Micro T, feedback?
02-08-2009, 06:08 AM
#1
Micro T, feedback?
Hey guys, Im sellng my firestorm, and ive always loved the small scale rc cars, and i cant seem to comepletely let go of rc, so i was gonna buy a Micro T desert truck, anyone give me some info on this? whats the upgrade market like for these too?
02-08-2009, 07:56 AM
#2
My first pack lasted less than 1 minute, so the first thing I had to do, was cycle the 4.8v 150mAh battery pack a few times. While I was doing that I decided to pull the motor and break it in under water. Now with the pack well cycled, the motor broken in, and a few other adjustments, run times are in about the 5 minute range on the stock pack. There are 2 optional 7.4v lipo packs that Losi offers @ 180mAh and 300mAh for about 30-35 bucks. Run times are up considerably with the lipo packs, as is power, but at the cost of motor longevity for most people it seems. Of course Losi will sell you an upgrade motor.
The gearbox was also very (rediculously) tight out of the box, so I loosened up all the screws, like everyone else is doing, and after a few packs, the gearbox loosened up a bit. I dunno, it just seems as if you shouldn't have to go around with all these microscopic screws ready to fall out in order for a product to actually work the way it should. Of course Losi will sell you replacement screws.
The truck comes stock with toy quality plastic bushings in the front and rear hubs, which I replaced with 2x5x2.5mm bearings that came from an old helicopter kit we had lying around. Of course Losi will sell you a set of bearings as well.
The shocks on the thing were the next thing to be replaced. They were just little, toy quality,...junk, for lack of a better term. Offering no form of friction/dampening whatsoever and so, a very bouncy ride, with the stock springs. I had our machine shop proto up a set of over-sized, aluminum, oil filled, shocks, for me, that seem to be working out very, very well. This, along with the bearings and battery upgrade, seem to have transformed the little truck from an overpriced, Walmart quality toy, to almost an actual hobby grade RC bundle-O-fun. Of course Losi will sell you a set of oil filled shocks too.
Now if it sounds like I'm complaining, I am. Losi could have left out the 16 cheap AA batteries they supplied, as well as the silly AA powered charger and the other useless crap and put a little more into the truck itself. Having to research fixes for a brand new item is just ridiculous IMO, but unfortunately, we're seeing more and more of it in the hobby.
OK with all the bitching out of the way, the lil DT is actually fun! It's pretty much limited to smooth-ish surfaces (carpet, concrete, packed clay) because of it's size, but get a little track going and they're like slot cars without the slot! Plus the ability to jump! I grabbed some carpet remnants and hardboard and built a few jumps, banked turns etc, and it's just a blast to goof around with 3 or 4 of these little buggers on the track.
You can actually get an optional brushless motor and ESC for about 50-60 bucks, but it's just crazy overkill for this little truck.
Hopefully that will give you a little insight without being too wishy washy. Just plan on spending a bit more than the initial 90 bucks to get much fun out of these things.
02-08-2009, 11:44 AM
#3
So after all that, How much did you spend on it>?
02-08-2009, 01:07 PM
#4
Well, I didn't spend anything on this one, besides the 32 bucks for the lipo, because I used what I already had, but one of the guys here has over 200 buck wrapped up in his brushless DT, including the original 89 dollar purchase price.
02-08-2009, 01:11 PM
#5
It seems worth it, but yet doesnt, I think ill just looked for a used, Hopped up one.
02-08-2009, 05:44 PM
#6
Tech Rookie
Honestly, the bone-stock Micro T is a piece of junk.
HOWEVER, with a few hopups and modifications, it is a very well rounded and very fun little truck.
If you do the following upgrades to a stock Micro T you will enjoy it much more:
-Bearings in the wheels
-Lipo battery and charger
-an upgraded motor (Atomic BB2 is the best brushed motor)
-Aluminum tranny case (the stock one uses bushings instead of bearings and wears out quickly)
-Threaded axles (the stock e-clips are microscopically hard to put on and take off)
-RPM Bumper
Depending on where you get these hopups, they will run you about the price of the original truck. I got my aluminum tranny used so I saved some money there. If you can get the whole truck used with some of these hopups already done, that is even better.
