bearings in bulk.
11.) Ace hardware has plenty of shims, washers, and Hex screws for RC. Grab a ton of setscrews.
Hobbico sells a rebadged 7955(it may be 5955, really don't know the difference)
Very strong servo.