View Full Version : A little time with a different truck will change your perspective
About 2 months ago I sold my Revo and bought an LST. I never saw the LST run in stock trim. By the time I fired it up for the first time it had some driveline mods, steering mods, and a brand new Collari .30 strapped to it. I knew it was going to be a monster of a truck with double the steering torque and double the engine power of my Revo.
I've driven it through the 4 break in tanks, and now on tank 6 - so 2 tanks at full bore WOT tuned correctly to 230-240. Is it fast? Well, of course it is. Now onto my point of the thread.
I am a die hard Revo believer. I swear by them and love them to death. I have missed my Revo since the day it left and swore to get another one as quickly as possible just because they are such great trucks. Well last week I got one :) I bought it as a roller an slid my old revo engine and electronics into it. Today the engine mount came in the mail and I got it going and tuned (showed up on my door with a big block conversion). Man this thing is so much fun. I really missed the Revo.
The truck is much more agile than the LST, being smaller and all. Not as fast obviously, but "quick". The LST is more stable and the Collari .30 destroys the little revo TRX 2.5 even with the power to weight ratio. After all, the LST weighs 208oz to the Revo's 150oz weight. Big power to weight advantage to the Revo.
I remembered my Revo being "very fast" before I got the LST, now I feel it is just "fast". I still love it to death and enjoy driving it very much, but it might be time for the OS .18tz swap :).
Changing my driving perspective with the Collari LST powerhouse changed my opinion. What used to be "great" is now just barely enough. For just a brief second I pondered....... "What if I put the big block conversion back in and the Collari in the Revo?" :D.
http://www.lextech.org/images/stuff/revolst%20002.jpg
Silent Scope
07-21-2005, 06:46 PM
Good story.. I dont know why but I think the revo is cooler than the LST.... I have no clue why... I just like it more :D
Ninja Viper
07-21-2005, 10:40 PM
IMHO the LST is just another monster truck. Yes it offers some cool innovations (eg tranny and huge shocks) but these do not hold a candle when you compare it to the Revo, which as far as I am concerned it one of the greatest engineering marvels of RC. I am not just bashing the LST as I am sure it is a great truck but even just by looks just doesn't look as lean and trim as the Revo (must be those lay down shocks).
When I was pondering coming back into MT's I decided to look at trucks I hadn't owned in the past. And other than some no-namers that came out (cough...cough..Spyder) the LST and Revo were the only two (other than the TNX but I did own a Terra Crusher at one time). Wasn't much of a competition in my mind. Maybe some day I will get LST and I will be proven completely wrong but we will see.
Good story one, can't wait to get my Revo!
metalry101
07-22-2005, 12:12 AM
Ya, the Revo is more "technically impressive," but honestly, I think the LST is a FAR better all around truck. Yes, the Revo has a lot of good features, but for me, it's just not big enough. If I'm buying a monster truck, I want something mosntrous, and the Revo just isn't. Yes, it's fast and durable and such, but in my opinion, it doesn't hold a candle to the LST. IMO, the LST is heads and shoulders above every other truck. It comes with radio gear that doesn't make you want to puke, a very powerful engine, versatile grippy tires, and loads of other goodies. It's just kick ass all the way around. A stock Revo is a great truck, no doubt, but IMO, the LST is the best you can buy. It's more money than the rest, but I still think it's better value than any other truck on the market. It's certainly not for everyone, but it is the truck for me.
I'm not trying to diss your opinion or flame you or anything, as all of this is obviously personal opinion. The Revo is a great truck, but it's not a truck I would buy.
I agree with both of you. The reason why is because you are both right on all the good points. I highly suggest you guy's get a matching truck to at least drive for a few days and try out. Meta needs a Revo for a few days, and Ninja needs to find out the LST is certainly NOT just another MT. It runs like a XXX buggy in every way - even the corners. Top speed is the same as a Revo 39/40 -Revo's favor.
The LST will out drive the Revo on any track anywhere, whereas I mean the truck itself dials in to the track - driver excluded. It is just "that good". As RCMT reported, the LST is the fastest production race "monster" truck around the track to date. That list includes the Revo. Infact the top 5 truck shootout in RCMT a few months back was the best of the best and the LST tracked the quickest lap times with ease against the Revo and all others tested (Savage, MGT, etc..).
