1:10 scale short course trucks continue their rise in popularity ever since the category was created. There are several companies doing well in the category, while other companies that feel that have something to contribute.
Helion-RC is one such company, introducing their Select line of vehicles with the Four 10SC. In Helion’s words, they describe the Select as “Serious Specs, Serious Performance”.
That’s coming right out in your face and screaming for your attention so you know exactly what the goal is with Select. They are in it to be a contender, not just offering another backyard basher, but a track competitor too. Helion-RC has done good things with the beginner and intermediate line of vehicles, several of which were reviewed right here, so the evolution continues.
What have they learned? What can they bring to the track? Can they build a competitive? Can they compete with the marketing hype of some companies and the quality products of others? Can they open wallets and draw people away from what they have come to know? It’s certainly possible in the backyard and at the club track level, but is it possible in the racing circuits? Time will tell.
FEATURES & SPECS
Initial inspection is always enjoyable; discovering what Helion-RC believes makes up a great 1/10 short course truck. The FOUR 10SC comes as an almost ready-to-run 4×4 short course truck; only transmitter and receiver batteries are required to start driving.
Built for the track and backyard, the FOUR 10SC boasts a high-ground-clearance chassis built for all-terrain driving. The important shock towers and wheel hexes are a beautiful gold-colored, durable aluminum. It’s also equipped with aluminum threaded, adjustable, oil-filled, coil-over, 4-wheel independent suspension. And topping it off are front and rear anti-roll bars, a shaft-based 4×4 drivetrain and the ever more popular modular chassis design.
Rubber-sealed ball bearings are found throughout, behind which are metal-gear differentials, ring and pinion. And of course it has all-weather electronics.
- Motor: 4-Pole Sensorless Radient Reaktor4T 3500kV Brushless
- LiPo Compatibility: 2S-3S (7.4V-11.1V), 45C+
- Gearing: 32P (Pinion: 15, Spur: 52)
- Wheels: 12mm Hex (24mm OS, TRX and KYO Compatible)
- Length: 545mm (21.5in)
- Height: 191mm (7.52in)
- Width: 296mm (11.65in)
- Wheelbase: 326mm (12.83in)
- Weight: 2063g (4lb-9oz)
- Internal Gear Ratio: 3.47:1
The FOUR 10SC is a familiar chassis setup, but immediately noticeable is the construction of the truck feels very solid. It’s reinforced and beefed up in the high stress points, but it’s also clear this truck was made for corners around the track too. The suspension components look strong and are nicely adjustable for a custom ride.
You cannot overlook the fact that it’s equipped with the high-end 4-pole Sensorless Radiant Reaktor4T 3500k Brushless motor. This means going from NiMH to a 3S is possible and that gives this stadium truck a lot of power options for speed and run times.
The Reaktor “T” series ESC’s and Motors incorporate the Total System Protection (TSP) technology. The TSP system protects against the following failure modes.
- Over-current: Operating your product in very tall grass or in environments that create a lot of drag in the drivetrain can cause the motor to draw more current than the ESC is rated to maintain. This incredibly advanced circuitry is calibrated to sense the current state and predicted state of the electronics and will shut down the power to the motor to prevent an over- load condition. The most common causes of an over-current condition are improper gearing or running in very high drag environments such as tall grass, wet heavy mud or in situations where damage has occurred to the drivetrain but gone un-noticed.
- Over-temperature: Exclusive to the Radient Reaktor “T” Series is the integrated temperature monitoring of both the ESC and the motor. Never before has a sensorless brushless combo had the technology incorporated which allows the ESC to monitor the temperature of the motor and enables the cutting of power to prevent an over-heat melt down of the motor and the ESC.
- 2 running modes suitable for different applications (“Forward with brake” mode, “Forward/Backward with brake” mode).
- Proportional ABS brake function with 4 steps of maximum brake force adjustment, 8 steps of drag-brake force adjustment.
- 4 start modes (“Punch”) from “Soft” to “Very aggressive” to be suitable for different chassis, tires and tracks.
- Multiple protection features: Low voltage cut-off protection for LiPo or NiMH battery / Over-heat protection / Throttle signal loss protection / Motor blocked protection.
- Easily programmed with the “SET” button on the ESC or with the LED Program Card.
The FOUR 10SC looks ready for business.
