very fresh 2 monster trucks!!please help

[groovechampion9]

hiya...
well basically my brother got a terra crusher...
and i want 2 get a new truck which could compete wit the tera crusher!!!
ive checked out a few:

thunder tiger ek4
hobo range, dom...
t maxx

is there anything else i should check out...
well i reakon the t maxx is almost perfect, apart from the lack of speed (15engine) but i hear their r alot of hop-ups available...
but very expensive... i hear 21 conversation kit is like £250 and + then engine, wouldnt it b cheaper just buying a terra crusher?
i like the hobo, but the pull-start puts me off big time, ive had bad experiences with them... and is there any way i can get some sort of transformation kit for an electric start for the hobo?

please help me out!!!

i need to make a decision!!!!

thanks

[Ethan2k]

Look at the new Kyosho Mad Force.... that has 3 speed..

[fezzy]

You used a £ sign, does this mean your from the UK?

If so there is only one choice, the Dominator.... the Most value for money Monster in the UK right now. £315 w/engine w/o radio 80% built (just add radio, built shocks, glue tyres) and you'l have a raging .21 beast built like a tank. I know, i bought one! Your brother wouldn't stand a chance on this earth against one.

[groovechampion9]

so if i do get the hobayo...
i would have 2 get the rest of the stuff...
it would come up 2 about £420+ right???
so that means ill b close 2 the t-maxx and the other models near the £500 mark...
money really isnt the issue, i can spend up 2 about £650 or so...
and pull start does bother me, and the dom is a pull right?
there is no way round it...
wat i was thinkin was getting a safe t-maxx wit a 21 conversaton...
how much would that cost me, including the shop fixing it for me???
how about the ek4?
its got everything and more, speed, shocks suspsnsion and electric start...
and wat about that crazy speed!!!
should i bother wit the kyosho model?

thanks guys
yeah im in the u.k

[fezzy]

Ok, first i presume your abit of a first timer to nitro. If that is the case the EK4 is really not for you, it is very high maintainence and the engine is very temperamental. Stay away from it, i have heard stories from people on this very board of people who 'thought they could handle it' only to sell it a few months later.

.21 T-Maxx's are very popular but are also very expensive, other than the Truck + Engine + .21 Conversion you will need to totally overhaul your diffs otherwise you will strip them, for some sort of an idea on price Unlimited Engineering make some diffs for them to the price of $225. .21 T-Maxx's are very costly things.

The Mad Force is looking very promising indeed, i would of got one myself if i had the money and had it been released here yet but Kyosho stuff is very expensive over here and parts availability absolutely stinks, its also quite an advanced model. Not as much maintainence compared to an EK4 but it would probably of still scared me and i have around 4 years nitro experience with a HPI Nitro MT and Mardave Hotrod.

The Dominator is a new kit on the market but it is based on the Monster Pirate monster truck which is a very good truck and has been for a long time in the states. The Dominator comes with several new features that teh MP (Monster Pirate) didn't, it has longer bigger volume shocks all round, smaller T-Maxx sized rubber (gives some awesome acceleration i can tell you now!!!!!), revised front brace and new thicker (4mm) aluminium front and rear shock towers, slipper clutch, fuel tank and a lovely new bodyshell. It is by far the best value monster truck on the market in the UK, no question. You could get a Terra like your brother but they are VERY VERY expensive here and for what they are they seriously aren't worth it, i have seen one in action and was amazed how slow they where! I had no trouble out-running one with my HPI Nitro MT with a 15FE which is one of the slowest engines on the market!!.

A Dominator is an incredibly quick truck, the acceleration is blistering and the top speed is too very impressive (38mph) If you want more speed you can get a 2-Speed transmission (Note: you will not be able to use the slipper clutch and it is not recommended that you use the 2-Speed off-road) and with the 2-Speed you will have one crazy crazy fast monster truck capable of speeds up to 45-50mph. For a monster truck of its size thats almost TOO FAST!.

A box stock Dominator would slaughter a Stock Terra, i guarentee you! and you can get one for £315 + hi-torque steering servo like the Hitec HS645 £30 + Gallon of fuel £20 and maybe a glowstart if you don't already have one £10. You will need some radio gear if you do not alreadyhave some but radio sets are very cheap, around £50 should get you a decent one to do the job. With that you'd have one amazing nitro monster truck.

