Haven't owned a remote controlled vehicle since I got a driver's license, but I was thinking of doing something small to get back into it. Maybe build one of the nicer kits. My last were a Traxxas Rustler and an HPI MT4.
Any recommendations on what is a good kit now? Probably prefer a truck or buggy as it will be mostly a yard basher and maybe the parking lot at the local high school. I'd be starting from scratch, so...

Unless you just love mess and fuss, go brushless electric rather than nitro.

Brushless electric motors have an absolutely absurd power-to-weight ratio, even with NiMH batteries. If you switch to lithium batteries, which can both supply more current and store more power for a given weight of batteries, the power is insane.

I haven't been doing much R/C stuff lately, and when I was, it was mostly aircraft. I do have a little electric 1/18 scale car (so about a foot long, maybe a little less). Stock it went about 20 mph. When I switched out the old school brushed motor for a brushless motor and electronic speed control (the brushless motors need a little computer to run them), it bumped the top speed to about 40 mph (still using the stock NiMH battery pack). With higher gearing and lithium batteries, people push the little 1/18 scale cars past 60 mph.

People run brushless electric in larger scale cars just as successfully.

Also, absolutely go with a 2.4GHz digital spread spectrum/frequency hopping radio. There's no messing with channels or frequencies or worrying about someone else being on the same one, the connection is rock solid, the antennas are smaller, it's just a better system.

I've been into RC cars/trucks for 20+ years.

Not as active now mostly oval racing dirt and carpet with Sprint Cars.

I would recommend a Traxxas Slash either 2WD or 4WD Corr truck. Both come as assembled complete ready to run. Tons of after market add ons. 4WD is a lot of fun. Both are very durable and parts are readily available.

LiPo batteries are the way to go. Fast recharge and you can run and charge, repeat.
When charging it is safest to balance charge.

Email me if you have any questions.

For years I've wanted to get into RC places, but never had the funds nor the space to fly them.
There's a hobby shop near my house, may have to stop in to browse & see what a decent starter plane will run & find a good place to fly it.

Find something with readily available spare parts. You break a ridiculous amount of plastic bits.

^ Yup, a cheap drone is about all I've got in this realm.
A decent size, but not near enough power/stability to use outside if there's any wind.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
For years I've wanted to get into RC places, but never had the funds nor the space to fly them.
There's a hobby shop near my house, may have to stop in to browse & see what a decent starter plane will run & find a good place to fly it.

Try to find out if there's a RC club near you. You'll get better advice from the members plus it most likely will connect you with an instructor. You don't want to try to learn on your own, it gets expensive. A hobby shop will try to sell you whatever they have in stock.

There's also flight simulators that you can use via your computer. Cheaper than a couple of planes.

Unwritten law: "Don't fall in love with your plane", most times, it's a temporary relationship

For those contemplating flying R/C aircraft outdoors, consider joining the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

Membership includes liability insurance so if your aircraft falls out of the sky and hurts someone, you have at least some protection.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
^ Yup, a cheap drone is about all I've got in this realm.
A decent size, but not near enough power/stability to use outside if there's any wind.

The bigger one on the bottom will do upward of 60mph. Those were all homebuilt.

quote:

Originally posted by olfuzzy:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
For years I've wanted to get into RC places, but never had the funds nor the space to fly them.
There's a hobby shop near my house, may have to stop in to browse & see what a decent starter plane will run & find a good place to fly it.

Try to find out if there's a RC club near you. You'll get better advice from the members plus it most likely will connect you with an instructor. You don't want to try to learn on your own, it gets expensive. A hobby shop will try to sell you whatever they have in stock.

There's also flight simulators that you can use via your computer. Cheaper than a couple of planes.

Unwritten law: "Don't fall in love with your plane", most times, it's a temporary relationship

Yes on all of this. My older brother wanted me to fly with him so he loaned me his flight simulator. I practiced off and on for a few weeks and when the big day came for my first flight I was more than ready.

My flight record is still perfect. I never left one in the air.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
For years I've wanted to get into RC places, but never had the funds nor the space to fly them.
There's a hobby shop near my house, may have to stop in to browse & see what a decent starter plane will run & find a good place to fly it.

It looks like there's a couple clubs fairly close to you.


http://www.nwrcc.com/

https://bayoucityflyersrc.com/

How about Big Gun R/C Warship Combat. It’s 1/144 scale which make my USS Iowa 6’ or so.



Click on the picture to enlarge it. Imageshack will put some stupid donate to us please message up. Click on the “X and it goes away and you can enlarge the picture then.

I'm huge into rock crawling and scale 4x4. It's overtaken guns as my favorite hobby.

Wish I could post pics but since photo bucket went to hell I lost the ability.

Thank you, Sig Forum, for showing me another way to spend my hard earned money...

I’m tempted to show my 10-year-old son...but I’m guessing I know what he’s going to say. The wife is another story...

I didn't try to answer your questions sorry LoL

You won't find many kits these days if what you want to so is bash around the yard. Ready to run is the norm.

Honestly I'd try to find a used Traxxas X maxx. They are huge and offer unlimited smiles per run and can go anywhere. They don't hold thier value so finding one for $500 or less should be doable.

Had a couple cars 30+ years ago, off road and on. (I think there may still be one in my basement)

I also have a 3 1/2 or so wooden tugboat that my father started to build when I was about 5 years old. When I was about 11-12 he gave it to a hobby shop to finish. lol
When I had my house fire about 15 years ago he took it back. It's been taking up space in his shed since then. I need to get it back and refinish and update it.

My father has a couple cheap planes, but I don't think he ever actually flies them. Maybe one flight a piece per grandchild.

As maladat said go with a brushless/Lipo Traxxas product like the Slash or Corr and stay with AWD. The Traxxas products are tough but if you do break something your local hobby shop will have immediate replacements.

I have had a bit of everything and I just get bored on the ground. I don't care how fast you make something you get used to the speed and get bored.

I have several drones which are fun but I have really been into airplanes more recently. There's just so much more to do in a 3d space as compared to being on the ground.

I started in R/C back in about 1981 with a scratch built 1/72 scale model of a Japanese Light Cruiser. I soon was lured into R/C planes in 1983 and have been doing that for the last 36 years. I have flown everything from pylon racers to warbirds, helicopters to turbine powered jets. A few years ago I went all electric for my prop planes. Here is a link to a video from 2016 of me flying one of my jets at a jet meet in Litchfield, Illinois:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3dvq1uPkYI&t=26s

I am the guy in the big straw hat with the red and white twin tail jet.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Collins:
I started in R/C back in about 1981 with a scratch built 1/72 scale model of a Japanese Light Cruiser. I soon was lured into R/C planes in 1983 and have been doing that for the last 36 years. I have flown everything from pylon racers to warbirds, helicopters to turbine powered jets. A few years ago I went all electric for my prop planes. Here is a link to a video from 2016 of me flying one of my jets at a jet meet in Litchfield, Illinois:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3dvq1uPkYI&t=26s

I am the guy in the big straw hat with the red and white twin tail jet.

My point exactly. You never hear anyone say I've been running RC cars/trucks for 36 years. It's more like I ran my RC car years ago and it's in the garage somewhere.
With Brushless/Lipo these days even the old school airplane guys are seeing the light. I no longer have anything but electric. Starts every time, is quieter, cleaner and much quicker setup.