Harvick

I know this is the traxxas thread, but this is where I post and I have a good feeling of the honesty and sincerity of some of the posters here.

I want to get a new truck this winter. Of course a revo 3.3 is on top of the list, but I am also interested in the Losi LST2. Does anyone have any experience with the LST2? I kinda am considering the Savage X SS just because it is a kit and building is half the fun for me, especially over the winter. No matter which section (hpi, traxxas, or Losi) section I posted this in I knew opinions would be biased. So I decided to post here cause I am familiar with the posters.

PLEASE, don't just answer a name of the truck, I really am looking for first hand experience on the non Revo trucks. I like traxxas vehicles, but hate the traxxas engines. So if I do go Revo the 3.3 won't be in there very long. The first 2.5 I had almost made me sell my truck and get out of the hobby I was so frustrated. Thank OS engines for reinstilling my faith in this hobby.

Thanks in advance

Happy Harvick

P.S. Cost is not a factor, just performance and durability.

Uglysteve

What truck do you currently have? I wouldn't mind going with the LST2 myself, just because it's 1/8th scale.

gkcontra

I have been looking at other vehicles to go to just for a change and have heard most of the plusses and minuses of each truck. I plan on racing some and not just bashing so i may have had some other things to consider that you may not thing are important. 1 thing I have found that helps is to look for the 'problem' threads for each truck you are considering. After all i have read here and some other places I have decided to go with the CEN GST 7.7. I have looked at all 3 trucks you mentioned and a few others and think this will be the most solid truck. Only problem is gonna be parts in my area, but I guess I'll see.

Chronic

I have a Savage 25 LE and a LST2. I can't comment on the Savage X SS from personal experience, but the SS kits are good trucks and this one takes it to a whole new level.

Just like every other truck, the LST2 requires a few mods right away if you plan to bash it hard. The engine brace is really easy to break, and I broke SEVERAL suspension arms before upgrading to RPM with Lunsford links. The knuckles and hubs are also iffy, and I had to go with New Era aluminum pieces there. It has an oversized clucthbell, but normal 1:8 size shoes... and I can't get a set of aluminum shoes to live for more than 1-1.5 gallons of fuel. There are fixes for this available, but they are pricey. Aluminum diff cups should also be at the top of your upgrade list. That's about the biggest concerns I have had with mine. Now for some good stuff. The electronics are very good, and I haven't touched mine yet other than to remove the reverse servo when I did the FOC. The engine has plenty of grunt to ride wheelies and it screams on the topend. I really didn't expect a .26 RTR engine to move this thing like it did. It handles good. While the Revo might have an advantage on flat ground, the LST2 is much more controllable and predictable everywhere else. It's a very impressive truck... when it's not broken.

The X SS is basically the best Savage ever. I haven't run one yet, but I have no problem making that statement. I won't go through the list here, but check out all of the factory upgrades it comes with. Things like aluminum diff cups and steel spurs are good indicators that HPI is trying to take things to the next level, and they have actually listened to the critics more than the fans. If you have ever wanted a Savage, this is the one to get.

In comparison, the LST2 and the Revo are both still going to handle better straight out of the box, but it won't be the dramatic difference people are used to when comparing these trucks, and you can make BIG improvements in this department on a Savage... it's not as hard as most people think. In a straight line my bone stock LE was faster than the couple of 2.5 Revos I raced and could beat the LST2 maybe 2 out of 5 races. The X SS lacks the three speed of the LE, but it has a .28 instead of the little winky .25 the LE had. I would suspect it outruns both the Revo 3.3 and the LST2 in a drag race. As for durability, well... it IS a Savage, with lots of beefy upgrades. Draw your own conclusions on that one. You really won't go wrong with either one, and the high upfront cost of these rigs isn't so bad when you consider the nice parts they come with.

My mostly unbiased vote goes to the Savage X SS. Throw a Spektrum setup and a nice steering servo at it and you have one hell of a truck.

beelzebubishere

My Feedback: (1)

HPI "gasser" buggy.....expensive at around a grand....but with a GASOLINE engine, it would be cheaper to operate, not as "cold weather sensitive" to tune or operate.....

Harvick

Well thanks everyone, mostly very intelligent answers. I will read up on the "problem" threads for each truck. I currently have a Maxx with an OS 18tm for my MT. It is an ok basher, and is very reliable after 2 years and a few hundred bucks. I just hear so much bashing of other trucks besides the revo, and rarely anything good(for decision making) I think I really want the LST2, but I really want a kit. Guess I will do some more research.

Special thanks to Chronic, glad to hear an opinion from someone who has basically both trucks. Upgrading parts on the LST2 is not a big deal. I figure whatever I buy, regardless of how expensive will need upgrades.

Thanks.

More opinions are still appreciated.

89ram

you could get a revo and your favorite motor, then have somebody completely dis-assemble the revo for you. then you'd have a kit to put together. sorry, i'll stop being a smart-@$$ now.

weez440

harvick you are like me i bought a maxx and because of the traxxas engines i almost got out of the hobby but then got an os.18tm and it revived me. i don't have an lst2 unfortunately but i do have a revo and a savage .25. the savage is a real fun truck to bash around with and it can take a beating and keep on going. there are alot of upgrades and stuff you can do to the savage as well if you would like to make it into a racer. i especially like the metal gears and the driveshafts on it. i just mine in the winter time and plastic can sometimes break easier in the cold.

Bowfish

gkcontra, Spring huh?
I have not been able to find parts for a CEN engine so if you know somewhere I would be interested.

I got a picco 26 in my revo and it is one powerful engine! Still getting used to controlling all that power.

