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toyolien

Super Hotshot vs Hotshot

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I've been hankering after a 4wd buggy for a bit and having looked at the options (inc Bigwig and Terra Scorcher) I'd decided to get the one i like the look of the most. The Super Hotshot. It's not going to be a racer,  just a park runner with a few friends running Wild Ones and Frogs etc...

However, just before I order one I spotted on eBay someone selling a 4 shock conversion for the regular Hotshot. So, I just wondered which would be the better option, which is likely to have the better spares back up in the future (this will be my main runner), and are there any parts I should get as spares if either have particular weaknesses?

Which ever one i go with will be run with a 25t GT Tuned motor and either a nimh or 2s.

So, Super Hotshot, or Hotshot with shock conversion???

Here's the conversion i spotted:

s-l500.jpg

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As far as spare parts goes, the bulk of both buggies use the same hardware. The chassis, rollcage, suspension arms, knuckles, prop shaft, gearboxes and internals are all the same between the two. Obviously the body, wheels and tires are different. The four shocks on the Super Hot Shot are the main difference between the two. A four shock converted HS will handle much the same as a stock SHS. Other details the SHS has over the HS include the GT motor, an underguard that runs the length of the chassis underneath and full bearings in the kit. 

Both buggies have been out for some time so spares isn't much of an issue. Of all the rereleased HS series buggies (Hot Shot, Super Hot Shot, Boomerang, Bigwig) these two share the most components by far. I find them pretty rugged and tolerate roll overs pretty well with the rollcage. You can leave the clips off the rear wing (it stays on just fine without them) and the wing will detach in a rollover, sparing it from serious harm. 

I can go further in-depth if need-be, but I wouldn't say there's a particular part (like the Terra Scorcher A5) that is overly prone to breaking. If you were really paranoid like myself and wanted to stock up on spares, grab some spare gearcases, arms and knuckles. These are the items that take the most beatings in bad offset collisions where one front wheel clips a stationary object at high speed. That doesn't mean they're fragile, just vulnerable like any open wheel buggy in such situations. If using the stock screw pins to affix the arms, I usually heat them up a little bit first to relieve some of the stress of them going into the hard plastic arms and prevent future stress cracks. I have some little tricks here and there I've put into my Super BoomerHotshoterang which is a bit of a amalgam of the early 4wds.

 

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That is absolutely brilliant, thanks. I was a little concerned that they were due to be discontinued as they've been out a while, but they seem (particularly the Hotshot) to keep on selling. You post answer ALL my questions, so i can carry on now and pop some items into my basket. Thank you.

As for spares, it was really stocking a few parts that are prone to breaking in a crash. Good to know there isn't really a inherent weakness.

Are there any 'hop ups' that you would suggest? I'm not really concerned about MIP diffs, more about whether CVD's are needed, that sort of thing?

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Yeah, I've never had an issue with the stock diffs. CVDs aren't a bad upgrade, but I've never needed to use them. I suppose if I found some high quality ones that fit well and I had some extra cash burning a hole in my pocket, I'd try 'em. I'm debating about adding alloy knuckles. I broke one randomly where the steering ballstud screws in but that might have been just a fluke. I'm also thinking about going all-out with a fiberglass chassis from Factory Works but I do like the protection the factory one offers. 

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Spot on thanks. Think I'll go with the SHS, as I love the look of it. Really appreciate your help.

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I think I need to get the hex hubs, those wheels and tires and the purty gold shocks!

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The gold kit wheels of the SHS will chip very easily if used, be worthwhile considering using an alternative for running. Replace the standard triangle wheels hubs with Hexes and your options open right up with rubber choices too

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On 4/25/2020 at 11:35 AM, toyolien said:

I've been hankering after a 4wd buggy for a bit and having looked at the options (inc Bigwig and Terra Scorcher) I'd decided to get the one i like the look of the most. The Super Hotshot. It's not going to be a racer,  just a park runner with a few friends running Wild Ones and Frogs etc...

However, just before I order one I spotted on eBay someone selling a 4 shock conversion for the regular Hotshot. So, I just wondered which would be the better option, which is likely to have the better spares back up in the future (this will be my main runner), and are there any parts I should get as spares if either have particular weaknesses?

Which ever one i go with will be run with a 25t GT Tuned motor and either a nimh or 2s.

