Get inspired!

Words: Gary Katzer

There are those of us who can't leave anything well enough alone, and I fall smack dab in the middle of that group. When I saw the first photos of the Mini-LST, my mind began to race with thoughts of graphite, titanium, LiPo's and brushless motors. The out of the box performance of the Mini-LST is nothing short of amazing with it's synthesized radio, twin Frenzy motors, and 6-cell battery. The Mini-LST's suspension works very well out of the box and can absorb a good bit of abuse, but my mind soon began to wander. Once I finally got my hands on one of these bad boys, I couldn't wait to start modifying it. The tough decision was whether I should go with aluminum components to add to the bling-bling factor or go with graphite components to make it racier. Then answer came to me like a flash in the night: do both!

The Platform

I took two stock Mini- LSTs, both of which perform very well right out of the box, grabbed a piece of paper and started two parts lists. The first truck I would create would be a 'beauty queen', featuring tons of anodized aluminum with an emphasis on having a killer look to it and scoring high on style points. The second truck I would create was going to be an all-out performance-orientated truck. There were a few items I knew that I wanted to use before I even started: graphite chassis plates, brushless motor system, LiPo battery, and swaybars. Once I had my list of parts together, I rolled up my sleeves, grabbed my tools, and went to work.

The Beauty Queen

Top-down view of the Beauty Queen.

I stripped the first truck down to the bare chassis plates and got to work. Knowing that this truck was going to be built like a tank with all the aluminum hop-ups, I pondered whether or not I would swap out any of the included electronics. With the standard 3-wire connectors for the ESC and the servos, I had the option of installing whatever electronics package I wanted to. For this truck however, the stock radio gear and motors would fit the bill perfectly and I saw no need to change anything.

I had a number of the new Dynamite Mini-LST hop-ups at my disposal, but before I began I needed to decide the main color scheme for this truck, red or blue. After soliciting some feedback from others, I decided on the blue components. The first thing to go was the stock main chassis plate, which was replaced with an anodized aluminum plate. Dynamite offers a great chassis set that includes all six main chassis components anodized in blue (DYN8255B). Along with each piece being anodized, each screw hole is also countersunk like the stock plates (except two screws on the front upper brace; those aren't countersunk in the kit piece either). Once the chassis plates were in place, I replaced the stock plastic shock towers with Dynamite graphite front and rear shock towers (DYN8254B). Along with the graphite tower portion, the Dynamite graphite shock tower set includes blue anodized body mount holders and standoffs. They look absolutely trick, and when you combine them with the blue chassis plates you get a finished product that looks absolutely stunning.

Shockingly Beautiful Suspension

Before I reassembled everything, I turned my attention to the Mini-LST's suspension. The stock plastic a-arms are functional and strong, but off came the kit components and on went a set of Dynamite blue anodized upper (DYN8250B) and lower (DYN8251B) suspension arms. The arms are machined out of solid aluminum, anodized, then machined again to give the a-arms silver accents around the edges These bad boys perfectly replicate the kit a-arms, preserving the stock geometry but are much stronger and can take much more abuse than the original a-arms. Once the new arms were installed, it seemed like a crime to leave the black plastic uprights and knuckles in place, so for the sake of continuity the front and rear knuckles (DYN8253B- x2) along with the front and rear uprights (DYN8252B- x2) were also replaced with aluminum counterparts. Once the suspension components were back together, I reassembled the chassis and turned my attention to truck number two.

The Race Truck

Top-down view of the Race Truck.

I'm a racer at heart, I always will be. With that in mind it should come as no surprise that I wanted the second truck to be a performance-orientated machine. This was going to be my version of the 'Ultimate Race Mini-LST', and I knew before I started that there were three goals I needed to achieve with this truck. First, it needed to handle well, second it needed to be durable, and finally it needed to be a rocket ship. I also decided that I would install some different electronics in the Race Truck. I was impressed with how well the stock servos worked when the truck was in its original form, I felt that they would be able to get the job done properly. The included synthesized transmitter and receiver that come with the Mini-LST work really well and are definitely up to the task in the Race Truck. However, I wanted to be able to use my Spektrum equipped JR Z-1 transmitter, so I replaced the Mini-LST's receiver with a Spektrum SR3000. Out of the box, the twin 370-size Frenzy motors get the Mini-LST up to a respectable top speed and provide plenty of bottom end torque, but I was looking to get the Race Truck over 25MPH. With that in mind, I replaced the included motors and ESC with a brushless system. Before I take you too much further in-depth with my electronics changes, let's take a peak at the chassis changes.

Graphite=Drool Power

I know there are people who love the look of polished aluminum, and I admit that it is a great look. For me however you can't beat the look of carbon fiber graphite and thankfully I was able to get my paws on a set of Team Losi's Graphite upper (LOSB0902) and lower (LOSB0903) chassis plates. They shave a ton of weight off the Mini-LST while still offering a strong and tweak-free platform. The main chassis plate alone is roughly 1/3 lighter than the stock component! I didn't stop there as I installed all six graphite chassis plates which gave the Race Truck one killer look. Much like the aluminum-clad Mini-LST, I also installed Dynamite graphite front and rear shock towers to increase strength and reduce shock tower flex. I did make one slight change with the race truck; instead of the blue anodized components I went with racing red anodized shock towers front and rear (DYN8254). There isn't any performance advantage in the red aluminum pieces over the blue; I simply thought it was a nice contrast to the black carbon fiber graphite chassis components.

