SG 1601, SG1602 BRUSHLESS RC TRUCK LONG TERM USE UPDATE

SG 1601, SG1602 BrushLess RC Truck long term use Update

18/7/2020

We've now had the SG 1602 brushless RC Truck (same as SG 1601, HBX 16889) for 6 months and it has been abused several times per weekend by my 5 year old (and myself!) in that time. I'm delighted to say that it is still running, still fast and I haven't needed to buy any spare parts. So far the list of casualties are:

The rear spoiler. This was the first to go when my son kept reversing in to things.
On of the front LED headlights. Continual front on crashes into solid objects at speed have damaged a wire. It's an easy fix but I am lazy! (Update, just fixed it last night)
On of the tyres has become unglued in one spot on one rim but was an easy fix with some cheap super glue, the stuff that is like 99c for 6 packs.

Here is the original review with lots more write up and pictures

This truck is certainly no shelf queen!

So, as you may be able to see, this fast and light truck has taken an incredible amount of abuse and has very little damage to show for it, even then the damage is purely cosmetic. So what are my thoughts on the good and the bad of this now and my more recommendation based on the additional experience? Read on:

The good

Extremely efficient - 15 minutes run time
Most durable RC I've ever owned
Very quick with strong acceleration from a well thought out power system
Wide truggy tyres make it suitable for many terrains
Light weight allows it to drive on top of rather than through grass
Easily pulls wheelies especially on grass
Small sizes means you can easily put it in a backpack or similar.
Key parts are available and inexpensive.

The not so good

Range is pretty average (about 50m?)
No throttle dual rate (cannot limit top speed)
Stock suspension is bouncy
Stock tyres are very hard (lower grip) but have great durability even on concrete and tar seal
No adjustment for camber and toe.

Recommendations
6 months in I can wholeheartedly recommend this rapid little RC truck. The list of good and not so good means I think it is probably the very first RC vehicle I think of when friends ask me for the "next"RC car for their kids - after they have finished with their little toy grade car that has no proportional steering (or throttle) and runs of AA batteries. This SG 1602 and it alternatives are fast, efficient, reliable and stand up to abuse.

Even the list of "not so good" above actually make this more suitable for younger ones - shorter range means the car won't run away on you: it stops when out of range. Hard tyres mean less grip but it is still 4wd and most the time kids enjoy skids, donuts and power slides. It also means they are much harder wearing, even on concrete. Lack of adjustable tie rods is of benefit too because this is one less setting to keep an eye on. Bouncy suspension is less important for kids but something you may want to consider to improve handling and performance on jumps. The only real shortcoming for me is the lack of dual rate to limit high speed crashes, however the durability of this car makes this less important it it will teach them throttle control anyway.

Just a reminder, under the body these are all the same car so get whichever one you like the look of most or for me, which one is cheapest! Do make sure you get the brushless variant though

SG 1602 2.4G 1/16 Brushless RC Car High Speed 45km/h

SG 1601 2.4G 1/16 Brushless RC Car High Speed 45km/h

HBX 16889 1/16 2.4G 4WD 45km/h Brushless RC Car with LED Light

Recommended Parts:

Upgrade 7.4V 1000mah 25C Lipo Battery
Lipo batteries are able to output more power than the included battery but do need extra care during charging

I strongly recommend upgrading from factory chargers. see my article and recommendations here

2PCS Upgraded Aluminum Capped Oil Filled Shock Absorber Damper
Only upgrade I've done and strongly recommended

2PCS HBX M16105 Upgraded Metal Front CVD Drive Shaft
Stock units are plast and look weak but have held up well. If you do replace though I'd definitely recommend this more conventional drive shaft set

HBX M16102 Upgraded Zinc Alloy Spur Gear
I don't tend to recommend metal spur gear but here if you want.

Thanks for reading, if you found this article useful please feel free to like or share, the facebook links below directly link/like this article. Links are affiliated and help me buy the bits I need to produce this type of content. If you are looking for RC cars, quads or parts check out my coupons and discounts page which I keep updated with only the RC cars, parts and quads I like at a proper discoun

38 Comments

Joel hitchon

30/7/2020 09:01:30 pm

hi I would just like to say your page and advice is great and iv followed your guide to the 144001 with great success
Iv now purchased/not arrived yet!
a hbx 16889/ sg1601
And would like to ask what wheels I can fit?
Iv ordered all the driveshaft upgrades to convert to more traditional nut fittings
Will I need 12mm hex parts?

Thanks Joel.

Quadify RC

31/7/2020 09:55:34 am

Hey Joel

Thanks for the kind words! The 144001 is an awesome car for tinkering but this truck/truggy already has the brushless set up and runs so smoothly. Stock setup has 12mm hexes like the 144001 so are interchangeable with this and will fit your new driveshafts. Although the rubber is hard I like the stock wheels on these. I'll be doing a wheel roundup soon for the 144001 (including the stock SG1602 wheels) so keep an eye out.