TRANSMITTER
Helion-RC includes an Ikonnik ET4 2.4GHz transmitter to wheel the Select FOUR 10SC around, which is quite a bit more than an entry-level transmitter. For starters, it’s ergonomic, configurable and adjustable.
I’m not the biggest fan of the offset wheel configuration, so I moved the wheel higher up to suit my preferences. The transmitter feels good in the hand, solid and well-balanced; it’s big but not overweight. The adjustable grips is a nice touch, though I couldn’t find one that let my thumb rest comfortably– a personal preference. I also took advantage of the wheel tensioner and tightened it up a bit.
Feeling good about making it comfortable to me, I set out to learn about the programing. As you will see below in the stats, it’s got what you need to race: 10 model memory, proportional steering and throttle, digital steering and throttle trim, end point adjustment and dual rates for the steering.
Along the way it may be easy to miss, but the transmitter has a switch for beginner mode, dropping the throttle by 50%. It doesn’t get much easier than that to safely hand over your prized truck to a beginner.
All of these adjustments are made simple enough without the need for a screen, however, I still like having a screen for the visual reference even though the Ikonnik does it’s job well. I guess that’s a lot to ask from a RTR vehicle. In fact, I’m a little surprised with the included transmitter. It makes getting to the track more cost effective without losing some of the advantages the other guys have with their setups. I can nitpick, but I don’t really need to because I feel it’s above and beyond what’s expected in a RTR.
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ONE CONCERN: Finally, I did notice the driveshaft cover was bowing in the middle. The result will obviously be dirt and debris in place I don’t necessarily want them, so I simply put a little tape over it to keep it down and the drive shaft protected.
DRIVING
I’ve spent many hours driving short course trucks over the years and am pleased to tell you the FOUR 10SC holds it’s own on the local track. It took a few battery packs to dial in the suspension, and I’m not sure it’s all the way there yet, but it’s driving pretty well at the moment.
LiPo is definitely the way to go here and to get the most out of the package and the 4000mah 11.1v MaxAmps pack performed like a champ.
Charge after charge, this pack allowed the FOUR10SC to put down a lot of power with very strong run times. Both my son and I each ran multiple laps and pushed past the ~20min mark with very little sign of slowing down. It proved to be a fantastic combination.
I can appreciate this RTR isn’t a custom setup developed to suit my driving technique over hundreds of runs; with a little tuning, however, the suspension is soaking up the take-offs and landings consistent with the other trucks in this RTR category I’ve come to enjoy. It’s to the point now where I feel I’m starting to sync up with the truck.
The steering is incredibly quick, responsive and accurate. Using power, traction, and steering to make your way around corners is an expected part of driving a 4×4 short course truck, and the FOUR 10SC doesn’t disappoint. I can attest to this in part because the indoor track I’m forced to use due to winter weather is small and tight. I can’t wait to get it on the outdoor track where I can open up the throttle and truly let it rip.
In the yard, where the FOUR 10SC also claims to be comfortable, was fun. Given the continued snow in my area, testing the all-weather electronics was given. Where other stadium trucks tend to have trouble, the 4×4, higher ground clearance, and tires made snow doable. In fact, it was running on the road and driveway in fresh powder 2-3″ deep.
The tagline for the FOUR 10SC could also be, “drifting made fun”. Throttle management and that excellent steering response made sliding down the road sideways as doable as it is in the full-scale car. Yet, the FOUR 10SC will get up to full speed with a little control of the throttle finger.
I’ve had a lot of fun in the snow with this one.
FINAL LAP
I believe you’re getting a complete package with this RTR Select FOUR 10SC. It’s hard to find fault with most of the r/c offerings out there today without really nitpicking, and most of the time that ends up being personal preference and opinion. The same is true in this case; the FOUR 10SC is a good, quality built truck.
In some cases, it simply boils down to what appeals to your senses and how much you can afford. Marketing will do an incredible about of work to get their vehicle in your hands, but what moves the soul is really what matters. Ok, that and whether you can easily get parts.
I happen to have a Hobby Town within a few miles from the track I drive, so this really becomes a contender for me. And even if you don’t have a Hobby Town nearby, with the proliferation and speed of online ordering, spare parts are only a click and a few days away.
It’s a tough decision where to plunk down your cash and there’s something to be said for the tried and true. However, if you’re anything like me, there’s something to be said for driving something new and different; something nobody else at your track or in your neighborhood is driving.
The Select FOUR 10SC can be just that truck.