Monday, August 22, 2011

1/10 2.4Ghz Exceed RC Electric Infinitive Review

When my six year old son became interested in my stepson's 1/10 scale Exceed Nitro Forza, I decided to break the young lad into the world of R/C cars. When searching for a beginner ready-to-run vehicle, my options were a little limited in terms of spending.

The decision came down to either the MRP Ripper ST RTR, or Exceed RC Electric Infinitive monster truck. The MRP Ripper is reminiscent of the early Associated RC10T and shares many common parts with other vehicles. Exceed's Infinitive monster truck looks a tad bit meaner in stance and includes larger more substantial tires.


Both are available with a wall charger and battery; however, the Infinitive costs a little less. Although I was less than impressed with the overall quality of my stepson's Forza, I decided to give Exceed another try. After all, I didn't expect either vehicle to last very long in the hands of my 6 year old. 



Specifications:
Engine: RC540 Stock
Transmission: Single speed with Reverse
Gear Ratio: 1:10.3
Drive System: Four Wheel Drive
Radio System: Two Channel A.M.
Length: 400mm
Front Track: 150mm
Rear Track: 150mm
Overall Height: 185mm
Wheelbase: 275mm
Front Shock Length: 95mm
Rear Shock Length: 95mm
Front Tires: Off Road
Rear Tires: Off Road
Wheel Width: 60mm
Wheel Diameter: 120mm
Brake Type: Reverse Braking
Suspension Type: 8 Plastic bodied oil filled shocks
What's Needed: 8 AA Batteries. Everything else is included



As expected, the 1/10 2.4Ghz Exceed RC Electric Infinitive came well-packaged and included everything we needed. The 2.4 Ghz radio system looks a hell of a lot sleeker and more durable than Exceeds 27Mhz offering, included with some of the older Forza vehicles. 


The standard wall charger and battery included with the Infinitive is--well--junk to say the least. But, that could be said for any RTR that includes a wall charger and battery. The charging process took a few hours to complete. 


I was pleasantly surprised to see Exceed do away with the older and often inefficient Tamiya-type battery connectors for better Deans connectors. The standard 540-size brushed motor includes a heat sink pre-installed. 

We took the truck out for a test drive and It performed better than I expected. The battery lasted approximately 10 minutes. I decided from that point to order an inexpensive peak charger and additional battery.

After getting the new charger and battery, I proceeded to let the boy have free reign with the Infinitive. It was early morning and our grass had a fair amount of fresh dew. Within two minutes, the truck cut off. With disappointment in my son's eyes and me cussing up an internal storm, we pulled off the body and noticed that the ESC, motor and chassis were completely soaked with water.


I thought for sure we fried the speed control and/or radio receiver thanks to excessive moisture. After a couple days, I reconnected the battery and gave it go. Viola! Worked like new. For those not familiar with the Exceed Infinitive, the truck does not include a water-proof box used to house the electronics, as Exceed's line of Nitro vehicles do. While it's understandable not to house the ESC do to heat issues, the radio receiver could definitely use a little moisture protection. When operating the Infinitive, it is extremely important to keep the vehicle away from puddles or other wet driving conditions-it simply isn't up to the task. 


The biggest single complaint I have has to do with an inherent design flaw within the 1/10 2.4Ghz Exceed RC Electric Infinitive-- the drive axles. 

Why the drive axles? Aside from being manufactured from soft steel, they are also too long. The excessive length of the drive axles do not allow for full suspension travel. So if you are bashing around with the Infinitive and bottom out too much, be prepared to have a few spares handy!

Aside from the drive axle issues, I think the 1/10 2.4Ghz Exceed RC Electric Infinitive makes a great beginner R/C truck for kids wanting to get into the hobby. There is plenty of room for modifications as the child gets a little older, but I wouldn't push the vehicle too much in terms of speed, as the materials used for the truck probably wouldn't hold up too well. 


