Update: the cut-out issue seems to have been an antenna placement problem. Rlaarlo have identified and corrected this for new cars and have emailed an advisory on how to fix this on existing cars. I've also heavily tested the ESC in wet and mud under heavy load and it's been flawless. Grab yours here: rlaarlo.com/collections/1-10th-scale?ref=RCTNT
Thank you for an honest, unbiased, detailed review. Hope the qc issues are addressed before the production versions are sent out. You earned a new subscriber.
You're very welcome! In my experience, rlaarlo have been a stand-up brand to deal with. I have no doubt that they'll remedy any failures like these. I know I'm in a different position as a reviewer than as a direct customer, but I do have access to many comments over my videos here and the general sentiment from people has been very positive after dealing with the company.
Holy cow, felt like I just watched an awesome full documentary. Thanks for the quick history lesson! Seems like the car is not only a great speed car but also a very good track contender in the 10th scale space. Looking out for some more of your vids on the car, Nice work Craig.😁👍
RLAARLO is developing an ESC that supports 6s. Regarding linear acceleration and track operation, RLAARLO is developing an intelligent driving assistance system that is expected to be launched before the end of April. Regarding the intelligent driving assistance system, the gyroscope is the simplest function, and RLAARLO has conducted intelligent assistance research and development on the controller, adjusting it intelligently according to the angle of the curve, so that novices can also achieve good results! Coming soon!
If it's the DumboRC X6FG and X6DCG receivers, that's a fine gyro system and it'll be appreciated by many, I'm sure. I did actually find this thing tracked quite well on the race track here. The tires are surprisingly good! I've bought another set already, along with your newly-released 5mm pinions :)
That has got to be one of the coolest car I've seen in a long time. I've been somewhat obsessed with the 917 from the first time I saw one. This is probably the best scale RC version I've seen yet, at least in an affordable package. What a neat little machine. I really like the brake options they offer with the carbon fibre chassis. I'm digging all the current pre-sale options they have available, they literally offer something for every potential buyer. I don't have anywhere to run this, like at all, not even within a reasonable driving distance of home, otherwise I'd be making preparations to add one to my collection immediately. Too bad, too, because hot dog this thing is cool. We need some in-cockpit FPV track time with this thing. Get a ground level driver's eye view of this little beast. I bet it's pretty phenomenal. We're all living vicariously through you, Craig! (I'm curious to know why the ESC keeps cutting out. Heat related, I know you mentioned it might be that but did you find out? defective unit? something else? for a potential comp car, and especially an RTR that should just go right out of the box with no issues, that's a concern for sure.) And, as we mentioned on the 'gram, congratulations again on having your name etched on the bottom of the chassis. That's just downright awesome. That's some serious kudos from Rlaarlo, and you've definitely earned it. Great job! Thank you for sharing and keep up the fantastic content. Still the best channel on RU-vid. Just a final aside, you're inspiring me to resurrect my old rear wheel drive indoor carpet comp car (circa 1989, no joke). Even though I don't have anywhere to run it and it's WAY too fast for as poor a driver as I am. Fixing it might be fun. That little machine was wild when it was in its prime. Nowhere near as cool as this, but it does still have a carbon fibre chassis tray and titanium parts from its competition days, those were big ticket items thirty plus years ago.
Hey thanks for that! This really is a gorgeous machine, isn't it. I'm not bothered by the electronics failing. I don't doubt that rlaarlo will provide the same level of support they've demonstrated before. I do think this ESC is faulty. The servo definitely is dead. I can't say whether the esc caused the servo to fail, but it seemed OK with the new one I put in. Anyway, the Copperhead 10 ESC has now been installed and I'm itching to get it back to the track. The Castle ESCs draw every bit of power available from batteries, so I am very much looking forward to more track time!
looks like a pretty awesome car, i'll admit...you're the only review i've watched all the way through because of the thoroughness your crawler videos usually are. it's a damn shame about the esc problems. i was really frustrated with my xmaxx last year when i was trying to race it around a slanted oval track and the delay between throttle and braking was present as well, it made brake oversteers impossible
Thank you for the compliment. I do think this is a pretty great car. I've just now fitted the Castle Copperhead 10 and made a few other small changes. Really looking forward to getting it back on the track! A glitchy radio or esc can really ruin your run, can't it! At least this should have it sorted now :)
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that you were into sim racing. Endurance sports car racing has always been the pinnacle of the genre and the 917K is ironic in that space. It's the first video of a Rlarrlo that has prompted genuine window shopping from me.
