Nitro Tiger

iTrader: (6)

I have found you should service the drive pins and diffs regularly, check bearing if there getting rough and only replace other parts if there worn out or broken.
One track i race at I have to do this after every meet and other tracks i run at every 2-3 meets, bacically the type of surface determines my service intervals, some are very abrasive and some not so bad.

Getting a new buggy, the question you ask your self will it make you faster, proberly not.

D8

iTrader: (2)

damn!! sweet, more power to you I guess...

Rockthecatbox21

iTrader: (19)

I can't see me selling my mbx5t for a while. 1. I'll never get my money back because it's "the older model" and the truggy class is still huge in my area. The only reason i would ditch a complete kit is if it was 2 generations old (meaning 2 updated cars have bewn released since then), or if it was just in terrible shape. The only things i would replace would be the chassis if it's worn out, seals, worn out plastic, and worn down drivetrain parts. Shock towers, servo trays, aluminum hubs, diff cases etc really don't need to be changed ever. Unless a completely revolutionary kit was released, you can still be very competitive and have a lot of fun with "older" kits. For example the mbx6t had only minor changes from the 5t. Looked at both manuals and they are almost identical minus a few things.

Semple

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, you definitely need to estimate in gallons rather than years. My 2012 6R has 8 or 9 gallons on it. I have replaced the centre drive-pins twice and arms as I broke them. Chassis is starting to thin out a bit in the back, but it's still good for another 3 or so gallons I'd imagine.

Definitely the best longevity I've had in a nitro buggy to date. I did step my maintenance game up this year, too.

Matthew Bailey

I average about 15-20 gallons on a car before it becomes a waste to replace parts anymore. I drive it until it has so much slop it needs more money in parts than a new kit would cost. On a Mugen or Kyosho this is a very long time. On one of the American buggies like my Losi I doubt it will last more than 10-12 gallons. Of course the parts are a lot cheaper, so I will probably be able to extend the life.

R.Shackleford

iTrader: (4)

Were you breaking arms every race day?

Rsickles

iTrader: (21)

If you are lucky, several expensive items will all need replaced at the same time, making it pretty obvious a new kit is the way to go.

What sucks is dropping coin on like all new CVDs for a rebuild, a week later all new outdrives, another week later replacing your old warped chassis, then a week later replacing your bevel & conical gears, etc.; then, before you realize it, you are $350 in and only half your buggy is rebuilt with more to go.


Spare parts truly are the bread and butter of manufacturers' profits.

Sideshow Bob

chassis sucks the most lol...especially if it is not worn through yet but it is cracked (ala v1 MBX6) or warped due to landing a jump wrong a few times. My warped chassis on my mbx6R had me breaking 3 Rear-front antisquat blocks...75$ right there before i realised the chassis looked like it was on its way to becoming a corckscrew when viewd from the side. so another $80 later that was fixed...but first i needed to replace the rear bulkhead since the broken brace bent the screw and warped the hole another 16$ later.

on the same car a club race before this i had a clutch bearing failure 3/4 through a main...which i also attributed o the warped chassis later on since after a new chassis my bearings stop failing. So - 2$ , the bearing came out and disintegrated...and the clutchbell (-14$) climbed over the screw and shims in the end of your motors crank...that went on to cut a hole trough the fuel tank (-28$), chewing up the 4 shoe ascendancy clutch and breaking all the springs (-40%), as well as my 46T spur gear (-48$) haha. nice way to spend $140ish. then a week later another $ 170ish on the previously mensioned things...and there we have the sharp end of a new kit ....also broke a front Tower on that car ($40), 3 sets of front arms ($14x3)...since they aren't interchangeable, and i ALWAYS managed to break the one i did not have a spare of so i had to buy a new set haha. Probably used 4 sets of avid bearings, but that is a consumable i guess...so yes..in hindsight it is probably better to just buy two kits of whatever you are plnning to race...it is more expensive now but might prove cheaper in the long run...

Rockthecatbox21

iTrader: (19)

I know exactly what you mean. I own a losi and a mugen. The losi plastic is not nearly of good stuff as the mugen's, and the losi parts wear is a lot higher. You pay a little more for mugen but it holds up a lot better over time.

gangstacoupe

iTrader: (25)

I normally only run a car for 4 gallons

CoryD

iTrader: (2)

Wow; 4 gallons is like 2 months of running for me -- too rich for me. My MP9 is 6 gallons old and is mint - I won't ditch until 11-14 gallons.

Later,

sschultz

iTrader: (15)

I think there should be a class that you are allowed $40 / event, counting fuel. You could carry over what you might have left over each week. That would keep cost down and competition up. I know it would probably never happen but would be interesting...

gangstacoupe

iTrader: (25)

I run it for 4 retire it for parts if i have just changed brands, if not I sell it on here to keep my stuff fresh.

tak4

I never paid attention to my chassis wearing thin.... other than inspecting it for bents until this thread.

So I went back and checked and the front end and rear now resembles a knife's edge... But I still dun think it's time for a chassis change. I'm too cheap >.<

Should I wait til its bent or should i just put in an order for one on my next shipment?

Rockthecatbox21

iTrader: (19)

If you measure thickness in mm with a micrometer, you can tell how much it has worn from stock. Say if it was a 5mm chassis new, and now it's 2mm, time to replace in my opinion.