Rlaarlo’s 2022 Speed Run a Flying Success

by Craig | Sep 23, 2022 | RC On Road, Rlaarlo

Sweet Loot

Speed run is a fun event even when it’s just for bragging rights. But how does a cash prize of USD$2000 sound? Perhaps an Anniversary Edition version of Rlaarlo’s best buggy? Or maybe just one of every vehicle in the 2022 catalog? If this grabs your attention, wait until you hear what had to be achieved to secure one of these shiny rewards!

Need for Speed

You may have seen Rlaarlo offering this impressive set of prizes for a little competition on their Facebook page in July 2022. For once, this wasn’t just a ‘Like and Share this post’ to have a chance at a random prize. That’s something we’ve all seen from various groups at this point. Much better than that, it was for a good, old-fashioned speed run contest, with some actual sweat-and-tears friendly competition!

The prizes were enticing. So, what was the catch? RC hobbyists had three weeks to modify their Rlaarlo buggies. The goal was to video-record and measure their vehicle’s fastest speed run pass they could manage.

The conditions for that winning high-speed pass were simple enough:

any of four Rlaarlo or Amoril 1/14 buggies could be used;
entrants could modify the buggy any way they wished, as long as they retained the original body shell and chassis;
they must provide a clear GPS speed measure after the run;
the vehicle must be functional after the run;
it should be wheel-powered only (no EDF for you enterprising rocket scientists!);
the pass must be on flat ground; and,
the pass must be recorded in a single, un-cut video.

Star of the Show

Folks needed a video camera and a GPS unit to measure speed. But the key to this contest was the RC model itself. You could use the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 1/14 4WD brushless buggy (available here) or one of three other similar Rlaarlo and Amoril models. There are many 1/14 RC buggies available these days and on the whole, they’ve been slowly improving. However, the recently-released Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 grabbed our attention as it looked to have the balance of weight, power and durability. This was a balanced feature set that is so rare in ‘cheaper’ RC models. (See our initial review video and our more detailed article here on rc-tnt.com for more about the buggy).

Notably, the 006 features a carbon fibre tub chassis and a compact 2S/3S brushless power system that makes for a lightweight little rocket. This is impressive on its own and our initial review reflected that. However, what later impressed us even further was its sheer durability. We bashed ours far harder than it should ever have been able to handle. Our Durability Test video should be a testament to the rugged nature of the XDKJ-006. It was unbelievably tough and we gave it a rough day at the skate park!

Competition Time!

And so it was upon this platform that Rlaarlo proposed a little contest of effort and cunning. Who could modify their XDKJ-006 to be the fastest in a straight line? To make it through Round 1 of the speed run, you needed a pass of at least 100kmph/62mph. The fastest would enter Round 2 and then a final round would test the best of the best.

The idea was simple enough – but just how fast could these little machines really go? Those tiny 1/14 wheels mean big gearing and motor speed would be needed for high-speed runs. And that’s to say nothing of limited chassis space and vehicle stability from a short wheelbase. Would 62mph+ passes even be possible?

Round 1: Warming Up

Round 1 was to close on July 29, just one week into the competition. The entries trickled in as the days counted down. First to make a showing were USA, Canadian and Australian entrants, with buggies running from 12V to 24V systems. Three USA contenders hit hard with impressive speeds even at that early stage:

75mph from Eric Woolsey on 4S with a 3200kv motor;
76mph from Radlee Plott on just 2S with a 7800kv motor; and,
94mph from Michael Koebbe with 3S on a 3200kv motor.

Already, things were getting interesting! The first round concluded on July 30 with 25 entrants clearing the 62mph cut-off speed. At this stage there were hobbyists from USA, Canada, Australia, Germany and the UK with seriously impressive speeds logged on camera.

Round 1 leaders were as follows:

tied third place holders Daniel Petrak (AUS, 3S) and Eric Woolsey (USA, 3S) had verified speeds of 87mph (140km/h);
Christopher Barnes (USA, 3S) ran a 95mph (152.9km/h) pass; and,
with a very safe lead was Michael Koebbe with a blistering pass of 121mph (194.7km/h)!

Round 2: Fight!

There were 25 people cleared through to the second round. Rlaarlo announced that only the fastest ten entrants would qualify for the final round. Clearly, competition was going to be close with such a fierce first round!

