HorizonRC.Com Review: Losi Mini-Desert Truck

In the six years since the original Mini-T was released it has remained a force in RC. Losi has decided to shake things up a bit with its newest truck based on the Mini-T platform, the Mini-Desert Truck. Borrowing design queues from its larger 1/10-scale cousin the Mini-Desert Truck looks and drives differently. We've charged up a few battery packs and taken the dirt to the Mini-Desert Truck to see if it lives up to it's predecessors legacy in this review.
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[horizonhobby]

Thanks. Been really working with the editing software and rendering to try to get better and better quality in out uploads. Even better is yet to come!

[horizonhobby]

@policedog100295 We used the MSC20RB and a Spektrum SR3500 receiver simply to be able to use that transmitter. It was not to change the performance. Also the stock servo plugs right in to that receiver since it's a 3-wire configuration. The idea behind the swap was to simply be able to use a DX3S transmitter, not change performance. The goal was to have identical performance which it does, not increase speeds. This is why I disclosed the change in transmitter early on and didn't conceal it

[horizonhobby]

@camaromanss27 No, that uses wheel hexes where this truck uses a cross pin in the rear tires and the fronts ride on ball bearings.

[horizonhobby]

Team Orion used to have a number of hop-up motors for these trucks, I don't know if they are still in production or not. The ESC can handle a LiPo battery however it does not have a LiPo cutoff.

[horizonhobby]

@JTJG94 No, this is a longer body and chassis than the Mini-Baja was.

[horizonhobby]

The Mini Peak AC Wall Charger from Losi (LOSB1206) can charge the Mini-Desert Truck's packs in much less time.

[horizonhobby]

@TheHenriKorbun Yes they would, they use the same bearings.

[horizonhobby]

About 45-minutes roughly depending on how discharged the pack is before you charge it.

[horizonhobby]

Keep a close eye on the bearings in the motor to make sure that dirt and sand doesn't get inside there. Other than that just normal maintenance should be fine.

[horizonhobby]

The Micro Truggy is very similar to the Micro Rally and Short Course Truck, the brushed versions that is. I'd sat stock top-speed would be about 12MPH.

[horizonhobby]

Keep an eye on the pinion and spur gears. Little particles of sand like to get trapped in there.

[horizonhobby]

Yes, just about anything for the Mini-T will fit on the Mini-Desert Truck, including motors and tires.

[horizonhobby]

5-6 hours with the charger it comes with. You can buy a faster charger and there are a number from Dynamite that would work well. The Prophet Sport II AC/DC Peak Charger would work nicely.

[horizonhobby]

The electronics are not waterproofed and it does not feature rubber sealed ball bearings so I would advise avoiding wet conditions.

[horizonhobby]

@muppettheanddoboy1 About 10-15MPH out of the box roughly.

[phoenixfire]

Oh ok, nice. And its nice to see you have HD videos up now too. Still a good review though.

[racevws]

just bought one after down grading from a Revo 2.5 (which was my first REAL rc, but too much work just to take it out). I have to say, I am impressed. I have only driven it once, but it was a lot of fun, and looked faster than 15 mph, but then again, it's small so I may look faster than it is.

[Autofilkis]

i got one and should upgrade it! should i go for brushless ore better brushengine + lipo?

[barron]

i'm getting this truck for a simple clay track i built in my back yard. i was wondering if there is a simply way to make it just a little faster. is the esc lipo ready? and is there any other "brushed" motors i can buy for this?

[horizonhobby]

Shouldn't. The ESC will change things like the punch, efficiency and things like that but top speed will be by and large unaffected.