Today we go for a spin in the extremely cool Traxxas Rustler 2WD 1/10 Scale Rc Truck and see how she handles. If you’re a fan of Traxxas Radio Controlled vehicles, RC toys in general, or you simply have the need… the need for speed, then keep on reading to learn all about this fine specimen of a racing truck from the world’s undisputed champion of manufacturing high quality RC vehicles.
INTRODUCTION
The Traxxas Rustler RC Truck is a slick, 1/10th scale, 2-wheel drive monster truck that’s built with 2 objectives in mind: speed & fun! And it certainly does provide both! Suitable for users ages 14 and up, the Rustler measures 44.5cm long X 31.1cm wide (it’s also 17.8cm high) and features the powerful Titan 12-turn 550 modified motor, which makes this monster capable of reaching a top speed of 56Km/h (or about 35mph). It also has a high-torque 2056 servo that provides responsive & reliable steering (even at full speed) and a unique tire configuration with different tires in the front from what it has in the back. Down back are a set of Alias dual-pin rear tires, and up front is a set of smooth ribbed tires that somewhat resemble open-wheeled racing slicks. Add to that the Rustler’s fully waterproof electronics, its oil filled shocks that are part of an independent suspension system featuring strong coil springs, and its 7-Cell NiMH 3000mAh Traxxas iD battery that’s capable of delivering up to 15 minutes of total running time on a single charge (which you can achieve using the included 4-amp DC fast charger), and you’ve got one solid RC racing truck on your hands!
TESTING & PLAY
I tested my Traxxas Rustler on a number of different surfaces to learn where it best handles and discover what sort of terrain provides the most fun for the user. The first place I tested my model was in a large, empty, paved parking lot. This was one of the overall best surfaces I found to run on, which I think was mostly due to the Rustler’s ability to get excellent traction and a first-rate steering response on the pavement’s flat, though also rough & grippy, surface. I really enjoyed running the Rustler on pavement because I was able to practically turn on a dime at virtually any speed, and I was also able to go from zero to full speed in almost an instant. The pavement really made driving the Rustler a whole lot of fun!
Located directly adjacent to the paved parking lot was a flat field of golf-ball sized rocks (also a parking lot, technically). It was a very tempting place to drive, so over I went. Unfortunately, the Rustler was not happy with this sort of terrain right from the start. In fact, I had to give up on the entire venture within about 2 minutes because the large rocks sent the rustler bouncing wildly at every turn, and the only wrecks I had in my entire stretch of testing the Rustler occurred here. Still, it was good to see how the truck would do in such circumstances, and I learned a couple of valuable lessons from the attempt. First, if you’re going to run on super bumpy terrain, maybe don’t run your vehicle at full throttle. Second, sometimes it’s best to quit while you’re ahead, which is why I quickly shut the experiment down before something got broken.
Next I headed to a nearby park with a largely grass surface. This area proved challenging to the Rustler for an entirely different reason. I’m not entirely sure if it was a traction issue or an understeer issue, but I found that on grass I couldn’t really do tight turns or circles at full speed. If I slowed down a good bit, I could successfully maneuver the Rustler on grass in pretty much any direction, but at higher speeds it was necessary to make my turns and circles in the widest possible manner, lest I lose control completely and end up in the bushes. To be fair, I don’t think the Rustler was designed to run primarily on grass. Luckily, in my next attempt at locating a good driving surface, I really hit the jackpot!
My fourth and final place to run the Rustler (since I don’t have access to a dedicated RC racetrack) was in a local park with a large gravel field. This wasn’t large, rocky gravel with golf-ball sized pebbles to bounce over like site #2, though. This was a much finer topped surface that was generally very smooth & flat, containing mostly dust-sized rocks and pebbles. Naturally, the Rustler loved it! I would have to say that this particular surface was almost as fun to run on as the paved parking lot, and in many ways it was even more fun! This is because I could pull all the tight donuts and spins I wanted, and I surely did, throwing up dirt and pebbles at every opportunity! The Rustler controls very well on a surface like this, and it easily achieves its top speed as well. Still, none of the surfaces I attempted were quite as good as the pavement, which seemed to offer the perfect mix of hardness and grit for the Rustler to really grab onto and take total control of.
EXAMINING THE VIDEO EVIDENCE
Please take a few minutes to view my action packed video of the Traxxas Rustler 1/10th 2WD racing monster truck. It’s got footage of the Rustler driving on each of the surfaces discussed above, and it really gives a good idea of this model’s speed & handling capabilities:
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re looking for a fun & fast RC monster truck from the top producer of such toys in the entire hobby universe, you simply can’t go wrong with the terrific Traxxas Rustler! This truck has a great look, some of the latest RC technology (including a patent-pending technology called the Revo-Spec Torque-Control Slipper, which enhances & adds consistency to the Rustler’s traction control system), and a long history of excellence in bringing hours of enjoyment to RC enthusiasts everywhere. In fact, I did some background research on the Rustler and found that it dates back at least to the 1990s, if not earlier. Of course, today’s version of the Rustler has kept up with the times and features much of the top technology of the hour, so it’s as good as any RC vehicle in its particular price point, and very likely better. I certainly recommend it for anyone with enough of an interest in the hobby to invest in a good quality entry-to-mid-level machine. It’s loads of fun to run and a truck you can truly be proud of. Until next time, happy motoring!
GALLERY OF ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
