Losi, an
industry leader in the design and development of RC cars has
another little vehicle to add to its lineup. If you thought
the Mini T was a fun little truck wait until you see this.
It looks like the Mini T, but it is only 1/36 scale. Losi
cars this truck the Micro T, and with a fully functioning RC
vehicle with 4 wheel independent off-road suspension this is
about as small as you can get.
We had
two separate people drive and review this truck and
here is what they have to say:
F: This a neat little truck, at
first I was scared to run it like an off-roader, that
feeling passed quickly.
M: The size of the truck is amazingly small and at first
glance you really don’t expect too much from such a little
package. But the first time I tossed it down and hit the
trigger, it felt like I was back racing 1/10 scale trucks on
the local off-road track.
F: The truck wheeled
every time you even touched the throttle and the overall
speed and tendency to be light on the front made it very
hard to control.
M: I’ll agree with Frank on this one, the truck does tend to
wheelie. First time I ran it I was on my kitchen floor. I
never would have guessed this truck, or any for that matter,
could have done a wheel stand for 8’ across my entire
kitchen. This also was my first test of the ruggedness of
the truck as the truck met the wall about a foot later. The
good news is with some work on the slipper and by changing
gear ratios I was able to control the wheelies.
F: I had a real problem with the entire battery system in
the vehicle. The battery connectors broke the 1st time I ran
the car and went for a recharge. This is unacceptable in a
hobby quality truck. If this car were a $7 toy maybe I would
expect some quality issues, but coming from Losi, I did not
expect to have this kind of problem.
M: My only concern with the battery system was the need for
so many batteries to run the car. I like the idea of being
able to travel with the car and not needing AC power, but
using batteries as the only charging method I think is a
mistake. A simple AC charger to use, while around AC power,
would certainly cut down on costs.
F: The truck had great grip on the wooden deck and was a
blast to drift with on the kitchen floor. A problem though
was where can you run it? There seems to be more places you
cannot run it then where you can, the instructions say, no
plush carpets, no grass, and no sand.
M: Well, you know I don’t read instructions all the time,
and when I do I may not listen, but given the size of this
truck I would recommend staying off the carpets, or if you
choose to run on them, be ready to take the rear axle
assembly apart to clean off the lint around the axles. Grass
isn’t a good idea as most lawns are taller than this truck,
but sand? I didn’t understand that one. So I took this truck
to the ball field where I run my 1/10 scales and boy it was
a blast. The field is dirt, clay, and sand, and this truck
handled them all. To see this truck scream along at 10 mph
or so was awesome. It even handled some of the larger ruts
better than I thought.
F: Given the size and possible problems I would not
recommend this truck for any one under 12years old, and
would only buy it from a reputable hobby shop, where you
know someone.
M: Frank is just mad because he broke it. But in honesty if
this is your first hobby grade RC vehicle it is a good idea
to buy at a hobby store where someone can help you if you
have problems.
So there you have it a good little truck that is really fast
and fun to drive. From the time we opened the box to the
time we were running took less than 30 minutes. The radio
that Losi uses is a nice size for both young and old and has
the necessary adjustments at easy to reach locations. The
truck doesn’t have the best shocks but you really aren’t
dealing with enough weight to worry about anything better.
Product
Specifications
Type: 2WD Stadium Truck RTR
Scale: 1/36
Length: 4.5 in (114mm)
Width: 3.5 in (89mm)
Wheelbase: 3 in (76mm)
Weight: 3.4 oz (96g)
Chassis: Composite tub
Suspension: Independent
CHASSIS;
Just like the 1/10-scale
Triple-XT, the Mini-T has a molded, semi-tub chassis. The
electronics sit in the middle of the chassis, and the 4-cell
NiMH battery sits just underneath the combo ESC/receiver
unit. The battery can be accessed from underneath the
chassis.
BODY, WHEELS AND TIRES ;
The body is the same body as the
Mini-T's just shrunk in half. The trucks one-piece, yellow
dish wheels look very similar to the ones on 1/10-scale Team
Losi trucks. And the tires look like great miniatures of the
1/10 scale versions.
Drive Train: 3-gear transmission
w/gear diff and slipper
Tire Type: rubber multi-pin rear/ribbed front
Motor or Engine: Micro Electric
Speed Control: Electronic, Fully Proportional
Forward/Reverse
Radio: 27MHZ AM Pistol
Servos: Sub-micro
Batteries: 4.8v, 150MAH NiMH (included)
Charger: Peak (included)
Wheel Size: 0.75 in (19mm) diameter
Kit/RTR: RTR
Shock Type: Coil-Over Friction Dampers
Body: Factory-decorated Stadium Truck
Ball Bearings: BB-Equipped Transmission
THE VERDICT
F: Overall I cannot give this truck a high rating, maybe I
was soured by the whole connector bit. I like the idea,
would like to see it more developed and brought back in a
different form. The good news is at iHobby I saw their new
truck, the desert truck, with a longer wheel base and new
electronics; I might have to have one of them.
M: I liked this truck. It is very fast for its size and is
rugged enough to stand up to my abuse. It is hard to handle
until it is setup just right and a first time buyer will
struggle to get it that way. But I you have been around RC
vehicles before and would like to move your racing indoors
for the winter, or don’t have room for a big track in the
yard this truck can have some great races around the family
room or the garden.
LIKES
Small enough so the kitchen floor can be
a great raceway
The tires are awesome for their size
Cost, very affordable $80
Speed
Overall Looks
DISLIKES
Batter connectors, broke 1st day
The number batteries needed, needs to have AC charger
Power Curve, needs to have flatter curve, wheelies too much
The tires should have a nut to hold them on, makes it easy
for everyone to change them. Current “e” clip is extremely
hard to handle.
With kind
regards,
Franklin Nichols
And
Mike Gibbs