Knightrunner Gets An Upgrade PLUS a Weird New Radio!

[@wigzzborz6759]

There something about this chanel videos that feels calming and satisfaying. I guess that I wish I could play more with my RC crawlers lol

[@RCTNT]

Thank you. I hope you can get out more. Waiting around for it to happen just lets more time slip by.

[@BUILTLIGHTWOUNDTIGHT]

Love the one handed Radio!!!!!

[@RS-sv3bl]

Super innovative thoughts on using boat controller for a trail truck. The TRX-4 also has the cruise control which is so handy. Love the one-handed crawling!

[@RCTNT]

I don't use the Traxxas one much, I must admit, but I do like the idea of it. Cheers

[@polishguywithhardtospellna8227]

Great review of the radio Craig. When Tomley presented it first, it kinda looked like a gimmick only. I don't recall him mentioning cruise control. So now I think it's very innovative and maybe even a gamechanger for newbies. Newbies struggle to coordinate most often. With this even on a fast car, they can focus on one control at first, and then evolve into wheel controller. On top of that, imagine what it does for people with amputations, partial amputees, people with a degree of hand disability or age related issues with hands. This is really valuable addition to hobby, and not hiding behind a price wall, not playing niche product high price game, nor disabled accessory = ridiculous ripoff either. One more great thing about cruise control with easy trigger control is, it opens up possibilities for silly fun with friends and even competition challenges : driving at constant speed, with only possibility to speed up and slow down, but not stop. Who has the cleanest run. Or challengers drive in cruise control, another person draws a number, how many clicks faster or slower, they have to go for the next 30 seconds. This would be hilarious competition, again, cleanest run or other targets.

[@RCTNT]

I love how you think on this! I didn't know others had done this radio on video but of course they have. I hope mine added to the conversation then - it sounds like it with the cruise control in this case. I have noticed the profit-taking from being a niche appeal for disability. You put that quite well and it's indeed good to see this thing is cheap. For the single handed driver this radio will be a great enabler. Your fun ideas are cool too :) I hadn't thought of that!

[@Albertotron]

LOL, the comp stance is so accurate

[@RCTNT]

I may have stolen it from a Vanquish sticker! It's legit though eh :D

[@YoShImUrA53]

The controller is quite limited, but I think I found a really cool alternate use for it. I'm not a tank guy, but I'm familiar with all the events in which people shoot at each other with RC tanks, in scale dioramas, and that gave me the idea of "tank crews". You basically use this Hot RC transmitter to move the tank, while all the firing and other war stuff is managed by another person in their own separate radio. As far as the tank, is just carrying two receivers. Easy to implement! This way they have to work as a team to perform. Yes, it's a stretch, but I'd love to give it a go in this form. Successful teamwork always feels great.

[@YoShImUrA53]

PS: really liking the mods you made to the KR, but I wonder, why didn't you also get Knight Customs' taller IFS bump guard? I wonder if it's because it makes the geometry suffer in any way, but I'd like to know if you had looked into it.

[@RCTNT]

Mainly because I haven't looked into the KR for quite some time. I've had these mods sitting under the truck for most of 2022 and just didn't get around to making that video until last week!! I have purchased nearly all of James Knight's designs but haven't done much with the KR pieces yet. I will get to it, just quite busy! (I also suspect it might not gel too well with the Bowhouse stuff, but maybe it'll be totally fine. Dunno yet, we'll see!)

[@tiborbeetles1882]

The bump stops also stop the steering from locking up if steering throw is exceeded. Are you planning the Knight Customs high clearance kit?

[@RCTNT]

I did try to explain that, yeah. I'm guessing it wasn't clear enough! The high clearance kit is probably a good next move for this rig. I'll look into it. Cheers :)

[@fishnrc294]

I’ve been looking at the Knight Runner since it came out but never bought it. I have multiple Elements including the SE. I just like the body I know people have used that body on other chassis’s & made it work. Carisma RC has the new Licensed Tacoma & I may get it but they’re harder to get in the US. I have the Coyote 2.1 already. Great body style. That remote may also come in handy for someone who has a handicap as well.

[@RCTNT]

First thing I thought of was what a boon this radio would be to a single able handed driver, yes! I'm still waiting to get the Carisma SCA-1E Tacoma here in Australia, too. They're super thin on the ground.

[@BUILTLIGHTWOUNDTIGHT]

That sure is a great looking rig!!! 😎

[@RCTNT]

Best thing about this one, yes. It's a looker!

