ARRMA FURY MEGA
What do you know about ARRMA? I’ve been watching them for the last couple years, Jonathan Fox did a review on the incredible Senton 6S recently, and I finally have a chance to put myself at the wheel of an ARRMA vehicle with the Fury MEGA. ARRMA doesn’t have a long history, but it’s one that is tied with Team Durango and now also Hobbico, so it’s obvious the engineering and support behind the brand is excellent and the company should have a long future.
The ARRMA vehicle selection options are offered in three categories: MEGA, BLS, BLX. The MEGA vehicles are the entry level brushed, NiHM 2wd 1/10 scale vehicles. The BLS are the next step and introduce a brushless setup and larger NiHM battery. The BLX is the top of the line and fastest setup ARRMA offers and includes both 1/10 and 1/8 scale models.
With the FURY MEGA, you’re getting an entry-level stadium truck, with an entry level price tag ($189.99 retail), that’s ready to run. Out of the box, it feels focused and determined to become a beginner’s favorite as the chassis build quality appears excellent. And the everything from the wheels to the heatsink on the esc makes me feel good about my purchase.
TRUCK
DRIVETRAIN & CHASSIS: Taking a different approach to the chassis, ARRMA built this truck using a composite boxed chassis design that encloses the steering servo and battery quite nicely in the centerline of the vehicle, which optimally lowers the center of gravity. The RX box and ESC are also centered and positioned for good balance. And should you choose, you can upgrade to ARRMA’s aluminum TVP Chassis Rails for more stiffness and strength.
It comes standard with oil-filled shock absorbers, which can be tuned easily in different mounting positions and with different weight silicone oils. They are very good quality on this entry-level machine and gives beginner’s everything they need to tune the ride as they learn what that means.
The differentials are a combination of composite and steel, standard equipment for a vehicle like the Fury MEGA. The pinion/spur and slipper clutch are easily accessible behind a cover and couple screws, making adjustments, maintenance and cleaning simple and effective. It’s clear the design, while complex, is designed with the understanding that r/c enthusiast’s need and want to clean, maintain, and upgrade their vehicles.
MOTOR, ESC & ELECTRONICS: The ARRMA MEGA has a waterproof 35A ESC with large red aluminum heat sink fins, combined with the 15T MEGA Brushed Motor. It’s designed to be used with a NiMH battery, which is supplied as a 6 Cell 2000mAh 7.2 volt NiMh pack but is also compatible with a 2S LiPo’s.
The charger is fine and will charge the 2000mAh battery in roughly 3 hours. However, I don’t like that it doesn’t have an indicator light to let you know when the charge is complete. It’s a simple feature that could easily be remedied, especially since beginners won’t likely have a more advanced charger.
If you’re looking for more speed or longer run-times, you’ll want to upgrade to the 7 cell 3000mAh 8.4v NiMH battery pack. It is possible to upgrade to 2S LiPo’s, but you’re better off buying the Fury BLS from the start if you think you will want to go that route in the future.
TRANSMITTER: The ATX100 2.4GHZ transmitter comes equipped with the basic features nice to have on this type of vehicle. Under the cover on top of the transmitter, you’ll find servo reversing for both steering and throttle. There is a button to bind the transmitter (bound from the factory), which is surrounded by two LED indicators for power and battery status. Below that are the trim settings for steering and throttle as well as steering dual rates.
The on/off switch is found on the side just below the settings cover, and the rigid antenna folds down and away for easy storage and transport.
The transmitter is big and bulky with a squared-off design that I don’t find all that comfortable. The cover on top is difficult to open as it slides first to unlock it, then hinges up and out of the way. It’s necessary to have this open before driving if you expect to make adjustments on the fly.
The throttle and steering tension is a matter of preference, but I find the throttle spring to be smooth and not too light; it has a nice feel. The steering, however, feels a little light and the foam wheel grip slides around everywhere, including off the wheel. That said, steering is smooth and the wheel does well snapping back to center.
TEST DRIVE
Like all my beginner reviews, the true test of a beginner vehicle is to put it in the hands of a novice or three. Being willing to take one for the team, my son agrees to be the test subject and is ready to work. He loves his “job” and takes it seriously, so he’s rip-roaring and ready; off to Battle Front RC we go. I can only wonder how much longer I will be able to test his skills as a beginner, he’s getting quite good.
The indoor track is small for this vehicle, so we spent all our time outside. The Fury Mega gets around the track fine, but my son became increasingly frustrated that it couldn’t power itself all the way over the jumps, landing short nearly every time. Blame it on the track if you want, but I believe it’s more about the setup so I helped him understand the limitations of a brushed motor with a 7.2v 2000mAh battery.
He was able to settle into a groove, so I introduced the Traxxas Slash into the mix. It’s a direct competitor of the ARRMA Fury MEGA, so it’s perfect for comparison. The Slash has a slightly larger battery pack, and it was noticeable as it was slightly faster than the Fury MEGA and had longer run-times. I would recommend upgrading to the 3000mAh pack or a 2S LiPo with upgraded pinions and spurs.
The trucks are vastly different in setup and design, but eerily similar driving around the track. However, the Fury has a better suspension and soaks up the landings very well. I also like how it corners and how the dBoots tires are good at balancing power and traction with the supplied setup.
The body has a fair amount of rattle, which I’m looking at solving with the addition of body mount foam dampers. There are only faint tire rub marks where they wiped away the dirt on the underside of the body after only the harshest of landings. Otherwise, the body rides perfectly along with the rest of the truck and is as durable as anything else out there of good quality. The truck is no worse off other than a few scuffs and scratches; it’s held up well through weeks’ worth of frequent driving.
Around the house is where this will likely spend most of its time, and it’s well suited for the task. Grass will eat up the battery charge in short order, but it’s plenty capable should you choose. It’s fine around gravel, dirt, sand and even around ramps. There’s fun to be had right outside your front door as it’s an everyday r/c truck that I believe will last for quite some time.
FINAL LAP
Similar to its competition, the Fury MEGA does a nice all-around job of putting fun in the driver’s hands, doing so while being durable and affordable. Because of Hobbico as a parent company, parts can be found at your hobby shop in some cases or at the very least a quick online order away.
There is a lot to like about this offering from ARRMA. It really appeals to me because it’s different, looks great, and deliver’s the performance it promises.
Take a look for yourself