I wouldn't go doing any technical tricks with the LST. It's too big to pull off the Revo's high flying antics and triple backflips. What it does do however is when you set it onto a track and hit the gas it is dialed into that track like it is on a guided wire. The oversized shocks are ten times more controllable than the Revo coilovers. It locks into corners like a buggy and accelerates out like a rocket. It has no chassis roll and stays flat as a pancake through the s-curves and whoop-tee-doo's. Jumps are solid and controlled, nice and steady. The truck is the smoothest driving truck I have driven. Once on the track it locks and takes control effortlessly.
NOW, since I believe the LST is the best race truck to run on most tracks (not all), that leaves me with the Revo's place in life. On certain small tracks the Revo is going to win no matter how you drive it, IMO. It's far more agile and responds quicker due to less weight the throw around. You have to try harder to drive the Revo around the track and stay in line IMO. The Revo is the dare devil, quick, agile, peppy truck that sometimes get's in trouble because it is TOO light for it's power to weight ratio when modded in race form (.18tz) to keep up with trucks like the big block LST. It doesn't help the Revo that the LST drives itself practically due to it being so smooth around the track from the weight keeping it settled in and not bouncing along with those amazing oversized shocks.
The bottom line is that the guy driving the .18tz Revo is going to have his hands full, but if he can keep it straight you have one helluva race going. It's anybody's game. They are both great trucks, but on rough tracks the LST will stay planted and smooth and walk away. The Revo has ton's of travel, but not enough butt back there to keep it planted down.
Overall I prefer the Revo because I like trucks that can stop in mid air, flip backwards or forwards, land flat and keep going. The power control of the Revo and it's ability to maneuver itself is amazing. The threat to the Revo by LST comes in the fact that the LST is just absolutely dialed in for racing and makes everything else look slow - Revo excluded. For total control and ability, I choose the Revo. I just don't want to be driving a stock Revo when a stock LST comes onto a rough track, because I know the LST is going to dial in and walk around the track like it's on rails while I fight the Revo and have to use it's amazing agility to keep up.
Bottom line IMO is:
Revo- psycho truck with great agility, so much so that it can be driven around a smooth dialed in truck.
LST- more predictable, smooth, dialed in, and knows where it is going on the track making it more consistent.
Ninja Viper
07-22-2005, 01:16 PM
A nice fair comparison between the two. I always like hashing differences out between trucks without things getting into a flame contest as they often do. Your praise of the LST has convinced me that I have to hold judgement until I try it. Heck, for that matter I need to hold judgment until I get my Revo (please remeber that I was praising the look and the engineering that went into this truck and not the performance as I have only seen a couple web videos of the Revo and not actually driven one).
My favorite trucks thus far have been:
1. Savage -Tough as nails, decent performance
2. T-Maxx - I can't believe that this truck is actually number two on my list since I nearly loathe the trucks but out of the 10 or so that I have owned I did have one or two good ones
3. MGT - The only reason this truck comes below the T-Maxx is becuase the one I had was junk. Now before you flame me let me just say that I know other people have had better luck with them but mine came back from a weekend of racing being held together with tape and cable ties. I could not hold it together. The truck that did win the MT class though was an MGT that didn't break one part. I guess I just had a lemon.
4. Terra Crusher - I wish I had had more time to play with this truck. It had a certain charm to it and felt like a Tamiya through and through (anybody that has grown up with Tamiya products knows what I mean by "Tamiya feel"). It rates number four though because in its stock configuration is not good for much. I would love to try out a TNX as it looks like they took everything that the TC did right and improved all the bad.
5. X-Factor - Honestly I am not trying to beat up on the X-Factor, it is so much fun to drive. The wheelies are a great crowd pleaser and everybody loves it for that. The 24.7 is one of my favorite engines and will continue to be for a long time to come. But, try and turn and it rolls, try to jump it and you have no idea how or if you are going to land (on 4 wheels anyways), take it on a track and make sure you are real good friends with the corner marshal because if you aint, he's gonna hate you afterwards. I am not even going to get into durability because I could talk of the lack of it for far too long (granted there have been some major improvements in the newer versions).
Honorable Mention - Dominator - I honestly don't really look at the Dominator as a true monster truck but if I did I would probably place it at #2 or #3. Mine had the Proline bulk heads and Proline Maxx suspension. What a truck!! I am not sure if I have driven a more track worthy truck to date.
Well thanks for reading my rate the trucks, I hope that I didn't hijack your thread too back one, your article just got me thinking.
