Boom Racing BRX02 D130 High Cap 1/10 Review

by Craig | Sep 9, 2026 | Boom Racing, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

Boom Racing BRX02 D130 High-Cap: Build & Review Companion Article

Companion piece to the RC-TNT video review

The Boom Racing BRX02 D130 High-Cap is the fifth Boom Racing chassis I’ve built and reviewed for RC-TNT, and it might be the most complete package yet: a well engineered rolling chassis wrapped in an officially licensed Land Rover Defender 130 High Capacity body. This article is the companion piece to the video review, which runs a full 52 minutes because there’s a lot to get through, so treat this as the place to come back to for the part names, numbers, and detail that don’t always survive the edit.

A quick note on that: this is the first Boom Racing vehicle I’ve ever been sent for review without having to purchase it. Every other one I own, the BRX01, the BRX01 AWB, the BRX02 D110, and the BRX02 6×6, I bought myself, most with a sponsorship discount. When I proposed this review, Boom Racing actually asked me how it could stay unbiased if they sent it to me without payment. That’s the kind of question that tells you a lot about a company. The answer then, and now, is transparency: I get to say exactly what I think, praise and criticism both, and their car goes in front of a bunch of people who are actually interested in seeing it.

Buy It

The BRX02 D130 High-Cap kit itself, and the Pro Spec Upgrade Set worth adding to it, full accessory breakdown in the Tires, Bumper & Accessories section below.

View The BRX02 D130 High-Cap Kit

BRX02 D130 First Impressions: Scale Proportions

The overall length of the BRX02 D130 caught me off guard. That it’s longer than the D110 wasn’t a surprise, I’ve built the D110 chassis and still have its body ahead of me. What did surprise me was that the D130 comes out roughly the same overall length as the BRX02 6×6 I built a year or two back, despite the 6×6 carrying a third axle.

A long-wheelbase scale vehicle is generally the worse choice for technical off-road work, with one exception: steep ascents and descents, where the extra length adds real stability. That tradeoff is worth it. Once the model is finished, painted, and running, the added length pays off in a different way, it adds a sense of scale realism and presence that shorter-wheelbase vehicles don’t have. I’m not sure exactly why a longer small-scale vehicle reads as more realistic to the eye, but in my experience it consistently does.

Verdict: a stunning model.

BRX02 D130 body and chassis together for scale

BRX02 D130 finished model, three-quarter view

Suspension

The BRX02 D130’s rear suspension was a pleasant surprise: true independently mounted coil springs rather than coilovers, only the second model in my collection built this way. It’s a nice scale touch. The front runs coilovers, as you’d expect on most crawlers this size.

Sitting right next to those rear springs, though, are bent rear lower links, which creates an odd juxtaposition. I doubt the real Defender 130 runs bent lower links, and I’d question whether any real vehicle would, short of a dedicated rock crawler.

The rear shocks also sit at a fairly steep angle (around 45 degrees). I’d have liked to see shorter shocks sized closer to what you’d find under the real D130, so they wouldn’t need to be laid down so far. Something for Boom Racing to consider in future revisions.

BRX02 D130 front axle coilover, underside view

BRX02 D130 rear axle coil spring, underside view

Chassis & Build Quality

The chassis rails are beautifully machined aluminum rather than steel C-channel or the carbon fibre of the D110, and I confirmed they’re hard anodized rather than painted, consistent with Boom Racing’s standard finish across the BRX01 and BRX02 lines.

Build quality throughout is excellent:

Powder coating on several parts is excellent
Paint on the rails is excellent
Every thread taps cleanly
Overall fit and finish is a step above what I usually see at this price point

BRX02 D130 chassis overhead with bed fitted

The Manual

Boom Racing’s manual is a strong point. It uses line diagrams and drawings, groups several build steps together by theme, and keeps everything in the correct build order without ever feeling overloaded. If something doesn’t make sense on first read, it’s usually because there’s a detail you haven’t noticed yet, a second or third look through the page resolves it.

Each section opens with a parts key that labels and locates every component, which means even the steps that seem confusing at first sort themselves out once you look them up. Overall, a pleasant build experience. I only found two errors across both manuals, every page of which is technical, one screw callout listed the wrong screw type, and one door handle part was mislabeled T15 instead of T16. Both minor, both easy to catch, and pretty good going for that much technical content.

Drivetrain & Electronics

The BRX02 D130 runs a 385mm wheelbase and uses a conventional shaft-driven 4×4 layout: the motor mounts to the planetary transmission between the shock towers which drives a mid-mounted transfer case, sending power fore and aft through universal jointed drive shafts to solid, straight front and rear axles. Nothing exotic here, but it’s all cleanly executed.

Motor and ESC

I used a HobbyWing QuicRun Fusion SE 1800kv, a combo brushless system built for crawlers. Motor and ESC are a fusion, a single bolted-together unit rather than two separate boxes joined by wires. 1800kv with the stock pinion, works well on 3S. You might consider dropping a tooth or two on the pinion, or running the 1200kv unit with stock pinion – I feel it’s a shade fast on 3S with my setup.

Planetary Transmission

A two-speed unit, sized for scale detail, I know this transmission well and love it.

Transfer Case

A flexible unit that gives opposing-direction drive shafts, with the option to fit front overdrive OR DIG (amazing!), and comes stock with the SWD for selectable 2WD and 4WD via the transmitter. The Sense S10 shows 4H and 4L range selection independently of a separate 2WD/4WD toggle. Two Boom Racing Python 125MINI waterproof (IP67) micro servos handle speed and SWD, one per function. Though both are rated around 9.5kg of torque at 8.4V, I run them at 6V so they don’t have to work as hard. The SWD servo sits at the end of the battery tray, and that placement significantly eats into usable battery space. Useable tray dimensions are 99mm (L) x 47mm (W) x 28mm (H); without the servo sitting in the way, length would be 144mm, a substantial loss. Typical 2200mAh 3S packs run about 104mm long, so finding a battery that actually fits is a challenge, look for ‘shorty’ packs.

Axles and Drive Shafts

Solid diffs front and rear; the front rides on coilovers, the rear on the independent coil-spring-and-shock setup covered in the Suspension section above. Power reaches each diff through slip-jointed drive shafts with universal joints at both ends (not CVDs), standard practice for a crawler with this much axle articulation, and it keeps drive smooth even under full droop.

Links

Adjustable turnbuckle-style links front and rear, with rod-end (heim) joints at both mounting points on each link. That’s what lets Boom Racing get away with the bent rear lower links I mentioned above, a straight link wouldn’t clear the coil spring at full compression.

Body Assembly

Body prep was a properly involved process, I set aside two full weekend days for it. It’s not just cutting parts from the trees, cleaning up flash with an Xacto knife, then washing and gluing. This body uses several layers of pieces in multiple places to achieve a clean finished look:

Interior: a separate console compartment lid; the seats built up from a substructure, a base, and then the visible outer covers as distinct layers
Exterior: the roof and part of the rear window section sit on top of a supporting structure, which itself attaches to the front of the bed
Bed: three of the four sidewalls are molded in place, with a separate tailgate/dropgate at the back, a panel for the inside front of the bed, and another panel that meets the cab

It’s a properly modular design, and it rewards thinking through the assembly order before you start.

BRX02 D130 interior through the windshield

BRX02 D130 chassis with turnbuckle links

Steering

A PowerHD WT85 servo rated 55kg of torque at 6V and 70kg at 8.4V, mounted on its own plate off the side of the chassis rail rather than up on the axle, driving the knuckles through a drag link and a separate steering link. Keeping the servo off the axle keeps unsprung weight down, always a good thing on a crawler. It’s strong enough that the steering is slightly overkill for what the car needs, no complaints there.

Radio System

A SENSE S10 transmitter paired with an S10RX receiver (10-channel) with a built-in gyro, reporting live attitude (pitch and roll, in degrees, with a little animated truck on screen tilting to match) alongside battery and BEC voltage. The GPS module in the radio box comes bundled with the S10 system and some of Sense’s receivers, feeding the same telemetry setup. I install and demonstrate this in the video review, so more detail on it belongs there rather than repeated here.

Electronics live in a radio box at the rear of the chassis. The kit includes extension cables for all electronics so everything reaches back there without needing to source your own.

BRX02 D130 SENSE transmitter attitude screen

Painting

This is where I’d like to see Boom Racing improve. The manual doesn’t include any guidance on which parts to assemble before painting versus after, or where to mask. I’ve masked and painted around twenty styrene models over the years, so I know to look for this, but anyone following the manual step by step without that background could easily glue panels together before realizing they needed paint first. That would be a real shame given the body isn’t cheap and looks excellent once finished.

The manual does include one useful callout: it suggests hobby filler for the rear panel section just behind the back passenger doors, where two plates meet with screw holes and a seam. I used Selleys Knead It (a moldable two-part epoxy putty, sold in Australia) there, pressed it in by hand and sanded it back, and it worked well. The body looks noticeably better for it, and I wouldn’t have thought to do it without that note.

Beyond that one instance, more guidance on assembly order for painting and masking would be valuable. If Boom Racing went as far as walking builders through the painting process, even though most manufacturers don’t, it would make this one of the best kits on the market for newer hobbyists.

BRX02 D130 painted parts, ready to assemble

Body Mounting & Lighting

The body mounting system carries over from previous BRX02 releases and is an improvement on the system used on the BRX01. It’s simple and effective, and the rear body mounts double as tie-down points once the body’s on.

The body is ready to accept a full lighting system, but the manual gives no guidance on cable management for it. Some planning is needed if you want to add lights, particularly if you want the body to keep releasing cleanly by design without risking the wiring.

I went with a KYRC 18 LED Control module for the lighting. The controller itself lives in the receiver box at the rear of the chassis, alongside the receiver and gyro, connected back to a mid-mounted connection point via a data cable on a permanent passthrough through channels 1, 2 and 3, so that link never needs touching. Front and rear light cables plug into that mid-mounted connection point. It has dedicated channels for turn, fog, head, DRL, brake, and reverse, more than a basic EBL-style unit gives you, which normally just reads brake and reverse straight off the throttle signal. I’m still not fussed about running indicators, so most of those channels sit unused, but having the option there didn’t cost anything extra over a simpler module.

Body retention itself is a lovely little spring-loaded metal clip mechanism, similar to previous BRX02 models; the rear bed is held on separately by four screws and two lock nuts. The only lighting cables you actually have to unplug are the two front leads, every time the cab body comes off.

Tires, Bumper & Accessories

The BRX02 D130 uses the same more aggressive tire tread found on the 6×6, rather than the smaller, more all-terrain tread found on the D110 and similar to the BRX01.

The front bumper attaches with small grub screws, a nice detail. Solid, too – but no winch fairlead.

The range of accessories available for this chassis is substantial. Worth calling out specifically is the BRX02 D130 Pro Spec Upgrade Set (USD$395), which bundles around a dozen upgrades: bonnet vent intake (3 styles), XT diff cover, KUDU steel windscreen roll cage with injection-molded snorkel, metal side mirror mounts, injection-molded dual exhaust, tubular aluminum front bumper with stainless steel skid plate and D-ring shackles, overdrive machined steel transfer case gears (32%), KUDU 80mm shocks with 52mm rear coil springs, TPD 1.9″ Gekko RED tires with foam inserts, ProBuild Spectre beadlock wheels, and KUDU steel tubular rock sliders.

If you’re planning to add a winch, Boom Racing also sells a Muscle Winch Mount Lead Kit sized for the BRX02 platform, worth grabbing at the same time as the rest of your accessories.

BRX02 D130 Verdict: How It Drives

The BRX02 D130 drives beautifully, lovely to drive. Yes, it’s heavy, but this is a scale model designed around realism first. The Boom Racing axles make it a pleasure to push and steer with confidence, the drivetrain is slick, and shifting is effortless. The accessories available for this platform mean you can do all sorts of clever things with it too, just look at how I kitted out my BRX01 with selectable 2WD/4WD (it comes stock on the D130) and with overdrive gears for the front, so that when it’s in 4WD the front wheels really pull the car in the intended direction, eliminating the understeer so typical of scale 4×4 models. The damping could be a bit slower, I might put pistons with one less hole in next, the thing bounces a bit more than I’d like, but overall it’s brilliant.

My only real gripe with this vehicle is the reduced size battery tray, with that SWD micro servo taking up real estate. It means I have to run a shorty pack rather than even a smaller standard battery, like a typical 2200mAh 3S LiPo. I think I’ll make a battery box for this that sits in the bed, so the body never has to come off. I like the sound of that.

If I had one suggestion for Boom Racing after building this, it would be to add a paint guide to the body manual: what to mask, what to glue together first, what to paint, and what can be skipped. I’m experienced and was left to guess. I got it mostly right, but there are a handful of places I wish I’d painted, and a few I wish I’d painted differently. That would really make this kit stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Taken as a whole, this is a complete kit I’d recommend for experienced hobbyists rather than first-timers, and it’s hugely rewarding to build and drive. Beyond the basic electronics you’ll need to add yourself, motor, ESC, steering servo, and a radio system, plus paint and hobby filler for the body, nothing further is required to end up with a very complete model indeed.

This might just be the finest scale model you can buy.

Boom Racing BRX02 D130 in a sentence: heavy, honest, and built to be driven, not just displayed. If you want to build one yourself, the BRX02 D130 High-Cap kit is where to start, and the Pro Spec Upgrade Set is worth adding once you do.

BRX02 D130 rear, tailgate down, outdoors

BRX02 D130 front three-quarter with figure

A note on affiliate links: we were provided with this car by the manufacturer for review purposes. The Amazon and AsiaTees links in the above article are affiliate links, which means we may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on them to make a purchase. As always, we make effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this – we still report on bugs and issues encountered during product testing, and our fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Craig has been into radio control since the 90s and into RC crawling since about 2010, when a Losi MRC started the obsession! Now it's all rocks this and crawl that and upgrade all the things! ...You know how it is, right? Welcome home 🙂

Rlaarlo DSK: Setup, Build Tips, Results

by Craig | May 19, 2026 | How-To, RC Off-Road, Rlaarlo

Two videos in, the Rlaarlo DSK has earned its place on the RC-TNT shelf. Building it taught me more than I expected, and not all of those lessons fit inside a YouTube cut. Here’s the stuff I’d want to know before starting again.