Heh thank you. This is a fabulous car, especially for the asking price. I've never tried sim racing but I could totally get into it. But life is short and there are RCs to test and rocks to crawl!
That’s unfortunate that the servo and esc are both faulty. I’m sure Rlaarlo with their excellent customer service track record. Loved that you showed us another aspect of this car other than speedruns. After all, the original was a track car! Really enjoyed this video Craig!💯👊🏼😎🍻
Nice, thank you for letting me know! Rlaarlo have been attentive from day one in my experience so I don't expect this will be any different. It's a great car and it shines on the track, yes! I did not expect those tires to be quite so good! And cheap to replace, too!
This was interesting to watch, even though this isn't my thing. Of course the history behind the Porsche, but I think the other interesting thing you mentioned is the innovative approach from this Rlaarlo brand. Just because it's cheap Chinese, doesn't mean it has to be a copy of something from some other brand, this is proper original! I'm subscribed to a few channels that have this one, so I'll be following along to see the speeds being clocked, I'm sure it'll be good entertainment.
This is an awesome looking car. The styling absolutely rocks in the 'Gulf' style livery. I loved this era of Le Man's car, and Rlaarlo nailed it. 🤗 I think you're the first person I've seen have any issues with any of the electronics in the roller cars!! I've also, not seen anyone else put this round a track! Every other video I've seen has only been about straight line speed. That circuit looks perfect for the car, and if only the esc had behaved better....!!! The copperhead motor is definitely going to give it more poke!! I'm into see how the chassis handles that increased power. 😎👍🏻 And the only other issue anyone has had, was with range, but I think that was down to an issue with the arial location.
My antenna was installed correctly, so I don't think the radio played a part here. I've got the copperhead 10 ESC tuned for this car and installed, so now I'm really looking forward to getting back to the track! Electronics issues happen sometimes. Being an RTR, I'd fully expect rlaarlo to jump to help a customer. I'm working through the issue with them now and will let everyone know the outcome in my follow up vid. The rollers make for a compelling option. I think I might try the CF one myself, I'm that impressed with the alloy RTR version! CF for track, alloy version for straight line testing.
I'm looking at getting one of these rollers and I'm so glad you showed the chart with all the differences. That's the reason the metal roller is going for $129 online now. Carbon fiber seems the much better option if you're serious about speed runs. Really impressed with this company even though it's not one of the big 3.
The metal one is still a fine choice, I think. Look on my channel and you'll find I've done a bit with this car, including buying a CF roller and setting it up for speed runs. (Let's just roll on by the fact that I totalled both of them at speed! Lol) But yes, they're lovely cars and I'm going to do a workbench live stream sometime in the next month or two where I strip these down and build up an ultimate AK-917!
@@RCTNT Very true, and I'm now second guessing my statement because metal has it's own advantages.. and man, $130 is a really good deal for what you get. The only flaw I'm hearing about is people having issues with the front hub screws backing out even when using blue Loctite. They are saying red is a must, but that issue may have been addressed by Rlaarlo by now.
I haven't heard that nor experienced it, but I have a guess: there are plastic and alu options for the front end parts. Thread lock is no good on plastic, of course, but maybe that's where people are having issues? I'd be really surprised if screws were backing out of alu parts after being thread locked. Of course, this is an oily location, so removing the parts entirely and degreasing and drying would be a good move if struggling with this issue. Reassemble with Loctite and then at the end, lubricate whatever needs it. For a jumps truck, sure, things still can back out. But for a road car? If the above is done, I'd be surprised if this was a problem. Not saying it can't happen, it just seems unlikely.
No worries! They have fixed the issue, it wasn't the esc, my testing seems to confirm. Just sub-optimal antenna placement. They've addressed it already on their production models and have supplied guidance on how to fix mine. Simple and free to address :) Follow up video with more testing coming soon.
