ECX Barrage Review - Mods - Issues - Final Thoughts

[@rc7435]

Just bought my boy the kit version for christmas! He already has a emaxx with the summit motor conversion, and a Telluride brushless. But at 7 years old he really needed something that he can do by himself inside through this long miserable winter in maine. Just the fact that he will assemble it himself will be so much fun to watch!!

[@2krcbackroads421]

That is so cool. It will be something he will be proud of for for sure. Something he was able to put together...and drive. You're a good dad!

[@rc7435]

@@2krcbackroads421 thx, I am trying

[@Modifier-RCs]

I just got me a new ecx Barrage chassis, it was giving to me from a friend. Just so you know this RC is no longer in the market, parts are rare and hard to find. I upgraded my chassis: knuckles, front c hubs, rear axle ends, shocks to aluminum, transmission case, and waiting for spur gear & pinion cover. I put 1.9 Super Swampers tire with alloy beadlock rims. I mounted a scale down New Bright Rubicon Jeep. My friend saw what I did and like it a lot. When I get a chance, I'll make a short video on how it looks 👌. I want you to see it 😉👍

[@groundcontrolrc4504]

Great video very informative. I have this truck. Been in the box for months...I am pumped now to get it out and get it going...keep up the great work. No videos for a while? you need to come back brother!! Best to you..

[@2krcbackroads421]

It is a great rig...you'll love it. Very easy to mod. Thanks for the kind words, really appreciate it. Life has kinda turned my RC life upside down, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'll have new vids coming out this year for sure. All the best to you...and thanks again for your support and comment!

[@robbrcnstuff4220]

I just got a barrage and a doomsday last week at the black Friday sale at my local hobby shop and for the price these are great rigs.

[@2krcbackroads421]

I agree 100%. Very capable rig for very little investment. Thanks for stopping by the channel and leaving a comment....much appreciated!

[@vmaxmercer]

Have you tried to move the shocks from inside the chassis to outside. That may solve the torque twist problem and be able to remove the bump stops from the shocks.

[@2krcbackroads421]

I have not tried to move the shocks to the outside myself. Is this something you have done? If so, did it work for you?

[@vmaxmercer]

I have not Done it but I watched a video from Hillbilly RC where he did. here is a link to his vid.kzbin.info/www/bejne/roO5q31qqph-g9U

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks!!

[@DFDuck55]

Just revisiting this video. Really like the nerf bars you have, I just ordered a set for my Barrage. I have tried several other rock slider bars and they've all been too long. I kept having stability issues with my Barrage, it would roll over if you breathed on it too hard. I ended up replacing the 110mm stock tires with 95mm tires with some meaty tread (though think I could have gotten away with 100mm). This allowed me to lower the body without getting any tire rub. Lowered enough that I had to cut slots in the body for the front bumper mounts to slide up into. Then I added 5/8ths of an ounce weight on each wheel. And relocated the battery to just in front of the motor (used stock battery tray, removed both end pieces, and zip tied it to the frame.) I lost a bit of ground clearance but I think it looks much more scale now with the smaller tires and lowered body, and it is now a quite stable and capable trail rig.

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks for the comment. Sounds like you've done quite a bit to your Barrage. I think the tires are a bit oversized on the original rig. I have some mud thrashers (93 mm) that I plan on mounting up in the future...I just don't have the time to mess with the lowering of the body, etc. right now. Thanks for stopping by!

[@rosa8056]

Awsome excited to get mine in the mail!

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks! You'll enjoy it!

[@dschenk952]

Thanks for your review of the Barrage, I like your attention to detail in the video. I just picked up a Gen 2 version, and at about 16:00 into your video you talk about a set screw and pin that might cause issues. I looked for it and on the Gen 2 it might be under the chrome "collar" on the inside of the wheel assembly, just not sure. I do see a set screw in that area in my manual but it's not readily apparent upon visual inspection. ( This is not a criticism, just and observation I thought I'd share on my Gen 2 ). The only issue I've had so far is the servo only lasted for about two batteries worth of use before it gave up the ghost. I put a Savox servo in, even though I had heard of issues with brownouts, but haven't had any trouble yet. Thanks, again for your video, as a newby to RC Crawling it is very helpful.

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks for the great comment. The servo...yeah, it's a well documented issue for the Barrage. Most stock servos don't last too long anyway. Savox are great servos...I run them in a lot of my rigs. As to the CVD issue....there is a youtuber, TJ the rc Guy, he has a short, up close and to the point video he posted recently on the issue. I thought of filming a vid for you myself...but he did such a great job explaining it, I'd rather send you his way. Hope that helps! Thanks for checking out the channel!!

[@dschenk952]

@@2krcbackroads421 thanks, I found the video, I'll check mine later.

