mikesalt Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Hello all, This last week, I have just acquired a Mini LST2, my first mini! Basically, my 6 year old Kyosho Mega Force .15 powered 1/10 Monster Truck is on its last legs. Parts support for Kyosho trucks in the UK is attrocious, so I knew I had to get a new truck. I got a Traxxas Revo which has been brilliant. The problem with nitro trucks is that you need a large time-window to use them. With preparation, tuning, after-run maintenance and repairs, you cannot just play for a quick 15 minutes. For this reason, I decided to go electric. I also wanted something a little smaller, so I could run it in most places. So, after a little research, I picked up the Losi. It is a fantastic little truck with great handling and rapid pace. Best of all, with the 2.4GHz radio, you never have to worry about interfering with others playing in the 27/40 MHz range. I have had lots of fun tearing around streets, parks and gardens with it. One thing though, you do need extra battery packs. The stock battery will only give you 15 minutes of playtime. I bought a couple of Nosram NiMH packs and an adapter to charge with an intelligent fast charger. Parts support is a little sketchy by the looks of things, but a search with any UK search engine will yield suppliers of the full parts list. Give it a try, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin34 Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Nice little review.I have a mini monster baja and i am tempted to get a mini lst2 aswell for when my nephew comes over from australia.I am not to keen on him useing lipo so i am thinking of getting a couple of those battery packs you lnk to.How do they compare speed wise compared to the battery that comes with the mini lst2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted May 25, 2008 Author Share Posted May 25, 2008 Well, the Nosram pack is the same voltage as the stock pack, so there should be no speed increase. The capacity of the Nosram packs is 300mAh greater than stock, so it runs for longer at full power. I have not yet made the jump to LiPo. After seeing some Li-ion accidents, including someone having to pluck glass from their foot due to a battery explosion, I'm sticking to NiMH for now. LiPo is supposedly safer than Li-ion, so I may consider it shortly. To update, I accidentally drove into a kerb, and slightly bent an axle stub, not an expensive problem to put right though. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt B Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 I think the LiPo and Li-ion idea you said is backwards, otherwise people would use LiPo batteries more commercially, where they actually don't apart from single-cell items for example in phones, as LiPo batteries aren't as versatile and rugged as li-ion. Although, LiPo batteries will run fine in our cars in they are looked after properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted May 25, 2008 Author Share Posted May 25, 2008 Matt, You'll have to excuse me on this one, LiPo is very new to me. For starters, I do not have the right chargers to deal with LiPo, so would rather stick to NiMH. Actually, I have a question for the more experienced modders out there. If I were to want to go brushless, I would probably stick with the Losi Xcelorin system for guaranteed compatability. My question is this, do I need two brushless motors to see a performance gain in the Mini LST2, or will one motor outperform the two Frenzy 370s? I would probably stick to 7.2v NiMH power supply. Cheers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t4ttyt3ddy Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Hi I have a Mini Monster Baja which is basically the same as the MLST2, and I agree they are really good little trucks! It is the wifes truck but she seems to really enjoy it even if she has managed to break it both time she has run it!! She can't wait for me to get the parts to fix it for her as she really does think its great fun!! Hope you enjoy it! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 t4ttyt3ddy, it appears that Modelsport do not stock the full parts list for the Mini LST2. Do they provide parts at special request, or do you go elsewhere? How does your wife keep breaking it with such consistency? I can give my 7 year old brother a nitro-powered monster truck, and it comes back to me intact. Cheers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t4ttyt3ddy Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 t4ttyt3ddy, it appears that Modelsport do not stock the full parts list for the Mini LST2. Do they provide parts at special request, or do you go elsewhere? How does your wife keep breaking it with such consistency? I can give my 7 year old brother a nitro-powered monster truck, and it comes back to me intact. Cheers, Mike I had to phone Model Sport and they have ordered the parts in for me! though I have now been waiting 2 weeks for them!! I have no Idea how she has broken it twice! The first time to be fair I do believe it was a fault from the off as the spur gear had been melted through!! The second Time Iguess it was just a lucky shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 I have had the Mini LST for a few months now, and something is really beginning to annoy me. I keep bending axles on even the lightest impacts. I landed a very small jump a few weeks ago and that managed to sheer an axle completely. I have now had to buy four sets of LOSB0943 to replace these parts. It certainly seems like a weak spot on the truck. I have just ordered the MIP #1567 CVD axle set from the USA to see if that improves things. I sure hope so, since they will cost me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evoboy Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 (edited) forget the CVD's, i just constantly broke the axles and sheared the pins on my mlst.....oh and you will need those dogbones and diff outdrives once youve driven the truck for a while number 1 upgrade is a mini t ball diff to replace the open diff in the gearbox, and then to lock the slipper TIGHT, and adjust the ball diff to give some slight slip. stops you melting the spurs through... Edited November 7, 2008 by evoboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted November 8, 2008 Author Share Posted November 8, 2008 Looks like I may have wasted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evoboy Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 theres nothing wrong with the mlst for 'bashability' mines been round skate parks on the stock axles with an 8k mamba system and Lipo's! ive had 3 rc18's, an ftx roxter, a ttr zk2, and a few other 1/18th's includeing an mlst previous to this one. i think its very capable offroad for a small truck. the m18mt is on par with the rc18mt i had before. another fun truck, but i still dropped it for the mlst. i am also tempted by an m18t. mainly because ive never had one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 I find myself unable to get through my 3 battery packs without having to replace an axle. Is this roughly how often you have to replace axles? I just find the failure rate to be irritatingly high. Maybe my expectations were too high having owned a Revo and barely breaking anything despite some serious collisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evoboy Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I find myself unable to get through my 3 battery packs without having to replace an axle. Is this roughly how often you have to replace axles? I just find the failure rate to be irritatingly high. Maybe my expectations were too high having owned a Revo and barely breaking anything despite some serious collisions. i havent broken a stock axle in a good few months....the cvd's i was useing i was going through 1 everytime i ran the truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 (edited) i havent broken a stock axle in a good few months....the cvd's i was useing i was going through 1 everytime i ran the truck. Ouch! Looks like I just made a Edited November 9, 2008 by mikesalt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evoboy Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 i did use MIP, 3 racing and GPM cvds and all of them broke more easy than the stock setup... when ever mine is ran its being launched 5ft off a ramp at a good speed doing backflips and awkward landings, so it takes a fair beating.. need anymore advice just ask Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesalt Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 Looks like I have just been really unlucky with the axles then! I have done nothing like backflips or jumps of any significance. It has literally just been the odd glancing clip against a kerb or a slightly bad landing on a very small jump that has been breaking my axles. I ordered the Xray anyway. Judging by the suspension geometry, driveshafts, extensive use of composites and various other features, it is about as close as I can get to a 1:18 Mini Revo without Traxxas releasing one themselves. I need another truck for when I go bashing with my brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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