Review: CEN Matrix 5-B
Review: CEN Matrix 5-B
Large-scale RC cars have been slowly growing in popularity over the past couple years. With events like Bajafest, Dunetoberfest, and 5th Scale Power Jam, there are plenty of places for you to race the vehicle you once thought was a big gas-powered toy. And, with the massive 5th scale aftermarket support, it’s not unusual to see $2000+, highly-modified racers and bashers! But the one thing that has been missing in this niche of the industry is an affordable 4wd vehicle. That wait is over. CEN has stepped up to the plate with the Matrix 5-B, a high-powered, definitely affordable 4wd buggy! For this test session, I made my way over to Milestone RC (Home of the 2008 Baja Nationals) and met up with Andrew Smolnik (CEN Product Development), Chris Lee(CEN Head Technician) and Rodney Roberts II (CEN Account Executive) to throw down some hot laps and see if the 5-B could deliver. After a quick overview, we fueled up the buggies and headed for the track.
AT A GLANCE
WHO MAKES IT CEN
WHO IT’S FOR Everyone
HOW FAST 39mph
PART NO. 5002
HOW MUCH $849
WHAT WE LIKED
• 4WD!
• Powerful 30CC Engine
• Full ball bearings
• Fully adjustable suspension with heavy-duty plastic parts
• All terrain tires have pretty good traction
• Quick release body cage mounts
• I kinda dig the green anodizing!
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED
• Stock filter and pipe seem restrictive
• A lot of work to get the body off for refuels or repairs
• Thicker diff fluid
THE BOTTOM LINE
Out of the box, the Matrix 5-B will certainly satisfy any racer or basher. Add some race-compound tires and a little suspension tuning and this beast will be tearing up all the local big-scale tracks! It has some definite potential!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• The high-output 30cc 2-stroke engine runs on a pump-gas/2-stroke oil mixture. Just mix up your fuel, pour it in and go! Easy to tune and maintain, these monster motors also have quite a bit of aftermarket support, making it easy to bolt on some additional power. I would suggest a high-flow air filter and pipe right away!
• The drive train is similar to an 1/8th scale car. Durable gear differentials are packed away in the beefy front and rear bulkheads. While the center is equipped with a hardened transfer gear, Andy mentioned that they will be releasing a fluid-filled center differential as an option part.
• The Matrix 5-B comes equipped with big-bore threaded aluminum dampers on all four corners. This makes adjusting ride height a snap, something I found very useful during our test session. The stock springs worked well on the test track, and Andy informed me that they will be releasing option springs to fine tune the buggy to different track conditions.
• The chassis is a stout, 4mm T6 aluminum plate that is braced front-to-rear by an aluminum roll cage. The cage is designed with quick-disconnect ‘legs’ so you can swivel it out of the way for easy access to the radio box or engine. This was one of my favorite features about this car.
• While the 650cc fuel tank will keep you going for close to an hour, the design of it is what caught my attention. If you look closely…oh, yes, you see it now? Uh, yes, that is the driveshaft going THROUGH it. Interesting design to maximize the amount of fuel you can carry onboard.
• To get the correct gear ratio, the Matrix 5-B uses a 4-step gear reduction system that is visible from the right side of the car. It is covered with a heavy-duty clear lexan cap. The gears are made out of a lightweight composite that held up well to some brutal beating at the track.
• The 8” tall, all-terrain tires are pre-mounted to the fluorescent spoked wheels from the factory. While they provided decent traction on the track, they worked great while on an impromptu bash session in a local field! Dirt, grass, sand and even mud, the knobbies held up well with very little signs of wear.
• The Matrix 5-B includes the Skyion DX-Pro Digital Radio System. This FM transmitter features a LCD display, digital adjustments, 10 model memory, dual rate… you name it, its got it!
NEEDED TO COMPLETE
Charger, fuel, AAA’s
HARDWARE TYPE
Metric hex
CEN Matrix 5-B
DIMENSIONS
LENGTH 29.5 in. (750mm)
WIDTH 17.7 in. (450mm)
WHEELBASE 20.5 in. (520mm)
TUNING OPTIONS
• Camber— front and rear adjustable length
• Toe—front and rear adjust adjustable length
• Shock Springs—standard or optional springs
• Shock Locations—standard or optional springs
• Shock oil—use oil in a variety of viscosities
• Bump-steer—add or subtract shims under the steering ball stud
COMPETITORS INCLUDE
HPI Baja 5B, FG Baja 4wd
PERFORMANCE SCORECARD
Test Venue: Milestone RC – Riverside, California
Conditions: Outdoor 1/5th Scale track with bumps, ruts and big jumps!
STEERING Understeer Neutral Oversteer
The Matrix 5-B has controllable steering at low speeds but pick up the pace a bit and I found myself having to concentrate a little more to keep the car composed. The front and rear differentials have a really light oil in them. I think this, in combination with the tall, soft nubs on the tires, were preventing the 5-B from really getting a good grip on the dusty surface. Slap on a set of race tires and put a little heavier oil in the diffs and that should settle down the steering issue.
BRAKING Poor Fair Good Excellent
Combine a dual-disc braking system with a high-torque metal gear servo, 4wd, and soft knobby tires. I would say there’s some definite braking action going on here. On dirt, gravel, or any other ‘slippery’ surface, the brakes work exceptionally well in slowing down the 5-B. On the asphalt, well, let’s just say that slamming the brakes while doing high-speed passes could tear up parts of your street!
ACCELERATION Poor Fair Good Excellent
Again, the 4wd and soft knobby tires excel in this department. Coming out of corners or accelerating down the straight, the 4wd system allows you to really get into the meat of the large 30cc engine’s power band. The 5-B I was driving was also fitted with an optional pipe and header. This not only altered the sound coming from the car, but added a little more speed on the top end. Gearing seemed spot on for the size of the track as well. CEN will be releasing optional pinion gears to tune to larger or smaller tracks.
SUSPENSION Poor Fair Good Excellent
The Matrix 5-B has numerous adjustments that a racer (or hardcore basher) might want. Caster, camber, ride height, toe angles, shock position; there are enough tuning options to keep you busy for some time. In stock form, the suspension soaked up the bumps, and the 5-B flew straight and level off some of the bigger jumps. The landings, on the other hand, seemed a bit bouncy for my taste. A little heavier oil in the shocks should cure that.
DURABILITY Poor Fair Good Excellent
You’d think that a couple of 33lb cars would create some carnage on the track, right? Well, I’m happy to say, they are still in one piece! A good example was a pretty major crash where Andy and I hit going over a large jump. After the 66lbs of man-made machinery had stopped tumbling (which I thought for sure was going to send both vehicles back to the parts bin), we drove the cars over to the pits to give them a quick look. Closer inspection showed that I had a broken wing mount while Andy’s car had a broken front bumper. Certainly nothing that would keep us from continuing to run! I’m pretty confident that this car could run an hour long main or a few tanks in the wilderness with only a few spare parts on hand.
THE LAST WORD
It was only a matter of time before someone appeared on the radar with a good, large-scale 4wd buggy. With features like a digital radio, fully adjustable suspension and great parts support, CEN has showed that they’re not just looking to release a great 4wd basher-buggy, but to also create a 4wd racing class! If you’re a truck kinda guy, CEN has also added the Matrix 5-T and Matrix 5-MT to their lineup. All three are based on the same platform with only minor differences. So no matter what version you choose – buggy, truck or monster truck – CEN has you covered; all 4wd, and all at an affordable price.
Links
CEN, www.cenracing.com
Milestone RC, www.milestone-rc.com
[as seen in: RC Driver Magazine]
