Axial Base Camp RTR Crawler

by Craig | Jun 6, 2022 | Axial, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

The Most Basic Yet

The Axial Base Camp is something familiar, yet also quite different. In the third generation of SCX10 vehicles, Axial has released numerous models in both RTR (Ready To Run) and kit form and in varying wheel-bases. To date, we’ve tested and reviewed the Gladiator and more recently, the JLU kit. Both were capable and interesting vehicles and both had Axial’s trick new DIG (DIs-engageable Gear) and 2-speed transmission. Both were Jeeps and both ran Nitto Grappler tires.

No so with the Base Camp, Axial’s latest and cheapest SCX10 ever. But don’t let the concept of ‘budget’ confuse your expectations of performance from this new rig. We expect the Base Camp will be a fixture at social crawls and comp meets for years to come. This thing is cheaper than the other SCX10 IIIs, but ‘premium’ is still its middle name. Let’s dive in!

Axial Base Camp in More Detail

We’ve just completed a detailed review of the new Axial Base Camp. Our unit was the AXI03027T2 RTR – the green one. Rather than going over every section of the vehicle, we’ll take a different tack in this article and suggest you watch our video review. We cover every part of the new vehicle and we test it on our 6-problem course to evaluate its performance. Spoiler: it does not disappoint!

Check the video out here:

Price and Performance

In our recent 4-part upgrade-and-test series, we watched the RGT Pioneer EX86110 go from a middling 1/10 scale budget crawler to a real performer on the rocks – and on a tight budget at that! The Pioneer is 60% the cost of the Axial Base Camp and its performance is right up there with other 1/10 scale crawlers. So, what makes the Base Camp so special?

It does cost more than the Pioneer, it’s true. However, the rig is still cheaper than its other SCX10 III stablemates and the ‘fat’ has been trimmed in just the right places to simplify it, make it more rugged, and to really eke out the performance. In short, it’s out-of-the-box performance blew us away!

Counting Loss as Gain

It’s a fair question, right? Premium though the Axial Base Camp is, we’re still talking about a ‘basic’ rock crawler. It doesn’t have the DIG or the 2-speed transmission of the others. There are not moulded-plastic details adorning the body. No wheel wells, nor hidden body clips. Glued tires fit the Black Rhino rims rather than the beadlock wheels of the other SCX10 III family members. Even the links are a thinner 3.5mm diameter than the 6mm links of the other SCX10 III vehicles.

But that’s only one side of the coin. In listing what’s been lost from the other, more expensive Axial options, there are several things gained in the transaction:

Simplicity – no mini shifting servos to fail (as ours did on the new Gladiator during the first ten minutes!);
Durability – no sliding parts inside the transmission to foul with mud or silt. Just sealed ball-bearings inside a sealed plastic enclosure;
Center of Gravity – with a more basic body and less electronics on board, the weight is lower on the vehicle, greatly enhancing its performance potential;
Body Choices – with the more traditional body posts and adjustable chassis rails, its going to be a lot easier to fit other Lexan bodies to the Axial Base Camp than to other SCX10 variants.

Better Than the Others

There are some new components on the Axial Base Camp that help draw this rig to higher levels of performance than its SCX10 III brethren:

All-aluminum shocks – these are new, oil-filled units with new coil springs to suit. They’re adjustable, give a plush ride and are well-sealed. They cycled smoothly in our testing and are absolutely worth keeping on the vehicle, even if you plan on prepping the Base Camp for pure competition use;
Falken Wildpeak M/T tires – the Nitto Grapplers on the other SCX10 III variants are reasonable performers on dry rock. They’re not so hot on wet rock and dirt, as we’ve found in our tire comparisons last year. The new 4.7” R35 compound tires on the Axial Base Camp are rock stars, at least in the dry (we have yet to test in the wet). So far, we’re very impressed.
Adjustable chassis rails – like the Vaterra Ascender, the wheelbase can be changed on the Base Camp to suit a different body or to tune for comp use. Note, some competition rules (including the RCCA rule-set) may not allow adjustable chassis rails in Performance Scale/Class 2, so you may need to spot-weld the chassis to a locked position to pass muster. Apart from this note, the adjustable rail length is very welcome.
New transmission – this may be a gain or loss, depending on your needs. The new transmission and motor assembly is positioned on the skid plate, keeping the weight nice and low. Also, the new LCXU transmission gives you a reversible drive option to allow for straight axles rather than the AR45 portal axles, making reverse motor rotation unnecessary. A small thing for most – until the day you decide to do the conversion!

