Maverick Strada Brushless DT Review
2018 is a big year for Maverick RC. As HPI Racing’s entry level line-up, Maverick is working hard to make a big impression here in the states. We’ve been bashing and thrashing their Strada Brushless DT for several weeks now. With a bold brushless power system and a nicely scale roll cage, how did it stack up? How fast did it go? What did it break? Read on to find out…
From: Maverick RC
Direct Link: Strada Brushless DT
Unboxing Pictures: Big Squid Unboxes the Strada Brushless DT
Review By: Cubby
Pics By: Tim Mohr
Specs:
RTR or Kit: RTR
Age: 14+
2wd or 4wd: 4wd
Shaft or Belt: Shaft
Electric or Gas: Electric
Waterproof: Yes
Scale: 1/10
Length: 470mm
Width: 260mm
Wheelbase: 270mm
Weight: 1.75kg
Motor: MM-22BL 3215kV brushless
Speed Controller: MSC-30BL-WP brushless
Low Voltage Cut-off: Yes
Radio: MTX/MRX-243 2.4GHz
Differential: Two gear diffs
Slipper Clutch: No
Driveshafts: Metal bones
Shocks: Plastic bodies, oil filled
Servo Saver: In steering rack
Screws: Phillips
Spur/Pinion Pitch: 48
Bearings: Yes
Tires: Maverick off-road tread
Battery: 6 cell NiMH 3000mAh
Part Number: #MV12628
Warranty: 90 days on components
Bashing Specs:
Front wheel travel: 1.4″
Rear wheel travel: 1.2:
Wheelie on demand: No
Backflip off ramps: No
Stability Control: No
Sound Module: No
Self-Righting: No
FPV: No
Top Speed (measured by BSRC): 26 mph
Runtime (measured by BSRC): 14 minutes
Street Price: $215
What’s Needed To Complete: All that is needed to get the Maverick up and going is four AA sized batteries for the transmitter. A NiMH battery and charger are supplied for powering the DT.
Build Quality: We couldn’t find any build issues with the DT. All the bolts were tight but not stripped, the shocks were well built, the gear mesh was fine, etc.
Test Drivers: Robbie G., Sam The Noob, T-$$$, and yours truly.
Test Venues: The parking lot of our local Costco was used for pavement driving and measuring top speed. The rest of our testing took place at two local city parks.
Set-up Notes: We ran the Maverick bone stock, including its NiMH battery. We did skip the included wall charger in favor of Hitec X1 Pro.
How It Drives: We found the DT to be a solid handling buggy, but it has a LOT of steering in corners. We found that the front would usually stick quite well, but the rear was loose as a goose. The rear being loose helps in tight corners where you want a lot of rotation, but can make the DT hard to handle in fast sweepers. Also, the rear remained loose after corner exit. In fact, the rear felt looser after apex than before.
Even with so much steering, we didn’t find the DT hard to drive in a straight line. It drove quite straight and rarely needed steering trim adjustments. The shocks and suspension geometry worked well over rough ground, as well as on jump take-offs and landings. The suspension is slightly on the soft side, but that helps for gaining traction on loose surfaces.
Overall, we found the buggy handled well. On dirt, grass, and pavement, we had a great time with the DT. The only downfall we found was in sand. The tires on the DT are quite a bit smaller in diameter than a normal 1/10th SCT/SCB tire. This caused the DT to easily get stuck in sand that we are accustomed to gliding over with other 1/10th sized vehicles.
Power: Oh yes, how about that brushless power system? No, it didn’t put out crazy power for a brushless system, but it did put out more than a standard brushed motor. We noticed some cogging right off the very bottom, then it give a good kick in the low end. The power system easily blew through its mid-range to a top end that was limited by its gearing and NiMH battery. Out of the box the power system is about right for first time drivers, but throwing a few more teeth on the pinion will surely unleash the beast.
Radio: The included radio has a wild/futuristic look to it and performed flawlessly for us. Range was more than we ever needed and our test unit never experienced a glitch. Also, we found it quite easy to make adjustments without the need to look for the manual.
Broken Parts: Maverick has a reputation for using durable plastic and that’s exactly what we found on the DT. We were able to beat and bang on the thing without much worry about breakage. We did manage to rip one of the rear hinge pins out, but goodness knows we beat on it fairly hard before it finally broke. Furthermore, while not broken, we did manage to tweak a couple of the wheels, and one of the wheels came loose early in testing (we caught it before the hex was stripped).
Misc Notes:
The “body” comes off the DT by removing 4 body clips. That’s totally standard, but after that things are a bit different. You pull up the roll cage on the rear and the entire thing pivots forward.
Speaking of that roll cage… The front of the roll cage interfaces with the front body posts to help dissipate hard hits. We liked how the cage pivoted forward, thus making the DT easy to work on.
We dialed in a bit of negative camber on the rear of the DT and added more pre-load to the front springs. This made our DT much easier to drive in the corners.
Best Mods: We are going with taller tires. Slightly taller tires will help the DT get over rough spots, plus it will give the DT taller gearing for more rip.
Summary:
A = Outstanding/Best in Class, B = Above Average, C = Average, D = Below Average, F = Horrific
Time To Bash: B The Strada DT was quick and easy to get up and running.
Workability: B Working on the Strada DT was easy, but hex hardware would have been preferred.
Car Show Rating: B Our all test drivers liked the looks on the Maverick. Its body had nice graphics, it had a very nicely detailed roll cage, plus it even had a detailed interior. The wheels and tires also looked good on the DT.
Bash-A-Bility: B We gave the Stada DT a solid bashing and it didn’t break many parts. With flexible plastic and a solid overall design, it is ready to bash.
Fun Factor: B We had loads of good fun hucking the Strada DT over ramps, blasting through wooded areas, and doing general bashing with it.
Handling: B For a straight up bash machine, we found that overall the Strada DT handled well. From speed runs on pavement, to trails at the local park, the DT’s suspension generally did a fine job.
Value: A The Strada Brushless DT is a great value in our eyes. The DT has a very affordable price point for the amount of fun that we got out of it.
Parts Availability: C While we didn’t find any parts locally, they were easily found on Amazon.
BigSquid Rating: B The Maverick Strada Brushless DT is an affordable desert rig that is spot-on for new drivers. It drives well, plus it has plenty of capability for upgrades in the future. Yes, we can recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable brushless ready-to-run.