Once you do these hopups, you will have a pretty solid, and very fast truck.
With this setup, I am easily hitting 20 MPH, which is crazy fast at 1/36 scale.
HOWEVER, with a few hopups and modifications, it is a very well rounded and very fun little truck.
If you do the following upgrades to a stock Micro T you will enjoy it much more:
-Bearings in the wheels
-Lipo battery and charger
-an upgraded motor (Atomic BB2 is the best brushed motor)
-Aluminum tranny case (the stock one uses bushings instead of bearings and wears out quickly)
-Threaded axles (the stock e-clips are microscopically hard to put on and take off)
-RPM Bumper
Depending on where you get these hopups, they will run you about the price of the original truck. I got my aluminum tranny used so I saved some money there. If you can get the whole truck used with some of these hopups already done, that is even better.
Once you do these hopups, you will have a pretty solid, and very fast truck.
With this setup, I am easily hitting 20 MPH, which is crazy fast at 1/36 scale.
02-08-2009, 05:49 PM
#7
Honestly, the bone-stock Micro T is a piece of junk.
HOWEVER, with a few hopups and modifications, it is a very well rounded and very fun little truck.
If you do the following upgrades to a stock Micro T you will enjoy it much more:
-Bearings in the wheels
-Lipo battery and charger
-an upgraded motor (Atomic BB2 is the best brushed motor)
-Aluminum tranny case (the stock one uses bushings instead of bearings and wears out quickly)
-Threaded axles (the stock e-clips are microscopically hard to put on and take off)
-RPM Bumper
Depending on where you get these hopups, they will run you about the price of the original truck. I got my aluminum tranny used so I saved some money there. If you can get the whole truck used with some of these hopups already done, that is even better.
Once you do these hopups, you will have a pretty solid, and very fast truck.
With this setup, I am easily hitting 20 MPH, which is crazy fast at 1/36 scale.
HOWEVER, with a few hopups and modifications, it is a very well rounded and very fun little truck.
If you do the following upgrades to a stock Micro T you will enjoy it much more:
-Bearings in the wheels
-Lipo battery and charger
-an upgraded motor (Atomic BB2 is the best brushed motor)
-Aluminum tranny case (the stock one uses bushings instead of bearings and wears out quickly)
-Threaded axles (the stock e-clips are microscopically hard to put on and take off)
-RPM Bumper
Depending on where you get these hopups, they will run you about the price of the original truck. I got my aluminum tranny used so I saved some money there. If you can get the whole truck used with some of these hopups already done, that is even better.
Once you do these hopups, you will have a pretty solid, and very fast truck.
With this setup, I am easily hitting 20 MPH, which is crazy fast at 1/36 scale.
Eh, sounds good, I may look into stuff like that.
02-08-2009, 05:52 PM
#8
Honestly, the bone-stock Micro T is a piece of junk.
HOWEVER, with a few hopups and modifications, it is a very well rounded and very fun little truck.
If you do the following upgrades to a stock Micro T you will enjoy it much more:
-Bearings in the wheels
-Lipo battery and charger
-an upgraded motor (Atomic BB2 is the best brushed motor)
-Aluminum tranny case (the stock one uses bushings instead of bearings and wears out quickly)
-Threaded axles (the stock e-clips are microscopically hard to put on and take off)
-RPM Bumper
Depending on where you get these hopups, they will run you about the price of the original truck. I got my aluminum tranny used so I saved some money there. If you can get the whole truck used with some of these hopups already done, that is even better.
Once you do these hopups, you will have a pretty solid, and very fast truck.
With this setup, I am easily hitting 20 MPH, which is crazy fast at 1/36 scale.
HOWEVER, with a few hopups and modifications, it is a very well rounded and very fun little truck.
If you do the following upgrades to a stock Micro T you will enjoy it much more:
-Bearings in the wheels
-Lipo battery and charger
-an upgraded motor (Atomic BB2 is the best brushed motor)
-Aluminum tranny case (the stock one uses bushings instead of bearings and wears out quickly)
-Threaded axles (the stock e-clips are microscopically hard to put on and take off)
-RPM Bumper
Depending on where you get these hopups, they will run you about the price of the original truck. I got my aluminum tranny used so I saved some money there. If you can get the whole truck used with some of these hopups already done, that is even better.
