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X or XL, the impossible choice.

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Jamie

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  1. Bashing
I'll get right out and say that I feel this is a silly question that has no doubt been endlessly answered.

Savage X or XL.

I have been looking at getting a MT to replace by buggy, pretty strictly a basher. I lack the hand/eye co-ordination to properly get anything around a track!

I am coming from a GS Storm RTR which started 3rd pull yesterday from 2 years of storage, though it needs a good tuning.

I have always wanted a Savage ever since I saw the 21 on here a good few years ago. Times have changed, things have evolved. The Savage got bigger, better, faster, harder, stronger.

Now we have two for sale over in the UK and it's making my choice that much harder. I want the 4.6 X because it's cheaper and no doubt easier to get parts with the standard size chassis. The XL is only around £85 more than the X and is bigger, badder and faster.

I noticed both need 25% nitro fuel so that hasn't helped as I would have probably saved more money with the 4.6 if HPI recommended 20% as of course, it is cheaper to purchase.

I am not bothered about reverse so that isn't any sort of deal clincher as I can get the reverse 4.6 for the same price as the non-reverse.

Help me make up my mind as I'm totally confused!
 
Xl

I have both turcks and you can not go wrong with either one. But that being said if I could only have one it would be the XL. For bashing it is great toughest truck I have seen and great torque for climbing hills. I have always run 20% nitro in the 5.9 motor with no trouble. Have fun with either one.
 
Get the X. Its way better IMO. The XL has some things that kill its durability (like wheel extensions) Plus the X is cheaper and has a more reliable engine.
 
I have the XL, but would recomend the X. It's lighter and there's more tire/wheel combos to chose from.
 
I have the XL, but would recomend the X. It's lighter and there's more tire/wheel combos to chose from.

Don't they both run 17mm standard MT wheels?

With the MT, the 17mm hex is more durable than the 14mm hex. I just bought the 17mm hex's and nuts from HPI. (and two standard length right threaded shafts/cups)

Personally, I'd go with the XL. Even if the engine craps out on you, the extra length makes the savage handle quite a bit better in general. I have a 1" extended savage and it's a very big difference over the shorter savage for general bashing. Not quite as easy to drive as my heavily modified aftershock, but much less twitchy than an old 21 savage I had.

Mine doesn't have the axle extender's making the stance wider. That would punish the bearings more, but make it handle better in general.

Again, just a basher here. Handling isn't everything, but it's nice to have a rig that can slalom tree's and whatnot vs hitting them. ;)
 
Don't they both run 17mm standard MT wheels?

With the MT, the 17mm hex is more durable than the 14mm hex. I just bought the 17mm hex's and nuts from HPI. (and two standard length right threaded shafts/cups)

Personally, I'd go with the XL. Even if the engine craps out on you, the extra length makes the savage handle quite a bit better in general. I have a 1" extended savage and it's a very big difference over the shorter savage for general bashing. Not quite as easy to drive as my heavily modified aftershock, but much less twitchy than an old 21 savage I had.

Mine doesn't have the axle extender's making the stance wider. That would punish the bearings more, but make it handle better in general.

Again, just a basher here. Handling isn't everything, but it's nice to have a rig that can slalom tree's and whatnot vs hitting them. ;)

I should have been more specific, sorry. YOu can run X wheels and tires on the truck, but I'm one for a scale look and there aren't many 7" wheels out there to pick from.

engine is great. I sealed mine not too long ago and it's been very impressive so far.
 
I would go with the X. I have heard some bad reviews on the 5.9, and good reviews with both 4.6s. The XL itself is more durable, since HPI upgraded the differentials and such.
 
I would get the X. Just concidering that it is cheaper, smaller, and the engines are more reliable than the 5.9 engine. Might want to order some extra spur slippers. I bought the steel gear and hardened steel cb but I didn't like the way that it ran even though it was meshed right. The plastic melt if they aren't meshed right so make sure you check you engine bolts every few hours of bashing.
 
I have a savage X in the floor right now that I'm about to fix. Ill let you know what I think aout it in a lil bit. I've also heard bad reviews about the bigger 5.9 engine. They just dont hold up. That was the reason I bought the 4.6 for my maxx. Aslo a horrible idea. The 4.6 broke eveything it possible could on my maxx thats why its still on the shelf. :)
 
imo i would save the $$ and go with the X4.6 if money is no object than blow the coin on a kickazz XL
 
My vote is xl. For the diff bevels, pinions, diff outdrives, bones and axles. The extra room behind the engine is nice for a proper header. Also in-air stability.

My x tvps always seemed to bend under the tank forcing it out and cracking it. Extra thickness of the xl plates seems to be helping.
 
I only have the XL so can't make any comparisons to the X. Can say that with almost any rc you get there comes the needed upgrades and sometime not needed upgrade/mods. Tires are tires and can get just about any MT 14mm or 17mm to run on the XL. The smaller ones do look funny imo so I am running the larger 40s moabs. The 40s masher are prefered but I screwed up the belting and glue job on the last set so passed those on. I got the emaxx and revo. Now I have a savage XL. The XL is a real MT and should have the MT tires to go on it imo.

If olds says the XL handles better the the X did well that would be something to see there. I stuggled getting my XL steering/suspension tuned in so it didn't run like an elephant on stilts. It was a scary sight seeing that beast coming toward me. Even being the driver I didn't know which way to jump to dodge it. lol It's great now it can actually haul a.. in a straight line. If I keep my hand of the steering knob that is. There is maintanace cost on all rcs. If you a penny pincher in this hobby your going to suffer the effects of being one. The cost and replacing bearings (10.00 for a 10 pack) once in a while is not a problem for me if the handling going to be that much better with the extended axials. Not a bad price to pay.

My XL was a roller off ebay. So I don't have any comments on either of the x engines. I went to a LPR Z.28 first and very effectively ruined it by running it too lean. I have an Axial .32 on it now and I am very happy with it. The LRP p/s just got repinched so I am going to give it another go in the truggy. If your worried about the 5.9 you can sale it new and pay a lot of the cost of a new engine of your choice. Just decide to do it before you even try to start the 5.9. You will eventually be replacing it for a better mill anyways.

The XL comes with the 3sp tranny don't know if the X does. The XL diffs are an upgade to the X diffs I think. Even though as far as the diffs went for me. I had no luck with the stock one and needed to upgrade to the cens almost immediatly. I should say I should of immediatly upgraded. Would of saved me the headache, hassle, and cost several replacement bevel gears. I wouldn't of gained the much needed experience of properly shimming though. I am testing out the cheaper version of just adding the Cen ring and bevel gear to the XL cups. Has held up great so far.

So after all that rambling (I could go on but that would be for my benifit only) here it's all summed up as a personal thought. I was in the same boat as you not too long ago.

If I would of gotten the X, I know I would be wonder today what the XL would be like. I can honestly say today I am not looking back and wonder what the X would be like.
 
Xl is way better. like the diffs you can take out on the truck. the electronics box is easier to open, and you can run on 20% fuel. The engine has a lot of high end torque. plus 3-speed transmission. And it's bigger.

Xl is way better. like the diffs you can take out on the truck. the electronics box is easier to open, and you can run on 20% fuel. The engine has a lot of high end torque. plus 3-speed transmission. And it's bigger and faster with the 3.75 horsepower
 
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