Richard Dzidek

11/8/2021 08:49:31 am

They must have changed the electronics since your review, the ESC is certainly different, but there is now dual rate for the throttle (I slow it down for my son) and the range is over 50m. In fact it’s got better range than my 144001 with the stock radio!

raul

6/8/2020 05:54:43 pm

Just want to say i enjoy your guides. I'm considering getting this as a basher but want to know if theres any way to get more speed out of it, perhaps a larger brushless. Know anything that would still fit?

6/8/2020 09:59:50 pm

Hey Raul, thanks. I think you may be pleasantly surprised just how fast this is. Upgrading would get expensive because you need to to the radio and receiver too. I think this is great as is with the upgraded shocks but if you are looking to tinker then check out the 144001 in my other articles

Raul

4/1/2021 11:46:33 am

Bought the car, including the 144001. I've done the 144001 brushless upgrade too. In hindsight, wish I didn't haha. As fun as the 144001 is, it's not a basher. Stock I was getting less than 6 minutes of runtime and the tinker was fun while it lasted but I expect more durabllity for what I had planned. So far I've broken an arm, c hub, steering hub, drive shaft bent, diff, dog bone in about....3 "simple" crashes. It's being replaced with an LC EMB T and MT.

About the SG. It's fun. It isn't 30mph fast but not a lot of bashers need to go that fast. I did have the rear dog bone pop off somehow where the flexibility of the build allowed it. It'll tumble, wheelie, drive on grass, and best of all, near 20minutes of run time on stock battery. Best thing when looking for a basher under 100$ after upgrades and spare battery. If I could do it all over I would have never bought the 144001 and go straight to the EMB.

4/1/2021 10:06:22 pm

Yeah the 144001 are good value for money but the LC racing series are just better cars all round - better material, tighter engineering, better equipment. I would say better design but WL toys copied most of it 🤣

I recently gave the SG1601 my car of the year for exactly the reasons you mentioned. No fuss, tough, fast enough and long battery life.

Thomas B

12/8/2020 07:21:26 am

My HBX 16889 just came in, ordered based on your recommendation and it is great fun. One addition, this model (as linked on Banggood in the article) does come with dual rate setting, there is a 'speed' dial on the controller.

joel hitchon

12/8/2020 07:50:07 am

my 16889 had the new esc with speed control and It was great for two days and 4-5 runs then stopped working so I hope there's not a problem with them all

12/8/2020 09:36:07 pm

That sucks Joel. It's the first issue I've heard with this series of ESCs so hopefully it's a one-off and the retailer comes to the party

Magnus A.

1/12/2020 06:13:24 am

I just received two cars, one HBX16889 and one HBX16890, and one of them have issue with the transmitter. Steering works fine but the throttle has its own life... The same behaviour is noted regardless which car the transmitter is connected to.

Happy to hear that Banggood refounded you, I hope also to be refunded.

If not, is there any recommended cheap 2.4Ghz transmitter that will work with the ESC?

12/8/2020 09:38:10 pm

Great to hear about the throttle dual rate. It sounds like they have revised the control system based on your comments and the pictures that Joel sent. Sounds like range has improved as well

12/8/2020 10:16:22 pm

Banggood have agreed to refund me the full amount so I'm going to start again with another 16889a I've purchased off ebay with nectar point so only cost me £30 of real money,
Plus all my upgrades have landed from banggood.

Evan

10/9/2020 06:25:27 pm

What are your thoughts on the SG 1602 versus the WL Toys 144001?

Joel

10/9/2020 08:27:42 pm

To be honest I prefer the 16889 (same as 1602) over the 144001, its so much fun as a basher with the brushless motor and the wheelie bar adds to the fun and is essential, id say the car is easier to work on and once you've uprated the shocks and put a lipo in the car is a blast with better steering and breaking than the wltoys only down side is top speed is down on 144001 by about 5mph
But for £60 its a great little truck and iv had no problems with my second hdx 16889 ravage.

10/9/2020 10:00:18 pm

Horses for courses a bit. If you want to go fast with no fuss on something that won't break easy, go with the SG 1601/1602 or HBX 16889. The 144001 handles better and has more potential to be upgraded but needs a little more attention to get it running nicely. 144001 is more for tinkerers

Alex

24/11/2020 04:20:56 pm

Hello,great review!
What kind of oil do you recommend for the oils shocks?
Thank you

24/11/2020 04:30:41 pm

Thanks Alex! I recommend a 40wt for this little truck with the upgraded shocks. I just go with whatever silicon oil is cheapest at my local hobby store - in my case I used Team Associated Silicon Shock oil.

sohail khaliq

2/1/2021 08:51:58 am

SG 1601 is this car has metal dog bones or the plastic one

2/1/2021 11:38:12 am

Metal on the brushless version linked in the article

Neal

25/1/2021 08:02:10 pm

Help! Had since 8/11/20. It crashed into my leg recently. Would accelerate but not turn. Within minutes, it spotted accelerating and lights would flicker. Then stopped turning on completely. Any tips or things i can replace?

