QUADIFYRC MODS AND REVIEWS
  • RC Cars
  • Car of the Month
  • Quad Reviews
  • Quad Mods
  • COUPONS AND DISCOUNTS
  • Long Range
  • About & Contact

QUADIFYRC RC Car Review and Upgrade Guides

WL Toys 124016 124017 Preview: First Factory Brushless WL Toys RC Cars

15/7/2021

43 Comments

 
WL Toys have just announced that they are releasing a brushless version of the hugely popular 124018 and 124019 1/12 scale ready to run RC cars. Of course they have gone with predictably boring names - 124016 and 124017 🤦‍♂️. I've set this blog up to discuss the specs and what we can glean from the images. I do no have the cars (yet) so this is not a hands on review but of course I expect to review these as soon as they are available.
Picture
Firstly if you want to see my reviews on the brushed version of these cars, here is the one I did on the 124019 and the differences for the 124018. Based on initial pricing, the new brushless 124016 desert buggy and 124017 race buggy this looks to be only around $20-30 more than the brushed version which represents really good value. I made a guide on the cheapest brushless upgrade worth doing and at best mine had a $50-$60 premium although it did include replacement radio gear, servo, esc and motor. The benefit on coming from the factory is that you won't be left with a spare brushed setup in a cardboard box in your shed somewhere (True story, I have a box full of 5 stock brushed systems!)
UPDATE! Banggood have kindly supplied me an exclusive code to bring the the pres-order price of the 124017 down by 10% to just $133. Use code BG124017R at this link That's pretty solid value - check the detail below to see if it suits your needs. This is a new exclusive code that is active until the end of August 2021
Brushless System - ESC
First you can see they have gone with a 60A ESC. I don't recognise this model but it looks like it has a decent sized heatsink and a fan meaning it should have a reasonable ability to cool itself. Clearly it's 2s capable since this car comes with a 2s battery (standard 2s 2200mah lipo from the brushed car). My guess it that it is probably 3s capable as well but this is something I'd want to test.
Picture
Brushless System - Motor
I'm really pleased that they haven't gone with a 3650 motor as I've always stated that these are too big for these cars outside of straight line speed runs. 2845 is still a decent sized motor but should offer improvements in handling, thermal management and efficiency. The only reason I've avoided this motor size is because the motor mount and pinion need minor modification so I'm super excited to see what is under under the gear cover (more on that in the gearing section). ​
Picture
The 3400kv rating of the motor is very interesting - very conservative for 2s which is clever. My estimate is that this will still be noticeably fast than stock with better acceleration but efficiency will be off the charts - I'm expecting over twice the battery life on the same battery. The reason I said this is clever because it won't place huge stress on the battery, ESC, driveline or other parts and so they won't be shown up as being inadequate. The last thing they would need is a whole lot of complaints on launch about ESCs burning up or cars breaking because they went with a motor that was too big and fast.
Control system - radio and servo
Very interesting they stuck with the same transmitter, definitely a way to help save on cost. I had heard of a magic receiver that works with the stock which I'd seen on Aliexpress before but sadly I haven't kept the link. As these become more readily available this will be a viable budget upgrade for those wanting to use a conventional receiver. A word of warning though, I'm still not expecting the range to be great.
Picture
You can see that a regular 3 wire receiver has been used here which is good news. Between the and the more conventional receiver it means that any specific electrical component can be upgraded separately. This is in contrast to the brushed system where the ESC cannot be separated from the receiver which cannot be separated from the servo - all need to be replaced in one expensive hit.
Picture
Tyres
This is probably the most obvious upgrade. For once WL Toys have not copied LC Racing and so far as I can tell have come up with a nice big chunky tyre pattern all on their own. The tread pattern looks perfect for offroad bashing compared to the tyres on the 144001 / 124019 / 124018 which was not good for anything really - maybe carpet but even then the rubber was too hard. Assuming they get the tyre hardness somewhere between that of the 124019 (hard) and the 104001 (very soft) I think we are in for a popular tyre upgrade set.
Picture
Cosmetics
Although they have stuck with the same graphics and terrible English, the primary colour chas changed from purple on the 124019 to blue on the 124017 which carries from the body, to the shock absorber components and to the wheel graphics. The motor and ESC heatsink are also the same blue.

