Radio Shack "OFF-ROADER" full hobby conversion with remote operated winch

[Tyco Bandit King]

Here is a truck from 1992 ive had since I was 5 and it being my first actual 4wd RC car I decided to do a full hobby conversion on it. These trucks came with a super low 1st gear that from the box would climb anything you want it to. They also had a side to side differential which meant if just one wheel from each side got traction all 4 wheels would spin. heres is a list of the things I have done to make this a night and day difference over the stock:


Mamba Micro Pro speed controller- fully programmable through the computer

Trinity Monster Maxx 380 motor

7.4v 1600mah lipo battery

Airtronics FM radio

Tamiya 1/10 scale servo



Other mods:


Custom made front winch using:

Hitec 225mg metal gear servo

Hi-test fishing line for winch cable- over 6 feet

integrated into original bumper behind fake winch using the fake rollers


Weight reduction:

Replaced the 4 "C" batteries and 9V with the lipo dropping weight and bringing it closer to the ground

Remove rear wing for weight loss and weight transfer to the front

Winch over front bumper for better weight transfer


Performance difference:

Will run faster in low gear than the stock one in high gear

Climbs much steeper grades with only the lightest touch of throttle

Runs an amazing 2.5 hours in any condition!!!!

Can winch 4x its weight with ease



This truck is an absolute night and day difference over what it was stock and even with the speed controller turned all the way down its extremely fast in high gear and does exceptionally well off-road









Sitting next to one thats new in the box

[czstycor/c]

your last five pictures didn't show! to bad it looks i think better with the spoiler.

[Tyco Bandit King]

They show up on mine, I will try to load them again. you need to see the last one

[czstycor/c]

HAHA!!!!!!!!!! oh man i can't bilieve the weight of the hammer doesn't pull it off the self. that is probably the high light of my day, hmm good thing to overwise it would have been changing my oil. that winch design was very clever, i couldn't even tell you did anthing to it.

now you need a video of it running verses the original haha

i am jelous of your skill, and your car shop haha

[Tyco Bandit King]

I was planning on making a video to show the difference between the 2. After making dozens of extreme hobby cars its not so fun after a while. The non hobby cars are really where its at and more fun to modify since they arent suppose to be

[czstycor/c]

i think the nonhobby cars are more appealing to look at too. i dont that might just be me.

if i'm ever in texas again i might just have to look you up. funny my sisters will be down there next week.

does the wich work of the same battery as the motor or is there another battery in there? i thought it would be seperate.

[SavedONE]

-PLEASE DO make a video, I had so many of those 4x4's, even the last "Rage 4x4", w/9.6v. 

[turbobandit]

ahhh i remember you showing me this truck when i was at your house...pretty sweet.

[czstycor/c]

since you got rid of the spoiler, you should use some l.e.d lights to put on the bars inthe bed they just look bare now

[Tyco Bandit King]

Savedone: I hear you on that ive had all those trucks from that platform like the night runner and the rage. I have 2 9.6v rages one brand new in box and one i use. 6 years ago i put a 25lb weight on one and sat in a wagon and the thing pulled me across my patio. They are the best thing radio shack ever made.

I will have to hook some leds up to the roll bar then make a good youtube video of this one

[SavedONE]

-My favorite RS hands down, is the Extreme Machine, I ran a Novak 610HRV, w/dual stk. 540's, & to prevent any overheating, I had my Dad cut a Traxxas Sledgehammer motor heatsink in half, it covers the part of the motors that sticks out beautifully.  I've had 4-5 Extreme Machines, & 3 Nikko Hercs.  There is so much possible to do w/these.
-I like the Rock Runner, had a couple of the yellow ones, had the 2 gen. red one, & the RS Tremor, (RR w/rollbar & wing).  I'd like to get the RS Trespasser, it's the light blue, Extreme Machine bodied, dual 540 equipped Rock Runner, (why did Nikko only put 380's in the Thor!
-I started in RC in 1985, got a Tow truck rig.  But the real "jump start" was CHRISTmas 86', got the red Nikko Turbo Panther.  A month or 2 later, I broke the front trailing arm.  My dad said he'd epoxy it while I was at school.  I get home, my car is looking worse, here Dad test ran it, did fix it, but forgot to turn it off,  put it on top of the fridge, my neighbor (the fire chief, at the time), did his hand held CB check...that was the biggest jump that car ever had

[Tyco Bandit King]

Oh yeah I remember every single one of those trucks. I would have just died to have a extreme machine when I was a kid but they were $200 so that was out of the limit. Ive had 2 hercules one of which I still have, a trail blazer, as well as the avalance with the boat by nikko which was a hercules but 2wd and I have new in the box red thor I love them all.

Reason why I like the off-roader series the best is because the low gear on them is soooo low that they will climb anything. The hercules would struggle bad in grass and hills.


Cure for that, 8.4v 5000mah battery, wont hurt the speed control and the best money you can put into the truck is the 4:1 gear reduction unit RC4wd sells for them. You can have stock electronics and all the power and run time you could ever imagine. Problem with just adding power to the truck is that the front wheels will wanna out spin the rear and you know how those trucks are once the front start spinning, that back get no power and cant climb for crap. Having a gear reduction will make the spin at the same rate and you would never have to do another thing to it. They sell them in 4:1 3:1 2:1 and 2:1 is about enough and gives you all the wheel speed you need.

They also just stopped sell the 380 motor gear reduction which can be put in the thor only in 2:1 but its a major difference. Im looking for a pair on ebay

[Tyco Bandit King]

BTW I am on the hunt for an extreme machine or even just that sweet green body

[czstycor/c]

you guys got pictures of these trucks? i own two nikkos and what i noticed on my road shredder that they are more solid and better build but slower so i figured they would be great for moding

[Tyco Bandit King]

Which ones you wanna see? I plan on post all my cars on the weekend when I have more free time