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!

Bottom Line

We’ve tested many crawlers on our 6-problem course over the past year. There aren’t many 1/10 RC crawlers that can finish all 6 problems in stock form. After some modifications, things get a little more interesting. But if a crawler can conquer all 6 in stock form, it’s an impressive machine indeed.

To date, these vehicles have finished all 6 in stock form:

Traxxas TRX6 6×6 (did it in the wet!) – video here;
Cross RC EMO AT4 (kit build with heavy weighted wheels) – video here;
GMade BOM TC (also a kit build, running plastic wheels – most impressive) – video here;
Element RC Gatekeeper (kit build with weighted wheels) – video here; and,
The Axial Capra (kit build with weighted wheels and DIG) – video here.

That’s the whole list! We’ve tested crawlers from all of the big names and some of the lesser known manufacturers. (All our reviews can be found here). Several rigs have made 4 or 5 of the 6 problems – few get all 6.

Good news for the performance-minded drivers: the Axial Base Camp is RC-TNT 6-Probems Approved™.

We like this truck and if you’re into performance crawling, it’s likely you will too. Recommended.

More Info

Find the manufacturer’s page here: http://www.axialracing.com/products/axi03027t2

Wondering which crawler to get? We have a recent video that covers some of our favourites from the last year. Check that video out here:

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 🙂

Axial SCX10 III Kit Jeep Wrangler Rubicon JLU Review

by Craig | May 10, 2022 | Axial, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

The SCX10 III Kit (AXI03007) is a 1/10 scale crawler with portal axles and a polycarbonate body. It has much of the body detail found in hard body or ‘class 1’ rigs.

It’s A Kit, Bob

A few decades ago, if you wanted a hobby-grade RC truck, you could expect to have to build it before you could drive it. Over the years, there’s been an accelerating trend toward Ready To Run (RTR) models – unbox it, charge the batteries and go.

Today, Axial sells a considerable range of SCX10 III vehicles in RTR form whilst there’s only one option if you want an SCX10 III kit. Axial also offers the SCX10 II Raw Builders Kit if you just want a ‘slider’ on which to build your own custom rig. Both the SCX10 II and III ranges are considerably varied, with at least five models of each.

Experience Where It Matters

Axial have been in the game for many years and their expertise shows in the kit. On opening the box you’re greeted with labelled bags, neatly sorted beneath and within the clear polycarbonate body, some basic tools and fluids and a quality manual.

The company also offers a set of exploded parts diagrams for the SCX10 III kit, freely available online. In short, you’re in safe hands when attempting an Axial kit even if you’re a newcomer to the hobby.

Getting’ Prepped

Like many RC kits, you’re going to need to supply your own electronics. This means a 2, 3 or 4 channel radio system, depending on what you want to achieve in this build. Specifically:

2-channel if you only want throttle and steering. You’ll lock out the DIG (DIsengageable Gear) and the two-speed transmission for constant low-speed 4WD operation; or,
3-channel if you only want one of DIG or two-speed control (Axial suggests the Spektrum DX3 radio system); or,
4-channel (or greater) if you want full-function from the SCX10 III kit: throttle, steering, DIG and two-speed (we recommend and used the Flysky GT5 radio system, available here).

You’ll also need an ESC (we recommend the HobbyWing WP-1060 brushed ESC), a motor (we recommend the Holmes Hobbies 15-turn 550 brushed motor), steering servo (we like the jx Servo WP5323LV), waterproof mini servos for DIG and two-speed control (we suggest the PowerHD TR4 units), and your own 2S LiPO or 6 or 7 cell NiMH battery (2000mAh to 5000mAh capacity as needed).

Tools required are 1.5mm, 2mm and 2.5mm hex wrenches, body scissors or hobby knife, needle-nose pliers, tweezers and polycarbonate paint for the body.

Hypoid Gears!

