Review: HPI Jumpshot MT

Brilliant Buy for Under 200 Bucks

If you’re new to this fantastic hobby, you’ll be happy to know that there are quite a few options when it comes to your first RC car. You’ll find, however, that most people gravitate towards offroad trucks; their big tires, high ground-clearance and go-anywhere ability makes them quite appealing. Once you step foot in the store, you’re easily overwhelmed by the amount of choices available as well as the cost attached to them. Well, HPI has brought in a budget MT that is sure to catch the eye of the first-timer – its great looks, sub-$200 price tag and the fact that it comes with everthing in the box make it a very attractive purchase. We got our hands on HPI’s Jumpshot MT and gave it a solid whipping at our local fun-day play area. Read on to see how our test went.

Specifics
Product: HPI Jumpshot MT
Part #: 115116
Price: $199.99
Recommended For: Beginning Drivers

Features
Chassis
For some, the chassis on the Jumpshot MT might look a little abnormal compared to alot of other vehicles out there. Well, you’d be right, however don’t think that abnormal is a bad thing. This chassis setup is referred to as a TVP design, or Twin Vertical Plates, and has been successfully used in all of HPI’s larger Savage Monster Trucks. The plates are made from aluminum, are 2.5mm thick and attach to the front and rear bulkheads, creating an extremely rigid platform. Sandwiched between the plates are the bottom-load battery box which, quite creatively, doubles as the mounting location for the ESC and receiver. The plates have a gunmetal anodized finish with the Jumpshot MT insignia etched into the side. Nice touch.

Protecting the underneath of the chassis are 4 separate skid plates; one up front (that’s also integrated into the front bumper), a shorty just in front of the rear-mounted gearbox and a slightly longer one that covers the bottom of the gearbox and motor area. The final skid plate actually doubles as the easy-access battery door. Simply remove the body clip, flip open the door and insert the pack. While a 6-cell NiMh is included with the MT, there is plenty of room in there for a 2S LiPo pack.

Suspension
Even though the Jumpshot MT is aimed at beginners, HPI has given it a pretty pro suspension. The double wishbone design features long suspension arms and a fixed-length, molded upper camber link for durability. Tuning is also abundant, with the front featuring toe, Ackermann, roll center and shock angle adjustements. Out back, HPI has included tuning options like adjustable camber links locations, shock angles and hub heights. Ride height can be modified using the threaded collars on the large, oil-filled shocks that are installed on all 4 corners. This is a great high-end feature that you don’t normally see on vehicles in this price range.

Drivetrain
The Jumpshot MT is a 2WD, RWD Monster Truck, the heart being a multi-gear sealed transmission that mounts behind the rear shock tower. It uses 48P gears and has an adjustable, dual-pad slipper clutch to help protect it during hard jolts. Long, steel dogbones extend out to the wheels where 12mm hexes drive the rear tires.

HPI has a few good things going for it here; they are using 48P gears which are very common; tuning or replacement should be easy to do at your local hobby shop. They are also using 12mm hexes, which means finding aftermarket wheels and tires will be easy as well. This allows you to customize the look of your Jumpshot as well as increase the traction with different tread patterns.

Attached to the transmission is a Firebolt 15T brushed motor. This, combined with the SC-3SWP2 ESC and fed by the included 2000mAh Plazma 6-cell NiMh, gives the Jumpshot some pretty good speed. Now, mind you this truck is aimed at the beginner end of the RC spectrum, so it’s not going to be a speed demon. But it will be more than plenty for someone looking to cut their teeth on their first RC car. I’ll touch more on that in the Performance section.

HPI has wrapped the handsome 2.8″ 6-spoke wheels with Jump t2.8m tires. The tread features large, widely-spaced lugs that are designed to provide good grip on different surfaces.

Servo Mount
An interesting feature on the Jumpshot MT is the mounting of the steering servo. Typically, the servo is mounted on the chassis with a link to a dual bellcrank system. This system helps minimize bumpsteer, an undesireable effect that is caused when the suspension compresses. Because space is limited between the TVP frame rails, HPI mounted the servo centrally in the front shock tower. It is also mounted at a slight angle and uses a large, plastic servo saver to swing the front tires via adjustable turnbuckles. It’s a clever design that works great and provides quick steering and, while there is a hint of bumpsteer, I didn’t notice any ill effects while bashing our test area.

Waterproof Electronics
The Jumpshot MT is an all-terrain vehicle, and HPI has taken into account that not every all-terrain adventure will be a dry one. The SF-10W steering servo is waterproof as is the SC-3SWP2 ESC. The RF-11 receiver isn’t, however it is located in an enclosed box that helps protect it from moisture and debris. The box does have an opening at the bottom for the servo and ESC power wires to run through, so I wouldn’t suggest submerging the Jumpshot.

