C Jar

im deciding between the x and LE and this is a major part of my decision process.... how much of a difference do the new tvps on the x make? would it be better to get the LE and get the hpi racing lcg chassis, which is 7mm (i think... its 12mm lower than savage 25, right?) lower than the x. is the LE too tippy? or is there those little spacers on the shocks like on the x on the LE?


and.... how much better is the 4.1 than the nitro star .25? could a newbie even tell the difference? i don't think that i want to upgrade the engine, im not that serious about it, yet.

sorry for the long post, all help is appreciated...

Chronic

I will almost guarantee that with a good driver the LE is faster around a track than the X. The 4.1 is a factory ported nitrostar.25 so it has more power, but the LE has the pipe and three speed. I doubt straight line performance is much different until they get wound out and the LE pulls ahead. I am guessing here though, as there are NO Xs running around this area. The LHS has sold a few locally but I have yet to run with one.

As I said in the other thread, figure out what you want to do with the truck and compare the price differences. The X chassis lowers the engine, transmission, and related components 5mm compared to the LE. The HPI racing set and most others on the market lower things up to 12mm...big difference. The chassis plates are cheaper than a tuned pipe and three speed. Is the slight power advantage of the 4.1 enough to sway you? The LE already has tires good enough to get you started on the track.
Lots of variables to weigh, but you should be happy any direction you go.

whitesox350z

get the le!!!
then when you get used to the speed you can upgrade the engine (as you will whether you want more power or it just...takes a poop on you)

i have the x and it's still pretty tippy, so i'd get the le and then some quality lcg plates if you really want better performance

alvinl

I don't think the TVP's and motor should be your deciding factor. HPI made the X chassis lower, but it's not nearly as low as you would like for racing. And that is the main driving factor for a LCG chassis. Guys like me that just bash, we can slow down for a turn. As for the motor, the motor in the X is an improved version of the motor in the LE. I just don't see these features being nearly as big a selling point as the easy access diffs, tranny and radio box on the X, or the 3 speed, dual disk brake and dual chamber pipe on the LE. I have the LE and would not trade it for the X. But I would like to own a Savage X, it's a cool truck. Also, I probably will not be upgrading my LE to the Savage X parts. But that may be just me.

Jeht Black1

for a newbe, i would say get the x because of how easy it is to get to the diffs and tranny makes it eaey to mantain and upgrade. thats what sold me into getting the x (My First Nitro truck)
I never got the 25, but from what i hear theres a lot of work and downtime involed in gaining assess those areas of the 25

HerrSavage

No offense, but IMO the qualities the truck has out of the box should be a more decisive factor, and not so much how easy it is to repair... We're talking about Savages after all - the best and toughest out of the box bashers there are. Stock for stock, the LE is a significantly superior truck IMO mainly because of the 3-speed, pipe, and tires..

Also, only in my opinion, the radio box on my X is a worse PIA than on my 25. I've even taught my girlfriend to change my humppack on my 25. I think an issue like the ease of access with the radio box is NOT AT ALL something that should show up on lists of advantages and disadvantages. For me it was kind of a PIA at first, but that's just something you get used to. I don't even think about it now - just do it and it's done. Pretty sure it would be the same with both trucks.., and in any case, you can't get any more MINOR when discussing significant differences between the two than talking about the radio box...

As for diff access, that's only really an issue if you get caught up in the hype and want to get a huge engine - cuz that's what's gonna' eat your diffs. With the LE though, you don't need a bigger engine because you've got the 3-speed and pipe and lighter tires bringing your performance up to the level of more standard trucks with big engines. I'm just towards the end of gallon three with my 25, and I think my front diff is going - but that's OK for me. After three gallons of hard going it's ALLOWED to have a problem.. I know it's gonna be a pain to repair, but when you consider I've done NOTHING thus far, I can live with that. Repairing the diffs on the X would only be RELATIVELY less of a pain - but still a pain...

C Jar

im buying the truck to drive, not based on how you maintain it.

alvinl

OK. But maintenance is a huge part of these trucks. I spend much more time working on my 5 RC's than I do driving them. Normal maintenance on a Savage may only be charging batteries, cleaning and checking for loose screws, but it is still maintenance. I have no idea how many threadlocked screws that have vibrated out of my Savage, but it has been a few. If all you do is start the Savage and drive it, with no maintenace it will break. And most likely the first thing that will break is the spur gear because it came from the factory with the mesh set improperly. Just a quess, but I bet I am not too far off base there.

Chronic

Yep, my wife thinks I'm crazy because of the amount of upkeep. I'm always either adjusting, modifying, or replacing something. Like Alvinl said, you have to stay on top of it or it WILL let you down.

After you tear the truck apart a couple of times, it's EASY. I like working on my Savage more than my LST2 if that tells you anything. As far as working on the suspension or clutch and engine area, I've heard my Revo buddy comment more than once about how he wishes it was as easy as my Savage. I think it depends more on the person doing the work than anything else.

C Jar

ok, i see where you're coming from. but what i meant was im deciding based upon how it drives, not how easy it is to maintain.

alvinl

That's fair enough. I just didn't want you to think there would be no maintenance because the Savage was so tough.