28/1/2021 11:45:07 pm

Hi Neal, I'm afraid it sounds like the ESC/receiver unit may be toast. Which model have you got? If the SG 1602 or 1601 I can't seem to find a replacement part. For the HBX 16889 it is https://bit.ly/3ouY4P7

Guilherme

1/2/2021 12:37:22 am

Very good and durable car !! congratulations prls recommendation. I would like to rate another model, the Xinlehong Q901. Another wonderful car for the price.

1/2/2021 09:58:11 pm

Thanks and yes, might have to check that one out ;)

Thomas Bosboom

22/3/2021 04:15:15 am

My little one just drove his SG1602 into a pond - thankfully we were able to fish it out fairly quickly. Guess we will now find out how water resistent the setup is!

22/3/2021 09:37:44 am

Yikes!

As long as you unplug the battery quick and let it dry well before plugging back in, you'll probably be ok.

23/3/2021 09:04:07 am

Thnx! I can now confirm the car seems absolutely fine now that it is dried - thankfully!

Euwan

18/4/2021 11:05:11 pm

Hi,

I was wondering if this woud be a good update for hte hbx 16889?

18/4/2021 11:07:05 pm

forgot to include the link sorry

https://www.banggood.com/Surpass-Hobby-KK-2440-4600kv-Brushless-Motor-35A-Brushless-ESC-3KG-Digital-Servo-Brushless-Set-for-1-or-16-RC-Car-Model-Parts-p-1753848.html?rmmds=detail-left-hotproducts&cur_warehouse=CN

19/4/2021 03:44:41 pm

Hi there. The ESC and motor will fit but don't believe the servo would. You'd also need a new transmitter and receiver if you went down this path. Personally I'd keep it stock, Every component ties in so nicely - it is a very well balanced car out of the factory.

Hartkor

21/4/2021 02:13:04 am

Hi!
I recently receive my 16889. It is a very funny little basher. My kids love it.
Another down side with this car is, you cannot add so big battery. Differently from 144001 where you can increase the space, here you can't. I have put a 1800mah that I use with the 144 and it cannot enter completely. But I can still use it thanks to the strap.
Directly out from the box I notice the issue with the shocks! They are so bouncy 😢

Compare the wltoys 144001, I am desapointed for all these plastic stuff. This car is more expensive and I don't understand why... 70€ / 50€
Thinking of metal upgrade will explose the bill.

Anyway I will upgrade the shocks.

By the way thanks for the review and advise, this is great! Keep continue.

21/4/2021 08:42:14 am

Hi there
See I'm not too worried about the big battery because I got about 15 minutes+ runtime out of this which is double the 144001 run time. Plus it is this light weight that makes it so durable. Yes I'll admit the shocks are bouncy which is why I went straight for the oil filled ones.

As for the plastic parts yes they are not adjustable but they are so much more durable than the 144001 which I were found poorly adjusted from the factory. I'd advise against changing unless you really want to adjust toe or camber from stock.

Anyway we all have different parameters that make a car good, bad or indifferent to us, I hope you and your kids have fun with them 😊

Raihan Muhammad

27/5/2021 11:41:14 pm

love the review, i just wanna ask, are the wheels and tires upgradable (what size of hex does it use, if it has them) and what size is the battery tray? thanks

30/5/2021 12:18:32 pm

Thanks Raihan

Yes definitely upgradable, they use a standard 12mm hex. Car was stolen I'm afraid so can't measure the tray.

patrick

11/6/2021 12:02:57 am

I actually asked the same question in advance of my son's arriving this week. They do use a standard 12mm hex but its held on by some plastic "ribs" which look like a week point long term. I think if you get the hbx upgrade it gives dogbones which take a conventional hex attachment.
Anywa, the other bit of good news is that the wheel offset is very standard and therefore, Quadify's reccommended P6973 wheels/tyres will fit just fine. So, Im ordering some.

11/8/2021 10:34:47 am

They must have changed the electronics since you did your review, the ESC is certainly different, but there is now dual rate for the throttle (I slow it down for my son) and the range is over 50m. In fact it’s got better range than my 144001 with the stock radio!

11/8/2021 05:40:15 pm

Hey Richard, I like the look of the upgraded ESC and saw that they now have throttle dual rate which is a great addition. Definitely good that range has increased too because it was a little on the low side before. Have fun with your little man!

Josh S

8/7/2022 11:52:36 am

I love this car, which I bought for my sons 5yr birthday based on your review and suggestions. He drives it nonstop and has progressed to being able to control it nearly as well as I can on full throttle.

Do you have a suggestion for a parts kit? Recently I crashed it and it appears I lost a screw in the front steering linkage. I don’t see any broken plastic, I think I just failed to inspect it well enough for any loose screws.

I’ really co side ring the pro upgrade for myself so he and I can race around together! Thanks for a great website!

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SG 1601, SG1602 BrushLess RC Truck long term use Update

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