I am so pumped that I can pick this roller up for 200 BUCKS CANADIEN SHIPPED! that's unheard of in my neck of the woods, thats what my brushed wltoys cost!
Just found your channel cos I've got the 917 coming so I'm watching everything i can find. Have to say, I'm 4 minutes into the video and I absolutely love the way you explain things. That's enough gushing for now, I'm gonna watch the rest of this video 👍
Aw thanks Jason! You're gonna love the car. That esc cut-out has been sorted, too. I haven't got the follow up video ready yet but it was simply an antenna location that was copping interference from the power cables. Rlaarlo have addressed this already. I've also tested the Esc in wet and muddy conditions on a brushless SCT. It was flawless. Just thought I'd make sure I hadn't scared you off with the cut out issue I had here! I love this car. It's so good!
@@RCTNT no, not at all.. i've watched and read plenty to know the niggles that exist and most have been sorted.. that's part of the charm; figuring stuff out. Can't wait for mine
FINALYYY what i was waiting for, the cutting esc and the delays taks VOLUMES about the quiality of some parts. Again, quick fix but it still extra cash for who will get it full price
Thanks Enrico - but I have since found the cut-outs appear to have been caused by sub-optimal antenna placement. Rlaarlo have addressed this on their production line and have also emailed affected owners with a how-to on re-routing their receiver antenna. The ESC has been rock-solid since - and I've also tested it in an off-road rig in mud and wet conditions. No complaints. I'll do a follow-up video soon, but just wanted to address it here given your comment. Parts seem to be good, just an unfortunate quirk of the DumboRC gear not liking the close proximity to the battery wires!
Thanks for mentioning the tyre ,saves me from doing it ha\ha spare whhel, luggage campartment and passenger seat all in the rules for the time,its a nice homage imo.
I'm not in the market for a speed car but I really enjoy the track content and seeing how this handled. I'll be curious what kind of a difference you see with more responsive electronics. What a great track to set some benchmarks for handling if you're able to use a transponder while you film. That of course adds a list of caveats like driving style, course condition, car feel, did we drink too much coffee, etc etc :) Looking forward to the next!
Thanks Andy. I do need to have a chat with the club now I'm paid for 2023. They do have a transponder system there and I just need to pay my deposit to grab one for the season. Aside from that, the car is brilliant. Handles very well. I've go the Castle ESC in now and I'm really looking forward to getting back to the track! Cheers :)
With the minor issues you have had. This is why they send test models out so they can fix these issues before the general public release. Guaranteed Rlaarlo is watching everyone’s reviews to do as such. Just like they did on the AM-X12. Cool vid btw! 👍🏻
I don't think they're test models, that doesn't pass the logic test for marketing, in my opinion. You'd want early failures to be private and then first impressions publicly to be positive. But regardless, rlaarlo does pay attention to what reviewers and customers think. In my experience with them they've been responsive and attentive. Also for what it's worth, I've had failed servos and bad ESCs from Axial, Traxxas, Holmes Hobbies, jx Servo, HPI, Traxxas, Arrma, Hobbywing and Traxxas. These things happen. Doesn't take away from the platform for me, as electronics fail generally for everyone.
It happened to me if you check my AM-X12 review and follow up, but I don't think it was intentional. In any case, they do seem to be paying attention and that's the part that matters :) Cheers!
I don't plan to speed run mine or drive it in a track out that. However this is more pertinent to what I'm looking for. Thank you for your touring thorough review. Looking forward to more
I do want to thank you again.. yes I've seen after this.. about 6 other channels reviews of this in many configurations and they all do speed runs or haven't the knowledge as you do of the history or the geometry of this car... its mainly your showing what this model "non carbon" can do on a track as well as it's added weight will add needed stability if speed is sought... seen the carbons catching air n don't want that for my own 😂.. I definitely want to build my own brushless system based on the copperhead 10 as I'm already set up with programming from my latest. crawler build.. thank you so much for your insight I have limited funds so it really is much appreciated...
I'm really glad it was helpful to you. Use my link when you buy, if it isn't too late to ask, and I'll get a small commission too (and it helps show rlaarlo that I can actually sell something!). Thanks again and enjoy the car - great machine!
