ntry-level

ERY ONCE assignment from the,

in a while, Ayatollah of Radio
it's good to Controlla—the new
forget about all Rad 2 buggy from
the latest nuclear Traxxas*. After I
motors, high-tech looked over the
shocks, super-exotic attractive, compact
chassis, hyper ser- box (with pictures
vos and speed con- and highlights of the
trailers, flavor-of-the- kit), I shook my head
week tire com- in amazement at just
pounds and tread how far "entry-level"
patterns, and just get vehicles have come.
back to the basics! When I started in
I greeted the UPS this hobby five
years ago, a begin-
man with a big hello
ner's kit was almost
a n d a d e e p sigh of
as basic as a static
relief as he handed
plastic model.
over my latest
81
 TRAXXAS RAD 2

Sure, there was some good stuff out there, but

it cost a pretty penny—even more for the
upgrades that would make it competitive.
Thankfully, reputable manufacturers have
wisely chosen t o give today's consumer
"more bang for the buck." The Traxxas Rad 2
is a real blast! Type 2WD off-road buggy Transmission 3-gear with slipper
Many pleasant surprises were in the box: Scale V10 clutch (2.72:1)
what appeared to be the Blue Eagle LS Pro Price $160 Differential Gear
transmission and slipper clutch (but with a Bearings/Bushings Brass bushings
very interesting feature—more on that later), DIMENSIONS:
lots of ultra-tough nylon parts (oh boy, here Overall length 15.75 inches SUSPENSION:
Width 9.875 inches Type (f/r) Independent A-arm
Wheelbase 11 inches with upper link
Front track 7.5 inches Damping (f/r) Oil-filled, coil-over shocks
Rear track 6.5 inches
WHEELS:
WEIGHT: Front: Type One-piece molded nylon
Gross (with battery) ....3 pounds, 8 ounces Dimensions (DxW) 2.15x0.875 inches
Rear: Type One-piece molded nylon
BODY: Dimensions (DxW) 2.15x1.375 inches
Type Buggy
Material Polycarbonate TIRES:
Track testing: the Rad 2 flies off Jumps with Front/Rear 3-step pin spike/medium
ease and takes landings in stride. This car
CHASSIS:
can take beginners to the winners' circle.
Type Reinforced tub ELECTRICS:
Material Composite plastic Motor Mabuchi 540
Battery 6-cell stick pack*
comes the hot-pink Litespeed* dye!); beefy, DRIVE TRAIN: Speed Controller Sealed 3-speed
adjustable turnbuckles; a clear Lexan body Primary Pinion/spur mechanical with reverse
that was already cut out (thank you,
Traxxas!); fiberglass shock towers; mega pin-
spike tires; and (are you ready for this?) 2.15-
inch wheels! In their quest to make life easier HITS
and better for the beginner, Traxxas wanted • Low price • Sophisticated chassis for an entry-level car • Can be upgraded significantly to be
this kit to rock'n'roll, so they included a competition-ready • Extensive factory support, e.g., toll-free service hotline and easily avail-
sealed, three-speed (with reverse) mechanical able replacement parts.
speed controller and a stock Mabuchi 540
motor. All you have to do is add a 2-channel MISSES
radio. Where was the Rad 2 when I started • Composite shocks require work to operate smoothly • Lacks ball differential
out?!
I'd like to commend Traxxas on its excel-
lent instruction manuals. The Rad 2 book is
no exception; it's loaded with clear photos and
detailed text that includes racer tips, hop-up
recommendations and set-up/racing sugges- and two-hole units in the about 5 minutes. I
"In their quest to make life
tions. Traxxas also has a toll-free hotline in rear. Be careful to put the put them aside to dry
easier and better for the
case you run into a jam as you build and run correct springs on the beginner, Traxxas wanted and started to build the
its cars. shocks: the fronts are soft- transmission.
this kit to rock'n'roll..."
To keep construction as simple as possible, er and look different than After I marveled over the
parts are bagged according to the steps in the the rears. I assembled the inclusion of high-speed
manual. I decided to assemble the new black shocks without any major headaches. The new Pro black gears, I quickly built the gear diff—
shocks while I boiled and dyed the nylon blue O-rings, black springs and 30WT that's right, this kit has a heavy-duty, 48-pitch,
components. The Radicator's front bouncers silicone oil (included) gave these babies a metal gear diff instead of a complicated ball-
were very short and offered limited travel. For nice feel when I compressed them type unit with a million tiny parts (a ball diff
this bad boy, Traxxas went with long compos- by hand. performs better, but novice R/Cers will appre-
ite shocks all around for maximum move- I removed the dyed nylon parts from the ciate the gear diff s simplicity).
ment. I installed three-hole pistons in the front pan and ran them through cold water for It was difficult to fit the optional ball

