ECX Smash 1/18 Monster Truck

[The Brand]

Before purchase of any hobby grade RC, you should get to know the brand a bit. ECX is a sister company of Losi, which is one of the largest names in RC. That means plenty of parts support and following.

[The Truck]

There was once a revolutionary truck in the 90's called the Mini-T, put out by Losi. This truck, the ECX Smash, is just a rebranded Mini-T. Losi was tired of carrying the model so it handed the designs off to it's new upstart brand, ECX. So what does that mean for you? PARTS!!!! Since the truck is a remake of a proven and timeless set-up, there is nearly endless parts on the web to be found. This means you can truly customize the truck and make it your own.

The Smash measures about 9.5 inches long, and is based on a monster truck design. Under the body there are 4 friction springs, a motor, ECX and RX combo as well as a micro servo. All of the electronics are average to low quality. However what your really paying for is the plaform. THere are tons of better setups you can put in this truck.

The wheels are large enough to tackle many obstacles, yet they dont have much tread. The design is perfect for street racing, or maybe some light offroading... but certainly not in deep mud.

[Radio]

The included radio is a standard AM radio set. However this is one of the best parts of the truck! The remote has adjustable trims, ESC control and it just feels good in the hand.

[Battery/Charger]

They include a battery pack that requires 4 AA's. This is a severely weak point in the truck. It burns through batteries like no ones business. Just go out and grab even the simplest NIMH pack from your local hobby shop and you can get nearly double the performance out of the truck.

***TEST TIME****

As usual, I test my RC vehicles on three terrains; Dirt Track, High Traction, and Heavy Off-Road. So let's hit each one up and see how it does!

[Dirt Track]

Driving up and down the track with this little guy is a blast! Dont look for perfect performance due to the friction shocks (They make the truck REALLY bouncey). The speed is limited by the terrible battery set-up, but the truck is fully controllable.

[High Traction]

For my high traction test, I hit the carpet. The slower speeds and great steering make this ideal for indoor use. Also, since carpet is even, those cheap shocks are nit much of an issue. The truck performed well and I even had fun with a little track made in my living room.

[Off Road]

I more did this for laughs. The Smash is just so tiny, it had trouble navigating the dirt and often got stuck. Those tires do provide ample clearance, its just the lack of power due to the battery.

[Final Thoughts]

The ECX Smash is based on a proven chassis, but to keep costs down, they really took a lot away from the truck. If you want to have a simple indoor truck, this is perfect as is. If you want to get it ready for outdoor fun (including grass) you need new shocks, battery and a charger (I say need so you dont damage the truck). Really, after investing all that into such a tiny truck, why not just get something bigger thats really ready to run?