If anyone were to ask me what the most popular (and fun) classes in RC were, I’d have to say it was anything Short Course. From 1/18th to 1/5th, this class has single-handedly brought back a ton of interest into the RC world. To back up that statement, realize that almost every major manufacturer has entered the fray with either a converted race-level stadium truck or developed a competition ride from the ground up. While the Losi Strike is a great truck for beginners, it was lacking some high-end race features that have kept it out of the winners circle. Well, Exotek Racing has created a conversion kit for the Losi XXX-T Stadium Truck that is guaranteed to ‘Strike’ fear into anyone racing against it!
The Conversion
The conversion kit includes everything you need to convert your XXX-T (MF, MF2 or CR) to a ROAR legal Short Course truck. The G10 fiberglass rear chassis plate and battery box extender lengthens the XXX-T to fit under most SC bodies. Body posts are attached to G10 fiberglass plates that are mounted to the front and rear towers. To narrow the front end to ROAR limits, Exotek has included a set of custom made hardened steel front axles. These axles fit the XXX-T steering blocks without modification and will accept any SC10 wheels (the test truck had JConcepts wheels). Modification plates on the front allow the use of a Losi Strike front bumper, while plates in the rear let you mount up a RPM Slash 4×4 rear bumper.
Body, Wheels, Tires and Electronics
Since this test was more about the Exotek SCX-T conversion than a look-at-me masterpiece (and, well, I had to give the truck back as it was the only one in existence), I didn’t spray some super-cool paint job on the Losi Strike body. I did, however, want to make sure I had the proper set of racing rubber on the truck and installed a full set of JConcepts Rulux wheels wrapped in Goosebumps tires. To power this converted thoroughbred, I installed an LRP SXX ESC and X12 10.5 Brushless motor. A Reedy Competition LiPo pack was used to supply the juice.
The Drive
My schedule put me in the Northern California area so I thought I’d scope out some of the local raceways and see where I could perform the test drive. Luckily I was only about 15 minutes away from A-Main Hobbies which not only has an enormous facility, they also have a pretty dialed indoor track. Outback Raceway (appropriately named because it’s ‘out back’ of the A-Main Hobbies facility) is a nice indoor track that holds some of the tackiest clay I’ve ever driven on. The course is a little tight and features fast sweepers, a long straight and quite a few jumps. After trimming out the truck, I made a few warm-up laps to make sure everything was working properly. The SCX-T felt very stable and had a massive amount of turn-in, but felt a little lazy in the middle and on exiting the corners. I brought it back into the pit and gave it a look. Because the traction at Outback Raceway is so high and the SCX-T’s suspension was so soft (the truck was set up for a looser surface), there was a huge amount of body roll. I made a few changes and went back out. Steering through the entire corner was now better, and I could line up the jumps better and clear every one of them. The SCX-T even felt planted through the corner-washboard section! To really make this SC conversion a killer setup (at A-Main Hobbies), stiffer springs and a little heavier oil would have been the ticket. I decided to also try the SCX-T at an outdoor venue. I drove to my secret off-road test facility. This track not only has a much less predictable track surface, it also includes a few big jumps and a security guard with a massive power trip (who always gives me a hard time). Steering was still good, but a lighter trigger finger was needed to keep the truck in a straight line. Through the corners, the SCX-T had plenty of traction (thanks to that soft suspension) and I could power though the rough sections of the track. Hitting the big jump was possible, but with the large “air-sail” body, you never really knew how it was going to land. A couple of serious tumbles proved there were no durability issues with this kit; the SCX-T conversion is as strong as the Losi truck itself!
Final Thoughts
The SCX-T conversion kit is one of the best products on the market. Instead of going out and buying a whole new SC truck (which could get quite expensive), you can save quite a few bucks and purchase this kit that will allow you to convert a vehicle you already have into something else. It’s quick and easy to install, extremely durable and works with the venerable Losi XXX-T. Did I mention you get all this for under $70? I guess you have no more excuses.
Links
Exotek Racing, www.exotekracing.com
Losi, www.losi.com
JConcepts, www.jconcepts.net
LRP, Distributed by Associated Electrics, www.rc10.com
Reedy, Distributed by Associated Electrics, www.rc10.com
A-Main Hobbies, www.amainhobbies.com
