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BOARDRIDER

Which Tamiya Monster Truck for my son?

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I'm going around in circles with which one to get him, firstly it has to be Tamiya as he has a Mad Bull and he won't hear of another make, secondly his Madbull has taken a beating so the truck will need to be tough with spares readily available!

Really we're looking for something like a Mad Bull but with more ground clearance and a truck body (we've been watching the Fall Guy and he want's the Fall Guy Truck Paint job - don't ask ;) )

Here's where I'm at, please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this:

  • Original Blackfoot/Monster Beetle - dodgy gearbox and probably too collectable and fragile now for an 8 year old.
  • Bush Devil/Super Blackfoot - I have a Bush Devil and can't get an F1 or F2 part anywhere and it broke very easily so ruling them out although if there were spares around it would be perfect.
  • WR-02 Chassis, too slow; if it won't do donuts he won't want to know so I guess it has to be 2wd.
  • Midnight Pumpkin too mental, spends more time upside down than on the wheels and steering impossible when the front wheels are always in the air!

So as far as I can tell that leaves me with either a re-issue Blackfoot or a WT-01 based truck?

Am I missing any others that I should look at? Are either of those not a good idea for any reason?

Does anyone have of a list of all the WT-01 based trucks? Blackfoot Xtreme, Bush Devil 2, Mud Blaster 2 any others?

By the way I'm not knocking any on the reject list - I own a Wild WIlly 2, Bush Devil and a Double Blaze - so I do love them in their own ways, I just know they're not right for him.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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re-re blackfoot has the same issues as the original in this case.

I think the Aqroshot fits the bill but is a truggy like his existing car. Blitzer beetle maybe?

If it has to be Tamiya I think I'd look at a buggy like the dark impact / plasma edge II so that he actually has a car thats different.

I suppose you could look at a WR-01 chassis car (all out of production I think?) but may not be quick enough.

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4 minutes ago, Mark_C said:

re-re blackfoot has the same issues as the original in this case.

I think the Aqroshot fits the bill but is a truggy like his existing car. Blitzer beetle maybe?

If it has to be Tamiya I think I'd look at a buggy like the dark impact / plasma edge II so that he actually has a car thats different.

I suppose you could look at a WR-01 chassis car (all out of production I think?) but may not be quick enough.

I thought they'd fixed the re-release Blackfoot but in that case that's probably out as well then! Is the gearbox still an issue? Is it bad enough to have to avoid it?

Main things he's after are big tyres and ground clearance and it has to take a truck body. Even the Mad Bull gets stuck in long grass so it can't be a buggy. 

4WD would help but he finds my Boomerang boring because it goes where you point it :)

Definitely no twin motor set up either, too slow and complicated.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Pinoy808 said:

The Stadium Blitzer might work

I like them! If it could be jacked up a bit and take some balloon tyres it would be an option. I had a quick Google and they all seem to be stock ride height and fairly low profile wheels. Not enough of a monster truck as they come so it wouldn't work for him unfortunately.

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23 minutes ago, BOARDRIDER said:

Thanks! I forgot about the Blackfoot 3! That would be spot on!

I'll do some research on that.  Hopefully they don't cost a fortune and there are still some spares around...

The WT-01 sounds like it should fit the bill nicely. It will be somewhat better behaved than the Mad Bull, but not to the point of being boring, and work well off-road. 

 

 

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18 minutes ago, BOARDRIDER said:

I thought they'd fixed the re-release Blackfoot but in that case that's probably out as well then! Is the gearbox still an issue? Is it bad enough to have to avoid it?

Main things he's after are big tyres and ground clearance and it has to take a truck body. Even the Mad Bull gets stuck in long grass so it can't be a buggy. 

4WD would help but he finds my Boomerang boring because it goes where you point it :)

Definitely no twin motor set up either, too slow and complicated.

 

 

Monster beetle and blackfoot only have a slight revision to the gearbox to use dogbones vs hex drives. Some seem to have major issues with the gearbox, but mine is ok.

