When people normally talk of four-wheel drive buggies, they typically think of nitro-powered 1/8 scale buggies. Many people forget the electric buggy genre that has been overshadowed by some of the other categories more recently. However, that may change in the next few years as it seems that some people are starting to take interest in the electric four-wheel drive market again. Manufacturers are starting to take notice, and releases like the SB Sport Pro from MRC/Academy are the result.

The SB Sport Pro offers some very good components that rival many of the more commonly known brands in the genre. There's quite a bit of carbon-fiber, which offers both strength and reduced weight. It also offers several aluminum upgraded parts as well, in the form of its motor mount and aluminum shock bodies.

For a kit of this caliber to come from a lesser known player in the RC market is amazing as well. Some names are simply taken for granted in the hobby, so it's always nice to see another manufacturer stand up and take notice. More players equate to more choices, which benefits all of us who enjoy the hobby like we do. So let's go build a buggy, and see how well MRC/Academy has done!

The MRC/Academy SB Sport Pro arrives as a kit. So, full assembly of the kit will be required. It's not overly difficult, but you will want to allow yourself plenty of time so that you don't feel rushed. Rushing through the process will only lead to a poorly assembled vehicle, which may fail to reach your expectations. Before we start the assembly process though, let's take a walk through of the items you'll find in the box.

Probably the single most important item you'll find, for a kit, is the instruction manual. Without it, assembly would be much more difficult. The SB Sport Pro delivers in this aspect, providing you with a well laid out manual that's easy to understand. Also, you should note, that there have been some changes in the kit since it was originally released. You'll want to refer to these sheets that accompany the manual, so you'll know where the revised instructions will differ with the kit. I do think it's time that the manual was reprinted, as there are several areas that are now wrong in the manual. You'll also receive some decals to round out the body once it's painted, and some Velcro to help secure the body once it's installed.

The tires that are provided with the kit are of the pinned variety. They should offer good traction on a fairly wide selection of dirt tracks. They include a complete set of foam inserts that offer enough support to keep the tire's shape, but allow plenty of flexing to help the tire grab the ground as the buggy is moving. The wheels MRC/Academy provides are dish-style rims, which is an old favorite of many in the racing crowd.

The body for the SB Sport Pro is a two-piece design. The smaller section fits on the underside of the chassis, while the larger main body drops down from above and fastens to the lower section with Velcro. This eliminates the need for body posts. The body is unpainted, so you'll want to be thinking of exactly how you want it to look before you get ready to run. To protect the outside of the lexan body during the painting process, they have been coated with an overspray film.

The various components of the buggy's chassis make up the bulk of what you'll find in the box. A carbon-fiber chassis plate is packaged separately, while the rest of the components are individually bagged and then placed in a larger bag to keep them all together in the box. The smaller bags are labeled in conjunction with the manual, which lets you know when you need to open them.

The first step in assembling the SB Sport Pro, is to ready the suspension pin blocks. Take note that these blocks are labeled, and that you'll need to pay attention to these labels to ensure you set the front caster and rear anti-squat the way you want. The assembly manual contains a chart that will assist you in understanding which blocks you need to use, and what way you'll want to orient it for your desired result. Once you know which blocks you plan on using, clip the hinge pin balls into place with a pair of pliers. They should pop in with a firm snap, to indicate they are correctly in place.

Also during the first step of assembly, the manual mentions chamfering the battery slots with a file. Since I planned on using this buggy with a Li-Po pack I have, I skipped this step. If you plan on using a NiCad or NiMH pack, you'll want to follow the instructions in the manual regarding this procedure.

Once you have prepared the suspension pin blocks by pressing in the hinge pin balls, you'll want to install them onto the chassis in the manner that achieves your desired handling characteristics. In my case, I chose a setting of 9.5° for the front caster, and 1° of rear anti-squat. First install one block and place the suspension arms and their pins in place, then follow it up with the second block to hold the assembly in place.

