MuNchiezzz

I've been looking into a lot of different RC brands and know nothing about anyting. I've been wanting to buy my first and have been doing a lot of research and came across a company and truck I think I like.

Traxxas has the Maxx and X Maxx that has really caught my eye and look really fun and durable. Does anyone have any experience with these and any input?

I also found two others that caught my eye
1) Arrma Kraton 8s
2) Kyosho Mad Crusher

if anybody has any experience with these and has any input as well that would be amazing.

Smaug

Did I just talk to you about this over on RCU? :-D

I had the 1st gen X-Maxx. The one with the ESC problems. Even with the ghetto resistor fix before they revamped the ESC, I thought it was great fun. Rolls easily on grass and over anything. But it is quite heavy and bulky. You'd better have a lot of storage room for one. You're going to spend a mint on batteries for one. It's getting to the size where 2-stroke gas starts to make sense...

The Maxx is between the X-Maxx and the Stampede in size. Probably a true 1/10 scale, where the Stampede is more of 1/11 or 1/12. Its design is based on the X-Maxx; scaled down. It look very good, much better than the old E-Maxx, which was constantly breaking.

I haven't had one, but had a friend who had one. He liked it. It's a big 1/8 truggy, supposed to be pretty rugged, if you get a brushless one with the decent electronics.

I had the predecessor, the Mad Force Kruiser VE. Awesome truck. It's the same as the Mad Crusher, but the Mad Crusher VE has an improved 5-link suspension and a different body. By the way, the Mad Crusher VE is also discontinued, from what I can tell; only the FO-XX V2 is around that uses that chassis. It handles badly at high speed over rough terrain, due to having solid axles. It's awesome on pavement. The electronics are top notch, except for the fake Deans plugs. The motor's great, the ESC is great, the servo is good and the transmitter is the best RTR transmitter made.

Now, when I say that it handles badly at high speed over rough terrain, that's not a knock on it. It is more fun at 10-15 mph than anything I've driven. It's just that without independent suspension, its speed envelope is a bit more limited. If it hits a bump on one side, the other side is naturally thrown out of whack. The fact that it's usually just on the edge of control makes it really fun to drive.

Do NOT bother going 6S if you get one of these. 4S is plenty enough to get in trouble and to overwhelm the suspension. (2S on each side, not a single 4S pack. That's another nice thing, is that if you buy 2S packs in pairs for smaller 1/10 models, you can use them together in the MC VE. I've been doing that ever since I got my E-Revo, and now my Summit. Oddly enough, NOTHING handles high speed over rough terrain like a Summit....as long as you don't turn. :-D

I sold my MFK VE a couple years ago and kept the Summit; I just didn't have room for them both. I always wonder if I should've gone the other way. The Summit is just so damn versatile though, I couldn't ignore it.

I think before you proceed, you need to define better what it is you want this truck to do.

Do you want it to sail over grass and big distances like it's nothing? --> X-Maxx and open your wallet

Are you OK with having fun at a bit lower speed? (but still fast, on the order of 15-20 mph) Can you tolerate true monster truck rigid axle suspension? --> MC or FO-XX.
X-Max is too big or demanding on batteries and you can get by with something a smidge smaller? ---> Maxx.

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

There are threads here for the Maxx, Xmaxx and Kraton.

I have 2 Xmaxx. And don’t have the Kraton. Do have 2 from Arrma. I’ve had mixed luck with their vehicles.

MuNchiezzz

What I want the truck to do? Lol...is that a question you ask newbies to get off the wall answers for entertainment? HAHAHA

I live in the desert in the middle of nowhere. I just thought it would be awesome to go baja through the dirt and sand, jump it, cruise around my block, roll it and wreck it I'm sure hahaha. There is literally nothing to do where I live so I thought this would be a great hobby to have fun.

Another thing that really interested me was I can build and rebuild and upgrade it with aftermarket parts and customize it.

And of course I want bigger.. I am a man lol. But in the end I want something fast and durable and fun and the has a big choice of aftermarket parts for customization. (I already have a list of parts I'd want to get to upgrade Maxx if I got it)

Only hard part of deciding is...
Maxx $500
X Maxx $900

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

Nope. We ask because we’ve seen far too many make mistakes in their first purchase. They live in an apartment in the city but really really want a giant rc. Or have a giant property and buy something small to test the waters. Then complain it doesn’t do well in their grass yard. “ but it looks so big on the counter”.

Plus they get caught up in “ how fast will it go”. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool seeing an RC rip across a field at 50-60-70mph. But those speed don’t last. As running wide open drains battery quick.

Any RC will break. And most of the time it’s because of the driver. Far too many times if talked to people that have only seen highly edited RC videos of someone doing insane tricks at a skatepark. But there shocked that hitting a curb, tree, signpost broke something.


Plus they are blinded by shiny aluminum bits. That while they can help. Usually just shift what breaks. On top of that shiny bit that just bent, instead of flexing like the original plastic piece was designed to.

Remember to add the price of batteries and charger to any price. An 8s vehicle means 2 4s batteries.

Back when the XMaxx came out. I watched far too many suddenly have a $2,000 fully upgraded truck they used once or twice a month.

MuNchiezzz

Oh ok that makes sense. Yeah people are definitely quick to jump into things without doing proper research for sure....and that's for everything. This will be my first RC other than as a kid and it was a cheap $30-40 car. I'm grown now and I don't like getting something small and then move up. I like doing research, asking questions and getting the big fun one the first go.

I dont need to go 100mph hahaha. To go 40mph is fun I'm sure but I'm thinking torque and power for mud and sand dunes and rocks and jumps and sometimes speed and looking good to show off.

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

Now sounding a bit better. You want size, it’s hard to look past the Xmaxx. Short of going full out 1/5 scale. My 6s would run mid 30mph. My 8s was mid 40s. Big enuff to go places my others couldn’t. Yet I could still have a blast just jumping a mid sized ramp in my small yard. My main complaint was that it typically went through diff gears about every 20-25 runs. Now for some that number was 6 months of use. Back then, I could do that In a month or two.



I’ve moved more into the racing side in recent years. But still have my other stuff. My 2 Xmaxx and 1/5 are in the back row.

MuNchiezzz

Just a couple upgrades I want to do to a Traxxas Maxx is... WideMaxx Suspension Kit

Maxx Wheelie Bar

Maxx Suspension Pin Set

5mm Aluminum Nuts

5000mAh 14.8v 4-Cell 25C LiPo Battery or bigger

and of course tires (paddles and all-terrain)

and chassis reinforcement

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

Not seen the prices on those bit. But that should put your around the $1,000 mark.

Smaug

It sounds like you've got lots of wide open spaces. ---> X-Maxx. When you get out away from the car, remember to save some juice to drive it back. Lugging that beast back when you've run the last of your packs back is a real chore.

If you can't afford a couple sets of battery packs for it, get the Maxx with no regrets. You're probably talking $200 for a pair of 4S packs for the X-Maxx, and for me at least, that is quite a hit to the wallet. That $400 you save will set you up nicely with battery packs and a good charger.

If you want better aftermarket parts availability, consider the E-Revo instead of the Maxx. It's been around longer and has a huge aftermarket.

the rc guy

Sand is the enemy of any rc.. it gets in everything and will eat the bearing gears and anything else it gets into..Id go with the Traxxas Xmaxx... Mine is a blast ...

lowspark

iTrader: (7)

Find a Hobbytown in Vegas and go and check them out... nothing better than touch and feel..... to help you make your choice

mustangman50

iTrader: (1)

awesome collection