Axial supplies the new 6-bolt locker and hypoid gears from the Capra in front and rear axles. Hypoid gears are good for extra strength and have the added benefit of being quieter than straight-cut teeth. They always have contact with multiple teeth at once, giving that extra strength over the simpler straight-cut designs.

You do need to ensure there’s sufficient lubrication, but the grease you apply at build-time should last a couple of years in regular use. Also, hypoid gears just look cool – do a web image search for ‘hypoid gears’ to see what I mean if you’re curious.

SCX10 III Kit Axles

The build begins with the portal axles. You’ll start with the ‘A’ bag, which contains neatly organised smaller bags of parts, sorted by type for easier identification. You will be assembling bearings, gears, shafts, screws, plus larger plastic axle and portal pieces. Axial uses a coding system that guides you through applying lubrication, thread lock, direction of insertion and so on, with the actual build steps intuited by way of exploded parts diagrams.

That may sound intimidating if you’re new to this stuff, but take a look at this picture from the start of our build. Note how you’re only ever putting a handful of parts together at a time, and how subsequent steps follow logically from the previous ones. There will be some challenging steps in the build, but you will hopefully find yourself gaining confidence as you progress. This kind of build is great for building one’s experience and sense of accomplishment – plus you’ll know what’s inside your model, so future repairs, upgrades and maintenance will be things you’re confident to attempt yourself. It’s a great way to get started in the hobby.

Shafts & Joints

Axial supplies the AR45P universal axles up-front. You don’t get a constant velocity speed at angle to the front wheels, but universals provide greater strength than CVD (Constant Velocity Drive) joins and this is a decision Axial has made consistently for many years: strength first, smoothness second.

Their WB8 HD Wildboar driveshafts are the latest design with larger diameter cross-pin than previous models had. Though they’re plastic, the drive shafts are some of the best plastic units in the hobby and they will be good for everything up to high-level competition (and even then, they’re quite good. We had the previous version Wildboar shafts on a 2.2 Sportsman at the 2018 Worlds in Perth and they were utterly reliable in the harshest conditions this writer has ever experienced – surface temperatures nearing 50 degrees C, long days, tough rocks. Epic!)

Clicking in Reverse?

Our unit made a weird clicking noise in reverse if under any load. There was also some movement on the pinion shaft from the diff. The pinion was able to move too close to the crown wheel, so a diff between the drive shaft and the base of the pinion shaft cover was needed. We discuss this in our video review (further down the page).

The below image shows where the shim was needed. We put 2x 0.3mm shims on the front shaft and 2x 0.2mm shims on the rear. Note, yours may vary as the need for shims is determined by inaccuracies in the moulding or cutting process at manufacture. Some units may be much better than others and you may not need any shims at all.

Fenders & Side-Boards

The SCX10 III JLU body’s inner fenders and floor give welcome visual cover to the internals. It can really break immersion to look sideways at a vehicle and see right through the wheel wells into the chassis rails and motor and wires within. The quality plastics on this kit give good cover to that and should be compatible with most bodies of suitable wheelbase.

There are holes ready for rock lights if you so desire, too. A great way to brighten up the rig for evening driving – highly recommended.

Shift & DIG

The SCX10 III transmission has all-metal gears throughout and gives you four configuration options:

Most basic, run full-time 4WD, single-speed;
As above, but with DIG (DIsengageable Gear);
No DIG, but now high and low gear selection in full-time 4WD; and,
High/low speed in full-time 4WD, plus DIG.

As it’s a kit, you’ll need to supply your own electronics. Here are the differences in what you’ll need in the above list, depending on how you set it up:

2-Channel radio system and a steering servo;
3-Channel radio system, a micro servo and a steering servo;
3-Channel radio system, a micro servo and a steering servo; and
4-Channel radio system, two micro servos and a steering servo.

In our unit, we went with option 4. This way we have both a high and low speed selection as well as the DIG component. On that point, here’s how the DIG works:

Transmission & Gears

Axial’s transmission design puts the motor up-front, next to the steering servo. The DIG and 2-speed linkages are at the mid and rear points, situated at about the middle of the vehicle, over the skid plate. There are outdrives to front and rear both rotate in the same direction, so torque twist could be an issue. Thankfully, portal axles help minimise the effect, but it’s something to be aware of.