It Goes Together Like Building Blocks!

When I was working on the chassis plates, I had to remove the transmission from the stock chassis before I could bolt it to the new graphite ones. The spur gear and slipper clutch on the Mini-LST struck me as very familiar; except for the spur it's the same as the Mini-T's. I had my Mini-T apart at the time to rebuild the differential, so it was the perfect time to see if the Mini-T Dual Disc Slipper Clutch (LOSB1131) would fit in the Mini-LST. Sure enough, it was the exact same! The spur gear on the dual-disc slipper clutch is slightly larger than the original Mini-LST's (54-tooth stock versus the dual disc slippers 60-tooth) which changes the final drive from 17.30:1 to 19.23:1. That's a drastic change, but fear not as there will soon be Mini-LST specific dual disc slipper gears. I was going for the highest overall top speed I could achieve so I kept the stock 54T spur gear but changed to 25T pinion gears (LOSB0973) to drop the final drive to 15.92:1.

While I was inside the transmission, I was checking out the center differential as well. To my surprise, this too appeared to be interchangeable with the ball differential from the Mini-T (LOSB1125). After just a few minutes I had my Mini-T's ball diff out of the transmission case and it slid right into place in the Mini-LST's transmission. The ball differential will help prevent the center differential from diffing out and provide more direct power to all four wheels.

The final change I made to the driveline was to replace the stock dogbones and axles on all four corners with new Team Losi CV-Axles (LOSB1244). These driveshafts operate with almost zero backlash and are stronger and smoother operating than the stock dogbone units. Be aware that you will need two sets to completely outfit your truck as the come in packages of two.

Suspending Reality

When my attention turned to the suspension, I wanted to improve the handling of the Mini-LST and limit chassis roll. I thought about adding the aluminum suspension components to this truck as well to add rigidity. That rigidity would have come at a price though as the aluminum components weigh more than the stock molded ones. I really didn't want to add any unsprung weight to the truck, so the kit A-Arms, uprights, and knuckles stayed. This was also the perfect time to install the optional swaybar set (LOSB0926) on the front and rear end of the truck as well. The swaybars will help the truck roll less in the corners and eliminate the see-saw action when turning from one direction to the other and back again quickly.

I was very happy when I learned that the Mini-LST comes with oil-filled shocks. It would have been a disservice to include friction shocks with this truck and Team Losi didn't disappoint. The stock units work well, but I couldn't leave well enough alone here either. Team Losi has just released Titanium-Nitride coated shock shafts (LOSB0961) which I knew I needed to have as soon as I saw them. The Ti-Nitride shafts operate with less friction than the stock units which makes the already silky-smooth feeling shocks feel even smoother. While I had the shock shafts out of the shock, I made one other slight modification. I wanted to lower the stance of the Mini-LST in an effort to lower the center of gravity, but I didn't have any spacers or shims around at the time. Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning (ok, someone else told me to do this): use some fuel-line tubing. I cut four pieces of fuel tubing, two 2mm's thick and two 2.5mm thick, to install on the shock shaft under the piston. I placed the thicker spacers in the rear as it looked like the tail of the Mini-LST sat higher than the nose. Once I had the tubing in place, I reinstalled the shafts, put the eyelets back on, and filled the shocks with Team Losi 25wt Shock Oil (LOSA5223). When I was done, the Mini-LST had lower and more aggressive stance that made it look like it was going to kick some tail and take names.

Heart Transplant

The heart of the Mini-LST is its twin Frenzy Motor setup. Out of the box, the Mini-LST can get up over 15MPH, but I knew there was potential for more…much more. As much as I liked the stock motors and speed controllers, they were pulled out and replaced with a Castle Creations Mamba Competition X-Pack ( CSEMC252080) and speed controller. By going to a brushless system, I only needed to use one motor, so I placed my Spektrum Receiver (SPM1200) on the right side of the chassis, where the second motor used to sit. I mounted the ESC on top of the battery tray, directly over the 2-cell Dynamite Mini-T/Mini-LST LiPo Battery Pack (DYN1421). I was hoping this power combination would propel the truck to speeds over 25MPH, and with something moving that fast I would need a great radio transmitting the control signals. The perfect candidate to mate with the Spektrum receiver was a JR Z-1 (JRP374075) equipped with a Spektrum Module (SPM1103). Once I had the electronics package I wanted in place, I was almost finished with my changes. Almost.