Once you do these hopups, you will have a pretty solid, and very fast truck.
With this setup, I am easily hitting 20 MPH, which is crazy fast at 1/36 scale.
02-08-2009, 06:21 PM
#9
I agree, the Micro-T out of the box is pretty bad. Both of the ones that i sold eventually had horrible QC issues. The transmission was tight and spur gear was wobbling. The response of the radio system is pretty slow; you can only get it to move with about 25-30% of throttle at least. The range on mine were pretty bad as well, only about 25ft.
02-09-2009, 05:33 PM
#10
Hate to say it but I concur with most of the posters above. These RC's need a little work to get running right.
I just bought a used Micro T ($45 with extra nimh battery) and a Desert Truck ($50 with two lipos). The Desert Truck was already hopped up a little with bearings and aluminum shocks so with the two lipos it was worth the $50. Ran pretty quick; so much so that if you're using it in the house, the brushless motor probably isn't worth the cost. The Micro T on the other hand was stock so I've had to replace the axles, bushings, and rebuild the tranny so that it comes close to running with the Desert Truck. Both already had non-stock steering arms. The GOOD thing is that the parts are very cheap - so much so that it's probably cheaper to buy from the LHS instead of online due to shipping cost.
My recommendation is to buy a used one and use the difference in price to start upgrading. I haven't seen a new one for less than $80 and you can get a used one for $50. I would also get the Desert Truck over the Micro T because it handles a LOT better, especially over jumps.
I just bought a used Micro T ($45 with extra nimh battery) and a Desert Truck ($50 with two lipos). The Desert Truck was already hopped up a little with bearings and aluminum shocks so with the two lipos it was worth the $50. Ran pretty quick; so much so that if you're using it in the house, the brushless motor probably isn't worth the cost. The Micro T on the other hand was stock so I've had to replace the axles, bushings, and rebuild the tranny so that it comes close to running with the Desert Truck. Both already had non-stock steering arms. The GOOD thing is that the parts are very cheap - so much so that it's probably cheaper to buy from the LHS instead of online due to shipping cost.
My recommendation is to buy a used one and use the difference in price to start upgrading. I haven't seen a new one for less than $80 and you can get a used one for $50. I would also get the Desert Truck over the Micro T because it handles a LOT better, especially over jumps.
02-12-2009, 11:43 PM
#11
Tech Apprentice
ive got the lipo brushless setup in my desert truck it turns laps about the same as the stock class 1/18 scale
02-13-2009, 05:02 AM
#12
Suspended
What planet are you from that you are getting a rc car complete with radio gearm, esc, upgraded motor, quality batteries, aluminum oil shocks, full bearings for 80 bucks? 
You probably want cvds and a cf chassis included also. You wanted a cheap rc and that is what you got.
You probably want cvds and a cf chassis included also. You wanted a cheap rc and that is what you got.Well, after pulling one of the DTs out of the box and juicing up the batt, I was initially disappointed. Unfortunately, like most of Losi's products, it needed work right out of the box.
My first pack lasted less than 1 minute, so the first thing I had to do, was cycle the 4.8v 150mAh battery pack a few times. While I was doing that I decided to pull the motor and break it in under water. Now with the pack well cycled, the motor broken in, and a few other adjustments, run times are in about the 5 minute range on the stock pack. There are 2 optional 7.4v lipo packs that Losi offers @ 180mAh and 300mAh for about 30-35 bucks. Run times are up considerably with the lipo packs, as is power, but at the cost of motor longevity for most people it seems. Of course Losi will sell you an upgrade motor.
The gearbox was also very (rediculously) tight out of the box, so I loosened up all the screws, like everyone else is doing, and after a few packs, the gearbox loosened up a bit. I dunno, it just seems as if you shouldn't have to go around with all these microscopic screws ready to fall out in order for a product to actually work the way it should. Of course Losi will sell you replacement screws.
The truck comes stock with toy quality plastic bushings in the front and rear hubs, which I replaced with 2x5x2.5mm bearings that came from an old helicopter kit we had lying around. Of course Losi will sell you a set of bearings as well.
