Best Nitro Monster

Which is the best nitro monster truck in the $300-$600 range.

Go for the T-maxx and with the extra cash buy every aluminum part on earth made for T-maxx plus a new engine if you want. Or get a ofna montster pirate but I still like my T-maxx better.

I like my Monster Pirate. Although I have more than $600 invested in mine, I'm sure you can get one running for close to around $600.
About $400 for the truck and Ofna/Picco pullstart engine.
About $120 for a budget FM radio.
Then all you would need is the same support equipment that you would need for any nitro.
Good luck and have fun with what ever you buy.

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Some people say the cup is half full.
Some people say the cup is half empty.
I say the cup is twice as big as it needs to be.

I have owned the T-Maxx and the MP. I have seen all the other nitro powered models out there and I would rate them as follows:

1) Monster Pirate
2) Monster Blazer
2) Nitro Quake
3) T-Maxx
4) USA-1

I have been extremely pleased with the size, power, handling, and durability of the MP! It is soooo rugged. The only problem people have been having is with the diff cases. They stretch open under load and break off some teeth on the ring gear. Ofna has the new replacement parts in this week. Send em in and they will replace.

This is not a "buggy with big wheels." If people who say that do their homework they would retract those statements. The chassis is from the Pirate EP kit but 90% of the kit is completely new design. Read the RC Car Action review. They will tell you the same thing and I trust their judgement!

I would never ever put a T-Cracks over a USA-1, or what ever you call those little trucks!


If you can't beat'em, just stay in the back.

With the right setup($$$ Cha Ching$$$) you can get the T-Maxx to perform like a 1/8 scale! Mine did.

But you may be right. I have to remember that the a stock T-Maxx is pretty lame compared to the USA-1. But I am not real impressed with the USA-1. Strange design and a little out dated.

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Hammer Down and Don't Let Up Till Something Breaks!!!!!

My rating would have to be
1. monster pirate
2. monster blazer
3. T-Maxx (hopped up)
4. Quake
5. USA-1

How do you guys figure a Monster pirate is better than a Blazer? I thought I would give you guys a chance to defend yourselvs before I went off

That is a tuff answer. I have never owned one. But I have witnessed their stock performance and thoroghly inspected one on the bench.

Here are my observations and opinions:

1) MB-under sized spur/clutch bell arrangement(bad ratio for monster truck, good for speed)
2) MB-Dual brakes(MP has enormous single brake disk-provides increadible leverage)
3) MP-heavy duty bracing front/rear
4) MP-shorter wheelbase(tighter turns)
5) MP-planetary diff gears(more suitable for monster trucks)
6) MP-Helical-cut gears in ring & pinion.(very tuff)

Now, as far as performance top speed goes to the MB while acceleration goes to the MP. Handling is pretty close except for turning ability. Durability will probably go with the MP now that the diff case issue has been fixed. But that is a matter of time.

It may be a toss up here though. The Monster Blazer is pretty awesome. I guess it depends on whether you want speed or lots of grunt(MP).

What is your take on that comparison? I really like both kits and am partial because I own the MP. But if I didn't I would certainly pick the MB next!



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Hammer Down and Don't Let Up Till Something Breaks!!!!!

T-Maxx with an OS CVX Hyper, and it'll rock!

Nothin like it! The pirate and blazet are cool but they're just biggies with big tires. The quake isn't in the same league.


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Shane
Project MadMaXX
www.4x4LA.com/madmaxx/

OH I SEE! The list is posted backwards! Number 1 being worst and #5 being the best.Wow I knew that my USA-1 was about the best truck that money could buy. I know that those other truck makers sell lots of spare parts, and hop ups, to those other brands because their parts are always breaking. That is the reason for hop ups right? To replace original parts with a stronger part that should of been inculded in the kit to begin with.Wow what a way to make money! I am glad my USA-1 wasn't made like that!I sure am glad that I wasn't miss led when I went to buy it by getting one of those high priced kits that cannot retain the name,King of Monster Trucks, as my USA-1 has for all these years.....nuff said

My rating would have to be
1 . Monster Pirate
2 . Nitro Quake
3 . Monster Blazer
4 . USA - 1
5 . T - Maxx

than u obvisuly ( sp ?) never drove a t - maxx ...... i bet no one here has all the trucks listed ... it doesn ' t matter if u drove ur friend USA 1 and didn ' t like ..... have u trshed it , jumped it , beat it , and then take it home and see how the truck is ....

Dude get a maxx ! It ' s quick , but stock it may not be as fast as the others !

But you cram a picco . 15 , os , 15 cvx or even a . 21 and it will have the same or faster speed ! Plus the T - Maxx has the best suspension out of all of them ! And look how many hop ups are available for it and I don ' t think it ' s even been a year since it was introduced ! That ' s a lot of progress !

It ' s your decision , but I hope you pick the maxx !

Really guys ... I have seen T - Max that were only a week old and they looked as if the owners had had them for 15 years , they looked so bad . All busted up and trashed out .
And why spend good money to get a truck and then spend more money to make it something that it is not ?
Point being is this ... If you bought a brand new VW , and strapped in a jet air plane engine , you could claim " oh VW makes the fastest little cars in the world . They are the best at top speed !" Come on guys , if you are going to compare apples to apples , then compare apples to apples . Not apples to watermelons . I would rate them as follows .....
# 1 . USA - 1

.... Did I foget to mention any others ?...: D : D

[This message has been edited by cgris1 (edited 09-04-2000).]

QUAKE

Ok , like I said I have owned a totally hopped up T - Maxx and on it ' s best day it would get lapped by my MP . I really mean lapped !