All gears on this model are of cut steel. No cast metal in sight and even the spur gear is steel! This means more noise in the drive-train, but utterly reliable moving parts, electronics aside. This is a good thing.

There are 8 motor mount positions for pinion sizes from 11-tooth to 18-tooth, with the Axial-supplied AX30725 (14-tooth, 32p) pinion being the recommended size to match the recommended 35-turn 540-size motor.

Attractive & Adjustable

Even though most folks won’t see it when you’re out wheeling your rig, there are numerous scale features on and around the chassis. In particular, the replica V8 engine (well, most of one), attractive transmission housing and transfer case all cover your motor and look great doing it.

The side boards we mentioned above are adjustable via pre-tapped holes along the chassis. There’s overlap from the fenders, too, so if you lengthen or shorten the vehicle to match whatever body you want to use, you don’t have to sacrifice the attractive finish to do so.

There are also two battery trays, allowing you to fit those larger 4A to 7A packs in the rear or a smaller competition pack on the left side. You’ll find space on the side rails, too, so you have room to fit additional electronics like light controller or an additional ESC for a winch.

SCX10 III Kit Geometry

The suspension geometry is based on the SCX10 II but refined slightly for the new chassis layout. Here, the front suspension has been optimized to reduce bump steer, while the rear 4-link reduces torque twist. It also helps with steep off-camber climbs by having the proper amount of anti-squat and roll characteristics. The 4-Link system also aids against suspension wrap-up in high power applications. Strong 6mm stainless steel links with high grade plastic rod ends for durability.

Chassis-Mounted Servo (CMS) has become a standard in scale RC and the SCX10 III is designed with that expectation in mind. The servo is mounted in the chassis. CMS brings with it the potential problem of ‘bump steer’. That is, undesirable steering caused by bumps interacting with improper length or angle of suspension and steering links. Axial designed the front suspension in such a way that bump steer is minimised without compromising a decent turning angle of 45 degrees.

SCX10 III Shocks

This kit includes oil-filled shocks have hard anodized, threaded bodies, a single coil over spring, plus an emulsion-style cap with screw for easier rebuilds. The shocks are tuneable for achieving the best dampening rate. Their increased bore size also creates more fluid volume for better performance.

Wheels & Tires

The wheels are officially licensed KMC XD Machete bead lock units. They are made of plastic and have a matt-chrome finish. Quite detailed, they’re 3-piece bead lock wheels, so your tires can be swapped out without worrying about glue. The wheels are lightweight, solid enough and reliable.

Tires are Nitto Trail Grappler in R35 compound. They’re 4.74” x 1.7” wide. Our past testing has shown these are quite good on dry rock, but struggle a bit on dirt and especially poor on wet rock. They’re attractive and they suit the vehicle and the included foams are nicely balanced. Use these until you’re ready for an upgrade, basically. Here’s a bit about the tire performance – the second half of this video goes into comparison with other options:

JL Wrangler Body & Interior

One thing that sets this kit apart from other crawler kits is the attention to detail on the body. The interior is quite complete, cleverly done from a mix of plastic pieces and paintable polycarbonate mould. Stickers are included to help finish the look, so even a simple plain paint job will be enough to look quite nice under the stickers. The interior features a functional roll cage, full dash and steering wheel, 4 seats and even a driver.

The details keep coming on the outside. Axial’s under-body, hidden body clip system is tidy, if a little finnicky to attach. A polycarbonate exterior body comes clear, ready for paint which you must include yourself (grab the Tamiya PS series rattle cans for this job). There are many included pieces: front radiator and light buckets, front hood vents, a front cowl, front windshield wipers, side mirrors, door handles and fuel door. The end result is very smart.

Vital Statistics

Here are some basic numbers to give you an idea of the size of this thing:

Length: 125″ (485mm)
Width: 25″ (234mm)
Height: 5″ (241mm)
Wheelbase: 3” (312mm)
Ground Clearance: 3″ (76.2mm)
Weight (no electronics): 5 lb (2.9kg)

Rock Crawling Ability

The suspension and geometry of this rig is good. It’s detailed body works against it on the rocks with a higher center of gravity than is ideal. The tires are fine in the dry.