New Coat and Shoes

The Mini-LST comes in a choice of three different color bodies, but I admit that I am very particular when it comes to the bodies I run. I have two different color schemes I like to run, and I really wanted to apply one of those schemes to a Mini-LST body and I was able to do so with a clear Mini-LST Body (LOSB1310). In addition to the stock body from Team Losi, Parma/PSE has recently come out with two bodies for the Mini-LST. One is called the Xciter (PAR10086) while the other is called the Custom Classic Truck Body (PAR10085) and resembles a 50's style pick up truck. I thank Team Losi's Gary Kyes for the fade paint scheme idea he came up with for another article back in July as I have somewhat stolen it for myself, and it works well again here on the Mini-LST. And while I liked the stock Mini Magneto Rims and Claw tires, I was looking for something that may hook up a little better in dirt. With this in mind, I glued up a new set of Mini KingPin tires (LOSB0982) on Yellow Dish Rims (LOSB0978) for a tire and rim combo that should work well and matched the paint scheme unbelievably well. I kept the Candy Blue Body on the Aluminum-Clad Mini-LST because I felt the blue was a nice accenting color to the aluminum parts, but I also changed rims and tires on that truck. The Blue Aluminum Truck received a set of Mini ATX Tires (LOSB0983) mounted on white dish rims (LOSB0977) which gave the truck a very nice, clean, finished look to it.

Time to Rock and Roll!

I charged up the packs for both trucks in preparation for each one's maiden voyage. The first truck up was the Blue Aluminum Truck. Thanks to its small size and maneuverability, the Mini-LST loans itself well to driving indoors. I tooled around the office a bit with the Blue Aluminum truck and was very happy with how it looked and drove. The Blue Aluminum Truck weighs more than the stock Mini-LST, but with the stock motors and battery pack the Blue Aluminum Truck reached roughly the same speed. But this truck wasn't put together with speed in mind; instead it is a stunning piece of equipment. The blue anodized a-arms shone beautifully, reflecting the light off them which made the entire truck gleam. What was already a tough little truck now seemed even tougher but with a softer, more beautiful side to it. The Blue Aluminum Truck caught many people's eye in the office with everyone commenting on how the blue anodized parts stood out and made this truck one of a kind. I know some people worry about adding aluminum suspension components out of fear that in a collision, instead of breaking an a-arm or steering knuckle, the stress will be transferred elsewhere and break something larger or more expensive. It's a legitimate concern, but easily addressed if you keep a few things in mind. Unlike a molded composite part, an aluminum part doesn't bend or give in an impact. But that energy needs to go somewhere, and in this instance that energy is transferred to the chassis or bulkheads. Just be aware that if you install aluminum components, you won't break those parts in a crash but something else may have to give. Now, I'll admit that I did 'stress test' the Blue Aluminum Truck several times and nothing broke, bent, or tweaked.

Once I had completely discharged the battery from the Blue Aluminum Truck I turned my attention to the Race Truck. Since I was using a LiPo battery pack, I did need to use a charger other than the one included with the Mini-LST. I opted for the Thunder Power 1-4 cell charger (THP425). Once the pack came to a charge, I plugged it in and pulled the trigger. Words can't accurately describe my reaction to how fast the Race Truck was now; it was downright scary!

The combination of the graphite parts and the LiPo pack shaved a significant amount of weight versus the stock or Blue Aluminum trucks, and that helped the Race Truck accelerate harder and be more nimble. We had a radar gun out with us and clocked the Race Truck at over 33-miles per hour. That's well above my goal of 25-miles per hour but I feel like I could still get some more straight-line speed out of it. At this high rate of speed, I was pushing the envelope as far as wear and tear goes on the Race Truck. After all, the Mini-LST was designed around the stock motors (and the Insane 370-size motors as well) and 6-cell NiMH pack. With the additional power and voltage that I was applying to the Mini-LST's drivetrain I know that I am potentially shortening the life of some of the driveline parts. Plus, at this high rate of speed a crash or cartwheel could break something that would survive a crash with the truck traveling at 'normal' speed. Thus far however everything has held up just fine.

The Race Truck wasn't just fast, it handled well too With the combination of the sticky Mini ATX tires and the setup changes made to the truck, the performance was rather amazing. It carved precise lines around my makeshift parking lot track fairly effortlessly. The stock servos worked perfectly, steering the Mini-LST in the right directions. I was really impressed with how well the Mini-LST cornered, flat and consistent. I did have one of the jumps with me from the Mini-T and I sent the Mini-LST sailing off the jump several times to see if it still had its excellent jumping characteristics that it had in stock form. Just as it had in stock form, the Mini-LST absorbed the landing impact without a bounce, hiccup, or any excitement. I can't wait to take this to the racetrack now!

It's a Wrap!

The original LST was one of the best monster trucks to see the light of day, and the Mini-LST perfectly replicates all of the LST's exceptional characteristics in a smaller package. The potential for the Mini-LST is nearly limitless and, while I have taken two trucks to different extremes, there is still a lot of potential that can be unlocked in both trucks. All it takes is some time and imagination and you too can have a killer mini-truck that is personalized with your own style and flair. Were any of these changes really necessary? Not really, but that's not the point. Sometimes its fun to just let your imagination get the best of you and see what sort of one-of-a-kind machine you can build and I was lucky enough to build two such dream vehicles. The Mini-LST is a great performer out of the box, but you can definitely push the envelope as you see fit. Regardless if you prefer a Show Truck or a Go Truck, the Mini-LST is versatile enough to handle both. The Mini-LST continues to build upon the success that Team Losi is renowned for.