Kit, RTR or Roller? Choose Carefully

Three flavours exist: kit, RTR and roller. If you want to build, get the kit. It costs the same as the RTR but ships with a higher grade of hardware throughout: more alloy, more carbon fibre, nicer fasteners. You also walk away knowing the car intimately, which matters more than you’d think when something breaks and you need to diagnose it fast. RTR and roller are the right call if you’d rather drive than build, but you’ll be giving up some of the better hardware to do it. Explore the range and grab yours here.

One caveat for bashers: the kit’s carbon fibre rear shock tower is a racing weight-saver, but it’s potentially less impact-resistant than the alloy tower on the RTR. If your driving involves heavy landings, that’s worth factoring in (thanks to @Hutch_Davenport for raising this).

The Sneaky Extras Most People Miss

Many 1/8 kits don’t include tires and sometimes not a body shell either. The DSK kit does both. This is a help if you’ve ever priced 1/8 buggy tires or shells separately. Worth knowing before you write off the kit on price.

Diff Oil to Start With

Front and centre get 7,000 weight. Rear gets 3,000 weight. These are Rlaarlo’s defaults and they felt right for general off-road work. Pencil the weight on the outside of each diff housing as you fill them. Helps during the build if you pack up between assembly and installation!

Rlaarlo DSK Diff Parts

Rlaarlo DSK Diff Assy

Rlaarlo DSK Diff Apart

Rlaarlo DSK Diff Together

Rlaarlo DSK Diff Housings

Rlaarlo DSK Diff Pencilled

Rlaarlo DSK Middle Diff

Why You’ll Want Sealed Bearings

Almost every bearing in the DSK ships sealed, but there are a few shielded ones to be found. The distinction matters: shielded means a thin metal cover over the ball race, while sealed means a rubber lip that actually keeps grit and moisture out. For a clean race surface, shielded is fine, preferable even (less rolling resistance). For anywhere with dust, you’re inviting trouble. The four inner hub bearings are 15x21x4mm, and here are the sealed ones I fitted. Do this before your first run. Your future self will be thankful!

The 76mm Front Motor Trap

Here’s the one that caught me out. Up front, there’s only 76mm of clearance between the alloy motor mount and the steering bell crank, which is a moving part. Maximum motor length up front therefore: 74mm. A surprising number of popular 1/8 motors are 78mm long. Mine was. That single dimensional reality is why this review turned into two videos rather than one.

Rlaarlo DSK 4078 Too Long

Rlaarlo DSK 4078 Touches Steering

Rlaarlo DSK 3974 Fits Easily

Rlaarlo DSK with 3974 Front

Rear Motor Mounting: Different Story Entirely

Swap to the rear motor configuration and the available length opens up dramatically. You’ll need to remove one of the two rear braces to make room. Once that’s done, you have close to 100mm of usable length, which is more than any 1/8 motor will ever need. The manual eventually mentions the 76mm front limit, but if you’re like me, you’ll find it buried on a later page, well after you’ve completed assembly!

One tip from Rlaarlo themselves: when switching to the rear motor layout, rotate the centre diff 180° and reverse the motor direction. For the 160A sensored ESC, use the S10 program card to do this. For the 180A sensorless ESC, just swap any two of the motor wires.

Pinion Maths if You Swap the Motor

Stick with Rlaarlo’s upgrade-spec 4278-2050KV motor on the 17T pinion and 6S, and you’re in the intended spec. Stray from that, and you need to think. Higher KV pushes more wheel speed per pinion tooth, which also pushes more stress through the drivetrain. The solution is to drop pinion teeth proportionally to keep wheel speed and longevity in balance. Part 1 had me running a 2500KV motor with an 11T pinion (the only Mod 1 pinion I had on hand – it fit because th emotor was a 39XX size). This put me about 14% slower at the wheels than the intended setup. Not a disaster and still very useable, but 14T would probably be a good all-round use for 4S with such a motor.

The Servo Horn Hole That Matters

Inner hole. Use the inner hole on the servo horn, not the outer. You get less throw, more torque, and faster response. Lock-to-lock travel on this car doesn’t need the extra throw of the outer hole, and using it just makes your servo work harder for no good reason. Not all horns are equal, so test your full throw can be achieved with that inner hole, and you’re good.

Tire Gluing: The Step Most People Skip

Stock tires on the DSK don’t come pre-glued. Before you reach for the CA, wet the tire bead with clean water. Skip that step and your tires will start peeling off after the first run. I learned this at the pump track when one nearly departed mid-jump. Proper tire glue with a needle applicator is cleaner than regular super glue but they’re chemically the same; surface prep is what matters most.

Another commenter’s tip: Loctite 480 is a rubberised CA (black in colour) that gives you more working time before it sets and holds better than standard CA, especially on alloy wheels. Not cheap, but worth investigating if you want a more reliable bond (thanks @steveblackbird).

Two Grub Screws to Watch

Those rear hinge pin grub screws both worked themselves out during the pump track session. I ran them in a fair way, but you want to go all the way until they stop turning, then back them off a shade. I think these grub screws could be an extra 2mm longer and you’d have a more reliable retention mechanism for those hinge pins. Mine keep backing out.

My Rlaarlo DSK Setup Sheet

Below is my full Pivot Ball version setup from the test build, sized for medium track, low traction, bumpy surface. Each setting follows in its own section so you can see the reasoning rather than just the numbers.

Camber: 2° (and Why You Can’t Have 1.5°)

Two degrees of negative camber up front, using 1.5mm + 1.5mm spacers. That’s the minimum the kit geometry allows. So, if you were hoping to dial in the 1.5° often recommended for 1/8 buggies, the DSK won’t let you. Not a deal-breaker by any means, but worth knowing before you go searching for camber gauges.

Caster: Minimum and Happy

This only counts if you’re using C-hubs instead of pivot balls: I set twenty degrees of caster (4mm spacers), which is also the minimum the DSK offers. More caster gives high-speed stability; less gives sharper steering response. As a basher, I went for steering response. The good news is the adjustment uses small tabs on the towers rather than requiring full disassembly, so changing your mind later is easy.

Front Kick-Up: A Sensible 1°

Half a degree on the FF position, plus another half degree on the FR position, totalling 1° of kick-up. That sits in the sensible-neutral zone for off-road and is a good starting point. Crank it up later if you’re catching the front on rough terrain.

Rear Toe-In: 2° and Stable

I set two degrees in the back, which is the minimum the DSK allows. Options run out to 4° if you want more rear grip and straight-line stability at the cost of some agility. Stock geometry felt right for the surfaces I drive on and it still pulled like a train on my brief speed run!

Rear Anti-Squat: 3° via 2mm Spacers

Three degrees in the RF position, set using the 2mm spacers. Anti-squat controls how the rear suspension behaves under throttle: more anti-squat means the chassis stays flatter as you accelerate. Three degrees is a sensible middle ground that doesn’t commit you to any particular driving style.

Shock Setup

I went with the default of 550 weight oil up front, 600 in the rear. Soft springs all round (the kit includes both soft and hard sets). Starting preload was 1mm front, 2mm rear, with the goal of arms sitting roughly horizontal at rest. By Part 2 I’d wound preload up significantly to compensate for an oversized 6S 6,000mAh battery. A smaller capacity pack would be more appropriate for actual track use. Go with hard springs if you’ll be on tarmac most of the time.

The Electronics Mystery

Rlaarlo supplied their upgrade motor (4278-2050KV sensored) for my review, but I had a sensor fault. Sensor cable plugged in, the motor would get hot and produce no torque. Unplugged, it ran perfectly. Several viewers suggested the motor wires might be in the wrong order (A-B-C). They were correct based on what I showed in the video, but unfortunately I had already swapped them as part of my troubleshooting. So, that wasn’t the issue either.

Unless there’s a break in the cable I can’t see, the likely culprit is the encoder inside the motor rather than the ESC or anything mechanical, since the drivetrain itself is good. My video Part 2 ran sensorless on 6S with no practical drawback. Sensored matters most from a dead stop; once you’re rolling, you won’t feel the difference unless you’re running track laps and working on PB times.

Speed: 93kph Measured, More Projected

On MJX Tarmac road wheels (103mm diameter) with the 4278-2050KV motor, a 17T pinion and 6S, I measured 93 km/h (57.8 mph). Smaller wheels than stock means smaller readings, so the projected figures with proper DSK rubber are 106.5 km/h on the large-pin RTR tires (118mm) and 103.8 km/h on the mini-pin kit tires (115mm). Projections assume identical motor, voltage and pinion, which is fair for the conditions tested.

The Weight Question

Buggy mass without battery is 3.6 kg. That’s solid for a 1/8 of this build quality, sitting on the heavier end of competition spec. Add a sensibly-sized 4,000mAh 6S pack and you’re looking at roughly 4.2 kg race-ready, or 4.6 kg with the oversized 6,000mAh brick I was testing.

Pivot Ball vs C-Hub: Your Call

The kit ships with Pivot Ball Suspension (PBS) steering, which delivers precise, linear response and is the right pick for track or high-speed work. Rlaarlo also offers a C-Hub Steering Block conversion as an optional kit, no drilling required. C-hubs trade some steering linearity for more structural rigidity through impacts, making them the better pick for heavy bashing. I ran PBS throughout with no complaints. Worth knowing the option exists if you find yourself crashing hard regularly.

What I’d Change About the Rlaarlo DSK

The list is short, which speaks well of the car. Sealed hub bearings as standard would help anyone driving in dust. Adding a pinion shroud would protect the gear mesh from debris without much engineering effort. On that same note, keep your motor and battery wires well clear of the exposed gear area; I use wire looms to secure everything, and it’s a habit born from an expensive lesson on another car (several commenters also appreciated this approach).

My long battery strap snapped on first tightening, so a more robust strap (or just a spare in the box) would be welcome. Bashing-friendly tire options aren’t currently shipped with the kit for this car and they’re not yet available from Rlaarlo for sale, so aftermarket is your only path if you want to do anything other than race. I do expect these will become available soon but can’t confirm it!

Rlaarlo DSK A-Arms

Rlaarlo DSK A-Arms Assembled

Rlaarlo DSK A-Arm & Axle

Rlaarlo DSK Axles

Final Word

After all the building, fixing and driving, my take on the Rlaarlo DSK is this: it’s a serious 1/8 buggy, full stop. The build quality matches established names in the class, which is genuinely impressive for a company that hasn’t turned five yet. Treat it as a racing platform that happens to bash well, not the other way around, and you’ll have a great time. If you’ve been on the fence about the kit version, build it. The hardware is worth it, and you’ll know the car better for the experience.

Explore the range and grab yours here.

Rlaarlo DSK Box Art

Rlaarlo DSK Box Liner

Rlaarlo DSK Mid-Build

Rlaarlo DSK Manual

See the Build for Yourself: Part 1

The full build process, first drive impressions, and a few moments of real surprise at how this thing went together. Worth watching for the build alone, even if you’ve already decided.

The Full-Power Test: Part 2

The 6S rebuild, the speed run, the pump track session, and a closer look at the electronics fault. Everything I couldn’t predict when I started.

A note on affiliate links & review product/s: I was provided with this car by the manufacturer for review purposes. The link to Rlaarlo’s store in the above article is an affiliate link, which means I may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on it to make a purchase. As always, I make every effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this: I still report on bugs and issues encountered during product testing, and my fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Rlaarlo MK-07 v2: They Just Keep Getting Better

by Craig | Apr 24, 2026 | RC Crawlers, Rlaarlo, Uncategorized

Before we get into the Rlaarlo MK-07 v2, I want to take a step back. This car doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s the latest chapter in a story that’s been unfolding for four years now, and I think understanding that story makes this car a lot more interesting. Allow me to rewind to mid-2022, because that’s where all of this started…

Four Years of Rlaarlo: A Quick Look Back

June 2022. Rlaarlo sent cars to a wide range of influencers simultaneously, including this little channel, which at the time had about a tenth of the subscribers it does today. Their approach was bold: flood the influencer space at once and make their name impossible to ignore. Did it attract criticism? Of course. But the strategy worked, and more importantly, the cars kept getting better. From the 1/14-scale XDKJ-006 buggy in June 2022, through the AM-X12T(C), the AK-917 GT car, the AM-D12 desert truck, and the ROG1 brushless truggy, Rlaarlo built a track record of listening when issues were raised and acting on them quickly.

Not every car was perfect out of the box. The AK-917 had an antenna bundling issue that caused intermittent signal loss on the track. Reported, acknowledged, fixed in customer units. The AM-X12T(C) had a pinion pressed too hard against the motor mount, generating heat. One repair video later, it was a different car. That willingness to iterate is a big part of why I kept taking their calls. You can find my full Rlaarlo playlist here and all my Rlaarlo articles here.

The Crawlers That Set the Bar

March 2025. Rlaarlo sent the JK-07 Pro to around five influencers worldwide. A 1/7-scale long-wheelbase crawler with remotely actuated lockers, selectable RWD, 4WD and FWD, high and low range, working wipers, a working steering wheel, a full light kit, a functioning awning, and a set of folding camp chairs. It remains one of my all-time favourite RC crawlers from any manufacturer. If you want the full story on that one, the article is here.

Three months later came the TK07: a 1/7-scale Nissan Patrol tribute, shorter wheelbase, slightly fewer frills, and every bit as enjoyable on the trail. By the time the Rlaarlo MK-07 v2 arrived, Rlaarlo had already produced two outstanding crawlers in this scale. Expectations were high.

Rlaarlo JK07 Pro

Rlaarlo TK07 & JK07

Rlaarlo TK07 Rapids Crossing

Rlaarlo MK-07 v2: Refinement, Not Revolution

This is Rlaarlo’s fourth 1/7-scale crawler. Refinement rather than revolution is the right way to describe it, and at this stage of the game, that’s completely appropriate. When you’ve already built the JK-07 Pro and TK07, you don’t need to reinvent anything. You just need to tighten things up. The MK-07 v2 sits in an interesting size bracket: smaller than the SCX6, bigger than Cross RC’s 1/8-scale offerings, and it has a quality about it that makes it feel both compact and substantial at the same time.

I took it to the gorge and ran it properly. The full breakdown is in the video below. Here, I want to share some close-up detail photos that the camera doesn’t quite do justice to on its own.

The Running Gear

The links are stainless steel and they’re thick. Not the spindly stuff you sometimes find at this price point. Drive shafts are carbon steel. The axle housings are two-piece plastic, and the quality of the moulding is noticeably good: solid, well-fitted, and confidence-inspiring in hand. The portal boxes are stock plastic but well executed, and Rlaarlo keeps a very complete parts catalogue for the MK-07 if you want to go further.

Speaking of which: I’d specifically recommend the brass outer portal housings as a starting-point upgrade. They add weight low and forward, which this car uses well. The full parts list is here.