This all adds up to a reasonably capable crawler out of the box (or in this kit’s case, with basic electronics). The best way to give you an indication of this vehicle on the rocks is to refer you to our review video – check that out here:

Trail Characteristics

Things are a little better for the Jeep on the trail. Yes, the tires aren’t the best compared to others, but they’re still absolutely ample and our advice would be to use them until they’re worn and you’re ready for something better. The gear ratio between low and high is too small, or close. Low should be slower and high should be faster. This will be a frustrating point on the trail. You’ll also want to get some lights installed to enhance the realism, if you’re into that sort of thing.

It’s absolutely capable. You can expect to push the car quite hard and it’ll stand up to hard driving, time after time. The SCX10 III kit brings you a very useable trail rig and you’ll be able to keep up with other models – particularly with better tires. It’s fun, durable and handles nicely. That high/low speed issue is really the only sticking point for us.

Decisions, Decisions!

The Axial SCX10 III kit is a worthy unit. If you want to build a kit that can be driven hard and has room for upgrades and modding whilst looking great from day 1, this should on your shortlist.

You might also want to consider these models if you’re looking for a 1/10 scale crawler kit:

GMade BOM TC: Our Review

Vanquish Phoenix Portal: Our Review

Traxxas TRX4 Sport (video)

Overall

All models have their pros and cons, so keep in mind that subjective element of what speaks to you the most. We’re spoilt for choice these days – even doing a ‘what crawler to buy’ article is tough! (Check that out here).

The Axial SCX10 III JL Wrangler kit is a perfect example of just how good we have it in 2022. If you like this one, grab it. You’ll love it!

More Info

We recommend AsiaTees as a great starting point for RC crawlers, parts and upgrades. This is an affiliate link that costs you nothing to use and helps support us in the process. Our thanks for using this, if you do!

Axial SCX10 III Jeep Wrangler JL Kit

Manufacturer’s page: http://www.axialracing.com/products/axi03007

Related: our SCX10 III Gladiator RTR playlist.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Axial Goes Large-Scale With the SCX6

by Craig | Oct 18, 2021 | Axial, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

Axial Goes Large-Scale With the SCX6

It’s the SCX10 you know and love, but bigger. Much bigger!

Axial SCX6 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 1/6 Scale Electric 4WD RTR

It was a sign of things to come: Axial used social media influencers to take the spotlight when their biggest, baddest crawler yet was released this week, the SCX6. This kind of release hasn’t really been seen to this extent before. Axial sent one of these large-scale RC rock crawlers to a handful of the big names in the RC rock crawling niche on YouTube and gave them a release time and date for their video reviews – and wow, has it worked! All the RC crawling corners of the internet are buzzing with reactions and opinions about this new, large-scale beauty – and rightly so. There’s something special about even the ‘same old’ when it’s just so much bigger!

And It’s Huge!

The SCX6 Jeep JLU Wrangler is a 1/6 scale, four-wheel-drive ready-to-run RC rock crawler. It’s very similar at first glance to the JLU-bodied SCX10 III and even the little SCX24. Line them all up and with the right camera perspective (smallest closest to the lens), you’d be hard-pressed to tell the larger two models apart.

However, Axial has broken from their entire history of releases by amping up the included electronics and running gear. A huge, sensored brushless system is combined with a beefy steering servo and even a strong high/low transmission servo to bring you a model that *could* be updated out of the box, but really doesn’t need to be.

It’s a Jeep!

It’s tough, well designed and ready for whatever adventures may await you. I (Craig, RC-TNT) have one on pre-order already, with an early 2022 delivery date being rumoured, but nothing is known for sure yet. With the supply chain disruptions and manufacturing shortages globally as a result of covid, it’s anyone’s guess when these vehicles may ship to the waiting RC hobbyists everywhere. It’s hard to be patient with this one – there really hasn’t been anything like it before in the hobby. Let’s take a closer look!

