# Slash for a 5 and 7 yr old



## chaddomsophluci (Feb 23, 2010)

First of all hello to everyone and I thank you for any advice you give in advance. I am not new to the sport but have been out of it for 15 years (used to race carpet oval). That being said, I don't have much of a clue about all of the new fangled stuff thats out there now and I have a lot of learning to do as I am the chief mechanic and money pit. My lead in is over and I'll get to the meat:



We have been hanging around the local track and everyone there and at our LHS have been great. If you're ever in NE Ohio ask around for ARCS Hobbies track it's great and the guy that runs it has been super. Just ask for Ryan, he's the one. I have learned a lot and not enough - just enough to get in trouble. The kids are having fun with a Duratrax EXT but I want to get them a 2WD Slash. This seems to be what everyone and everything I've read is pointing me toward. Eventually I'll get a 4x4 but for now it's about them.



What I know:

1) The brushed 2x4 is not as fast as the brushless system - ergo, they can't run into things at a faster speed if I don't buy it - ergo, hopefully less replacement of parts.



2) The 2.4GHz radio seems the way to go if I'm going to buy a RTR, which I will simply because of cost and they don't know how to drive. I don't want to invest a lot of money on the outset.



3) The Slash is waterproof!! They want to run in the snow and puddles - It's NE Ohio, what else would you expect?



4) My son and daughter don't know how to drive yet and regularly run into solid objects at high speeds. This usually results in crying and consoling. When this happens they are both very understanding and just wait until I'm done and tell me it will be OK.



What I don't know:



1) Everything else



2) Refer to #1



3) Do I buy big bore shocks? Which ones? From who?



4) Do I buy front end parts? Which ones? From who?



5) Do I buy other suspension parts or motor/tranny guards? Which ones? From who?



6) My old tools aren't going to cut it. What do I need? From who?



7) I have an old Tekin charger that is doing well with a couple of Venom NiMh batteries I bought, but, we will then have two trucks and two kids with one charger and only two batteries - this is a recipe for disaster between brother and sister, as well as eventually we will move into LiPo and I'll need a charger and batteries. Which ones? From who?



8) Everything else that I need to know.



9) I have gathered that RPM parts are the way to go for a lot of this. Which ones?



I'm not looking to bulletproof this thing out of the box - just almost. I also don't have thousands to spend. Remember they are 5 and 7 and the whole crying thing comes into effect and I don't like to cry in front of my kids.



To add to all of this, I'm regularly checking the FS/FT threads and if anyone has or knows of a good used one for a reasonable price please point me in the right direction. I can get a NIB RTR w/2.4GHz for $240 and am leaning that way, just haven't decided yet, probably not for a couple of weeks unless the right deal comes along.



Any and all advice is appreciated and just to let you know, even though I don't know much I have learned a lot on this site and others and I think they and the people in them are great. I'm going to cut and paste this to a couple of other sites that I joined since I believe all the info I can get, can only help. So if you see me somewhere else you'll know.


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## kane0021 (Jan 27, 2010)

Are you REALLY buying this for the kids or just using them as an excuse to get a new toy, lol! Kids will break stuff bulletproof or not. Just buy the rtr and go from there. When I was 5-7 years old all I was allowed to have was some Tyco then once I was a little older my dad bumped me up into a Losi LXT


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## nutz4rc (Oct 14, 2003)

I started my two Grandsons out on Traxxas Stampedes years ago. They both had fun bashing in the yard, bashing each other, hitting trees, hitting each other; you get the idea. Traxxas are sturdy. Buy some extra RPM arms and you are ready. 

As previous post says, buy RTR use the stock radios (make certain you get two trucks on two different frequencies) to get started, use NIMH batts to keep cost down. Buy a Duratrax Onyx charger (one model does two batts) and doesn't require a power supply. LET THEM HAVE FUN.


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## DJ1978 (Sep 26, 2001)

chaddomsophluci said:


> The kids are having fun with a Duratrax EXT but I want to get them a 2WD Slash. This seems to be what everyone and everything I've read is pointing me toward. Eventually I'll get a 4x4 but for now it's about them.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

DJ1978 said:


> Look into 5000 Mah lIpo's They will give you more run time than your kids have attention span.


