air1kdf

Let me start off by saying that I have a ton of RC cars and trucks. And have been into RC cars since 1987... 20 years ago.

Please don't ask me to race all of my trucks against one another. It's not going to happen.

I have a T-Max I've tried every kind of mod, EK4 S2, Savage SS highly modded, Losi LST maxed out in mods, and today got my Cen GST 7.7.

This is by far the best value in monster trucks that I have ever seen. All of the options are included. HUGE CVD's, they were so big I thought that they might be plastic. Center diff is a must for driveline durability. Aluminum gear housing is awesome (normally ~60 each). .46 CI engine is wicked cool. The tires and rims are sweet. 3 speed and reverse are real nice. This has the best reverse system that I have ever used on a gas truck. The shock resevors are a nice touch, however I am skeptical the they will blow off (like the T-Maxx's) because they are plastic. The center diff fluid is too thin, and the shock fluid is also way too thin. I'm thinking that more than a 2 foot high jump would bottom out the truck due to very thin shock fluid (the EK4 was the same way). The radio is am, however it is the best am radio that I have used as far as options goes, it even has ABS braking, with setup options. The brakes work flawlessly, I'm guessing that it has 4 disc brakes (savage brakes are not so good even modified). I flipped the truck during breakin accidentally. It has easy access to the receiver and battery pack, but I want to use a 5 cell and don't know where to put it. I used 4 very old Nicads. On an oval track the turning radius was amazing (the lst runs wide), I'm thinking that the center diff helps out a lot. The handling seemed similiar to the LST which is great on my list. The body is very nice. Great paint, and thick lexan. In the box they include a fuel bottle, wrenches, rechargeable glow plug igniter. The suspension design looks nice.

This thing really rocks. Even during breakin, the off the line power is wicked even under partial throttle, I can't wait until I can open it up. It would take over a 500 bucks on any truck (plus the truck) to equal the parts that this has standard on it. Overall I am VERY impressed. Cen has done an over the top job on the GST, I will be owning more Cen stuff in the future.

JUCD VPR

Well said i own a GSt also and i TRY to tell people how much more i like this truck then others i've owned, just WAIT till it's fully broken in and tuned and you can open it up all the way, this truck is AWESOME!

VDub99AML

My Feedback: (1)

Just wait... you'll see how awesome it really is.

AE Pilot

Hey, can you do me a favor and post of a picture of the GST side by side next to one of yor other MT's like the Savage or LST. I'm trying to get an idea of its scale.

Thanks,

air1kdf

I'll try to get a pic out tomorrow. A search will find some already. This is roughly 2 feet long and 1.5 feet wide. It's bigger than the LST, and way bigger than the Savage, my LST has 40,s and Big Joe's though. The size is great for a monster truck.

I also forgot to add that it has a heatsink motor mount. And that it seems to have a very efficient drivetrain.

And I'm sure I'll get beat up for my opinion of all of my trucks, but they are my trucks and my opinion.

The Savage is a great beater truck, with a poor drivetrain. Track performance is pathetic, brakes are pathetic even upgraded. Very top heavy, and rolles a lot. the .25 is a poor performing engine, but with a Wasp it wheelies all day long.

LST is a great handling truck, but does turn wide. Plushest suspension. Descent engine. Well balanced, and a ton of adjustments for driving style.

EK4, not enough suspension, too short arms, engine too heavy, could have beafier diff gears, and a center diff. But TONS of torque, but lack of RPM's.

And I already mentioned the Cen GST 7.7, seems to have the best features of all of the trucks that I have. Need some wheel time to get a firm opinion. So far I love it.

JUCD VPR

Here are a few pictures opf my GST 7.7

Here is the GSt next to my old Savage SS W7" UFO wheels and fireball tires, along with a GST size Chevy HD 2500 body and it STILL isn;t as big as the GST!

GST next to an E-Savage

JUCD VPR

I sold me Savage SS 4.6 because i never drove it after i bought the GST, just wasen't as fun anymore! BUT i did buy a LST2 in it's place.

CEN Racing

Thanks Guys

We are glad to hear you are happy with our products /services. That means we are doing the right things

ThermalRD

The LST turns wide? You've gotta be kidding me.... I love the look of that GST, but CEN's attitude in the past, and my experience with the LE, will keep me away for a looooong time.

air1kdf

Well I should have also mentioned that I run it with big Joe's on 40's. And they have a tendency to make them all turn wide. Those Joe's are a great basher tire, and I also like jumping with them, but their huge width does make turning a little taxing on servo's and servo savers.

