In the RC Driver workshop we’ve come up with a lot of wild builds, but we wanted to do something that strayed far from the RC norm and that’s when we saw the Tamiya Kumamon DT02 buggy. This isn’t your …

DHK looks to bring electric 1/8-scale to the masses with the new RTR Optimus buggy. A complete package with a 3S 3200mAh LiPo battery pack, high-powered brushless motor and speed control combo, 2.4GHz radio system and AC balance charger leaves little left to purchase for first time RC’ers. And, all for less than the cost of many 1/8 rollers! Newbies to LiPos fear not, DHK does and excellent job of educating new drivers through the easy to understand manual.

The world of electric 1/8-scale off-roaders has changed drastically over the past couple of years. They’ve evolved from large, clunky conversion kits to streamlined, dedicated e-racing machines. Some have become easier to build, others easier to drive and yet others easier to maintain. Team Durango has successfully combined all three of those features into the astounding DEX8, a buggy that is not only mild-mannered on the track; it also comes partially built from the factory. TD has referred to this as the ‘Fast and Easy Build – Hit the Track Quickly’, and it actually cut my build time by half. Now it’s time to review its features and discuss its mannerisms on the track.

It never fails, once someone sees a huge 1/5-scale machine hit the dirt, people flock to watch it and the “want factor” of onlookers grows to immeasurable proportions. Well, we’re here to taunt you with two killer builds, one based on the Losi 5IVE-T and the other on the HPI Baja 5B. The 5IVE-T will take on a full factory option makeover while the 5B will get revamped in aluminum along with a power system swap. The two projects will showcase a load of parts to help you decide what parts are right to get for your machines. Or, if money is no object, perhaps you’ll be inspired to build some killer projects of your own.

Using an engine heater is quickly becoming the norm on the nitro racing scenes. By preheating your engine before start-up and runs, you allow the engine to start easier with less wear and tear on the engine. It also allows …

A while back I bought myself a full sized Subaru Crosstrek XV (not an RC car).  I then proceeded to review the Tamiya XV-01 because it was the RC version of my real car and I just had to have it.  Seeing …

  Team Associated has released a specialized version of their widely popular competition 2wd 1/10 buggy the B5M dubbed the Factory Lite. The B5M Factory Lite comes with a slew of option parts like lightweight chassis, lightweight top shaft, lightweight …

Road Ruler! Word: Carissa Smyka Photos: Walter Sidas Serpent has been in the RC industry for well over 25 years. Serpent started out designing nitro cars, mastered the design, won a lot of races and then branched out into other …

Though the name LaTrax may, to some, sound a bit French, LaTrax is in fact an American company that is powered by another very well-known US-based company, Traxxas. The selected name for their new LaTrax 1/18-scale Teton monster truck thus pays homage to the diversity of adventure that one can experience when behind the wheel in the great outdoors (and has nothing to do with the definitions of any French words).

The Buggy That Will Make You Look Twice! Words: Carissa Smyka Photos: Walter Sidas Racers all over the world are enjoying some of the best times in RC now that history has come full swing and there is a surge …

It was probably less than a minute after the 8IGHT 3.0 Nitro Buggy was released that electric power junkies were wondering if and when an E-3.0 would hit the shelves. Some wondered if it would be a conversion again or would Team Losi Racing go the route of their popular and newly-released TEN SCTE 2.0 with an all-electric specific kit. TLR is apparently done with conversions because the 8IGHT-E 3.0 is here and it’s all electric and ready for all the racing you can throw at it.

Do Work Driver Words: Ty Giebel Photos: Ty Giebel Since 2007, Axial has been a staple of the crawling community and events around the world. But over the last couple of years, radio control rock crawling’s focus has shifted away …

Outerwears has been fighting debris and contaminants on vehicles big and small for years. They have helped us in the RC market keep our machines in better running condition with their Outerwears prefilter for motors, air filters, Shockwears for shocks and …

The radio control hobby started off as an evolution of static modeling and Tamiya has been the leader in radio control modeling since the beginning. Over the years, they never lost sight of the true modeling aspect and many of their kits offer you the full experience of building, painting and driving a near replica of a full-scale machine.

The All-In-One-Hauler The act of gear transportation has become quite an art form. It takes months, if not years, of slowly organizing your equipment to fit your most needed parts into your boxes, the boxes into the bags and the …