From personal view here is what i think of my Dominator: It is a very rugged truck and built like a tank which is seriously going to take a helluva beating, all the components are made of good quality material and are made very burly. The Hyper21 engine is also a superb engine, it runs well and is very reliable. The truck has amazing low end, i'm talking tyre spinning on dirt low end that will leave you covered in dirt if you nail the throttle, this low end torque gives great jumping capabilites as it is easy to correct a mistake by giving it abit of throttle or using the awesome powerful brakes.

[fezzy]

Oh, forgot to ask. Where abouts in the UK do you live? I am North West (Lancashire)

[Rustler Hustler]

I will say the Pull start on the hyper engine{comes with MP or Dom** is very easy! Starts on 1-4 pulls EVERY time!

If u still dont like it, spend some extra and buy a starter box!
There not that much, look for the "ofna blue box" it is awesome!


Peace,
Jordan

[groovechampion9]

thanks alot mate...
that was really helpful...
well im defo gonna knock the ek 4 outta my list,
the dom sounds really good...
so if i did get the hobao dom, i could spend a little extra 4 the shop 2 add a few goddies!!!
i would like 2-3 speed... how much would that cost, (and im not crazy driver, i wouldnt b jumpinghardcore ramps)
defo a starter box, i really want electric,
probabily another hop-up body
could u please tell me if i would need anything else if i need those 4 the truck?
prices as well please, thanks
and is the dom ready 2 go, would i need anything else?
i would wanna buy online, wat r the good websits, 4 a good range of rc models, which is user friendly unlike apex modles's website...
and good hobao stockists, thanks!!!

yeah im in england, well im in central london,
finding i hard finding tracks and clubs, tis so annoying

thanks again

[groovechampion9]

wats the slipper clutch?
and why not get a 2-speed?
i want vava voom!!!
:D :D

[groovechampion9]

mad force... is that the kyosho?
i only found the mega force...

[-=ADA$=-]

because you wont be able to use slipper, and when jumpin it can put too much stress on drive-train and cause damage, slipper clutch is spur gear squeezed between two friction pads, or pegs, in case of too much stress on spur, slippage occures and saves few $ or £ in your case :D,

[groovechampion9]

yeah but i wont b doin crazy jumps...
i just want the truck 2 have 2-3 speed and really fast...
i wanna thrash the terra crusher...

[-=ADA$=-]

than get mad force three speed and stock .21 also edit your post and remove the f-word, or mods will do , or even worst, just advice

[groovechampion9]

thanks 4 that, forgot myself...
:cool:
i cant find the mad force anywhere... and i dont think its available in the u.k...
wats stock 21?

[fezzy]

The madforce is a new solid axel monster truck with a .21 and 3-speed.

You can only get a 2-Speed for the Dom, i think your underestimating the speed of it. Single speed Dom is very fast, you could absolutely trash a terra like that, You can get the 2-Speed which is £69.99 but it is really VERY fast for the truck and is only recommended on mild off-road and on-road tarmac, you can jump with it but you do have to be careful not to land with the throttle on otherwise you will strip the spur gears on the 2-Speed.

You don't really need a starter box, the engine does have alot of compression as does any .21 motor but it gets easier the more you run it but if you are very lazy then a starter box would be a good idea. You can use any of the T-Maxx Proline Bodies on the Dom and some of them look really good but i really like the shell i got with my Dom, i painted it all metallic blue and it loves lovely on the truck.

Unforetuneatly the UK is sadly lacking in RC because its so expensive here so there are no on-line sites where you can purchase online, the best place i recommend is dms racing (http://www.dms-racing.com) they have the Dom for £315, 80% built w/hyper21 but as i said you'l need radio gear, high torque servo (HS645 for £35 would be great) and some fuel, fuel bottle and glowstart if you do not already have them. Other than that the Dom doesn't really need any hop-ups, you may want to splash out on some grumpy tom lexan bumpers, they are very cheap and will save your truck time and time again... You can check them out here - http://www.grumpytom.com/Pictures/MonsterPirate/Lexan/bumpers.html

[bangBANG!!]

can a 2 speed dom beat the three speed madforce??
i already bought my dom and the 2 speed, i was just wondering.
btw, if you are considering of getting the 2 speed trans, go and get the rear brake kit, because stopping power is much more important! :)

[fezzy]

I would say a Madforce and Dom would be very very close if the Dom had a 2-Speed.