[@BUILTLIGHTWOUNDTIGHT]

This TX-RX goes to show that technology is out there, and at a seriously reasonable cost!

[@RCTNT]

For sure :)

[@robertruiz5417]

Excellent video

[@michaeldorich4485]

The radio looks extremely good and is probably a great tool for those with limited use of one hand. The changes to the Element seem to make a big improvement.

[@RCTNT]

Oh for sure it would be a boon to hobbyists with only one hand, especially if that's a right hand (limited options otherwise). And yes, it's good to like the knightrunner, I've been wanting to like it all this time and I'm so glad now I actually do!

[@bcochener]

That Bowhouse iFS kit is essential for this KR. I think you are going to really like it now. I have made a few similar performance changes and, I for one… love the IFS front end. I drive an FJC, so I love having an IFS scale rig. It can be made very capable… but it is not a Capra😂.

[@RCTNT]

Heh yes, for sure. My real life car is the Landcruiser 100 with IFS also. Though I have torsion rods up front rather than coils. The knightrunner is definitely more enjoyable with a few little mods, that's for sure.

[@pauldoroff6973]

That remote is awesome, I can only 1 hand drive, both hands will kill my neck/back,I rock/trail crawl and 1 handed is actually very easy

[@RCTNT]

It's a boon for people in your situation, yes!

[@keldonator]

I hope they make a 6 channel version of this transmitter. I have diffs, 2spds and lights on my JT4

[@RCTNT]

That would be cool, yeah. Maybe they will. Check their website too, sometimes there are models shown for other markets that aren't in the usual stores.

[@mitsuman5555]

I wonder if you could use that remote from inside a coat pocket if the pocket was big enough. Might be a solution for winter instead of gloves.

[@RCTNT]

It doesn't get cold enough here for that to ever have crossed my mind, but that's not a bad idea at all. I think it would work OK, yeah.

[@muskokamike127]

or to surreptitiously to fly a drone around the nude beach lolol HEY WHO IS FLYING THAT DRONE!! looking around innocently "not me" hahahah

[@rofufoja]

Nice one on the TX, didn't see it coming that I was gonna like a cruise control option! And I am very curious about your findings on the Knight Runner. It's a great looking rig in my opinion. Have had a bit of a soft spot for it although I am usually not into modern styled bodies

[@RCTNT]

Hm, I'm the same. I really need to do a bit more with the knightrunner. It's deserving of more work, as they've got a wonderful base on which to build a sweet scale model. Tell you what, unlockable diffs would just be amazing.

[@rofufoja]

@@RCTNT Good thinking, would be a nice option for it's purpose.

[@RCTNT]

It would make it a much more clearly purposed trail rig. Being locked full time makes it a bit unstable, despite the IFS!

[@roblowrie1969]

It's a great looking truck, and was surprised at its poor crawling performance. I've seen a couple of videos of that radio, too. The opinions seem to me very Marmite, with it either being loved or hated!! I suppose it's down to what you're used to, and how adaptable you are. Back in the day, when I first got a Tamiya kit, with a stick control Acoms Techniplus radio, I swore I'd never get on with those strange trigger controllers, with the steering wheel on the side, but I don't even then about it now, and stick controls seem really difficult to use!! Maybe it's just me getting old!! 😆

[@RCTNT]

Haha! I had the same experience with the same radio and then moving to pistols like it was nothing. Very good! I can see why this radio would be disliked, but as a tool for a specific purpose, honestly it fulfils the design pretty well. Comfort will always be subjective though :)

[@muskokamike127]

I think it's designed more as a trail truck not a crawler where accuracy is a must.

[@RCTNT]

This is true enough, though that locked front end negates some of the benefit of IFS where trail manners are concerned. Rigs with a live front axle and remote locker feel like they turn more stably at speed than the always-locked knightrunner here. It's one of the reasons I have found it challenging to use this car over others. The mods will help me use it more now, I think!

[@muskokamike127]

@@RCTNT once again, the car/women analogy applies: some look really good but don't handle so well Some handle really well and don't look so great some look really good, handle really good, but aren't very comfortable to drive No matter what though, they ALL have issues that need to be overcome! I'll stop there before I get banned again hahaha

[@WoodsUnknown]

Have you ever converted the truck over to straight axle and then tried your tests on the rocks. Curious if it would do better.