The 124018 has changed from blue as the secondary body colour to red on the 124016 and the shock absorber components have remained red. Wheel graphics change from white to red. Early photos don't show if this red follows to the ESC and motor or if these are blue like on the 124017.
Picture
Gearing
Now this is the part I'm dying to have confirmed most but I feel I can make a fairly good assumption here. I know for a fast that the 2845 does not have the standard 550/3650 mounting holes, rather it has the same mounting points as the 2838 and 2440/2445 motors. This would suggest that it is mounted to the inner holes as used in my 2445 drop in brushless upgrade. This is confirmed in the image below where you can just see the unused 550/3650 holes.
Picture
Image of the new 124017 showing that the motor is mounted on the smaller inner holes
Picture
This image from my no-cut brushless upgrade shows a 2838 motor with the same bolt pattern in the inner mounting holes increased to 3mm with the bored out 15mm pinion gear.
Now the stock motor mount only has M2.5 holes but the 2845 motor use M3 screws as standard. This means that the motor mount has been modified to M3 screw holes as used in my no cut brushless upgrade OR they have a custom motor with M2.5 screw holes. Either presents and interesting new option for upgrades.
Perhaps the most interesting part of all though is that using these smaller inner holes requires a smaller pinion gear. Note: I've assumed a smaller spur gear is unlikely but will happily eat my words if I'm proven wrong). I know for a fact that after extensive testing, a 15t M0.7 pinion is the perfect size here for the right mesh. WL toys already make a pinion gear in this size, the magical M0.7 15t that I recommend from Aliexpress. However this pinion is only available with a 2.3mm bore hole meaning that although it will direct fit a 2445 or 2440 motor, it will need to be drilled out to 3.2mm to fit a 2838 or 2845, I did exactly this in my no-cut brushless upgrade however it is not an easy task and I know many have struggled with off-centre holes. What this mean is either WL toys have made a new 15t pinion with a 3.2mm hole or a custom 2845 motor with 2.3mm shaft. Both are tantalising options and both offer a great new option for modders.
Picture
Since the only available M0.7 15t pinion gear has a 2.3mm bore, it needs frilling to 3.2mm for a conventional 2838 or 2845 motor. I can't wait to see how they have solved this in the new car
Picture
The same pinion fits the 2445 motor perfectly since this motor has the smaller 2.3mm drive shaft.
So if the gearing is as expected above it offers a truly conservative powertrain. My guess is that this should be safe to run on 3s as well but I will wait for testing before I confirm.
Speed expectations
I can tell you now, based on my educated assumptions above it will not hit the advertised 70km/h on the stock battery. I've run a practically identical setup to this with a 3600kv 2445 instead of the 3400kv 2845 on this new car with the same gearing and go the speeds below on 2s and 3s in this article
Picture
2445 3600kv motor on 2s
Picture
2445 3600kv motor on 3s
As you can see above their claim of 70km/h would be plausible if you were able to run a 3s pack.
What next?
Needless to say I've already ordered both of these cars so I'm looking forward to sharing the details with you as soon as I can but hopefully I've given you and insight here as to what you can reasonably expect. I cannot wait to get my hands on them as this looks like a great value setup so long as the electronics are somewhat reliable. See more details on the product pages below:
Picture
Wltoys 124017 Brushless Upgraded RTR 1/12
  • Product page at Banggood
  • ​Product page at Makerfire
Picture
Wltoys 124016 1/12 RC Car Brushless Desert Truck
  • Product page at Banggood
  • ​Product page at Makerfire
UPDATE! Banggood have kindly supplied me an exclusive code to bring the the pres-order price of the 124017 down by 10% to just $133. Use code BG124017R at this link That's pretty solid value - check the detail below to see if it suits your needs. This is a new exclusive code that is active until the end of August 2021​
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. I don't believe in asking for money by patreon nor by paypal but if you do wish to help me, the affiliated links in these articles help me buy the bits and services 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
43 Comments
lionel Lionel brolee
16/7/2021 01:57:45 am

Thank you very much, very interesting article.

