Monster GT first Impressions from Savage Owner

[eurylokhos]

I got my Monster GT today from my LHS, (after having ordered it in October of last year) in the limited Flag body style. I thought I'd give my first impressions, as a Savage owner (my Savage has a picco .26, almunum shocks, upgraded steering, reverse etc...) and someone who's been in the hobby for about 18 years.

First impression is that I'm impressed. It's a nice truck. It's a little larger than the Savage, and slightly heavier. The body is Amazing. Great paint job that will never be run, just used for display. The overall layout of the truck is great, it looks like it'll be easy to work on, nice and uncluttered, with easy access to everything. The driveshafts are very beefy, and look tough.

The exhaust layout is very nice, it's just infront of the rear shock towers, and vents down below the truck, it should keep it all clean when running, and being where it is, you won't accidentally burn yourself on it, or have it melt the body on your truck.

The fuel tank looks nice, and it has a great bulb primer attached, much like I added to my Savage. I don't like that you can't see the fuel level with the body on, which is one of the really nice things about the Savage.

The suspension is nice and plush, has good travel, and looks nice and durable. It doesn't look quite as heavy duty as the Savage, but it does look better than my older T-Maxx. The shocks have those stupid fake reservoirs. Those are STUPID. However, moving this around you can tell that it is all nice and precise, without all of the freeplay that the Savage has in its suspension. Plus, the turnbuckles are a huge improvement over the Savage's stock setup.

The chassis is very nicely machined. It's well made, and looks great, with some nice blue aluminum braces/skids on the bottom. The front and rear skids/bumpers are made of the standard black plastic, which I like because of durability. The front bumper looks AWESOME. Very cool, I need to figure out how to get one on the Savage.

In all, the truck is nice, and seems well made. I'm never going to use the radio, because I'm going to put my Futaba 3pk in it, and plus the radio just looks stupid, like it should have the Tyco name on it. The engine setup is nice, the combo pull start/hex is a great idea, but I'm never going to use it either, as I have a Force .26 that I have about 10 tanks through, and it is nice and strong, and VERY easy to tune.

Advantages that I see with the MGT out of the box over the Savage:

Less play in the suspension/steering
Better access to components
Nicer Tank/primer system
Better exhaust layout
Turnbuckles
Better start system, not an either/or like Savage.

Savage (original one) over MGT:

Can see amount of fuel in tank
Components seem more robust than MGT
You don't pay for things you don't want/need (reverse/rotostart optional)
Cheaper

In all, it looks good. Just from a first impression, if I didn't have a truck and had the money to buy wither, I'd probably go with the MGT over the Savage. I'll have to run it to see if that pans out over time. The great thing about my Savage is that it's been INDESTRUCTIBLE. Seriously, the only things I've had to replace are the wheels and dogbones. If the MGT proves to handle as well as the Savage, and jump as well (I can't believe that it'll do either better), then I'd say the MGT is the winner.

Versus the Maxx, it's no comparison. I've had numerous Maxxes, and they were nowhere near the Savage. They traction rolled when you turned at high speeds, the drivetrain was fragile, and I kept breaking bulkheads. The only thing that the Maxx had over my Savage was that it was faster stock. My thinking is that it's a truck, and anything over 30 is fast enough. And, my .26 Sav will eat a Maxx for lunch :)

[Frapechino]

nice its the first review I've read of the owner of a BFT and it sounds like your satisfied....

[Frapechino]

oh yeah think you could get a pic of it next to your savage and a maxx that would be a lotta help...thanks

[eurylokhos]

Yeah, it's nice. I should have driving impressions (with a Force .26 in it) tonight. I'll write then, luckily the engine is all broken in, so I can fire it up and let it rip.

