I
spent a bunch of time reading all the digital back issues of RC Car
Action magazine, and I couldn't help but notice that a lot of people
seem to like racing. I came into the hobby after the short course
truck craze had started to wind down, but there will still a lot of them
on the market. I'd been driving an RTR Traxxas Slash for a few
months and found it quite excellent. I couldn't help but wonder
what all the fuss was about with these "race" trucks. How much
better could they possibly be? I did a bit of research with the
goal of picking out a kit to build myself. Kits don't come with
any electronics, so I also need to make a decision there. I picked
Team Associated for no particular reason other than that they claim to
win a lot of races. To keep it in the family, I used all
Reedy racing electronics, even the battery. I also bought Team
Associated pre-mounted tires for lack of knowing any better. I'm
pretty sure that they don't actually make tires and these are just
re-branded JConcepts tires, but I could be wrong. I used a
Spektrum
receiver with AVC to help tame the power at speed.This is a rear wheel drive racing short course truck with four wheel independent suspension. It uses an aluminum body tray and has a mid mounted transmission so the motor doesn't hang out behind the back wheels like a Slash. The chassis is narrow and light, and the shocks are big bore.
So what's the verdict? Well, it is just as fast on 2s as a Slash is on 3s, but that's because the motor has a higher kV rating so it is also pulling more amps. It handles differently, but that's partly because it is 2WD. I find that it spins out very easily under power, even when trying to go straight. The tires don't last very long at all, especially if you happen to drive it on pavement. So is it worth twice the cost of a Slash? If you are not racing, I don't see how. I don't see many advantages, but I'm also not racing. It is a blast to drive, but it uses a different battery than everything else I own so requires extra effort to get it ready. There is no indication that the ESC or servo are waterproof, so I also have to watch the conditions under which I drive it. I would like to find a track sooner and later and see how it handles in its intended environment. I will say that it clearly feels lighter than the Slash and is therefore more nimble in the turns and less likely to bottom out on big jumps.
Update: Almost 4 years in, I have to admit that I've seen the light. With way more experience under my belt I can now see that the lightweight, sharp handling SC5M is vastly better than a standard bulky Slash. I eventually plugged in a battery with reversed polarity and fried the speed controller. The BlackBox 1000Z+ was no longer produced so I replaced it with the Pro version which, as far as I can tell, is exactly the same except no longer has a fan. I also eventually wore out the original soft racing tires and replaced them with some Proline BF Goodrich Baja T/A KR2 tires which I like much better for off road use. The body is pretty beat up by now, but the truck is still going strong. I replaced the slipper clutch when it started slipping too much.
Update: This model was destroyed in the 2022 fire. It has not been replaced.
 Page 1: Chassis Assembly |
 Page 2: Final Photos |