Originally Posted by "Chubbs

It's not even close to the sizes specified by the ROAR rule book for 1/8 scale buggies.

from : roar rules book http://www.roarracing.com/rules.php

Originally Posted by Rattler size

Lenght: 460mm Ok for roar
Track width: 270mm Ok for roar
Height: 150mm Ok for roar
Wheel base: 325mm Ok for roar

But in front of a lot of "true" 1/8 buggy it will be a little bit too weak imo. As alreay said it is a nice car for the price, it worth the price, no more.

Originally Posted by Jym73

Attachment 8236065
from : roar rules book http://www.roarracing.com/rules.php



But in front of a lot of "true" 1/8 buggy it will be a little bit too weak imo. As alreay said it is a nice car for the price, it worth the price, no more.

I realize that it's under the maximum, and therefore "Ok for roar", but my point was that the measurements aren't even close to a true 1/8 scale.

Max 1/8 scale length per Roar is 730mm, but the Rattler is only 460.

Max 1/8 scale width is 310mm, but the Rattler is 270.

Saying the Rattler qualifies for 1/8 scale roar rules is a bit like saying a 1/16 buggy qualifies for 1/10 Roar rules. Technically, it does...but you certainly wouldn't confuse a 1/16 buggy for a 1/10.

The rattler is just a bit of an odd size. Bigger than 1/10, smaller than 1/8.

I didn't know the roar size rules before read the book and i have learnt something.

Yes it is smaller, no doubt. But Is there a lot of 1/8 who have 330mm of wheelbase who have 730mm long, because Rattler has 325mm, so i imagine an 1/8 with 730, more look like SCT with very long bumper. For exemple the Intech BR6 has 508mm. That 730mm is very long.

Saying the Rattler qualifies for 1/8 scale roar rules is a bit like saying a 1/16 buggy qualifies for 1/10 Roar rules.

Maybe better to compare 1/12 to 1/10 . But i'm agree, maybe if it is roar ok with his size but it isn't in front of true 1/8 for race, if you win a roar race with a Rattler i guess that the others drivers have to question themselves ^^. If his drive train is durable it is a good beginner car for somebody who want run on 1/8 track. Even Kyosho say it is 1/10 who drive like 1/8 (for me Rattler is very close to DBX), 1/8 yes, but with 1/10 inside. But with his size we can still say it is an 1/8.

Originally Posted by Chubbs

The rattler is just a bit of an odd size. Bigger than 1/10, smaller than 1/8.

1/9?

I was vaguely tempted at this price, but a 40A ESC, no slipper and completely unknown diffs makes me a little wary. Kinda like my Trooper, not a bad bit of machine but parts wear out at an astonishing rate.

hi

maybe some parts looking good for kyosho rage ve or mad bug?

Originally Posted by Jym73

But in front of a lot of "true" 1/8 buggy it will be a little bit too weak imo.

I'm thinking that a small indoor clay track would be ideal, HobbyKing has been doing a good job lately in filling special requests for aluminum upgrades.... I am fairly optimistic that they'll cater to customer requests if any weak points are identified.

I am fairly optimistic that they'll cater to customer requests if any weak points are identified.

Sometime yes, sometime no. For the turnigy SCT KIT they let the long shock absorber who give drive shaft issue to everybody, nothing changed. I'm not sure HK has done something for the 1/12 sand storm idle gear who wear out very fast.

Two month ago i have advise to somebody to buy a turnigy 1/16, he received it more than 3 weeks after the order from EU WH, first bad thing. After use it he has seen there is a ball bearing missing on diff. . Since 1month and half he wait a good answer from CS because they already answer there is only one ball bearing and it is totaly wrong. So he have bought a complet diff. to repair a car buy new and use only one time and he see that there is 2 ball bearings, like he has seen on front gearbox. I'm really disapointed about what happen to him with HK CS, so does HK listen customers, sometime yes, sometime no and sometime CS prove that they really don't know how works their products. I think he will never buy something more at HK.

I guess it really depends on the OEM, I know that the TeamC and RGT brands are more accommodating.... HobbyKing is only the distributor, so they just need to coordinate with the OEM to requests for upgrades and then they'll re-distribute them once the OEM has made the aluminum parts.