The other issues around fragiility/speed with the ORV still stand even if you don't have gearbox issues.

 

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1 minute ago, TurnipJF said:

The WT-01 sounds like it should fit the bill nicely. It will be somewhat better behaved than the Mad Bull, but not to the point of being boring, and work well off-road. 

 

 

Yeah I'm beginning to think that's the only way to go now. If the re-release Blackfoot still has gearbox issues (although I can't find a definitive answer on how bad that actually is?) then the WT-01 seems like the way to go, I think the Blackfoot III has the best looking shell for what he wants as it's the most classic looking.

 

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3 minutes ago, Mark_C said:

Monster beetle and blackfoot only have a slight revision to the gearbox to use dogbones vs hex drives. Some seem to have major issues with the gearbox, but mine is ok.

The other issues around fragiility/speed with the ORV still stand even if you don't have gearbox issues.

 

That's definitely out for him then! Thanks for clarifying.

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Anyone know if you pull the front motor and gears out of a WR-01 does it effectively become a WT-01 or are other mods required?

Also can a standard Blackfoot Re-re body fit a WT-01 chassis or is it too short to look good?

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WT01 wheelbase is 281mm. Blackfoot is 240 so body won't fit, at least not well.

Not sure about taking a motor out of a WR-01, I mean it wouldn't help the gearing any so would presumably be too slow still ?

I know you said has to be Tamiya, but I think you might find other brands fit the reuqirement better - take a look here https://www.modelsport.co.uk/rc-electric-models/rc-car-categories/9900/990010&MSAttributeID[85]=234

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5 minutes ago, Mark_C said:

WT01 wheelbase is 281mm. Blackfoot is 240 so body won't fit, at least not well.

Not sure about taking a motor out of a WR-01, I mean it wouldn't help the gearing any so would presumably be too slow still ?

I know you said has to be Tamiya, but I think you might find other brands fit the reuqirement better - take a look here https://www.modelsport.co.uk/rc-electric-models/rc-car-categories/9900/990010&MSAttributeID[85]=234

I didn't realise the gearing was different, thought it was just 2 of the same gearbox as the WT-01 and it was slower because of the draw of 2 motors. So they're actually geared more like crawlers and would still be slow on 1 motor?

Yeah it sounds like the wheel arches wouldn't align well with the Blackfoot shell.

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/ecx-1-10-amp-crush-mt-2wd-rtr-orange/rc-car-products/443263 this looks cool! No idea if they're a good brand?

So does this https://www.modelsport.co.uk/kyosho-monster-tracker-2-0-1-10-ep-readyset-blue/rc-car-products/443108 and I've actually heard of Kyosho :)

I've always steered clear of ready built stuff, just doesn't have the same appeal as it feels more like a toy if you know what I mean? But I'll show them to him and see what he thinks...

 

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The gearboxes and gearing are the same in the WT-01, WR-01 and WR-02. (I know as I have one of each in my fleet, and have checked the manuals.)

You could replace the front gearbox with a blank from a WT-01 if you wanted. 

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4 minutes ago, TurnipJF said:

The gearboxes and gearing are the same in the WT-01, WR-01 and WR-02.

You could replace the front gearbox with a blank from a WT-01 if you wanted. 

OK that's what I was hoping - it just opens me up to a few more options. Cheers.

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My point was pulling a gearbox from a WR-01 won't really make it go any faster.

I don't know much about other brands to be honest, especially these newcomers like ETX, Arma etc. I guess its worth a search to gather opinion.

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31 minutes ago, Mark_C said:

My point was pulling a gearbox from a WR-01 won't really make it go any faster.

I don't know much about other brands to be honest, especially these newcomers like ETX, Arma etc. I guess its worth a search to gather opinion.

I see, no in just meant converting it to a single motor to make it RWD and get the speed up and complicated electrics gone.