[@rennsport_3]

Thanks for the review and tips. Just picked one of these up for my kid. It will be his first rc rig. Trying to figure out what rig to get for myself so we can have fun on the trails together. May just pick up a second.

[@2krcbackroads421]

Welcome...glad they could help. Your kid will really like it...solid rig. I'd say pick one up for yourself...the more the merrier. If you're good with mechanical stuff and enjoy model building...you might think about getting the kit version of the Barrage, it comes with a few upgrades and a clear body, so you can paint it however you like. Thanks for stopping by the channel and for the comment!!

[@Dave51262]

Great video. I really like the modifications you did to the stock body. It looks great! It is one of the best I have seen for making the stock body more scale. Thanks for the review on this.

[@2krcbackroads421]

Appreciate the comment! I'm always looking for ways to make things more like the real deal. Thanks for stopping by!

[@dilloncreel8461]

I'm hunting for those need bars. Any idea on the model number, or anything else?

[@2krcbackroads421]

I'll add a link to the Nerf Bars in the description. They are made by JunFac for the Axial SCX10 but fit great on the Barrage. Thanks for checking out the channel!

[@shanec8812]

Great job! That body looks 100x better. I was thinking about getting one.

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks Shane! Yeah...pretty cool rig for the money. Thanks for stopping by the channel!

[@DFDuck55]

Everyone I know with a Barrage has had problems with the stock steering servo stripping the gears. I am the only one I know of who's servo "caught on fire" after only 15 minute sessions of very slow gentle trail crawling. I contacted Horizon Hobby and all they wanted was a photo of my receipt (I included a photo of the melted servo) then they sent me a Spectrum S6230 metal gear servo (which cost 3x what the stock servo cost.) I had to slightly modify the servo mount to get the S6230 in there, had to grind out just a bit of the inside of the mount to allow for the fat cable. I lost a rear axle pin in the field while changing wheels. I cut a piece of a spare body clip pin the same length and it worked great (with a magnet I later found the stock pin and stuck it back in.)

[@2krcbackroads421]

A fire! That's never good in RC...ha ha Cool that Horizon hooked you up with a new, upgraded servo. Thanks for tunin' in and droppin' a comment!

[@garrettsgarage4769]

Great review

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thank you!! Thanks for stopping by the channel and droppin' a comment!

[@Dieselboy420]

Just ordered my lil girl one. The gen2 kit version. I think I’m more excited then her!!!

[@2krcbackroads421]

Ha ha...you're already hooked, that's a good thing. She'll love it, and so will you! Thanks for stopping by the channel!

[@KS-wt9gj]

I changed tires, trimmed the driveshafts and it crawls as good as my $500.00 scalers.

[@2krcbackroads421]

Ha ha...crazy isn't it?!?! What tires are you running?

[@KS-wt9gj]

2KRCBACKROADS ( I’m using 1.9 Super Swampers from a K5 Ascender kit, they’re super soft, so I used real soft foams. Climbs like a Billy Goat. ) Great little truck. RC life is good.

[@2krcbackroads421]

That's awesome Man...solid tire! RC life IS good...all the best!

[@RcNickster709]

great run down brother.. I enjoyed it.. the torque twist drives me nuts too.. lol.. awesome video man.. and you did a great job with the body on that rig too man.. thanks for sharing... thumbs up from me ..☺👍

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks so much, really appreciate that comment. Yeah, torque twist is a killer for me, sounds like you too. Thanks for stoppin' by and havin' a look!

[@DFDuck55]

There are a few mods I've seen that help with the torque twist. One guy I saw replaced the 3-link with a 4-link. I've seen several people relocate the shocks to the outside of the chassis (which also opens the possibility of using a full size servo.) Putting oil in the shocks helps; there is only about 1 drop of oil in them out of the box (and both axles / bearings / gears were bone dry, no grease.) Since there is no shock spring preload adjustment I slightly "stretched" the left rear spring which helped. Someone else I saw used a couple small zip-ties above the springs to preload them.

[@rcexperiencebyanthony.d7468]

great review video my friend! I agree thumbs up on this rig!! I'm thinken of getting one!! thumbs up from Toronto!! ✌✌

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks Anthony, appreciate it Brother! Hope all is well up North...Your Blue Jays just laid a whoopin' on my Mariners over the weekend!

[@rcexperiencebyanthony.d7468]

your welcome brother! I know! I saw it was a good game!!...but we won 4-2 ...hot and humid now so extreme...I think we hit 33c with humidex 39...wow/1 stay cool my good friend!

[@mmmasterscross7915]

Thanks for the thorough review

[@2krcbackroads421]

You bet. Thanks for stopping by!

[@daciukfilms]

Did u cut your bump stops off or did u take apart the shock to get them off?