This thing is pretty awesome. I should do a serious writeup. I have now broken in the engine, and have started a small amount of tuning. This thing has some serious power.

I did notice a few things to do. I'm sure that this is covered somewhere, but I didn't find it.
The following one thing should be done before running.
1) The brake cam rod (vertical piece) is very close to to the 2 speed spur gear housing (aluminum part). Mine just touched. Simple fix is to loosen the 2 screws, rotate the top plate (I think clockwise), and tighten the screws. This increased the needed clearance by probably .05" or so.

Do before any jumping (even small jumps). Replace all of the shock oil. Someone can chime in here that knows what weight, and which pistons should be used. I initially changed mine to 40 weight rear and 50 weight front, with the stock pistons. It is way better, but still not enough for my taste. I think that the next size smaller piston holes with a 35 or 40 weight would be closer.

Do after the shocks. Replace the diff fluid in the center diff to 120k weight (what my LHS carries). I would even guess that this is harder on drivetrain parts than a locked diff. Reason being is because the power comes on, the front end gets light, the diff unloads the power to the front, and eventualy the front drops down again causing a massive shock to the driveline components.

Have I missed anything?

Cen, it's great to hear from a manufacturer in these forums. It means alot. Great job on the truck, in a heavily competative market with everybody making monster trucks, I can appreciate all of the work that has gone into it. I would recommend 3 simple things... A red sticker on item 1. And more realistic synthetic fluids in the shocks and center diff.

rob123

Just because someone in the company gave you an attitude in the past, It should not stop you from buying there products. There always an rotten apple in the group in any manufacturer you buy from. Don't let no one knock you down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![sm=punching.gif]

SOILWORK

You guys are killing me, I cant wait to order my GST. I was trying to decide between the Matrix Arena and the GST. I could not decide, so I am buying them both. Just one more paycheck should do it.

ThermalRD

The truck had its issues, and they went un-resolved. CEN was not very helpful on the phone, and the clown that used to hang out on this forum before, was definitely not helpful. Regardless, i still sit here with a GEN LE, that runs horrible. I've stripped it of all its electronics, and it sits collecting dust. Maybe the new engine on the GST fixed all the running issues of the old Gen. I just doubt it. Nor will i test it, with any more of my money. I'd have to see someone elses in person, before i ever thought about buying from that company again. I will say that Andrew Smolnik was very helpful, in e-mails. He was really the only helpful person i dealt with. Good luck with the GST's fellas.

air1kdf

ThermalRD,
I PM'd you. I have a Savage SS, maybe we can trade.

rclynx

Wait till fall when they come out with the new model that looks like its bullet proof also. I saw that thing at Pomona and thought I might start selling CEN if they keep it up

SOILWORK

When was the last time you tried talking to CEN. They totally revamped thier customer service and fired certain clowns. I been following this CEN forum and noticed a big change in their attitude and customer service. They now take care of problems and try to resolve any issues, and they also read this forum. I know the LE had a lot of issue,but those issues are now fixed, it's called the Nemesis and the GST. Every company has its
share of jerks working for them, it depends on who you talk to. I give Cen credit for turning themselves around and becoming a very competitve company.

[email protected]

I have two cen rc's a ct5 and the funfactor I have had some problems with the funfactor but the ct5 is very good. My snap-on guy bought a cen gst and on break in the engine went. Cen replaced it and he was ok but was bummed out that it was two weeks before he could run it. I think if cen was more aggressive and got more hobbie shops to carry their stuff I think more people would buy from them. for me there is no face to cen I order parts on line and read things about them. I can walk into any LHS around Philadelphia and find traxxas, losi, hpi and team associated but no cen.

ThermalRD

Soilwork, its been a while since i spoke with CEN. The newest CEN CS guy, that hangs out here, had seen the post i had in the CEN forum. And was the guy explaining how the other very rude CEN CS person was supposedly fired. Im sure if he had any intentions of helping with the fuel tank, and motor issues, he would have addressed it at that time. They had that post removed, or edited. I've simply given up on CEN, and their products.

JUCD VPR

Your loss if your giving up NOW that they have the GST 7.7 out.
I say fix your old Genesis and sell it on e-bay and buy the new GST.

CrazyMento

ThermalRD

I dont know about the engine but i never have problem with my fuel tank like you described.

If you think removing and editing comments are bad, try Traxxas official forum Give them a break, if the post is done by a employee no longer there, its only reasonable to remove it... lol.. anyways, good luck you are missing out man... seriously