LRP Blast S10-SC Review

For years LRP has been a leader in making quality RC products for the hobbyist. Although it comes as a ready-to-run, the LRP Blast S10 SC 2 4X4 Short Course truck also has many of the features you would find on a top level racer. Its ability to be set up with many adjustment options allows the RC driver to adapt the truck to several different driving conditions. The Blast S10-SC 2 shares similar characteristics in its design to the proven platform LRP has used in the truggy and monster truck versions. This 4X4 short course truck provides a terrific balance of ease of driving and all-out performance! The smaller tires help to keep the center of gravity lower, which makes it a nice, do-it-all vehicle either for the track or your favorite bash site.

REVIEWER’S OPINION
Getting into 4X4 short course vehicles can often be a costly endeavor. The LRP Blast S10-SC offers a perfect balance of value and performance for the individual who wants to get home from the local hobby shop and be driving that afternoon.

TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES INCLUDED
• Wall mount battery charger

ITEMS NEEDED
•  8 “AA” batteries for the transmitter

ITEMS USED
•  LRP 2.4GHz FHSS A2-STX Pro radio    system

HOP-UPS WE RECOMMEND
• No manufacturer hop-ups found at this time.

FEATURE BREAKDOWN
Chassis: The chassis on the Blast S10 SC features a black plastic construction in a tub like shape. The center driveshaft extends directly through the center with the spur gear mounted toward the back end. The battery lies low and on the left side while the servo, ESC, motor and receiver are all located on the right-hand side of the chassis. Some really cool blue anodized parts are thrown in as well, like the motor mount and front suspension arm holders. The trick looking pieces really spice up the look of this truck while it is on the workbench or in the pit area at your local race.

Suspension: Adjustable, big bore shocks grace the Blast S10 SC on all four corners. The emphasis of the suspension on this truck is to offer all the ingredients needed for perfect handling characteristics right from the LRP factory. The Blast S10 SC 2 gives you many additional options to fine tune the suspension for a variety of track conditions. Its shocks are threaded for setting your ideal ride height. You can choose three different shock mounting locations on the upper shock mounts and two lower mounting points which gives the shocks several different angles to choose from. All of these are similar features that you would find on any racing truck out there on the market.

Steering: LRP equipped the Blast S10 SC with its R-7103WP steering servo. This stock servo offers plenty of performance for general bashing with the occasional race night thrown in. The servo connects to a dual bell crank steering rack that offers smooth steering motion to the outer steering components. The anti-sway bars front and rear keep the truck flat and planted while cornering by not allowing it to roll too much in the corners. This allows you to give it more gas than is needed to spin all four tires violently toward the next obstacle which is what 4X4 short course performance is all about.

Drivetrain: LRP includes a completely sealed drivetrain on the Blast S10 SC for worry-free driving through muddy or dusty situations. A traction inspiring adjustable torque controlling slipper clutch mounted toward the rear of the vehicle transitions power to both the front and rear steel gear diffs. Sending power to the front of the truck is a long, centrally mounted blue anodized drive shaft. The front of the truck comes standard with CVD’s to give the driver a more consistent feel which translates to a more controlled driving experience.

Additional Features: 4X4 off-road short course driving often results in hitting track boundaries or curbs. LRP includes strong front and side protection to protect the heart of the truck from damage from such an impact. Keeping things running smooth as silk are complete ball bearings throughout the truck. The burly rear bumper protects the rear end from impact while also adding an element of realism in the mounted rubber mud flaps. At both the front and rear are adjustable turnbuckles to help fine tune your settings for various tracks or bashing grounds. The VTEC tires offered a reasonable amount of grip for a stock RTR tire. Finishing off the truck is a cool-looking body with a cool color scheme to help it stand out while on the track.

ON THE TRACK
After I eagerly waited for my first battery pack to charge I was off to a bash session in the back of my work building where we have a gravel pit. The brushless motor came to life as I mashed the throttle, easily spinning all four tires which threw a decent amount of roost. The mud flaps actually kept some of the debris from shooting back which added a bit of function to the realistic look. To test out the turning ability I did several figure eights, both small and large, in order to get used to how the truck performed while changing direction. The truck was able to go into a really fun but controlled power slide which was addicting. It seemed to stay planted and didn’t roll too much thanks to the front and rear sway bars. I then sized up a couple of ramps on the big gravel piles to test out the truck’s flight characteristics. As I went up the jump faces the truck stayed nice and flat upon take off. Once airborne I was able to easily level the truck’s pitch with a quick stab at the throttle to bring the front up, or the brake to bring the front end down. The large, big bore shocks handled the landings nicely which allowed for me to keep things moving forward quickly and predictably. After a couple of tumbles, I was happy to see that the truck came out with nothing but a little dirt on the body and a big smile on my face. I’m confident that with more time on the track and playing with different settings, this could be a great truck for those who would like to mix it up a bit.

SPECS AND TUNING OPTIONS

DIMENSIONS
LENGTH: 518mm
WIDTH: 297mm
WHEELBASE: 332mm
WEIGHT: 7500 grams

BODY, WHEELS AND TIRES
BODY: Pre-painted and cut Short Course
WHEELS: Black 8 spoke rims
WHEEL ADAPTER TYPE: Hex
TIRES: VTEC high-grip

SUSPENSION
TYPE: 4-wheel independent
SHOCK POSITIONS: (F) 3-tower, 2-arm, (R) 3-tower, 2-arm
CAMBER: Adjustable turnbuckles
ROLL: Adjustable
WHEELBASE: Adjustable
RIDE HEIGHT: Adjustable

STEERING
TYPE: Dual bell crank
TOE: Adjustable

CHASSIS
TYPE: Tray type (tub)
MATERIAL: Composite
THICKNESS: N/A

DRIVETRAIN
TYPE: 4WD
TRANSMISSION: Gear rear-mounted
DIFFERENTIAL: Gear diff
GEAR RATIO: Optional pinion gears
BEARINGS: Ball bearings
CLUTCH TYPE: Slipper

RATING TALLY
Opinion: 9
Performance – Acceleration: 8
Performance – Steering: 9
Performance – Handling: 9.5
Performance – Durability: 8.5
Feature Breakdown: 9
Overall Value: 9.5

WRAP UP
The LRP crew did an excellent job to make this platform work as an excellent 4X4 short course truck. For those entertaining the idea of entering the off- road RC world I would highly recommend considering the Blast S10 SC 2. It is easy to get started with right out of the box and offers plenty of customizable settings so you can take it out into a variety of bashing and racing settings. This level of diversity makes it a no-brainer and one solid, do-it-all RC truck.

LINKS
LRP,lrp-americastore.com (949) 276-6060