Have you seen the imminent release of the 144001 brushless?

But I look forward to the improved version 104001 😜

Reply
QuadifyRC
16/7/2021 03:50:25 pm

Thank buddy! Yes, I've seen that 144010 with the brushless and that looks like it is running the same system but with a smaller battery. I'd say the 104001 brushless is a little while off. They probably released the 124017 and 124016 because sales had dropped off on the brushed variants.

Reply
Jens
16/7/2021 09:05:49 pm

Hi,

I`m running the 15T setup on my 124019 as I don`t like drilling the motor mount for the 17T - wouldn`t be a alternative to...
a) design & 3D print an alternative mount (saw one at eBay but not available for free)
b) use a different sized big pinion to match the e.g. 17T (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4860372) or any other ratio

Just a thought?

Regards, Jens

Reply
QuadifyRC
26/7/2021 05:31:06 pm

Hello my friend!
Yes, I'm sure I've seen someone share a 3d print file in the past. Heat dissipation would be poor but it would physically work with the right material. I'm less certain of a 3d printed spur gear for durability and accuracy of print but year, a smaller spur to use the stock mounting holes on 17t would be nice

Reply
Todd
18/7/2021 11:43:57 am

First off, thanks for all the great articles on these WL Toys cars. They have been my go-to for reliable and specific info.

50 KPH would be a real let down for a brushless version of these cars, considering the brushed versions do that much. I for one, am hoping they fixed the motor mounting issue you described above with a smaller spur gear. That would get a higher top speed.

Reply
QuadifyRC
26/7/2021 05:33:02 pm

My pleasure Todd. The stock car can do 55kph flat out with a massive run up but a brushless setup with a similar top speed would hit it quickly which makes it feel a lot faster and more responsive. Battery life would also be much longer and then there is the option to run 3s...

With that said, I am DYING to see under that gear cover.

Reply
Todd Dixon
18/7/2021 11:51:15 am

A close look at the pics provided, show a blurry 4000 KV on the can of that blue brushless motor.
Any chance that info of 3400 KV is wrong?

Reply
QuadifyRC
26/7/2021 05:34:19 pm

There is a good chance all of it is wrong! I saw 4000kv on the motor too but the specs they released to the retailers state 3400kv. Often they use mock ups for photos before specs are finalised but anything is possible with WL TOys!

Reply
Kodak_jack link
18/7/2021 11:46:26 pm

I have had my 124018 for only a few weeks. This launch is very disheartening in that "If I would have known this was coming, ....". It leads to guys holding back when a new announcement is made because they will be expecting something better to come in short order. WLToys is going to end up with thousands of 124018's and 9's that nobody is going to want to buy now. It's about time brushless vehicles are sold at a more reasonable price over the brushed version. Consumers shouldn't have to be gouged an extra $100 for the brushless version. Going with separate components is a BIG step and sorely needed.

Reply
QuadifyRC
26/7/2021 05:36:16 pm

I'm fairly well linked in to the WL Toys chatter and didn't see this one coming. I think they keep this stuff close to their chest for that reason.
Separate components are good but the transmitter still has poor range and the jury is out on the ESC. At least when you build your own you can specify at the level you want. But yeah, this will eat into the 124019 and 124018 sales big time.

Reply
Tristan S
19/7/2021 02:34:29 pm

Any chance of a 124016 discount code? Even if it's 5% off referral for yourself for the makerfire site. I'd prefer to give you whatever perk that entails as your site+content are first rate... Love the articles with complete photos, details and links!