As you are installing the suspension arms, make sure to use the 3x6 washers as well. They keep any slop in the suspension down to a minimum. To hold the blocks into place, you'll use 3x12 countersunk screws. If you are unsure of which screws and washers to use in regards to size, the assembly manual's sidebar contains full-size diagrams that allow you to match the hardware up for easy identification. Keep this in mind as you work your way through the assembly, as it's a very valuable resource.

After the suspension arms are mounted, the next course of action is to install the front and rear battery guards. Both of these items are held onto the chassis by 3x8mm countersunk screws. After that's complete, you'll also want to attach the antenna post to the chassis with a 3x8mm countersunk screw as well.

The next phase of the assembly is probably the most crucial item you'll need to work with, in addition to being the most intimidating for many hobbyists. So you'll want to closely follow the manual as you start assembling the ball differentials. The first step is to pop out the centers of the plastic pinion and spur gears. I set the gears on an appropriately sized socket, and then used a small punch to knock the centers of the gears out. You can discard the small plastic center pieces once they are removed.

Now you'll need to assemble the ball differential assemblies as laid out in the manual. Take your time with this step, as getting all of the steel balls in place correctly will require some patience. Trying to rush through this will only lead to frustration, and possible problems later. Make sure to use grease on the steel balls used at the spur gear, as well as the ones around the thrust washers. Not only does this provide proper lubrication, but it will also help hold the items in place during assembly.

Once the differentials are assembled, you need to tighten them properly. There are specific tools to do this, as illustrated in the manual. However a section of flat steel or aluminum cut into a U-shape will work just fine. The object of this is to hold both of the differential cups while you rotate the differential and tighten it. You want the operation of the differential output yokes to be smooth but still offer some resistance to turning independently.

After the differentials are assembled, you'll focus on the front assembly first. Use the pinion that had the center knocked out of it previously, and install it on the front pinion shaft. A c-clip holds it in place at the front, while a 1.5mm pin through the shaft holds it from the rear. Then slide two of the appropriately sized ball bearings into place on the shaft, and drop it into place in the lower half of the gear box. Pay close attention to the gear box halves, as they are marked specifically for the front and rear.

Once the pinion gear is in place, drop the differential itself into place, using the larger bearings. You are also supplied with some shims, which help you set proper gearing backlash. You'll want a small amount of play between the gears, while keeping the gap as small as possible. I used all three shims as I assembled the parts together.

Once the gears are installed in the lower half of the gear box, drop the top of the box into place. A set of 3x10mm cap head screws hold the gear box halves together. Then you'll want to install the driveshaft yoke into place on the pinion gear's shaft. It's a good idea to use some threadlock on the 4x4 grub screw that secures it into place. Then make sure you tighten the grub screw down against the flat part of the shaft when you run it down. Push the plastic center drive spacer into place inside the yoke, once you have installed it.

With the front differential assembly complete, attention should now shift towards the rear differential. I chose to use the 67-tooth spur gear when assembling the rear differential assembly. The rear assembly itself goes together in nearly the same manner as the front. The main difference is that the pinion shaft is longer, and will also be used for the spur gear and slipper setup as well. Take note that this is one area that the assembly deviates from the manual, so you'll want to refer to the revised addendum documents that accompanied the kit. The reason for the change is that the buggy now includes a slipper clutch.

Take the spur gear, and match the notches on the slipper clutch disks to the notches on the spur gear. The spur should be sandwiched between them. Then, the two clutch plates should sandwich the disks and spur gear, with the whole assembly fitting on the pin shaft. A spring fits inside of the output yoke, and is tensioned by a 3x12mm cap head screw. When the pinion assembly is finished, simply drop it into place.

Once the pinion gear shaft is in place, drop the rear ball differential into in a similar fashion as the front using the spacers to properly set the gearing backlash. A pair of 10x15mm bearings will be used to support the differential when it's installed in the lower gear box. Four 3x10mm cap head screws are then used to hold the gear box halves together.

With the front and rear differentials assembled, it's now time to install them onto the chassis of the buggy. You'll want to make sure the differential with the slipper is used at the rear of the chassis, as this is where the motor mount will be installed. The differentials are held into place by a set of countersunk screws run in from the underside of the chassis.