Rlaarlo MK07v2 ESC & Servo top

Rlaarlo MK07v2 Front Axle

Rlaarlo MK07v2 Rear Axle

Wheels, Tyres, and a Note on Looks

The wheels are 2.6-inch beadlocks and the stock Hyrax style tires do the job on the trail. Honestly, though, they don’t look particularly scale to my eye. That’s a personal preference, and it’s easily sorted. There’s a small but growing aftermarket for metal beadlock replacements in this size: Amazon and AliExpress both have options. I’ve ordered a set with a 64mm inner diameter, to pair with slightly more scale-looking tires at a smaller outer diameter. Looking forward to seeing that combination in the field.

The interior is clean and tidy. Not as feature-packed as the JK-07 Pro, but appropriate for a car at this price point and size. Have a look at the photos below.

Rlaarlo MK07v2 Falls

Rlaarlo MK07v2 45deg FR Bush

Rlaarlo MK07v2 Interior f

Rlaarlo MK07v2 Interior r

Brushless System and Electronics

The brushless motor and ESC combination in the MK-07 v2 is strong for a crawler of this scale. The VIRCAS (Bluetooth ESC app) integration is the same system used across Rlaarlo’s larger crawlers, and it gives you real control over the setup. More on that in a moment.

The radio system is the DumboRC unit Rlaarlo uses across their range. It’s been reliable in my experience and the feel of it has improved over the years since those first 2022 models.

The Servo: One Issue, One Easy Fix

Here’s the thing worth knowing before you buy. The servo is a standard-size 40kg unit rated at 7.4V. In testing, running at the stock 7V BEC output from the ESC, it got too hot to touch after a while. Steering fade crept in. On a crawler this size, that’s not acceptable.

The fix is simple. Open the VIRCAS app, connect to the ESC via Bluetooth, and drop the BEC voltage from 7V to 6V. That one-volt reduction brought the servo from dangerously hot down to just warm, and the fade stopped completely. You lose a small amount of torque, but a servo running consistently at 6V is far more useful than one that quits from heat after 15 minutes. I reported this to Rlaarlo. They acknowledged it promptly and confirmed they’d be adjusting the factory BEC setting going forward. Check yours: go into VIRCAS and confirm the BEC is set to 6V, not 7V.

On the Trail

This is where it counts, and the Rlaarlo MK-07 v2 delivers. The combination of portal axles, stainless links, and the selectable drive modes (RWD, 4WD, FWD, with remotely actuated lockers) gives you a lot of tools to work with on challenging terrain. The drag brake holds the car confidently on descents. Low-speed modulation is smooth thanks to the FOC (Field Oriented Control) system. It’s a genuinely capable crawler.

Size-wise, it handles tight lines better than the long-wheelbase JK-07 Pro. It’s not as nimble as the shorter TK07, but it holds its own. This is a car you can run hard without babying, and that confidence matters on the trail.

Rlaarlo MK07v2 45deg FR Top-Down

Rlaarlo MK07v2 Radio side

Rlaarlo MK07v2 Radio top

Where to Get Yours

The Rlaarlo MK-07 v2 is available direct from Rlaarlo. The brushless version is the one to get.

Buy the Rlaarlo MK-07 v2

Also consider the JK-07 Pro if you want the flagship, or the TK07 if the shorter wheelbase appeals. The MK-07 manual is here if you want to read ahead.

What’s Coming From Rlaarlo

I can’t say much here. Embargoes are in place, and I must respect that. What I can tell you: Rlaarlo’s very first kit build is currently on my workbench, and it is genuinely impressive. The quality rivals kit builds from much more established names. I cannot wait to share it.

Beyond that, if you’ve been following their socials (Facebook | Instagram), you’ll already have a sense of what’s brewing. 2026 is shaping up to be their biggest year yet. More on all of that when I’m allowed to talk about it.

The Verdict

The Rlaarlo MK-07 v2 is a very good crawler. It’s not quite the jaw-dropping moment the JK-07 Pro was, but that’s an almost impossible bar to clear twice. What it is: a refined, capable, well-built machine that rewards a small amount of setup time (sort that BEC voltage) with a lot of fun on the trail. Four years in, Rlaarlo are still pushing forward. I’m a huge fan, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

More power to you, Rlaarlo. Thanks for reading, and I’ll catch you out there.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Rlaarlo Goes HUGE in 2026

by Craig | Jan 28, 2026 | RC Reviews, Rlaarlo

Rlaarlo Goes Properly Big

I don’t often get genuinely excited by manufacturer emails, but this one from the pointy green R stopped me mid-scroll. Rlaarlo’s 2026 lineup is shaping up to be one of the more interesting things brewing in RC right now. Let me tell you why…

Heavy Hauling

HY6 Hongyan CQ261 6×6 Military Truck and Hongyan “Divine Cannon” trailer: my brushless Rlaarlo HY6 is due to land here for review tomorrow, and I’m keen to get my hands on it. But once I read the rest of the update, it became clear the HY6 is really just the opening salvo. Rlaarlo has some big (literally), ambitious models lined up for later this year, and they’re drawing from some seriously interesting full-size history.

Buggy Fans Win Big

1/8 Dragon Scale Knight (DSK) Buggy (kit and RTR!): First up is a 1/8 scale buggy. That’s a tough class to play in. At this size, things like drivetrain strength, suspension geometry, and cooling stop being theoretical and start being brutally obvious. A good 1/8 buggy tells you very quickly whether a company actually understands high-stress RC design or not. I’m curious to see how Rlaarlo approaches that space. But they’re releasing their first-ever kit! This is huge!

Rlaarlo 1-8 Dragon Scale Knight (DSK) buggy

Porsche Endurance

1/6 Porsche AK962, which immediately raised my eyebrows. The original 962 was one of the most dominant endurance race cars ever built. It helped define an era: a Group C monster that won everywhere from Le Mans to Daytona and defined an era of brutal efficiency and long-distance reliability. Translating that spirit into a large-scale RC platform is a bold move. If Rlaarlo leans into scale accuracy and mechanical substance here, this could be something genuinely special rather than just a big shelf model.

Wait a sec: 250MPH (400KPH)?!

Rlaarlo has released a bit more info about this thing – you’ve gotta see this:

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Rlaarlo RC (@rlaarlo)

Mercedes-Benz Too!

Fully-licensed 1/7 Mercedes-Benz Unimog: On the opposite end of the motorsport spectrum sits the 1/7 Unimog, and I love that this is even on their roadmap. The real Unimog is all about rugged capability. Portal axles, extreme articulation, military and agricultural service… it’s a vehicle designed to keep moving when everything else gives up. A 1/7 RC Unimog done properly could be a fascinating blend of scale crawling and heavy-duty engineering, not just another tall truck with big tyres.

Lancer EVO VI

Fully-licensed 1/7 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI: And then there’s the one I know a lot of people are waiting for: the 1/7 Lancer EVO VI rally car. The full-size EVO VI is rally royalty; it represents peak-era WRC, turbocharged aggression, and one of the last truly raw homologation specials before things got too polished. In RC form, especially at 1/7 scale, this has huge potential. Long suspension travel, proper rally stance, and enough size to actually behave like a loose-surface car rather than a twitchy on-road conversion. If Rlaarlo gets this right, it could be something genuinely different in a sea of generic rally shells.

And More?!

There’s also a 1/64 race car (Romi64) and a bunch of interesting electronics to keep an eye out for. I spotted a new radio that looked somewhat like the Flysky Noble family of premium transmitters, and a bunch of new motors and ESCs. 2026 is shaping up to be epic for Rlaarlo.

What ties all of this together for me is intent. These aren’t safe, copy-paste releases. They span endurance racing, hardcore off-road utility, rally heritage, and high-performance bashing, and they’re doing it in larger scales where shortcuts are hard to hide. That tells me Rlaarlo is thinking beyond quick wins and is willing to take some real design risks.

Let’s Get Rolling!

I’ll reserve judgement until the Rlaarlo HY6 is on the bench and on the ground. Execution always matters more than ambition. But based on what I’m seeing so far, 2026 is looking mighty bright for the company, and we all win from that!

More soon, starting with a proper hands-on look at the HY6, here on RC-TNT. I can’t wait! In the meantime, you can view Rlaarlo’s current offerings here and also check out my most recent Rlaarlo videos below.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Rlaarlo TK07: Ready, Set, Scale!

by Craig | Jun 16, 2025 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, Rlaarlo

Scale Adventure, Refined

Everyone, meet the new Rlaarlo TK07. It’s a 1/7 scale crawler with bells and whistles as good as any you’ll find today, in any size. I’ve been fortunate to drive some impressive RC crawlers over the years, and the recent Rlaarlo JK07 Pro became an instant favourite. Its size and capability make for a sublime trail rig that looks the part and turns heads – I love this thing.

So when Rlaarlo followed this with their announcement of the TK07, a slightly shorter wheelbase tribute to the iconic 1987 Nissan Patrol, I was intrigued. Could they capture the magic of the JK07, but in a slightly smaller, perhaps more trail-friendly package? Spoiler alert: Yes, they absolutely did!

A Shorter, Sweeter Ride

While the JK07 set the benchmark for larger-scale realism and intricate detail, its long wheelbase sometimes made tight crawling challenging. Enter the TK07: sporting a shorter wheelbase, a lighter build, and a zippy 2600KV motor (compared to the JK07’s 2200KV), this model immediately felt more torquey. Where the JK07 excels as an impressive, feature-packed flagship, the TK07 shines brightly as an accessible, rugged adventurer, wiht a few less frills but still retaining the best bits.

Rlaarlo TK07 & JK07

Rlaarlo JK07 Brushless System

TK07 Brushless System

TK07 4282 2600kv Motor

Built Tough, Thoughtfully Designed

Rlaarlo continues their winning formula here. The robust CNC-cut chassis and impressive running gear remain largely unchanged from the JK07, which is fantastic news. I like its sturdy telescoping driveshafts, metal axles, and universal joints all return, giving a reassuring sense of durability.

The differences here are subtle, yet significant: the TK07 trades the fancy interior features, like functional windscreen wipers and a moving steering wheel, for a simpler, cleaner interior. Honestly, I appreciate this change; fewer bells and whistles mean fewer things to go wrong, leaving you free to focus on the trails. There are less lights on the body, but there’s a healthy aftermarket out there and a simple light bar will scare away the night, if you’re so inclined.

TK07 Chassis

TK07 Interior Front

TK07 Interior Rear

TK07 Underside

Smarter Steering, Sensible Suspension

One notable update is the steering damper, essentially a servo-saver intended to protect the servo. While it softens steering precision slightly, most hobbyists, myself included, might prefer swapping it out for a solid link for more direct control. One of my youtube channel members suggested instead hydro-locking the damper instead of repalcing it (ie. over-fill it so it’s completely firm). Not a bad idea! The servo itself is a capable 45kg unit, robust enough for general trailing, although serious rock crawling enthusiasts may opt for something stronger.

TK07’s suspension setup is spot-on, offering excellent damping without leaks, thanks to thoughtful details like protective boots over the shock shafts, a small yet appreciated touch.

Feature-Packed Without Overkill

Just like the JK07, the TK07 sports a capable two-speed transmission, selectable front-wheel, rear-wheel, or all-wheel drive, and remotely lockable differentials. These features significantly elevate your crawling experience, allowing you to gradually ramp up capability as trails get tougher. Even in water and mud, these engage and shift without complaint and have no external bits to get damaged, unlike those of some manufacturers’ implementations.

The electronics are top-tier, with a 140A ESC managing both 3S and 4S LiPo packs smoothly, complemented by a sensored motor and Field Oriented Control (FOC) system, providing buttery-smooth low-speed modulation.

TK07 140A ESC

TK07 Rx Box

TK07 Front Battery Tray

TK07 Chassis Top-Down

Rlaarlo TK07 Brushless or Brushed?

Rlaarlo offers two versions of the TK07:

TK07 Brushless: More powerful, efficient, and offers better low-speed control with punchier acceleration. Supports 3S and 4S LiPo batteries. A great choice if you demand maximum performance.
TK07 Brushed: Less expensive but still highly capable. Supports 2S and 3S LiPo batteries. Ideal if you prefer a balanced, all-round scale trail experience without breaking the bank. Upgradable if desired later on.

Room for Customisation

It’s great that the TK07 comes ready-to-run and impressively well-equipped, but there’s always room to mod a rig to your liking. I noted the spare wheel lacks an included mounting screw, easy enough to fix, but worth mentioning (now included, Rlaarlo tells me – they’ve shipped an allen key and bolt to do the job; it’ll be included with yours). Although the tow hitch is functional, its rectangular shape puzzled me; you might consider modifying or swapping it out for a more versatile option.

(On that note, my tow hitch design for the MK07 and JK07 models is available now here for free download and printing).

Rlaarlo TK07 Parts

TK07 Glam Shot Rear

TK07 In the box

JK07 Tow Hitch RC-TNT

Rlaarlo TK07 On the Trail

Driving the TK07 is simply a joy. Its shorter wheelbase and lighter weight make it more nimble on trails and pleasingly capable over rocky terrain. The lower gearing, despite the higher KV motor, results in superb crawling control at low speeds, with a confident drag brake holding the truck firmly on descents. It still has plenty of punch, too. I think 2600kv was the right choice.

Rlaarlo TK07 Lights Front

Rlaarlo TK07 Lights Rear

Rlaarlo TK07 Lights Controller

Rlaarlo TK07 Body Light Fitment

The Verdict

The Rlaarlo TK07 hits a sweet spot that many crawlers aim for but few achieve: scale realism without sacrificing rugged trail capability. It’s a little simpler than its flagship sibling, but retains all the essential performance features that matter. If you admired the JK07 but hesitated due to its size or complexity, the Rlaarlo TK07 Brushless is likely your perfect match.

As always, my focus at RC-TNT remains honesty and detail. Rlaarlo sent me this vehicle with no strings attached, allowing me to remain completely unbiased. I genuinely like what Rlaarlo is doing here, and the TK07 has quickly become a firm favourite in my stable. It’s easy to recommend for both new adventurers and seasoned crawlers.

Rlaarlo TK07 Rear-Left

Rlaarlo TK07 Poster

Rlaarlo TK07 Cliff View

Rlaarlo TK07 Rapids Crossing

Where to Get Yours

Rlaarlo sells direct, here.

Consider the longer JK07 Pro too, here.

