Quick Look – LC Racing EMB-TGH 1/14 Racing Truggy
Vehicles on the smaller size of the spectrum have long been my specialty. I like that due to their size they can be used in smaller spaces, they tend to cost less so those on a budget can get a decent vehicle at a good price, and they often have the same features as their larger counterparts. The EMB-T from LC Racing and distributed by Warren RC in the United States embodies all of the above and more.
AT A GLANCE
WHO MAKES IT: LC Racing
WHO IT’S FOR: Everyone
HOW MUCH: $224.95
BUILD TYPE: RTR
PROS & CONS
+ Uses standard size 1/10 rear tires and rims
+ Very stable
+ Plush suspension set-up
+ 35A waterproof brushless esc
+ Great gear cover
+ Larger than average brushless motor
+ Quick/strong steering servo
+ Comes standard with CVD type universal joints on the front end
– Not as wide as other 1:14 truggy type vehicles
– Not a fan of the stock battery connectors
FEATURE BREAKDOWN
– A rigid 2.5mm thick aluminum plate chassis is the backbone of the LC Racing EMB-T. Because it is it is longer than the chassis used on the buggy version that LC Racing offers there is plenty of room to space out the electronics without a rats nest of wiring. The layout is seamless as the battery is secured to the left hand side of the chassis with an easy to use Velcro strap and the steering servo, receiver and brushless motor on the right hand side. The programmable 35A waterproof esc is secured to the top deck right about in the middle of everything. Speaking of the motor, it is 4500KV is measures 28mm x 50mm. In comparison, motors in similar vehicles with the same KV measure just 24mm x 38mm. The upper chassis deck is made from composite plastic and attaches to the rear diff housing, spur gear mount, steering bellcrank and front diff housing.
– The first word that comes to mind with describing the suspension on the EMB-T from LC Racing is plush. The stock oil and spring combination are super smooth and allow the suspension arms to sit perfectly level when a battery pack is installed. As the suspension compresses there is a progressive feel to prevent the chassis from bottoming out too. The shocks themselves features threaded aluminum bodies to make preload adjustments painless, and the caps feature bleeder holes to make rebuilding shocks or oil changes quick and easy. All four of the suspension arms have adjustable droop screws to help alter ride height without having to tweak the shock spring preload. To further tune the suspension there are multiple camber turnbuckle mounting location in both the front and rear shock tower, helping make the EMB-T as adjustable, if not more than, some full-sized 1/10 and 1/8 vehicles.
– The dual bellcrank steering set-up on the EMB-T utilizes a spring loaded servo into the right hand side of the bellcrank. The dual bellcranks ride on a total of four ball rubber sealed bearings for smooth performance. The stock, D115F steering servo performs well and has really good speed and torque right out of the box so you won’t need to seek an upgrade even if you race.
– A near friction free shaft-driven drivetrain is employed on the EMB-T. To start, the pinion gear on the motor drives a plastic 60-tooth spur gear that is part of the slipper assembly. Both the front and rear differentials and each utilized a pair of spider gears (this can easily be upgraded to 4 spider gears should the user see fit) are of the sealed gear variety and utilize near indestructible metal gears. Power is carried from the back end, where the spur and slipper assembly are located, to the front by way of an eye catching red anodized dogbone style shaft. Long dogbones in the back and CVD universals on the front transfer power from the differentials to the wheels.
– Being more than an RTR, the EMB-T comes with nearly everything you need to get going. To start, it comes with a 6-cell NiMH battery pack and trickle wall charger. The 4500Kv brushless motor is fairly quick with the stock battery but really gets the wheels spinning when powered by an aftermarket 2S LiPo battery pack (see below). The radio system is really good too The Bantan transmitters has a great feel and is paired to a small BT-R2 2-channel receiver.
OUT FOR A QUICK DRIVE –
The EMB-T we received came with a clear body. Wanting it to look phenomenal I sent it off to one of our very skilled painters to get some custom colors applied. Still, not wanting to wait for the body to come back before I gave it a try I gently drove it up and down the street with the sock NiMH battery then with the 2S LiPo pack that Warren RC/LC Racing sent us.
With the stock NiMH battery the EMB-T had good speed, making it ideal for a beginner as even at top speed it was still very easy to control. There was no wheel spin and and when making a 180-degree turn at near full speed there was not much fear of a roll over.
With the 2S LiPo battery, on the other hand, the EMB-T was downright fast! The front tires would quickly jerk up when I ripped the throttle back and the truggy took off like a rocket. While I wanted to keep having fun I knew better since I was driving it without the body and after a minute or 2 brought it back into my workshop.
Keep checking back as we will finish our review of the EMB-T with a full test drive once the body is back!