[groovechampion9]

my brothers in the middle east 4 a few days...
he called up a few plces, and the models r dead cheap there, really cheap...
but they dont have hobao....
they r a proper thunder tiger agents... and they have the ek4's for dead cheap...
r the ek4's not that reliable???
they cant b that bad, and im fairly new 2 monster trucks, is there alot of maintaining work which would need 2 b done...

[fezzy]

Yes, a EK4 is about the worst truck you could ever get if your new. It comes with a .70 Helicopter engine, that puts out so much power that the diffs have been known to fail, the engine has had alot of trouble in the past, parts availability is terrible. It requires almost a 2 gallon break in period, think you could handle that?!

[groovechampion9]

alright i think i made up my mind now...
its down these:

kyosho mad force
and the
hobao dom

this is so hard...

the ek 4 is well outta the way, the tmaxx, seems 2 b expensive, meaning its just a 15, and the conversion kit seems expensive and unnessery...

mad force seems 2 b strong though... the dom doesnt seem 2 b roburst and strong... it looks a bit cheap,

[Figit090]

Originally posted by groovechampion9
hiya...
well basically my brother got a terra crusher...
and i want 2 get a new truck which could compete wit the tera crusher!!!
ive checked out a few:

thunder tiger ek4
hobo range, dom...
t maxx

is there anything else i should check out...
well i reakon the t maxx is almost perfect, apart from the lack of speed (15engine) but i hear their r alot of hop-ups available...
but very expensive... i hear 21 conversation kit is like £250 and + then engine, wouldnt it b cheaper just buying a terra crusher?
i like the hobo, but the pull-start puts me off big time, ive had bad experiences with them... and is there any way i can get some sort of transformation kit for an electric start for the hobo?


What's tha hobo?? I don't think i've ever heard of it.

please help me out!!!

i need to make a decision!!!!

thanks :confused:

[ALL4SNOW]

Get a terra-crusher then u can race each other and u get alot of spare parts with it!

[fezzy]

ALL4SNOW, Terra Crushers cost £500 here which is daylight robbery for a Monster Truck made entirely of plastic and is slow as a snail being pulled back.

Groove, I have a Dom and it by no means looks cheap... The parts are of great quality (Plastic and Aluminium) its also well known throughout the hobby that the MP is an incredibly tough truck, the Dom is exactly the same but stronger.... it has a new steel rod brace going directly to the front shock tower and the front and rear shock towers are both made from 4mm thick aluminium, i can tell you with confidence that its going to take a helluva beating.

The same may be said for the MF, At the momment they seem to be very strong but they are very new and even though they're strong from the box it may not reflect the same thing with abit of use, i hope they are though. They are certainly a superb truck but they will be very high priced here as will all the parts. I know this because Ripmax are the UK Kyosho Distributor... there service is just appauling and there prices just take the piss.....

[groovechampion9]

thanks fezzy...

well both the trucks (mf + dom) r 21 speed right?
both trucks have similar buid right, but 4 some reason i think the mf is a bit better?
wat about the shocks, servo's, reliabilibility?, suspension?
which 1 excells?
is the mf a 2 speed? if not how much would it cost 2 transform it 2 a 2speed, the same goes for the dom!!!

and once again, where should i buy these truck from, which site?
im on the u.k, although prices r kinda similar store by store, im not really bothered if i spend the extra £££... wat r the good places, and good website's which have the best info, pics, and the best advece they could give me...
and would u b expect 2 pay for these 2 trucks?

thanks alot... again, uve been a real big help!!!

[groovechampion9]

and wat about maintence?
remember im kinda new 2 this...

thanks god i crossed ek 4 outta the the list!!!
:rolleyes:

[fezzy]

Both the Dom and MF are .21 powered, the Dom is the single speed and the MF comes with a 3-Speed out of the box, it would cost £70 to get a 2-Speed for the Dom.... You wouldn't need anything else but the 2-Speed transmission.

In order of asked:

1. The shocks will both be ver good, the MF's shocks are from the MP5 i THINK and they are a very good shock, but then again so is the Dom's Hyper7 shocks.. they are large volume and very smooth.