Performance
Speed and Braking
Before heading to our dirt test area, I took the Jumpshot MT to the park across the street from my house for a quick test run. This gave me a chance to see how fast it was in a much more controlled environment, namely asphalt and short grass. As I mentioned before, the Jumpshot MT is driven by a Firebolt 15T brushed motor powered by a Plazma 2000mAh NiMh battery pack. This combo is designed for beginners and does scoot the Jumpshot at a nice, controllable clip. Acceleration was snappy and the speeds were pretty good, even when I did a little offroading on the grass; the big tires helped me keep up the momentum.

Out on the dirt, the Firebolt/Plazma combo is actually quite good. There’s enough rip to spin the tires and throw up a roost, pop the MT over jumps and do a little dirt-drifting. Speeds are perfect to help keep control of the MT even when traction was limited, so I thought I’d hand the reigns off to my wife who was there to help with the video. She’s not a seasoned driver by any means but is interested in learning how to drive, however all the cars I have are extremely fast and very intimidating, so the Jumpshot was a excellent starter car for her. Even while learning how to manage the throttle, the Jumpshot was not overpowering and uncontrollable, and she was starting to get the hang of it until the battery died. Good thing I had more than one battery on hand!

Steering and Handling
It’s been a long time since I’ve driven a RC car without a bellcrank steering system, but I have to say that the Jumpshot’s unique servo setup worked flawlessly. On the asphalt, there was a little bit of wander but on the grass and dirt (where most people will probably be driving anyway), it felt great. The servo has plenty of speed to keep up with any countersteering needed and the spring in the servo saver felt strong enough that I didn’t feel it ‘flexing’ to the point where it affected the steering.

Handling was really good but did exhibit quite a bit of body roll during hard cornering on the asphalt. The truck’s tall profile and grippy tires would lean to the point of almost traction rolling at higher speeds, so care needs to be taken if you don’t want to scratch the shiny body. On the dirt the grip was slightly limited, so instead of traction rolling, the Jumpshot would slide a little, making it much more fun. This is also where the Jumpshot’s large, oil-filled shocks came to life! Over bumps, launching off jumps and heavy landings, the shocks absorbed it all.

Jumping
This MT has the word ‘Jump’ in it’s name, so I figured it would be right at home in the air. I was right, as it lept off each dirt lip I could find. Because of its limited speed, it doesn’t get all that high off the ground but that’s fine; since it is an entry level truck, you don’t want beginners launching it 30′ in the air all willy nilly. For the most part it soars with a pretty level to slightly nose-up attitude and uses its large tires and long shocks to give it a pillow-soft landing.

Durability and Maintenance
I only dumped the Jumpshot MT once during my test runs, and it cartwheeled over and over before landing on the wheels and driving off. I can’t say the same for my wife as she tried to mimic some of my awesome jump moves. Her limited driving experience is where this truck is aimed, so I let her have at it and just have a good time. That being said, the Jumpshot’s suspension, tires, wheels, axles and body got a good taste of reality. Every time it bounced end over end, my wife looked at me and said sorry – my response; “If it ain’t broke, no need to say sorry”.

As far as maintenance, I don’t think the Jumpshot MT is going to need much. The TVP makes a pretty solid base, containing the front and rear bulkheads as well as the electronics. The camber links are captured with screws which helps prevent them from popping off as well as keeping the dogbones securely in place. The tires are glued well to the wheels, the brushed motor should last a long time and the body is reinforced where it needs to be. All I can forsee is a quick clean and removing any debris the truck picks up and you’ll be fine.

Tuning
HPI has included quite a bit of tuning options with the Jumpshot. You can tweak the ride height, front toe, shock angles and roll. Pick up some adjustable turnbuckles and you open up camber settings as well. HPI’s use of the 12mm hexes also allows you to swap to some tires that offer more traction in the dirt or asphalt. Want more power? The SC-3SWP2 ESC can handle a 2S LiPo battery which will boost both speed and runtime – something to look forward to when your skills increase.

Additional

Spec Data

Conclusion
Don’t think that a vehicle for under $200 isn’t worth your time … the HPI Jumpshot MT is certainly a truck to check out. I had a great time with it even though it was slow for my taste, but it was my wife’s play time with it that really changed my outlook. She’s the customer this truck is aimed at, and she had a great time with it.

One of her comments that stood out with me was that the truck’s speed was perfect for her ability. She didn’t have to worry about going to fast and hitting everything in the area. The other comment that stood out was how strong this truck was – that comment coming after a few mild-tumbling sessions. If you’re in the market for a first-time truck or a mild-mannered rig for your kids, take a moment and check out HPI’s Jumpshot MT. You can thank me later.

Features – 8
Appearance – 8
Performance – Speed & Braking – 7
Performance – Steering and Handling – 8
Performance – Jumping – 8
Performance – Durability and Maintenance – 9
Performance – Tuning – 8
Overall Value – 9

Connect
HPI Racing, www.HPIRacing.com

Gallery