I haven't seen much written about this truck, thought I'd offer some thoughts since I've had mine a little bit now. I really wanted the nitro version, but the issues with the transmission turned me away...for now anyway.
I bought it on a whim since I can't easily adjust the throttle endpoint on my LMT (that was my excuse, anyway) and I wanted one my kid could drive with the throttle toned down. I pulled it out and it was much larger than I had anticipated and the stance on it was very different than my LMT, it reminded me of a lower slung MT, somewhere between the Maxx and LMT.
The body is amazing and fairly thick, despite being smashed into concrete, trees, dirt, and fences, it has held up really well. The paint is missing in a few spots and it's obviously skidded across my driveway several times, but from about 10ft away, you would never know it. It uses clips to hold in place, which is annoying compared to the LMT, but not a huge deal. I've beat it up pretty hard and it has skidded on the roof or landed on the backside numerous times, but it isn't in pieces like some of the others I have.
What has really surprised me is the durability. My LMT broke halfway through every pack I ran through it in the first 6 or 7 packs: axles, steering rods, servos, receiver, shocks, chassis supports, and a few things I'm sure I forgot about. To solve this, I had to go spend like $350 on alloy axles, which ultimately resulted in it holding up better, but was a tough sell that I wish wasn't necessary. In contrast, I've driven the new USA-1 the exact same way, put it through the same abuse (except maybe backflips), and the only thing that has happened is a bolt backed out on the drive shaft and it fell off. It's been subject to the same asphalt tumbles and hits, but has kept on going perfectly. The axles, in particular, seem more robust and stronger than the stock LMTs and the stock c-hubs are metal, which was a pleasant surprise.
That said, driving it is a bit of a different experience. The steering, tbh, sucks. It reminds me of Clodbusters in that there are long, thin rods that connect to the servo in the middle, which bend and flex. The connection on the front axle to distribute the steering to both wheels wobbles and there is no amount of tightening it down that keep it steady. Under power, you can see the front of the truck wobbling around a bit. It also understeers, badly. It is a lot touchier and more difficult to control, but once you get a feel for it, I've found it more stable and forgiving than the LMT especially at speed. It is slung lower and seems to hug the ground a bit more. The tires, while soft and grippy, are already showing wear though and they seem to sortof fold a bit under heavy load, I think some thicker foams would be justified.
The other beef I have with it is the exposed pinion/spur and chain. I think this mechanism will last a while, but it also looks like it would pick up and sling dirt and accelerate wear. The LMT is fully sealed and has the damper on the drivetrain that prevents damage from heavy braking, which is better, but even driving the USA-1 the same, I haven't seen anything wear excessively.
The ESC is programmable, which is nice, because you'll need to program it. The stock braking % is something like 25%, which is massively insufficient. I increased it to 75% and it makes it a lot easier to control especially in the air off jumps. I've seen a lot of people complain about this, but not realize that you can program several variables in the ESC, this included.
The battery mounting is a little weird. I use 2 2S batteries with a form factor meant to mimic old battery styles. You can use 1 4S/3S/2S, but the two on either side I would expect helps balance. In any case, the battery mounting is very secure, which is nice considering my LMT dumps batteries all the time in stock form. They aren't going anywhere in the Kyosho and they are protected by the plastic shell.
Overall, I really like it. If I had it as my first MT instead of the LMT, I'd probably have been happier in stock form. It's taken a beating and nothing has broken. The LMT is a little more engaging to drive, but it will require modification right out of the gate if you drive it the way that I do, the Kyosho has held up a lot better. I have the 4WS kit on the way, which should add some interesting dynamics to it, but it'll be Jan or Feb before it arrives. I never had the chance to own any old school MTs (my Clod still needs the last few steps of assembly), so I never had the OG USA-1, but I've really enjoyed this one even if it is a bit more tedious in some aspects than more modern ones I've owned.
I really wish the nitro version didn't have the issues it has. Apparently folks have been stripping gears in the 3 speed transmission due to it coming loose or the bearings failing, which kindof stinks. I might get one anyway though...