It means that the Twin Detonator and Wild Dagger etc could work. These seems to be more common than the Blackfoot 3 or Xtreme.

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Beetle all day long 

unless you want to go into Traxxas which is RTR pap!! But excellent performance!!

lunchbox / pumpkin - not great and not easily upgradable.

Beetle - loads of upgrades, In circ rere and recent rere of brat for extras.

is Blackfoot still Available to buy in the WT01 chassis?

JJ

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If you find yourself buying a WR-01 or WT-01 with a non-Blackfoot shell but would prefer a Blackfoot, I have an unused Blackfoot 3 shell and decal set that came with my WT-01 kit that I might be willing to swap with you depending on what you get. I prefer polycarbonate shells for runners, so it has just been sitting in its box unassembled. Someone might as well get some use out of it. 

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1 hour ago, BOARDRIDER said:

I see, no in just meant converting it to a single motor to make it RWD and get the speed up and complicated electrics gone.

It means that the Twin Detonator and Wild Dagger etc could work. These seems to be more common than the Blackfoot 3 or Xtreme.

Yes, you can pull the front motor and gears out of a WR01, like your Double Blaze to effectively have a WT01. Tamiya uses a "dummy box" in the WT01s but and empty WR01 gearbox will approximate it. The WR01s had more dedicated bodies for that platform like the Wild Dagger, Twin Detonator. Double Blaze, etc. so their wheelbases match the chassis. The 2wd WT01 variants all wound up borrowing bodies from other, shorter wheelbase trucks. Thus the Blackfoot Xtreme, Blackfoot 3, Mud Blaster 2, Bush Devil 2, etc. all have mismatched wheelbases from the factory.  So, if you want to stick a Blackfoot re-re body on your converted 2wd WR01 or a new WT01, it will fit as good as the Blackfoot 3 appears in pictures.

With only 2wd to deal with, as you noted, it will be cheaper and easier to upgrade the speed in that chassis, but stock for stock a WR01 and WT01 won't be drastically different in top speed. The only other truck with ground clearance and durability would be a Lunch Box/Pumpkin. Some weight in the front would curb wheelies and a lexan body would reduce the top-heaviness. Mine didn't get high centered or stuck as much as my Madbull.  

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7 minutes ago, TurnipJF said:

If you find yourself buying a WR-01 or WT-01 with a non-Blackfoot shell but would prefer a Blackfoot, I have an unused Blackfoot 3 shell and decal set that came with my WT-01 kit that I might be willing to swap with you depending on what you get. I prefer polycarbonate shells for runners, so it has just been sitting in its box unassembled. Someone might as well get some use out of it. 

I've found a fairly cheap Wild Dagger but the poly body on it is horrible and wouldn't be something you'd want to swap but would you sell the Blackfoot 3 shell? If so how much would you want? It's definitely the one that would look best for our plans.

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I'm in the same boat as op and I think it's sad that Tamiya doesn't make a modern monster truck suitable for kids. As a compromise, maybe a Landfreeder? I recently built a matte black edition, which my 8 year old likes to play with.

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2 hours ago, BOARDRIDER said:

I've found a fairly cheap Wild Dagger but the poly body on it is horrible and wouldn't be something you'd want to swap but would you sell the Blackfoot 3 shell? If so how much would you want? It's definitely the one that would look best for our plans.

 

Possibly - I'll look into postage costs if you'd like to PM me your address. Unless you fancy collection from Lincoln?

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Actually I think PhantomRC has nailed it with the Landfreeder I'd never heard of them but it'll definitely make the best Fall Guy truck. It doesn't tick all the boxes but with raised suspension and bigger wheels it'll be almost perfect. I don't know much about the CC-01 chassis but there seems to be tons of spares and I can get a new one for about on budget.

I watched a few youtube videos with my son and he's sold on it completely but apparently we'll need a light kit etc too...

Thanks everyone for your help! I think we got there in the end and I learned a lot along the way!

 

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