Rlaarlo TK07 Creek Crossing

Rlaarlo JK07 Pro

Rlaarlo TK07 Body Open

Rlaarlo TK07 Flex on Rock

See It in Action

Watch my full review and driving impressions below.

For more details and alternative crawler comparisons, check out my JK07 Pro article here.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

A note on affiliate links: I was provided with this car by the manufacturer for review purposes. The purchase links in the above article may be affiliate links, which means I may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on them to make a purchase. As always, I make effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this – I still report on bugs and issues encountered during product testing, and my fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!

Rlaarlo JK07 Pro: the Search is Over!

by Craig | Mar 15, 2025 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, Rlaarlo

Dessert First: My Conclusion

A cheeky spoiler first: the new Rlaarlo JK07 Pro has quickly become one of my all-time favourite RC vehicles.

Now, I want you to appreciate what a momentous feat this is. I’ve been into RC since the 1980s and currently have a shipping container to hold my models. There’s a total of 7.5m (26ft.) of shelving, with 6 levels, to store my 1/10 and larger models, side-by-side. I have many, many RC cars as part of my RC-TNT ‘library’ of models for content creation.

Okay, so once more, the Rlaarlo JK07 Pro is one of my all-time favourite RC vehicles. Now you may see what a big deal this is!

The Search for Scale

This is not a review of the Rlaarlo JK07 Pro. (I do have a video for that, if you’re interested – it’s at the end of this article). But no, today, I am inspired to tell you a bit of a story. It’s still ultimately about the new 1/7 scale beauty from the pointy green R, but it’s quite personal and very much a recalling of times past and dreams unfulfilled – until now. But I get ahead of myself.

I have Rlaarlo to thank for inspiring me to share this with you. I also must thank them for sending me one of their rare ‘Pro’ versions of their epic new trail truck. So, grab a coffee, find a comfy seat, and please enjoy my tale of…

The Search for True Scale!

Four Decades Ago…

I had a blessed childhood. I’m well aware of that. My parents were soil scientists and throughout the 1980s and 90s, they travelled in their Toyota Landcruiser 60 series (and later, 80 series) crisscrossing the many trails of much of the NSW public forested land. They dug small holes, took soil samples, and assembled reports about the state of the land for the NSW Forestry Commission. Some of those reports are still in use and I heard recently they are still today considered the gold standard for this sort of work. Way to go, mum and dad!

I was the eldest of three kids. I’ve always been a tinkerer and have always, always loved things that go. My first word was ‘car’, followed by ‘mum’. That should tell you something! Well, we kids sometimes rode along with our folks on some of their shorter forestry trips. We stayed up the road with our grandparents for the other, longer ones – still had to go to school, after all! But those trips were pretty great.

Grounded

My Dad had installed a small, 12V TV on the center console of the Landcruiser and a 12V VCR underneath it (it played analogue video tapes on the TV, for those of you born this century). We’d bring snacks and some toys and would play near the car, make things from sticks, and generally just be kids between the many stops mum and dad would make.

One thing I always took along with me was a small RC car. But it was a two-wheel drive thing that ran on 4x AA batteries and with the electronics of the late 80s, it wasn’t particularly capable nor efficient on power. But the batteries were rechargeable, and I had two sets, so I often was able to keep the thing running for about half the stops we made.

The Dream

My little RC car had basic suspension, no diff (just an axle with a plastic gear on it, driven by the motor) and weak, 3-position steering. It could handle a little water – it was just a basic AM radio system and there wasn’t much to its electronics – but it was quite limited. Still, I had a blast with that thing. Many fond memories were made, driving up little gravel gullies, across obstacles, down sandy animal trails, and just generally around the place. I played in my own little imaginary world and it was great!

Back then, I didn’t know it, but what I longed for was a more scale experience. I had the imagination, but was limited by electronics of the day. Plastics manufacturing was still new-ish, basic radio technology was sketchy and there was a very small (but rapidly growing) toy and hobby market for RC cars. Despite this, the scene was set.

The Mid 90s

We moved to Coffs Harbour, NSW in December 1988. It was notable because it started raining in early December and didn’t stop raining until mid-late January 1989. Back then, Coffs had a population of around 55,000 people (the greater Coffs area is pushing 180k people now).

There was a Tandy Electronics in town, and I have a vivid memory of my first trip in there with my dad. He needed a new CB radio. I was distracted by their hobby and toys section – there were so many different cars there! And trucks! They stocked a lot of Tamiya and I had no idea about any of it – but I knew right then that I wanted IN!

It Began With Tamiya

It was 1993 and I bought my first hobby-grade car. I hadn’t realized that crawlers were even a thing – and much of the time, they weren’t anyway, as people were cutting and modifying various monster trucks and scale runners like the Clod Hopper and Bruiser, turning them into slow rock machines. So, I started my time in the hobby with a Tamiya Stadium Blitzer.

I had a great time with it, burned through many a NiCAD pack and sets of tires, both on- and off-road sets, until I sold that to my cousin later in the 90s. My brother had a monster truck with two speeds for a time, and that was cool. His first foray onto rocks ended up blowing its plastic transmission. (Oh, how times have changed!)

My First Crawler

If you know me from RC-TNT on YouTube, you may be surprised to learn that it wasn’t until 2011 that I experienced my first real rock crawler. It was a Losi MRC (or Mini Rock Crawler) and I had SUCH a great time with that thing! When I retired it, the car had a 1/10 80 Series Landcrusier body on it with a home-made winch, metal sliders, 1.9” wheels and 4.3” tires. I drove the wheels off that thing – several times, in fact!

In the years following, I dipped into the 1/24 scene (starting with the Losi Trail Trekker in 2013) and into 1/10 and bigger (starting with an old, well-used SCX10 Deadbolt I picked up second hand). A new Vaterra Ascender soon followed, and that puts us in about 2015.

Getting Into Scale

By now, the rot had truly set in. There was no turning back. I was busily building scale obstacle courses at home and meeting people near and far to trail drive with during weekends and even after work, into the night. I could not get enough of RC scale driving and models!

Of course, the problem with meeting other people to drive with is that you see what they’re up to in the hobby. You start to get more and more ideas about what you want to do with your rig/s. And once your mind starts spinning away on these things, there’s only one cure…

More and Bigger Crawlers, Please!

You can no-doubt see where things are heading at this point. By 2017 I had probably 50 lipo batteries and several balance chargers, and various 1/24, 1/18, 1/10 and 1/8 scale machines, some of which I’d built myself and some that were kit builds, and others that were used RTR machines from local buy/sell groups in the hobby.

I have a photo of my Trail Trekker in LC80 guise using its winch up the side of a rock from around 2013. It’s my first photo of a scale crawler showing how I was really trying to capture that feel of a real car. The more realistic, the better. I thought that meant better bodies, better tires and more accessories. To some extent, that was correct. But I was missing something.

Running Gear Matters

Sometime in 2017, Traxxas announced a bold new RC crawler with a previously unheard-of feature: remote locking differentials. In a 1/10 scale crawler. I came across a leaked photo of a shiny grey Defender on oversized tires and looking incredible. My jaw just about hit the floor, along with the rest of me, as I fell off my chair when I saw it! I think I called a couple of friends right then to tell them about it. Guys! Remote lockers! On a 1/10!?

When it was released, I bought one of the first Traxxas TRX4 models available in Australia. Man, I drove that thing for YEARS and its running gear was amazing. But over time, inevitably, I wanted more! More scale! More running gear! And more realism!

Just Like My ‘Real’ Car

A few years later, Boom Racing released the BRX01 (article here) and along with it, a transfer case option that included selectable 4WD/RWD. The car had full-time locked axles, but with overdrive gears in the transfer case, that was a sublime option for an already brilliant scale rig. (You can read about that one here, it’s still one of my favourite trail rigs today).

My full-size 80 series Landcruiser was RWD most of the time, with an open diff. Lock the hubs and you’d have 4WD high and low range. And then, if you wanted, you could install lockers so you could lock the front or the rear diffs, too. But no RC model ever had that level of detail. For some years now, I’ve been patiently waiting for such a thing to become a reality. Here’s where it gets good. Better than good!

Rlaarlo To The Rescue!

This brings us to 2025 and Rlaarlo has, unexpectedly, incredibly, delightfully, come through for we scale afficionados. My dream of the ultimate scale, trail crawler may have actually, finally, been fulfilled! It’s time to talk about the new Rlaarlo JK07 Pro – I have one of just five in the world at time of writing – and I’m SO excited to tell you about it!

There’s a video review and drive demo I’ve made for this car that you can find at the end of the article. It’s very worth watching. But here, I’m going to take you over some of the scale detail and goodies that I couldn’t include in the video, else I’d still be filming it right now. It’s a bit of a list!

Rlaarlo JK07 Pro Features

Ok, ready for this?

1/7 scale long wheelbase;
full working light kit (with working LEDs on the front fenders and bendy mirrors!!);
selectable RWD/4WD/FWD;
high and low speed;
selectable remote locking diffs;
working windscreen wipers (3 speed settings!);
huge brushless motor and servo;
a longer wheelbase AND body than the Axial SCX6 (yes, really!);
a GPS-measured top speed on 4S (yes, 4S!) of 29kph (or 18mph);
working side awning;
working rooftop camper with collapsible ladder;
sand ladders and scale shovel;
a full interior including a steering wheel that turns with the wheels; and,
everything’s waterproof!

The whole thing weighs around 8.4kg (or 18.5lb), it looks fabulous, and the body comes off and goes on without body clips or other tools. It’s hinged and has gorgeous cable routing, and the entire machine is controlled by a DumboRC (Rlaarlo-branded) 10-ch radio transmitter.

I honestly and truly think the Rlaarlo JK07 Pro might be the most complete package of ANY RTR I’ve ever had. Really. If you’ve seen my toy shop of a studio, you’ll know that means of most cars on the market today.

What I Love

The previous section pretty much tells the story there. This is a durable car with very well conceived execution. All the plastics are nice and bendy for good durability. Components are thoughtfully placed. The car runs well and has a wonderfully scale body roll to it. Driving in just RWD and unlocked is a hoot! And I LOVE being able to slowly increase the car’s ability to match increasingly challenging terrain: RWD open diff, 4WD open diff, 4WD front/rear locked. So fun.

The battery tray is huge and fits a 7A 4S and a 10A 3S lipo – both are ideal for a car of this size. (Adapters here, if you buy either of these). Rlaarlo sells suitable batteries and many spare and upgrade parts for the JK07 as well.

The body is beautifully appointed and there’s a complete interior. There are many stickers included with the thing so you can customize it a bit, and the tires and foams are very good. I wouldn’t add more brass to it, I think the car is balanced just nicely out of the box. It’s quiet, power-efficient and just plan fun to drive.

Things Needing Improvement

There aren’t many things on this list, but a few items are in need of attention if you’re going to use this a lot. Firstly, the two rear tow hooks are plastic. They snap very easily if you tip the car on its bottom for cleaning or inspection. I wish these were either metal, hinged, or both. (My Rlaarlo contact has confirmed they’re looking to iterate on this in future). Also, the rear springs are too soft, even with full preload applied. I’d prefer slightly thicker diameter rear springs so the car can ride a bit more stably, especially on corners and steep ascents.

The steering wheel needs a bearing in the shaft so it doesn’t grind around when its servo tries to move it. And lastly, if you’re crawling with it beyond anything mild, the large wheels and mass of the vehicle overwhelm the 45kg brushless servo. I’m going to fit a 70kg brushless unit to mine. Lastly, the manual is a bit vague on features – more on that in a moment.

Wipers & Steering Wheel

These seemingly unrelated things had one factor in common: neither worked properly for me, but for different reasons.

Steering Wheel: the steering wheel was installed too tightly, so instead of rotating with its micro servo, it kinda ground left and right. Loosening the retention screw behind it fixed this. Simply a factory installation issue, no biggie.

Wipers: The wipers have a button on the radio (CH10) but the manual isn’t clear on how this works. A single press makes them wipe once. Holding it down for a few seconds turns them on. Pressing CH10 3x rapidly adjusts the wiping speed. A single press will turn them off.

My Overall Impression

This is not just Rlaarlo’s best car to date. The Rlaarlo JK07 Pro is one of the best RC trail rigs on the market, period. I’m completely serious. For me, at least, the complexity afforded by the various servos and design are such that I can have a true scale adventure with this thing. I can get stuck, get recovered, and even winch myself out if I wanted to install a winch on one of the two spare radio channels (both of which conveniently have a dial). It’s such a great car.

The Rlaarlo JK07 Pro won’t be for everyone. But for those among us who are still kids at heart, dreaming of scale adventure, this flagship model from Rlaarlo may be just the model you’ve been waiting for. I am so, so pleased with it. Oh yes.

Where To Buy

Rlaarlo sells direct from their website.

Also consider the JK07’s predecessor, the shorter-wheelbase Rlaarlo MK07.

See It in Action

I’ve got a detailed video of my experience with the Rlaarlo JK07 Pro below.

Also learn about other Rlaarlo vehicles I’ve examined here: https://rc-tnt.com/rlaarlo/

See my Rlaarlo videos here, on YouTube.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

A note on affiliate links: we were provided with this car by the manufacturer for review purposes. The Rlaarlo and other seller links in the above article are affiliate links, which means we may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on them to make a purchase. As always, we make effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this – we still report on bugs and issues encountered during product testing, and our fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!

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FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer 2.0

by Craig | Dec 4, 2024 | FMS, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

Prefer to Listen?

The FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer is back, but with the same name as a few years ago. What’s going on? If you’d prefer to hear about it than read this interview, here is an AI-generated ‘deep dive’ podcast-style discussion between two AI hosts, courtesy of Google’s NotebookLM. It covers the below interview, which consists entirely of my own, very much NOT AI words and thoughts.

If you prefer to listen than read, it does justice to the interview below. Enjoy!

What’s New?

RC-TNT: Let’s talk about the new FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer. You’ve got the new version here to look at, sent from Banggood for review (buy here). How does that work?

Craig: That’s right, BG have sent the car to me for review purposes. I didn’t pay for it. But as always, my stipulations are simple but not-negotiable: I don’t accept payment for the review, I don’t provide my reviews to the manufacturer or retailer before releasing them to the public, and I show everything I find during my review, the good and the bad. Honesty first. If they’re not able to agree with my simple terms, I don’t accept the car for review. Pretty simple!

Okay, onto the cars. I bought the original with my own money and have received the newer version for review, that’s correct. This week, I’ve had both the old and the new models out at the same time and compared them closely. There are some differences between them that are worth talking about!

