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Rampage TT V3 Review - From a Newbie

macs

Member
Messages
72
I have seen alot of threads latley questioning the durability and power of the Rampage. I was in the same boat before recieving mine. So i thought i would share my thoughts coming from a newbie's perspective.


Out of the box this thing was alot bigger than i thought it was. When i pulled it out of the box, the first thing i did was look at the instructions and they were a joke. I threw them back in the box and decided to wing it. It was pretty self explanatory.


The first thing i was going to do was the Pre-Run Checklist but to be honest i didnt do it. I went over the buggy looking for any loose screws or anything that didnt look right. I noticed the nut on one of the gears was loose. I tightened it up ( Mistake ). I then loctited the wheels and put the stock batteries on the charger.


The next day i picked up some gas on the way home from work and this thing fired up in a few pulls. I did some adjustment to the throttle and went for its first test drive before it got dark. This thing was insanely slow and wouldnt even go through grass or up my driveway. I figured it needed some tuning.


The next day was a half day at work. I couldnt wait to get home and get this thing tuned. I grabbed my tools and headed to an abandoned parking lot. i started looking things over before i fired it up and realized the tranny was binding. After some thought i realized that i should have not tightened the gear nut. I backed it off about 1/2 a turn and fired the buggy up ( first pull ). I guess the binding tranny was my problem because it took off much better. I tuned the carb a bit and quickly realized this thing has definate power. I ran about a gallon through it that day as the rain poured down on me. I had flipped it, hit curbs at wot, jumped about 6' landing on concrete. You name it, i did it. I put it through pure torture and just tweaked my front bumper a bit and knocked off the exhaust pipe during a rollover ( it runs much better without it).


Next day was my day off and i planned on bashing all day. When i went out in the garage that morning my throttle servo wasnt working. I fiddled with it, nothing. I then took it apart and put it back together and it would work but glitched a ton. I tried to take it out and ended up with a runaway truck. I am thinking some rain had gotten into the servo from the day before. I ended up pulling a servo out of a traxxas i had laying around. Worked great!


Yesterday i pulled it out for some more heavy bashing. Everything worked flawlessly until the end. A dogbone pin came out on me ( if i would have followed the checklist, it wouldnt have happened). I ran down to Harbour Frieght and got some roll pins. Problem fixed and i bashed for about another hour.


This is by far the toughest RC i have ever owned. I have already wrecked it several times that would have crippled a smaller scale car. I am also very surprised on the power once tuned right. I was really expecting something slow, but this thing almost instantly gets into the powerband and likes to stay there. The 4wd works great and this buggy handles very well. You really don't notice how heavy it is because of the agility. I am extremly happy with the buggy and cannot find any complaints. The very few issues i have had, is my own fault.


By the way, the buggy is completly stock. I have not changed anything out on it except for the throttle servo which i replaced with a junk one.
 

macs

Member
Messages
72
I also wanted to add that I have almost put 2 gallons of fuel mixed at 25:1 with klotz synthetic. After I am out of this fuel I will lower the ratio to 40:1.


1 week, 2 gallons of fuel and so far I am one happy camper. Next upgrade will be a better radio system and maybe a pipe. This is a very well built buggy!
 

dale_gribble

Member
Messages
59
I have not had anywhere near your luck with mine. Everything that can break on mine has. I run in the dirt with some nice sweeping jumps and no big obstacles.
 

macs

Member
Messages
72
Hmmm, that's strange. Mine has been good thus far and I have been running a cross between concrete, mud, red sand and loose dirt. I had it pinned straight into a curb and all it did was tweak my front bumper.


What have you broke?
 

dale_gribble

Member
Messages
59
What have I broke:


2 steering servos, cracked body, body melted from Redcat tuned pipe, transmitter on/off switch doesn't work, receiver box on/off switch doesn't work, broke shoddy upper a-arm turnbuckle after LIGHT landing and a few more odds and ends. I have only been able to run my Rampage for 15 minutes since owning it for nearly 2 months. I am constantly waiting for parts.
 

macs

Member
Messages
72
I might have body issues, i havnt even mounted mine yet. so i cannot comment on that. The radio system is not quite up to par and i have already had some problems with mine and it looks to be a common issue. That is definatley on my upgrade list but i consider any stock radio on a rtr to just be temporary at best. I havnt had any issues with suspension parts even with the constant wrecks. My upper turnbuckle seems extremly beefy to boot. Do you have a v2 or v3?
 

hamster huey

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,372
Location
Wichita
Amen to RTR radios being temporary. Most of the nice "RTR" radios are only 2 channel so you have to get a new one to use a 3rd channel killswitch. There are a few 3channel RTR 2.4s that arent even compatible with killswitches. RTR 2.4s are mainly good for 1/8, 1/10, and mini. Most people who run gasoline end up with spektrum, futaba, or airtronics which you don't get stock with gasoline RC.
 

macs

Member
Messages
72
Great! You will love every minute of that buggy. I still am having a hard time getting use to just driving it without constant issues. Every rc I have ever owned ( which hasn't been much) I had to constantly work on. Of course my driving skills are most of the blame.
 

yakrcnut

Member
Messages
76
Location
St. John's NL Canada
i hear you dale i broke two rear turnbuckles ,the thing had a mind of its own just took off flat out and hit a pole front on and the two rears broke. steering servo kicked the bucket now its just sitting there while im waiting on parts
 

bajadave

Member
Messages
50
I just finished my pre run checklist on my new rampage mt. I ended up replacing the entire radio system with a spektrum dx3r 2 futaba steering servos and a high torque throttle servo just to be safe and yes i did power up the stock system only to find both steering servos were cashed. I also put in a 8000 rpm spring a aluminum manifold and a walbro wt813 carb because i wanted to not because it needed it. I have been in to r/c cars and boats for about 20 years now and know stuff will break no matter what. I just think its part of the fun to tear it down and beef it up especially to make it faster and stronger. will be running it for the first time this weekend i cant wait since this is my first 1/5 scale truck, always had nitros or electric but sold them to upgrade to gas.
 

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