The second round gave contenders a week to make their attempts and submit their best video. Again, the entries trickled in over the next few days. It was a close thing, even at this stage of competition. The lower 5 entrants were tightly grouped, separated by just a few miles per hour, posting top speeds of between 96mph and 99mph! The top 5 entrants were split over a wider range, from 101mph and up. Anyone could take it at this stage!

Controversy in the Leaderboard

Video clarity and technical gremlins can hit at unexpected times. They’re challenging and often random in when and how they strike. This is especially the case when you’re pushing the limits with equipment vs physics! At this stage of the contest, Chris Barnes posted several impressive runs but encountered a string of issues from a series of crashes that led to him losing a GPS unit. His list-topping runs were disqualified and the leaderboard was adjusted.

It was generally agreed that Rlaarlo made the best call they could with the available information. Unfortunately, some fallout would be unavoidable as other competitors found themselves bumped off the leaderboard during this controversial exchange. Such problems and decisions are tough for all involved and can lead to high emotion in the midst of competition. Cool heads prevailed with the only reasonable ruling from Rlaarlo in order to maintain a level playing field. The show continued.

We wish Chris Barnes and the other affected competitors the very best for next time. All affected have our sympathy for a rough run this time. Good sportsmanship and supportive voices are what sets clubs and groups apart from others and to date we’ve found the Rlaarlo Facebook group to be generally very positive and supportive. This is something we could all use more of!

Round 2 Speed Run Finalists

With Barnes’ 118mph entry (USA, 4S) disqualified, the top three contenders posted their best runs for Round 2:

- 3rd – Eric Woolsey with 114mph (183.5kmph), on 3S power with a Castle MM X 6S system;
- 2nd – Michael Koebbe with 121mph (194.7kmph), on 3S power with a Castle MM X 8S system; and
- 1st – Connor Matthes with 128mph (206km/h), running on 5S power also with a Castle MM.

Problems in rear-view mirror, the contest continued to its final round…

Hold My Beer!

The first three entries submitted to the final round were from USA contenders:

Radlee Plott (4S, Castle MM X) with 104mph (167.4kmph);
Eric Woolsey (4S, Castle MM X 6S) with 122mph (196.3kmph); and,
Connor Matthes (5S, Castle MM) with an eye-watering 130mph (209.2kmph)!

Later that day, USA entrant Michael Koebbe disrupted second place with a 126mph (202.8kmph) run on 3S power with an XLX2 system.

By August 15, as the final hour closed out the contest, Eric Woolsey retained his third position on the leaderboard. Michael Koebbe upped the ante with his XLX2 system, jumping from 3S to 4S power. He delivered a 130mph pass (209.2kmph), drawing equal with Matthes’ pass from just a few days prior.

Pulling out all stops, Connor Matthes made a final blazing pass on the same 5S-powered MM X 8S system with the winning entry of 131mph, or 210.8kmph! Here’s his video from that final run:

Speed Run Aftermath

Congratulations and support flowed in from many on the groups Facebook page on Matthes’ well-deserved win. Special mention must go to the next place-holders who managed such impressive speeds. This is a buggy that we have tested ourselves with a top speed of 50mph (81kmph) on 3S power in stock form.

The difference between stock 3S speeds and even the ‘slowest’ finalist was huge. David Grima (AUS) made a 94mph pass (151.3kmph) – that’s already nearly twice as fast as stock speed! One entrant made his personal best of 70.2mph immediately after being partially run over by a truck. That was with a damaged wheel! It was still 20mph faster than a stock 006 that hasn’t been run over. Crazy!

Suggestions were floated about maybe putting an expenditure limit on future speed runs to help level the field some more. Others had ideas around event timing with seasons in different hemispheres and competition time-frames. All said, the contest was an entertaining event that brought people’s skill and perseverance into the limelight and good humour was expressed across the page. What a fun way to spend some time tinkering with such an impressive little buggy!

Rlaarlo released a speed run highlights video you can watch on Facebook here.

What’s Next?

Rlaarlo have been building on momentum from this and other fun events hosted over 2022. New models are reportedly in development. (We’re excited about a brushless 1/12 model that’s apparently coming soon. More details on rc-tnt.com as soon as we have them!) Parts availability for current models has been consistent and timely. Future events are in the works, they’ve reported on their Facebook page.

A note on the company as a whole: our XDKJ-006 had a rare electrical issue after some use that was swiftly rectified by Rlaarlo. We’ve been only impressed with dealing with the company, who even prior to our initial review video were accepting of our standard terms that we would not make a draft available to them before publication and that we would publish test outcomes, even if they were unfavorable. It’s this admirable attitude that prompted us to write this speed run contest debrief; the company has been reasonable, fair and simply a pleasure to deal with from our first contact. We’re looking forward to seeing what they do next!