[@2krcbackroads421]

I left them attached at the top, took the bottom apart and slid them off. Hope that helps...

[@daciukfilms]

2KRCBACKROADS thank you yes it helps

[@kennethgerriysen]

My shit makes noise amd clicks when i try n turn or adjust. Im just starting

[@2krcbackroads421]

Tough to answer but I'll give it a shot.... Could be the CVD issue I mention in my final thoughts vid (set screw, and/or pin)...could be a lack of grease in the diff...could be the servo issue I mention...or could just be body rub? Good luck, hope that helps.

[@jamurphy8386]

Nice review! I'm looking to get one, as soon as I get my friend's family back on their feet again.... It really seems like very good bang for the buck. I gotta say, you've proven that you CAN put lipstick on a pig!! 👍👍😎 That looks GOOD, and everything seemed to be easy mods. A couple of things I've since learned...... Moving the shocks outboard will really help torque twist. Noticeably. A 390 motor, brushed, will improve torque, with VERY little modification. They're available lots of places, stock applications are usually 1/16th or 1/18th Scale Rigs. Traxxas even makes a Titan 390 motor, with less turns, for those looking for more torque and wheel speed. The third is probably my opinion more than anything else. I like my Rigs to have interiors, even a basic plate interior, with only heads, shoulders, steering wheel, crude seatbacks, and a dashboard. There even looks like there's enough room for a deeper interior - provided I even keep that body! And that's another subject. Bodies. What's the wheelbase? I've got a couple of Tamiya hard bodies that could work.... Our Hobby is all about personal choice and preferences. Thing with this Rig is, for those of us on very limited budgets, it offers a quality starting point, with a LOT of potential!! Thanks for sharing your experience with it! Murph

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks for the kind words Murph, I appreciate it! The body took quite a bit of lipstick...ha ha...but I think it turned out okay. I agree with you, the possibilities are endless with this platform. You can swap out motors, move things around, etc. Great rig to tinker with....and you can't beat the price! I'm with you on the interior. I really like a nice interior; and driver figure. I have some material laying around and a few "dudes"...so you will probably see an interior in this rig at some point. The wheelbase is 10 1/8". The track is 7 3/4". Thanks for tuning in! I hope you have as much fun with your Barrage as I've had with mine.

[@jamurphy8386]

Thanks. I've got a while before I can afford one. Yes, it's quite a bargain, but I have to try to do something before I can consider doing something for myself. My best friend is in serious need.... I do look forward to it! It's a pretty solid Rig. Thanks for the specs! I've got a CC-01 hard body, that would fit like a glove - despite ECX calling it "1/12th Scale"!! It makes me want to get the Tamiya Land Cruiser FJ40 hard body for it. No front/rear overhang, just like the Barrage body. I've already been thinking about interior options... probably bits from RC4WD, Axial and GCM. I'm not planning a Comp Rig, I just set impossible standards for myself!! lol I get that from my old friend, Carmine. He started as a Model Railroader, and is brilliant at weathering and details! I can't wait to see what you do next! Sounds like you're having a LOT of fun with it!

[@stacygardner7959]

the plastic lockers that the ring gear bolts to are junk, i have spun two of them in less than 10 mins. the stock servo is junk as well

[@2krcbackroads421]

I've had no issues with the "plastic lockers"...good to know though. The stock servo...yeah, many issues with the stock servo. Thanks for checking out the channel!

[@rcnewb]

Holy cow, that looks great! I love the black trim and accents! That looks amazing (and should be what this truck looks like out of the box.)

[@2krcbackroads421]

Really appreciate that! It took a little "tweaking" but I think it came out okay. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

[@satorrotas]

Excellent video , very good explanations and review !! Nice job !!

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks a bunch Pascal, appreciate it!!

[@roancraenen1385]

Are there different versions for this becouse in a other video the bumper looked way shorter and a few other changes that did not seem the same.

[@2krcbackroads421]

The RTR, or Ready To Run version is slightly different from the "kit" version. The RTR was the first version to hit the streets and shares some of its parts (axles, gearbox, shocks, motor) with the ECX Temper. The kit version offers new axles specific to the Barrage, new motor, new shocks (and shock location on chassis), and new/different links and setup. The bumpers should be the same for both. You really can't go wrong with either....but if you are mechanically inclined and/or like to build things, I'd go with the kit version.

[@BudgetGuyrc1967]

nice video my friend very informative have fun RCing

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thank you Sir! Appreciate it!

