Losi TLR Tuned LMT

[bRIBEGuy]

You guys seen this yet!?!?

Oh man, this looks awesome!  And it's a KIT!

Release info is up on IG, but not on their website yet...

[bRIBEGuy]

Pics on Tower Hobbies...

https://www.towerhobbies.com/product/tlr-tuned-lmt-4wd-solid-axle-monster-truck-kit/LOS04027.html

[Kpowell911]

 

[bRIBEGuy]

The more I look at this, the more I am (personally) conflicted...

Don't get me wrong, I think this looks AWESOME, and I am VERY excited (didn't you see the excessive Caps Lock usage?) that it is a kit..... BUT...

I don't race MT's.

Now, I'm quick to admit that I LOVE monster trucks, and I have my fair share of them on the shelf.  The last time I hit a track with one though was a loooooooong time ago (like 15 years?), and there is nothing currently setup for a race series anywhere even remotely near to where I am.  So I don't really need a race truck.

When the LMT was released, it was instantly on my "must have list"... except that I never ended up actually pulling the trigger on one.  When I looked at it openly and honestly, it just represented more money then I wanted to spend, since I would be swapping out the radio gear, servo, possibly the motor/ESC, and then adding a few hop ups.  I pined over the roller a bit, but I really liked the gravedigger green, and honestly, no one local opted to stock them.  I went back and forth on what to buy, and in the end... still didn't pull the trigger.

Now THIS version looks awesome... except that it also doesn't.  Again, TO ME. 

I love the fact that it is a kit. 

It has some great hop ups included (aluminum bits and bigger bearings). 

Carbon always looks rad. 

But I don't like the link mounted shocks (calm down, I'll explain...), and I feel like it's a bit expensive considering it has no electronics, body, wheels, or tires (Yes, I'm being THAT guy).

For me, I want my MT's to handle reasonably well, but I also want them to look cool and somewhat scale.  IMO, Straight Axle MT's all handle like garbage compared to independent suspension, and honestly that is part of the charm to me.  If I want foolproof stability I'll grab my brushless converted Savage.  But when I want fun... it's a SMT10 or Clod-based rig.  As such... I like LOOOOOOONG axle mounted shocks, and this upgraded kit lacks that.

So what is an armchair scholar/keyboard warrior to do?  Ponder options and continue to talk random smack?  Put my money where my mouth is and buy something?  Start a race league to justify the kit as is?

Hmmmm............

[markbt73]

Six hundred bucks? No thanks.

[Saito2]

I think this is fantastic news for the guys that are into racing these. They really are, by all accounts, a game changer in the world of solid axle monster truck racing. The fact its a kit and looks beautiful with all those upgraded materials is tempting...

But, its not. Not for me anyway. I admit, my kneejerk reaction was lust after seeing this. The lack of a kit version was always a no-go for me. Not only is that most of the fun, I feel awful having someone in factory halfway around world build me, what is basically, a plaything. Its not like they could ever afford one themselves. Now, getting off my soapbox...

I knew the LMT  was bound to happen in some way or another. Solid axle MT racing has quietly been in the shadows for many years. It enjoyed the home-spun ingenuity phase of a subset of our hobby for a long time, similar to crawlers BITD. But, I knew once something gained enough recognition, the "RC10" version would eventually come to market and bury all that. The SMT10 was a welcome addition for me because it still required work and inventiveness, just not as much as the Clod. The LMT was game over though.  I could never drop that kind of money on something. Maybe a cheaper second hand version that needed a total overhaul would entice me but, in the end, I like to tinker which keeps me wheelin' a Clod. I'm stubborn like that.

The above sentiments are not meant to gatekeep however. The beauty of the LMT is it allows access for those with the funds to get into solid axle trucks with a good product right off the bat. Navigating the world of mod-Clods could certainly be intimidating to the newcomer, not to mention confusing. For those folks, I'm happy. I guess I'm just a little sad to see the evolution/experimental phase slip away from this last hold out in our hobby.

 

 

[bRIBEGuy]

4 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

I could never drop that kind of money on something. Maybe a cheaper second hand version that needed a total overhaul would entice me but, in the end, I like to tinker which keeps me wheelin' a Clod. I'm stubborn like that.

The above sentiments are not meant to gatekeep however. The beauty of the LMT is it allows access for those with the funds to get into solid axle trucks with a good product right off the bat. Navigating the world of mod-Clods could certainly be intimidating to the newcomer, not to mention confusing. For those folks, I'm happy. I guess I'm just a little sad to see the evolution/experimental phase slip away from this last hold out in our hobby.

I hear ya that the costs thing is a tough pill to swallow (something in a roundabout way I've been meaning to start a general thread about...), especially depending on where you live.  An RTR LMT is up to $885-$950 here in Canada, and on the rare occasion that they pop up used, they tend to still fetch north of $700.  Essentially getting into straight axle monster trucks is $1000 commitment here now...
Considering that the Tuned Kit is only $50 cheaper than an RTR in the USA means that up here, it will likely be ~$825.  Add in a body, wheels and tires, electronics..... ya, I don't even want to do the math.

[ad456]

I’ll echo everyone above. This is a race weapon, that’s all. No use to me. That carbon fibre wouldn’t last long off of a track setting with me driving. 
Sure does look nice but that’s getting expensive before I drive it and I dare say it’ll need some tweaks on top of the motor, esc, decent servo, body, tires, wheels and paint. It’s a racing truck and I’m no racer. 

Shame they don’t bring back the OG kit, that’s a bit more accessible wallet wise but my stables full for monsters just now. 

[tamiya_1971]

I like this, and I love my current LMT. I can't see shelling out $599 for it ($399 I'd consider it). 