2. Both the Dom and MF come without Servos but w/engine, at least thats what i THINK the MF will come like here, the Dom definetely doesn't come with servo's though but i think the MF will come with engine, without radio and as a kit that needs to be built, BUT the MF tyres are considerably larger than the Dom's so you will need a much better (and expensive) steering servo for it.

3. Reliability is something that cannot be commented on with the MF being so new, no one knows how reliable it will be but with all the rod's and links with the MF's suspension there are more fiddly things to go wrong where as the Dom is quite a simple but very strong and capable design.

4. The Suspensions are both very VERY different, there night and day difference infact. The MF uses a solid axel setup which gives awesome articulation for off-road but its only really of any use if your doing over incredibly rocky terrain (hence why there are alot of solid axel ladder chassis electric monster trucks, 'rock crawlers' this is a pretty neat feature and resembles a real monster truck but as far as it goes for handling i would of thought it'd make it quite unstable at high speeds but who knows. The Dom uses the more commonly used independant suspension which gives really very good dampening and will work great on any sort of terrain although it doesn't give as impressive articulation as the MF.

The MF is truely a great truck but then again so is the Dom, both for different reasons. Maybe something to consider is that the MF is really quite fast and pretty high maintenence i would of thought with all the rods and stuff for the solid axels where the Dom is alot simpler and more easy going and still very fast but not so fast as you can't control it (unless you get the 2-Speed which would make it as fast and as crazy as a madforce). I would also say the Hyper21 is a better engine than the GS21R which comes with the MF, the Hyper is very reliable, runs strong, very resiliant and is really a breeze to tune where with the GS21R i have heard it is quite slow, abit hard to tune right and runs hot.

As i said before, the UK is sadly lacking with online sites and i have not even seen the MF advertised in the UK... It maybe a few months off and it will probably be alot of money when it does come onto the UK market.

For the Dom you can get one for £315 w/Hyper21 and w/o Radio from DMS Racing (http://www.dms-racing.com) for a Madforce i would of thought your looking to pay about £400 at least but i would of though it'd be more about the £450-£500 mark for the kit w/engine and w/o radio, i would be really quite surprised if it was less than that. Then you will need radio which costs about £45 for the 'no frills' system but it will do the job, then you will need a better steering servo.. For the Dom a Hitec HS645 will be fine which costs about £35 or if you wish you can go for a Hitec HS5645 like I use with my Dom for £50, its more powerful, has better holding power and is Digital. For the MF though i would say the HS645 isn't good enough, the HS5645 is boarder line. What you really want with the MF is either a Hitec HS5945 for about £80 or a Sanwa ER-ZB servo (can't remember the name accurately, i can look it up if you require) wish you should expect to pay around £100 for. You will then needs some fuel (if you don't have any) £20, glowstart (if you don't have one already) £13, paint for the shell £6-£10 (depending on how many colours you choose to paint it) and i would also strongly recommend a 6v battery and a charger, i got a REALLY good 6v battery from a UK company, 6v 1700mah for £19 which is a brilliant deal, i am not sure if the MF would be able to accomodate the battery though as it is a custom size which just fits my Dom RX box, you'l also need a charger for your 6v which the cheapest i have found (and own) is about £20 which is for a eagle racing pocket charger.

[Skribble]

2. Both the Dom and MF come without Servos but w/engine, at least thats what i THINK the MF will come like here, the Dom definetely doesn't come with servo's though but i think the MF will come with engine, without radio and as a kit that needs to be built, BUT the MF tyres are considerably larger than the Dom's so you will need a much better (and expensive) steering servo for it. It doesn't come with a Servo, and the axles and 3-speed are already built from the factory.

