Mad Rat = Good comeback?

[SilentBob]

Hey M8s. I have realy been looking at the Mad Rat and I must say I like how it looks. I have been driving B4, BK2 CR for a few years but bin off from the hobby for a while and want to get back in to it but have a smaller budget now then back then.
Would the Mad Rat be a good choice?

I have B4 chocks laying around and som other bit and bobs that I could use for the car.

Sorry if this has been asked befor .

Thanks

/Fredrik

[jim76]

the madrat is a very good chassis for the money. just need to add ballraces for about 7-8 quid. The kit now comes with a stronger t-piece so reliability is far better.

As you may have read, the kit shocks are terrible, so if you have B4 ones knocking around put them straight on, it makes a huge difference.

It is basically a quarter price RB5, and is quite capable on the track when the shocks are changed. Spares are pretty cheap too.

[SilentBob]

Thanks for your replay jim76. I thought of buying bearings for it and a hobbywing 60amp sensord system. Put some weights up front to keep it on the track.

I think i will place my order realy soon =)

[budgio]

I managed to put mine in the B-final in the mid south regional at the PDA last Sunday.They are good for the money. Decent shocks are an absolute must.
If you are racing for fun like me its a good choice.And its always nice to beat the more expensive chassis that are around.

[jim76]

yeah, get some little sticky lead weights, or wheel balance weights from kwikfit etc. I stuck around 150g of weight around the steering rack and servo in mine to keep the front end down and improve the steering on power. Apart from the lead and the shocks it's a standard car, and goes really well.

[SilentBob]

Sounds realy nice, so nice I just orderd one

Yeah I thought of the lead weights but allso was thinking of maby making a bulkhead i stainles steel at work. Gues we will se when I get the car.

Thanks M8s.

/Fredrik

[jim76]

if you have the skills and equipment to make one then that is definitely the way to go. My old man made me a brass one for the RB5, much more convenient than adding a load of weights.

Team C do make an ali bulkhead, but it adds no weight what so ever, so isn;t worth the expense

[nicefrog]

A couple people on here have mentioned that the stock hex hubs don't tighten well (push on the bearing) which is true, you can't tighten the wheel on the stock ones, so they are running Kyosho part LA218 (ZX-5 Drive Washer). Also if you are using the bearings from the bearing shop in the UK then when you put the clip on the front axels assemble it so that the smooth side of the clip goes to the inside otherwise it can catch on the bearing and be notchy.

Also keep an eye on what TeamC America are doing as they have some better parts almost ready that will bring the car right up to the best cars

[kedal]

Well, I think the Mad Rat is a very good car to begin with. Very cheap, good reliability and with some little mod the car could be very competitive. The spares are cheap in the TCmodels.net hong kong shop, the hop up are very interesting and the car looks good.

If interested, see what I've done with mine on my blog : losi shock, carbon fiber shock tower and another weight distribution.

[zagonielod]

Hi everybody!
I have just ordered my Mad Rat Tomorrow I will have it and will begin to assemble it I hardly can wait till tomorrow....
Seen it in a friends hands last weekend, was surprised how tough it is and couldn't believe how cheap!! Not much time passed and I've seen myself putting it into the cart
It will be my first kit. Also my second EVER RC car. I also have a Torche Pro brushless monster truck. Bought it because there I haven't seen buggys, nobody had one, and I liked how the people was bashing with them.
Came in another city, here the guys have been more advanced in RC cars and they have allready known what a buggy means. Of course I've felt in love with buggys. Planned to buy an Associated B4.1 but for low budget couldn't yet. And then lightning hits! Mad Rat!
I have read threads here and realised what a bargain it is and quickly ordered it.
I will use my brushless sistem from the monster for the beginning. It's a HSP 70A ESC and a motor(dunno what motor 'cas nothing is written on it) but I've heard that it would be a 3300kv something... It pulls pretty good with a 11.1V lipo
Planning to buy a Turnigy 60A ESC and an EZrun 9T motor (is that 9T any good?..... )
Sorry for the loong post, but I am sooooo enthusiastic

[kedal]

I hope you'll enjoy your car zagonielod !
A 9T sounds good, is it for use on track or just bashing ?

[SilentBob]

Thanks for all the positive feedback M8s. Like zagonielod I cant wait to get my hands on my kit.

Realy nice blog kedal!. Alldo I dont understand a word French the pictures sais allot. I will be getting back to that one when I build my kit.

/Fredrik

[zagonielod]

I wouldn't kill this car with bashing If bashing, than there is my monster truck. I would use the Mad Rat for tracks. Unfortunately, we don't have professional race tracks here, and what we have is quite rough. But hopefully we will make progresses and who knows
Anyway, tomorrow is the BIG DAY Hope that it will be soon for you too SilentBob!

[zagonielod]

I see that many people is using external BECs.... Is it so important? (I have to repeat that I am quite new to all this)

[kedal]

Originally Posted by SilentBob

Thanks for all the positive feedback M8s. Like zagonielod I cant wait to get my hands on my kit.

Realy nice blog kedal!. Alldo I dont understand a word French the pictures sais allot. I will be getting back to that one when I build my kit.

/Fredrik

Thanks ! If you need/want some translation, just ask

[zagonielod]

Yesssss!!! It's arrived!
Of course I've unpacked it and I'm starting right now to assembly at least the front. (I don't have more time than that ...)
Gooood it's lovely!

[SilentBob]

Hehe good to know kedal

Great to hear zagonielod!. Hope you get more time soon then.

/Fredrik

[zagonielod]

Hehe! I've allready built some parts of the front section. Servo saver included. Unfortunately I have to stop building important parts because another MAd Rat owner told me not to continue untill I have bought the bearings.
But I can say that I am really surprised by its quality.... Strong,rigid parts.
I have also a question: how should I glue the tires? I have never done that before so I don't know how much superglue is needed.

[coolcars782]

This is easy then writing it. Here is a link to a youtube video by HorizonRc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ux4JP_BiS0

Carl

[zagonielod]

Thanks! I like this kind of responses Even if I wouldn't understand some words, I can see there everything with my eyes
Thanks again!