FEBRUARY 1993 83
RAD 2

The Traxxas Rad

2 is designated over me when I saw that the Lexan body
as an entry-level w a s a l r e a d y c u t out—it also had
car, but its mounting/antenna holes and window mask.
performance Boy, do beginners have it made today!
exceeds that of It was time to paint—uh-oh. I've revealed in
most other past articles that paint and I just don't get
"beginner cars." along. Despite all the fabulous "How To" arti-
cles that Car Action has run on this subject,
just the thought of a custom paint job makes
my blood turn cold—heck, I'd rather wrassle
a grizzly bear!
So, I paid a visit to a local hobby shop in
search of an airbrush artist. I couldn't help
noticing that the young man behind the
bearings onto the diffs output shafts, so counter was doing a nice paint job on a truck
I had to take out the grit cloth for a few trans- body. Hallelujah, my prayers were answered!
moments of careful polishing. I mission, and Three days later, I got a message that there
phoned Traxxas to point this out, and fiberglass shock towers was a surprise waiting for me at the hobby
they explained that tolerances were (hooray—no aluminum units to shop. Out came the body from the back
kept tight to allow a certain degree of bend in the inevitable crashes to room—wow! What a "fantabulous" paint job!
wear if the supplied bronze bushings come!). Once again, Traxxas made After I had calmed down, I explained that I
were used. If you're ready to pop in a set of the best choice; fiberglass "gives" needed electronics to give this missile some
bearings after you've run the Rad a few times, and is very lightweight (and inexpen-
they should fit without a problem. (I prefer to sive to replace). On went the shocks and the
install bearings when I'm building.) I'm fully adjustable turnbuckles. Even in this very
pleased to report that I didn't have difficulty
with the rest of the assembly.
"...and mouths dropped
Next, I attached the tranny and suspension
open as the Rad flew
components to the tub-style chassis. The chas-
cleanly over the 2-foot
sis is made of a rigid plastic, so don't attempt
jump and made a smooth,
to boil it—it will shrink and warp! When I
saw how cool the neon-pink nylon parts controlled landing."
looked, I decided to give the chassis a couple
of coats of Pactra* "Outlaw Black" paint to inexpensive kit, Traxxas has supplied slider
contrast with them. You might want to gently shafts to drive the rear wheels instead of dog-
scuff the chassis to help the paint adhere to it. bones, which have a nasty tendency to get A Hobbymania stock motor powers the Rad
Don't forget to let it dry thoroughly. lost, bend and break at the most inopportune 2. Jim Thompson and A.J. Lorello were
times—like when you're having fun blasting very helpful with setup—thanks, guys!
Happy with the way "Project Rad 2" was
looking, I attached the suspension arms, around in the dirt!
Finally, it was time to
put on the tires and
wheels. I can't get over muscle. Immediately, the young paintmeister
the fact that the Rad produced a DuraTrax* DTX-4 ESC that he
comes with 2.15-inch had converted to a 3-wire setup, a Dynamite*
competition wheels. micro receiver, a Futaba* S-148 servo and a
TRX-l owners may Hobbymania* "Tickle Me Pink" short-stack,
want to pick up a set of slotted motor. Folks, a paint job and service
these one-piece units— like this can't go without acknowledgement.
the largest wheels This fella's name is A.J. Lorello Jr., and he
allowed by ROAR. The and Jim Thompson (the owner of
supplied tires are a Hobbymania) are a real credit to the industry.
medium-compound, 3- If Car Action ever has a "dealer of the year"
step-pin design and award, these guys get my vote!
should work very well I hung around the shop for a while and
for "backyard bashing" installed the electrical stuff. Take your time
and on loose to medium on this step so that your servo, ESC and
dirt. receiver don't let you down while you're
The kit's shocks will suit novice to intermediate drivers. To improve
performance, add Traxxas' TRX-1 hard-anodized shocks. A big smile came (Continued on page 147)

84 RADIO CONTROL CAR ACTION