My local hobby shop and track, RC Madness in Enfield Connecticut recently ran a special promotion selling the Losi XXX SCB for $199.99 with a $50 rebate in the form of a gift card. They sold so many that a Tuesday night SCB spec racing series was formed for the new buggy owners and it ran for eight weeks. At the end of the series it was decided to keep the spec class, where the XXX SCB had to remain in stock form, and add an open class for the guys that just had to mod their machines for more power and performance. When that happened, my ears perked up and I decided to get my own XXX SCB ready for racing again, this time in the open class.
UPGRADES
With the offer of an open short course buggy class, I decided to go all out and make my XXX SCB the most competitive vehicle on the track. The most obvious choice to get started with was the TLR Tuning Kit for the XXX SCB and XXX SCT. It comes with all the parts the Team Losi Racing division felt were necessary to bring the SCB or SCT platform to the next level in racing. First and most importantly the kit includes a ball diff and additional transmission components to help the buggy put down the power going though a corner. EA3 composite suspension arms, 4 degree rear pivot block, aluminum rear hubs, and much more are also included to aid in tuning, improve handling and increase performance. If purchased individually these items would exceed $300, but when purchased all together in the Tuning Kit the price is just $129.99.
While the TLR Tuning kit comes with new shocks, I set them aside in favor of something even better! I went with new big bore shocks used on the TLR 22T stadium truck. These are the latest and greatest shocks from Losi/TLR and feature a large bore for superior dampening and all new springs. I felt these would really give my XX SCB an edge over the competition. I also added front and rear sway bars to the SCB. This I felt would help eliminate some chassis roll and increase cornering speed. Lastly, I installed the aluminum rear wheel hexes. They help the tires run straight and true and will prevent the wheels from being over-tightened.
ELECTRONICS UPGRADE
Next step was a complete electronics upgrade. I set the stock ESC, motor and servo aside and started with a new Tekin RS Pro brushless ESC. The RS Pro has a very small footprint, is equipped with external soldering posts to make wiring very neat and clean and can be externally programmed with the Tekin Hotwire and a PC. I then installed a Thunder Power RC Z3R-S 10.5 brushless motor because it has phenomenal speed and torque. To increase steering speed I went with a Spektrum S6040 steering servo as it is plenty quick with more than enough torque to push the wheels from side to side. I kept the stock receiver, but ditched the stock transmitter in favor of my trusty Spektrum DX3R Pro. The DX3R Pro is a top of the line transmitter loaded with fine tuning options that racers really want.
NEW KICKS
Time for some new shoes too! The stock tires are good all-around units, but were well worn and in need of replacing so I opted for AKA Enduro tires with closed cell red inserts. I felt these tires had a decent lug and would give good grip at my test track.
BUILDING NOTES
With the shopping list complete it was time to get wrenching! My XXX SCB was well used so I tore it down to the chassis to install the new goodies. This is time consuming, but is a great way to thoroughly clean it and check for worn parts. Since so much was being replaced with the addition of the TLR Tuning Kit and other performance enhancing parts, it now feels like a fresh, new vehicle with little to no runtime on it. When building the new big bore 22T shocks, I used 35wt oil all the way around as I felt this was a good all-around starting point.
PERFORMANCE
With the XXX SCB completely rebuilt, I headed to the track to throw down some laps. The most apparent improvement was the increase in speed and power from the Tekin RS Pro ESC and Thunder Power RC Z3RS 10.5 turn motor. As soon as I squeezed the trigger on my DX3R Pro, the XXX SCB took off throwing dirt up in the air. As it quickly headed down the straight-a-way to the first turn I had a chance to get a feel for the suspension. The track was in rough shape, but the new 22T big bore shocks did a fantastic job keeping the AKA Enduros in contact with the ground, allowing the SCB to smoothly navigate the track. Cornering was much improved too. I was able to enter corners much faster as the SCB felt much more stable and was also able to get back on the throttle quicker without fear of spinning out. This is most likely due to the AKA Enduros and ball diff. Even before the performance improvements the XXX SCB jumped well, now, it jumps as good as any vehicle I have ever driven! It jumps flat and level, even when not hitting a jump perfectly square, and lands as if it were on a cushion, allowing me to get right back on the throttle.
WRAP-UP
I have been a big fan of the Losi XXX SCB since it was first released and feel that it came well equipped for the price point. Now, completely decked out from bumper to bumper, it has what it takes to compete at the highest level. It is considerably quicker, more durable, handles better and is even more adjustable. Sure, this cost a pretty penny, but I am quite positive it will be the most competitive short course buggy on the track the next time I head out to race!
ITEMS USED
• AKA Enduro Tires with Red Inserts (13002SR, $25.99)
• Losi Front Sway Bar Kit (LOSB2048, $11.99)
• Losi Rear Sway Bar Kit (LOSB2226, $16.99)
• Losi Aluminum Rear Hex Adapters (LOSB3496, $11.99)
• Spektrum S6040 Steering Servo (SPMSS6040, $109.99)
• TLR Tuning Kit (TLR0900, $129.99)
• TLR 22T/SCT Front Shock Kit (TLR5071, $44.99)
• TLR 22T/SCT Rear Shock Kit (TLR5072, $49.49)
• Tekin RS Pro ESC (TT1153, $219.99)
• Thunder Power RC Z3R-S 10.5 Turn Brushless Motor (TPM-540A105, $84.99)
Links
AKA raceaka.com, 951-677-2500
Losi losi.com, 877-504-0233
Spektrum spektrumrc.com, 800-338-4639
TLR tlracing.com, 877-504-0233
Tekin teamtekin.com, 208-634-5559
Thunder Power RCthunderpowerrc.com, 702-228-8883
