- Home
- Knowledge Hub
- Top 5 Things to Know Before Buying an LC Racing EMB-1, EMB-TG, or EMB-SC
Categories:
The included option uses plastic gears, so eventually it will yield - and hopefully not during your main! We do have one EMB-1 that's been raced (and crashed) on a weekly basis for 6 months that's still running the original Batan D115F servo, but... (edit: It finally broke)
When we first borrowed out vehicles to local racers (to help build our mini class), it was a busy day of replacing stock servos with the much stronger metal-gear Batan D135F, along with an aluminum servo horn.
The mounting hole pattern is unique to Batan, so options have been limited as far as what you can use. However, we've developed CNC 7075-T6 aluminum mounts that allow you to use any common micro servo, and will have a knowledge article detailing servo specs and horns to make figuring out what to use simple.
Depending on your driving skill (and that of those around you), you may be able to get away with the included plastic components for a while.
At some point, however, you're going to make unexpected contact with a pipe, wall, or another car - and that's where the aluminum option parts help ensure you stay in the race.
Since they're machined from billet aluminum, they're more rigid, durable, and precise than their molded counterparts, helping to maintain feel and consistency around the track.
Both the upper and lower caps tend to loosen up over time. This happens with any aluminum shock system, but these little platforms get thrown around a bit harder, which expedites things.
The last thing you want to see while you're about to podium is your shock oil dump all over the track and one corner of your car start flopping around.
Solution: Check them after every race. We also use a dab of blue Loctite 242 on the lower threads.
Often, the included double sided foam does not adhere well between the switch and servo, or the ESC and upper deck, for that matter.
The ESC or switch could shift around and bump things into the off position.
Solution: We take a fine grit sandpaper (such as 1,000 grit) to scuff up both surfaces, wipe them clean with a microfiber cloth, and then use Scotch Extreme mounting tape. They aren't falling off after that, even with rough tumbles.
With the release of the HD differential set in 2022, the center driveshaft pinion and ring gear wear has been improved.
However, a new issue arose. The diffs now include a gasket, but the molded plastic housing that contains the sun and spider gears remains unchanged. The added space within the assembly due to the gasket thickness doesn't allow for the gears to properly mesh.
This results in an excessively notchy feel that can even lead to stuck or skipped gears as things shift around inside the housing.
Check out our Knowledge Hub article for the quick and easy fix: HD Differentials: Almost Perfect
Alright, we lied - there's actually 6 things to know. This is common advice for any RC, but the motor mount and the drive cup set screws for the center driveshaft both have a particular tendency to loosen on these platforms (as they experience a decent amount of physical shock) which will throw off your power delivery significantly.
Use removable thread locker and tighten them down, making sure the set screws are on the flat spot of the shaft that they're slid over.
The front center outdrive assembly can also be upgraded to a one-piece shaft/outdrive by using L6232. This eliminates the set screw and removes that point of failure.
LC Racing continues to lead the 1/14 off-road market for good reason. Apart from keeping an eye on the above items, they're incredible platforms - competitive, durable, look great, and we at Scale Speed continue to pump out aftermarket products to take them to the next level.
If you're considering an LC Racing EMB platform, dive in!
If you need any advice or information, reach out to us and we'll do our best to help!
Did we miss something? Let us know!