Where to Get One

Rlaarlo’s website is https://rlaarlo.com. The 006 buggy details and purchase page can be found here. Also, Rlaarlo maintains a Facebook group page (here) and an Instagram profile (here).

Lastly, our detailed review article of the XDKJ-006 can be found here on rc-tnt.com and our video series starts with the review. The XDKJ-006 is easy to recommend and we are pleased to so closely follow the company’s journey.

Affiliate Links and Integrity

We were provided with our XDKJ-006 by Rlaarlo at no cost for purposes of review. As always, we maintain the right to publish our test results without influence or edit from the manufacturer. This competition debrief is entirely the work of rc-tnt.com and has had no affiliation or marketing influence from Rlaarlo or its staff, beyond an initial request to consider writing it. We have not received compensation for writing this article. Having such fair treatment from the company, it’s been a pleasure to produce the videos and articles we’ve done so far and we look forward to seeing what Rlaarlo produces next. Oh yes, we are anticipating what future contests may entail, too! This one has been a hoot!

-Craig Veness, rc-tnt.com

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 🙂

Redcat Marksman 1/8 RC Crawler

by Craig | Aug 29, 2022 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, Redcat Racing

What Is It?

The Redcat Marksman is a different RTR RC crawler in more ways than its 1/8 scale size. It sports a (mostly) decent electronics package and 2.2” wheels. A pretty body with paint on the outside gives the polycarbonate body an interesting finish.

Whilst not a flawless execution, there’s a compelling case to be made for price to performance, especially if you’re after a trail-oriented rig. Join us as we take a closer look at this interesting, larger-scale crawler.

How Big Is It?

For some comparison, we’ve put the Redcat Marksman between a Traxxas TRX4 2021 Bronco 1/10 and an Axial SCX6 1/6 RC crawler. Note that while the Marksman is similar in length to the TRX4 Bronco, the track width is considerably greater on the Marksman. Also, the overall vehicle size is similar to 1/10 scale rigs, but width is the greatest difference – if a little less than obvious at first glance.

The vehicle doesn’t weigh more than many 1/10 scale crawlers and its close enough in ‘feel’ that you could reasonably trail this with others driving 1/10 scale rigs and fit right in. Certainly, some rock problems that might defeat the Redcat Marksman may be traversable by smaller rigs on account of that track width! More on performance in a bit. First, let’s look at what you get with this RTR model.

What’s In The Box?

There’s the vehicle itself, the radio transmitter, manual, scale accessories and ESC programming card. The Redcat Marksman is a Ready To Run (RTR) model, which means all you need to get it going is a battery for the rig and 4x AAs for the radio transmitter. The included Electronic Speed Control (ESC) is a HobbyWing WP-1080. This gives you the flexibility to run either 6-to-8 cell NiMH or 2S or 3S LiPO batteries.

Redcat also includes an accessories bag with some red plastic scale parts – though no obvious way to mount these to the body. There’s a spare wheel adapter for the back of the body – pictured below – but no spare wheel. We’ve used an old Axial Trepador from the original SCX10 on ours as its nice and lightweight and still looks convincing near the Marksman’s larger tires.

Radio System

The radio is the standard rebranded Flysky FS-GT2E AFHDS 2A transmitter, though the sticker calls it an RCR-2CE. This is the 2-channel unit Redcat Racing uses on their entire ground model range at present (2021 and 2022).

One nice thing to note is it runs Flysky’s AFHDS 2A protocol, so if you already have a FS-GT5 for other models, you can bind that to the Marksman here as well. The radio feels good in the hand and has a nice feel on the wheel. There is a sufficient, if sparce, amount of adjustment on the dials and it isn’t heavy. Overall, a good basic radio.

Holmes Hobbies For The Win!

The brushed motor in this machine is a Holmes Hobbies Crawlmaster Sport. This is a 13-turn 5-pole (or 5-slot) 550-sized motor. Being a 5-pole means you get buttery smooth torque at the expense of the punch delivered by 3-pole motors. On a crawler, this is generally desirable.

For trail use, the motor is a perfect choice. There’s sufficient speed for trail driving and still enough low speed control to be satisfying on the rocks. However, we found that if you’re more biased toward crawling than trailing with this rig, a motor with slightly more turns may give a more rewarding experience.