It’s widely known within the industry that Jeep and Axial have an arrangement that suits both companies very well. This has led to Axial releasing many Jeep models in particular. Whilst this can be a drawback for folks who aren’t Jeep fans in particular (including this dyed-in-the-wool Landcruiser and Hilux man), the strategy may well be paying off. Even I looked at my 1/10 SCX10 III Gladiator today during filming and thought, “it wouldn’t be entirely awful to own one of these things”. And then I had to sit down and take a minute to recover as I became aware of my inner dialogue! In short, it looks to be a profitable strategy for both companies: Axial gets use of pretty licensed bodies and Jeep gets its name out there in one of the biggest names in RC rock crawling. That’s a win-win!

Same, But Different

The SCX6 looks, at first glance, like an enlarged SCX10 III. The body, interior, running gear – all looks quite familiar. However, there’s nothing that’s been reused from the smaller models. No doubt many of the CAD files were simply increased in size for the new, larger moulds for the body, but underneath the big cover is some familiar stuff, but also quite a lot that’s new!

Axial has been making RC crawlers for years, but this may be the first model that is released with the power system already “powerful enough” that upgrades aren’t needed, or even desirable. The steering servo is decent, though that could be made stronger (it’s 500oz unit stock, and the gear shift servo is a 50-something oz unit, both are adequate for the job), but the sensored, brushless motor system is a bit of serious kit!

Just How Big?

The 1:6 scale crawler weighs in at 25lb (or 11.3kg) and is 33.5” (776mm) long and nearly 15” (or 378mm) wide and tall. Numbers are one thing, but the heft and overall physical presence of this thing will be another. RC-TNT doesn’t have one of these units yet, being as we’re too new to the scene to have qualified to be one of those lucky few in the industry to get a pre-production model for review! Our pre-order is in, though, so as soon as it’s here we’ll get onto a proper review!

Anyway, it’s a big, heavy rig. Accordingly, a 1200kv brushless system is appropriate to move this model. The system is best on 3S, though if you run on 2S you’ll enjoy approximately 50% longer runtime than on 3S (a general guide for anytime you’re working with Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries – more cells means less runtime, but more volts. So, if a 2S 5A battery gives you 60 minutes runtime, a 3S 5A battery would give you 40 minutes. Again, this is a general guideline, your mileage will vary, but 3S is reportedly the sweet-spot for this machine. There is room for 2x 5000mAh (or 5A) batteries on the chassis, so you could make or buy an adapter and run them in parallel for 10A of power that would deliver somewhere between 30 and 90 minutes of runtime, depending on how you drive.

Power and Driveline

There are plenty of big, brushless motors in RC, but as far as rock crawlers are concerned, the waterproof Spektrum unit is a bit of a, well, unit. The model is SPMXSM3100 and this 1200kv motor is 84mm long and has a 56mm diameter. It’s powered by a Spektrum 120A ESC, which also has a 6v-7.4v BEC (6v is default), though you’ll need the optional programming card if you want to change the settings (SPMXCA200 – Spektrum Smart ESC Programming Update Box).

There’s a two-speed metal-gear transmission with a wider ratio between 1^st and 2^nd than in the 1/10 SCX10 III, so you have nice low-speed crawling and more than ample speed for jumps and rumbling! Shifting is achieved care of the Spektrum S614, which is a waterproof, metal-geared standard servo.

Included Radio

All electronics are controlled via the Spektrum SR515 receiver, linked to the Spektrum DX3 2.4GHz DSMR transmitter. Of course, you can swap this out for your DX5, DX5c or DX5 Rugged (that last one is my favourite and I use it with all my current-gen Axial rigs). The DX3 is a very nice radio in its own right, and if you have no other vehicles with Spektrum gear, stick with the DX3, it’s quite adequate.

Giant Donuts

Like the smaller SCX models, the SCX6 comes shod with BFGoodrich tires. In this case, they’re KM3 (that’s Krawler Mud Terrain) and are fitted to licensed Black Rhino ‘Primm’ beadlock wheels. They’re injection-moulded plastic, so while they’re lightweight they’ll be sturdy and durable.

Still, swapping these out for heavier wheels may be the only mod one might want to attempt with this thing – it could help with crawling, lowering the centre of gravity a bit, but for such a large machine, be aware that it would negatively affect handling at speed, if that was a concern. Less weight is better for going fast with such a large beastie, but if you’re mainly going slow, a little extra down-low weight may well be a winning strategy.