If any of you T - Maxx owners think your kit is faster than a stock MP with even a low priced . 21 like a OS RG or Picco Sport then I say you have been sniffing to much nitro !

The T - Maxx is a kit guaranteed to need a better engine as soon as you open the box . Well , guess what . There goes your $ savings . So you put in the Picco or Os and go run your truck over the terrain that a MP or Quake of USA - 1 would tear up . You ' ll find it flipping over , bouncing around and breaking parts .

Sorry , but the best Monster Truck kits are currently all 1 / 8 scale . But above them all is the Monster Pirate !

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Hammer Down and Don ' t Let Up Till Something Breaks !!!!!

[This message has been edited by NitroMan (edited 09-04-2000).]

Hey Nito_Man ,.... It ' s hard to be humble ... right . If it can ' t run with the big dogs .. leave it with the kittens to play with !
Naw really folks it just depends on how much money you want to spend and where you want to spend it . Myself I have not had any problems from my USA - 1 , at all . It has been a great truck and I have had alot of fun with it . No break downs other than reg . maint . that is required as with all trucks . I have been lookin at an MP . They seem to be a really great truck for the buck . But I can say that I really enjoy the 2 USA - 1 ' s that I own . They also are very tough trucks . If I were going to purchase a new one it would be one of the two , MP , or USA - 1 ! They rule ! : D

[This message has been edited by cgris1 (edited 09-04-2000).]

The T - MAXX may need a better engine , but it is still teh BEST truck on the market , in any scale ! All of those 1 / 8 scale " Monsters " that are based on a buggy just don ' t cut it . I ' m curious to see what you guys say if Traxxas comes out with a 1 / 8 scale T - Maxx . I can your your USA - 1 cowering in the corner now . Have you guys compared a T to these other truck and noticed how much the T - MAXX is built like a truck ? More ground clearance under each diff , front and rear . Higher center point in chassis , less scraping on the rocks and you don ' t " Chassis out " AND THERE ' S TONS OF AFTERMARKET SUPPORT !!!!

How much stuff is out for that 10 year old USA - 1 ?

Get a MAXX , you won ' t be disappointed .

Im not going to argue with no one I love all five of the monsters listed but I just like the MP better .

Traxxas already has a 1/8 truck the T-maxx. Traxxas just labeled it 1/10 scale. Quake length 19.7 T-maxx 19.1
Hardly a difference. Either the Quake should be 1/10 scale or the T-maxx 1/8 scale.
If the T-maxx is so great why do 85-90% of it owners replace all the plastic parts with metal ones and get a new engine. A Great truck doesnt need hop-ups to make it better. Traxxas just wants more money from after-market parts. Im glad I changed my mind and didnt get one.

Good point QuakeNShake. I haven't had to add any skid plates, lower braces, or aluminum this or that to my MP. I find the OS .21 RG Sport that cost me 129.99 fast enough so I won't be changing that motor very soon.(40+ mph)

That is alot cheaper than those overpriced .15 that everyone is putting in their T. Yeah, you can hop up MP, Quake, USA with torsen diffs, steering bearings, and few other things but there are not alot of things that need hop ups!

And you know, my MP cost 259.99!! I put the RG Sport in for 129.99. That is 390.00 and all that I needed was a radio system. I already had the Airtonics M8 so I put the 94358 & 94357 servos in and I am in total control. But, $60.00 could get you a decent system and another $40.00 for a high torque servo. All in all ~$500.00 for the awesome Monster Pirate setup!!

Now the T-Maxx cost ~$379.99. As soon as the TRX .15 goes you will have to add another ~$150.00 for a decent mill. That puts your T-Maxx setup at $530.00.

Now, go and race those two head to head and then tell me that the T-Maxx is better. I simply don't understand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been down that road on both sides(own T & MP) and there is no sense in it. Why do T-Maxx owners argue it?


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Hammer Down and Don't Let Up Till Something Breaks!!!!!

Oh well it's hard to give people money, and it's real easy to take it...By the way that fellow who tried to slam that 10 year old USA-1....you don't see that many hop ups for it cause day don't need um! Read up at some of my replies,all of those add ons are to make someone some money cause chances are the truck has cheap made factory parts on it to begin with!Like I said before,USA-1,or an MP. Life don't get no better!LOL!

i own a T and a MB.. to tell ya the truth.. ofcourse this is my opinion.. the T ran circles around the MB as far as handling goes! the MB left the T sitting at the starting line racing head to head. (hard to belive with much larger tires) the T is very "flipable" until you stiffen the shocks up. the MB does have a clutch problem... the T has engine problems..(trinity fixed those) but as far as all out construction.. the MB has much better chassis support an stabilization.. USA-1 never drove one or even seen one drove so i dunno bout it.. Nitro Quake.. only good for selling in my opinion.. MP - no comment until after i own one!

People who add those aluminum and titanium parts to their T's are doing so 'cause they are pounding on them. You guys can bash Traxxas all you want, but fact is that the R/C industry was turned upside down as far a monster trucks go when the T-MAXX came out. Not since the Clodbuster has an R/C monster truck caused such an uproar. and over ten years later, the Clod is still one of the best electric monster trucks out there. Now with the E-MAXX on the waay, expect to see the same amount of excitement when it's released.

Labeling a single vehicle as "The best Monster Truck" just won't happen. Everyone has their own opinions, and each truck has it's own strenghts and weaknesses. It's a trade-off as to what you want.

Personally, I like the T-MAXX so much, that I'm buying a second one to put a O.S. 4-stroke in. Not because it needs another engine, but because this is a hobby, and I'm going to have fun!