After some testing, we’d recommend the 16-turn 550 Crawlmaster Sport and the same gearing. On 3S power, you’ll be all set with long runtimes, good low speed control and more than ample speed for trail driving. If you keep the 13-turn motor, going down one tooth size on the pinion and sticking on 2S power could also be a reasonable way to slow it down enough to feel a bit better on trickier rock problems. Of course, this is largely a case of personal preference and the stock configuration is fine.

HobbyWing Is Good!

We have a good, solid radio system and a workhorse motor. Redcat have opted for a high-quality ESC for the Marksman in the HobbyWing WP-1080. This is a popular ESC for good reason. It delivers smooth and reliable control and is very customisable. We like this ESC so much that we’ve written an entire how-to article for programming it, right here on rc-tnt.com!

You can use the stock settings for the most part, but we would recommend making one change in particular before running it. Enable freewheeling, which is option 15 on the programming card. Set that to 1 instead of 2 and you’ll effectively have an active drag brake. That means the WP-1080 will apply braking to the wheels even while you’re giving throttle input, helping to hold the vehicle on a hill at the speed you’re indicating, rather than allowing the rig to run away down the hill. A good thing!

Servo Avoido

The electronics package with the Redcat Marksman is excellent! That is, until you come to the servo. This is the same Hexfly 25KG 4.8v-6.8v unit that Redcat puts in most of their vehicles, even their diminutive 1/10 short course truck (which is really a 1/12 sized machine). The servo is slow and too weak even on the smaller Redcat Gen 8 V2, we’ve found. That they’ve also put it on the Marksman leaves one wondering if they’ve actually, y’know, tested the big rig with it. Because it isn’t good.

If you change just one thing on the Redcat Marksman, make the servo your first upgrade. The WP-1080 has an adjustable BEC and while it comes at 6V by default, you can change that to 7.4V with an upgraded servo and the Marksman will be worlds better. Seriously, budget for this if you plan to buy this rig.

Nearly any other crawling servo would be better. Here are a few options we use and recommend, from cheap to expensive:

JX Servo WP-5318HV ~16.5kg @ 7.4v, waterproof, cored, metal gear (lower rating but much better than the stock Hexfly unit).
JX Servo CLS-6336HV 35kg @ 7.4v, waterproof, coreless, metal gear.
JX Servo BLS-HV7132MG 32kg @ 7.4, splashproof, brushless, metal gear, alu case. (Fast and doesn’t fade under heavy load. Probably our favourite semi-budget crawler servo).
JX Servo CLS-HV7346MG 46kg @ 7.4v, waterproof, coreless, alu case, metal gear.
Holmes Hobbies SCX500v3 ~42kg @ 11.1v (direct run from 3S), waterproof, brushless, ultra tough – our favourite comp servo!

Body and Accessories

In a break from the usual, the Redcat Marksman sports a polycarbonate body that has been painted on both sides! The matte green finish on the outside looks very smart. They’ve finished the inside of the body in a rust-brown color. If you think about it, as the outside green paint gets scratched off on rocks and branches, the underside’s brown will gradually show through, giving the appearance of rust! Very clever little scale-ageing trick they’ve incorporated there!

There are light buckets for headlights only – taillights are stickers on this body. The plastics and faux interior on the Marksman are all of a high quality. Finish is solid and this body should last well. It’s very attractive and is enhanced further by the spare wheel holder included in the accessories package. We’ve mounted ours and the weight difference is minimal on a bigger crawler like this, so we found it very worthwhile for the improved look. You do have to poke a few holes in the pretty body to add this extra bit, so think about it before you do it – but we can at least show you how it looks. We like it!

Chassis & Running Gear

The steel C-channel chassis rails are solid. Reinforced with plastic cross-braces, the Marksman has a nice, rigid feel. We like that the vehicle doesn’t weigh a lot, despite its size, and as you can see from the photo below, there’s a lot of spare room on the chassis. Included wheel wells are a nice touch also – you get the aesthetic benefits when the body is on, and they also work to keep crud and debris out of the internals.

The axles are solid and well designed. They’re straight rather than portals, which is nice to see when portals seem to be everywhere. You’re going to be scraping the diff pumpkins over rocks, given the width of the vehicle. Larger tires are helpful, but clearance will be something to keep in mind when driving. For us, this adds to the appeal of scale fun. The skid plate is also intelligently implemented and has a nice, smooth finish. Drive shafts are tough plastic with steel universals. All up, the Marksman is a strong and lightweight platform. Simple and reliable.