3. Reliability is something that cannot be commented on with the MF being so new, no one knows how reliable it will be but with all the rod's and links with the MF's suspension there are more fiddly things to go wrong where as the Dom is quite a simple but very strong and capable design. So far the only things people are having problems with his the center dogbones popping out. This is either fixed with Universals or putting a small piece of fuel tubing in the drive cups so the dogbone sits evenly on both sides. Another thing is going over extreme jumps, when they land upside down they tweak the shelf where the engine sits on, but only a few have done this. Like, less then 3 from different MB. Last thing is the Suspension mounts. I know of only one person breaking this, where he dropped the truck straight down from a certain hieght. Under normal bashing circumstances, no one has broken one that I know of. People that own T-Maxx and also have the Mad Force say the Mad Force is a lot more durable. Maxx Traxx's Mad Force Forum. http://pub13.ezboard.com/fmaxximumtraxxasfrm94. Also, www.MadForce.net is currently open, but it's at Ultimate Traxxas or some right now. :)

[groovechampion9]

thanks again...
im a little dissapointed 2 hear that alot of assembling needs 2 b done when the truck is bought, like servo's and paintwork...
thats a serious put-off!!!
so wit the dom u just need 2 servo's right? its painted and comes wit a remote right?

and from wat i can understand from the mad force, it needs 2 b painted, get servo's, a remote needed...

and i think i still favour the mad force over the dom, cause i really like the kyosho range, they got the experience, not sure about the monster trucks department, but they have released other models (nitro crusher+megaforce) so im quitre confdent they know wat their doin...

and like i said, i wont b doin extreme jumps at all, ill just b riding wit my bro's terra crusher, in the park... thats it, like civilised people!!!
the modelsport website is really good, its so friendly, unlike that website u listed... r there any mo like modelsport which have details and pics!!! it doesnt mean i would buy of them, its just i wanna get info....

thanks

[fezzy]

HI, as i've said before.... the MF will come as a kit, unassembled, without radio equipment and without a painted bodyshell.

The Dom comes 80% assembled and pre-built with you needing to do a few things and its ready, doesn't come with radio and doesn't come with a pre-painted bodyshell. The Dom in the US is available as a RTR with Pre-painted shell but here its 80% pre built.

[Skribble]

Oh yeah, and the Mad Force can wheelie with the pull of a trigger. :) One reason I prefer kits over RTRs is you know how your car works. If something breaks or is wrong, most likely you will know where it's wrong or how to fix it. And I prefer painting my own body. We have several RTRs that race here(GS Storms, RC10 RTRs, etc) and see several of them with the same paint job is kind of dull. I like my things to be unique. :D The Mad Force is so easy to assemble. Here are some quotes from Maxx Traxx Mad Force users:

This is from Rasher201, he's a mod there.
First Kit I've built in over ten years! And It was simple, and fun!
For me, the most difficult part, (which really wasn't very difficult, I'm just really "****" about stuff like this..), was making sure that the gear "Mesh" on the 3 speed was absolutely perfect!

I learned early on with my T-maxx, when I kept sheering the teeth off the spur gear, after only a few runs with just a stock .15....

Eventually.... I finally figured out, that if you take the time to set the mesh, "just Perfect", they will hold AMAZING loads!

I have now got it down to science, and by doing this on my Maxx, I can get a plastic spur to last for months with a .21!

But again, that's just me! And other than that, it's a really simple build!

And as with ANY kit,
Just make sure you take the time to do everything right! Just follow the directions, do everything it says, and make sure you use Locktite anywhere the manual says to.

Do THAT, and you'll help ensure, Longer run times! and GREAT Reliabilty!
(less breakage, or parts coming loose, which = Longer fun time, and far less headaches!)

This is, one Tuff truck!

-Rash

Nitro Rulz, another MF user.
I thought it was pretty easy and diffently fun! For those who haven't been into the hobby long, you probally have been getting all RTR kits. Nothing wrong with those, especially when its a RC you want like the t-maxx and it is only avail. in RTR, but you really miss alot of fun and knowledge of the RC when you don't have to build it. I love to build them, that way you know the vehicle really well when it comes time to work on it. PLus when you build it yourself theres a sense of "hey I built that myself" its more personal!

[groovechampion9]

thats kinda true, u get that extra fulfillment...
but like a dumb *** like me, how long woulf it take me 2 build, lets say the mad force? excluding paintwork? and is it like the whole thing?, that needs 2 b build, r we talking like 8 hours worth?
and wat eqiptment would b needed 2 build, apart from the obvious screw drivers? do they come wit a tool kit?

and paint...
sounds like fun... actually.... i think!!!

[groovechampion9]

do any of u guys use msn messenger???
cause im always online, and i would like 2 leave messages here and there....
fezzy? skribble? its mo efficient...

so i wouldnt have 2 leave these dump posts!!!

[fezzy]

sure man

ashtuk@hotmail.com