I have an X-factor also! :)
The truck looks like it will be the best monster of all with the suspension setup, but in reality it is the worst. It looks AWSOME and the tube frame suspension is unmatched in realism. Unfortunately the truck rides like a log wagon. it is stiff, and changing the springs only makes it easier to roll.
I think with a really GOOD set of shocks it would be much easier to jump and drive. I haven't had much problems with rollover, infact I have been impressed with it's low center of gravity even with the engine mounted so high on the truck. On dirt it is easier to roll, on concrete it does well coming around the corners.
The 24/7 is a monster in the torque department, but that is known. For a truck with sheer power, it get's my vote. For a truck that looks the part, it get's my vote. For a truck that is considered an off road basher, it fails IMO. It's too stiff and the nifty suspension does not work on anything in stock form. With a very soft set of springs it articulates well without the chance of rollover.
It's a fun truck, and I am very pleased with it for a basher, but I'd skip the opprotunity to buy another one with all that is on the market.
thedarkness
07-22-2005, 04:16 PM
Like you One I was used to "normal" nitros then I bought a schumacher desert storm(.21 2wd stadium truck) after driving it around for so long almost every truck I buy needs to be made as close to the schumacher speed/power wise.
So far the only thing that even comes close is my bigblock revo.
RCMadMatt
07-22-2005, 05:37 PM
Great thread, everyone! I love it when a thread can stay on topic and degenerate into a flame war!! Well done!! That said, I prefer the Revo, and I love the gargantuan size and power of the LST, but I like the suspension design of the Revo over the LST. Just my preference! Rock on!
Matt
Y2KGTP
07-22-2005, 06:37 PM
Well, I almost bought a revo new off of Ebay as it was suspiciously cheap, but the seller turned out to be a fraud, jipping several buyers. (not me, as I did not send money right away, as I was suspicious)
Anyhow, I part out several vehicles for resale on ebay (just did not have any Revos right now) and I think it is 1 of the most well designed, thought out trucks out there.....deffinatly CAD designed from the chassis design, to the suspension.
Instead, I can across a great deal (I thought) for a almost new LST on Ebay, minus Transmitter & receiver which I did not want anyways (will just get another Spektrum receiver) I've only seen it up close a couple times, but I have been running Losi products since my first Jrx2 buggy when it came out.
It's due to be delivered today, so can't wait to check it out. I decided to go with the LST for the size\fun\big-block engine factor. I like to race as well, and I assume it can hold it's own with just a few changes.....maybe lighter rims\tires......
Y2K, it "drives" like a Losi....... it's best feature :) My only complaint is the muffler and how it is held in place. If you land on the header part of it, it will pop off the engine and expose the exhaust port while running. I hate how big blocks are fastened on, I wish they bolted down like small blocks.
Y2KGTP
07-22-2005, 07:59 PM
Y2K, it "drives" like a Losi....... it's best feature :)
I just unboxed it...It looks brand new! With the exception of the sportwerks .26 (it was in a Mayham buggy previously) couple scratches
on the head.....I'd post some photos......
anyone know of the hosting service that shows thumbnails as a link?
No, but you can just use the free host services and link them AS a link i guess.
As far as video's go, I have plenty of vids of my Tmaxx, Revo, and LST from my DV cam, but I don't have firewire :( on this computer. I'd buy a firewire card in a second, but this Compaq doesn't really give me room on the case for expansion.
Y2KGTP
07-22-2005, 08:30 PM
Y2K, it "drives" like a Losi....... it's best feature :) My only complaint is the muffler and how it is held in place. If you land on the header part of it, it will pop off the engine and expose the exhaust port while running. I hate how big blocks are fastened on, I wish they bolted down like small blocks.
I agree, I usually just add a 2nd spring to the header as a precaution, just in case.....I just can't wait to get the receiver for it now......I might just drop in a spare radio just to run it around a bit......
Hey one more thing......... get access to a grinder and shave the exhaust manifold on bottom where it connects to the engine. The large circle of the manifold will lay down on the starter system (pull start, rotostart, etc..) and melt into the case if you don't.
I found out the hard way on a $300 engine that is notoriously hard to get a pull start for.
strada001
07-23-2005, 08:18 PM
Like you One I was used to "normal" nitros then I bought a schumacher desert storm(.21 2wd stadium truck) after driving it around for so long almost every truck I buy needs to be made as close to the schumacher speed/power wise.
So far the only thing that even comes close is my bigblock revo.
I know what you mean....