Drive Feel

We said earlier we found this vehicle to feel a little faster than we’d like on the rocks. On the trail, the speed is good and it turns well at speed – impressive given its size and locked axles! The adjustability from the WP-1080 ESC means you can make the Marksman feel more like a cruisy trail rig or a precise rock crawler. It’s nice to have that control.

Another thing to note is torque twist. This is the phenomenon where the chassis twists under throttle in the opposite rotational direction to the drive shafts. It’s quite pronounced on this vehicle. On a smaller rig, torque twist can unsettle a crawler significantly. While it’s pretty pronounced on the Marksman, even to the point of lifting a wheel at times, the whole machine does not lose its track or become unsettled. It could be that the effect is weakened by its greater wheelbase and track width than on 1/10 crawlers. Something to be aware of, then, but not a deal-breaker.

The only let-down in the rig is that weak Hexfly servo. We almost never say this as we don’t like to waste things, but do budget in a better servo when you buy the Redcat Marksman. It’s the only shortcoming we’ve found after running several packs through it.

Our Verdict

This is a mid-range crawler as far as pricing goes. You have the choice of numerous 1/10 scale crawlers for similar money. If you like the idea of walking a trail and crawling obstacles as you find them, the Redcat Marksman could be for you. It’s not as capable as some 1/10 scale crawlers largely on account of that track width, but it’s a lovely, smooth machine. We haven’t driven it enough yet to give an idea of longer-term durability but will update this section in a few months to note this.

We love its look. Its simplicity under the body is alluring and it feels great on the rocks. What do you think? Feel free to leave comments and questions in our review video above and stay tuned for more videos in future on the Marksman’s performance, what upgrades we do (*cough* servo *cough*) and how we find its durability. After a few LiPO packs so far, we really like it.

Get Yours Here

AsiaTees sells the Redcat Marksman globally. Get it here.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Rlaarlo XDKJ-005 1/14 Brushed RTR Monster Truck

by Craig | Aug 18, 2022 | RC Off-Road, RC Reviews, Rlaarlo

Hard to Say, Great to Play

As with the XDKJ-006 buggy, the Rlaarlo XDKJ-005 monster truck’s full title is a bit of a mouthful! We’re also a little unsure about the claims of 50-70km/h on the box, but time will tell! What doesn’t look like a problem is the potential for some big-wheeled fun and RC mayhem. This machine is something between a truggy and a monster truck. Although heavy for its size, it should be a blast off-road. Let’s take a closer look!

The Same, But Different

After playing with the XDKJ-006 brushless buggy recently, it was not surprising to find a lot of repurposed componentry in the 005 here. From a design, manufacture and parts support standpoint, repurposing a platform makes a lot of sense.

And this isn’t a new idea – Traxxas does it with the Slash and Stampede or the Rustler and Bandit. Element RC has a bunch of different vehicles built on the same Enduro base. Kyosho makes the Fazer Mk II road series and even a monster truck (the Mad Van) with the same base. This approach clearly makes sense.

We found the XDKJ-006 buggy to be incredibly durable. Just look at how it stood up to extreme punishment in our test video! Aside from the obvious body and wheels change over the buggy, the biggest thing that stands out immediately with the Rlaarlo XDKJ-005 is the weight. It’s easily another 50% heavier than the buggy!

Part Truggy…

A truggy is a TRuck and a buGGY. Typical on truggies is the big, rear wing. You still may find a low center-of-gravity layout with similar running gear to a buggy, but also with big, truck-sized wheels and tires. The 005 definitely features both of these! Truggies also commonly feature a shorter wheelbase and wheelie bar, moving away from a buggy’s focus on speed and poise to something bouncier and more rowdy. The wheelbase is the same between the 005 and the 006 but the center of gravity is higher on account of the larger wheels and tires.

Part Monster Truck…

The Rlaarlo XDKJ-005 has ‘Monster Truck’ in its official name, though we’ve been calling it a truggy. We have the car-like body and big wheels of a monster truck. Certainly, the huge, brushed motor hints at this being a bit more of a top-heavy, big-air basher.

The chassis still grants low enough weight balance that the 005 is capable of decent stability at speed, and the handling isn’t bad. More on that below. Perhaps the 005 sits somewhere between buggy and monster truck, whilst not quite being either. This is why we’ve been calling it a truggy!