Reply
QuadifyRC
1/8/2021 09:34:15 pm

Hopefully you saw the extra code for the 124016 I posted before now

Reply
Cory H
30/7/2021 01:33:18 am

Thank you so much for all these different reviews and blog posts for the wltoys and other RC's. It's super informative and useful information for me and many others :D

Reply
QuadifyRC
1/8/2021 09:33:51 pm

My pleasure Cory, thanks for the kind feedback

Reply
Jamie Roberts
1/8/2021 08:22:00 pm

Thank you so much for your high quality, in depth reviews. Very excited about the 124017, is there any chance Bangood Mary sent you some August related codes? Went to use it yesterday but think I may have missed out as I am in the UK but it was probably already August in Asia!!!! Thanks again

Reply
Diego
2/8/2021 09:41:18 am

Thank you for the detailed preview and the dicount code!
Alrealdy placed an order on the 124017.
My first rc buggy after a long hiatus (30 years) :-)

Reply
QuadifyRC
17/8/2021 04:33:42 pm

Wow that is a longer hiatus than me - I was 25 years. The tech has really moved on for the better, these cars are fast and have great battery life out of the box. Join my facebook group if you are on there!

Reply
Joe
14/8/2021 11:49:05 pm

Thanks for the great reviews on all the wltoys range, I've read through a lot of them and they are very insightful and helpful! I'm looking at getting back into rc again and used to use my uncles old Schumacher nitro car so I've never owned an electric model.

I'm equally torn between the 144001, the 124019 and the new 124017. As a beginner which would you recommend? Would it be worth waiting for the release of the new brushless 124017 or do you think one of the other two brushed models would be a good starter to then learn about converting and maintenance etc

I'm not looking to break any speed records or anything, just to take to the local park/track and do some jumps and drifts and have fun with it

Reply
QuadifyRC
17/8/2021 04:36:41 pm

Thanks Joe!

Wow if you ran nitro then this will be a walk in the park! Hmm tough question. The 124017 etc won't start shipping till mid Sept at earliest but I *think* will be the car to get, it will be a little faster and a lot better battery life. Consider the 144001 if you can get it for around $80 on special and modify it yourself if you are more of a tinkerer. It sounds like you are. I have plenty of options for brushless upgrades on my website from cheap to $$$$

Reply
Joe
17/8/2021 10:52:31 pm

Thanks for the reply, I was a real noob with the nitro really I didn't have any mechanical skill back then at all and never fixed it myself always just took it to the local.

But I would say I am definitely a tinkerer now, I love pulling things apart to see how they work or if something breaks try to fix it myself first before going elsewhere. So I did think the 144001 would be a good option as a project really as I wouldn't mind pulling apart a car that's half the price of the other to learn with.

After looking at some more comparisons and reviews I actually think the brushless desert buggy (124016) might be a better option for me, I've seen a lot of people are saying that it's sturdier and more robust for off-road bashing than the other buggies so I think I'll be pre-ordering this one today.

I'm definitely thinking about purchasing the 144001 in the future though if I get back into it as it'll be fun to do some crazy things with it haha

Thanks again for the help and the in depth reviews

kodak_jack link
15/8/2021 02:03:17 am

With them coming out with the brushless 124017 there is no way I would consider the brushed version - 124019. At least start out with the brushless system already in place and then replace the transmitter and receiver if you want more flexibility later. Learn with something that's infinitely better to begin with rather than throwing all of the brushed stuff away later on.

Reply
QuadifyRC
17/8/2021 04:38:28 pm

That is a fair point but it all depends on timing. I know you Northern Hemisphere folk are coming into winter soon and the 124017 and 124016 won't ship till mid September at the very sooner but will likely be later.

Reply
Charles knoll link
19/8/2021 10:27:09 am

I just ordered the 144 010 preorder $132 ima run the he'll out of it.... you won't be able to touch these speeds or parts at this price in any other way

Reply
QuadifyRC
20/8/2021 02:56:55 pm

It certainly is shaping to be great value for money for the performance we are expecting. The HBX 16889a Pro is another great value car, more suited to bashing that these ones: https://www.quadifyrc.com/rccarreviews/hbx-16889a-pro-review-i-think-this-is-the-best-small-basher-ive-ever-had

Reply
JS
21/8/2021 06:23:28 am

Looks like the preorder is no longer an option? are these things shipping soon? Banggood page now only shows "arrival notice"

Reply
QuadifyRC
22/8/2021 12:42:45 am

Bugger, they must have filled up their allocation, I'll find out when more are available.

Reply
Tony
24/8/2021 03:44:27 am

Hi. Thanks for the informative reviews.

I saw this clip of the 124017 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFv2hDXuRoc

There is a clear view of the motor were it shows a 2848 4000KV motor. I am very interested to see the final product and what size pinion gear they are using. 15T maybe. Keen to hear your thoughts on this.

Reply
QuadifyRC
26/8/2021 09:30:43 am

Hi Tony, thanks and yes I've seen that one. Officially it's 3400kv according to the documented specs but often for the mockups that are made well before the release they try different variations to get their ideal balance of performance and reliability. We'll have to wait for release to be certain. I'm fairly sure it will be a 15t looking by how the motor is mounted unless they have come out with a new mount (it doesn't look like it).

Reply
David F
25/8/2021 06:47:22 pm

Hey man , months ago I followed your guide and I changed my 124019 stock to 2838 4400KV , I reached 62km/h readed with a GPS , it's that speed ok for my setup? 2S battery.

Regarding those new brushless Wltoys cars, do you think that it worth change my 2838 4400kv to a 2845 motor¿? Note: I'm not a speed runs guy.

Reply
QuadifyRC
26/8/2021 09:32:27 am

Hey David. 62km/h is a good speed and I'd imagine you are getting solid acceleration and some great battery life too. I'd stick with the motor you have got, it is well matched to these cars. A 2845 won't feel all that different to be honest

Reply
Nicolas
25/9/2021 12:55:26 am

Hello guys,

I've seen this offer on on Google shoping for the 124016:
https://www.tomtop.com/fr/p-rm13889.html?currency=EUR&Warehouse=CN&aid=gsscfrhxy

It 'seems' to be available and price is low (at least for delivery in france). I am however surprised about the photoshoping on car photos and I have a strange 'too nice to be honest' feeling.
Any of you have experiences with this chineese seller ?

Reply
QuadifyRC
28/9/2021 05:19:04 pm

Avoid Tomtop! Banggood and Makerfire are your best bet. I think Banggood have a coupon at the moment if you look here: https://www.quadifyrc.com/coupons.html

Reply
Nicolas
30/9/2021 05:14:25 am

Thanks for your advices (and for your valuable website by the way).

After all, I might stick to the 124018 initial choice (from Banggood)

Kodak_jack link
25/9/2021 05:16:27 am

Tom Top, over time, has proven to be a not so great place to buy from. Buyer beware.

Reply
QuadifyRC
28/9/2021 05:19:17 pm

Agreed!

Reply
Joe Shaw
17/10/2021 02:16:57 am

Anybody watched any of the reviews of these? I've just spoken to somebody at banggood and swapped my order of the brushless 124016 to the brushed 124018. Sounds like it's very disappointing.

Reply
Kodsk_jack link
17/10/2021 04:00:29 am

The brushed 124018 is plenty fast enough for me. I want it to stay just as it is for as long as possible. When you get yours, look at the owner’s manual and it’s drawings and compare what your buggy is like as compared to the way it SHOULD have been assembled. Mine had the steering knuckle bushings in upside down and they popped out on me. To say the least, make sure you have grease in the diffs. The buggy body with the flip top is more restrictive that the easily removed 124019 body. It’s cramped and the bracing on that flip top leaves no leeway- it comes down and touches the motor. There is no way to put a fan on the motor. Ditch the interior pieces for better cooling. I used 12428 wheels and tires on mine for better off road driving and a little more clearance.

Reply
QuadifyRC
19/10/2021 04:49:47 pm

Some good with these cars but ultimately the choice in gearing is a let down for anything but speed runs. Depending on price my preference is for a brushed car and do my own upgrade. My review of the Eachine EAT14 should give you some insight to the 124016 and 124017

Reply
Kodak_jack link
23/10/2021 12:55:55 am

YouTube is a decent source of information, especially if the review is NOT biased. The recent reviews of both the 124016 and 124017 had cogging issues. The reviewer tried a programming card to try to get out of it and it just didn't work. In addition to that, the 124016 he reviewed had range issues. Granted, the stock transmitter is nothing to brag about, but it was terrible. Not only did the buggy have cogging, but in true OFF road driving, it struggled in grass. For the range issue, he suggested popping a hole in the hood for the receiver antenna and another hole to expose the transmitter's antenna. Neither proved to be a significant gain in range. He reviews all kinds of WLToys vehicles and suggested staying away from both of these brushless versions.

Reply
QuadifyRC
23/10/2021 11:00:16 pm

Hey mate, check out my review on the EAT14 if you haven't done so already. Same car in a shorter wheelbase. Cogging and acceleration issues are bad for anything but speed runs and range is pretty poor. I know enough from quads that paking that antenna through a lexan body will not help one iota. I am working on how to improve the EAT14 / 124016 / 124017 at present, the programming card will not fix it as you say.

Reply
Kodak_jack link
23/10/2021 11:38:42 pm

I think we're seeing a copy of a copy of a copy and when one is terrible, they all are. Now, I'm glad I have the brushed version.

Xcalibre
2/12/2022 09:19:39 pm

I recently brought the 124017. It's in my opinion an awsome little car!
First time I tested it I realised this is a toy I'm going to need parts for. 😉
So far have had no major accidents but have had to replace front wishbone.
When I have the car set at about 75% or more of full power, it spins out when cornering. (New suspension and anti roll bars have are on the way.)

Overall it's exactly what I wanted! High powered cheap rc car to start with that I can upgrade and improve in my own way.
I have ripped the standard tires balled in about 2hours of total driving time driving on the road, but great traction and alot of fun.

Awsome fast little hobby car that has me hooked!

Reply
QuadifyRC
13/12/2022 05:21:25 pm

Yeah for all it's quirks this is definitely one of WLToys best cars. For the money it's hard to find anything that beats it as a fast car that handles well.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020

    Categories

    All
    104001
    104002
    104009
    104072
    1/10
    124016
    124017
    124018
    124019
    144001
    144002
    144010
    16886
    16889a Pro
    184016
    284131
    4s
    4 Things
    Anti Roll Bars
    Balance
    Basher
    Battery
    Brushless
    C24
    Charging
    Cogging
    Crawler
    D22
    D32
    Diatone
    Diatone Q25
    Drift
    Drop In
    Dumborc
    Eachine EAT14
    Eachine EC30
    Eachine EC30B
    EMB-MT
    Ex07
    Ex16
    Flyhal
    Flysky FS-G7P
    Flysky Noble Pro
    FMS
    FPV Car
    Goolrc
    Guide
    Gyro
    HBX
    Hbx 901a
    HS10422
    K989
    LC12B1
    LC Racing
    Lipo
    Metal Parts
    Micro
    MJX Hyper Go
    Monster Truck
    Mx-07
    Pinion
    Preview
    Program Card
    Project WLCRacing
    Q33
    Racerstar
    Radiolink RC6GS V3
    RC Boat
    Review
    ROCHobby
    Setup
    Sg 1602
    SG 1603
    SG 1604
    Soldering
    Spectre
    Speed Run
    Stance
    Surpass Hobby
    Timing
    Transmitter
    Tuning
    Tyres
    Upgrade
    Vinyl
    Wheels
    WL916
    Wltoys
    WL Toys
    Wpl
    Zd Racing

    RSS Feed

Thanks for visiting QuadifyRC.com Follow us on facebook below to get all the latest updates
  • RC Cars
  • Car of the Month
  • Quad Reviews
  • Quad Mods
  • COUPONS AND DISCOUNTS
  • Long Range
  • About & Contact