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer Box Comparo

Body Changes

RC-TNT: Starting with the body, could you describe the visual differences between the previous version and the new truck?

Craig: The new version has undergone some noticeable updates. First, the tires (and the wheels) are now considerably larger, which not only changes the look but also improves performance significantly. The larger tires give it a more rugged, aggressive stance, and they help with ground clearance when crawling over obstacles.

The front wheel wells are gone now, which might seem like a small change, but it actually makes a big difference when the wheels articulate. You won’t have as much rubbing or interference, though the downside is the undercarriage is missing a little of the solid, scale feel the original version had. I don’t think it’s a huge loss though.

The metallic cherry red paint on this version is another standout—it has a sparkly, cherry-colored finish compared to the previous version, which was a bit more muted. Combined with the darker, more tinted windows, it really gives the model a more premium look. These changes to the body make the new version feel both more functional and visually appealing.

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer V1 & V2 Side

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer Full Nose to Nose

Mmm, Donuts

RC-TNT: That’s interesting! You’ve mentioned tires and wheel wells. So, let’s move on to the running gear. How do the changes in the wheel and tire size impact the new model’s performance compared to the previous version?

Craig: The larger tires are a game-changer for performance. They provide better grip on a variety of surfaces, from loose dirt to rocks. You’ll notice improved ground clearance, which allows the vehicle to handle bigger obstacles with ease. On the previous version, the smaller tires sometimes struggled with traction, especially on uneven and steep terrain or peaky obstacles, but the new ones make the vehicle much more capable.

The larger tires also contribute to better stability overall, because of the increased surface area making contact with the ground. It’s a small change that has a big impact on how the vehicle performs in real-world crawling scenarios. The bigger the tire, the smaller the relative size of the obstacles, basically.

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer V1 & V2 Undersides

Gearing Up

RC-TNT: It sounds like those larger tires make a real difference! Speaking of gearing, could you elaborate on the new two-speed transmission in the updated model? How does it enhance the vehicle’s versatility compared to the previous version?

Craig: The two-speed transmission is one of my favorite upgrades in this model. It really enhances versatility. In low gear, you get that slow, controlled crawling performance with high torque, which is perfect for tackling technical trails or rocky climbs. High gear, on the other hand, allows for faster movement on flatter terrain, like when you’re driving between obstacles or on a trail run.

The ability to switch between these two modes on the fly is a massive improvement. It means you don’t have to compromise—you can have precision and torque when you need it and then switch to speed and battery efficiency when the terrain allows. The previous version’s single-speed setup just couldn’t offer that level of adaptability without a brushless upgrade, so this is a big step forward. The brushed system is now far more versatile.

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer Radio Comparo

Steering Committee

RC-TNT: That sounds like a great upgrade for a better trail and crawling experience! Now, let’s talk about the steering. How does the shift from a chassis-mounted servo to an on-axle servo affect the steering performance of the new FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer?

Craig: Switching to an on-axle servo is a fantastic improvement for performance, though there are drawbacks. With a chassis-mounted servo (CMS), you often deal with linkage flex and a certain amount of slack in the steering. This can result in less precise handling, especially when the suspension is under load.

The servo-on-axle (SOA) setup eliminates most of these issues because it’s directly connected to the steering assembly. This means the steering response is more accurate to full throw in both directions. You’ll notice this especially when one side of the axle is much lower or higher than the other, when crawling. Steering remains consistent, whereas the old CMS system can vary. Despite the drawback of looking less scale, you’re getting consistent performance regardless of how much the vehicle is articulating. Overall, it makes the driving experience feel a lot more dialed-in.

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer V2 & V1 Steering

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer V1 Steering

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer V1 & V2 Undercarriage

Shocking Updates

RC-TNT: It’s fascinating how those changes impact performance! Tell us more about the suspension setup. How does the updated suspension on the new model differ from the previous version, and what benefits does it bring to the FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer?

Craig: The suspension on the new version is noticeably improved. First, the new shocks are oil-filled with aluminum bodies, including adjustable pre-load with thumb screw rings! The old ones were plastic and friction only, so this is already a big step up.

So yes, the shocks feel more refined, with better damping that allows for smoother articulation. This is crucial for crawling because it helps the vehicle maintain stability while navigating big changes to tire position on bigger obstacles.

The previous version was decent for what it was, but this one feels more balanced and capable. It’s also easier to tune the suspension to your liking, whether you want it softer for more articulation or firmer for better stability on inclines. This flexibility makes it more adaptable to different terrains and driving styles. Plus, the improved suspension works in harmony with the larger tires and the on-axle servo, creating a more cohesive and capable crawling platform.

Lying Down on the Job

RC-TNT: You mentioned there’s a new angle for the shocks earlier, and a change in the springs as well. What’s going on there?

Craig: That’s right, yes. On the first version of the model, the rear shocks were laid down at quite a significant angle, in order to fit them to the chassis rails, underneath the bed. The new model stands those shocks up some more, and so you see the top of the shock hoops in the bed. They’ve kind of got cutouts, which is not ideal aesthetically, but it greatly improves your options for suspension tuning.

The way that they pulled it off on the old one with the laid down shocks was that they just used really stiff springs, because the more you lay down the rear shocks, the less authority they’ll have over the suspension’s movement. So, they had to go with really quite thick diameter springs in the rear. It worked but it made the truck quite bouncy.

With the more stood up rears, the springs are nice and thin and the preload is adjustable. It’s tunable and it can articulate more easily and consistently throughout the entire range of motion. It’s really a delightful update, and I’m so happy they did that.

Escaping Short Circuits

(See what I did there? Har har.)

RC-TNT: That sounds like a significant improvement for both performance and tunability! Now, let’s talk about the electronics. How does the new waterproof control module in a plastic box compare to the previous model’s setup, and what benefits does it offer for the FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer?

Craig: Functionally, they’re the same, but aesthetically, when you lift the hood, it is actually a lot neater. The old model had the battery sitting back behind this board, so you just saw the naked electronic board, which is visually quite similar to a lot of the cheap cars that are out there.

It did still have conformal coating on the board, so it was water-resistant, like the new unit. However, being contained in a little plastic box with a separate little push-button switch, the new one looks much nicer, and your wires and components are prevented from accidental physical damage.

The other advantage of having the little plastic box, which is physically smaller than the old PCB, is that it’s backed further towards the firewall, towards the cab, that is. And now the battery tray is right up front, whereas the old one had the battery behind it. And that’s just as well, because the new battery is more than double the size of the old one. They’re both 2S batteries, that’s 7.4 volt LiPo batteries, but the old one was 380 milliamp-hour, the new one is 900 milliamp-hour. The charger is twice the output too, so you can now enjoy double the runtime, combined with your two-speed giving you so much more flexibility, while your charging time will be roughly the same as the old one.

It’s just an all-round better package from the electronics perspective. The other thing I’ll note on electronics is that the lighting is now a bit more modular. You’ve got plugs in the rear, as opposed to a hard-line wire that goes from the rear lights all the way to the front. Now they can be disconnected and split for upgrading, if you want to get a little bit more fancy with the lights. So overall, it’s a much more elegant solution with the lighting than it used to be on the old model.

Radio Star

RC-TNT: Those are some fantastic updates, making the new model both more efficient and user-friendly. Finally, let’s wrap up with the radio system. How does the upgraded radio with an extra channel enhance the driving experience of the new FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer?

Craig: The very practical approach they’ve taken to having a more power-efficient radio, for a start, is very good. It only takes two AA batteries. The old one took three AAA batteries, which was an inconvenient number, as far as getting batteries, or charging them. Also, AAA batteries have less capacity than AA batteries, and the higher your voltage in the system (4.5v vs 3v), the faster that voltage is going to drop.

So, combined with having fewer and bigger batteries, your runtime in the newer remote is now vastly greater than in the old one. The radio is also physically smaller, but to my large adult hands, it’s more comfortable to use. The wheel feels nicer, the trigger feels nicer, the balance of the radio is nicer.

Regarding the extra controls, the thumb press for the gear change is very nice. The radio has all the normal accoutrements for throttle and steering tuning and adjustment. Overall, it’s a real improvement.

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer Inclusions Comparo

FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer FTW

RC-TNT: It’s impressive how many thoughtful improvements they’ve made! From the larger tires to the upgraded radio, it sounds like the new FMS FCX18 Chevrolet K10 Blazer offers a much more refined and capable experience. Thanks for walking us through these differences, Craig! Is there anything else you’d like to add about this model?

Craig: Not much more, except to say that the overall package is very impressive. The combination of aesthetic upgrades, like the paint and tinted windows, and functional improvements, like the two-speed transmission and suspension, really sets this model apart from its predecessor. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into making it not just look better, but perform better too. I think anyone who picks this up will be thrilled with what it offers.

Thanks to Banggood for supplying this model for review. Help support RC-TNT by using this link to buy one for yourself, if you like the model! Thanks 🙂

RC-TNT: That’s true, added performance and functions in a pretty package makes for a compelling new model. Thanks for sharing your insights! We look forward to seeing the full review on the channel. Talk to you next time on RC-TNT!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

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RGT Intruder: An Important Release!

by Craig | May 22, 2024 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, RGT

Heard of RGT?

Before we get to the RGT Intruder EX86020 (available here), I think some context would be helpful. Previously a lesser-known manufacturer, Chinese company RGT have been making quite a splash with their 1/10 trail rig releases over 2022 and 2023.

For instance, you may have already seen our recent comparison article, “Which RGT is best for you?”. In this one, I compared three of their best and biggest recent releases: Rescuer, Challenger and Pro Runner. I’ve also looked at the Tracer, Pioneer, and the 136100 range either here or on the channel – and all have their merits.

What’s the Big Deal?

So, what’s the fuss about the RGT Intruder? Isn’t it just another car? Well, no: for a start, it’s their first big release for 2024. Secondly, it looks the same as the RGT Rescuer EX86190, which will inevitably lead to comparisons with the older, larger model. We’ll see below that this apparent similarity is only cosmetic in nature – but more on that in a moment.

I see it as an important next step after their successful, more ‘standard’ models. Their previous SWB (Short Wheel Base) models have been underwhelming, or, if finished beautifully as with the 136100v3, weaker than it should have been. (Both my 136100v2 and v3 have a broken front axle and both were the CVD joints not standing up to crawling). But now, folks are starting to pay attention.

The Big Reason

RGT has proven they can make great vehicles. They’ve shown how their own designs are working – obvious IP infringement aside with the bodies and often the tire treads. And they’ve shown that they can make a decently durable model that performs well AND has parts and upgrade availability. That’s actually quite a big deal.

As these models draw new potential customers to consider the brand, their newest model releases matter all the more. From where I’m watching, the RGT Intruder EX86020 is possibly their most important release. This is their first high-level scale model RC crawler that doesn’t have the extra bells and whistles that many folks disparage. It has a gorgeous body. The price suggests quality. The running gear is solid (U-joints in those front axles, for example). And it’s all 1/10 scale kit.

In short, this model needs to be good. Better than good. Newcomers to RGT are watching this one!

What’s It Like?

The first thing that jumped out to me was that gorgeous body. I made a post on my YT community page that said something like, “Gosh, this car just looks amazing from any angle” – and it really does!

There are a bunch of extras they throw in so you can add more lights, mount a larger battery tray, add some scale extras and have a play with suspension mount points and so on. There’s a lot of good here, though the main ‘feature’ of this model is its appearance. I mean, just look at it!

Body Issues

There’s only one issue with the body: it is not licensed. This has been the case for all of their crawlers, to my knowledge. Toyota may not be pleased, and I don’t condone the practice. Unlicenced bodies are a problem for the hobby, as are cloned parts. I really need to do a blog post on just this topic, as there are a few things to unpack here. But the car is pretty and the colour choices are all quite good.

This model comes with some extra plastics for both the cabin and the exterior of the body, like a rear-view mirror, extra spotlight cases, wipers, and so on. You need to fit these yourself. The folding side-mirrors come installed though, as do the door handles and the rear pillar air vents. If you do nothing with the extras after you unbox it, the car is still very complete. I also appreciate the captured body pins – you won’t lose these during a battery change on the trail!

RGT Intruder Interior

Well, it has one. My original RGT Rescuer did not have one (see? Even I’m comparing this car to the Rescuer! It’s inevitable!), though now the EX86190 does ship with an interior. I bought mine separately. The interior in the Intruder here is the same as the one I bought. This is a good thing, as it helps keep RGT’s costs down. It’s attractive, functional, and being polycarbonate, about as light as it could be. Good!

There are no lights in the cabin, but there are lights on all corners, controlled by a central module that’s attached to the underside of the body’s mold piece. It connects to the LED port on the all-in-one Receiver/ESC/Light Controller on the chassis. I’ll get to that further down.

Wheels and Tires

There’s the promise of performance, with vented tires (including foams), and they’re about as large as could reasonably fit under this scale of body. They’d be 43” tires in real life – and on this kind of vehicle, even something like 35” tires are BIG. So, RGT have pushed the performance there as far as they dare. It’s a compromise, scale vs capability, and I think it was the right move to max the diameter out.

They’re glued 4.31″ tires on plastic 1.9″ wheels. However, I do think the tire carcass is too stiff for the weight of this car. The foams feel about right, but the rubber in the tires is either too thick or too rigid, and to my feel, they don’t bend enough around rocks. Traction is lost that the car really needs. We’ll get to this shortly.

Chassis and Links

This is a talking point: the rails are 3mm CNC-milled aluminum with a stunning finish. They are really pretty! And the chassis is very stiff, too, thanks to the generous plastic-fiber cross bracing from nose to tail. The shock hoops are part of the rails and even the panhard mount is finished in the same lovely material. Full marks for that.

Links and geometry are also well designed. There’s full movement for both axles, no binding, and plenty of room for everything to move as it needs to. And the car isn’t heavy. These are all great things, too. Honestly, we’re off to a very solid start at this point.

Oh, those links are 6mm stainless steel with stainless steel ball ends, too. It’s so premium. Not everyone will appreciate how nice this is, but as an RC guy with ALL the cars and a lot of experience at this point, I want to emphasize just how high the quality is on this vehicle. RGT have not cut corners on chassis and links.

Suspension

The coil-over shocks are also very nice. Aluminum body, thumb-screw adjustable pre-load, appropriately plush springs and intelligently mounted. I like these.

However, my unit arrived with empty shocks. Not everyone will notice this, and not everyone will care, but you want some oil in your shocks. It limits how bouncy they are, which limits how much the wheel reacts to changes in terrain at high or low speed. I’d recommend 30 wt. oil, give or take. Worth doing.