At the rear of the chassis, you'll also need to install the motor mount I just mentioned. It sets into place just in front of the rear differential, and is held by countersunk screws from the underside of the chassis as well. It's best to install the motor mount first, and then drop the differential into place. Once you've installed these components, a small rectangular section of nylon holds the output yoke's bearing in from above. Pay close attention when install the bearing brace. It has a small lip on it that's designed to keep the bearing secure when the vehicle has its nose pointing down.

After the differential assemblies are installed, the axles are the next item on the list. The axles use a CVD-style setup, although the axle stub itself looks different than most may be used to. The axle stub uses a tapered approach, for both sides of each wheel, and the two halves push together to form a solid axle. You'll assemble the axle in the same fashion as a standard CVD, although the correct instructions you'll need are on one of the addendum sheets. The assembly manual's instructions reflect the old versions of the axles. I also recommend the use of threadlock on the grub screw that holds the axle pin in place.

Continuing with the axle assembly, you can start to see how the tapered axle stubs will work. Press the 10x15mm bearings into the steering block, and then slide the axle stub in from the rear of the steering bock. The hexed wheel hub will slide in from the outside of the steering block, and will be held in place once the wheel is secured to the hub by a cone washer and cap head screw. I've illustrated this above, without the wheel installed, for clarity purposes. When the wheel is installed, the cone washer, and screw, is on the outer side of the wheel.

The rear axles are assembled in the same manner as the front, although they'll slide into standard bearing carriers instead of steering blocks. Once you have the front and rear axle assemblies prepared, you'll also want to twist the ball studs into place as well. The camber and steering links will need these once it's time for their installation.

The next order of business is to get the suspension links assembled and ready to install throughout the next few steps. The SB Sport Pro kit comes with turnbuckles that are easily adjusted, instead of straight threaded rods. The upgraded parts have thicker middle-sections with holes which allow them to be turned while they are installed on the vehicle. To initially set these parts up, you'll want to follow the directions at the bottom of the manual under step 9. Once you are finished, you'll have one steering joint, two steering links, two front camber links, and two rear camber links.

The manual provides the links you'll want to start with, as well as providing you a chart to match the links up against as well. However refer to the addendum sheets for the rear camber links, as there's been a change in the size you need to make them. I did find, after I finished the installation, that some further small adjustments were still necessary. However, the measurements suggested by the manual and addendum sheets should get you very close.

After the suspension links are readied, it's time to focus on the shocks. The first step is to mount a piston head on each shock shaft. An e-clip on each side of the piston head holds it in place. The shock shaft has grooves cut into it for the c-clips, and should present little difficulty in assembly. Install the lower e-clip, and then slide the piston head into place. Once the piston head is slid down, follow it up with the second e-clip above the piston head.

When getting ready to assemble the rest of the shock, you'll also want to find the lower shock rod ends. The manual doesn't do a perfect job of covering this aspect, so pay close attention when working with the plastic parts tree for the shocks. The rear shocks use a longer shock rod end than the front, as they provide a longer movement span overall. The shorter ends should be used with the front shocks, while the longer ends are for the rear.

Now that you have the shock shafts ready, and the rod ends identified, you'll want to assemble the shocks themselves. This is another area where the manual differs from the kit, forcing you to look at a sheet containing the revised directions. Slide the shock shaft down into the shock body from the top, and then install the o-rings in the lower half of the shock, after coating them with some shock oil. Carefully push the o-rings past the threads to avoid damaging them. Follow this up by installing the lower shock cap.

Once the lower cap is installed, you'll want to install the appropriate shock rod end for each shock. Initially threading the end on is pretty easy, but it can be tough as you twist it further onto the shaft. This will force you to hold the shock's shaft with something other than your fingers, but you need to be careful that you don't scratch the shock shafts. Wrap a cloth, or something similar, around the shock shaft before using the pliers to avoid damaging the shafts. A scrap section of rubber works well to protect the shafts as well. The important thing is simply avoiding scratching the shafts, as scratched shafts will leak and perform poorly.