Here's an overpriced Losi new release: https://www.losi.com/product/1-10-rzr-rey-4wd-brushless-rtr-polaris/LOS03029T1.html. Can be yours for $619. And people make fun of Tamiya's goofy rc's....

 

[ad456]

Bet that Polaris sells well initially but yeah it’s a bit odd. 

[Saito2]

Seriously, my old boss would have killed to have a 1:1 version of those, but his wife held the purse strings. Its the only thing he cared about besides hunting and killing things. Maybe he can have this little version if he asks nicely.... I love the part in the promo video where there cut all the ridiculous "tough" sounding heavy guitar music and for a split second and one just hears the RCs' electric motors as they scoot by. Always a harsh reminder that these are just little toys in the end. Fun toys we all love, but still toys behind all that heavy guitar and video production.

[Mad Ax]

I guess I'm in the same boat as many others here - I love the engineering, I love that it's a kit, and I guess I like that it's an accessible way into MT racing for those who can do it.  OK, it's not cheap, but then again, neither is building a properly raceable mod-clod.

But, like others, for me, solid axle trucking is all about looking and driving like the real thing.  They should be bouncy, wobbly and slightly awkward, and they should look as much like the real thing as possible.  IMO the standard truck totally nailed this, with the chassis design, internal cage, driver cockpit and scale details.  This new truck detracts from that.

Also, on closer inspection, although it has a lot of visual impact, it looks a bit of a mish-mash.  The side plates for the roll cage section, especially around the shoulder line, don't really seem to follow a common line.  If this was something somebody had made in their garage then that would be fair enough, but for something with a big price ticket, a little thought about aesthetics wouldn't go amiss.  Maybe there's a perfectly good technical reason why it's like that, but I suspect it was designed flat, then modified here and there to iron out some teething problems, and then never tidied up afterwards.  I know looks aren't really important in racing, but it almost looks half-finished.

There's probably a perfectly good reason why the battery tray is angled forwards, but it makes the rear section look like it's hanging off the back like it isn't bolted on properly.

I love my LMT, I love that I can just throw a pack in and drive it at some ramps and let it fly, I love how it looks and how it drives, and although I'm really impressed by this new version, I don't think I have any need for it in my life.

If I was racing, however...

[RustyHunter]

Agreed with others' thoughts on the price. Anyone else notice they're describing it as a limited release? Makes me wonder if it's really limited, or if they're just testing the waters on how well sales go.

[87lc2]

Swing and a miss from Losi in my opinion.  You guys are right about the price also, its insane.  They would have had much more succes releasing a bare bones roller kit or even just an axle kit.  This is obviously geared towards racers (and that's great, I race 3-4 times a month these days and love the support), but any serious racer has already built an LMT-based race rig that will outperform this truck.  The geometry is just appalling - lower links should be parallel with the ground, why is this sitting so high?  If the links were parallel as they should be there would be zero shock travel...The sway bar geometry is way off as well, doens't make any sense.  

I can guarantee my most recent LMT-based race rig shown below would be equal to (or probably better) than this kit when set up as shown out of the box.

If this were $3-400 like it should have been I'd buy one just to support their cause, but I think they really missed the mark on this release.  Also a bit glad I dont feel compelled to buy one as my LMT based Warpath 4 chassis is finally shipping this week!  Really excited about this thing, was lucky enough to get one of the first preorders.  

 

[87lc2]

To follow up - I've been debating this truck with fellow racers for the past few days and most of us can't figure out who this is geard towards as I said earlier.  Someone did bring up a good point - It's a limited release (which apparently Losi has done for racers in the past) so it will mainly hold value for collectors.  Not sure how true this is as I'm not a collector, but I'd think some of you here could relate if it were Tamiya?   I mean they did just release another color of the Clod that everyone just had to have, and its essentially the same truck they've been making since '87.  Not a direct comparison, just a thought.  

[Bash]

17 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

There's probably a perfectly good reason why the battery tray is angled forwards, but it makes the rear section look like it's hanging off the back like it isn't bolted on properly.

 

It's to lower the CG, there are a few popular aftermaket battery trays that put it lower in the chassis.

As someone with limited solid axle MT experience (Drove a stock Clod a few tims and own a CEN MT), I really don't know what they are getting at with this, seems like the truly hardcore like @87lc2 are just going to by a good aftermaket chassis and swap in the LMT driveline. Price is probably too high as well, the other TLR tuned car the Horizon did, the Arrma Typhon was priced at $420 (nice), which is a good chunk less than most other 1/8 kits on the market today, the HB Racing E819RS that I bought used in the past year goes for about $680. Even though it's a fairly old design at this point, there are a few TLR Typhons that race locally and they do really well for a budget racer.  

[joeling]

Looks great. Any recommendation for wheels / tires and body ? Thanks.

[toyolien]

Team Losi huh?

Here today, clearance and discontinued tomorrow....

[one_hit]

45 minutes ago, toyolien said:

Team Losi huh?

Here today, clearance and discontinued tomorrow....

Just like Tamiya USA huh?
 

TRF201 $585 today, drop to $199 on clearance sale then discontinued? 

[toyolien]

19 minutes ago, one_hit said:

Just like Tamiya USA huh?
 

TRF201 $585 today, drop to $199 on clearance sale then discontinued? 

I guess so, but the 201 is an old kit to start with...

[one_hit]

48 minutes ago, toyolien said:

I guess so, but the 201 is an old kit to start with...

It’s not just the 201, Tamiya USA does clearance on their excess, slow moving, about to be discontinued inventory. How do I know? Ask me how I got my Vajra. 

 

[Elbowloh]

I wish we had Tamiya clearance here in the UK!