Jump to content
Frog Jumper

My $5 Craigslist buy - Kyosho Raider

Recommended Posts

So after some trolling of my local Craigslist, I finally made the dive into Kyosho cars...

I found this:  https://jpegbay.com/gallery/007554421-1.html#1

After some clean up, the car is in very good shape with no broken parts.  The only bad was that the OG rear tires have flat spots...  I'm shopping for foam inserts to help correct this...

I also bought a ton of OG spares on EBAY one night when I had a few too many beers...  They were cheap and easy, like me when I've had too many beers...  

I also bought Kyosho Scorpion shocks (F and R) to replace the OG pogo-sticks...  Much better...

And I bought new bearings to replace the OG bushings...  I'm not sure why all kits don't include bearings???  Anyone???

IMO, its a beater car.  Kyosho's version of the Grasshopper.  Cheap and easy for beginners but nearly indestructible... 

It is a neat car and I'll get electrics for it so I can run it.  Why not?!?  So much potential bashing!!!

Terry

 

PS:  Are there any Kyosho Raider Jedi Masters out there that can help me upgrade this???  I notice that the the Rocky is very similar and share many of the same parts...  Guidance would be appreciated!!!  PM me!

 

 

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, great score! That is in really nice shape. I'm a fan of the Raider; at one point I had 5 of them (and now somehow have none). It's a great chassis, but it does have its limitations. The differential outdrive cups and the dogbones are weak spots. Tamiya outdrives (from a TA-xx or M-chassis or something) have the same splines, but I've never confirmed that they actually fit and work. Best advice: don't go crazy with the power. You don't have to, anyway; even with a 540, a Raider is good fun. It's the epitome of the "driving a slow car fast" experience.

Oh, and if you want to change the wheels and tires: I'd dive into the Kyosho re-re parts bin. Optima/Javelin/Turbo Optima wheels and tires will fit the rear, and Scorpion/Tomahawk/Beetle fronts will bolt right onto the front. (Or wait until the new Javelin re-re parts become available; those will fit too, front and rear.)

And yes, the Rocky is the same basic gearbox and suspension, but with a different chassis tub and (obviously) a front gearbox with a chain running to it. (And Rockies are weird, because the chain runs backwards.) You're unlikely to find a Rocky for a reasonable price; they didn't sell well, and some fragile spots (namely steering) meant that they didn't do well as bashers.

Good luck, and do be a little bit kind to it...

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, markbt73 said:

the Rocky is the same basic gearbox and suspension,

That clears up a mystery for me. I never saw many Kyoshos in the flesh back in the day. I always wondered why they made the Raider, a 2wd buggy, mid motor when all the rest were rear motor (well, IRS buggies anyway).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
16 hours ago, Frog Jumper said:

PS:  Are there any Kyosho Raider Jedi Masters out there that can help me upgrade this???

it was ahead of it's time really. back then we raced on loose dirt that demanded rear motor and 'longway' batteries for weight transfer. on today's indoor carpet tracks you'll outshine other vintage economy buggies.

put kyosho gold shocks, or any modern 4"rear/3"front shocks on her and stiffen up the articulation with ball-end turnbuckles everywhere. ball bearings are all 4x8 & 5x10mm IIRC. i forget the diff size.

if the shafts are worn from the previous owner running without bearings you can increase the diameter back up to stock with a drop of super thin super glue.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Super find for $5 wow!

The Raider was the cheap Kyosho 2WD basher chassis (plastic fantastic) to compete with the Tamiya Grasshopper and Hornets of the day, but it was technically superior in some ways.  The rear suspension was a step above the motor pod of the GH/Hornet chassis.  The shocks could be easily upgraded to Kyosho Golds, though it was probably overkill since the Raider wasn't really a competition car.  The gearbox is pretty bulletproof.

I would be careful with the stock servo saver.  The plastic "ring" spring piece that acts as the "saver" is probably brittle from age, so one smack by a front wheel into a corner or curb will probably snap it in half.  I've replaced the stock assembly one with the cheap Tamiya one (grey plastic #0115065) with success.  The way I did it in this pic is just one way it can be done.

IMG_4114_crop-1600.thumb.JPG.c188077e3d13033b681f3a980c3ba480.JPG

 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 8/28/2019 at 6:14 PM, BardsDirge said:

if the shafts are worn from the previous owner running without bearings you can increase the diameter back up to stock with a drop of super thin super glue.

Of all the Raider and Rocky junkers I've taken apart from eBay (10 or so total), I've yet to see any with worn shafts/axles and they all had the original metal bushings.  Maybe I've been lucky?  I always use bearings when rebuilding.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've had a few Raiders , great fun . I built a truck out of one with a King Blackfoot shell on it and a combo of Kyosho / Tamiya truck wheels on it

 

raider.jpg

P6100008.JPG

P6100003.JPG

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 8/27/2019 at 10:22 PM, Frog Jumper said:

 

And I bought new bearings to replace the OG bushings...  I'm not sure why all kits don't include bearings???  Anyone???

 

 

Water. If they included bearings in the beginner models, the manufacturers would have a lot of complaints from people who were starting out and didn't know to clean and oil bearings after hitting water.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought one a while back, too, and have been experimenting with upgrading some of the parts. Rear wheels and tyres are easy: any Kyosho or Tamiya hex-pattern wheels will fit the rears, so you have a multitude of choices for both 2" and 2.2" rims. Fronts are a little more limited due to the fact that Kyosho used different bearing sizes on their 2WD cars to Tamiya, but any rims from the rest of Kyosho's 2WD fleet should fit.

The rear driveshafts are useless, but are a straight swap for driveshafts from the Ultima. I bought an ONS set after getting the Raider in the post and they slot straight in. I can't remember the part number, but I think they were common to a lot of Kyosho models and should be relatively easy to source. Spare repro bodyshells for a reasonable amount are also available if yours is tatty.

Also be aware that the Raider was never gifted with a great amount of steering lock, so don't expect yours to turn on a dime. Should be fine for bashing, though.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just had a look through my spares and if you want to upgrade the driveshafts on the Raider, then a set of Kyosho OT-6/SM-73 dogbones will do it. I think they were common to the Optima, Mid, Ultima and a whole load of other models, so there should be plenty of them about and they might have been given other part numbers, too. Given they were so widely used, there wil almost certainly be other after-market manufacturers making their own versions, too.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sweet find!!!  So jealous.  My Turbo Raider is well used.... wish I had something in that kind of shape!  I will give you $10 for it! :D

I made a video of mine the other week but I ran out of memory like 2/3rds into the recording....

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...