The shocks on the thing were the next thing to be replaced. They were just little, toy quality,...junk, for lack of a better term. Offering no form of friction/dampening whatsoever and so, a very bouncy ride, with the stock springs. I had our machine shop proto up a set of over-sized, aluminum, oil filled, shocks, for me, that seem to be working out very, very well. This, along with the bearings and battery upgrade, seem to have transformed the little truck from an overpriced, Walmart quality toy, to almost an actual hobby grade RC bundle-O-fun. Of course Losi will sell you a set of oil filled shocks too.
Now if it sounds like I'm complaining, I am. Losi could have left out the 16 cheap AA batteries they supplied, as well as the silly AA powered charger and the other useless crap and put a little more into the truck itself. Having to research fixes for a brand new item is just ridiculous IMO, but unfortunately, we're seeing more and more of it in the hobby.
OK with all the bitching out of the way, the lil DT is actually fun! It's pretty much limited to smooth-ish surfaces (carpet, concrete, packed clay) because of it's size, but get a little track going and they're like slot cars without the slot! Plus the ability to jump! I grabbed some carpet remnants and hardboard and built a few jumps, banked turns etc, and it's just a blast to goof around with 3 or 4 of these little buggers on the track.
You can actually get an optional brushless motor and ESC for about 50-60 bucks, but it's just crazy overkill for this little truck.
Hopefully that will give you a little insight without being too wishy washy. Just plan on spending a bit more than the initial 90 bucks to get much fun out of these things.
My first pack lasted less than 1 minute, so the first thing I had to do, was cycle the 4.8v 150mAh battery pack a few times. While I was doing that I decided to pull the motor and break it in under water. Now with the pack well cycled, the motor broken in, and a few other adjustments, run times are in about the 5 minute range on the stock pack. There are 2 optional 7.4v lipo packs that Losi offers @ 180mAh and 300mAh for about 30-35 bucks. Run times are up considerably with the lipo packs, as is power, but at the cost of motor longevity for most people it seems. Of course Losi will sell you an upgrade motor.
The gearbox was also very (rediculously) tight out of the box, so I loosened up all the screws, like everyone else is doing, and after a few packs, the gearbox loosened up a bit. I dunno, it just seems as if you shouldn't have to go around with all these microscopic screws ready to fall out in order for a product to actually work the way it should. Of course Losi will sell you replacement screws.
The truck comes stock with toy quality plastic bushings in the front and rear hubs, which I replaced with 2x5x2.5mm bearings that came from an old helicopter kit we had lying around. Of course Losi will sell you a set of bearings as well.
The shocks on the thing were the next thing to be replaced. They were just little, toy quality,...junk, for lack of a better term. Offering no form of friction/dampening whatsoever and so, a very bouncy ride, with the stock springs. I had our machine shop proto up a set of over-sized, aluminum, oil filled, shocks, for me, that seem to be working out very, very well. This, along with the bearings and battery upgrade, seem to have transformed the little truck from an overpriced, Walmart quality toy, to almost an actual hobby grade RC bundle-O-fun. Of course Losi will sell you a set of oil filled shocks too.
Now if it sounds like I'm complaining, I am. Losi could have left out the 16 cheap AA batteries they supplied, as well as the silly AA powered charger and the other useless crap and put a little more into the truck itself. Having to research fixes for a brand new item is just ridiculous IMO, but unfortunately, we're seeing more and more of it in the hobby.
OK with all the bitching out of the way, the lil DT is actually fun! It's pretty much limited to smooth-ish surfaces (carpet, concrete, packed clay) because of it's size, but get a little track going and they're like slot cars without the slot! Plus the ability to jump! I grabbed some carpet remnants and hardboard and built a few jumps, banked turns etc, and it's just a blast to goof around with 3 or 4 of these little buggers on the track.
You can actually get an optional brushless motor and ESC for about 50-60 bucks, but it's just crazy overkill for this little truck.
Hopefully that will give you a little insight without being too wishy washy. Just plan on spending a bit more than the initial 90 bucks to get much fun out of these things.
02-13-2009, 05:29 AM
#14
Suspended
02-13-2009, 05:31 AM
#15
Suspended