The Spinny Bits

The Rlaarlo XDKJ-005 ships with a 60A brushed Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) and a 550-size brushed motor. The system can handle 8v and 12v power – that’s 2S and 3S respectively – and comes with a 1800mAh 2S LiPO battery.

There are ball-bearings all-round and the drive shafts are also of metal construction. If it turns, it’s metal, aside from the wheels and spur gear. That’s pretty awesome for a relatively cheap machine!

Tires have plenty of traction on sealed road and even on firm sand. We’ve done limited running on grass so far, but our initial experience with this model has been quite positive. We’ve had 5 or 6 other 1/14 scale buggies and truggies over the past 3 years and this one is the nicest off-road so far. Even on-road, it isn’t bad at all.

Steering and Handling

Steering is fast and torquey enough to work in all terrains we tested. The car has a wide turning circle at speed. However, if you let off the throttle while steering, that circle tightens right up. At low speed, it can change direction completely within about 3 car lengths. It’s quite impressive.

The ride height can be adjusted via the thumbscrew collars on the alu shocks. Out of the box it’s set to about medium. After driving this thing a bit and getting used to it, the next time we take it out it’ll be lowered all the way. As well as improving center of gravity, that’ll also soften up the damping effect of the springs. The oil-filled shocks will stop excessive cycling and the wheels will have good range of movement over the bumpy stuff. This is really where the 005 here should excel.

Weight and Durability

The 005 weighs considerably more than the cabon-fibre chassis-equipped 006 buggy. Whilst the alloy plate may be more durable from a materials standpoint, its additional weight brings with it the issue of greater kinetic energy with momentum. Big landings or sudden stops from speed will mean the 005 carries more of that kinetic energy than the lighter-weight buggy. That means more chance of breakages.

Keep that in mind as you consider the other part of the durability equation: specifically, the aluminum, coil-over shocks and alloy chassis are implemented in such a way that at full compression, the chassis doesn’t touch the ground. This is great for preventing damage to the underside. However, the one caveat here is that with a heavy enough landing, there is an increased risk of blowing the tops off the shocks and/or damaging the shock towers. Having a chassis ‘slap’ the ground instead on a big landing is often preferable. The warning here then is to avoid big air. Ironically, due to weight and this suspension implementation, the 006 buggy may actually be the better skate park basher!

We’ve tested the 006 on the big jumps. The 005 will be tested soon and we’ll report back. We’d sure love to be wrong about this issue of weight and suspension leading to more breakages – we’ll soon find out, either way!

Radio Letdown

If weight and suspension implementation are one weakness of this vehicle, the other one is the lousy radio range. On an open beach with no interference (even our GoPro was transmitting at 5GHz, not the 2.4GHz of the radio), we got all of about 25 meters / 82 feet range before the car lost signal. The AA batteries were fully charged and the antenna on the ESC-Receiver in the car was fully upright.

This was ideal conditions, in other words – you may find its even worse than this in a more crowded environment where more 2.4GHz devices are operating. Just be aware of this and you should be fine. For speed runs or bigger distances though, you may need to overhaul the radio system – and then the ESC as well, given the ESC and receiver are in the same unit in this car.

Our Verdict

This thing is fun. It’s fast for its size and its well-made. We’re still unsure about the weight and suspension setup and how that might play into durability on big landings, but so far, it has been fun, fast (for a brushed model) and poised on the ground. Also, there’s a minor issue with the battery tray having a plastic piece that can damage the battery – worth removing that screw and cutting the piece off entirely. See the photo below for that.

But otherwise, the 005 gives you predictable handling, linear steering response, less-than-expected heat after hard running and it looks great. The included spares are welcome and if you can live without a huge radio range, the Rlaarlo XDKJ-005 1/14 RTR Monster Truck may just be a little gem in your RC garage!

Where to Get It

Click here to grab one for yourself. We understand Rlaarlo has a promotion from Aug 23, 2022 for the first 200 buyers to get this thing at a deep discount for USD$99.99, and then the next 500 buyers to get it for USD$129.99. Its usual price is USD$169.99.

This is the manufacturer’s page for the Rlaarlo XDKJ-005 RTR Monster Truck.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Team Associated MT10 Rival 1/10 RTR Monster Truck

by Craig | Aug 8, 2022 | RC Off-Road, RC Reviews, Team Associated

MT10 Rival

The Team Associated MT10 Rival is a budget option in big-name bashing. It’s a 1/10 scale 4×4 brushless monster truck that’s ready to go out of the box. We’ve heard good things about it and decided we should really test it out!