[@sophie28ize]

I was thinking of buying one. After watching your video. I'm gonna buy one. I have 3 CC-01's .Two I didn't build yet and now I wish I bought the barrage instead. It's lot cheaper and its RTR. The CC-01 has 3 different wheel bases. I don't know the exact measurements but the FJ Cruiser is the longest one. The Unimog is in the middle and the Land cruiser and jeep are the same as the Barrage. That is one of the reason's I like that wheelbase is all the different body's for it . Some NEW BRIGHT Jeep body's fit perfect. Also all the body's for the Traxxas Stamped will fit too. I'm sure the Barrage has better steering. Thanks For Sharing!! I also subed

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks for the sub, and for taking the time to comment. I have a CC-01 myself, and I can tell you, the Barrage is a much more capable rig. Don't get me wrong, I like my CC-01...but as you said, the CC-01 steering is not great. Ground clearance and flex is limited too. Good info on some of the different bodies that would fit the chassis, thanks. Have fun with your Barrage!

[@stephentattersall]

nice video mate cool truck 👍

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks Brotha! Appreciate it!

[@ShenRC]

that's like a good tamiya CC-01 that's what's nice about it the size and it makes it more challenging to trail run with the smaller rigs.

[@2krcbackroads421]

Appreciate for the comment..I do like the size. Thanks for stopping by!

[@Crazycapo88]

Just picked up this rig, but the one you have to build it was cheaper and i understand the truck to the fullest, i've run it against some good crawlers and come out on top, i have no complaints and i can make it slow enough that my 2 year old can play with it and not my slash that does 60+mph lol

[@2krcbackroads421]

It is a great rig...congrats! As you said, you can leave some of the higher priced rigs behind with the Barrage...very capable for sure. Thanks for stopping by the channel!!

[@poppysrcandmodels]

Great review TK! Well now I'm a little torn between that and another I got my eye on, but for the price this may be the one, lol!😉😎👍👍

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks Jeff! The price is tough to beat for sure. Decisions, decisions....which other rig are you looking at?

[@poppysrcandmodels]

Been waiting for that new hpi venture to hit the market.

[@2krcbackroads421]

That looks like a very cool rig....

[@jahmenrcbuildingasone4254]

You got your Barrage looking real good man!! Have you looked at the new Gen 2 Barrage with some of the improvements everyone has been speaking of. Nice work bro!!

[@2krcbackroads421]

Hey thanks, appreciate it! Yeah, I've looked at the Gen 2 Barrage. I may buy one at some point. I like that the tire/wheel combo is 1.55, much more scale look. Axles are a nice touch too. Thanks for stopping by!

very cool review and the Barrage looks perfect with the new tires........a very good job 👍👍💯

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thank you very much, appreciate it! Thanks for stopping by...

[@Styme-vx7td]

Great vid man,the way you talk and explain you could make these vids n stuff for a living! I'm a newbie and I got the barrage,My first scaler,I love it!..im lookin to put accessories and make it mine does any1 have and suggestions on where I should start?

[@2krcbackroads421]

Appreciate that, thanks! Wish I could do this for a living..... ScalerFab has some cool stuff, some Axial SCX10 parts will work with minor mods (bumpers, rock sliders, etc.). Gear Head and Pro-Line Racing have some cool roof racks, lights, and stuff. Amazon is a good "catch all" for a lot of RC rock crawler accessories as well. Hope that helps!

[@RCVHX22]

Freaking Awesome!! tamiya CC-01 I must share it bro Two Big thumbs up!✌ツ👍

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks Xavier, really appreciate it Man!! Fun little rig....

[@Gimpdiggity]

I see you've got a TF2 box sitting behind the Barrage in this video. How does the Barrage fare compared to the TF2 as far as hitting the trails goes? I've got a TF2, but it's my only trail truck (used to have two CC01s, a Crawler King, and an SCX10) and my wife really enjoys going on the trails. I bought the TF2 to run with a friend that got an SCX10, but I just don't see that happening regularly enough, so I was thinking about moving the TF2 and getting two of these Barrages...one for myself and one for the wife. So anyway...I'm rambling...any thoughts on the Barrage's performance versus the TF2?

[@2krcbackroads421]

To be honest...two totally different rigs. The Barrage is the lightest scaler I own...my TF2 the heaviest. The Barrage is a linked rig...the TF2 is leaf sprung. The TF2 is all metal construction...the Barrage mostly plastic. What that all boils down to is the Barrage is a little easier to drive and more forgiving....but it doesn't look as scale as the TF2. As far as hitting the trails goes, you should have no problem with the Barrage. There are a couple issues that you face with the Barrage (servo, CVD set screw) but outside of those two issues, it's a very solid rig.

[@RcAVENTURE.V.F.R]

Nice brother, good job, big thumbs up brother

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thank you so much, really appreciate it Man!

[@JCRC]

Thanks for the detailed review .. was looking for something with a short wheelbase - chassis looks up to my needs :)

[@2krcbackroads421]

Thanks Joe! Solid little rig....