I was browsing around on Amazon this morning and came across this SkyRC GPS Speed Meter.  Then, it hit me...convert my TR-SC10e into a speed run vehicle!  It's been a while since I've updated my Project SC10e and I've always day dreamed of doing a speed run vehicle so I suppose now is as good of a time as any.

This is where you come in...other than just ripping around on the street in front of my house, I've never really done a speed run specific project so I need your help....please post a comment below with your tips and ideas on how to make my TR-SC10e FAST!!!

My truck is currently set up for off road racing (here's the current state of my truck) so I'll have to make some changes.

I just ordered the SkyRC GPS from Amazon but I'm not sure what my next steps will be.  Here's what I'm thinking:

• Lower the suspension, maybe install hard shock springs
• Re-install the sway bars for stability
• Tires/Wheels - possibly get some slick tires for the stock wheels or get some 1/8 scale slicks and use the 17mm hub adapters
• Electronics - possibly remove the expensive ProTeck 170 and re-install a light weight and cheaper Savox or HexFly servo
• Gearing - Install larger pinion gears, I don't think I'll be able to find smaller spur gears
• Body - Possibly install a 1/8 GT body or a ProLine Flowtec short course body
• Battery - Possibly go to 3 cell or even 4 cell

Once again, I need your thoughts and advice so please leave a comment below...

'till next time

​Rob

Here's another in the series of Gen8 Upgrade videos by Greg Vogel for you.  This week's video is all about the installation of the Gen8 LED Light Kit

Here are some quick links to some of the products shown in the video:
Gen8 Scout II
​Gen8 LED Light Kit
HexFly Hand Tools
Redcat Racing Pit Mat

And, just in case you missed them, here are some of the other Gen8 upgrade videos:
Aluminum Transfer Case Drive Shaft
Aluminum Rear Shock Towers
CNC Steel Gears

'till next time

Rob

A shipment of Part #11474 CNC Steel Gear Sets for the Gen8 has just arrived and are available to order now.​

These gear sets Include four metal gears for use with the Redcat Racing Everest Gen8 Scout II including:

• 25t transfer case gear
• 20t transmission gear
• 2 x 13t transmission / transfer case input gears

Thanks for your support, I really appreciate it

​Rob

Here's another in the series of Camo X4 upgrade videos for you.  This week's video is all about the installation of the aluminum drive shafts.  Although a Camo X4 rock racer is used in the video, these parts will also fit the Camo TT trophy truck

Here are some quick links to some of the products shown in the video:
Camo X4
Camo X4 Aluminum Drive Shafts
HexFly Hand Tools
Redcat Racing Pit Mat
Blue (Medium) Threadlock (Amazon Link)

And, just in case you missed it, here is a link to last week's video on the Camo X4 Aluminum Rear Links

'till next time

Rob

Expected to arrive later this month, these newly designed Chromoly Front L/R Axle Shafts with Chromoly CNC Top Portal Gears will add considerable strength to your Gen8 or Gen7 Portal Axle Kit

These are made with chromoly for extreme strength and the set includes 1 short shaft, 1 long shaft, 2 top portal gears, 2 barrels & 2 pins.

'till next time

​Rob

I'm not sure if it's because I really like my TR-SC10E or if it's just the simplicity of the design but I think THIS is my new favorite coffee mug.  Do you agree?

By the way, you can create your own coffee mugs, water bottles, t-shirts etc. on that site too.  If you do, be sure to email me a link to your creations, I'd love to check them out.

'till next time.

​Rob

The new pre-trimmed Gen8 Scout II Clear Bodies have just arrived!  To save you time, these new bodies have the body lines and wheel wells pre-trimmed and all of the holes for the stock accessories are also pre-drilled right from the factory.

I expect these to sell out quickly so be sure to place your order ASAP if you have been waiting for a clear body for your Gen8

NOTE:  The photo above is of the un-trimmed body 

Several more parts have arrived including some pre-mounted wheels and tires for the Dukono and Dukono Pro.  If gluing wheels and tires isn't your thing, these pre-mounted sets will make your like easier.

'till next time

Rob

A shipment of Gen7 Universal Drive Shafts (Part #13819) has just arrived.  These are the stock replacement units and I also have the aluminum upgrade part #138007 in stock as well

Thanks for your support, I really appreciate it

Rob

If you've been looking for a well produced Redcat Camo X4 review video, look no further than this one by Greg over at RCDriver.  I dream of some day having the video producing capabilities that Greg has but for now, I'll just share his videos with you

'till next time

​Rob

An order of Everest-10 and Gen7 Parts just arrived including a few parts that have been out of stock for a while.  The following parts are back in stock and ready to order if you've been waiting for them:
​

• 13849 - Gen7 Pro Front CVA Axles
• 18128 - Gen7 87t Plastic Spur Gears
• 13859 - Everest-10 and Gen7 Steel Transmission Gears
• 18084 - Everest-10 Rear Lower Links
• 18108 - Everest-10 Front Lower Links

Thanks for your support, I really appreciate it

​Rob

My son and I ran our Camo X4 again yesterday and have really started to enjoy it.  It took us a little while to figure out how to drive it (it doesn't like to do sharp turns on high traction surfaces) but now that we have, it's awesome!

