ARRMA Mojave GROM RTA review

What earns the 8.0.

Research-led buying scores, not physical test results, reliability statistics or customer stars. Five categories have equal weight.

Scored for: A beginner who wants to assemble and paint a compact first basher.

An entry point for people who want to build

The Mojave GROM RTA makes sense when assembly is part of the reward. A prospective owner gets a recognizable desert truck and a route through its construction, rather than a bare chassis followed by a long electronics shopping list. I would shortlist this exact ARA2104KT1 for someone who wants to understand why the suspension moves, where the driveshaft sits and how a body attaches before the first outing. I would not buy it for a birthday morning with an immediate driving deadline.

The important word is RTA: ready to assemble. This is the brushed 1/16 kit with a partly clear body, battery and charger. It is not the Mojave GROM 223S brushless RTR already covered in our archive. Shared family styling does not transfer that model's voltage support, stability electronics or purchase contents to this one. Treat the SKU as the starting point whenever comparing listings.

Greg Vogel's 29 June 2026 RC Driver coverage documents an unbox, build, paint and driving sequence for ARA2104KT1. That is useful outside evidence that the assembly experience deserves its own evaluation. Our assessment remains research-led: we have not built or driven this sample, and another publication's outing does not establish our own crash resistance, runtime or speed figures. The recommendation rests on the documented package and the decisions a new builder actually faces.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Independent publication coverage; affiliate disclosure on source ↗

The electronics are settled; the finish is yours

The central attraction is the coordinated equipment basket. ARRMA lists the brushed motor, Spektrum SLT2 transmitter, steering servo and combined speed controller/receiver alongside the truck's mechanical parts. The supplied Smart 1400mAh 2S 30C hardcase LiPo uses IC2, and the S10 Smart G2 Mini USB-C charger is included. Four AA transmitter cells are also listed. That removes several compatibility choices that can make an open-ended first kit intimidating.

There are still purchases and preparation jobs. The manufacturer lists polycarbonate-compatible spray paint and a USB power adaptor as required. Its exact product illustration specifies a compatible QC 2.0/3.0 supply rated 18W or above. A convenient socket on an old computer is not automatically equivalent. Check the supplied charger's instructions and input requirements rather than assuming that a USB-shaped connector guarantees the appropriate source.

Read the current assembly addendum before opening the bags. It calls out battery-strap orientation, motor and fan details, and a front-bumper step that must happen before a later numbered instruction. Those are practical reasons to read ahead, not evidence that the kit is defective. Lay out one bag at a time, compare hardware with the drawings and keep small components in a tray. Supplied tools cover initial assembly; the manual separately identifies additional maintenance tools. Do not turn that optional maintenance list into a claim that every listed tool is missing from an otherwise unusable kit.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

A 28T brushed system with a defined 2S job

Power comes from a MEGA 380-size 28-turn brushed motor. A heat sink and 25mm cooling fan are part of the current kit description. Those components are there to help manage heat; they do not make prolonged stalled running harmless. When the wheels are jammed against a root or packed with grass, release the trigger and recover the vehicle rather than asking the motor to force the obstacle out of the way.

The 25A Spektrum SLT unit combines the brushed speed controller and receiver. The upside is a selected control package with fewer separate components for a first builder to match. The ownership tradeoff appears later: a radio change or electronics replacement needs consideration of both functions. A brushless conversion is therefore not simply a different motor screwed into the same otherwise unchanged system. We are assessing the supplied car, not proposing a conversion shopping list.

The documented LiPo compatibility is 2S. Keep that boundary clear even when a nearby Mojave advertisement celebrates 3S operation. Metal gearing and four-wheel drive explain the platform's layout, but neither is a promise that every component survives a particular impact. Nor does four-wheel drive remove the load created by unsuitable terrain. The useful initial goal is a freely rotating drivetrain, correctly routed wires and an intact matched power package, followed by short checks on an open surface.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Commission it before you chase a fast lap

The SLT2 pistol-grip transmitter is a conventional starting point: steering wheel for direction and trigger for drive and braking. Do not import the DSC stability features of the separate 223S model into this review. The RTA manufacturer listing identifies the ordinary SLT2 package; our recommendation does not depend on electronic countersteering. A first session should establish neutral, correct steering response and predictable stopping before adding tight obstacles.

