Bringing the hobby mainstream
04-16-2008, 03:18 PM
#166
So this is the kind of stuff that keeps people out of the hobby.
Last Friday I blew out a bearing in one of my steering blocks. Of course, the RC8 uses a size that no other mfg seems to use, so I can't find it anywhere. I call around to a few shops, some as far as 30 miles away to see if they have this particular $5 bearing in stock. Not a single one has it in stock and I get the "we can order it" line. Hell, I can order it too! If I wanted to order it, I would have just gone to Tower and been done with it.
So what do I do? Order it from Tower. I ordered on Saturday and I don't get till Wednesday since they can't ship till Monday. I get home all excited today because I can finally drive my car and really want to go to the track tomorrow after work. I open my mail and what do you know? I ordered the wrong friggin size bearing. The picture on the website was confusing I thought I was getting a multi pack of the ones I needed, instead of a single bearing. So now, it is Wednesday evening which means no way in hell I am going to get bearings in time for planned outing tomorrow. Sure enough, none of the hobby shops has this stupid little bearing in stock yet. Best case scenario is that I get the bearings in Saturday, but it will likely be too late by the time the mail man arrives for me to make it to the track for open practice which basically means best case scenario is I might get to drive my car on Tuesday when the track reopens.
Argghhh...got my car all prepped and retuned to run and she sits collecting dust because I can't find this stupid little bearing anywhere. Very frustrating.
Last Friday I blew out a bearing in one of my steering blocks. Of course, the RC8 uses a size that no other mfg seems to use, so I can't find it anywhere. I call around to a few shops, some as far as 30 miles away to see if they have this particular $5 bearing in stock. Not a single one has it in stock and I get the "we can order it" line. Hell, I can order it too! If I wanted to order it, I would have just gone to Tower and been done with it.
So what do I do? Order it from Tower. I ordered on Saturday and I don't get till Wednesday since they can't ship till Monday. I get home all excited today because I can finally drive my car and really want to go to the track tomorrow after work. I open my mail and what do you know? I ordered the wrong friggin size bearing. The picture on the website was confusing I thought I was getting a multi pack of the ones I needed, instead of a single bearing. So now, it is Wednesday evening which means no way in hell I am going to get bearings in time for planned outing tomorrow. Sure enough, none of the hobby shops has this stupid little bearing in stock yet. Best case scenario is that I get the bearings in Saturday, but it will likely be too late by the time the mail man arrives for me to make it to the track for open practice which basically means best case scenario is I might get to drive my car on Tuesday when the track reopens.
Argghhh...got my car all prepped and retuned to run and she sits collecting dust because I can't find this stupid little bearing anywhere. Very frustrating.
04-16-2008, 04:01 PM
#167
So this is the kind of stuff that keeps people out of the hobby.
Last Friday I blew out a bearing in one of my steering blocks. Of course, the RC8 uses a size that no other mfg seems to use, so I can't find it anywhere. I call around to a few shops, some as far as 30 miles away to see if they have this particular $5 bearing in stock. Not a single one has it in stock and I get the "we can order it" line. Hell, I can order it too! If I wanted to order it, I would have just gone to Tower and been done with it.
So what do I do? Order it from Tower. I ordered on Saturday and I don't get till Wednesday since they can't ship till Monday. I get home all excited today because I can finally drive my car and really want to go to the track tomorrow after work. I open my mail and what do you know? I ordered the wrong friggin size bearing. The picture on the website was confusing I thought I was getting a multi pack of the ones I needed, instead of a single bearing. So now, it is Wednesday evening which means no way in hell I am going to get bearings in time for planned outing tomorrow. Sure enough, none of the hobby shops has this stupid little bearing in stock yet. Best case scenario is that I get the bearings in Saturday, but it will likely be too late by the time the mail man arrives for me to make it to the track for open practice which basically means best case scenario is I might get to drive my car on Tuesday when the track reopens.
Argghhh...got my car all prepped and retuned to run and she sits collecting dust because I can't find this stupid little bearing anywhere. Very frustrating.
Last Friday I blew out a bearing in one of my steering blocks. Of course, the RC8 uses a size that no other mfg seems to use, so I can't find it anywhere. I call around to a few shops, some as far as 30 miles away to see if they have this particular $5 bearing in stock. Not a single one has it in stock and I get the "we can order it" line. Hell, I can order it too! If I wanted to order it, I would have just gone to Tower and been done with it.