After the rod end has been installed, you'll need to fill the shock up with shock oil. Pull the rod end down as far as it will go. Then fill the shock with oil to almost the top. Slowly work the shock shaft up and down a few times, and you should notice air bubbles in the oil. Allow the air bubbles to rise and disappear. Once they do repeat the process until you no longer see any bubbles. Once you reach this point, install the rubber diaphragm onto the top of the shock body with the curved portion of it fitting inside the shock body. Then place the inner section of the cap on the diaphragm, and screw the aluminum outer cap into place.

Once the cap is installed, the shock shaft should not show any significant rebound when it's pushed into the shock body. If the shaft pushes back out, you still have air trapped inside the shock and should repeat the procedure above. Once the shock is completely bled of air, slide any preload spacers you wish to use on it, followed by the upper spring retainer and the spring itself. Compress the spring, and then set the lower spring retainer into place. Finally install the upper and lower balls into each end of the shock. The upper ball is plastic, while the lower one is stainless steel.

With the shocks ready, there needs to be somewhere to install them. So the next step is to prepare the buggy's chassis for the shocks. I started with the rear, and installed the shock tower, rear axles, and bearing carriers. Then install the ball studs into the shock tower and c-hub. Round out the rear suspension assembly by using the rear camber turnbuckles that were put together earlier.

With the rear suspension installed, the front now becomes the focus of your efforts. The front suspension is very similar to the rear suspension, with the exception that steering blocks are used instead of bearing carriers. These facilitate the ability to steer the buggy. The steering hubs fit inside a pair of c-hubs. If you followed the directions to the letter, the c-hubs would have been assembled a few steps ago, although I chose to wait and work with the c-hubs once I reached this point.

The CVD-style axles are slid into the bearing carriers and the bearings they contain, while the dogbone end fits into the output yoke of the differential. Then install the ball studs, if you haven't already, and connect the shock tower with the steering blocks using the camber links. Once complete, you can then install the front shocks onto the buggy's chassis. Then, switch back to the rear of the chassis, and install the rear shocks as well.

With the main suspension components installed, it's time to focus on the steering linkage. All of the components you'll need to assemble it will be contained in one single bag. It's easiest to first work with the plastic arms, and install the ball studs onto them first. Then install the draglink that connects the main arms, following that up with the main steering links that will connect the steering linkage to the hubs. Finally, slide the linkage posts, servo saver arm, spring, and thumbwheel onto the assembly.

Next you'll want to prepare the chassis for the steering linkage, as well as the battery. Push the flanged bushings into place on the main chassis plate, and then install the front and rear aluminum battery posts. The rear battery post needs two e-clips installed on it as well. You'll also need to install the aluminum upper chassis posts on the front of the chassis to prepare for the carbon-fiber upper chassis plate a little later.

The upper side of the steering linkage uses a carbon-fiber brace to support it, and to tie it into the upper chassis plate. Before installing the steering bellcrank, you'll want to prepare the brace by installing two brass bushings, as well as two aluminum spacers on its underside. Once the brace is ready, drop the steering linkage into place on the chassis, and then the steering linkage brace on top of the linkage. Use a pair of 3x16mm countersunk screws and washers to hold the linkage and brace into place.

After the steering linkage is readied, the next thing to install is the graphite driveshaft. Place the driveshaft spring into the rear output yoke, and then push one end of the driveshaft into the output yoke right after it compressing the spring. Once the spring is compressed, you can insert the other end of the driveshaft into the front output yoke.

The next step is to install the carbon-fiber upper chassis brace. Drop it into place, and start securing the rear of the brace. You'll use five 3x8mm countersunk screws and washers to hold the rear of the chassis brace in position. I would strongly recommend the use of threadlock on any screws that thread into the aluminum motor mount or battery post. This will prevent them from backing out.

The front of the chassis brace is held in place by 3x22mm countersunk screws and washers. However, unlike the front, you will also need to install a pair of aluminum upper deck posts between the steering brace and the chassis brace. Since the front screws will be threading into the aluminum posts, once again I recommend the use of threadlock.