After assembly, work through the supplied get-started instructions with the wheels safely clear for the initial direction checks. Confirm that wires cannot enter rotating parts and that the steering travels without binding. Then test slowly on level ground with room to stop. If the truck pulls to one side, inspect free movement and the mechanical setup before trying to conceal a rubbing wheel with excessive trim. A control adjustment should refine a sound assembly rather than compensate for an unfinished one.

Charging deserves its own attended task. Use the supplied matched battery and charger according to their instructions, inspect the pack and connector, and stop using damaged equipment. The assembly booklet warns against extended storage fully charged or fully discharged. Its guidance is specific to the supplied GROM battery system; it is not a universal timed storage recipe for other packs or chargers. Disconnect the drive pack after use and follow the actual battery and charger documentation for charging and storage, rather than copying a setting from a different ARRMA.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Learn what moves before you change it

The SX110 metal-geared steering servo is included, and the truck uses oil-filled shocks. Those are useful specification facts because the first build already contains steering and damping hardware; the buyer does not have to assemble a radio system from separate purchases. They are not measured evidence of precise tracking or a particular landing quality. Our score rewards the supplied equipment and documentation, not handling we have not observed ourselves.

During construction, compare the left and right suspension assemblies and check that each arm can move through its intended travel. Keep the manual's orientation drawings beside the parts. A fastener that locates a pivot is not an invitation to keep tightening until all motion disappears. Equally, a loose joint is not useful suspension compliance. When something binds, stop and compare the relevant drawing before applying more force or modifying a part.

Leave tuning ambitions for later. Once the car is correctly assembled, establish a baseline on one repeatable section of ground and observe whether the issue follows a wheel, a bump or a steering input. That process teaches more than immediately changing several settings. The small scale also means modest obstructions can dominate the response. If a tire catches a large stone, changing a spring is unlikely to turn that stone into a suitable miniature course. Venue choice belongs ahead of an upgrade plan.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Build a small course, not a miniature quarry

Packed dirt, smooth pavement and fine gravel are the sensible starting venues for this compact desert-truck format. These are editorial surface recommendations based on its dimensions and tires, not a claim that we measured grip on each. The dBoots Fortress tread gives the model an off-road purpose, but a 338mm truck still meets twigs, ruts and loose stones at a very different scale from a larger basher.

Choose a flat area with visibility and clear run-off room first. Use soft markers rather than curbs as course boundaries, and inspect for objects that can trap the chassis or reach the rotating parts. The broad-looking body can make the truck seem bigger than the wheel and ground-clearance problem underneath it. Four driven wheels help only when they can make useful contact; deep loose material and thick grass can absorb power without allowing meaningful progress.

I would skip this purchase if ordinary uncut lawn is the only available driving space. An occasional thin patch is a different proposition from sustained grass running, but this review cannot supply a tested grass-height threshold. Likewise, a desert-truck body is not permission for deep sand, mud or water. Start dry, respect the electronics and battery instructions, and allow for cleaning after dusty use. A small prepared dirt loop is more consistent with this kit's purpose than seeking a dramatic obstacle that repeatedly stops it.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

The clear panels are part of the project

The clear/black shell is an important part of the value proposition. ARRMA supplies a partly finished, paintable body with instructions and graphics so the finished vehicle can carry the builder's own color choice. The yellow action photograph reproduced here is a manufacturer example with optional painted finish. It is not evidence that a yellow, fully painted RTR body arrives in ARA2104KT1, and it is not our driving photograph.

Read the separate paint guide before assembling the shell onto the truck. Its opening pages identify dish soap, a soft sponge, a clean cloth and suitable polycarbonate paint among the preparation items, and explicitly warn against removing the outer overspray film at the preparation stage. Follow the guide's sequence and the paint manufacturer's ventilation, protection and drying instructions. Do not substitute ordinary model paint merely because the color looks right. Finishing is a separate job with its own workspace requirements.