The shocks move well and the car is in good shape with this setup. Just don’t forget the oil like my car’s assembler did!

Straight Axles

No portals here. But the best thing about these straight axles is how tough they are. I love seeing steel universal joints on front steering axles in a crawler. It’s really the only way to go for performance and strength. Yes, they’re not as smooth as CVDs and similar, but the extra steering angle the unis afford you make the trade-off well worth it.

The housings themselves aren’t particularly scale, but the size is small and they are attractive. It’s a high-pinion position like Axial’s AR45 axles and the gears are helical cut (or spiral? Can’t quite tell from the photos). Either way, they’ll be strong, and with the default tooth count of 30/8, overdriving/underdriving using the diff gears for better crawling and steering should be a straightforward undertaking. (I’m confident these will fit, though I haven’t tested them yet!)

Radio & AIO Rx/ESC/Lights

After a couple of vehicles with the new FlySky MGXX-BS radio systems, this is my first one with the middle-spec option, the MG6-BS. It’s a 6-channel radio (4x AAs) and an AIO (All-In-One) receiver, 60A ESC and light controller with discrete light hub for body-mounting. The radio is comfortable in the hand, all plastic, and with two stand-out features/design elements:

Channel 5 is a spring-loaded thumb dial that returns to center. What a perfect controller for a winch! (The chassis and bull-bar have a mount point and fairlead respectively for exactly that, too!); and,
A set of DIP switches on the radio that give you control over drive mode (Fwd/Brk/Rev and Fwd/Rev); LiPO/NiMH; Drag Brake (0%, 50%, 75%, 100% – though it’s weak even at 100% here because of the motor turns, magnet strength and gearing); and all the channel reverse options.

It’s a good system. Be aware the light kit is a cut-down version that gives you headlights or no headlights, and indicators and reverse being always enabled based on steering and throttle inputs respectively.

The biggest drawback is that Reverse is WEAK. Slow and underpowered, it seems to have been a cost-saving choice, as you need less MOSFETs in the ESC for reverse for this outcome. Saved FlySky a buck or two, though you miss it on the trail. Apart from this one drawback, I like the whole system.

Our Test Course

If you’re not familiar with how we test RC rock crawlers, we have a course that challenges any 4x4 RC crawler in many ways:

Approach and departure angle: these are challenged on Problems 2 and 3;
Side-hill ability: tested on Problems 1, 3 and 5;
Breakover (skid clearance): tested on Problems 4 and 6;
Suspension articulation and centre of gravity: challenged on problems 2 and 5; and lastly,
A punishing ascent on problem 6 tests all of balance, break-over, articulation, tire traction and approach and departure angles.

Put together, we have a gnarly, challenging set of problems that challenge all crawlers. If a rig can conquer 3 or more of them, chances are you have a reasonably high-performance rock crawler. There are some machines that can claim all success on all six in stock form – but not many!

Driving Woes

I tested it on my 6-Problem course. Bad news first: that slow and underpowered reverse is a big enough drawback to be quite noticeable. I also found the steering servo to be slow and it faded under heavy crawling within a few minutes (though it didn’t fail outright).

The motor and gearing is too fast for crawling and too slow for trail driving. There’s no second speed here, so unlike the Rescuer (there’s that comparison again!!), you’re stuck with your gearing, battery and motor choice. This feels just like comparing the TRX4m to the FCX24 with its 2-speed, actually!

The tires are too stiff. The suspension moves like it should, though being filled with oil would have helped. The car is top-heavy and it tips over easily.

Driving Wins

On the bright side, this car looks magnificent on the trail. It looks amazing on the rocks. It moves nicely, with plenty of scale body roll without being too much. It’s quiet, and very pleasant to watch it work over the ground.

Without upgrades, in stock form, this will be a frustrating car to drive if you’re going beyond basic obstacles. The waterproofing is a nice touch, as are the lights, but that capability limitation will make itself known regularly.

With upgrades, though? Yeah, I think this could easily become one of my favorite cars. I’ll get back to you on that, as I’m planning on doing all of the upgrades I list below. The car drives okay. Could be better. 4/10.

Value Proposition

So, did they pull it off? Is the car worth the asking price? For a bigger, established brand name, the price is good. Although, newer names have been creeping in with very durable and very capable options in recent times – just look at the Ecto if you’re not convinced (review here)!

I think this car represents real potential for the owner who loves the Landcruiser body and has plans to improve it. As a stand-alone crawler, it’s not as good as a similarly priced rig from Element, such as the Sendero HD. But as a scale crawler with potential to go ultra-scale at low speeds, it leaves the more expensive TRX4 and Axial CJ7 in its dust. But those crawlers will be better on the trail with their second speeds, and better on the rocks, with their better tires and overall performance. So, what to do here? Buy it if you love the body, but be prepared to upgrade as you’re able.

Upgrades?

Open your wallet for this one. I try to be reserved in my upgrade recommendations usually, but this rig really wants a list of things. Ready?

Wheels & Tires

First, the tires need to go. They aren’t great. And since they’re glued, go with a weighted beadlock wheel too. I’m quite partial to the Boom Racing Hustlers – check them out (and I even found some period-correct steel ‘Sunraisia’ style beadlocks that go *perfectly* with this car)!

Also, you’ll want to install wheel wells (I’ll design some soon to download and print).

Electronics

The slow, weak servo needs replacing. Try my favorite budget crawler servo and you can even run it directly off the 2S battery (signal and ground wires to receiver, positive wire to battery connector, via a switch if you want). Or, my fave 7.4v brushless all-rounder is this guy.

While we’re on electronics, the AIO Rx/ESC and motor combo is sufficiently lacklustre that you’ll eventually throw your hands up and slap in a Fusion system instead.

You’ll want a radio system too, in that case – buy a receiver for any other radio you have, or consider the ever-reliable FlySky GT5.

Banggood sells really cheap 6-ch receivers so you can use this handset for up to 20 models, which is handy.

Lights & Accessories

Lastly, lights: use a Y-splitter for the light control module on the throttle channel and hope for the best (I will try to make an Arduino-based adapter for this to piggy-back off throttle and steering channels soon).

Down the track, you may consider a servo winch – the car is certainly ready for one! And perhaps also some scale accessories and you’ll be sorted!

Bottom Line

It’s a worthy body on a basic car. With upgrades, it’ll be a SWB beast! Without em, it’ll be a bit frustrating to drive. Pick obstacles appropriate to its capability and you’ll enjoy yourself. Just keep the limitations in mind if you’ve got your heart set on this gorgeous model.

My thanks to Banggood for providing RC-TNT with this model to review. I’d have purchased it myself if they hadn’t, because, just look at it! But they made the investment and have my thanks. Grab your own RGT Intruder EX86020 from Banggood here.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

RGT Intruder: An Important Release!

by Craig | May 22, 2024 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, RGT

The RGT Intruder EX86020 may be RGT’s most important release this year. Is this something great under a pretty body or more of the same old?

Which RGT Trail Rig is Best for YOU?

by Craig | Dec 17, 2023 | RC Crawlers, RGT

Three epic trail rigs from RGT: Rescuer EX86190, Challenger EX86170 & Pro Runner EX86130. They’re all great, but which one should you buy?

RGT 136100V3 Rock Cruiser RC-4 V3

by Craig | May 7, 2022 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, RGT

The RGT 136100V3 is a fun RC crawler with potential for better performance. It looks great on the trail and debuts some trick new electronics!

TRX4 Alternative? RGT Rescuer Review

by Craig | Mar 5, 2022 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, RGT

The new RGT Rescuer (EX86190) is RGT’s latest and greatest premium RC rock crawler. Does it have what it takes to challenge the Traxxas TRX4?

RGT Adventurer V2 Review

by Craig | Jan 18, 2022 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, RGT

The RGT Adventurer V2 136240 is a brilliant little 1:24 RC rock crawler. We’ve properly tested it, including in water. Video review too!

RGT Pioneer EX86110 1/10 4WD RC Rock Crawler

by Craig | Jan 7, 2022 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, RGT

The RGT Pioneer EX86110 is cheaper than competitors and has a respectable specs list that suggest it’s a serious 1:10 RC crawler. Let’s test!

Yikong 4106 Pro Has a Party Trick!

by Craig | Mar 8, 2024 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, Yikong

Inspiration, Not Imitation

Yikong 4106 Pro is a 1/10 RC crawler with an ability we have not yet seen in the RC crawling world. You may not have heard of Yikong before, but they’ve been quietly making some interesting models over 2023 and now 2024. This latest one will knock your socks off, once you consider the ramifications of what they’ve made. But first, some details.

This is a model that combines the best features of the offerings of the likes of Axial’s SCX10 III with 2-speed transmission and DIG (disengages drive to the rear, then locks the rear, for tight turning and improved rock crawling ability) and the Traxxas TRX4 with its remotely activated locking diffs.

The Killer Feature

But what makes the Yikong 4106 Pro special is something new that we haven’t seen in RC cars ever before: independent disc brakes! They’re only in the rear and they activate via a button that mixes their function with the vehicle’s steering. They work by clamping the inside wheel on a turn, when activated. So, when you turn left, for example, the rear-left wheel is braked, helping to really tighten the vehicle’s turning circle. Genius!

On the Floaty Side

The suspension is a bit on the floaty side, with considerable body roll. The vehicle has portal axles, which helps cancel out torque twist while also increasing undercarriage clearance on rough terrain. The shocks are “oil-filled” but the unit I received had “oily” but empty shocks. I’d suggest adding 30wt oil to create some needed damping.

Shocks can be mounted in a variety of positions, which is very welcome. They’re neutral, by default, and I like them there for trail and light crawling. Shock preload is adjustable by thumbscrews, and I found that winding on about 8mm in the rear really helped it with crawling. Now it isn’t so fast to lift a front wheel on steep ascents.

4106 Pro Servos

In the below photo, there are three servos closest to the camera. The first two are the diff lock servos, and then the one closer to the battery is the 2-speed servo. These are waterproofed servos with low power, I’m guessing maybe 2-3kg. Plastic gears, plastic spline, that kind of thing.

My front diff lock servo was broken, out of the box. I may replace it with another similarly cheap unit, or I may even just leave it be. I don’t mind the front being locked all the time. It’s the rear one that wants to be able to unlock, both for general driving and so that the ‘tank steer’ feature can work correctly.

The steering servo is a metal geared unit and has plenty of punch. I’m guessing 15kg or so, which is fine for this car.

Electronics

The ESC and receiver are an all-in-one unit from Flysky, which is OEM-only at time of writing. The Flysky FS-MG11-BS radio system incorporates a connected light kit that is designed to work with the radio system. It manages a lot of complexity in an elegant way. I like it. (It’s the same one you’ll find with the new FMS FCX10 1/10 model, and no doubt we’ll see it in other vehicles soon, too).

The car can take either a NiMH battery (6 or 7 cell), or 2S or 3S lipos. The ESC has a Deans (or T) connector. The power switch is located underneath, behind the skid, and is waterproofed.

The radio transmitter takes 4x AA batteries and you’ll need to supply all the batteries for this vehicle.

The motor is a large, 550-sized can with 32 turns. It’s well suited to the vehicle and I like it on both 2S and 3S.

Axles & Undercarriage

Axles are a pleasing scale design, with smooth lines and bolts in the right places. They engage well, seem like they’ll be durable, and the portals are tastefully implemented. No hulking, unnecessary chunks of plastic here. The front axles are steel universals, adding to their strength and something I always want to see in a crawler.

Thoughtful design is what you’ll find underneath the vehicle. Stainless steel links and inverse-rotation drive shafts are also like this. There’s a servo saver in the form of a passive steering damper on the steering link, too. It’s a solid undercarriage, overall. Nothing is hanging down to be grabbed by sticks or rocks and it just looks good.

Now, you may have read that it has a molded plastic chassis instead of the usual steel stamped C-channel rails. This is true. But, it works. The car is lighter for it, flex isn’t a huge issue and it keeps the cost down. I don’t see a down side in this model with that choice.

Mercedes & Hyrax: Clone Wars

The wheels are 2.2″ and look like the real thing, with the tiny Mercedes G-Wagon spokes around a solid wheel hub. The tire treads are not so scale, being a Proline Hyrax clone, but run on a 4.56″ tire carcass, which Proline does not make. Not entirely a clone, then – though the treads themselves clearly are Hyrax. The foams are a little on the firm side but they work well.

A Mysterious Interior

This G63 body has a complete interior, including dash, steering wheel, dash details and shifters, seats front and rear, and nicely finished. It’s in moulded polycarbonate, keeping the weight low.

However, there’s been a weird decision to apply a frosted, semi-opaque paint layer to the inside of the body on the windows, making it possible to only see the blurred outline of the seats, at best. Why go to the trouble and expense of including an interior, only to hide it? Perhaps subsequent manufacturing runs have removed the paint from the windows. I hope so.

Front Bumper Dilemma

The car comes with a solid plastic front bumper that can be installed. By default, it is not installed, instead allowing the stock polycarbonate body to show off its pretty, moulded front lower grille. If you want to install that front bumper, some of the body needs to be cut away to fit it. I was going to do this on mine but realised it would look worse. Cutting it is a one-way decision, so I’ve decided to keep mine as it is.

I should also add a note here about the sliders. They look like the aluminum of the real car -that is to say, they’re molded and painted on the polycarbonate body here. That means they look great, but it also means they’re weak. Just like the real thing, they’re really just for looks. You could beef it up with steel or plastic underneath, but it would be a custom job. As far as I know, there aren’t after-market rock sliders available for this model (yet).

Lighting Up the Trail

The body also enjoys a complete light system. It functions as part of the integrated Flysky receiver/ESC/light unit and provides full-function lighting. Low beam, high beam, flashing, indicators, braking, reverse, and fog lights are all part of the vehicle’s abilities. Looks great and you can switch between off, low, high, and flashing configurations.

Drive Modes

Also part of the Flysky system is a set of DIP switches on the radio transmitter. Switch 1 toggles driving mode from Fwd/Brk/Rev (trail driving) to Fwd/Rev (crawling). In the Trail mode, the taillights increase red luminosity when braking. In Crawl mode, there is no braking; you simply see the white Reverse lights when reversing, and the low-glow red taillights when otherwise stationary or driving.

Speaking of the transmitter, the wheel feels very premium. There’s a weight to it, though plastic, that has the feel of a much more expensive radio. The spring is light, the balance neutral, and it just feels great to use. The throttle trigger also has a pleasingly light action.