Out With the Old

Story time! Back in 2012 we ordered a Traxxas Stampede VXL 4X4 RTR. It had similar specifications and overall dimensions to the MT10 Rival and accounting for inflation, was about 20% more expensive. It had a number of issues that needed sorting before it could be bashed with any level of severity beyond yard running. The truck flipped over a lot and the tires were not great. We put over $1000 into strength and handling upgrades (build log archived here) and eventually it was reasonably reliable and a lot of fun.

Credit: sandman77, AusRC forums

In With the New

What a difference a decade makes! Many of the things we changed on the Stampede are included out of the box with the MT10 Rival. The tires are excellent, there are front and rear anti-roll (or sway) bars and there are even lights, both front and rear. There is a mesh cover to keep stones and dust out of the bucket chassis and there is a hard cover over the drive-shaft so wires don’t get twisted and ripped off – and it keeps the stones out from grinding through the shaft, too!

A Paradigm Shift

Probably the biggest improvement in the MT10 Rival over the Stampede VXL is something that we were not ever able to mod into ours: a center differential. This extra level of tuning and performance is what takes the MT10 Rival to the level of bigger, more expensive jump and bash trucks. Combine this with the low weight and flexible plastics used throughout the vehicle and you have an exceptionally durable, low-maintenance and high-performance monster truck.

We can’t really over-emphasise how big this is in RC: there are not many vehicles in any category of the hobby that give you all three of Cheap, Durable and Fast. The MT10 Rival may just be that elusive unicorn!

MT10 Rival Features

2.4GHz 2-channel radio system
High-Torque digital servo with spring-style servo saver
Powerful Reedy 3300kV 4-pole brushless motor
Water-resistant high-power Reedy brushless speed control with T-plug connector and LiPo low-voltage cutoff
Three sealed gear differentials
12mm hex wheels inspired by Method Race Wheels
Threaded, oil-filled, coil-over shock absorbers
4mm heavy-duty adjustable steel turnbuckles
Durable slider-type drive shafts
Factory-finished RIVAL monster-truck-inspired style body
High-traction, all-terrain tires
Steel center drive shaft
Rugged, adjustable wheelie bar with LEDs
Four-wheel independent suspension
Durable, impact-absorbing front bumper with LEDs

MT10 Rival Specs

Length: 507mm (19.96in)
Width: 325mm (12.8in)
Wheelbase: 285mm (11.22in)
Weight: 2850g (6.28lbs)
Internal Gear Ratio: 2.85:1

Our Test Drive

We cracked ours out of the box and got it immediately onto the skate park. The MT10 Rival never had a chance to do any tame driving; we had ours headed for the clouds straight away! The radio is comfy to use and getting the truck set up is easy. There is a T-connector on the ESC and it takes 2S and 3S power. We used 2S in our testing but will return to the skate park with 3S soon.

The vehicle was plenty fast and the suspension perfectly tuned to handle big air. It’s a lightweight truck and jumps well. The turning circle is rather massive – one of just two things we’d like to change on this machine. It’s forgivable given the price and otherwise stellar performance, but it would have been nice to have a tighter turning circle.

Air Authority

The other shortcoming concerns flight! That is, when the vehicle is not on the ground at all. When your truck is in the air, you can brake to drop the nose or accelerate to raise it. You can not only ensure you land on the wheels most of the time, but with practice, you can pull off various forward- and back-flips, all with the use of your throttle input. This is what we call ‘air authority’ in relation to controlling the vehicle in the air after a big jump.

The MT10 Rival is 4WD and has big monster truck wheels and tires. This should be a recipe for decent air authority – but this seems to be the one area the MT10 doesn’t quite deliver. Braking to drop the nose was reliably good, but we often found we couldn’t bring the nose up. It just didn’t have the power to generate the sudden wheel speed needed to raise the nose on many jumps.

There are two ways to address this: one is to put heavier wheels and tires on, such as the Pro-Line Trenchers we used on our old Stampede. Those tires weigh a lot more and it gives you ALL the air authority! But with such heavy wheels you then start breaking drive shafts. The better and simpler way will be to go to 3S (12V) instead of 2S (8V). This should have the desired effect. We’ll post the follow-up video here when it’s done.

Final Thoughts

The 3300kv motor is a perfect size for this size and weight of vehicle. There’s plenty of punch on tap and battery life is quite reasonable too. The MT10 Rival is easy to drive, takes bad landings and other abuse very well and looks great doing it. We heartily recommend this as a budget, big-name, durable basher. Go grab one, you won’t be disappointed!