[@RCTNT]

I haven't done that and I can guess that it still wouldn't be much better than now. The problem isn't getting lateral traction at the front end. The skid and rear links get hung up and a live front axle wouldn't help much with that problem, I don't expect. The tyre size and wheelbase are the combining factors for crawling mediocrity for the Knightrunner. But if the break-over angle isn't being challenged, she's still absolutely a capable machine. It's just that break-over gets tested quite a lot in rock crawling! IFS in its own right doesn't ruin it for crawling, not at all :)

[@WoodsUnknown]

@@RCTNT thanks I always see people changing them over to the straight axle version. I found the IFS hangs down way too low and doesn't look right, now if it was tucked up so the bottom A arm was level with the belly of the rig it would probably work even better. Thanks for the quick response I greatly appreciate it. When are you doing another rc4wd bully 2 video. Did you use it at the comp crawl and did you get any footage of the event?

[@RCTNT]

Live axle is best for crawling but I don't think IFS is a huge drawback, at least not on this car! You make a very reasonable point about the a-arm though. I didn't get footage last comp as I was busy running the event. I'm hoping to organise someone to film the next one. I ran the Bully 2 and it did well. I managed near perfect scores on the two courses I ran. But the Bully 2 and Sanwa MT4 in combination make any driver look good. Such a great pairing!

[@WoodsUnknown]

@@RCTNT that is good to hear, i hope you had a good turnout. My family lives in Australia but I'm stuck here in Canada. I hope to see some footage in the future

[@RCTNT]

I'll do my best to deliver. It was a great day, plenty of people and lots of driving :) cheers

[@lizardsticks]

Dare you to have that remote on the scx6 next time we are out 🤣

[@RCTNT]

Now that's what a dare looks like! I'll think about it :) ...no promises.

[@WoodsUnknown]

That is a snazzy radio for one handed driving. This will solve my problems of not having a camera person, might have to try it out.

[@RCTNT]

It's not perfect but it certainly isn't bad! Definitely worth trying if the pistol type isn't a fit for your one-handed endeavors.

[@Djkommode]

Did you do the ifs lift?

[@RCTNT]

Not yet but you saw it in another comment now I think - will look into it next :)

[@Djkommode]

@@RCTNT I haven’t either. I just got mine recently. I believe you buy a piece and flip your current linkage mounts to rise just the ifs. But since you have the bump steer fix… how would it effect using the ifs lift…. Is now my question lol

[@RCTNT]

Good question and I wondered that too. Guess there's one way to find out!

[@jeffparryncc1701]

A great controller :)

[@RCTNT]

Certainly a promising start! I've got a bunch more controllers to test now too, but this weird one was the one I've really been wanting to test first!

[@Djkommode]

It’s definitely interesting. I had no idea they existed!

[@bigtreesfall]

Nice! I bought one and sold it within a week. I regret that.

[@RCTNT]

I really understand that though. I wasn't a fan of this car but it grew on me with time.

[@Charlvdwalt073]

Element rc is AVAILABLE in SA

[@RCTNT]

Good! Another great line up

[@Djkommode]

Oops saved for later!

[@RCBushBasherDownUnder]

This is a great idea. I dislike the harsh aggressive stop start and often Set the throttle positive to compensate this 100% crawling drag brake to roll a little. Yet to update the components. The stretch on the standard controller for one hand driving is a joke and poor design. Did a mod to an AliExpress item "Dumborc transmitter steering wheel one handed control adaptor for surpass hobby ZD Racing controller" it passes Thank you for sharing from Australia 🇭🇲

[@RCTNT]

Nice one. Modding existing gear is a good thing too, eh. Satisfying, and better for the wallet and the environment! Cheers

[@Charlvdwalt073]

😁🙏👍

[@standforjesus7427]

I'm not a fan of the ifs I have a trailrunner that used to have it but in upstate New York its pretty much worthless between the rocks and pieces of wood you either get stuck or you have to pound the crap out of it with portals no problem

[@RCTNT]

See, I haven't been a fan of the KR and its smaller tires and 1.55" wheels either. IFS is nice enough but with a full-time locked front end, you lose a lot of the benefit of IFS in the first place. Add lockers to the Element RC Enduro range and it becomes a very different proposition! However, adding weight and fixing the geometry has been a good move. I actually want to drive this thing again now :)

[@muskokamike127]

that one hand controller, to me, that'd be like wearing another man's underwear lol gross analogy but appropriate hahah

[@RCTNT]

Weird as that sounded, I think I get it. I also prefer a traditional pistol style, but this one does have its merits

[@muskokamike127]

@@RCTNT I had a couple more analogies but that one was the most ICK of the bunch hahaha. Another was: using another man's work gloves....after he's been sweating in them all day....((((shudders)))) hahaha

[@RCTNT]

Yeah that is worse