Sumilidon
02-10-2011, 11:19 PM
Ansmann ARE-2 Review
Hello everyone,
I figured that I would write a quick review of the Ansmann ARE-2 - from the perspective of a newbie starting out. I cannot find any real reviews of the car online and hopefully anyone looking to get one will find it useful..
To give a back story, I returned to 1/10 touring cars after some 10 years. Previously I was racing casually with my bother, I drove the car, but never tweaked or set the thing up.
I am now using an MI2 mostly, with the Ansmann ARE-2 as my backup car as I have a tendancy to break parts of the cars I drive. I am still extremely new, and I am no expert in any way. I also own an Xray T2 009.
So, a quick overview:
Pros:
Cheap to buy (£35 from eBay for the kit only!)
Cheap parts
Robust - can take a good whack, nice wide bumper and built like a tank.
Comes as standard with bearings and oil filled shocks.
Shaft driven transmission and encased gears add to the robustness.
Cons:
Turning ability is limited
Gear differentials are extremely noisy (please do not under-estimate the noise they make)
Spur gear is vulnerable to low turn motors
Very little adjustment available
Opening the box:
First thing first, the instructions are horrendous! The screws are all Phillips head and if you can afford it, try and find an after market set that will utilize a hex-head instead, the screws can round off very easily!
The kit comes with the gear differentials pre-built and require very little maintenance in the long run, and although some say it will take 20 minutes, it took me 2 days to build the kit entirely.
Very important to remember that the kit comes with some brass spheres with a hole in them (they allow for adjustable arms to move and push-fit on) - however they are not all the same size - the 2 that form the rear camber links are bigger - just enough to cause a problem as you get to them last!
Setting up the electrics:
The motor is encased, and should be added as part of the assembly process above as you have to remove to top brace, battery pivot and the gear casing before you can remove the motor mount and ultimately the motor. To put this in contrast to my MI2, I put my hex driver into the side of the car, unscrew 2 bolts and the engine is loose.
This of course is not a problem unless you switch motors often, which you will probably not do.
The car does not come with a servo saver, or a bolt to connect it. Given the resistance that the steering offers, you should definitely invest in one.
The chassis provides plenty of space for the ESC, receiver and the battery holder is ideal for both NIMH and Lipo batteries. I personally use lipo saddles side by side and there is enough space for them!
Driving the car:
If you didn't believe me about the noise - now you will hear what I mean. The car sounds like it is ripping itself apart. That said, it is capable of doing a really good speed and although it's ability to turn is not ideal, the limit it has is actually beneficial to newer drivers as it allows the driver less opportunity for accidental over-steer, by the over-zealous use of the steering controls.
Again the steering causes additional problems in the fact that it can hold a certain offset. By this I mean, I turn left, the car rears left slightly when I stop turning - when turning right, the car rears right slightly when I stop turning. Keep this in mind when buying a servo as a good amount of strength would help overcome this.
Negatives aside however, the car responds well and you will quickly gain the touch on how best to drive it. The robustness that I referred to earlier will become particularly apparent here. My MI2 has a steering hub and a C-Hub, both prone to damage from a good hit. The Ansmann has a singular hub made from quite a soft piece of plastic . This is a substantial thickness and the softer nature allows it to absorb impact well.
As for adjustments, there are a few holes for the suspension, and you can adjust all the usual, but not to the level as an Xray T3 for example - but that's one of the many reasons why the Ansmann costs 8 to 10 times less.
Overall:
What can I say in summary of the car? I like it. For a person starting out, this hobby can get extremely expensive, extremely fast. Car, motor, esc, transmitter and receiver, batteries, charger, spares, tools etc - they all add up. As such, a chassis that can take a beating while you learn to drive, build your reflexes and ultimately serve as a backup car when you move on will always prove invaluable.
The steering is limited and on very tight, technical tracks, you will struggle. Everything else, the steering is sufficient.
One major recommendation from me is for the prop shaft link to the rear differential to have a very basic amendment. This is ultimately connected by a pin held in by a grub screw. This worked loose on mine after 2 races and disabled the front drive. I cut a thin strip of duct tape and wrap it around the 2 holes the pin sits between. This way if the grub screw fails, the pin will not fly free and you will not lose control.
Also make sure you limit your servo via your handset - the steering as said is limited, and if your servo is not also limited - it could cause damage to either the steering, or the servo itself.
The kit on ebay that I got did not come with wheels or a shell. From what I hear, the ARE-2 default shell is brittle, and what use are wheels if they are unsuitable for the surface you race on? Check with your local club what they use, and a flexible pre-painted shell to start with go for about £12 online and can take a beating. Do this, and you'll have a superb car to start with.