With the actual building process nearly behind me, it was time to start installing the buggy's rear wing. Find the wing mount braces and then mount the upper wing stay on the mount. Take note that the angle of the wing can be altered for more or less downforce. So make sure you match the angle for both mount assemblies. Then install them onto the rear shock tower with four 3x15mm button head screws run in from the front.

To secure the wing to the wing mounts, you'll drop it into place and use a pair of 3x10mm countersunk screws. A pair of plastic countersunk washers helps to provide a better hold on the wing to prevent it from being ripped off the buggy in a crash. The assembly manual mentions that you'll need to make the holes in the wing at the proper location, however they were already made on the wing I had received.

With the wing installed, it was then time to focus on the wheels and tires. To allow air to flow in and out of the tires easily, I recommend you either vent the rims or the tires. Most people would be better off venting the rims, as there is the possibility of a tire becoming damaged or ripped if you choose to place your vent in it. I used a 1/16 inch drill bit for this procedure, and drilled a single hole in each rim.

Once the wheel is ready, slide the tires and their inserts into place. To keep the tires on the rims, you'll need to glue them with some CA (cyanoacrylate) glue. Peel the tires bead back and drop a few drops of CA glue into the channel on the wheel, allowing it to run around the rim. This is best accomplished with a thin version of CA glue. Once the glue has run around the channel on the wheel, set the tire's bead back into place.

Now that you're nearly ready to install the wheels and tires onto the buggy, you need to make one small modification to the arms on the steering blocks. Take a Dremel, or even a hobby knife, and remove some material from the steering block's arm as shown. This will allow for proper of clearance between the plastic arm and the wheel and tire. Otherwise, some rubbing can occur.

After modifying the steering blocks, you are ready to mount the tires onto the SB Sport Pro. Make sure to line the aluminum hex on the axle up with the wheel. Then secure the wheel in place with the screw and washer. Use a 2.5mm hex driver to tighten the wheel screw into place.

With the basic assembly behind me, I decided to set about painting the lexan body next. I cleaned both halves of the body out with some dish detergent, and used a green Scotch-Brite pad to lightly scuff the inside of the body to help the paint adhere. The Scotch-Brite pad should be used while the body is full of soapy water, and it will leave the inside of the body with some light scratches on it. These scratches will not show once the body is painted however, although you'll want to avoid scuffing any area that you may want to leave clear. An example of would be the windows.

Once the body was cleaned and dried, I coated the upper half of the body with some Bob Dively liquid masking, and drew my design on the outside of the body with a fine-tipped permanent marker. I cut along the lines, and would remove the sections one by one as I needed to paint them. I did not apply any liquid masking to the lower body section, as I planned on simply painting it solid black. So there was no need for any liquid masking at all. It would simply be a single shooting of black paint.

Once the body is painted, you should always give the paint sufficient time to cure. Keep in mind that "curing" is not the same thing as drying, so even though the paint may appear dry it isn't necessarily going to be cured yet. I usually wait anywhere from 24 to 48 hours before doing anything else with the body at this point, as making sure the body is cured will reduce the chances of the paint being scratched when you are working with it.

After the paint has cured, I spray a few thin coats of clear lacquer over the paint. While this isn't as important with electrics, it helps tremendously with nitro vehicles and any fuel that may get spilled on the body. Even though fuel is not an issue with an electric buggy like this, a little more protection to the paint is certainly not a bad idea. I use just a basic can of clear lacquer than can be picked up at Wal-Mart for around $1.00. After applying 3-4 coats, I allow the lacquer to cure. Then I can remove the overspray film, and install the body whenever I need it.

If you want to round out the looks of the body with some of the supplied decals that came along with the SB Sport Pro, now is the time to do so since the overspray film has been removed. Cut out the desired decals, and apply them as you see fit. You should also notice, that any marks made earlier with the permanent marker were removed when we pulled the overspray film off. So once the body is detailed as you want, it should look flawless.

To help make the chassis stand out, I also decided to use a couple of decals on the spoiler of the buggy as well. Once that was complete, I then focused my attention on installing the lower half of the body. The front bumper is held onto the front of the buggy by two screws. Once they're in place, you can trim the lower half of the body out and push the front of it into the gap between the bumper and the main chassis plate.