I bought it on a whim since I can't easily adjust the throttle endpoint on my LMT (that was my excuse, anyway) and I wanted one my kid could drive with the throttle toned down. I pulled it out and it was much larger than I had anticipated and the stance on it was very different than my LMT, it reminded me of a lower slung MT, somewhere between the Maxx and LMT.
The body is amazing and fairly thick, despite being smashed into concrete, trees, dirt, and fences, it has held up really well. The paint is missing in a few spots and it's obviously skidded across my driveway several times, but from about 10ft away, you would never know it. It uses clips to hold in place, which is annoying compared to the LMT, but not a huge deal. I've beat it up pretty hard and it has skidded on the roof or landed on the backside numerous times, but it isn't in pieces like some of the others I have.
What has really surprised me is the durability. My LMT broke halfway through every pack I ran through it in the first 6 or 7 packs: axles, steering rods, servos, receiver, shocks, chassis supports, and a few things I'm sure I forgot about. To solve this, I had to go spend like $350 on alloy axles, which ultimately resulted in it holding up better, but was a tough sell that I wish wasn't necessary. In contrast, I've driven the new USA-1 the exact same way, put it through the same abuse (except maybe backflips), and the only thing that has happened is a bolt backed out on the drive shaft and it fell off. It's been subject to the same asphalt tumbles and hits, but has kept on going perfectly. The axles, in particular, seem more robust and stronger than the stock LMTs and the stock c-hubs are metal, which was a pleasant surprise.
That said, driving it is a bit of a different experience. The steering, tbh, sucks. It reminds me of Clodbusters in that there are long, thin rods that connect to the servo in the middle, which bend and flex. The connection on the front axle to distribute the steering to both wheels wobbles and there is no amount of tightening it down that keep it steady. Under power, you can see the front of the truck wobbling around a bit. It also understeers, badly. It is a lot touchier and more difficult to control, but once you get a feel for it, I've found it more stable and forgiving than the LMT especially at speed. It is slung lower and seems to hug the ground a bit more. The tires, while soft and grippy, are already showing wear though and they seem to sortof fold a bit under heavy load, I think some thicker foams would be justified.
The other beef I have with it is the exposed pinion/spur and chain. I think this mechanism will last a while, but it also looks like it would pick up and sling dirt and accelerate wear. The LMT is fully sealed and has the damper on the drivetrain that prevents damage from heavy braking, which is better, but even driving the USA-1 the same, I haven't seen anything wear excessively.
The ESC is programmable, which is nice, because you'll need to program it. The stock braking % is something like 25%, which is massively insufficient. I increased it to 75% and it makes it a lot easier to control especially in the air off jumps. I've seen a lot of people complain about this, but not realize that you can program several variables in the ESC, this included.
The battery mounting is a little weird. I use 2 2S batteries with a form factor meant to mimic old battery styles. You can use 1 4S/3S/2S, but the two on either side I would expect helps balance. In any case, the battery mounting is very secure, which is nice considering my LMT dumps batteries all the time in stock form. They aren't going anywhere in the Kyosho and they are protected by the plastic shell.
Overall, I really like it. If I had it as my first MT instead of the LMT, I'd probably have been happier in stock form. It's taken a beating and nothing has broken. The LMT is a little more engaging to drive, but it will require modification right out of the gate if you drive it the way that I do, the Kyosho has held up a lot better. I have the 4WS kit on the way, which should add some interesting dynamics to it, but it'll be Jan or Feb before it arrives. I never had the chance to own any old school MTs (my Clod still needs the last few steps of assembly), so I never had the OG USA-1, but I've really enjoyed this one even if it is a bit more tedious in some aspects than more modern ones I've owned.
I really wish the nitro version didn't have the issues it has. Apparently folks have been stripping gears in the 3 speed transmission due to it coming loose or the bearings failing, which kindof stinks. I might get one anyway though...
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