[bubbafien]

i have a maxx and savage, and i think that the mgt looks very nice but i do not understand why things (not engines) are headed towards bigger is better. personally i would rather have a lighter smaller(not really small like maybe i lil' bigger than a maxx) more agile monster with an awesome power to weight ratio. i do not know why they want the BIGGER truck i just want the lightest, fastest, best handling truck. that is why i prefer my maxx over my savage. IMO i think the savage is too heavy.

any way i think that the mgt looks nice but too big and heavy and slow for me. but it does look nice, except for those reservoirs!

bubbafien

[GILLAGAN]

I liked to ad that the radio feels better and appears to be better made than the Traxxas radio. Also the control arms are a lot larger and appear to be more durable than the T Maxx 2.5 arms. This thing comes with all cva's and a better looking brake disc. The engine reminds me of my Savage 21 when it was stock except it's a lot easier to start,doesn't overheat and just overall is easier to use. It go's in and out of reverse like nothing no wait no cussing and you dont have to go turn it around. The engine doesn't have enough power for me either so I ordered the 24.7 pro. My Savage has a great running force 25 in it now and it would out run the MGT pretty easy. But I doubt it with the 24.7 the MGT allready looks likes it would hit a small bump and wheelie stock and it just might with a few more tanks. I only have eight thru it now and I kept the engine under 200 degs. I'm putting pics in next to my 21 T Maxx and Savage as well as others.http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid85/p3db44569d1d260407d59686ecc9613d1/fac1427e.jpg.thumb http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid85/p70edcc04b33d5be3bc25ec37f497f540/fac14284.jpg.thumb http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid85/p7f152fe2270fc28a2d5225a4aa502bc1/fac1427b.jpg.thumb

[morfracerX]

Originally posted by bubbafien

i just want the lightest, fastest, best handling truck. that is why i prefer my maxx over my savage.

bubbafien

did i just read that? :slaps self out of thread:

[GILLAGAN]

I hope this link works but $459 with free ship in the us. It allready is getting cheaper.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3151748935&category=19168

[eurylokhos]

I've gotten a chance to run a few tanks through it in a good dirty construction site (I"m building a house, and the dirt for the Septic system is piled around, and the hole is dug, big jumps, rough terrain, 6+ foot drop offs). I ran the truck with a Ofna Force .26 that has been broken in, and a Futaba 3pk for radio. Other than that the truck is stock (servos, suspension settings, etc)

The MGT is nice. It's very similar to the Savage in how it drives. It feels heavier and it doesn't turn as tightly. The suspension really soaks up the bumps, it is almost indistinguishable from the Savage over rough terrain at high speeds. I noticed that it leans in corners much more than the Savage, and leans forward and back with accel and brake, and it's pretty easy to get it to traction roll, much easier than the Sav. It has a tendency to nose down off of jumps as well. All of those things can be easily fixed with shock oil and springs. It had no problem soaking up 6 foot drops.

Things it does better than the Sav are:

It'll climb better, probably due to the longer wheelbase and wider track. It is also more stable at high speeds than the Sav.

Shifting to and from reverse is more positive as well. With the Sav you sometimes have to try a couple of times to get it to lock into reverse. The MGT goes right in first try.

The primer is NICE.

The larger tires and higher ground clearance let it go over more things. It cleared big rocks that the Sav gets hung up on.

Where the Sav has it beat:
Handling - The savage just plain turns better. Probably due to it being smaller and a little lighter.

The Brake linkage is horrible on the MGT, replace the spring with a fuel line, and it'll be good.

CG, the Savage carries its weight lower, so it's harder to flip.


The MGT is tough too, I banged the heck out of it, ran into boulders, huge jumps, cartwheels etc, and nothing broke or came loose. The exhaust extension is too long, I had the engine die twice because I got it pinched between the arm and a rock. ALso, the pipe needs a real pressure fitting, stock there is a big hole in the pipe that you shove the pressure line into. I had to richen my mixture up on the engine (Force .26 from my OFNA MBX Pro) quite a bit, I"m thinking it's from fuel delivery. I'll be fixing that tonight.

It's a PIA to not be able to see the fuel tank and know your fuel status. Maxx bodies will fit (I'm saving my Limited Flag body for display), but they look kinda goofy, they are out of proportion. I used a Parma F-150, which is slightly larger than a standard Maxx/Savage body, and it just barely spans from body post to body post, and isn't wide enough to cover the whole chassis. Something like a Hummer H2 for a Maxx would maybe fit, but you'd have to buy body Posts, AE doesn't include SUV posts.