The Camo X4 loves to jump.  We burned through six 5000mAh LiPo packs yesterday and virtually all of that time was spent jumping ditches and tree stumps.  The combination of massive tires and soft suspension helps the Camo X4 soak up the landings and it's very controllable in the air so we can bring the nose up with a blip of the throttle and even twist the chassis if needed with a combination of throttle and steering.  Did I mention that this thing is fun to jump?

Parts Damage:
We did run into some minor issues yesterday.

1.  The Diff Cup on the front drive shaft came loose.  The set screw backed off enough that the entire drive shaft and diff cup fell off of the input pinion.  Somehow, they were both still sitting on the chassis when I took the body off to inspect.  I simply re-installed the diff cup and we were good to go again within 5-10 minutes.  I may add some threadlock to the set screw before our next bashing session but we ran several packs through the Camo after the re-installation without trouble.

As as side note, it was nice to see that the diff cup uses a relatively large 3mm set screw (use your 2mm hex driver).  Also, I pulled the center spur gear cover off while doing the repair and the steel spur gear and steel pinion gear looked great.  I think these will stand up to a lot of abuse.

2.  Rear Upper Suspension Link.  I think we were on our fourth run of repeated stump jumps when my son launched the Camo approximately 4-5' in the air and landed it hard on it's side.  This broke one of the rear upper suspension links.

I glued the link back together with some CA glue.  I then wrapped the link with some strips of blue paper shop towel soaked in CA glue to essentially make a cast.  Once the CA set-up, I wrapped the arm in electrical tape (mostly to hide the blue color cast) and we were back to jumping.  We ran two more batteries through the Camo and so far the repair is holding up well.  If the repair fails at some point, I'll replace the link with another stock plastic one, just to confirm whether or not this was just a fluke part failure of f this is something you should watch out for.  If that link fails, I'll give the aluminum upper links a try.

Misc. thoughts:
Although we were running back-to-back batteries, the motor runs hotter than I'd like it to.  I haven't temped it with my temp gauge yet but I will next time.  I may look to add a cooling fan at some point to help protect the motor and make sure it lasts as long as possible.

Lastly, be sure to check the set screws on your diff cups from time-time-time to make sure they are still tight.  Also, the wheel nuts tend to get a little loose so be sure to tighten them before each run.

​So far, the Camo X4 has been a super fun bashing machine and I'm looking forward to taking it out again.  If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below and I'll do my best to help.

​'till next time

​Rob

I was able to get my Redcat Camo X4 out for a bashing session this afternoon and it was a blast!  Here's a quick first run review

Set-Up:  I always recommend that people give their RTR vehicle a thorough check over before running for the first time.  Checking over all the screws and nuts for tightness and ensuring everything is installed correctly can help ensure the first run is a success.  With that said, I know most people don't do this so I didn't either!  I simply installed some AA batteries in the transmitter and dropped in a 2s LiPo and hit the dirt..

Build Quality: After running two packs through the X4, I dropped it on the table for a quick once over.  I couldn't find any fault with how the car was assembled other than a tab on the interior panel was installed on top of the roll cage when it should have been below.  Other than that, all of the screws were tight, the shocks were well filled and not leaking, the pinion/spur mesh was perfect, etc.  I did snug up the wheel nuts though as all were a touch loose after running.

Turning: When driving the X4 on the grass, I had to go easy on the steering.  Any quick movements caused the buggy to traction roll.  I quickly got the hang of it's limits though and even found that I could "save" it from rolling with a slight counter-steer and punch of throttle.  The stock HexFly 15kg servo is a little slower than the race spec servos I've been running lately but it worked well and had enough torque to turn the big tires without any troubles.

Jumping: This is where the Camo X4 shines.  It jumps well and lands very plushly (is that a word?).  The landings were smooth with no bottoming out and if I landed a little crooked, the Camo X4 corrected itself and continued on for more fun.

On-Road: After some jumps and drifting in the dirt, I hit the street for some speed runs.  The Camo X4 is pretty quick but I wouldn't call it a speed demon.  The stock Team Redcat TR-SC10e is a little quicker.  I'll do some more speed runs later and make some notes on the Camo X4's top speed.  Punching the throttle from a stand still caused the left front wheel to lift, the chassis to twist and the vehicle to take off down the street.  Steering input had to be gentle or it would want to tip over.  I didn't roll it over but it came close a couple of times.  Some quick corrective steering and throttle inputs saved the day.  The X4 runs very quietly on the street.  You can hear the tires on the road and the drivetrain/electronics package is smooth and quiet.