So, Super Hotshot, or Hotshot with shock conversion???

Here's the conversion i spotted:

s-l500.jpg

this still available? im also considering hotshot vs super hotshot. I want 4 shocks but not the yellow ones. 

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I haven't bought a Super Hotshot yet. I just spotted it on eBay.

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23 minutes ago, rwordenjr said:

thanks, no front version? and have you heard of what shocks can work besides the stock yellow on the super hotshot?

Tamiya DF03 alloy shocks 53926 fit. 

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3 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Tamiya DF03 alloy shocks 53926 fit. 

Thank you TDC! Do you know of any that fit that are black damper ?

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6 hours ago, rwordenjr said:

Thank you TDC! Do you know of any that fit that are black damper ?

I think Gmade might be your only option there. You need 105mm rear shocks and 80mm front. It's a bit of an odd pair of sizes. You make the fronts on the DF03 set (which are 75mm) by swapping the short eyelet for the long eyelet to screw onto the piston rod. If gmade don't come with that option then get a 75mm shock and use tamiya CVA long eyelets on the ends instead of the gmade part and it should work. Personally i am a bigger fan of using Big Wig front arms and shock mounts for the twin shock front end of the hotshot series. It works better than the supershot solution. 

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1 minute ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

I think Gmade might be your only option there. You need 105mm rear shocks and 80mm front. It's a bit of an odd pair of sizes. You make the fronts on the DF03 set (which are 75mm) by swapping the short eyelet for the long eyelet to screw onto the piston rod. If gmade don't come with that option then get a 75mm shock and use tamiya CVA long eyelets on the ends instead of the gmade part and it should work. Personally i am a bigger fan of using Big Wig front arms and shock mounts for the twin shock front end of the hotshot series. It works better than the supershot solution. 

crap, I followed a thread on here from a few years back and just ordered the same gmade ones they got... the 75mm front and 93mm rear. this thread 

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/82432-hotshot-build-with-hop-ups/

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1 minute ago, rwordenjr said:

crap, I followed a thread on here from a few years back and just ordered the same gmade ones they got... the 75mm front and 93mm rear. this thread 

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/82432-hotshot-build-with-hop-ups/

That might well be the right length. It's certainly a more standard option. Either that or they put long eyelets on the ends of all the shocks, or ran lower ride height. My experience of this chassis series is from a boomerang, which has 105mm rear shocks, and the bigwig front end which is 80mm. I thought thry were the same as the supershot, but i don't know for sure. I would post up a specific thread in the rerelease forum. 

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2 minutes ago, rwordenjr said:

crap, I followed a thread on here from a few years back and just ordered the same gmade ones they got... the 75mm front and 93mm rear. this thread 

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/82432-hotshot-build-with-hop-ups/

I think they used a RC Channel rear shock tower , that would be the variance in length

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Just now, Snappy1 said:

I think they used a RC Channel rear shock tower , that would be the variance in length

Just checked the build thread, @Snappy1is right, alex didn't use tamiya parts. 

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5 minutes ago, rwordenjr said:

Awww crap :o

I would drill a second slightly more inward shock mount hole in the rear tower, a bit lower, it should help.

Or you could get a RC Channel rear tower too

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3 minutes ago, Snappy1 said:

I would drill a second slightly more inward shock mount hole in the rear tower, a bit lower, it should help.

Or you could get a RC Channel rear tower too

Thanks. I can’t seem to find one of those (rc channel rear tower) so my options are new hole in tower like you said or cancel my order of the shocks and get proper length. I’ve asked a member who has a super hot shot to get me accurate measurements of the front and rear 

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9 minutes ago, Snappy1 said:

I would drill a second slightly more inward shock mount hole in the rear tower, a bit lower, it should help.

Or you could get a RC Channel rear tower too

of the gmade shocks I want, the alternative lengths are 85mm for the front and 113 for the rear. I currently ordered 75mm front and 93mm rear

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1 minute ago, rwordenjr said:

of the gmade shocks I want, the alternative lengths are 85mm for the front and 113 for the rear. I currently ordered 75mm front and 93mm rear

I just measured my vintage and re re Supershots, they are both 100mm

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I've found a thread from 2016 where the person says the rere super shot is 78mm front, 98mm rear. Who knows how people are measuring them though and how accurate that is 

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