Epic Suspension

Also similar to the SCX10, but all-new in 1/6 scale for the big Axial, is the suspension system. There’s a 3-link panhard arrangement up front and a simple and reliable 4-link setup in the rear. Standard fare for this type of model. The links themselves are huge, with a 5mm diameter on the shafts and stainless steel ball ends.

The oil-filled shocks feature a single, coil-over spring and are threaded, alu bodies. As with the smaller rigs, these feature limited tuning with the thumb-screw pre-damping that lets you compress the springs to your liking. The shock bodies themselves are large-capacity and should not require upgrades or modifications to stand up to the job of keeping this big crawler stable and predictable on the bumpy stuff.

Lastly, you can adjust the upper mount points for the shocks, which can increase or decrease the response rate of your suspension system. This is not a huge point for tuning, but if you have exacting standards or preferences, the option is nice to have. I suspect most drivers will be served best keeping things set as Axial made them from the factory.

1/6 Shafts & Axles

Speaking of shafts, the Wildboar driveshafts are a larger version of the HD8 shafts found on the SCX10 III and feature large diameter cross pin and fasten with M6 screws for added strength (remember, we use M1.5 or M2 in the smaller stuff – M6 is really getting chunky here! Good!!) The driveshafts are a 3-piece affair with 17mm shaft and 3.5mm diameter cross-pins.

They’re unlikely to break, in short. On the SCX10 we had to get used to the one-piece AR60 axles since the SCX10 II. Thankfully, with the AR90 axles Axial developed for this big machine, they’ve gone with a three-piece mould instead. This will mean easier repairs, easier maintenance, and hopefully a more durable (and moddable!) component overall. It looks really good.

The front axles are also beefed up. They’re large, universal joins that allow up to 45 degrees of steering. They look the same as the SCX10 III axles, only they’re bigger. They’re hardened steel so it’s unlikely you’ll be repairing or upgrading these, they’ll be tough.

Jeep JLU Wrangler Body

As with the SCX10 III Wrangler bodies that came before it, the 1/6 scale body on the SCX6 is faithful to the full-size version on which it’s modelled. It features mirrors, injection-moulded trim pieces and details throughout both the interior and exterior, all adding to your suspension of disbelief (or your imagination/playtime inspiration for pretend, whatever you want to call it) for maximum happy driving time.

Triple LED headlights and single red tail lights round out the body, which looks to be tough and durable. The driver even looks like he’s been made from the same file for the SCX10 III – just, increased in scale before manufacturer. At least the face details will be easier to paint on, if you’re so inclined!

(We’ve added rock lights to our unit)

Value AND Quality?

All the hardware is oversized for strength and ruggedness – it seems Axial really have pulled out all the stops with this model – and I’m so glad they did. Much better to pay the extra few hundred dollars for a well-appointed model than to buy something for less and then have to upgrade it to a reliable state. No, the $1099 looks like a worthy price for this machine. Kudos, Axial, thank you for thinking this one through!

We Got Ours!

Oct 2021: My pre-order is in. I’m in Australia and I suspect with the delays and supply line issues being faced globally thanks to covid, it might be a bit of a wait! Still, there’s plenty of other good stuff to play with in RC in the meantime. And then, when the SCX6 eventually arrives, I’ll be back to give you the low-down on performance, durability, running feel and fun – I can’t wait! But I will. Woohoo!

Nov 2021: it’s here! Videos were made – and we’ll keep coming back to it as upgrades and available tech for this platform evolves. Check back in a bit for more!

See Axial Racing’s website for more information: http://www.axialracing.com/products/axi05000t1

Aug 2022: we’ve upgraded our SCX6 with some CNC goodies from Venka Racing. Check them out!

Also make sure you check out our reviews of other vehicles we own and drive! And lastly, make sure you don’t miss our YouTube channel, RC-TNT, for crawlers, trucking, trailers, tests, scale goodness and more!

Below: here’s our 6-part mini-series we released over the 2021 Christmas holidays. It totals 10 minutes of SCX6 river rock crawling over 6 2-ish minute videos. Enjoy!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT