26 replies to this topic

[Matt Sheldon]

So I have been procrastinating on getting my son a new controller because I wanted to make sure he was returning to racing on a regular basis which it now appears he is. 

 

Anyone have any real life experience with both the DR40 and the Third Eye FET2? I would more than likely purchase either with all the option including e choke as we plan on doing more USRA style racing for next season. For now just assume he is racing retro all the way through GT12. He does not care for the feel of my DiFalco but seems to drive ok with it. He really liked a local racers JayGee 200, but recently tried a Third Eye and liked the light feel of the trigger. The only other that I have never had the chance to try is the DR40, however I have heard great feedback about them.

 

Please share your experiences and your pros and cons about each, I need to make a decision within the next few weeks and not being able to try a DR40 need to trust your responses.

[gotboostedvr6]

Fet is faster.

It also is more fragile.

[Les Boyd]

The Third Eye is more fragile, you will need to make sure that you are hooking it up correctly every time, and when putting it away after using it make sure to have a large zip lock bag to put it in. Dust is a very bad thing when it comes to Third Eye.

The DR is hard to beat and they have very good service when needed.  

[Mike K]

I have had both, and many others. FET controllers have better brakes than the DR controllers. If your son likes the JayGee he should have similar results with the 3rd Eye. Trigger response can be changed on any controller by changing the return spring.

[John C Martin]

I've had them all also ..for the money you can't beat a 3rd Eye ,,Hitman..
Repair work if needed can't be beat..fast turnaround !

[old & gray]

It may seem like a small pea in a large soft bed but make sure you are comfortable with the handle on the controller. I find my third eye feels just a little strange and awkward after all the years with a Russkit/Parma handle.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Third Eye now uses a Parma handle.

[gotboostedvr6]

Current production models use a Parma handle.

[garyvmachines]

I use my Dr 40 for wing cars on Big tracks .....I use my third eye on home tracks / D-3 & scale cars.... ( more break & more adjustable)

I would recommend the FET for your boy......

GAV 

[kvanpelt]

The latest offering from 3rd Eye, Super NFET 3 w/E-Wire choke, addresses all of those issue.

 

NFET (which is a less fragile than the previous FET used in the FET2)

Parma handle

e-wire choke (far superior to the e-choke)

Jethro resistor which was an upgrade on the FET2

Nice blue anodized aluminum package

 

With Howard's 1st class service, IMHO, this is the real deal.

 

3rd Eye's best controller to date.

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[MikeC]

The Third Eye is more fragile, you will need to make sure that you are hooking it up correctly every time, and when putting it away after using it make sure to have a large zip lock bag to put it in. Dust is a very bad thing when it comes to Third Eye.

The DR is hard to beat and they have very good service when needed.  

 

Actually, if you hook it up reverse, it's one of the few controllers that DON'T fry.  It has an internal fuse that kicks, and will automatically reset.  Saw one hooked up wrong this past weekend as a matter of fact.  Once the racer noticed it, he hooked up correctly and continued racing.  No issues.

 

As for the plastic bag...  Funny, we've never once put on of Justin's controllers in a plastic bag, and he's never had an issue with "dust"...  I'm guessing that any controller would have issues with dust, dirt, or any other foreign material getting on the controller, but no more so for a Third Eye.

 

And the Thrid Eye is certainly not "Fragile".  The older ones, prior to switching to the Parma handle, had fragile handles on them.  Mechanically, they are quite strong, in my opinion.  Justin has a "Death grip" on his trigger and has never broken it...
 

As others have posted, the Third Eye's breaks are second to none. 

 

There are several models to choose from.  From the "Hitman" to the FET2 w/e-Wire choke (A fantastic controller).  There's also the new, nFET3 w/e-Wire choke, which is so new, it hasn't been officially announced yet.  (I guess it has now!).  This controller takes Third Eye controllers to a new level.

 

I would suggest the standard FET2, unless you feel the need for a choke that's more like a "Physical" choke, then I'd suggest the FET2 w/e-Wire.

To ask more specific questions on the Third Eye products, you can visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook...rdeyetechnology

[Matt Sheldon]

Some great information here from everyone, which really helps. Kevin thank you for going the extra distance with the new info and pictures.

[gotboostedvr6]

This is the first time I've heard someone call a fet strong.

I am a current Fet2 user and love it even tho it has broken on me several times. As a matter of fact when it is functional I think it makes me a better racer.

Some food for thought;
Maybe they are just strong when your sponsored by Howard?

[Robert Bodtmann]

Just a question have you ever tried a carsteen?
I personally feel like my cs4 and cs2 controllers are perfect in every way.
Oh yea and for service you have to send to Denmark but I just sent a few the past week and all I paid was shipping he fixed all 4 controllers for free!
And the turn around was 2 days for 4 controllers I like to see anyone else give that kind of turnaround!

By the way I'm a non sponsored racer and just Personal preference to use a carsteen and severely times his controllers get hooked up wrong and work!

[Arne Saknussem]

I've had the opportunity to try all of the controllers at a swap session with some friends.  I found that once I had about ten or twelve laps to adjust all the dials and get a feel for the trigger it didn't matter which one I used.  I achieved the same lap times with all of them.

[RodneyZ]

I love my dr-40 deluxe just regular service . The third eye controllers are good till something goes wrong then you have to send them in to be fixed.

[MikeC]

This is the first time I've heard someone call a fet strong.

I am a current Fet2 user and love it even tho it has broken on me several times. As a matter of fact when it is functional I think it makes me a better racer.

Some food for thought;
Maybe they are just strong when your sponsored by Howard?

 

Not sure anyone called the FET "Strong".  I can break ANY controller, if I try hard enough.   What exactly are you breaking on the FET2's?  I've seen them dropped, hooked up wrong, gripped so hard it leaves calluses, poorly maintained, etc...  I'd like to hear what it is you're breaking...

As for "Sponsored" comments...  Of course you'd expect someone who's sponsored to support the product the are sponsored for...  However, just because someone is sponsored doesn't automatically mean you should discount their opinion or that they don't honestly think the product is the better product.   I'm not sponsored, but my son is.  However, if we didn't believe Third Eye was a good product, not only would he not promote it, he wouldn't use it.  He's not going to race an inferior product, simply because he can get a sponsorship for that product.

Are there other controllers that are good?  Yes, of course.  I've seen the Carsteen controllers and I think they are very nice too, as are the Ruddock's.  The DR-40 is a fine controller.  Justin tried several controllers and liked the Third Eye.  We were hesitant about using it because we'd heard all the rumors about them being "fragile", and Justin has a gorilla grip when he squeezes the trigger.  Three years later, he hasn't broken one.

The original poster asked about the DR-40 and the Third Eye controllers.  The DR-40 is a fine controller, but Justin simply feels he's smoother and faster with the Third Eye.  That's not a slam on the Ruddock line, just his preference....

[Michael Rigsby]

Now are you guys talking about the 3rd eye Hitman, or the 3rd eye FET 2?  There is a $200 difference in the price of those controllers.  I was of the understanding that the Hitman was a decent controller for retro classes because of the added braking, but it still uses the Red Fox style handle, not the Parma handle.

[drrufo]

The controller that a racer uses is a matter of "feel". If it feels good in your hand, you will perform better.

I am moving away from the Parma handle because it feels like a toy to me. JK has a larger handle that is made from Lexan and I haven't had any complaints so far.

If some one likes a Brand X controller over my build, that is fine. I don't build over 25/30 DR-40 controllers a year, I am sure Parma builds 100 times that . I am happy with the amount I build.

 Each company has a different build and think that their build is the best. If you want a new controller, run the ones you want to buy and choose the one you like the best.

John Andersen

[JimF]

I currently own both Ruddock and 3-E. I tend to use the DR-40 almost all the time. There does seem to be an advantage for the 3-E as far as having a softer low-middle response than the DR. However, Dan and (I think) John have both re-curved the low end response on several Ruddocks that I own (one since the 90's) and they are closer. On banked tracks, it doesn't seem to matter but on flat road courses, I sometimes find that it does matter and once in a while, I prefer the feel of the 3-E.

 

I doubt that the fragility reputation of the 3-E is a myth. Too many folks that I know have had various issues. Then again, a few have not. Perhaps carrying them in the padded, airtight, metal case that some folks use helps to protect even better than the zip loc. Both Howard, and Dan, and now John have offered impeccable service for their products. I cannot fault either in that regard. One issue with the 3-E is dialing brakes out when using FK type motors. I know most folks are always looking for more brakes but I'm often looking for less. At some point on the brake scale of the 3-E, as the brakes get progressively less, then suddenly (usually about 1/2 way).....they are completely gone. This is only an issue with FK motors as near as I can tell.

 

In the end......it is preference.

[MikeC]

Well put, both John and Jim.

As for the "Hitman", Michael, I've never seen a Hitman without a Parma handle.  Are you sure it's a Hitman, and are you sure it's not a Parma handle?  Pictures?  There were a few controllers prior to the Hitman that didn't have Parma handles.

 

As for the "Hitman", it is an excellent controller for Retro, or most scale classes.  My youngest son uses one.  It is one of the best sellers at our track.  The only major difference between the "Hitman" and the FET2 is the choke and the size motors it will run.  That's the main reason for the price difference.

[MSwiss]

I've sold quite a few Hitman and a few E-wires and I'm a fan.

With the Parma handle and the better adjustment pots and knobs, the Hitman is way more rugged than a Renegade or Renegade 2.

There's a lot of great controllers out there, but it's hard to argue with the 100+ speeds of the 3rd Eye's.

[Guy Spaulding]

Guys with better reactions than I say a FET controller makes you faster

 

But, addressing the title of this thread, its hard compare a DR-40 with a FET2, due to the $200 difference in price.

Then, you comparing the 40 to Hitman has it's limitations, since the Hitman has a motor limit.

 

Newer Hitmans use the Parma control handle. Bravo!  Much more solid feel and less fragile than the Kelly handle.

But the trigger still feels like an AFX, with that micro-wire-wound resistor that occasionally pops, creating a rat's nest.

 

Many local controller techs are forced to stay away from the eye, with all it's unobtainable proprietary components.

 

But the eye scores high in performance and versatility for any class it can handle - superior brakes, and built-in linearity adjustments that dont require additional purchases.

 

The DR-40 is a favorite for many because of it's feel, plus you can run virtually every car out there.

 

But we can bring in the DiFalco Genesis. Same price range, perhaps better brakes than Ruddock, with it's Brake Override relay, but not as good as an FET's brakes.  Some have offered the term "power assist".

[Arne Saknussem]

Brakes.

 

Who else remembers the battery boxes that we used to put in line between the brake wire and the brake post at the panel?

[Guy Spaulding]

Battery boxes were exceedingly necessary  when you built a propeller car