KIT VS. ROLLER
What to purchase
WORDS & PHOTOS JOHN CARY
When the topic of discussion pops up about buying a kit or a roller, typically, you’re dealing with an upper-end vehicle and the clientele has some pretty good knowledge about what they’re getting themselves into. Granted, this really only applies to the 1/8-scale o;-road market, but it’s still a valid topic. Ultimately, it boils down to a couple key points—how much time do you have, mechanical amplitude and trust in someone else’s work.
If you’re the type of person who wants to know
everything about what’s going in with your vehicle
and have ample time to sit down and focus on a
build (and are a little bit OCD), then the only option
for you is a kit. ;e reason being, kits force you to
scrutinize every detail from start to finish—such
as how parts fit together, shimming, breaking
in various components, trimming the excess o;
plastic or metal parts, and adding fail-safes in the
form of thread-lock and Shoe GOO. Kits create a
step-by-step instructional process about how
your vehicle goes together and quite possibility
eliminates the need to carry around your owner’s
manual when something goes wrong. ;ey do
require a considerable amount of time to complete,
but the payo; is oh-so-sweet. You’ll be incredibly
proud knowing that you built that vehicle with
your own blood, sweat and tears. ;e flipside to a
kit is, if you’re not a detail-orientated person and
don’t follow directions correctly, one mistake could
create a snowball e;ect and ultimately a;ect the
entire build of the vehicle.
THE KIT
Above left: When you pick up a
kit, you’ll find nothing but lots
of bags full of parts in the box.
Above right: A roller will come
out of the box almost completely
assembled. ;ere are only a few
things you need to do to make
it run.
With most rollers, the time between purchase to
track is a matter of hours rather than days. Simply
bolt in your running gear, double check setup,
break in a motor and you’re driving. What the roller
doesn’t teach you is how to fix mistakes when
something goes wrong. Also, there’s a level of trust
that’s been disconnected from your relationship
with the vehicle because you’ve theoretically put
the build of the car into someone else’s hands. It’s
safe to assume that even if you know what you’re
doing, the manufacturer probably knows it better
because they’ve build hundreds of those di;s and
you just built yours for the first time. With that said,
if you’re strapped for time and want that instant
gratification, buy a roller.
TH E
ROLLE R
