1:10 HOSIM (Upgraded) X07 Review

Overview:

This HOSIM X-07 is an upgraded version of the previous release. The previous version suffered from loose steering, which this version aims to remedy using a metal steering linkage. Marketed towards both kids and adults, this model claims a top speed of 68kph (42.25 MPH). HOSIM estimates you’ll enjoy up to 40 minutes of runtime when using a 5,200 mAh battery.

 Build Quality

Shocks & Shock Towers:

The mounting system for these shocks varies slightly from other models, but the shocks themselves are nearly identical to most HOSIM shocks. Oil-filled and fairly stiff, they offer sufficient dampening for the RC. Unfortunately, they’re not adjustable, but you can use preload clips to manually adjust them. However, the shock tower does have three different mounting points on the front & rear you can use to change your ride height. The shock shafts are semi-thick, making them resistant to bending from impacts.

Battery mounting system:

Some X-07s come with a single 5,200mAh battery; others include two 2,600mAh batteries. If you’re using a single battery, then you’ll only need one battery strap. However, if you’re using two, you’ll need to place one strap around and under the entire vehicle. Technically, you can just use a single strap, but you risk the batteries falling out during hard crashes. That said, the battery compartment is fairly large, giving you plenty of options for smaller batteries. Unfortunately, it’s not long enough for a standard-sized 5,200 or 6,200mAh battery.

Arms:

The arms on this version of the X-07 are plastic, just like the previous version. They are semi-flexible, which makes them durable and unlikely to break during casual use. You can also purchase metal front and rear arms for the X-07! I recommend checking the screws that go through the arms into the metal wheel hubs after every use. These metal-into-metal parts can unscrew themselves over time.

Drivetrain:

The X-07 uses a four-wheel drive design with open differentials in the front and rear. It does not have a center differential, but it does have a unique gearbox that appears to reduce the gear ratio (providing excellent torque). The motor hangs out over the center driveshaft, which may present an issue during hard landings. It would have been nice to see a support for the motor.

Wheels:

The wheels and tires are the same as other HOSIM 1:10 models, using a 12mm hex mounting system. Initially, these tires are firm but will soften up over time. You won’t run into any issues during casual use, but you may need to replace the tires after ten or so trips to the skatepark since the rims can start to crack. Depending on the color of the vehicle you ordered, your rims will be blue or red.

Electronics

Performance

Onroad:

The X-07 rips down the road, but you’ll want a wide space to run it. Since the RC has open diffs (without oil) and a lot of torque, it will veer aggressively to one side during acceleration. You can reduce this by adding oil to the differentials. However, the car tracks perfectly once it has traction. The wheels balloon slightly, but not enough to really affect the handling. With enough traction, you can expect to be popping wheelies (even on 2S!). The X-07 also has proportional brakes, which is a nice change. Many HOSIM models only offer 100% braking power, which encourages skids and can damage gears. The X-07 doesn’t struggle from this issue.

With the default shock tower mounting holes, the car sits rather high. You likely won’t run into issues flipping this vehicle, but it is possible when the car is all the way up. For on-road runs, I prefer to set the shocks to the lowest setting. This improves its “visual roadworthiness” while reducing the likelihood of flips. This works well for jumping off curbs. However, the lowest setting may not be the best option if you're jumping the vehicle over large jumps. 

Offroad:

Most of my experience using this vehicle has been in a large field. In my opinion, this is the best place to use this RC! Whether you’re using jumps or simply sending the RC off mini hills, it performs great. The suspension has no problem absorbing the bumps, and the front LED makes it possible to use the RC at night without issues. However, you may run into handling issues depending on how precise you’re trying to get.

Similar to on-road, the RC tends to veer off to one side during acceleration while driving offroad. You can immediately solve this problem by using diff oil in the differentials. I used 50wt, but I would probably suggest using something thicker as this seems to leak out after a few runs. Like other HOSIM models, the diffs aren’t sufficiently sealed, which is rather annoying. Still, it’s worth taking the time to do if you want precise offroad handling (i.e., trying to hit skateboard ramps at top speed). However, if you don’t need pinpoint accuracy, then the RC works fine in stock form: you’ll just want to ease into the throttle!

I did manage to break a CVD after a particularly bad rollover, but besides that, nothing has broken on this car. That said, I would recommend checking the gear mesh in the differentials before flooring this car, as they may need to be shimmed. Even when the car was brand new, I heard the diffs skip a bit when flooring it on a high-traction surface. I never bothered to fix this—as the point of a test is to review the car in its stock form—but it never became a major issue either. I haven’t read any other reviews where people had this issue, so it may have been a quality-control issue. Either way, I would recommend checking your RC if you’re anticipating driving hard all the time.

Improvements & Upgrades

This version of the X-07 is a significant improvement over the previous version, which only had two issues: the CVDs popping out and the horrendous steering. These issues seem to have been resolved in the upgraded version. That said, there are a few more improvements that would really maximize the potential of this RC!

• Battery strap relocation- Having a strap that goes under the RC is a great short-term solution, but eventually, that strap is going to get worn down or ripped off. Having a very short strap that went directly across the battery compartment would be better. This would still be adjustable and effective but couldn’t get damaged from scraping the ground.
• Motor Fan- As mentioned above, the motor is prone to overheating. The small heatsink that’s included simply doesn’t have enough cooling power to prevent this. In addition to having a heatsink that covered more motor surface, it would be great if said heatsink could support a fan. With a decent fan cooling it down, this RC wouldn’t suffer from overheating issues in hot, sunny weather.
• Motor Support- I haven’t personally had an issue with this, but since the motor is free hanging, it could easily bend during hard impacts (i.e., landing a 20-ft. high jump onto concrete), which could damage the gears. Having a simple motor support that took advantage of the available chassis hole and center driveshaft cover would keep the motor in place during these impacts.

Final Thoughts:

The only “must-do” improvement is adding a heatsink to the motor, and this only applies to hot weather areas such as California. Overheating the motor will burn it out, which can ruin your RC experience. Slap an aftermarket heatsink/fan combo on your X-07, and you can beat the heat!

If you’re looking for an RC that’s ready to run out of the box, brushless, and affordably priced—with great parts availability—then the X-07 is a great option. Pick up your own X-07 here!

By Kevin Foley