This is good advice except for one thing: The Traxxas ESC doesn't have a LiPo cutoff and is not compatible with the most popular addon LiPo cutoff (the Novak Smart Stop). If your kids extend their attention span to the point where they run the battery down, you just ruined the battery.

A better alternative, and safe for kids are LiFePO4 packs (commonly just called LiFe). They are available in various price rangers from $35 (with shipping) to $130 per pack. LiFe packs are not damaged when run to the point that the car slows to a crawl (so you don't need a cutoff) and their slightly lower voltage will mean the cars go a little slower (good for your kids). The only downside is that chargers that do LiFe packs are not as common or economical as chargers that do NiMH or LiPo.


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## MDB (Nov 8, 2002)

My advice---

Buy the 2x4 Slash (or 2) just make sure you get the recently released version that has the 2.4 radio installed from the factory. It also comes (according to Tower hobbies) with a 7 cell,3000 mah batttery in the box as well as a slow charger. The Slash 2x4 also comes with some basic tools of decent quality.

Then all you need is a decent charger and like nutz4rc suggested the Duratrax Onyx 240 wiil charge 2 batteries at once and will lighten your stuff you have to haul around.

The above items will get you started pretty well and you can upgrade tools,parts and more speed later on as stuff breaks or wears out.

One great thing about the Traxxas brand is that in their speed controls they have a "trainer mode" that cuts the power down to 50% for beginers (perfect for your situation with a 5 and 7 year old) that you can put back to 100% power when their skill level rises.

The big thing is to HAVE FUN.

Later,

Mark

P.S. The Slash 4x4 has all of these features as well for when you get your own toy.


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## steel sledge (Nov 9, 2009)

The Slash is a great choice for beginners and young kids! Traxxas trucks are almost bomb-proof and replacement parts are cheap. Buy the RPM replacement parts as pieces break. I bought all of the parts they make at once and it got expensive, but if you just buy what you need and when you need it, it'll be easier on the wallet. The RPM parts are more expensive than Traxxas parts, but for good reason. They are EVEN STRONGER and carry a warranty! 2.4 ghz is the way to go, especially if they're going to be running at a track. And the long collapsing antennas on AM rtr radios can be hell for kids. The first time my son tried to collapse it by pushing from the very top, it snapped. Track day over! NiMh batteries are cheap and definitely the way to go for your kids, and the brushed electronics will be more than enough, and cheap enough to replace when the motors go bad. The ONYX chargers are great! As far as tools, if you don't have everything you need and the tools in the kit don't meet your standards, you can find kits for around $20-30 that have everything you'll need specific to Traxxas vehicles. Another tip.... get some extra body clips! As one member replied, the trainer mode is a great way for them to learn how to drive without worrying about crashing too hard. Throttle control can take some getting used to, as I've found out with my 6 year old! As far as big bore shocks, I would stick to the stock ultra shocks that come with the cars while they get used to driving. You're going to be refilling them a lot, since they seem to always leak after a good day at the track. If you do decide to upgrade when the time is right, go with Traxxas big bore shocks. They're durable, come completely assembled (just add oil, which is included), and sell for about $58 for a complete set of 4. I have them on all of my Slash trucks and they made a huge difference in handling and durability! Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions. I live about an hour or so from you, and have 2 Slash's and a 4x4 Slash myself.


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## PGoogs (May 8, 2003)

PM message sent. I have bunch of stuff for sale that may help you out.
Paul G.


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## chaddomsophluci (Feb 23, 2010)

So far everyone has given some great and personal experience information. I thank you! Please keep it coming. I'm working on a deal from someone at our local track on a 2x4 for the kids and in the meantime I couldn't stand it anymore and bought a PE 4x4. On the local track thing - anyone who's close please come on by, everyones great. ARCS is in Ashtabula, Ohio (Saybrook) and you can find it on the web as well as contact info for Ryan.


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## steel sledge (Nov 9, 2009)

My brother and I usually race at MVRC down here, but we're making a trip up there to ARCS on March 16th (tuesday). We'll be there all day so stop by with the kids and run with us!


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## steel sledge (Nov 9, 2009)

I'll have my PE 4x4 with me too!


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## DJ1978 (Sep 26, 2001)

Looks like you are well on your way back in!! 
I have a freind Doug Lightcap who races out your way. If you run into him tell him Dan says Hi.


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## chaddomsophluci (Feb 23, 2010)

Will do!:thumbsup:


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