Radio Freedom

There are many options on this radio and happily, many are not used. There’s a thumb dial that has maybe 5mm of movement from neutral in each direction – that isn’t populated on the receiver, so it’d make a great winch controller or rear steer option.

On top, there’s a button and a dial that also aren’t used on the receiver (unless mixing interferes with this; I haven’t tested them yet), but you end up with quite a few options. You could put a sound system in the car and have the spare top button as a horn, for example.

Drag Brake on the Fly

Lastly, the radio also gives you a dial (Ch.11/Drag Brake) that allows the drag brake rate and intensity to be adjusted on the fly. The maximum setting feels like the equivalent of about 70% drag brake on a WP-1080 ESC (incidentally, see our programming guide here), in this vehicle. The minimum setting is basically zero drag brake. My video review shows the difference between these on the steep rock descent near the end. It’s a nifty feature.

Yikong 4106 Pro Driving Dynamics

The car drives quite nicely. This is a scale vehicle more than a performance machine. With it’s many driving accessories, it’s very fun to play around with. The two-speed transmission has a pleasingly wide ratio between first and second. The lockers engage nicely – well, I should say, the rear one does.

The front one does too, when I do it manually, but my front locker servo arrived faulty, so I can’t tell you from experience. I’ll swap mine out for a replacement servo (just a mini size, they’re pretty universal, so no worries there) and it’ll be fine. The so-called ‘tank turn’ feature of those rear disc brakes is just fabulous, and the lighting kit in the pretty body makes night driving possible and day driving more scale.

Back to the Big Thing

Now, onto those ramifications I mentioned in the intro: independent disc brakes. Yes, this model uses a single servo to modulate between left and right, for the sole purpose of tightening your steering radius when active. It works well. But as a proof of concept, now we know disc brakes work and that they can be rugged enough to be effective in an active, wet-n-dirty off-roader. On its own, that’s already impressive, right?

Now Think BIG

Okay, now think about faster cars. The Arrma Infraction has a disc brake on the rear outdrive from the transmission, for example. (Incidentally, buy an Infraction using this link for a discounted purchase; it’s my all-time favourite street car and so very worth it). Already a super fun, super powerful street machine, you now effectively have a hand brake feature on an 80mph-capable street basher. Nitros have also been using a disc brake on the drive shaft for years.

But to have disc brakes independently on each wheel? This means the traction control of full-size cars can be brought into road and track RC cars! Do you see the potential here? We already have the technology in the tiny ESC modules of current RC vehicles. Add a few extra servos and now you have something that can brake each wheel as traction is lost in a corner or under acceleration, and so on. What an exciting idea! I don’t know of any other manufacturer currently doing this, but I’m hopeful and excited to see more. Wow!

Final Thoughts

Frosted interior windows aside, the Yikong 4106 Pro is very well thought out. A manual would be appreciated, especially for hobby newcomers, as there’s a LOT going on with the radio. Thankfully, it’s well labelled.

I don’t support the blatant IP theft that Yikong have seemingly undertaken from Mercedes with the pretty G Wagon body, nor from the Hyrax tires. But, on the whole, they’ve created something special.

I’m loving the progress we’re seeing from these smaller brands and I’m so pleased the Yikong 4106Pro is not just another clone of an existing vehicle. It’s fun to drive, capable for what it is (think ‘Class 1 comp crawler’ and you’ll be pleasantly surprised) and it looks great. Recommended.

Where to Buy

Here’s where I bought mine (not an affiliate link; it’s just the only place I could find it in stock in Feb 2024). There’s another Yikong model on my ‘to-buy’ list, but it’s a bit bigger than this one! Check out the Yikong 4083 1/8 RC crawler here.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

A note on affiliate links: we purchased this vehicle ourselves for test & review purposes. Some of the links in the above article are affiliate links, which means we may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on them to make a purchase. As always, we make effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this – we still report on bugs and issues encountered during product testing, and our fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!

Losi Super Baja Rey 2.0

by Craig | Dec 24, 2023 | Losi, RC Off-Road, RC Reviews

It’s Huge

The Losi SBR 2.0 is one of the larger RC cars available today (currently on sale here). But it’s also quite different to most of the other 1/7, 1/6 and 1/5 scale fare you can choose. It might be the most unique offering in this scale, now I think about it. Consider: if you want to bash hard, you buy an X-Maxx, Outcast 8S or Kraton 8S. If you want to crawl or trail drive, the SCX6 has you covered. Large scale race track nearby? Get yourself a Losi 5IVE-T 2.0 or a DBXL and have at it. HPI’s Baja 5B has you sorted for big buggy action.

But what if you want scale desert truck driving? Humungous suspension travel, the kind of cornering that only a live rear axle can deliver? Something to match the Traxxas UDR favored by so many? But… bigger and more aggressive? Losi has you covered with the Super Baja Rey 2.0. Let me show you what makes this enormous monster so special.

Losi SBR 2.0

This is a 1/6 scale desert truck. I didn’t have the original one, so I can’t give you a side-by-side comparison, but Losi says this one is built on the Super Rock Rey chassis, but with an extra inch of wheelbase length. They’ve combined it with the front of the Super Baja Rey and there you go, SBR 2.0.

It’s a four-wheel drive vehicle that is engineered to be tough – but of course, with the live rear axle, it will take the right driving approach to keep the wheels on the ground. This style of vehicle is made to soak up big bumps at high speeds. While they can slide and corner reasonably well, this will never be a basher to replace the likes of the Arrma Senton 6S or similar, with its independent front and rear suspension. I guess you could say that RC desert trucks – the SBR here, the BR2.0, Traxxas UDR and so on – are all about the scale drive.

Body Issues

I’ll start with something that was a bit of a let-down. It’s only minor, but this isn’t a cheap model and so you expect the thing to be pristine out of the box. For this design, Losi elected to use something like vinyl wrap for the livery. Mine was a little worse for wear, with cracks in the decals around folds and edges. Some sheets were even misaligned. Screws were oxidized and there’s dust under the light bar lenses.

To be fair to Losi, this is surely a challenging model to assemble. Even in a production-line style setup, I expect it would take considerable effort to get something like this together without mistakes. But to find so many minor issues with my unit does make me wonder about quality control. Is it only the body I should be concerned about here, or will there be missing grease in diffs or a critical screw not secured completely?

Still Gorgeous Tho

The issues I had with this thing are only skin deep, as far as I can tell. At time of writing, I haven’t run the car yet, so if there are underlying mechanical oversights, I’ll edit this section later to let you know. But if you’re not looking closely, those misaligned panels and livery sheet cracks are not obvious. It’s all forgivable when you step back and take the thing in. This is a machine of beauty.

Radio System

Cars rarely came with radio systems in decades past. However, relative to RTR (Ready To Run) sales, kit builds are a lot less popular than they used to be. Many hobbyists may still prefer a kit (including me), but it isn’t what sells. Instead, manufacturers are typically now releasing models with everything assembled and included. The included radios with RTR systems have been hit and miss, maybe more on the ‘miss’ side for some time.

Horizon Hobbies has several big brands under its umbrella at this point. This includes the Losi vehicle here, but notably, also Spektrum. This is why you’ll get a Spektrum radio and power system with most Horizon-brand RTR models these days (Arrma, Losi, Axial, and so on). While the common and more basic Spektrum SLT3 system is fine, the better one is the Spektrum DX3 with 6100AT AVC receiver – and that’s what comes with the Losi Super Baja Rey 2.0.

I like this system in particular because of two dials that make it so much easier to use than so many others. The first is an adjustable braking dial – turn it up for more aggressive braking. The second is a stability control dial, or steering gyro – turn that up to have the car counter-steer more responsively to keep the nose pointed forward. In a car like this, I’d suggest the former is quite important and the latter is probably best left turned mostly down. Experiment and see; it’s so easy to adjust on this radio. I’m a fan! (The marks and dust are because Metro Hobbies sent me a floor model without telling me. Disappointing, but not a big deal).

The Main Thing

This is what we’re here for: that epic, desert truck suspension and live rear axle. Check these pictures out! Look at how much range there is, especially over the rear axle. It’s plush, heavy-duty and epic. Of course, the rear suspension is mounted on trailing arms, and everything about the arms at both ends is heavy duty and well designed. There are hefty sway bars at each end and it looks great. Even just typing this, I’m wondering how I’ve managed to not drive this car yet. I’m busy, but too busy to drive this car? I’m selling myself on this thing just writing this.

The front end has plenty of travel as well and the body has a pleasing amount of roll. There’s bolstering around the chassis mounts and both ends are adjustable with alu thumb screws. Looks great, too.

Losi SBR 2.0 Front LHS Extended Suspension

Losi SBR 2.0 Front LHS Compressed Suspension

Drive Line

Steel universals are found throughout the vehicle’s drive line. The rear shaft is a fibre-infused telescoping unit that attaches to the steel unis at each end. Given the crazy power this car can make (and we should talk about that in a moment, see below), you’d reasonably question if plastic will be up to the job on the rear end, in particular.

Well, there are steel drive shafts available on the after-market for this car, but having discussed this car with other owners, the consensus seems to be that it’s tough enough for the job. Certainly, there’s not a lot of flex in the parts, but rigidity is probably the more important element here. The glass element should be sufficient. We’ll see!

Wheels and Tires

BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 tires are clamped securely in Method Racing beadlock wheels on 17mm hex adapters. Side walls are firm but have some flexibility and the foams are also medium-hard. Of course, there are the two full size, functional spares on the rear of the vehicle, which is part of the magic of this interesting car.

Power System

Bigger numbers don’t necessarily mean bigger speed. With RC power systems, getting the voltage, motor kv (revolutions per volt), and gearing correct can be a balancing act. Typically, larger scale vehicles will run lower kv motors, favouring higher volts to achieve the torque and power required to move a heavy vehicle rapidly.

The SBR 2.0 runs a Spektrum Firma 160A 8S-capable ESC, powering a hefty (no, really) 5687 750kv motor. This is both a huge diameter and lengthy can – this motor is 56mm across and 87mm long.Batteries are loaded from the bottom of the vehicle, also helping to keep the weight low. It has a claimed top speed of around 50mph. Doesn’t that sound kind of uncomfortable! Fun, though!

Losi SBR 2.0 Battery Plugs and Rear Drive Shaft

Losi Super Baja Rey 2.0

How does it drive? Well, I can’t give you that quite yet. I’m looking forward to it, but I’ve been waiting to drive with a Traxxas UDR so we can compare them a bit. I might try to throw in an Arrma Mojave 6S as well, and then we can see which might be the best to get for your purposes. I’ll put that video here, when I make it. I can’t wait!

Read more here and buy your own Losi Super Baja Rey 2.0 here.

Don’t Miss

Meanwhile, you might be interested in reading about the 10-car roundup we’re doing at the end of 2023 and into early 2024. There are ten short course and desert trucks in 1/10 and 1/8 scale from all the big names and some of the smaller ones. The list includes the new Tekno SCT410 2.0, the Losi Baja Rey 2.0, Arrma Mojave 4S as well as the Senton 3S BLX, and more. Check out the channel for more.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

A note on affiliate links: the Amazon links in the above article are affiliate links, which means we may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on them to make a purchase. As always, we make effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this – we still report on bugs and issues encountered during product testing, and our fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!

Which RGT Trail Rig is Best for YOU?

by Craig | Dec 17, 2023 | RC Crawlers, RGT

RGT Pro Runner

The RGT Pro Runner EX86130 is just the latest in a growing line of interesting and capable RC crawlers and trail rigs. And hasn’t RGT been on a roll this past year or two!

On our YouTube channel, RGT has featured every now and then when there’s an interesting release to examine. But it was almost as if the company was just warming up for 2023’s big releases that we’re now so lucky to be able to choose from!

RGT’s Other Options

Fans of the channel will recall the well-received RGT Pioneer EX86110, which was arguably a forerunner of the current upper echelon of EX861XX models. (Find our RGT Pioneer video series here). With some careful upgrades on a budget, the Pioneer is an exceptional all-rounder. The EX86010-CJ is also a budget stand-out, while we’re at it. (Video here).

Also, I should note up-front that there’s a gap in our coverage of this family of models: the RGT Tracer EX86180Pro. This is a 4WS-enabled SCX10 Pro type vehicle, and one I think we should try to get hold of in the new year. For now, just be aware that it’s an option for those with a rock-crawling focus rather than trail aspirations.

The Three Contenders

If you love a mix of trail driving and scale rock crawling, things are now very interesting. As of the start of 2024, there are three fantastic models that the discerning RC trail driver and scale crawler driver will want to know about:

RGT Rescuer (EX86190) – buy here
RGT Challenger (EX86170) – buy here
RGT Pro Runner (EX86130) – buy here

Let’s take a look at them!

RGT Rescuer EX86190

There’s a complete article about this model on RC-TNT.com here – have a read when you’re done with this one. The scale crawling and trail driving community had their interest drawn to RGT’s mid-2022 release of the RGT Rescuer (EX86190). And it wasn’t just the attractive 70-series Toyota Landcruiser body – though unlicensed – that made this RC crawler something special. Sporting essentially the same feature set as the full-version Traxxas TRX4, the Rescuer’s scale looks, 2-speed and remote locking diffs made for a very attractive option.

What really stood out to me in my testing of this model was its fun factor. The vehicle rides on 4.75” tires and the live portal axles work under alu-shock, oil-filled, coil-over suspension on all corners. With a moderately high center of gravity, this leads to a scale model that moves pleasingly, with body roll that mimics the real thing. There are many RGT mods available. You can improve the vehicle’s CG (Center of Gravity), for better crawling with some brass parts. Or, you might better light the way with bull bar and roof rack light bars complement the existing light kit. Maybe you want to improve the scale model experience with a complete, polycarbonate interior, with driver. You can do all of this!

RGT Challenger EX86170

On the heels of the Rescuer, RGT next released the Challenger. This was more of a retro style pickup truck and in my opinion, its features put it roughly in between the Rescuer and the Pro Runner. Like the Rescuer, the RGT Challenger sports a pair of portal axles, with a 2-speed transmission that incorporates a DIG (rear axle locking), opposite-spinning drive shafts to minimise torque twist, and a built-in 6.6% overdrive to the front axle.

This attractive machine also sports a rear-facing servo winch, sway bar system on the rear end and a functional light kit! Priced only marginally less than the Rescuer, this is another compelling model. I found there were a few ways to modify this model to make it more convenient to use, but there’s very little this vehicle needs addressing, out of the box. A solid choice.

