Trick trucks

Radio Control Car Action, Mar 2003 by Vieira, Peter

HPI RS4 MT * TAMIYA TA04-R * TRAXXAS STAMPEDE

3 EXOTIC ELECTRICS

Nothing draws attention like a trick truck. Whether it's a C-notched street stammer, a high-riding monster, or an off-road prepped Baja blaster, everyone seems to have a soft spot for a hardcore, custom flatbed. That goes for RC, too; no other category is more red-hot right now than the truck scene. I decided to work out my project-vehicle jones with three trucks that cover the street, high-performance off-road and monster-truckstyle spectrums. I also decided to go with electric trucks; nitro hasn't taken over RC completely, y'know! Battery power is clean, quiet and convenient, and that's a perfect combination for these trucks' pure-fun purpose.

HPI RS4 MT

PROJECT FEAR BY FOUR

You haven't forgotten about this little gem of a truck, have you? HPI's first foray into off-road 4WD trucking is nearly five years old, but it's still pretty trick-or in this case, really trick, thanks to a bunch of hop-up parts that add the popular purple look. Still, this is a truck with a mission, and since that mission is hardcore, high-performance play, I went for extra durability along with the purpleness. Aluminum steering knuckles and uprights, titanium turnbuckles, MIP CVDs and ball bearings all around (plus other upgrades) make this MT just about backyardproof. One item I did change purely for style was the body; I started with the Baja Bug version of the MT, but it didn't fit the truck theme. The Beetle shell was shelved in favor of a Trinity Reference Pro Nitro body. It's meant to fit the Associated RC10GT, but thanks to the RS4 MT's similar rear-shock-tower placement, GT bodies fit it well.

THE STUFF*

BASE KIT

HPI

RS4 MT Baja Bug; $170

ELECTRONICS

Deans

Ultra Plug zero-loss connector--item no. 1300; $3

Futaba

Magnum 3PDF radio system-3PDF; $180

GM Racing

V12 racing ESC-GMM2842; $159.99

Hitec

HS925MG steering servo-32925J; $80

Team Orion

Core Modified 15-double motor-23199; $60

Rocket Pack Sanyo 2400-10200; $65

DRIVE TRAIN

HPI

Heat-sink motor plate-A289; $34

Ball-bearing set-B043; $50

Robinson Racing Products

18T aluminum pinion-1318; $5

MIP

CVD shiny drive axles (F/R)-80814/80815; $35/pair

CHASSIS

HPI

Molded carbon chassis--A465; $39

Graphite upper brace-A700; $19

Aluminum rear bulkheads-72018; $40

OFNA

Purple-anodized hardware (boxed set)-10951; $60

SUSPENSION

HPI

Super Shocks (F/R)-A723/A725; $36 each

Titanium turnbuckle set-72094; $39

Graphite rear shock tower-A705; $15

Aluminum steering arms-72065; $32

Stainless-steel hinge pins-A212; $18

Megatech

Front aluminum C-hubs with bearings-MTC2274; $40

Rear aluminum hub carriers-MTC22018; $25

BODY, WHEELS AND TIRES

Pro-Line

Gladiator M3 tires-8170-02; $20/pair

RPM

Slingshot chrome 2.2-in. wheels-81891; $8/pair

Trinity

Reference Pro Racing RC10GT truck bodyREF1202; $21

TOTAL COST

$1,352.99

*See page 247 for the complete Source Guide

WHEELIN' IT

The HPI RS4 MT is a well-sorted truck in stock form, thanks to its sure-footed, long-travel suspension and full-time 4WD. My upgrades really didn't change the truck's character; they just prettied it up and made it even more durable. What does influence its driving characteristics are its electronics, and that's where the Team Orion Core 15-turn modified comes in. I would have preferred more turns, but 15 is the "mildest" wind you can get in a Core mod. Run times were a little short, but the truck was very fast and scaled just about anything short of vertical. Four-wheel-drive and Pro-Line Gladiator tires were just the tickets for the anything-goes environment the Fear by Four was built to handle.

TAMUYA TA04-R

PROJECT DUBBLE TRUBBLE

Rollin' on twenties-you can't stop that! Ludacris' "Roll Out" may be ancient history by hip-hop standards, but are giant wheels still cool for cruising? Fa'sheezy. (I had to look that one up on the Internet.) The typical touring-car wheel and tire combo already fills a wheel well like an 18-inch hoop (at least) would on a full-size car, but I wanted that silly-big, 22-inch, ultra-dub look, straight-out-of-a-driveway shot-from-MTV's-"Cribs"-look. The solution: a set of HPI Super Nitro RS4 wheels that measure a full 2.2 inches in diameter-quite a step up from the typical 1.9 inch sedan wheel. A Zegers-painted HPI Ford F-15o body completes the look, but this isn't an HPI car; beneath the bodywork, it's all Tamiya. The TAo4 chassis has been upgraded to "Type R" status with the addition of a full package of blueanodized factory options. You might even say it's off the heezy! Or something.

THE STUFF*

BASE KIT

BASE KIT

Tamiya

TA04; $170

ELECTRONICS

Deans

Ultra Plug zero-loss connector--item no. 1300; $3

Futaba

S9304 steering servo--S9304; $65

KO Propo

EX-11 Presto transmitter-KOP8002; $160

LRP

Quantum Pro Reverse ESC-LRP8430; $160

Phaser 27MHz receiver-LRP8401; $85

Reedy

Ti Modified 11-double motor-379; $60

R3K Panasonic 3000 stick pack-632; $55

DRIVE TRAIN

Kimbrough

Spur gear (120T, 64 pitch)-213; $3

Robinson Racing Products

Aluminum Pro pinion (40T)-4340; $5

Tamiya

Machined-aluminum gear mount-49202; $18

Heat-sink motor plate-49199; $17