Review – Thunder Tiger ST-1

On September 21st, the postman called me… There was a parcel for me from the USA… California (I wish I had ordered some sun, because it's getting cold here…). This is my Thunder Tiger ST-1. After I paid $86 in customs, he let me go with the big box! As soon as I got home, I opened the box, and here are my first impressions of my new truggy…

Once I installed the wheels on the ST-1, I began to inspect the truggy. I first noticed how low and wide the ST-1 stands; the body is low and gives the truck a nice stadium look. In fact, the ST-1 has the most beautiful body of all the truggies available on the market. All parts fit perfectly, with no looseness. The suspension components are HUGE and will take a lot of abuse.

These "S"-shaped braces will absorb any hard impact.

On the front end, two aluminum shocks are used for damping. They are covered with black rubber "socks" to keep the 3.5mm shock shafts clean of any dirt and debris. The front shock tower has many shock-mounting holes for better suspension adjustment. Pivot-ball suspension and huge A-arms will keep the ST-1 chassis flat and the front wheels pointed in the right direction. The upper arm will flex in case of a front impact but will resist any bumps or hard landings. The included spring-loaded steering servo saver will protect the S2008MG (metal gear) steering servo from any damage. CVAs are standard, and you can install the included 3.5mm front sway bar if you need more stability.

Everything is HEAVY DUTY here…

To keep the ST-1 on the track, Thunder Tiger included medium-compound race tires mounted on 17mm 8-spoke chrome wheels.

Like any other truggy, a 3-diff setup is used. All diffs are filled with grease, and they all sit low on the chassis to help the CG. A 50T metal spur gear transfers power to the front and rear sealed diffs through CVAs. Two thick, no-fade, oil-resistant fiber brake disks will quickly stop the ST-1. An S2008MG servo is used for throttle and brake duty. A transponder mount is included.

A 150cc fuel tank with a spill guard, and a two-chamber aluminum tuned pipe.

The ST-1 is powered by a Thunder Tiger PRO-28BX-R engine. This .28 engine is the biggest allowed in the truggy class. The pull-start is standard, and Thunder Tiger includes a handled shaft starter and an additional backplate (not pictured). The carburetor is a 2-needle design with a dual-element air filter. A throttle return spring prevents the carburetor from staying open in case of a dead hump pack or any throttle linkage failure.

High-quality material is also used for the rear end; the hub carriers are supported by big arms and turnbuckles. A 3.5mm sway bar is already installed. You can adjust the wheelbase by adding or removing spacers. Once again, CVAs are used throughout, and all components are huge.

Captured hinge pins, protective shock boots, heavy-duty parts, CVAs.

The chassis is 3mm 7075 aluminum with radiused edges and a front kick-up to prevent any flexing. The chassis has been milled to seat the front, rear, and center diffs lower to help the CG. The flywheel is easy to reach for any starter box. Mud guards will keep dirt and debris out of the chassis.

It looks like Thunder Tiger did a great job with the ST-1. Every part fits together tightly, with no looseness, plus the parts are huge and will resist any abuse. With a ground clearance of 48mm, a low CG, a wide stance, and a weight under 9 lbs, the ST-1 will be like a cat on burlap at the track.

I've always had great success with Thunder Tiger engines over the past years. The .28 engine is the same as the one used in the Monster GT 4.60SE, so I know the stock engine will be powerful enough to compete with other truggies. Aluminum shocks, sway bars, shock towers with multiple mounting positions, and CVAs EVERYWHERE are just signs of the ST-1's race attitude.

Over the years, the XP2 radio has become a standard for all Thunder Tiger and Team Associated RTR cars and trucks. It has a bit of a "plastic toy" look, but the radio has all the trims you need to adjust your throttle, brake, and steering, including an end-point adjustment.

At first look, there's nothing wrong with the ST-1. Great job by everyone from the design team to the assembly people.