Tutorial

Vintage Team Losi XX Restoration and Fundamentals Guide

For this blog, we are taking a trip down memory lane with the iconic Losi Team Losi XX buggy–A vintage 1/10 scale, rear-wheel-drive masterpiece that ruled the racing scene in 1993 and 1994—This is going to be a real treat for long-time RC enthusiasts out there, so join us as we uncover the intricacies of cleaning, servicing, and repairing a double X Losi. Buckle up for a nostalgic journey through the '90s RC glory!

Summary

The Vintage Team Losi XX
Vintage Team Losi XX Restoration Guide
Watch It In Action!

The Vintage Team Losi XX

First things first—who is Losi XX?

Before anything, for those who don’t already know them, let us start off with an introduction: Back in its prime, Losi was a plastic pioneer—injection-molded, stiff yet flexible, and light as a feather. The rear motor mount, inspired by Porsche, enhanced traction and drivability.

The Losi HRA Drive, a torque converter-like system, was a game-changer. It was so revolutionary that Losi retrofitted kits for other brands, and there is even a rumor that AE won a world title with a Losi hydra drive under the hood.

The transmission game on this buggy is three gears deep, with fluorescent springs and flashy fluo wheels, taking us back to the classic '90s vibes!

Vintage Team Losi XX Restoration Guide

With the introduction out of the way, let us now roll up our sleeves and get this vintage beauty cleaned up for some essential service and repairs! But first, let us have a look and dive a little bit into the history of its most common parts.

Wheels

Off come the wheels first, and for this task, MIP tools are a must for this '90s American RC. Its inboard bearings on the front wheels were considered revolutionary during its time away from the push-and-pop bearings of that era.

Tires

As for its tires, the Proline Hole Shots at the rear and a classic JConcepts Rib Tire up front are a nostalgic touch to the golden era of buggy racing on older tracks. Existing vintage Losi’s are likely using hexes as standard fitment nowadays, but it is important to note that these cars originally had a pin arrangement.

Shocks

After removing the wheels, whipping off the shocks is next on our list, mainly to avoid putting tension on or damaging the threads. Again, using MIP tools is always a good choice, especially for suspension work. Remember to be extra cautious with those threads!

A Guide To Cleaning Your Vintage Losi XX

While a thorough cleaning is not something you would typically do on race days unless repairs are needed, when it comes to in-between races stripping down the car and giving it a good clean is a great way to see if anything is broken, damaged, or cracked.

Materials needed:

Hobby knife
Stiff brush
Blue tack
Oil/Lithium Grease

How To Do It: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Start Disassembling

With the tires, wheels, and shocks out of the way, it is now time to have a look at what is going inside. But first, take out your hobby knife and start cleaning out the screw heads before sticking your allen key in to avoid damaging the tool. Then, take off the bumper bar in order to reveal the chassis and front end of the car.

Step 2: Brush! Brush! Brush!

Open up the front end of the car and pop off the rear cam links using soft-jaw pliers. Use a stiff brush—an old paintbrush will work—to clean the nooks and crannies.

Remember, introducing any liquids during the cleaning is not the best course of action; using Simple Green or WD40 on the car can wipe the graphite and prints right off, so you might not want to try that.

Step 3: Check the Hinge Pins & Suspension

Working on the rear end, check the hinge pins and suspension components for movement and proper alignment. Do this by simply mimicking how these parts play their roles out on the tracks, follow its arc of movement and feel if there is any resistance, misalignment or tightness through repeatedly moving through the arc.

Step 4: Get Cleaning (With Blue Tack!)

Take out the trusty brush once again and work on removing the dirt and debris that might be hindering the component’s movement. After giving it a good brush, get your trusty blue tack and start working it in the parts, you will see that it might not be so blue after but the parts will surely be clean.

Why use blue tack? Dirt, oil, and moisture coming together will wear all the parts. Spraying Simple Green into hinge pins is not going to be the best idea—the moisture will stay there, attract dirt, and actually grind away, rusting up the hinge pin. The WD40, on the other hand, might not introduce moisture, but it will grind away at the plastic over time.

Step 5: Grease It Up

Once it is all clean, and the blue tack is not so blue anymore you are now going to need just a drop of oil, or lithium grease if you have it. Precisely apply the grease and oil in the small crevices and joints and wipe off the excess with a clean towel.

Step 6: Rust Protection

Being a vintage piece, it is almost a given that the car will be sitting on a shelf an awful long time. So, in order to make sure that it is going to last long in those conditions, you can play it safe and add a quick grease around the outdrive. This small step prevents rust on the raw steel where the hardening might have worn off.

Step 7: Check the Screw & Torque

Now, make a thorough screw check on critical components. Look closely at each screw and remove any dirt that might be stuck in the screw head. For this task, you can use your hobby knife to carefully pick at the dirt on the screws. In storage, regularly check the screws and properly torque them to avoid stripping or damaging the threads.

Step 8: Front Section Maintenance

On to the front section, cleaning the steering components come into play, once again with a stiff paint brush. While brushing, you might notice that the small foam cups between the ball cups keeps the dirt out, a unique feature on the original Team Losi that are now rarely seen on modern RCs.

Step 9: Final Inspection & Assembly

After taking care of the front section, give everything a good check, especially those pesky little E-clips that are prone to flicking off. Luckily for us, most modern cars have now adapted a screw-and-bolt arrangement. Make sure that everything is good, and you are now done!

Now that you have finished the cleaning and maintenance, it is time for assembly. If you did the screw trick—that is, putting the screw back where it is removed once it is cleaned and moved out of the way—then good for you! Retrace your steps and put everything back together, easy as pie.

Watch it in action!

Watch Brett as he guides you step-by-step on how to restore your vintage Losi XX! Join him as he recalls stories of the Age of RCs from the nineties while working on a nostalgic piece from that time period.

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