MRP is well-known for producing high-quality products and I suspect the MRP Ripper ST RTR will be my next choice when my son starts to improve his driving skills, and wants to branch out to local racing venues.



Wednesday, June 29, 2011

1/10 Scale Exceed Nitro Forza/Hyper Speed Buggy RTR Review

I started RC car racing and bashing when I was about 12-years old. My father broke down and bought me a large 1/8 scale, dual-motor monster truck and the love affair progressed from there. My first nitro RC vehicles was a Traxxas Nitro Rustler (if memory serves).


Fond memories of a fast nitro-burning toy led me to purchase the 1/10 scale Exceed nitro Forza beginner version for my stepson. I purchased the RTR version with the old-style AM radio transmitter and receiver. Newer versions feature the 2.4 Ghz radio system. The price of the vehicle definitely grabbed my attention at first. I didn't see much point of investing several hundred dollars into a toy that wouldn't be in competitions, or be subject to heavy bashing sessions.



Here are some of the features of the 1/10 Exceed Nitro Forza/Hyper Speed RTR beginner version:

- 2-Channel Pistol Radio System Included
- Assembled Chassis
- VX16 High-Torque and Pull Start Engine with Carburetor

- Equipped with Tuned Pipe and Air Filter

- Front and rear Bevel Gear differentials
- 4 wheel Shaft-Drive System.
- Adjustable Wishbone Suspension

- No-flex chassis design for better performance.
- Alloy aluminum upper plate and chassis.
- Oil-Filled shock absorber.
- Disc-shaped brake system.
- Front universal joint shaft.
- 75 cc fuel pressure tank.
- High impact wheels.
- High traction radial tires.
- Servo saver linkage system.
- Stock engine muffler system. 



I ordered the RTR from NitroRCX.com and had it shipped for around $120 less shipping. The packaging arrived decent enough and we were eager to break the car in. Glow fuel, glow starter and batteries must be purchased separately.

The instructions are not the greatest. I had previous experience with nitro RC cars so it personally didn't matter. For those starting out- you might want to view a couple tutorials available on YouTube regarding proper starting and break-in procedures. The break-in procedures listed in the manual are definitely "fool proof." However, I chose to drive the vehicle in an easy fashion for the break-in period, shutting down the engine every couple minutes for the first tank of fuel, in an effort to avoid heating the engine excessively.

After each subsequent tank of fuel, I proceeded to push the buggy harder-- upping the throttle each time. By the 5th tank of fuel, I let the stepson take over. The buggy has a top speed of well over 30 MPH and the handling isn't too shabby.


One of the first issues we started to experience were loose screws; specifically the rear spoiler screws. It is probably a good idea to give the screws a good once over before running the vehicle the first time and check them periodically.


The aluminum shock towers are extremely soft and bend easily. The dog bone style axles are also soft and have a tendency to warp when putting the buggy through the paces. 


The pull starter cord is complete junk. It frays easily and frequently breaks. I highly suggest replacing the original cord with a stronger, more durable alternative before shelling out $15 for a new pull start unit. The process of replacing the Forza/Hyper Speed's pull cord is a tedious task- guaranteed to have you cussing. Another option is to do away with the pull start unit all together. NitroRCX offers a Roto-Start kit for Exceed vehicles, which may alleviate starting headaches such as these. The downside to purchasing a Roto-Start kit is the price tag of almost $40!

The servos are of equally bad quality on the Forza/Hyper Speed. After the steering servo decided to quit, I decided to go back to my roots and install a standard Futaba unit. 


All in all... I have a hard time endorsing the 1/10 scale Exceed Forza/ Hyper Speed. The price is definitely appealing, but the cost of replacing parts and ongoing issues far out weigh the benefits the vehicle offers up.

However, I do recommend spending a little more on a beginner vehicle from Team Associated (yes...I'm an Associated fanboy from way back!) HPI or MRP. Spending a little more money on quality will go a LONG way when dealing with RC nitro vehicles.