Review: Losi 5IVE-T 1/5 Scale

Losi shocked the world with the announcement of their biggest project yet, the 5IVE-T. This 4WD, 1/5th scale gas-powered beast was designed from the ground up and has quickly become the talk of the industry. With no real competition in the 4WD segment, will this be the next ‘big’ thing in RC? After my exclusive test drive and photo session, I am confident that Losi has hit the nail on the head with this project. Put your 2WD’s away boys and girls, Losi is in town, and they brought a monster of a 4WD with them!

AT A GLANCE
WHO MAKES IT: Losi
WHO IT’S FOR: Everyone
HOW MUCH: $1,599
BUILD TYPE: Almost RTR (BND)

FACTS
– At first glance, you’ll notice the 5IVE-T’s low, wide stance. Compared to other 1/5th scale vehicles, it is just that. This stance really helps the Losi get around the track with a blistering pace. The multi-piece body is attached to the inner roll cage to form a super strong cocoon. This not only protects the 5IVE-T’s innards, but also helps reinforce the chassis to create an extremely rigid truck.

– A 5mm, CNC-lightened aluminum chassis is the base for the 5IVE-T’s platform. Everything bolts to it using as few screws as possible. In fact, the front and rear ends can be removed in a matter of seconds to perform any maintenance you need.

– Losi has designed the 5IVE-T’s drivetrain after their very successful 8ight series. The offset rear drivetrain helps center the monster 26cc motor for the best weight distribution possible. Heavy duty axles are used throughout to transfer the power efficiently to all four wheels.

– The big-bore shocks are some of the largest I’ve ever seen on a 4WD vehicle. They feature enormous 7mm shafts that are designed to withstand quite a bit of abuse. The high-volume threaded bodies and aluminum adjusters allow you to easily fine tune the 5IVE=T’s ride height.

– One of the coolest features is the clutch mount housing. This finned aluminum mount mounts to the engine and completely seals the clutch unit. This not only keeps debris out of your clutch, but also helps dissipate any heat that the 8000 rpm clutch creates. Oversized bearings are also included to deal with the heavier loads the 4WD system places on the clutch.

– As you might expect, a large, weighty 4WD vehicle puts a lot of stress on the geartrain. Not to fear! Losi has included a complete set of precision cut, heat treated steel gears throughout the 5IVE-T’s geartrain. I was witness to some pretty abusive driving (not mine, of course), and can vouch that they can take a beating!

– The 5IVE-T comes loaded with Losi’s 2-stroke 26cc gas engine. This is the same engine seen in other 1/5th scale vehicles, so it’s a proven powerful unit. On one end, Losi has included a low-profile, two-stage air filter to keep the carburetor debris free. On the other, a high-volume can muffler takes care of the exhaust duties.

– While we are on the subject of the engine, check out this killer feature! When it comes time to change the 5IVE-T’s gearing, Losi has taken all of the guesswork out of setting gear mesh. They’ve included a set of machined oval inserts that match up to cutouts in the chassis. These inserts are numbered and allow you to properly locate the engine for a perfect gear mesh! Awesome idea guys!

– To keep the tires firmly mounted, Losi wrapped the soft-compound kicks around a great looking set of beadlock wheels. These beadlocks secure the inner and outer lip of the tire and work extremely well. You should also get quite a bit of life out of theses tires too. We ran them pretty hard all weekend and they still had a ton of tread left.

– Losi has included a Spektrum 2.4GHZ DSM receiver with the 5IVE-T. The 5IVE-T comes pre-wired with Spektrum’s telemetry setup and has sensors that let you keep track of engine temperature, speed and receiver pack voltage. If you already have a Spektrum DSM transmitter, you’re in luck! Just bind it to the 5IVE-T and all of this vital info will be transmitted right to your hand. If you don’t have a DSM unit, you should get one! Keeping track of your trucks condition by itself is worth the purchase of one!

PROS
• Simple, easy-to-work-on chassis layout, very similar to Losi’s 1/8 scale vehicles
• Large 26cc engine is a good starting point
• Huge 800cc fuel tank
• High-grip racing tires mounted on attractive beadlock wheels
• Body is in panels and mounted to a stout, molded cage
• Handling is simply amazing for something this big
• Utilizes Spektrum’s telemetry system
• Offered only as a BND (Bind and Drive), so you can use any Spektrum radio you have

CONS
• Offered only as a BND, so you might have to purchase a Spektrum radio before you can run it.
• A bit underpowered from the get go, but a tuned exhaust should bring this T to life

ON THE TRACK
STEERING Neutral
The 5IVE-T has, hands down, the best steering of any large scale 4WD on the market right now. And by this I mean steering from the front, not the rear. Sure, I can tune my car to lose rear grip so it ‘steers’ better, but the Losi actually steers from the FRONT while not losing any traction at all in the rear. I was amazed at how well it rounded tight corners. It might have been the grippy tires, shock setup or weight transfer, but this combination works.

ACCELERATION Excellent
As I mentioned before, the 5IVE-T is like an 1/8-scale on steroids. Just point the truck in the direction you want to go and mash the throttle. It’ll get there in record time with no fuss. I was also able to give the 5IVE-T a go with a tuned 29cc motor and it’s just the same, only faster! The more motor that was in this truck, the faster it got to the next location, and the more fun it was to drive. Don’t worry about the drivetrain…it’s built Losi tough.

BRAKING Excellent
It’s very rare that I give an ‘Excellent’ in the braking category. Most of the time this refers to other included components in conjunction with the vehicle to slow it down. With the 5IVE-T, however, we’re talking about a dual brake system with adjustable front/rear biasing. That, coupled with a hefty throttle/brake servo, creates a solid foundation for excellent brakes. Best part is that they’re not just brakes; they’re tunable brakes. You can adjust them to help the handling of the 5IVE-T.

SUSPENSION Excellent
The suspension is perfect. Everything you need to tune the 5IVE-T to handle like you want is included. Shocks damping and rebound, droop, anti-roll bars, roll centers, shock locations, camber, caster…the list goes on. It has everything a good race vehicle needs. Before you start tweaking, however, run the truck a few tanks with the stock setup. It’s really good.

JUMPING Excellent
I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but because the 5IVE-T is based off of their 1/8-scale platform, it jumps much like an 1/8-scale. I was launching the “T” off jumps at full throttle and was able to control its attitude with the throttle and brake in the air. It’s not as nimble as an 1/8-scale, but the same rules apply. Landings were pretty uneventful, but I say that as a good thing. The plush suspension allows the 5IVE-T to land like it’s on a bed of pillows, and you can accelerate almost immediately after touchdown. After a few laps, I certainly wasn’t afraid to throw the “T” up in the air.

DURABILITY Excellent
Because of its simple design, there’s not much to break. Even though the 5mm chassis may seem a bit stretched, the integrated body cage ties the truck together and makes it an extremely durable package. The wide body helps protect the four corners from being ripped off the chassis, and the massive front and rear bumpers absorb quite a bit of impact. The Losi includes all metal gears, monster molded parts and thick, aluminum shock towers…it’s all there.

THE LAST WORD
Creating a truck for a lesser RC category, especially 1/5-scale, is a big step for a company like Losi. While it is an established category, the 4WD portion isn’t. There have been a few others out there that have tried to set the standard with 4WD, but it just hasn’t caught on. The 5IVE-T, however, is about to change all of that. Losi is throwing their player in the ring with hopes of sparking the class, but I think it’s going to define the class! Its excellent execution and big-name backing is just the thing this segment needs to grow.

LINKS
Losi, www.losi.com, (877) 504-0233