The back section of the lower body rests against the main chassis, and is held in place by two screws. You'll need to make the appropriate holes in the lexan for these screws to pass through. This can be easily accomplished with a body hole reamer, a drill, or even a hobby knife.

Since the SB Sport Pro comes without electronics and without a motor, I would need to supply the necessary items. The first thing I focused on was the motor, and in doing so I chose a Trinity Monster Horsepower 27-turn stock motor. I chose this motor since many people would be running a racing class buggy under rules where the motor size may be limited. Obviously some classes may allow more powerful motors, but I thought a stock motor would give a good baseline to judge from, as nearly everyone knows what to expect from this particular type of motor.

I already had motor leads soldered onto the motor, so that step was already complete. However, I needed to install part of the motor mount onto the motor itself. Another reason I chose to use a stock motor, was the fact that the 23-tooth pinion was a good match for this type of motor, as opposed to a low-turn modified. So, after readying the motor for the mount, I then installed the supplied pinion gear.

Once the motor was readied, I then installed it onto the chassis. To set the pinion and spur gap, you rotate the motor in the chassis mount. This setup works well, and allows you to easily set the gap. However, it would be tough to get the pinion and spur close enough if using small pinions. This may limit your selection of low-turn modified motors with the SB Sport Pro, as it could affect the gearing ratios available to you. So you'll want to choose wisely when using more powerful low-turn modified motors.

After installing the motor, I turned towards installed the speed control and steering servo. For the speed control, I grabbed a Novak Super Rooster that I normally have lying around as a spare. While it isn't the first choice of racers, due to its size, it will easily handle getting the current from the battery to the motor. For the steering servo, I opted to use a spare Traxxas 2055, which I had pulled out of a T-Maxx at some point in time. With 80 oz/in of torque, I felt it would easily handle the lightweight truck's steering for this test. In the long run, most people would likely opt for a digital or coreless servo however.

I used the supplied servo mounts and hardware to attach the servo to the carbon fiber chassis. The screws that attach the servo to the servo mounts use aluminum cone washers against the tapered side of the countersunk screws. This provides a flat mounting surface and clamps the servo tightly to the mount.

To secure the speed control to the chassis, I first used some double-sided foam tape. However, knowing that tape of this nature usually doesn't last long in an off-road environment, I then also used a ziptie through an opening in the chassis as well. This combination provided a measure of shock protection, as well as giving me the knowledge that it would stay secured to the chassis.

The next thing I needed to tackle was the receiver itself. I opted to use the RS300 that came with a JR XS3 that I use as a spare radio combo for situations like this review. I attached it in a similar fashion to the ESC. First I used some double-sided foam tape, as a way to provide some padding between the receiver and the upper brace. Then I used zipties to ensure the receiver wouldn't come loose from the location I placed in at. For the receiver, I opted to use two zipties though, when it came to securing it into place.

After the receiver was secured, I needed to properly route and install the receiver's antenna. I ran the antenna wire through a small hole in the bottom of the antenna mount, and then brought it back up through the top of the mount. Then I slid the antenna wire through the antenna tube, which gave me no problems at all as it slid through easily. However, if you should encounter difficulty, a little baby powder sprinkled on the wire will help you get it through.

To supply the buggy with power, it would need a battery. I once again dipped into my RC reserves and pulled out an FMA Direct Scorpion pack. This Li-Po setup was also reviewed for RC Universe, and is simply the best battery option I have on hand. Since the battery is crucial to how well a vehicle will perform, I felt that it would undoubtedly be the best option to use. I had planned on using this pack earlier when building the buggy, as you'll remember that I never chamfered the edges of the battery slots on the chassis plate.

The Li-Po pack dropped into place perfectly. I found that the best way to secure the skinny pack was to place the battery bar under the lower e-clip on the rear battery post. This is similar to how a side-by-side pack would be installed. In a situation where a NiCad or NiMH stick pack would be used, you would place the battery bar between the two e-clips instead. I used some single-sided foam tape to provide a little extra padding between the pack and the chassis bar to prevent rubbing.