My verdict is that if you have a Sav, there's no reason to upgrade, except that it's cool to have another truck. I could get my Sav to the same place this is with an extended chassis. If I were starting out, I'd go with the MGT. It's much easier to work on, and the only places it isn't as good as the Sav are easily remedied with some springs and shock oil, and it comes with a very good servo for steering (metal gear, has no problem steering the beast, I have a HS-645MG that I was going to put in it, but I don't see any reason to after driving the truck). It just seems like a SLIGHTLY better truck, and worth the price difference. Stock (except for engine) it is very close to my Modified Sav, which is saying a lot. I think it's worth the extra money to go MGT over Sav, although you really can't go wrong with either.

[106racepark]

Where'd you get your truck?? Sounds like you kinda like it some??!!

[RCRACER2471]

Hey 106RacePark are you from Pembroke, NH????

Hey guys I just got my bft today and it rocks the house. It is soo damn fast. And i got it for $420 too... :p

[Cal-Torque]

Where did you get it for that price, and do they have any more?
Thanks

[eurylokhos]

You're a dork, Dave. Yeah, I got it from 106 Racepark in Pembroke NH, and the post above is from Dave, the manager of 106. If anyone is looking for a great shop, I'd recommend 106. They are in NH, have good prices, and literally the best service of any hobby shop I've ever been to. I've been shopping there for a little over a year, and Dave has always treated me great. Give him a call if you need anything, it's a great shop, and he can ship to you.

[GILLAGAN]

I'd guess Dave owe's you something free or discounted. Lol

[eurylokhos]

Hey, the guy deserves a plug, I ordered my MGT from him last October. In fact, it came just a couple of days shy of a year from when I ordered it.

IN all seriousness, I'm not affiliated, just a happy customer, and 106 is one of those Hobby stores that's great to deal with, it's fun to go there and just hang out, it's a nice friendly atmosphere. There's a couple of stores in NH that are just plain hostile, and that's why I'm a loyal customer of 106 when I'm in NH, and Superior Hobbies when I'm in Florida.

[GILLAGAN]

Your a very lucky guy. Our local shop is about five miles away and everybody I know either mail orders or drives a sixty mile round trip. I meant no offence and I'm sorry if I did offend either of you.
PS Dave your welcome in California anytime we would be glad to have you.

[Cal-Torque]

Dave, send me a note - NitroTorque@shaw.ca
I'd like to order one.
Thanks

[Janders]

this is the way people should objectively review things. good work

[106racepark]

WOW, You guys are psychotic!! I WISH I could get em and sell em for $420. I think thats a fantasy at this point, but so be it. If you can get em for that, GET EM!!! Don't mess around!!

I had that ONE on B/O for so damn long, I lost interest in the thing, then it comes in, and BAMM!! It ROCKS, I knew he would need it so, I harrassed him,and sent him email pics of it until he gave in and sold his Cat, Wife, AND HOUSE to come buy it!!

God love the RC Addict!!

[eurylokhos]

I was thinking about the MGT vs Sav last night, and another thing came up. It is a really well thought out design, and has obviously had more polish than the Sav. THere were a number of things wrong with the Sav right out of the box that were just carelessness. For instance, the exhaust manifold hits the shock, didn't anyone check things like that? Or the shock bolt on the wrong way so it could puncture the tank. Or the fact that the truck was pretty much put togehter without locktite, so you basically had to tear it down and locktite and retorque everything if you didn't want things to fall off. There are none of those items on the MGT. I went through it (like I do with any RTR I buy, and everything was tight, and had plenty of locktite on them. and there are no glaring errors in the design.


I still love my Savage, and would recommend it, but when I do, I have to tell the person that there a few things they have to do before they run it. With the MGT, it's basically open the box and run it. Very nice. Hopefully, it's long term durability is the equal of the Sav, which has proven indestructible.

[RCRACER2471]

Originally posted by 106racepark
WOW, You guys are psychotic!! I WISH I could get em and sell em for $420. I think thats a t this point, but so be it. If you can get em for that, GET EM!!! Don't mess around!!

I had that ONE on B/O for so damn long, I lost interest in the thing, then it comes in, and BAMM!! It ROCKS, I knew he would need it so, I harrassed him,and sent him email pics of it until he gave in and sold his Cat, Wife, AND HOUSE to come buy it!!

God love the RC Addict!!

