By Stevo309 01/09/2006 20:09:48

I got into these only recently when i bought a cheap runner and it's a very tough 2wd truck. The amount of suspension travel is massive and it's very balanced in the air. The Hilux Monster Racer can take all you throw at it and seems almost indestructible including the shell which is durable and thick but lacks the detail of the King Cab. The bath tub chassis keeps everything safe but there are a couple of major drawbacks...

The biggest problem is the gearbox. It's the same unit as you'll find on the Astute and that's the problem, it's rubbish! I've tried everything over the years but sooner or later the diff will start to slip. If you build a diff from all new parts and use proper ball diff grease it may run for some time with motors no hotter than 19 turn but sooner or later it will become problematic. This diff doesn't work very reliably in the Astue and is made worse in the Hilux MR and King Cab because of the bigger wheels.

The next problem is the battery holder which needs some modification or is too keen to let the race pack eject from the side of the truck over jumps and bumps. This can be fixed though with some modification or even thick rubber bands or cable ties.

Finally the last issue which is the tendancy for all the nuts and bolts to work loose. I've no idea why it's worse on this model than others but it is. Easily rectified by using threadlock when you assemble though.

Overall a rugged, good looking and balanced truck capable of a lot but hampered by a poor gearbox. The Super Astute TTC gearbox could be fitted but that's not a lot better!