TESTING

STREET HANDLING

With my 2S battery installed and the battery door battle out of the way, I made my way out to my driveway and mashed the throttle. Wheelies are expected on 3S, but I was surprised when the powerful brushless system lofted the wheels on 2S. This truck rips! The tires are made out of a fairly firm compound, so the tires were able to slide slightly on the pavement, which softened the blow of the motor slightly. The tires also provide just the right amount of grip when turning. You can slide it in the turns, but when you get a little too aggressive, the 22S will tip; still, it’s pretty easy to catch and react before it ends up on its lid. While on the pavement, I also took the time to mess with the throttle-limiting switch. At 75%, the truck feels like it has a mild modified motor and is still able to lift the front end slightly; at 50%, it feels like it has a 17.5 stocker in it. After moving the switch back to full throttle, I turned down active vehicle control (AVC) and hit the dirt.

ALL-TERRAIN ACTION

The tires provided plenty of grip to get the truck going, but with AVC off, the rear end wants to step out often. With AVC turned up, it’s much easier to drive in a straight line. The suspension on the 22S is pretty stiff, but that stiffness caused the truck to be a little bouncier than other short-course trucks that I have driven. The good news is that the 22S doesn’t get tripped up too bad by it, and the firm springs give the truck more bottom-out resistance when going for big air. Erring on the firm side was a smart choice.

SPEED & POWER

Losi claims over 50mph with a 3S Lipo onboard, so I dropped one in and went to town. Wheelies on pavement are explosive, and turns are a lot more of a handful with maximum Lipo power. The rear end steps out a lot more in the dirt, and AVC isn’t able to do much to help with that because the front tires are barely touching the ground when power is being applied. Full 3S power is the most fun for straight-line speed runs; for all-around driving, it’s frequently too much power. You’ll need a light touch on the trigger—or just click the throttle limiter to a setting that lets you mash it.