Dave I got mine at the dealer price. Meaning that our store Hobby Etc. in Nashua made no money because it was for me. Bruce one of the guys that works there seldomly let me get it for a good price. The bft went out of stock 3 days they were in stock. Amazing how fast they go!! I wonder how long it will take for the next shipment...

Hey dave how much longer is the track open till it closes. I wanna test out my big fu**in truck....lol:p

[lerningdriver]

sounds like it will completely stomp the savage and maxx and take over the rc mt market!

[RCRACER2471]

Originally posted by lerningdriver
sounds like it will completely stomp the savage and maxx and take over the rc mt market!

Hell yA!!!:D

[eurylokhos]

It is a great truck, but I don't know about "Stomp the Savage and Maxx". It is slightly better than the Sav in a few areas, not dramatically so. As for the Maxx, well, I dunno, I wouldn't own a Maxx, I've had a few and they just aren't very well made and engineered, just well marketed.

[Ninja Viper]

I am looking forward to the radio box on the MGT. Call me a retard if you like but I must have spent at least half an hour trying to get that stupid radio box on the Savage all tucked in so I could put the lid on. This seriously has to be the worst part of the Savage. I would love to see this re-engineered.

[Puffnstuff]

You've got to situate the battery box just right in order for everything to close right or you will be fighting to close it. If i he battery box just drops down in the place for it without any resistance then it's in wrong. I believe that the batteries face toward the front and back of the truck when it's in right and then you can put the lid on. Also make sure that the radio and servo wires aren't bunched up underneath which also impede attaching the lid right. Yes I agree with you, it's the worst part of the savage and it should be better.

[eurylokhos]

I'm completely with you on the radio box. I hate the one on the Savage. It's just a huge pain to work on unless you take it completely out of the truck.

And that's one of the best things on the MGT. It has one box for the receiver, and one for the battery/switch. They are both closed with a single body clip, and hinged on the other side. There is a nice lip around the top of the box that fits into the lid, and creates a pretty good seal. It's not waterproof, but it's certainly keep the dust and water out, assuming that you don't submerge it.

Bottom line is this truck is very well made, and everytime I mess with it, I find more new things that are cool.

[RCRACER2471]

Even though Associated says that the receiver and battery box is not water proof I still drove it into some puddles from the rain yesterdays. Opened the box after the days run and didnt see a drop. I dont want to lead people in the wrong direction but a few puddles will not hurt the truck from what ive experienced yesterday....

[eurylokhos]

I'll tell you, there are a lot of "THat's a nice feature" items on this truck. Every time I mess with it, I find something else that I appreciate. I just went throught he truck to locktite and retorque all of the CVDs, and just check screws in general, and AE made it so you can access all of the setscrews without any dissassembly. It's little things like those little cutouts that really make this a thoughtfully designed truck. And the servos I can swap out in a minute, or the engine I can pull in a minute, All little things that really add up. I do love my Savage, and I'm not getting rid of it any time soon, but you can tell that a lot more thought went into the MGT than the Sav. The only thing I see right off the bat that needs to be different is I need a set of Aluminum shocks without the stupid fake reservoirs. :)

[shadowghost1]

Originally posted by lerningdriver
sounds like it will completely stomp the savage and maxx and take over the rc mt market! Please!

[RCRACER2471]

Originally posted by eurylokhos
I'll tell you, there are a lot of "THat's a nice feature" items on this truck. Every time I mess with it, I find something else that I appreciate. I just went throught he truck to locktite and retorque all of the CVDs, and just check screws in general, and AE made it so you can access all of the setscrews without any dissassembly. It's little things like those little cutouts that really make this a thoughtfully designed truck. And the servos I can swap out in a minute, or the engine I can pull in a minute, All little things that really add up. I do love my Savage, and I'm not getting rid of it any time soon, but you can tell that a lot more thought went into the MGT than the Sav. The only thing I see right off the bat that needs to be different is I need a set of Aluminum shocks without the stupid fake reservoirs. :)

The resovoirs dont affect the performance of course. There just for looks. The stock shocks are just fine. Very smooth and give the handling you need.....