DaveG55

Well. this may or may not help.
I have a Savage 25SS, a T- Maxx, an LST - the orig and a Revo 2.5r. Each was stock when I got them. None are any longer. Some of the upgrades were because stuff broke, some just because. I won't go into all that I've had to fix because many/most of the problems I had to deal with have been corrected. I will say that I like all of them. My current favorite is the Revo but it's also my newest sooooo....
Maybe the best way to sy this is to say that if I had to sell themright now, this is the order that they'd go in.
Savage
LST
T-Maxx
and last the
Revo

Kawasakirider

You would sell a savage and an lst before you sold a crapmaxx? DAMN. IMO go with what makes you happy, I have the savage 25 LE and I wish I had bought a revo 3.3, but all in good time I should have one by december. Go with what YOU want, not what other people tell you to go with because it is your hard earned and if you aren't happy with it and see something u like better you will be kicking yourself at the end of the day.

Harvick

I will go with what I want, I just have not decided yet. The LST2 has some nice features, and boy those shocks just look awesome. The SS X looks much better than the older savages. And of course the Revo is well, a Revo. Just looking for the good, bad and ugly of each. But trust me, I will buy the one I want.

Kawasakirider

I know a guy that bought an LST2 and sold it 2 weeks after he bought it, soo many problems but I dunno the ins and outs, I can find out if you like.

Chronic

That happens with all trucks though. My LST2 was a royal PITA, but I'm getting it straightened out. There are several disappointed owners in the HPI forum too, and I've also seen plenty of people who are unhappy with their Revos.... One guys "POS" might be the next guys dream truck.


Damn Dave... sell the Savage or LST before the Tmaxx? [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

ScRacing

Get a revo roller ofr e-bay, buy the Q conepts engine mount and extra long hubs. Get any big blokc you want, since you like os you could get the 30 vg and get a starter box wile you are at it. Get a nice body and wheels by proline and you are in the hole about $750 and that revo would beat alot of other trucks out there. Now if you got the vantage chassis, MX3 radio, hitec servos and a novarossie 528, then you would have a revo that would beat any savage or lst on anything. Aside from a few extra things you will upgraid , you would have about the best truck posible for aobut $950. I can garentie you that you will never come up agenst a savage, lst or any other truck htat has the chance to win agenst you in a race assuming you cna drive good. YOu could do the same upgraids to a point to other trucks and still make them, redicilissly fast but you still can not beat a revo on duribility, race worthyniss, and out of the box controll.

DaveG55

Yes, yes I would!!
I have had to replace so much crap on my Savage from breakage or poor design that I cannot remember it all. The biggies are a new motor and mount, tvp's, throttle linkage and, oh yeah I had to rebuild both diffs before it even got thru break-in. I've replaced more spur gears than I can remember - and before you say I cannot set a proper mesh then explain why I've never stripped a single spur on ANY of my other trucks, cars, buggies, planes,or heli......
Do you want to guess what all's broken on my poor ol' Pro.15 T-Maxx?? Which, by the way, gets driven more than the Savage!

NOT A SINGLE THING and I've even upgraded it to the 2.5r because I wanted more power!!!

I do find it intresting that when you surf the HPI fourm you still see all kinds of problems with the "X". Among others stripped spurs from a flexing tranny case and bending "X" tvp's but when you surf the Traxxas fourm you see NO problems with the new T-Maxx3.3.

So, call all the names you want, that was and is my Honest opinion based on my personal experence of owning all four trucks.

Harvic, I agree that you should get what you want/like and I don't think that you can really make a "wrong" choice (well, unless the Warhead is on your list) so whatever you decide....Good Luck and enjoy.

Just in case I wasn't clear, the Revo 3.3 would be my choice.

ScRacing

Whats wrond wiht the ar head? Exept one or two guys on this forum had bad luck wiht em?

DaveG55

You're not serious are you???
The Warhead thread has nearly 7000 posts and probably 80% are about problems with that truck. Those "one or two guys" must type alot, huh?
They are sooooo bad that my LHS flat out refuses to sell OR work on them and they sell tons of other Duratrax stuff.
They are so bad that Tower almost always has one in their Scratch-and Dent section that's messed up and been returned.

Chronic

What kind of racing are you talking about? You MUST be talking about a straight line drag race on flat ground...

You would drop a OS.30 in an otherwise stock Revo? $750 my ass.

89ram

SCR, you gotta be kidding. my first was a warhead. then i bought 3 more used. no, i don't know what hit me in the head! so i'm down to one warhead, and 2 revos. the warhead is a problematic truck, to say the least! you should read the anyone own a warhead forum. i even made aluminum servo savers and sold some. hey, you wanna buy a warhead?

Harvick

Ok, due to your opinions and the extra research I did I have eliminated the savage X SS even though it is a kit.

Now I just have to decide between the revo and the LST2. Looks like I still have research to do, thanks everyone for your help.

rawkfist2

Well whan you mentioned that u hated the 2.5 engine, the 3.3 is great. My 2.5 trobuled me alot. The 3.3 has been perfect and not to mention can beat all the OS enginees right now. Maybe not a OS30

Harvick

Are you smokin your crack pipe again??? First off the 3.3 is not great, maybe compared to the 2.5. Two of the guys I bash with have 3.3 still and my OS 18 beats them everytime, maybe not by alot, but every time. Plus mine actually holds a tune, theirs constantly need adjustments and one of them already got so mad at it, he went and bought a picco 26. Maybe running without your air filter increases the power of your engine????

Harvick

Sorry have to do it----

Do you really think I am going to take advice from someone who thinks these two pieces are suppose to fit together?



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ScRacing

YES, i was jokeing... Butif the war head is at the right price i might think about it...