Yes, they made a great choice to base a car on the legendary 917k. And what a car they've made. I've been itching to get back to the track again since filming this. School holidays here for the next two weeks so that'll make timing difficult, but I'm hoping to find a day to get back there soon. I've been chatting with rlaarlo about the issues and also about a few extra things to make available for this car. I'll explain it all in the next video I do on this car. She's a beauty though, and the roller options are very attractive indeed. Cheers
Interesting review, sounds like a roller would be the way to go since the chassis itself seems to be pretty solid and just put a hobbywing system in it.
The Rlaarlo electronics are good value if they work - it is possible I have a bad ESC and it fried the servo, perhaps. But otherwise yes, a roller will be a great buy. This surprised me on the track, it's brilliant to drive.
Best vid on the Rlaarlo AK-917, by far. Great job, Craig! Interesting issues with your electronics, but I believe most of your delayed response issues might be greatly reduced with a sensored setup. Did the ESC have provision for the sensores cable, or only the motor? About the sway bars, rear is only a fine tuning adjustment, and it's quite common that it's not noticeable with both dampers (+springs) attached. For a proper measurement of sway bar free movement/bind detection, I'd recommend you to completely remove the dampers, disconnect at least one end of the sway bar to make each corner absolutely independent. Now place the car vertically, leaning on the opposite axle that you're checking, and from vertical, start tilting the chassis horizontally, to see when the suspension starts moving. This will give you a rough estimate of your "baseline" bind from the suspension. This is also useful to check how free your suspension is, btw. Next, without attaching the dampers, just connect the sway bars and re-check. Now adjust the sway bars until bind is near not noticeable to the axel's suspension movement, compared to your baseline. Hope this helps! 🙂👌🏻
Great info, thanks for that! The motor cutting out is not for lack of a sensor cable and the delay with coming back on after progressive braking seems too pronounced to just be cogging. It happens even when the car is still carrying some speed, and there's no cogging at all noticeable from stationary. You could be right but it didn't feel like that's the issue. But I'd love to be wrong, especially if rlaarlo sells a sensor cable to fit the OEM system. (They don't seem to). Appreciate that sway bar info, that's logical. I like it. Thanks!
Beautiful car! I did this too but you just need some fellow hobbyists to ride together. Still some competition which makes it more fun you have a lot more fun when you ride with… 3 or more people. Healthy and kind regards from the Netherlands Rob
Nice thankyou for the review so speed runs are good but the track doesn’t lie but most don’t have a track especially a nice one. For the prices it’s way worth it. It looks like it may be better to get a roller.
It is an incredible track we have here yeah! The car is excellent value, too. I was pleasantly surprised when I first tried it. This is a great little car!
THAT'S WHERE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO THE ESC PLUG IN, THAT'S HOW YOUR ESC SHUTS THE MOTOR DOWN WHEN IT SENSES IT'S TOO HOT, A SENSORED OUTLET IS MUCH WIDER.
@@RCTNT SORRY IF I COME ACROSS WRONG, NOT MY INTENTIONS... DON'T THINK I'M SCREAMING AT YOU CAUSE I'M USING ALL "CAPS", THAT'S JUST THE WAY I TEXT MOST THE TIME.
I got you. Went and checked out your channel, I see that :) Thanks for the note on the motor and great job on your vids too. I could learn a thing or two. Will check more out later! Peace
It's a beautiful car and it has a lot of great features. The esc problem or glitching could be caused by the new servo. You can install a glitch buster which may solve your problem. I have had that problem when I installed an upgraded servo.
Thanks. It shouldn't be that as I installed a low power servo. I've not had the problem with any ESC with built in BEC before - these little things draw less than 2A even under load.
@@RCTNT You're probably right. But, it can be a simple fix in some cases. I am anxious to see more views of it running on track and not just straight line speed runs.
It might also be a radio thing. I've got the esc pulled out at this point and there are a hefty pair of caps that would bolster the built in BEC, so I'm pretty sure it won't have been the cause. But I'll pop it into another car with a different radio system and we'll see if it's still an issue. Next video on this car, I'll cover my findings and discuss a few other things I didn't get to in this one. Cheers
@@RCTNT It will be interesting to see what the problem is. I have had new esc's go bad and I have had receivers good bad. The original Rlarro cars had transmitter problems, but I haven't seen any for this car.