​Grass: No problem.  The huge tires handled the grass without any issues.  I checked the motor temps after the first battery pack was done and the motor was warm but not hot.  I didn't use my temp gun but I'd guess the temps to be well under 100 degrees as I could hold my finger on the can without issue.

Tires: They are big and have decent traction in the dirt, work great in the grass and equally well on the road.  Possibly due to the tread pattern and tire compound but also the solid rear axle with locked rear diff, the X4 likes to kick the rear out in the dirt but on grass and asphalt, the tires are really good.

Power: The stock 3300kv motor does a good job of getting the Camo X4 up to speed.  I'm not sure that I'd want to put much more power to the ground with these big tires and solid rear axle.  In drag races against my son's Team Redcat TR-SC10e equipped with a 4300kv 4-Pole motor, the X4 was a little slower but, if I got the hole-shot, I could beat my son in a 100' drag

Radio: Although they are a simple radio, the included 2CENR transmitter works great.  I've never had any troubles with these.  They feel comfortable in my hand, have excellent range and, as a bonus, the steering trim was set perfectly right out of the box.

Broken Parts: None yet.  I traction rolled the X4 numerous times, jumped it countless times and even launched it 5 or 6 feet straight up a tree followed by a full-on front end lawn dart landing while trying unsuccessfully to do a back flip.  Nothing has broken, cracked or been damaged in any way.

Misc Thoughts:
I know this isn't a thorough Camo X4 review but so far I'm very happy with this buggy.  I wish it came with some LED lights of some kind but that will be an easy addition.  The stock steering servo is a little slow but most drivers with find it completely adequate.  So far build quality and durability has been great.  Run times are a little shorter than the SC10E for some reason (the big tires?), handling is decent but this is a tall and somewhat top heavy rig so smooth steering inputs are required if you want to keep the rubber side down.  It's a fun mix of crawler, jumper, drifter and all-around basher.  I think this is a great vehicle...hmmm...I wonder how it will perform at the skateboard park?

Let me know if you have any question by leaving a comment below

'till next time

Rob

By the way, if you decide to purchase a Redcat Camo X4, hopefully you'll buy one from me here.  If you already have one, you can really help me out by purchasing your X4 parts and hop-ups from me 

I finally have the Camo X4 pictures completed so it's time to get this thing dirty!  Stay tuned for more pictures and info on the Camo X4 and if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

'till next time

Rob

It's been a while but the Camo X4 Rock Racers and Camo TT Trophy Trucks are back in stock and available to order as of today!  If you order a Camo X4 or TT, you can also choose a tool set, LiPo battery and LiPo battery charger at a discounted price if ordered with your vehicle.  Here are some quick links:

• Camo X4 Specs and Camo TT Specs
• Camo X4 Parts and Camo TT Parts
• Camo X4 Aluminum Hop-Ups and Camo TT Aluminum Hop-Ups

​I'll also be spending some time abusing my personal X4 so stay tuned for more blog posts about it

Let me know if you have any questions

'till next time
​
​Rob

A while back, I created some coffee mugs over at Zazzle.com.  They are cool in that you can customize them with your name, a picture of your truck or whatever you'd like.  Just click on the "customize" button beside the product of your choice then you can add whatever text or images you'd like.

Zazzle is offering a 20% off coupon code right now too.  I'm not sure when it expires but the details will be on their site.

I hope to add some more products to my Zazzle store soon so be sure to check back again later

'till next time

Rob

Coming soon, these new Hexfly HX-3225 25kg high torque, metal gear, waterproof servos are perfect for almost any Redcat Racing or Team Redcat vehicle and they will even include an aluminum 25t servo arm.

The new Gen8 light kits have just arrived and are available to order now.  Made specifically for the Gen8 with Scout II Body, these LED light kits are fully waterproof and include a total of 16 LED's.  (4 Red and 12 White 5mm LED's).
Features include:

• Wire length tailored specifically for the Gen8 Scout II
• Scale brake light function
• Scale reverse light function
• Single wire for main body disconnect
• Fully waterproof (IP68)

Check out the Gen8 LED light kits here

'till next time

​Rob

With so much attention being placed on the Gen8 Scout II lately, I thought it would be a good idea to remind you that the Gen7 Pro is still available and it's still just as awesome as ever - only now, it's priced even lower!  Whether you are just getting started in RC or you are looking for a cool rig to add to your fleet, the Gen7 Pro is definitely worth another look.

Check out the Gen7 Pro specs, features and pricing here

'till next time

Rob

Just a quick heads-up that TeamRedcatShop will be closed on Monday, May 27.  Orders placed on Saturday, Sunday and Monday will ship on Tuesday

Thanks for your support

​Rob