I've never had a chance to drive a LST (not yet...) but I owned a few cars, trucks and a buggy (in between electric and nitro).... and last month I got a JATO.... it may not be the fastest stadium truck around (shumachers are) but it's very, very fast.... even my T-maxx with a .26 medium block and all mod's can't get it.... I don't race I drive my cars/trucks just for fun in a big parking lot.... and believe me this new Jato is a nice little truck to drive... it won't roll over for nothing.... (just forget about jumping and turning....)
I'm sorry "ONE" I know you guys were talking about "monster" trucks.....
I couldn't resist.
Y2KGTP
07-23-2005, 10:00 PM
Just got to run the LST outside for a short bit, but had a few electricial problems.....both Z590 steering servo's stopped working, and then the throttle servo ???? you could manually turn the servo when the radio was off (receiver) and it would center when it got power, but that is it......strange...
I had some extra servos so I swapped out the steering servos, and moved the trans shift to the throttle......since then, ran for about 20 minutes without any issues.
I'm using a spektrum DX3, so not sure what might have been going on with the servos......
metalry101
07-23-2005, 10:54 PM
I've had a ton of problems with the throttle servos on my LST. I've run 3 different servos in there and had problems with all of them. The steering has never given me any problems, but both the throttle and foward/reverse servos have had numerous problems. I've tried swapping Rx's and Tx's to no avail as well. I don't know what it is...
Very odd. Mine is smooth as silk.
Y2KGTP
07-24-2005, 10:38 AM
Anyone run just 1 Servo for steering? I have a 94358Z servo (200oz torque, .10 speed) in my NTC3 for steering, and was thinking I could just run 1 of these? Just a thought.....
Na, too much strain on the gears for just one servo, this is a BIG truck.
Y2KGTP
07-24-2005, 06:11 PM
Na, too much strain on the gears for just one servo, this is a BIG truck.
ehh...good point.....I'll just get another Z590 then ...I'm currently running 1 Z590 & 1 stock servo for steering right now, as the ones it came with seemed to die for some reason........I'm just playing in the street, so I'm not worried about the stock servo getting chewed up :D
zakerid
07-24-2005, 07:44 PM
Hey One,
I have that Collari eng. in my Sav, and it has been running like crap. It should be just about broken in by now (approx 8 tanks). How was your Collari during break-in?
Zak
It wanted to die on me a little in break in, like most engines. After break in I tuned it up by temp to 230 and it runs like a champ.
zakerid
07-26-2005, 09:30 PM
my eng. "cuts out" at mid throttle and rips at low and high RPMs. It really drives me nuts.
In my experience it tends to be due to a little bit lean LSN when that happens.
zakerid
07-27-2005, 05:31 AM
I know what you mean. but lsn is still rich as is the HSN. it is just bizzarre. There has to be something else going on.
go to a different plug. are you running hot, cold, or medium? Just go to the opposite plug and try it.
zakerid
07-27-2005, 07:23 PM
running 33% top fuel and a med/cold O'Donnell plug
that 33% top fuel is blah IMO. I never liked it, especially for Collari. Run 20% O'donnel through it. :) Top fuel burns hot, so a cold plug seems to not like it.
zakerid
07-28-2005, 10:04 AM
that 33% top fuel is blah IMO. I never liked it, especially for Collari. Run 20% O'donnel through it. :) Top fuel burns hot, so a cold plug seems to not like it.
Ther are alot of top fuel haters out there but the guys at Werks Racing said it should work fine. I've run this stuff in all of my others engines w/out any issues (fantom27, picco26, gs25, HPI S-25, trx2.5r). If the top fuel burns hot wouldn't that require a colder plug? I may try a different plug and see what happens.
chrisoneal
07-28-2005, 11:51 AM
Werks Collari .32 Engine LC32MT
have u guys heard any info on this engine if its a good engine i want to get for my savage. One do u like ur Collari .30
NTC3Guy
08-14-2005, 08:24 PM
Changing my driving perspective with the Collari LST powerhouse changed my opinion. What used to be "great" is now just barely enough. For just a brief second I pondered....... "What if I put the big block conversion back in and the Collari in the Revo?" :D.
http://www.lextech.org/images/stuff/revolst%20002.jpg
Why think for just a brief second? I've got the .30 in my SUT, and dude, that thing rips...
Werks Collari .32 Engine LC32MT
have u guys heard any info on this engine if its a good engine i want to get for my savage. One do u like ur Collari .30
I hit my 7th tank yesterday and the engine finally let loose. OMG! Highly recommended.