First off, I am an avid R/C nut! I love all things remote-controlled. I have been in the R/C hobby for almost 20 years and have built and driven over 40 R/C car and truck models. I got into the hobby big time when I went looking at the local hobby shop for plastic models. The thought of a model that looked real and moved without a wire was the clincher. I have been hooked ever since.

I purchased my Mad Force kit from Japan as soon as it was available. The straight axles and nitro power screamed "BUY ME NOW". So I sent off my funds and in a matter of 2 weeks had a Mad Force sitting on the front step. The box was a little worse for wear but I would look that bad if I had traveled that far too.

Build-up

Building the Mad Force was a treat. The trucks layout is very simple and straightforward. The directions are clear and the parts are top-notch quality. The heavy reliance on Inferno series parts is a welcome sight and very evident. Axles come already assembled and the rest of the truck's parts are packaged well and labeled clearly.

Build time for the Mad Force was about 5 hours on the chassis. The three main aluminum pieces are very strong and when bolted together make a very strong chassis. One tip: Pay very close attention to the sizes of the screws -- they are very close in size in some cases. The radio box is huge and the 120cc fuel tank has a great spill catcher built into it. This diverts any spilt fuel away from the twin disc brakes that are directly below it. The Kyosho GS 21 comes with the three speed clutch bell already mounted. The three-speed is also pre-assembled. Since Kyosho was kind enough to assemble parts like these the build time is cut dramatically. Another tip, get your Loctite ready and do not be afraid to use it alot.

Break-in

Breaking in the Kyosho motor was a breeze. I followed the manufacturer's initial settings and the first pull on the first tank had the motor running. The first 5 tanks the motor ran very cool and was only slightly hot to the touch making very little power. For the first 6 tanks I turned the high end in about 1/4-1/8 of a turn for each tank. The truck began to pick up speed on each tank. Finally on the 7th tank it was time to take the low end needle in. And that is when the truck finally sprang to life doing doughnuts and wheelies. I only made fine adjustments after that point according to weather.

Radio gear I used for this truck were KO Propo EX-11 (FM) transmitter, Novak Spectra module, Dynamite fail safe, a Futaba 3003 for throttle and brake, and a Hitec 645 steering servo.

Driving

Running the Mad Force is even more fun than putting it together. The truck has lots of torque and the three speeds allows for massive top end. When this truck is scooting along a 40+ it is very squirrely. The steering link set up is a great idea taken too far. The shear number of links and the fact that the bell cranks are flimsy makes for very sloppy steering. And did I mention wheelies? The Mad force makes good use of those long bars on the back. The little discs on the end tend to wear down quick but are a cheap replacement. Other than the steering the Mad Force is a very capable off road machine. It is quick, fun to drive, and very easy to work on.

Modifications that I made were:

• Traction bars added to the rear links to prevent the rear dog bone from popping out due to excessive axle wrap. (See the Tips & Tricks section of this site.)
• A more solid wheelie bar wheel set up with rubber wheels.
• Monster pirate wheels with 19mm hexes to widen the stance almost 2 inches.
• Progressive piggyback reservoirs.
• Parris AL-650 tuned pipe.

The Final Word

The Mad Force is a monster truck lover's dream come true. Solid axles, .21 nitro power, and real monster truck performance all in one package that I would not hesitate to recommend to a nitro beginner. All I can say further is buy one and the force WILL be with you.