Other thing i just think about, the esc they put in some RTR who is often faulty. And i ask again, why they put a 40A in this car and 60A in Trooper and Turnigy DB? All these cars have quite same weight, It is a return back imo. It is a car who interest me as i have a 120A not used i know that i can eventualy change it if there is issue.

I guess that with Team C cars HK sell Team C discontinued product i'm not sure there will be upgrade for these cars. But, except the nylon drive cup for BZ444, this chassis is quite strong imo and all aluminum upgrade are already available because they are "old" chassis and Team C have had time to improve them and provide aluminum parts. But why HK doesn't sell all spares for BZ444, if you break your chassis, HK doesn't have it, if your strip your plastic 12mm hub, HK doesn't sell it, if you lost a wheel axle pin, you must have to buy BZ444 pro 12mm aluminum hub who doesn't fit BZ444, only pins provide with the pro hub can be use. Ok it is cheap, but it is also odd. BZ444's wheel axle is quite different from all other cars, 3 diiferents diameter on the axle, 1.7mm pin, axle who go hub isn't exactly 5mm but 4.5~4.8mm, so a 5mm hub can't fit perfectly, so HK push to buy true Team C parts.

The main thing who make me question me with Rattler is the direct motor transmission, motor/spur gear/bevel gear/diff. How this will handle power even with 3s? For not a lot of buck you can buy Trooper, quite same size but with 3 diff.

[out of topic]

Two month ago i have advise to somebody to buy a turnigy 1/16, he received it more than 3 weeks after the order from EU WH, first bad thing. After use it he has seen there is a ball bearing missing on diff. . Since 1month and half he wait a good answer from CS because they already answer there is only one ball bearing and it is totaly wrong. So he have bought a complet diff. to repair a car buy new and use only one time and he see that there is 2 ball bearings, like he has seen on front gearbox. I'm really disapointed about what happen to him with HK CS, so does HK listen customers, sometime yes, sometime no and sometime CS prove that they really don't know how works their products. I think he will never buy something more at HK.

I just learn that Rob, HKCSNY, has resolved my friend's ball bearing missing problem. Rob do great job for HKCS.

[/out of topic]

Since I seem to be one of the first people to get this car, I decided to take some more pictures so people can get a better idea.
You can download all the pictures here:
http://twinsen.info/etc/hk%20rattler.zip

A few thoughts:
- Spur gear and pinion are metal
- Bottom tries to look like carbon fiber or something fancy but it seems to be just hard plastic
- Battery compartment can be adjusted, the max battery size is bigger than on the website.
- I like the clean design
- The manual is detailed with assembly instructions and parts list for everything, making maintenance easy
- Overall it seems good for the price. I guess the biggest question will be how durable it is.

I didn't get the chance to drive it yet, I will post some thoughts after I do.

Nice, thks for the feedback. And also thanks for all the photos. When can see better how drive train is built.

I look forward to read more about your drive test.

Any chance you have a 1/10 buggy you could put this next to and take a picture?

I'm curious how big it actually is. Obviously HK posts the dimensions, but it's sometimes hard to get a visual from just numbers.

It's interesting they would take the time to put a texture on the bottom of the chassis. Why pretend it's something it's not? Fiber reinforced plastic is very tough stuff to begin with...there is no shame in a plastic chassis, as long as it's built right. It's not like they're fooling anything that it's real carbon anyways.

I'm curious how big it actually is. Obviously HK posts the dimensions, but it's sometimes hard to get a visual from just numbers.

It is almost as wide as Turnigy SCT 2WD on the ground. 5mm less wheelbase but width seems same with the wide tires on the rattler who have big offset.

It's interesting they would take the time to put a texture on the bottom of the chassis.

First i thought they had glued a carbon fiber sheet on the plastic I thought it was a strange idea.

H.King Rattler, 17/sep/2015 (2 min 33 sec)

H.King Rattler, 18/sep/2015 (3 min 42 sec)

H.King Rattler, 19/sep/2015 (4 min 43 sec)