I’ve been running these tires for a while on both my LCG Slash 2wd and
HCG Slash 4×4 and have a total of 25+ packs through them. The wheels
have an offset compatible with the Slash 4×4 so they will narrow the
front of the Slash 2wd a little but it isn’t as detrimental as you would
think. I didn’t notice any ill effects while on power or braking in
corners.
My first few runs were with the Slash 2wd and I have to say, I wasn’t
impressed at first. They are great on pavement and will slide very
predictably. They don’t have enough grip to send the truck onto its lid
while cornering and also don’t pull wheelies from a standing start or
while rolling (other tires that I use have no problem with this, even on
dirt).
I like the Rock Beasts for drifting with the 2wd but I was not impressed
with them on grass and hard packed dirt. They couldn’t find grip on
these surfaces and there were a few times that the truck got stuck in
grass. We mow our yard once a week and keep it cut fairly short so to
have the truck get stuck in conditions like these was troubling. Granted
the truck was going slightly uphill but I have never had this issue
with any other truck or tire. The tires were very loose on hard dirt as
well since the tread blocks couldn’t bite into the surface as they were
designed. The Rock Beast XOR’s reminded me of the Pro-line BFGoodrich
KR2’s that I have tested in the past. The scale tread pattern just can’t
deform enough to create traction in these situations.
The Slash 4×4 fared much better in both of these tests. The truck
generates more traction in every direction and will traction roll if
pushed too hard. The truck pulls wheelies with every deep stab of the
throttle and was really fun to drive. The higher center of gravity seems
to work well with these tires and I will be running them on this truck
for a while.
On grass and hard packed dirt the truck doesn’t have as much traction as
on pavement but the truck wasn’t difficult to control. The rear end
would step out if I got too greedy with the trigger and that made things
interesting. The oversteer issue was amplified when moving to the
hardpack. It was fun to drift the truck through corners but could be
frustrating if you were trying to drive a smooth consistent line.
The Rock Beasts show their true colors when you throw them into gnarly,
torn up terrain. I ran both of the trucks in a wooded area that is
littered with roots, rocks, stream crossings, thick dirt, basically a
bashers paradise. The tires threw debris an impressive distance in their
wake and propelled the trucks forward with authority. The 2wd was more
of a handful than the 4×4 but wasn’t undrivable. The front tires have
enough bite to point the truck where it needs to go, even under power.
This is where I spent most of my time testing as it was just too fun to
stop.
After 25+ packs the tires are not showing any signs of excessive wear. I
had feared that all of the drifting with the 2wd would have worn the
tires significantly but they are holding up fine. The tires didn’t
soften with use as I had expected them to. The compound feels the same
now as it did when I pulled them out of the bag. The glue is holding up
great and doesn’t show any signs of coming loose.
I have a love/hate relationship with the Pitbull Rock Beast XOR. I love
the way they look and how they perform on loose, nasty surfaces. On the
other hand they leave a lot on the table when running on hard surfaces.
My advice would be to save the asphalt running for street tires and when
you are ready to abuse your truck and the terrain, reach for the Rock
Beasts.
[