Hello everyone,
I figured that I would write a quick review of the Ansmann ARE-2 - from the perspective of a newbie starting out. I cannot find any real reviews of the car online and hopefully anyone looking to get one will find it useful..
To give a back story, I returned to 1/10 touring cars after some 10 years. Previously I was racing casually with my bother, I drove the car, but never tweaked or set the thing up.
I am now using an MI2 mostly, with the Ansmann ARE-2 as my backup car as I have a tendancy to break parts of the cars I drive. I am still extremely new, and I am no expert in any way. I also own an Xray T2 009.
So, a quick overview:
Pros:
Cheap to buy (£35 from eBay for the kit only!)
Cheap parts
Robust - can take a good whack, nice wide bumper and built like a tank.
Comes as standard with bearings and oil filled shocks.
Shaft driven transmission and encased gears add to the robustness.
Cons:
Turning ability is limited
Gear differentials are extremely noisy (please do not under-estimate the noise they make)
Spur gear is vulnerable to low turn motors
Very little adjustment available
Opening the box:
First thing first, the instructions are horrendous! The screws are all Phillips head and if you can afford it, try and find an after market set that will utilize a hex-head instead, the screws can round off very easily!
The kit comes with the gear differentials pre-built and require very little maintenance in the long run, and although some say it will take 20 minutes, it took me 2 days to build the kit entirely.
Very important to remember that the kit comes with some brass spheres with a hole in them (they allow for adjustable arms to move and push-fit on) - however they are not all the same size - the 2 that form the rear camber links are bigger - just enough to cause a problem as you get to them last!
Setting up the electrics:
The motor is encased, and should be added as part of the assembly process above as you have to remove to top brace, battery pivot and the gear casing before you can remove the motor mount and ultimately the motor. To put this in contrast to my MI2, I put my hex driver into the side of the car, unscrew 2 bolts and the engine is loose.
This of course is not a problem unless you switch motors often, which you will probably not do.
The car does not come with a servo saver, or a bolt to connect it. Given the resistance that the steering offers, you should definitely invest in one.
The chassis provides plenty of space for the ESC, receiver and the battery holder is ideal for both NIMH and Lipo batteries. I personally use lipo saddles side by side and there is enough space for them!
Driving the car:
If you didn't believe me about the noise - now you will hear what I mean. The car sounds like it is ripping itself apart. That said, it is capable of doing a really good speed and although it's ability to turn is not ideal, the limit it has is actually beneficial to newer drivers as it allows the driver less opportunity for accidental over-steer, by the over-zealous use of the steering controls.
Again the steering causes additional problems in the fact that it can hold a certain offset. By this I mean, I turn left, the car rears left slightly when I stop turning - when turning right, the car rears right slightly when I stop turning. Keep this in mind when buying a servo as a good amount of strength would help overcome this.
Negatives aside however, the car responds well and you will quickly gain the touch on how best to drive it. The robustness that I referred to earlier will become particularly apparent here. My MI2 has a steering hub and a C-Hub, both prone to damage from a good hit. The Ansmann has a singular hub made from quite a soft piece of plastic . This is a substantial thickness and the softer nature allows it to absorb impact well.
As for adjustments, there are a few holes for the suspension, and you can adjust all the usual, but not to the level as an Xray T3 for example - but that's one of the many reasons why the Ansmann costs 8 to 10 times less.
Overall:
What can I say in summary of the car? I like it. For a person starting out, this hobby can get extremely expensive, extremely fast. Car, motor, esc, transmitter and receiver, batteries, charger, spares, tools etc - they all add up. As such, a chassis that can take a beating while you learn to drive, build your reflexes and ultimately serve as a backup car when you move on will always prove invaluable.
The steering is limited and on very tight, technical tracks, you will struggle. Everything else, the steering is sufficient.
One major recommendation from me is for the prop shaft link to the rear differential to have a very basic amendment. This is ultimately connected by a pin held in by a grub screw. This worked loose on mine after 2 races and disabled the front drive. I cut a thin strip of duct tape and wrap it around the 2 holes the pin sits between. This way if the grub screw fails, the pin will not fly free and you will not lose control.
Also make sure you limit your servo via your handset - the steering as said is limited, and if your servo is not also limited - it could cause damage to either the steering, or the servo itself.
The kit on ebay that I got did not come with wheels or a shell. From what I hear, the ARE-2 default shell is brittle, and what use are wheels if they are unsuitable for the surface you race on? Check with your local club what they use, and a flexible pre-painted shell to start with go for about £12 online and can take a beating. Do this, and you'll have a superb car to start with.