RGT Pro Runner EX86130

I found the Rescuer to be fun and the Challenger to be quite complete. And so the RGT Pro Runner EX86130 took me quite by surprise, not least because it costs about 20% less than the other two! The Pro Runner is another unlicensed body that looks very close to the Traxxas TRX4 2021 Bronco, even down to the smaller details such as the ABS plastic folding side mirrors and similar front grille. (Quick note: the top photo in this article shows the Pro Runner with different tires. The plastic, silver beadlocks are standard, with the 4.19″ tires. See the rock test video for how good they are).

However, the Pro Runner is special for two reasons, I think. First, the price – in Australia at least, I can buy two Pro Runners for the price of one TRX4 2021 Bronco. That’s already quite significant. Secondly, the feature set – it is vast! Check this out: 2-speed transmission with DIG, 6.6% overdrive and opposing rotation drive-shafts, just like the Challenger; full-function light kit, including brakes and reverse options; straight axles rather than portals for added scale; front-facing servo winch; servo-on-axle hidden in such a way that you’ll miss it if you’re not looking for it; steel universal front axles for greater turning angle and strength than the CVD-equipped Rescuer and Challenger’s portal axles. What a list!

How Do You Choose?

That really is the question, isn’t it? I am in the process of making a video about this, and I suppose writing this article is helpful in distilling my thoughts on this difficult choice. There are some little quality-of-life things, like how the body attaches to each (see the below picture), but the unique blend of features, capability, appearance and handling all add up to something different in each case.

So, I do have some thoughts that you may find useful. I’ll try to use this to guide you on why you may (or may not) decide to select each one. Read on!

Fun

This is the first, and to my mind, most compelling reason to consider any of these vehicles. For trail driving with some crawling, one vehicle really stands out to me: the Rescuer. Why? Consider the remote locking diffs in the portal axles, for a start. The Challenger has portals and the Pro Runner straight axles, but being able to remotely run them unlocked means more scale fun on the trails. When traction gets harder to find, lock one or both ends!

The second part of the fun formula is scale handling to match the gorgeous looks. With the suspension setup on the big, bouncy tires, the Rescuer rolls and moves like few others. I’ve driven this through deep water, mud, rocky ground, and long dirt paths. It just keeps on trucking and it looks great doing it. Vote 1 for Rescuer if you’re shopping for fun!

Modding

There are two kinds of RC crawler owners: those who mod their rigs, and those who just haven’t done it yet. The Challenger is a very complete vehicle out of the box, yes. However, there are a few things you can do to improve its design for easier daily use. I actually cover some of these in my modding video, linked at the end of the article.

But, aside from fixing wiring and putting a body-stand in place, there’s one mod in particular that this vehicle is just begging for: converting that rearward-facing winch to power a rear towing assembly! They’ve actually done most of the work for you already. A boom assembly could be made from aluminum, braised from mild steel, or even achieved with some 3D-printed beams (the last of which I think might be the way I go with it). You already have the winch, so re-route the cable and add a tackle block under the end of the boom and you’ll be done! The Challenger gets my choice as most promising for mods.

Budget All-Rounder

Fun is subjective and not everyone wants to convert a trail rig into a tow-capable machine, I get that. Where I think we’ll all find common ground is on the subject of sheer value for money. On that front, the Pro Runner absolutely and completely delivers.

I took this car with me last weekend to a meet-up with a bunch of folks and we went on a 4-hour mudding adventure in the Aussie bush. Water crossings, treacherous rocky ascents, muddy gullies, greasy clay climbs – this day had it all (video here). I ran the Pro Runner on 3S, which the included WP-1060 allows (and all three vehicles have the same ESC and steering servo, by the way), and this vehicle was reliable and fun. It wasn’t the most capable, with those small 4.19” tires and straight axles, but oh, boy, was it satisfying to wheel. I can’t recommend the Pro Runner enough, if you’re on a budget and want a single all-rounder. Get this, you won’t regret it.

The Bottom Line

So where does that leave us with the choice? Chances are, you already have a pretty good idea of which you prefer after reading the above sections. And if you’re noticing that, wait a minute, none of these three has the remote locking diffs AND a DIG AND portal axles AND a winch, well, yes, you’re right. But not even Axial or Traxxas will give you all that, out of the box. The TRX4 2021 Bronco comes close, as it currently even includes a winch, at time of writing – but no DIG. The Axial SCX10 III gives you DIG and portals, but the diffs are locked full-time. And they are both considerably more expensive than any of the RGT offerings, at least, in Australia.

If you can’t decide and all three grab you, I do have one final suggestion: buy the one that moves you. Pretend you’re going with one of them and see how you feel about not getting either of the others. Repeat for all three vehicles; you may just find you’re most wistful about ‘missing out’ on one of them in particular, and that would be the one to get!

Reviews & Test Videos

Now, if you’ve come this far and you’re pretty sure you know what you want, great! I have a growing catalog of videos that may be useful in helping you get to know any of these three vehicles better. Check them out here:

Trail Run video: coming soon!

Mods video: coming soon!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

A note on affiliate links: although RC-TNT purchased all vehicles in this article, the AsiaTees links contained herein are affiliate links. This means we may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on them to make a purchase. As always, we make effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this. Integrity first, always. We still report on any bugs or issues encountered during product testing, along with fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!

Element RC Enduro SE Sendero Trail Truck

by Craig | Aug 10, 2023 | Element RC, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

It’s Enduro SE!

I’ve been calling it the Sendero SE, but it wasn’t until I went to write this article that I realised the truck is called the Enduro SE Sendero. Well, that makes sense, as the Enduro platform is the common layout you’ll find under all of Element RC’s current line of epic rock crawlers and trail trucks, current and retired: the Sendro HD, Gatekeeper, Ecto, Knightrunner, Bushido and now, the Enduro SE. (We’ve looked at ALL of these on the channel).

Available from AsiaTees or Amazon, this rig has been an interesting combination of budget and performance oriented decisions by Team Associated. This more budget-oriented release first hit the shelves in November 2022. Being in Australia, I tend to get new releases up to 6 months after that, and in this case, it was even longer. But it’s finally here and we’ve already had it on the rocks, so I am in a good position now to show you through this one. Let’s dig into what makes the Enduro SE (Sport Edition) a little different from all the other Enduro rigs before it!

Same, But a Little Bit Different

The Element RC Enduro SE Sendero is a trail truck that draws inspiration from the truck styling of the 80s and 90s. This isn’t new to this class of RC vehicle, but there’s a trick to this model. You might expect the closest comparison to be to the Sendero HD, given the name is common to both. (You can find our review of the Sendro HD here, and our video series here).

However, the reality is something quite unexpected. As you’ll see in the video at the end of this article, I found the Enduro SE to be most closely similar to the Axial SCX10 II Deadbolt! We’ll have to do a video comparison on those two rigs as they’re similar in price, setup and performance. That’ll be interesting!

Enduro SE Sendero Body

Unlike the Sendero HD before it, the Enduro SE Sendero boasts a one-piece polycarbonate body. The tube frame and tray are replaced with a drop bed and bumper, which is both durable and aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, underneath both ends of the body you’ll find adjustable bumper mounts with integrated winch line routing for the front.

Much firmer than the bumper on the Sendero HD, the Enduro SE features high-clearance front and rear bumpers that are still flexible, though clearly tough. The same, adjustable-width rock sliders finish out the sides, including slots for the polycarbone body sills to locate snugly. As with the Sendero HD, it looks like there’s room to lower the body a little, and to bring the bumpers in a bit. Both these things will marginally help the car on rock obstacles.

Transmission

New to this Enduro family member is the StealthXF gearbox. It’s a front-facing motor design but still centrally mounted on the skid plate. In a break from other Enduro rigs (all of which have run the StealthX transmission, to date), the Enduro SE gets no overdrive out of the box.

Further, whilst all other Enduro RTRs that I’ve looked at in recent years have come with 5.7% overdrive built-in AND an extra 11.83% overdrive gear set you can install yourself, the Enduro SE comes with no additional gears. If you want overdrive in this one, you’ll have to raid your parts box from other Enduro cars if you’re lucky enough to have another already, or else you’ll need to buy the gears separately.

Drive Train Upgrades

In my opinion: if you do decide to shell out for overdrive gears, go for the 11.83% set – the car is lightweight and not fast, so you won’t feel the shortcomings of having overdrive on the trails, and then when you’re crawling, you’ll really appreciate that more positive steering influence.

Pinion and spur are 48-pitch and the system works well. It’ll tolerate brushless power if you don’t go overboard. The HobbyWing Fusion SE 1800kv would be my pick for this rig, while the higher-power Hobbywing Fusion Pro 2300kv will also give the Enduro SE some hustle on the trails!

Links & Suspension

The Enduro SE Sendero is designed with heavy-duty 5mm diameter steel steering links and aluminum steering plates. It also features optimized ball cups and links that allow for more fluid axle articulation. The suspension system includes threaded shock bodies, mini springs, and a 90mm shock length. The adjustable rear shock mount positions provide flexibility for tuning both the wheelbase and shock angles.

The links are the same spaghetti-type, bendy plastic as found under the Axial Deadbolt. As you’ll see me demonstrate in the video below (it’ll post a few days after this article is published), the links allow considerable amount of lateral movement if you force the axles forward or back. This, combined with the bushings (see next section) really speaks to the more budget nature of this rig. Thankfully, I think these are the two most glaring ‘shortfalls’ of this rig – though not every situation will mean soft links and bushings are a bad thing. The truck is certainly light weight, which contributes greatly to its ability on the rocks! More on that in the video below.

Enduro SE Axles

The truck comes with updated axles, including universal front drive axles and a one-piece rear axle design. The front axle is splined and offers adjustable caster. The gearing system of the Enduro SE Sendero is robust, featuring metal ring and pinion gears, a machined steel top shaft, and a steel servo horn. I’m not too hot on the faux plastic disc brakes and calipers but it’s a tidy setup overall.

They’re straight axles, no portals here! The steering config is servo on axle, which is less scale but generally better performing than CMS (Chassis Mounted Servo) config. It’s a solid setup, I like it.

Bushings, Not Bearings

Be aware that the Enduro SE Sendero ships with 24 bushings rather than the ball bearings we’re used to seeing on the Enduro platform. Before you lose your mind on this point, remember this is a slow vehicle and one that’s likely to encounter mud and water.

The benefit of ball bearings over bushings is lowering resistance, giving you that sliver of extra speed on the racetrack or drag strip. In a crawler, your motor will draw marginally (and I mean marginally) more power to overcome the added resistance from bushings, but I double-dog-dare you to notice the difference. Bushings are low maintenance, too – they can get muddy and wet, even salty, and they won’t rust out and seize, so that’s your silver lining!

Wheels & Tires

The wheels of the Enduro SE Sendero have a 12.8″ wheelbase and are equipped with 12mm wheel hexes. The wheels are plastic and a beadlock design. Shiny black and attractive, these 1.9” units are well-suited to the rig.

The tires are new, and very, very Element. They’re narrow, just like those found on the Deadbolt, incidentally, and they have a repeating Element RC logo all around the center of the treads. They’re a 4.7” size, come with internal foams and the rubber compound is pleasingly soft. Under load on the rocks, the side walls are soft enough to deform, but firm enough to help the rig maintain traction and direction. They’re cheap, on a cheaper rig, but I like ‘em so far!

Electronics

The Enduro SE Sendero is powered by a Reedy 16-turn, 5-slow motor, same as the rest of the Enduro family. The motor is mounted to an aluminum plate, as the backbone of the transmission. As with all the others, it is powered by the same Reedy ESC, too. The electronics are completely adequate for this machine, though they have their limits. Great low-speed control is to be expected from this combo, though it’s low on power, even if you gear it up. It should last a good long time though and it’s a great match to the StealthXF transmission, though there is obvious strain if you run on 3S (12V) power in a heavy crawling scenario – motor and ESC can get properly hot.

The receiver is housed in an enclosed box, while the ESC tray ensures clean wiring. The truck also comes with an additional (wider) battery box. The servo is the same Reedy 1523MG waterproof, metal gear unit found in all the other current Enduro vehicles too. As with the power system, this is quite adequate for this vehicle and should endure even heavy crawling sessions.

Enduro SE Radio

In a departure from the XP130 system that has shipped with all previous Enduro models, Element RC has chosen instead to go with FlySky. The truck comes with a 4-channel FlySky FS-G4P radio system, though it only uses two of the channels. The two unused channels are a three-position switch and a momentary-press button. Nice!

I like FlySky and have many of their radios. Maybe 20 – and that’s just the trasmitters. I’m well familiar with how their AFHDS protocols run (and there are 3 versions of this, plus ANT, in the FlySky range) and all their systems are solid. I have several of this particular radio, which uses the ANT protocol (hackers rejoice). It’s solid, fast enough and comes with numerous adjustments as you’d expect from any modern 2.4G radio. It’s a good pairing with the truck. It takes 4x AA batteries and is comfy in the hand, plastic wheel notwithstanding.

In The Box

There are two versions of the Enduro SE Sendero, but both have the same vehicle and radio. The standard version gives you the truck, radio, body mounts, shock pieces for full coil-overs if you change to that, a spare body cross member and a wider battery tray. There’s a manual, sticker sheet, SCX480X ESC manual and FlySky radio system manual. Lastly, some basic allen keys are included, to fit the rig. The other version is the LiPo Combo, which includes a compact balance charge and LiPo battery.

Both versions give you the now-standard Element RC box which doubles as a parking garage if you reverse the box – and its different for every model from the Enduro range. A bit of fun!

So, How’s It Drive?

The big question! This is best covered in our video review, which incorporates a rock test and copious opinions on the vehicle. It will be posted within a few days of this article being published. Catch you there!

Our Test Course

If you’re not familiar with how we test RC rock crawlers, we have a course that challenges any 4x4 RC crawler in many ways:

Approach and departure angle: these are challenged on Problems 2 and 3;
Side-hill ability: tested on Problems 1, 3 and 5;
Breakover (skid clearance): tested on Problems 4 and 6;
Suspension articulation and centre of gravity: challenged on problems 2 and 5; and lastly,
A punishing ascent on problem 6 tests all of balance, break-over, articulation, tire traction and approach and departure angles.

Get One!

Check the manufacturer page for specific details if you’re after more: https://www.associatedelectrics.com/element/cars_and_trucks/Enduro/SE_Sendero/

Buy an Element RC Enduro SE Sendero Trail Truck RTR from AsiaTees or Amazon. These are affiliate links that help support RC-TNT at no extra cost to you. Thank you for using them, if you do so!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

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