So what do I do? Order it from Tower. I ordered on Saturday and I don't get till Wednesday since they can't ship till Monday. I get home all excited today because I can finally drive my car and really want to go to the track tomorrow after work. I open my mail and what do you know? I ordered the wrong friggin size bearing. The picture on the website was confusing I thought I was getting a multi pack of the ones I needed, instead of a single bearing. So now, it is Wednesday evening which means no way in hell I am going to get bearings in time for planned outing tomorrow. Sure enough, none of the hobby shops has this stupid little bearing in stock yet. Best case scenario is that I get the bearings in Saturday, but it will likely be too late by the time the mail man arrives for me to make it to the track for open practice which basically means best case scenario is I might get to drive my car on Tuesday when the track reopens.
Argghhh...got my car all prepped and retuned to run and she sits collecting dust because I can't find this stupid little bearing anywhere. Very frustrating.
I understand your fustration. Your part is not one that many lhs stocks because it may not be a part that needs replacing that often. Just a thought. You admited that you ordered the wrong part, its not the hobbys fault.
Though this may not be cost effective for everyone, but it may not hurt to order two of them or a couple of parts that you have known to break and wear out and keep them on hand. Just a thought.
04-16-2008, 04:04 PM
#168
Maybe I'm crazy but if the hobby was to become mainstream wouldn't that hurt the smaller and "better" companies out there? Do any of you think Xray, Serpent, or Mugen would survive if all of this were to come true? There is brand loyalty present but a newbie isn't looking for a Serpent car. What about companies like X-Factory and Atomic Carbon? I would rather see something happen like the MX industry. "Dirt bike" is a household association as RC is not. I would hate for RC to get as popular as iPod's or Xbox's. RC should be fairly common and not popular. One track per city! (Baton Rouge has none and New Orleans has none)
I agree that the number of tracks and hobby shops should increase but what would keep them running? Most places can't stay open today! An increase in hobby shops and tracks would also cause the increase in on-line sales and on-line hobby shops which kill hobby shops now.
ROAR doesn't seem to give a damn about tracks shutting down (Planet R/C, Horsham, Small Cars Unlimited, etc) and that hurts their profit indirectly.
I've always thought that ROAR and other prestigious RC companies should create an organization that would specialize in industry promotion.
I agree that the number of tracks and hobby shops should increase but what would keep them running? Most places can't stay open today! An increase in hobby shops and tracks would also cause the increase in on-line sales and on-line hobby shops which kill hobby shops now.
ROAR doesn't seem to give a damn about tracks shutting down (Planet R/C, Horsham, Small Cars Unlimited, etc) and that hurts their profit indirectly.
I've always thought that ROAR and other prestigious RC companies should create an organization that would specialize in industry promotion.
04-16-2008, 04:22 PM
#169
I understand your fustration. Your part is not one that many lhs stocks because it may not be a part that needs replacing that often. Just a thought. You admited that you ordered the wrong part, its not the hobbys fault.
Though this may not be cost effective for everyone, but it may not hurt to order two of them or a couple of parts that you have known to break and wear out and keep them on hand. Just a thought.
Though this may not be cost effective for everyone, but it may not hurt to order two of them or a couple of parts that you have known to break and wear out and keep them on hand. Just a thought.
I actually would love it if the mfg just offered a replacement kit at a discount minus all the major parts. I would like to just buy a kit with all the little bearings, shims, screws, and misc parts that always seem to break but put your car out of service.
04-16-2008, 04:38 PM
#170
Edumakated- If you can find a local hardware store near your home they may have the bearing size that you need. Even if they don't they may be able to point you in the direction of a warehouse that sells bearings. All you need is the bearing dimensions. Hope you find one.
04-16-2008, 06:05 PM
#171
You have a great idea. Hopefully one of the mfg will eventually get this thread and run with that idea. I would buy it too.
04-16-2008, 06:27 PM
#172
Edumakated- If you can find a local hardware store near your home they may have the bearing size that you need. Even if they don't they may be able to point you in the direction of a warehouse that sells bearings. All you need is the bearing dimensions. Hope you find one.
04-16-2008, 07:19 PM
#173
Edumakated,
You're in Oak Park, IL right?
You're in Oak Park, IL right?
04-16-2008, 07:51 PM
#175
04-16-2008, 08:16 PM
#176
Bearings-Engineering supply stores.
04-17-2008, 10:03 AM
#178
I used to race a serpent.... omg parts for that were a nightmare to get...
anyway, when i worked at a lhs i always informed my customer about parts availability for each kit, which were easier and vice versa it's very important to inform a new enthusiast of this.
anyway, when i worked at a lhs i always informed my customer about parts availability for each kit, which were easier and vice versa it's very important to inform a new enthusiast of this.
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