Once the pack was installed, I needed to plug the pack in. The Scorpion pack has a few more connections than a standard battery pack, so if you go with a more traditional route you will have less you'll need to do in this department. With the Scorpion pack you have two servo plugs you need to connect to the ESC and receiver for the built-in safety cutoff, as well as a Deans plug that connects it to the ESC. The three-pronged Tamiya connector is used for charging only, and doesn't need to be connected to anything at this time.

To top off the antenna I used a Dubro antenna cap set (#2342), since the kit didn't come with anything to retain the wire in the tube. The cap set would not only retain the wire, but also serves to protect it as well. While I was putting on the cap I noticed that the kit's antenna tube didn't fit very tightly into the mount on the chassis. Knowing that this would ultimately lead to the antenna tube coming loose, I opted to use a Dubro antenna tube (#2340) as well. The Dubro tube fit snugly in the mount, and I felt much more secure with its fit.

With all of the electronics squared away, the only thing left is to install the body. The SB Sport Pro does not use a standard body post and clip setup, but instead utilizes Velcro to hold the body in place. Use some of the supplied Velcro on the lower and upper halves of the body, where they will overlap. Then set the body into place on the buggy, fastening the Velcro together. You're now ready to rock!

With the kit assembly, and electronics installation, behind me the time was ripe for slinging some dirt. So I charged up my Scorpion Li-Po pack, and headed to nearby Monkey Bottom Raceway for a little fun in the dirt and dust. I arrived early in the morning, and shot a few posing pictures for the article. The skies were clear and the morning air cool, but the temperature was beginning to warm up. As the weather warmed, so did the need to get this electric buggy ripping around the track.

After setting up the Scorpion Pack's charger, in anticipation of several runs, I charged the battery and plugged it into the SB Sport Pro. Soon the four-wheel drive buggy tore off down the straightway with a cloud of dust thrown out behind it. The tires themselves seemed to grip rather well, given the dry and dusty track surface. Unless it's a race day, and the track is watered, traction is usually hard to come by. However, the combination of four-wheel drive and the 27-turn stock motor still managed to provide a good balance of speed and control.

The first couple of times down the straightway, I attempted to clear the double that is placed immediately after the first turn. My first couple of attempts failed, as I was still getting used to the buggy. However, after a few repeated attempts, I managed to successfully pull this off a few times. While the buggy had the proper composure in the air, getting a good run was tricky. So I decided that with a 27-turn stock motor, the most reliable way to navigate this part of the course was to single the jumps individually. A little more power, combined with a stickier track surface, would have made this easy. If the course was being watered throughout the day, I would have probably changed this stance and opted to try and double the jumps each time around.

When I did try to double the jump, the buggy itself would take to the air with a good feeling of control. It did nose down slightly as you backed of the throttle, which worked well if you got a good run. You could simply nose down the backside of the second jump which would allow you to keep your speed up as you headed through the rest of the track. If you hit the opening jump a little too hard, a simple blip of the throttle would bring the buggy back level, for a four-wheeled landing.

There were a few times that I didn't set myself up good coming off the straightway and hit the first jump ill-prepared to take it as a double. During these poorer attempts I would try to nose the buggy up and hit the front face of the second jump, for a quick vault over it. However, I'm not perfect, and a few of these occasions resulting in the buggy slapping into the top of the second jump. Usually this just resulted in the buggy flipping end over end for a few feet, but never did any component on it break. This is a true testament to the durability of its various carbon-fiber and plastic components.

As I ran around the track, the SB Sport Pro seemed to have a little too much of an understeer condition when cornering. I tried readjusting the suspension to account for this, as well as adjusting the dual-rate setting on the radio to see if it made any difference. However, nothing seemed to help. After some examination, the problem was discovered in the form of the rear ball differential. It had evidently loosened up way too much after driving it around the track. With the differential tightened up, I hit the track once more. This time around the buggy handled much better, with only the minor characteristic four-wheel drive on-power push present.