[AJH]

eurylokhos

any more reviews on the MGT truck vs. your Savage or just MGT updates would be nice

[RCRACER2471]

I have an update. I drive my MGT yesterday and hit a telephone pole at about full speed and broke my lower arm right at the hinge pin. It was my mistake. First time ive gotten into an accident and broke something in awhile. I guess im a little crazy with my truck!:p

[AJH]

It is hard to tell if all of the mounts for the arms are alum or not. Are they, and if they are did the crash hurt them in any way.

My TMX was always breaking the bulkeads when something like that happened.

[RCRACER2471]

The upper arms mounts are aluminum the lower is not. So you'd figure why the bottom broke instead of the top. It had no affect at all on the aluminum brace. It was a hard hit so I wasnt expecting for something not to break. Nothing big. It'll cost me about $5.00 to fix. Thats what you get for some bashing.....:D

[rkilling1]

Originally posted by eurylokhos

I still love my Savage, and would recommend it, but when I do, I have to tell the person that there a few things they have to do before they run it. With the MGT, it's basically open the box and run it. Very nice. Hopefully, it's long term durability is the equal of the Sav, which has proven indestructible.

first off, i would like to say thanks for this very non-baised view of the MGT. very refreshing that some people can think outside the box.

but you are comparing the old savage to the new MGT. i understand that is because you own the older savage. but you keep addressing the older savage as the one HPI is currently making. ie the things you would have to do if you where to purchase a savage today. most of the things you talk about have been fixed with the newer style savage. except the stupid header.

you keep comparing truck to truck in you where to purchase them today, but the savage that you have is not the current model.

you said the MGT has a slight advantage over the savage stock, but that was the old savage. i know its still the same truck, but now it has: better uprights, better dogbones, better engine, rotostart, 3 shoe clutch, heavier springs, better fuel tank.

i would like you to do an open-minded comparision to the newer style savage and see what the result would be.

i know this is a MGT info thread, but i would have a better perspective if you where to compare it to the never savages.

and again thanks for taking the time to put out a straight forward review of the MGT.

[eurylokhos]

Well, my Savage has been upgraded to the same specs as the new one, except I have aluminum shocks (but same springs as it is now shipping with) and a Picco .26. I've got a dual fuel tank, rotostart, HD bones all around, 3 shoe clutch, basically, it is the same as the current one. Mine never had the older uprights, as I bought it after they revised them.

I've got to say, the MGT is a slightly better truck. As of yet I haven't been able to break it, and it's been beat on. I haven't put it through as much as my Sav, but pretty close, and the MGT is a better truck, but a different truck.

It is nowhere near as nimble as the Sav. If I want to impress someone with how cool a truck is sitting still, I'll show them the MGT, just because it's so big, and everything is out there for you to check out. But if I want to impress them with running it, the Sav is the way to go. It is noticably more nimble than the MGT, and the HP advantage of the Picco over the Force .26 is pretty huge, especially in a smaller, lighter truck. I can do tricks with the Sav much easier, It has extremely strong brakes (much better than thte MGT, even after modifying the linkage on the MGT, I have a better servo to throw in there, I just haven't gotten around to it), and the lighter weight and smaller tires let me do all the stupid things with the Sav, like rolling wheelies, front flips from the brakes, back from the wheelies, not to mention double front and backflips off of high jumps. The handling is not quite as big a difference as a Stadium truck to a monster, more like a 2wd electric buggy to a 2wd electric stadium truck. Plus, I have faith that I can't seem to break the Sav, no matter what I do to it.

The MGT is easier to drive, because it does carry more weight it seems to damp its body motions more, and doesn't get bounced around as much. It is a better climber, but when it starts to get off-camber, like driving sideways on a hill, the tires on the MGT don't bite in nearly as much as the Sav. The Sav's tires are a little softer, and the cuts in the tread make them have better side-bite than the MGT.

In all, the MGT drives very similarly to my Sav when I am running my Big Joes. It's a really nice truck. What really puts it over the edge when compared to the Sav is it's design. It's so much easier to work on, and it's components are of a higher grade than those on the Savage. The only part that is weaker that I can find is the handle/rollbar provides almost no protection for the engine. I've already broke a fin off the head of my Force .26 in the MGT, and dented the header pretty bad. Other than that, I'd say it's a better truck, but I don't have any plans to get rid of either.

