Traxxas or HPI Short Course Trucks

[tizeye]

As I've mentioned in another thread we are looking at building an offroad track inside of a building owned by the local hobby shop. We want to buy about 6-10 short course trucks and hire them out on a per race basis. Hopefully it will get kids interested enough to want to buy their own trucks, mod them, and get into the hobby. So in a hire situation which brand of truck is going to take the punishment the best. I've been reading that the Slash has a few weak spots in the hub carriers and with the shocks poping their end caps...I've also heard that the HPI Blitz is made of stronger nylon than the Traxxas truck and can take more knocks...so guys what do you think is the best option.? or is there an alternative brand that I don't know of that can take the abuse?

What I like about the Traxxas is the pro/novice switch, that has all sorts of advantages in a hire situation..Ok guys let me have it!!!!!

[purpletimbo]

I would say Slash all the way, spares alone make them the choice for things that might get abused, although they seem to take enormous amounts without stress.

[Incredible_Serious]

Pete,

This may give you some ideas..... http://www.sideways.com.au/ ... this is the indoor venue here in Melbourne, where we had our Vintage Enduro shifted to last November. They run Slashes there... maybe you and Ju should come over for a "business trip" and check it out.....

Alex

[tizeye]

Hey thanks Alex that's exactly what we want to do...

[Diggley]

For overall value & aftermarket support, I'd get the Slash.

Watch any Youtube video with these trucks getting bashed. They seem to be nearly indestuctible.

When I saw these things taking on skate park jumps 10-15+ feet jumps and not breaking...that sold it for me!

The HPI looks like a well thought out & quality truck, but I've watched it get beat by Slashes at our local hobby shop.

I'd pass on Associated's SC10. (potato chip quality plastic chassis, easily stripped rear wheel hubs..& dog bone axles)..are you kidding? this is 2010!

[civilguy]

There's a local track here that rents the Slash. They have birthday parties and the kids just bash them the whole time. If you are thinking of renting them out, there is only one choice. Good luck with the new track and building. That looks like a lot of work, but tons of fun!

[Incredible_Serious]

maybe you and Ju should come over for a "business trip" and check it out.....

Hey thanks Alex that's exactly what we want to do...

Cool, mate.... I'll have a beer ready for when you guys make the trip....



Alex

[tamiya]

Pete,

This may give you some ideas..... http://www.sideways.com.au/ ... this is the indoor venue here in Melbourne, where we had our Vintage Enduro shifted to last November. They run Slashes there... maybe you and Ju should come over for a "business trip" and check it out.....

Alex

good luck trying to find that place open they're not open weekdays and whilst their website
says they're open "weekends, school & public holidays", that's seldom the case either
Maybe ya gotta go book a kiddie party to make them open up!
Definitely nobody there y'day Sunday @ noon.

[tamiya]

... . We want to buy about 6-10 short course trucks and hire them out on a per race basis.
... So in a hire situation which brand of truck is going to take the punishment the best. I've been reading that the Slash has a few weak spots in the hub carriers and with the shocks poping their end caps...I've also heard that the HPI Blitz is made of stronger nylon than the Traxxas truck and can take more knocks...so guys what do you think is the best option.? or is there an alternative brand that I don't know of that can take the abuse?
...What I like about the Traxxas is the pro/novice switch, that has all sorts of advantages in a hire situation..

Blitz is a relative newcomer to the field and although last 2-3 mths' user reports sounding very tough,
it really hasn't been out there in the market all that long.

Other problem is that its sold RTR with the SC-15 ESC which is neither waterproof or lipo cutoff equipped.
RX is also exposed; both of which make it rather vulnerable to moisture anywhere (=mud).
Weatherproof electronics are always tougher imho.


Slash otoh... is proving unbreakable (let's just say i've been doing some research )

Comes stock with XL5 ESC (waterproof, 7c capable, 3 modes incl training 50%) and RX in a sealed box.
Titan 12T 550 motor is no slouch; if you replace that with stock 540s it'll run forever.


Sideways has a deal with Traxxas importer Southern Hobbies so maybe there's some
sweetener involved but even so, its a pretty good truck for any Hertz fleet.
If there's no trouble getting supply & parts from the kiwi distributor, go Slash.

Sideways have upgraded whole fleet to run Spektrum radios (no freq clash) and
Velineon brushless (lower maintenance); all run on 7.2V NiMH packs on non-Traxxas plugs.
For kiddies they simply turn down the ATV on the TX to 50%... just program 2 model profiles

Failures so far are mainly popping the caps off the shocks - they have a crazy skijump arena btw.
Solved by topping the plastic shocks with the option alloy caps. Shocktower screws undo themselves;
they've been supergluing them in but i've suggested to them to replace each pair of screws
(shock + bodymount has 1 screw each) with single longer screw and use a nyloc nut instead.

Servosaver gets loose & sloppy after a few hits, they just replace with std stock spare.

They're running stock gearcase covers if you don't mind cleaning out every so often;
swap to RPM cover if you want to avoid the silly gap which lets crud in.

[tamiya]

oh and the Blitz only has a HPI SF1 servo (aka Futaba S3003)

Slash's 2075 is pretty beefy & quick, definitely not a stock jobbie. And its waterproof too.

Hex screws all round too, which is impressive for an RTR.

[markt311]

I'd pass on Associated's SC10. (potato chip quality plastic chassis, easily stripped rear wheel hubs..& dog bone axles)..are you kidding? this is 2010!

The HPI comes with dog bones too

[Brandon G]

oh and the Blitz only has a HPI SF1 servo (aka Futaba S3003)

Slash's 2075 is pretty beefy & quick, definitely not a stock jobbie. And its waterproof too.

Hex screws all round too, which is impressive for an RTR.

Slash ESC has no lipo cutoff either. And I'd say the stock servo is far from quick.

Blitz is also equipped with hex hardware.

If you are going to race, get a Blitz. If you are going to bash or just need a tough rental, get the Slash.