Home » Redcat Racing Rampage XT Review 1/5 Scale 4x4 Gasoline Monster Truck

Redcat Racing Rampage XT Review

Redcat Racing Rampage XT 4×4 1/5 Scale RC Truck

Hey! I have been asked a couple of times now

“Where can I get a Red Rampage XT?”

To make it easy, click on the Red link for the >>>Red Rampage

and click on the Blue link for the >>>Blue Rampage XT

Large Pictures of the Rampage XT – Click Here

Redcat Racing Rampage XT is a great entry into large scale RC trucks!

“Yeah, yeah! But what makes it so good and why would I consider buying one?”

To be honest, the first consideration is price. If you have seen one advertised somewhere, I bet you stopped and glanced a bit more at it when the price tag caught your eye.
How many other 1/5 scale gas/petrol powered 4×4 trucks have you seen similarly priced? One? and it’s probably made by Redcat Racing too!

But…. and I say ‘but‘ because I have no idea of what your intentions or expectations are if you purchased one of these. If it was to be your first large scale gasoline powered RC and you have already owned or had experience with electric or nitro RC cars, you will not be disappointed. On the other hand if this is your first radio control vehicle….. find a large clear area for your first few runs, until you get the feel of it.

By the way you will be splashing out for various parts and pieces, either as hopups or replacements for damaged ones. You didn’t think you weren’t going to break something, did you?
Many of the parts on the Rampage XT do the job fine, just. Luckily there is an ever growing supply of alloy aftermarket replacements that can take the extra bashing you would no doubt put it through.

That aside, this truck will still handle a fair amount of bashing before many of these parts fail. And in answer to your question, Yes. It is still worth it!

A Little Perspective Needed

The same truck kitted with all the alloy hopups and twin steering servos (Rampage MT PRO) will cost you twice the price of this entry version. To put another angle on it at twice the cost you are entering the entry level race truck arena like the Baja 5sc and it’s NOT 4WD.

Let’s take a closer look at what you do get for your money.
-btw there are many 1/10 scale electric RC trucks in the same price category as the Rampage XT and the run times you get with them are half what this capable of.

Redcat Racing Rampage XT is powered by a Fuelie 30cc two-stroke engine supplying drive through a centrifugal clutch to the metal geared single speed transmission.
Getting drive from the trans to all four wheels is via two HD steel drive-shafts, one to the front and one to the rear, then into oil filled diffs and out through the HD dog bone axle/drive shafts.

On all four corners of this RC truck are large monster truck directional tires, glued to the 7 oval holed, wide plastic rims.

At 750mm long and 540mm wide the Redcat Racing Rapage XT is no mini. Adding to this, at 10.5 kg dry, this large scale RC truck is also no light-weight.

Fitted with a 500cc fuel tank, that requires a mix of two-stroke oil and unleaded gas, you can be assured of non stop 30 minute run times.

All four shock absorbers have aluminum bodies, oil filled and are adjustable. Also fitted to the Rampage XT is front and rear sway bars providing additional assistance with heavy cornering.
Just to add the realistic racing handling capabilities, the shock mounting positions are adjustable at the top on the alloy shock towers and at the bottom on the lower suspension arms. Altering these changes how the truck will corner and steer.

Radio System of the Redcat Racing Ramage XT

Included with the Redcat Racing Rampage XT is a 2.4GHz radio system. The transmitter requires eight AA batteries (not included). The 2.4GHz receiver is housed with the rechargable battery pack in a box mounted to the alloy chassis.

One electronic component that comes with the Redcat Racing Rampage XT, that is a great safety feature, is the Fail-Safe device. When set correctly it is designed to to return the throttle servo to a preset position – usually ‘brake’ – when radio signal is lost by by driving out of range or the transmitter batteries go flat. In the event something of this nature happens the brakes are applied and the truck stops safely.

There are two servos fitted one for the throttle and brake, the other operates the steering.

Some Padding and Cutting Required

As a precaution pack some foam around the receiver battery and receiver unit, they are housed in the same box. There is plenty of room for the extra padding, to prevent against shock damage when jumping and traveling over rough ground.

Before you go blasting around disturbing the neighborhood, you may want to trim the back of the body where the exhausts exit. It does not take long before the rear starts to melt from exhaust gases. Change the pipe and you wont have the problem, is another way.

What You Get?

The Redcat Racing Rampage XT comes Ready-To-Run out of the box.

1/5 Scale 4X4 Truck Assembled
2.4GHz Radio Transmitter
2.4 GHZ radio Receiver
Receiver Battery – rechargeable
Battery Charger
Fail-Safe Device

What You Need

8 AA Batteries
Unleaded Gas
2 Stroke Oil
Air Filter Oil (optional)

So… You maybe a bit more than mildly interested.
…or reading this you want to know what is my true opinion on this truck.

In a nutshell the Rampage XT is a great basher, perfect for anyone wanting to get into gasoline powered RC and out of the box it’s more than capable of getting your adrenaline going.

Would I buy the Rampage MT Pro and not have to worry about having to upgrade parts? Probably not. You can can have hours of fun first, racing and bashing around before you have to fix anything.

Do Not forget these do require after run maintenance and regular checks.

How Easy Is This

1. Unbox
2. Read the instructions carefully
3. Charge the receiver battery
4. Put eight AA batteries into the transmitter
5. Mix up some two stroke gas
6. Fill the gas tank on the truck
7. Start the engine (you have read the instructions – right?)
8. Check steering, throttle and brakes
9. Break-in procedure as per instructions

Where do Rampage Owners hang out?

Check out the www.redcatrampageforum.com

You will find an endless amount of information on the Rampage trucks and buggies there.

Some Hopup Teasers

All the hopups you could you want for the chassis of a Rampage are available at www.rampagehopups.com (I am not connected to or associated in anyway with the site, it is just the best place I have found for parts).