The SB Sport Pro was able to conquer the tabletops with excellent control as well. The first tabletop on the track fell prey to the buggy fairly easily. With a good strong run, you could clear the top, and ease off the throttle to position the buggy for a quick run down the rear face. If you got out of shape coming off the turn prior to the tabletop, it was easier to position yourself for a gentle landing on the top, and then run down the backside. Both approaches worked well, and the SB Sport Pro allowed you to feel completely in control as you conquered the jump.

Another tabletop on the course is slightly longer, and is best conquered by landing on top. Even with a strong motor, you want to be careful and avoid over-shooting the jump, as there's a sharp turn to the left immediately afterwards. The SB Sport Pro would gracefully take to the air, and then touch down on top for a run down the backside of the tabletop where it would then be asked to cut hard to the left.

There are other areas of the track that tried their best to upset the buggy, but it seemed to handle most of these with relative ease. The washboard section was the area that came the closest to unsettling the buggy, forcing me to raise the ride height a little. The constant up and down motion throughout this section would cause the SB Sport Pro to bottom out at times that made the handling somewhat unpredictable. However after the ride height adjustment, this problem was cured. Some owners may have opted to use a firmer spring setup to address this, but I'm one who prefers to keep my setup on the soft side. A plusher suspension allows for more weight transfer, and too stiff of a setup simply kills the ability of an off-road vehicle to stick to the dirt.

It was also apparent, after watching the buggy make it's way around the track, that the shock oil seemed to be a little too thin. Thicker oil would provide much more dampening, as the buggy itself tended to be a little too springy at times. However, I felt the springs themselves worked well with the buggy's chassis, they just simply needed a little more dampening action.

Similar to the washboard was a small set of triples at the end of the track right before the straightaway. However, these were large enough that you could easily double the first two, and then take the last as a single. If you felt like the buggy was out of shape, you could also be conservative, and single them all with ease. Even before the ride height adjustment, they never affected the buggy's balance at all. As long as you kept your cool and hit the first of them properly, the buggy seemed to take the rest in stride.

Overall, the SB Sport Pro performed very well. The tires gripped as well as could be expected considering the conditions, and the end result was a very manageable buggy when combined with the 27-turn stock motor. A stronger motor would have definitely made the traction situation worse though, and probably resulted in slower laps if the track was experiencing the same conditions.

The buggy flew with ease around the course, thanks to its lightweight design. The wrap-around body also did a very god job of keeping much of the dirt and debris off the chassis, and away from the gears. Combined with slightly thicker shock oil, this buggy would be perfect in my opinion. Everyone's tastes vary, but one thing is very obvious, this buggy will be perfect for anyone interested in racing a four-wheel drive electric buggy.

The SB Sport Pro is a well designed buggy that delivers well in regards to features and performance. With all of the carbon-fiber and aluminum it sports, it's easy to see where it's "Pro" designation comes from. However, the foresight on the part of MRC/Academy doesn't end there. With the adjustability it offers, as well as track-ready tires and aluminum shock bodies, it can also perform as good as it looks.

Getting the most from your SB Sport Pro is going to fall down to what sort of electronics gear you install on it. Plan carefully, and if you're going to race the buggy, don't skimp on a good speed controller. Likewise, a good radio package will pay off as well. I used a JR XS3, which offered plenty of adjustability in the form of endpoints, sub-trim, and other essential items. If you couple a buggy like this up with a budget radio, you simply won't do it justice.

With brushless motors and Li-Po batteries exploding onto the electric scene, the hobby may be in for a shakeup in the near future. If that happens, electric four-wheel drive buggies are going to be in demand once more. Kits like the SB Sport Pro will be right up there leading the way!

Model Rectifier Corporation
80 Newfield Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837 USA
Phone: (732) 225-6144
Website: www.modelrec.com

Paasche Airbrush Co.
7440 West Lawrence Ave.
Harwood Heights, IL 60706-3412 USA
Phone: 708-867-9191
Fax: 708.867.9198
Website: www.paascheairbrush.com
Products used: VL Airbrush