[eurylokhos]

I just ran about half a tank through it (about 10 minutes of running) and I've broken my first part! I broke off the left chrome piece from the rear bumper. I rolled the truck coming off of a huge dirt mound, and the landed with all it's weight on a big rock with just that part of the bumper. I figured that I'd break somethign soon, since it's getting cold here in NH (my thermometer says 30 deg), and plastic gets brittle.

I love the truck. I'm waiting on a set of warranty replacement wheels for my Big Joes from Pro-Line, I can't wait to get them to try out the Joes on it, that should help with it rolling over.

[Sarge]

How does the stock .21 engine of the MGT compare to the stock engine of the new savage .25?? Good reviews BTW. Thanx

[RCRACER2471]

Id say there pretty equal. Both truck go roughly the same speed and have a good amount of torque. Thunder Tiger engines are known to be quite power for "sport" engines and after driving 2 gallons through my MGT Id say there pretty close...

[MikeWz]

The MGT has to be the most amazing truck I have EVER driven (and I've been driving since the Nitro Hawk was the truck to have). I had the old school maxx. Definatly no go. It was cool when it came out and all, but looking back on it I can see all the things wrong with it. I personally don't own a savage but my buddy does and I've driven it. It definatly handles better than the MGT, but not THAT much better. Like Eury said, it can be fixed with different oil, different springs and/or the optional pistons included. However, the MGT soaks up a bit more. It's a freaking beast. It definatly goes just as fast as a stock Savage however the drive train seems to be a bit more smooth. Sometimes you can't even hear the shift into second gear. And reverse...It's impossible to NOT shift into reverse when you want too (when you're not moving that is). HIGHLY recommend this truck.

RCRACER-Where in NH are you? I'm in essex county in mass. If you're not all THAT far maybe I can take a run up there to a track by you one weekend. Race up the MGT's :D

[Sarge]

Originally posted by eurylokhos



The Brake linkage is horrible on the MGT, replace the spring with a fuel line, and it'll be good.



I'm not sure what that means. Can you explain please?? Thanx

[MikeWz]

There's a spring that's used to make friction to slow the truck down. Take that off and put a peice of fuel tubing where it was. It helps to slow the truck down as it's REALLY big and REALLY heavy and with only one disc it does kinda suck.

[GILLAGAN]

For the brakes on My MGT I also made a longer lever for the brake side and it makes the brakes very powerful even with the stock servo.

[cbr74]

Also I've noticed the MGT's brakes get better over time.. I think this is due to the "shine" on the metal pads. Once they start to get roughed up from use they start grabbing the disk better.

I agree the Savage feels more nimble. I believe a large part of this has to do with the MGT's quite slow steering servo. Even after bypassing the BEC circuit and increasing the efficiency of the MGT's steering system with ball bearings and a few other tweaks.. it's just plain slower than the Savage steering.

It's one of the few areas where I give the Savage the nod over the MGT.

I have a full list of gripes about the Savage.. yes, even the current, updated, HPI still tryin to get it right, Savage 25.

For the MGT... two gripes. Fake, cheesy, what were they thinking shock resevoirs and a slow as mollases, takes all day to turn those big ole tires steering servo.

[rampbrian]

I just got done breaking in my mgt, I like it alot,

but, my truck is not shifting in to second gear, top speed is around 15 mph - I finaly figured out how to allign the gears toghether and ajust the 2nd speed set screw, and nothing stilll, so I tightened it up, to just barely snug, and backed it off 1/2 turn, to see what its like to drive only in first gear for 100% shure, the speed im getting is only about 15 mph in first, so now how do I finaly get it to shift to second gear? how many turns out from snug do you need to set the screw.

I might just have to take it all apart to see how it works, and im also thinking there might be a screw or something loose in side there, as the drive train seems to mysteriesly bind up at times , and that worries me.

have you all worked on your mgt trannys? is it scarry in side there? I have a ofna 1/8 scale buggy, and have ran it almost 7 gallons, and ive got a good tune on my mgt engine now, Im just disapointed in the not shifting to 2nd gear , btw, im guessing at 30,000 rpm on the engine of the mgt when im running it, at a top speed of 15 mph.

also the steering servo makes a crazy noise when turning, not grinding gear noise, but noise like the servo is not happy. ?

I still love my mgt, and once I get it dialed in, im going to the local construction site to bash.