I can't believe they sent these out having issues with signal do to poor placement of antenna...such a critical point...i guess most car guys would have found it and fixed it themselves though..
Yep, it was worked out. The nature of my reviews is that I get the car without knowing anything about it so we can experience it together on camera. Straightening the antenna was an easy fix and rlaarlo has been shipping without this problem ever since the first batch 👍 I'll add, this remains my favourite road car in this scale. It's fantastic. I have bought a second and am building a third ultimate one. Love em.
Yes,its a nice model...i also found out you can replace the rx with a dumbo rc/gyro in the rtr models...since tx is dumbo..i also like the other version with the wing servo...but am leaning to this one .thanks for sharing.
I would probably gear that car down for that track. May help with the esc getting hot, would not lug around coming out of turns. Just a though, I have only raced 5th scale dirt oval so my track experience is limited lol
Never thought I would ever have an on road car.. but for 168 dollars for the brushed model... how can you not buy it.. it even comes with a 2s lipo... I will run 3s n switch it to brushless.. but for price... it's just a no brainer... and it's definitely on par with 500 doller cars...
Hey, great! I think the value is definitely there. I've spent money on this thing too now. I don't often do that for sponsored cars, but for this I've got more bits coming for it. There's plenty of potential for speed and track in this thing, I'm happy to be playing with it!
I think the roller options are attractive no matter where you're coming from, except for newcomers to the hobby. They'd be better served by a RTR variant. Otherwise, custom gear in this thing will be a rewarding experience, I'm sure!
@@RCTNT Both RTR carbon fiber versions but they offer a $70 off coupon with the orange and blue version but they don’t give that same discount to the 917. Same thing with the carbon fiber Rlaarlo AM-X12, they have the orange one for $199 and the but the blue one is $250. I’m guessing it’s probably because the color without a discount doesn’t sell as much. I rather order from Rlaarlo website but waiting 2-3 weeks is crazy.
Thanks, you're quite right, that definitely can happen. However, it wasn't the case this time: I replaced the servo immediately when new, it was no good. The cut outs were due to bad placement of the receiver antenna wire. Once it wasn't bundled with the other cables, the cut out problem went away 😎
In my experience, a battery that can't discharge sufficient current to meet the ESC's draw will see cut-out or at least voltage sag occur under full load. These cut outs were happening even at low draw. I don't think it's that. The battery wasn't warm, let alone hot, which also typifies lipo behaviour in an over-stressed application. Rlaarlo have been in touch and we're troubleshooting. I'll report back next video. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Appreciate it.
No worries! It did happen at higher throttle too, but it was inconsistent. I'm wondering whether the bec is an issue and maybe just causing the car to cut out. I'm not sure the mosfet array in the esc will be to blame (the part that does the heavy lifting between battery and motor) as power was good when it was working. But something in the bec area on the board could the at fault. My original servo worked just for 10 seconds, you can see in the video. Although my replacement has been fine so far, I do wonder whether something shorted in the servo to hurt the esc or vice versa. The thing to check would be if there's steering or not when the throttle cuts out. That would highlight a likely issue with the bec or the radio system. I'm going to test the esc in a different car now with different motor, radio, servo and battery. I'm also going to test the original radio and motor with a different esc. We'll get it worked out! ...just as soon as it stops raining, lol
@@RCTNT A BEC issue does make sense, but you would typically have steering issues as well and hear the fan fluctuate on the esc (assuming it's running off the bec). If the LVC was delayed a bit, it could explain the inconsistencies in the cut out as related to discharge insufficiency. Have you tried a different pack with it? Stay dry!
I was too far away to hear the fan, or see the lights and test the steering. You're right on that count. I haven't tried a different pack yet, but that'll happen soon. I've only had it on the track and nearby parking lot the day I filmed - I released the video about 30 hours after the car was delivered, as I was trying to release on time with the other channels for Rlaarlo's sake. Will definitely be testing more and paying close attention. More coming on this soon. Thanks for the thoughts on the issue!
