Review: Pitbull Rock Beast XOR SC Pre-mounted Tires

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.


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Link: https://pitbullrc.com/products/copy-…s-2foams-2rims