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A-Baum

Blackfoot or super clod buster?

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So after getting back into the hobby and have purchased 2 buggy kits in the last year that me and my son enjoy, I am looking at a truck. I think I have it narrowed down to the Blackfoot 2016 or a Super Clod Buster.  

Blackfoot - This was the first kit I ever put together myself.  I got it for xmas when I was maybe 11-12 and I think I had it done the next day and was driving it. I have fond memories of this truck and I am very knowledgeable about this platform. HUGE nostalgic factor for me here. Not a great performer, but it's a fun car to drive around the yard and go over jumps and stuff. I do have a slight fear that it would be a shelf queen but more than likely I would drive it.  Can be had for $130 or so on sale. 

Clod Buster - I always drooled over the clod buster in the Tamiya catalogs. Always wanted it, never could afford it. I don't know anything about this platform other than it has 2 motors.  This would be itching a childhood scratch for me and I also think it would be a fun car to drive.  Can be had for around $215 on sale at the moment.  

I can afford either one now.  Just not sure which way to go...

 

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When I was in your situation 18 months ago I got the Blackfoot. Now I have both. Plus a dozen others :lol: :rolleyes: :ph34r:

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Yeah I fear this is getting out of hand, especially considering how inexpensive these are compared to my income now vs. their cost vs. my income/allowance back then.  How does the clod buster drive?  Is it fun or is it too slow?  How is the battery life with two motors?  I'd imagine half the runtime of a buggy?  

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Runtime not an issue with the right battery (or 2) I take the Clod for a walk in the park, drive it around like I’m walking the dog. Great fun! Get one :D

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Between the two, if you were only going to get one, I would go for the Clod. In stock form, it's just fast enough to be exciting, and bouncy manic fun. It's tougher than the Blackfoot, and less prone to rolling over, thanks to a bigger footprint and a lower center of gravity.

But if you wanted to make it not-so-stock, the sky is the limit. You can build an entire "Clod Buster" from aftermarket parts, with zero Tamiya parts in it. In fact, you could build a few, and they would be completely different from each other. That's how deep the aftermarket support is.

The run time isn't an issue, thanks to a modern electronic speed control and the fact that modern batteries are 2-3 times (or more) bigger capacity than what we had back then.

Get ball bearings right away, unless you want to build the gearboxes twice (you don't).

Shoot, now I want another Clod...

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Well I thought I found a steal on the super clod buster, and I did but it's from RC mart who has changed their shipping to the US to air parcel adding $90, so it's not such a deal anymore.  So the blackfoot is ~$180 and the super clod is ~$280.  I never liked the lunchox/MP.  No idea why, just never liked the platform.  

 

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I'd go with the nostalgic Blackfoot purchase in all honesty.

I have a clod and I have just started rebuilding a Monster Beetle, today in fact!

The clod is fun once a few basic mods have been made and then as others have said you can just go bonkers on the things. Full custom chassis and the like.

The Blackfoot you can just pretty much build and run, short of a few bearings here and there.

Not actually run my own ORV yet, but driven friends Monster Beetles and I find them a bit like an improved Lunchbox. 

Still goofy, still bouncy with a tendency to fall over now and then, but somehow more capable.

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Be sure to read up about Blackfoot gear box issues before you make your final decision.

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14 hours ago, 78Triumph said:

Monster Beetle! 

You win.  I'm going Monster Beetle. I remember the blackfoot body breaking early and often and MB bodies are a little more durable.  Plus I can always buy a BF body later if I want with some yellow wheels..  However within 4-6 months I will also be buying a super clod buster.  WIN!!  

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16 hours ago, Biz73 said:

Be sure to read up about Blackfoot gear box issues before you make your final decision.

Oh I remember them quite vividly.  Grinding noise stays in your head for 30 years.  I'll likely upgrade the gearbox significantly and do a slightly hopped motor.  Nothing too crazy.   

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Question:  Why, according to fasteddy bearing kits, does the monster beetle have more bearings than the blackfoot?  (12) of the 5x11x4 vs (8) in the blackfoot.

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5 minutes ago, A-Baum said:

Question:  Why, according to fasteddy bearing kits, does the monster beetle have more bearings than the blackfoot?  (12) of the 5x11x4 vs (8) in the blackfoot.

The BF only comes with 4 metal 1150 (5x11x4) Shielded bearings in the kit for the gearbox.
You also need 2x 850 (8x5x2.5) if you want to replace the metal bushes supplied in the kit in  gearbox.

The 8x 1150’s you need are 2 for each wheel to replace the plastic bushes. 
 

I’m not at home at the mo, and can’t for the life of me remember if the MB had any metal bearings in it? 

I would buy the bearing kit with most in as at worst you’ll have a few spare rather than be short. Just double check they come with 2x 850’s as well though. 
 

 

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I'm looking at the directions on Tamiya USA website, and under the parts list it looks identical.

Blackfoot: 2x BB6 'ball bearing'.  8x BB7 'plastic bearing'.  2x BB8 metal bearing which is the 8x5x2.5

Monster Beetle: 2x BB6 'ball bearing'. 8x BB7 plastic bushing. 2x BB8 metal bearing. 

Both show identical directions using the 4 ball bearings in the gearbox.  Then 6 bushings total for the wheels.  Front wheels get 2 bushings each.  So if anything, the Blackfoot bearing set is short, while the MB one has 2 extra?

EDIT: So there's two more BB7 plastic bushings that go inside the rear plastic housing for the axles. So that's 12.  Now the question is why is the FastEddy bearing set short on bearings for the blackfoot.  Interesting.  Maybe they aren't replacing the 2 metal bearings that come with the kit, but they decided to on the MB.  Weird. 

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For both the BF and MB, you’ll need 10x 1150 bearings and 2x 850 bearings. 

The 2x 850s go on the Spur gear. 2x of the 1150s go on the drive shafts inside the Tranny. The other 8x support the wheel axles. 

Terry

 

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The BF and MB are the same car, for all intents and purposes. 

Terry

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7 minutes ago, Frog Jumper said:

The BF and MB are the same car, for all intents and purposes. 

Terry

Right which is why it's odd that the bearing kits are different.  The BF kit has 4 fewer bearings than the MB kit.  And the wheels in total need 6 bearing. 2 for the rear, 4 for the front.

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Yeah I'm just going to order the FastEddy kit.  Now I just need to wait for Tower Hobbies to get the Monster Beetle (red) back in stock.  They have the black edition but I think I'll wait for the original as their site says "mid april" for restocking.

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lol.  MB for now.  In a couple months I'll grab a super clod buster. So yeah...

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You could spend $40 and get yourself 100 bearings of various kinds. 

(If you order them by their sizes like 5x11x4mm or 5x8x2.5mm, you can get 10 bearings for about $3.5)

You'll end up using them anyway.   

Everybody thinks "I won't need that many bearings" at the beginning.  That's the denial stage.  

I'm at the acceptance stage... 

Q3gE9xS.jpg

 

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Nice!  If only I had my "assorted stuff" bin that I had when I was younger and doing this.  Had everything in it.  Bearings, gears, tools, body pins, grease, anything you'd ever need.  

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Juggs is right. Get the 2x 850s and a boat load of 1150s. You”ll use them all. Eventually the ones for your wheels will get dirty and worn and you’ll have replacements. 

And I would trust TC members before Fast Eddy  IMO the only thing that Fast Eddy wants is a fast buck  

Terry

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