Reviews

Scalers are well, scale. So when modelers are looking to create the ultimate scale machine for off-road adventures they want licensed gear to not only play the part but to deliver on performance. RC4WD, an off-road scale truck authority, partnered up with King Shocks and now offers scale replicas of these awesome dampers.

Whether you call them scalers or trail trucks, the full-scale replica world of RC is filled with skill and creativity that will amaze any RC fanatic. Modelers continually strive to build and detail trucks in their own unique ways from beat-up old trucks to highly detailed showpieces.

Using an engine heater is quickly becoming the norm on the nitro racing scene. By preheating your engine before start-up and runs, you allow the engine to start easier with less wear and tear. It also allows you to get the engine to proper running temperatures at the beginning of the race rather than later so tuning is also easy.

Novarossi set out to manufacture a well-balanced, high performance clutch and the result is what you see here. The four-shoe clutch has a balanced flywheel with four hardened steel pins to support the included aluminum and carbon friction material shoes.

It wasn’t too long ago when electric 1/8-scale buggies were almost all homemade creations and the few RTR’s that were out there were super expensive and generally unreliable. The ECX Revenge Type E is a true example of how far technology has advanced in the RC world.

One of my favorite 1/10-scale classes is 4WD buggy. These little ground-level fighter jets can turn almost any track into a fun-filled playground, carving corners and flying high over triple jumps.

When Horizon Hobby first launched its Vaterra product line of realistic, scale, licensed cars they hit the ground running with a garage full of imports and first-gen Camaros. For those of the Blue Oval persuasion there wasn’t much to get excited about; and then—BAM—Vaterra knocks one clear out of the park

Pickup truck body, a potent powerplant, four giant tires and plenty of ground clearance for go-anywhere ability are the main characteristics that make a monster truck a monster truck. In my opinion, this makes RC versions of these rigs a great vehicle for bashing and for someone just starting out.

In the grand scheme of things, 1/8-scale truggy platforms are the beasts of RC, combining speed and power in a nimble package that is primed to conquer any race course or bash area.

Tekin has pushed ESC development in racing ever since the early 90’s. I remember those gold anodized heat- sinks coming out of the top of my 411G2 and loving how smooth, efficient and programmable Tekin gear always was.

I don’t care what vehicle you currently drive, just about anyone will admit that Traxxas has gotten a ton of people into the hobby in recent years. As such you have an influx of people getting into the hobby who …

Let’s face it; our industry has been overrun with Short Course trucks. Why is that, you might ask? I chalk it up to a few different rea- sons; they’re modeled after an exciting full size racing class where contact and flying parts are common on every lap. They’re pretty durable as well and have large bodies that help protect the suspension and chassis mounted parts.

Graupner is back! Graupner is a company from Germany who are well known throughout Europe for their superb quality products. They are starting to become more well known in the American market thanks to Open Hobby who picked up the American distribution.

Duratrax now offers one of the most affordable, easy-to-use chargers on the market, making it the perfect upgrade to any basic RTR charger, or a nice backup to throw in your bag and not worry about.

After Traxxas introduced the LaTrax line of surface vehicles with the Rally we all knew other vehicles would follow. There are now three 1/18-scale entry-level LaTrax RTRs to choose from: The Rally, the Teton MT and now the SST to take care of the stadium truck/short course fans.