Okay so last weekend I got totally obsessed with this question – which RC truck actually rules the road? My buddy kept bragging about his King Hauler, but my neighbor swears by his cheaper Tamiya rig. Instead of just arguing, I decided to test them myself like a proper gearhead. Here’s exactly what went down.
Gathering the Trucks (and the Mess)
First thing I did was raid my own garage. Found my dusty old King Hauler kit sitting half-built behind the lawnmower – classic. Dug out the manual covered in coffee stains and spent Saturday morning screwing parts together. My fingers felt numb attaching those tiny chrome mirrors! Remembered halfway through I’d lost the damn screws for the trailer hitch. Had to dig through my junk drawer full of mismatched hardware… total nightmare.
Next morning, I drove over to Brian’s place. Borrowed his “Tamiya something-or-other” semi – looked flashy with custom paint, but felt super light. Grabbed a beat-up Knight Hauler chassis from another pal too. Threw my King Hauler, Brian’s shiny truck, and the worn Knight Hauler into my trunk. Felt like a truck dealer driving home!
Backyard Battleground
Set up my super scientific test track in the backyard:
- The Gravel Runway: My cat’s litter that spilled everywhere. Perfect.
- Cardboard Box Mountain: Because why not?
- The Puddle Pit: Dog’s water bowl tipped over. Genius.
Popped fresh batteries into all three trucks. Charged ‘em up good.
Let ‘Em Rip!
Round 1: Straight Line Speed
Brian’s fancy Tamiya shot forward like a rocket. Zoomed right over the gravel, kicked up stones everywhere. Super quick! My King Hauler? More like a stubborn mule. Slow and steady, felt heavy. The Knight Hauler chugged along somewhere in the middle.
Round 2: Box Mountain Climb
Took the Tamiya first. Hit the cardboard slope… wheels spun like crazy! Went sideways, then flipped upside down. Plastic body scraped loud against the box. Ouch. The Knight Hauler struggled too, wheels digging in, barely crawled over the edge all shaky. Now the King Hauler. Weight helped here! Gripped the cardboard, hauled itself up solid. No slip, no tip. Just slow, grunty power.
Round 3: Deep Puddle Dive
This was messy. Sent the Tamiya splashing through. Motor whined higher, sounded unhappy, and muddy water sprayed everywhere. Knight Hauler did okay, but water got inside the cab. King Hauler? Pushed through the deepest part like a boat. Didn’t even blink. That high chassis height really mattered!
What Broke (Because Something Always Does)
After maybe 30 minutes of bashing:
- Tamiya: Felt the front axle wobbling badly. Probably a bent rod from that flip.
- Knight Hauler: One headlight flickered off and on. Water damage?
- King Hauler:…Just looked dirty. Kept chugging.
So Who’s Better? My Sweaty Hands Say…
Depends what you wanna do!
- Want speed and cheap thrills? Grab the Tamiya. But it’s fragile.
- Decent all-rounder? Knight Hauler’s okay. But feels less ‘truck-like’.
- Want a tough beast that hauls loads and laughs at puddles? My King Hauler won hands down. That weight ain’t for racing, but for feeling like a real rig? Unbeatable. Feels solid. Metal frame. High chassis. Survived my dumb tests.
Yeah, it’s slower. Yeah, assembly made me curse. But watching it crawl over cardboard like it was nothing? Pure joy. For me? King Hauler’s still king.
