From the international developer of radio control hobby products, model trains and a range of educational products, Illinois-based Horizon Hobby, comes the Team Losi XXX-SCT RC truck. This short course electric truck runs on the 15-year-old proven XXX racing platform. The ready-to-run package comes fully tuned with no need for assembly making it a perfect buy for novice racers. The waterproof electronics make it fairly invincible even after splashing around puddles, driving in the rain or snow, moving around wet grass and navigating through a little muck. Keep reading to see what we thought of the truck in our Losi XXX-SCT Review.
But first, check out this beast in action.
Team Losi XXX-SCT Review
In our review of this short course RC truck, we will cover it’s specifications and features, performance, pros, cons, and more.
Specs and features
Weighing 4.7 pounds, this two-wheel-drive truck has a Dynamite® 3300Kv brushless motor with 45A ESC (Electronic Stability Control). It is powered by a 7.4V 3000mAh 2S 20C Li-Po (Lithium Polymer) battery. The LiPo battery is popular for its light weight, long run times and high power. An internal cooling fan keeps the operating temperatures low improving performance and motor life.
Also included in the pack is Dynamite’s 20W 2-amp LiPo AC battery charger which charges the battery in under 90 minutes. This truck uses the Spektrum DX2E V3 transmitter, which is extremely comfortable with its pistol grip, shark fin antenna with 2.4GHz signal, a trigger for throttle and plastic steering wheel for turning. This low-end, simple transmitter needs 4AA batteries for operation.
Let’s move on to the size of the short course truck. It looks like a smaller version of a full-size racing truck with a scale of 1/10. It is 21.65 in (550mm) in long, 11.45 in(291mm)wide and has a height of 7.48 in(190mm).
Performance
Made for off-roading and bashing around, the Team Losi XXX-SCT can be maneuvered incredibly over dirt, sand, small gravel and short grass. The molded-composite chassis is sturdy, and the bumpers with mud flaps make the truck durable and ideal for taking the truck to its limits.
The truck has realistic-looking bright yellow Beadlock rings on the black Eclipse tires. The large tires have deep treads and solid sidewalls that provide a fairly steady grip over dry terrain with a thin layer of loose mud. They are known to last for months of regular playing. These tires are also very popular stock tires for short course trucks.
As far as maneuvering goes, this SCT is fairly stable on the ground with a super maximum speed of 38 mph. Flips and wheelies are possible with some practice.
It comes with Spektrum AVC (Active Vehicle Control) stabilization system, which provides steering assistance and throttle augmentation. This is perhaps the one factor that gives it an extra edge, making it ideal for beginners.
Steering assist helps keep your front wheels pointed in whatever direction you command when they get bumped around by rough terrain.
It is not an auto-pilot control but allows you to navigate the 3300 Kv brushless motor smoothly by reacting in a way faster than you humanly could.
Throttle assist is similar to traction control system on a full-scale car. It senses any drift in momentum or direction and quickly adjusts power resulting in less wheel spin and faster acceleration when coming out of a turn or driving on a slippery surface.
The driver has the option of turning off the AVC completely.
Pros
- A fantastic entry-level vehicle for beginners who want to get the feel of what it’s like to control a remote controlled race truck with decent speed.
- The truck has a low ground clearance of 1.85 inches as compared to other trucks in its category, but it manages to navigate over obstacles such as small rocks, rubble and other debris that is found on off-road courses.
- The brushless motors are efficient, durable and last long. They do not have contact brushes, therefore need less maintenance and have fewer moving parts that break.
- The mechanics are waterproof. In addition to that, the gray and black truck looks very attractive with the screen print and colorful Losi logo sticker on its lexan body as it jumps, slides and turns around the dirt track.
Cons
The main concern for many people looking at this truck is that it may be a little pricey for novice drivers who want to experience the speed and thrills of the world of RC.
Another downside is that with a run time of around 10 minutes, it leaves users wanting more. The need to buy and carry around extra battery packs is felt. And if you plan to recharge your batteries on location, the charge time becomes crucial. RC enthusiasts will surely want more run time so as to truly enjoy running the car. Additionally, users can ensure that they do not drive the car from stop to full speed repeatedly, which is known to cause damage to the batteries and electronics over time. Sudden acceleration can also lead to shorter run times. If compared to their nitro-powered counterparts, this electric-powered truck loses out when it comes to run time.
Conclusion
The Team Losi XXX-SCT Brushless RTR AVC 2WD SC is an ideal first truck for anyone who wants to enter the world of RC fun. It is also perfect for those who may want to get back into racing after taking a break from the sport.
The AVC makes it easy and fun, and the truck runs at fairly decent speeds with a good stamina for regular bashing fun. Its impressively realistic design makes it exciting to control and give the thrill of externally controlling an actual truck.
With a rating of 4.4 stars on both the Horizon Hobby site and Amazon, users seem to think it’s a great buy for its price. If you are looking to introduce your children to an exciting outdoor hobby, this car will surely have them addicted.
With more pros than cons, we recommend buying one of these to enjoy some racing fun with the family and friends.