For ownership, the clipless body arrangement makes the shell removable without a set of loose body clips. That is an access feature, not a promise of damage immunity. Remove dirt carefully, inspect the body catches and keep debris away from the cooling fan and drive components. Use the parts drawings when identifying worn or damaged items, and retain a photograph of the original wire routing after assembly. The builder's knowledge of how the truck went together should become a service advantage, provided the build was methodical.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

A $169.99 reference with two obvious gaps

The current Horizon Hobby US listing gives a $169.99 reference for ARA2104KT1, checked on 20 October 2026. That is a dated manufacturer kit reference, not an Amazon checkout price, stock guarantee or claimed discount. The retained Amazon link identifies the exact kit through previously recorded public identity evidence; availability and seller details still need checking on the retailer's page.

For a first owner, add suitable polycarbonate paint, the body-preparation materials and a compatible QC 2.0/3.0 18W-plus USB power source if none is already available. Include any battery-handling and charging equipment required by the supplied safety instructions, plus tax and shipping where applicable. We have not independently priced those additions today, so an honest complete-start total remains open. The battery, USB charger and transmitter cells should not be charged to the basket twice when comparing this kit with a vehicle-only RTR.

Time is another real cost. There is assembly, careful verification, painting and drying before driving. We do not give a guaranteed build time because neither our own timed build nor a controlled beginner study supports one. If a parent or friend will supervise, reserve their time as well. The appeal is that these stages are the activity; if they are simply obstacles between the buyer and the first run, an assembled complete vehicle is the more suitable purchase even if its headline price is higher.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Three ways to spend the same attention differently

The Mojave GROM 223S DSC ARA2304T1 is the obvious family alternative, and its full review is already in the garage. It is an assembled brushless vehicle with a different power and assistance proposition; the reviewed black T1 package excludes the drive battery and charger. Choose it because you want those documented electronics and are willing to complete its power basket, not because a Mojave badge makes all packages interchangeable. It also leaves the small-course terrain limitations intact.

The Tamiya Lunch Box 2005, item 58347, is a different kind of body-inclusive build. Its van body and classic two-wheel-drive monster-truck layout emphasize model assembly and character rather than a compact four-wheel-drive desert truck. Our full review explains the additional equipment and finishing work. It belongs on the shortlist when the model-making process is the main attraction, but it should not be treated as a similarly complete electronics bundle merely because both products are called kits.

For someone whose actual interest is careful indoor driving, the complete Kyosho MINI-Z AWD Initial D AE86 32651ID is another direction entirely. Its finished body and small hard-surface format trade outdoor dirt use for an indoor course and AAA battery routine. That comparison is about use and workspace, not equivalent terrain capability. Ask which activity will happen every week: building and bashing a small truck, assembling a traditional van, or sliding a tiny road car. The answer should decide before optional upgrades do.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Independent publication coverage; affiliate disclosure on source ↗

A good first build only if you want the build

My editorial recommendation is conditional but positive. The Mojave GROM RTA gives a new builder a complete vehicle project with the motor, radio and matched 2S equipment already chosen. That makes it easier to concentrate on assembly and body finishing. The supplied documentation, including the easily missed addendum, is central to the recommendation. Read it as a set rather than treating the product-page contents list as the entire instruction manual.

The compromises are specific. The finish and USB input supply are not included, the combined electronics deserve advance thought, and a compact off-road truck still needs appropriately scaled ground. None of those points makes the package poor; they explain who receives the value. I would buy it for a patient first build with access to a small dry dirt venue. I would skip it for instant use, long grass, or an owner already planning to replace the supplied power system before driving.

The five category scores assess accessibility, package completeness, venue fit, documentation and complete-start value for that buyer. They do not claim tested acceleration, impact strength or long-term reliability. Start with the stock 2S configuration, complete the finishing and safety checks, and let the first sessions reveal what actually needs attention. If that sequence sounds like enjoyable hobby time, ARA2104KT1 has a clear purpose that the faster, assembled Mojave variants do not replace.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Know exactly what you’re ordering.

Published manufacturer specifications for model ARA2104KT1. Conflicting figures are flagged rather than silently corrected.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