Someone please tell me where the headlight connector plugs in - I'm just not seeing it - AK917 arrived yesterday and it is beautiful and well made. Thanks
Not responsive on 1-2s i exactly behavior of some Dumbo RC radio systems. Had the same cut offs on XO-1 with the Dumbo RC. Try a different radio. I do not think that ESC is hot in that short time and recovers so quickly.
Thanks Martin, I'll look into that. I have 6 or 7 Dumbo RC radios and haven't experienced this before. Steering still works, just throttle stops. I'll test some more.
If it stripped, your mesh probably wasn't right. You're after a 48dp, not 32dp - unless you convert the spur and pinion to 32, in which case you'd be fine. But I ran all that power from my speed run setups through 48dp gears and they were fine, including the 52t gold one. The mesh wants to be close enough that there's the tiniest of movement when you wiggle one of the gears against the other. The very closest tick-tock when you try to move it, but no more than that. Parts here: rlaarlo.com/collections/rlaarlo-ak-917-parts?ref=rctnt You can filter by 'gears'
@RCTNT cheers mate yh I'm thinking of upgrading the gears from 48dp to 32dp. With a 5mm shaft both pinion gear and spar gear both on 32dp. I just need to know which one 32dp steel spur gear to use any idea let me know thanks 😊
Well, it doesn't really matter. You can combine gears however you like as long as they line up and are a correct fit on the shafts. In my speed run series I explained this some more, have a look at my first video to get started there. It's a recent one with an AK-917 in the thumbnail, captioned "Chasing 160MPH"
SIR, THAT "IS NOT" A SENSORED MOTOR, YOU GOTTA STRAIGHTEN STUFF LIKE THIS UP WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT ISN'T CORRECT. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES LIKE THAT SOMETIMES, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIX IT. YOU CAN HAVE SOMEONE BUYING THAT SPECIFIC THING BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU SAID, ALL TO FIND OUT AFTERWARDS IT'S NOT WHAT THEY HEARD IT WAS. YOU HAVE FOLLOWERS, I HAVE A FEW FOLLOWERS, THE DEDICATED ONES LISTENS TO WHAT WE SAY, AND FOR THE MOST PART BELIEVE US, AND GO OFF IF WHAT WE'VE SAID... NOT TRYING TO SCOLD YOU OR ANYTHING, LIKE YOUR VIDEOS. WHEN WE MISSPEAK, WE GOTTA FIX IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THAT'S ALL. THANKS
When you type in ALL CAPS it looks like you're SHOUTING AT PEOPLE, if you weren't aware. Good catch on the sensored motor comment at 1:54, I've added a correction in the video description. I misspoke, it's a temp port for ESCs that support thermal monitoring. Cheers :)
Be aware and dont buy this car! I am sure much more problems will show off. Will be hard to get spare parts and you can not hold the car straight at speed runs because its simply too small and it will need a Gyro for sure! Its a carpet racer NOT a car for parking lots or street you will destroy your chassis because its simply NOT a street basher. Way to low to the ground, perfekt for indoor carpet
I don't know that you have enough data on the car to make such a claim. Have you looked at rlaarlo's website? They have all spares available such that you could build a complete car from them. Did you watch this video? The car holds straight at speed of up to 80kmph so far, no gyro needed. Also, keep in mind that most fast rc cars take advantage of gyros - I'd have crashed my Infraction multiple times if not for that. The car sits high enough for street driving but clearly you need a sealed road to play. I'm definitely open to discussion about the shortcomings of any rc car, but at least ground your opinions in experience or reason. So far, on my local street and track, this car has been brilliant - aside from the esc and servo issues. (And rlaarlo has contacted me already to help diagnose the problem - they're handling it as well as any company could). (Edit for clarity: I'll add, I'm not saying you're wrong. But I think it's premature and even a little unfair to disparage a new product from a company that's clearly trying to innovate - especially when they so easily could have settled to clone something instead.)
That's a good question. I wondered that too. I don't have one to test and clearance looks like it'll be close if it does. For the speed challenge I'm going to be using a 3674 motor - the biggest thing short of a 40. So, I'm not sure, but maybe.