Manufacturer’s page: https://www.associatedelectrics.com/teamassociated/cars_and_trucks/RIVAL_MT10/RTR/

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Remo Hobby 10275 – World’s Cheapest 1/10 Crawler?

by Craig | Jul 31, 2022 | RC Crawlers, RC Reviews, Remo Hobby

The Old Adage

The Remo Hobby 10275 is interesting for its features and price. There’s a real promise of value in this most budget of 1/10 scale RC crawlers – IF it performs! There’s an old adage in the motoring world that goes, “fast, cheap and reliable: pick two”. Apply it to RC crawlers and it may be something like, “capable, cheap and reliable: pick two”. The Remo Hobby 10275 may be attempting to cover all three of these measures – and honestly, on paper, it looks like there may be something to it.

Trust, But Verify

As always, we test our 1/10 scale rock crawlers on our 6-problem course. This gives a decent, broad-level indication of performance relative to others. We’ll get to performance in a bit. First, let’s take a closer look at what you get when you buy a new Remo Hobby 10275.

What’s In the Box?

Aside from the car itself, there’s a radio transmitter, manual USB charger, 1500mAh Li-ion 7.4v battery and a handful of basic tools and spare body clips. The manual is pretty good, for a cheapie. It includes basic operations, troubleshooting steps, exploded parts diagrams and a list of spares and upgrades available for the vehicle. The package is well assembled, protects the vehicle nicely and is attractive. This is about as nice as one ever might expect of cheap RC vehicles – five stars on inclusions and packaging here.

Power Play

The radio transmitter requires just two AA batteries. You’ll need to supply these yourself, but that’s the only thing you’ll need to bring to this party. Remo has you covered for the rest. The Li-ion USB charger is slow but it’ll get the job done in a few hours. The Li-ion battery is made of two 18650 cells and is appropriate for this type of vehicle. As far as power and charging is concerned, this is a well-rounded package.

Assembly Required?

The wheels are not attached to the vehicle in the box. There are spacers on the axles to ensure the metal wheel hexes and drive pins remain in place, so you’ll have to remove them. Also note the tires are directional, so pay attention to that when putting the wheels on. The wheels are plastic, three-part bead-lock design with 5 self-tapping screws each. It’s easy to get the tires mixed up – evident in the photo below! – but otherwise, that’s it for assembly. Easy!

About the Vehicle

The Remo Hobby 10275 has steel chassis rails and fibre-infused plastic spacers throughout. There is a standard 4-link design with plastic links with nylon ball ends on each end of the vehicle. The servo is chassis-mounted, with no panhard, so steering is imprecise and worsened when suspension is articulated. With a 4-link setup, you’d want the servo mounted on the axle itself rather than on the chassis in order to preserve steering accuracy and full throw. We modified ours after initial testing – more on that below.

The driveshafts are plastic, telescoping universals with E-clips holding the unis together. They’ll be strong enough on this vehicle to never need replacing, we think. There are unshielded ball-bearings are the pinion end of the diffs and brass shims on the rest of the vehicle. Though this is seen often as a negative, for this cheap, lightweight rig, shims could well be a good thing. They don’t seize up as readily after exposure to mud and water – something to consider!

Remo Hobby 10275 Suspension

Suspension on all corners is plastic bodied, oil-filled shocks with metal caps and coil-over springs. The springs are too firm for the low weight of the rig, but the shocks do not leak and some articulation is still possible. We modified ours after the initial rock test – again, we’ll cover mods in a bit.

Body & Lights

The body is a single-piece, polycarbonate shell with through-holes for body posts and basic stickers applied on top. Our unit’s stickers were not applied with much care and things are poorly aligned in several spots. This is forgivable, given the low price of the model, we think. There are light buckets at each end for 2x 5mm white LEDs up front and 2x red LEDs in rear.

Remo Hobby 10275 Electronics

The company claims the Remo Hobby 10275 sports a 40A ESC (Electronic Speed Control). Under moderate throttle, our unit kept cutting out with the included 390 motor and stock gearing. We suspect the ESC is more likely to have a limit of somewhere around 20A, but this is unconfirmed. There is a way to address this – we’ll cover this in the Mods section, below.

The radio system is integrated with the ESC, along with a 5V 2A BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit) that powers the steering servo. This 3-in-1 device has a single Futaba-style plug for the 3-wire servo and another micro-JST plug that outputs 3V to power LEDs. We installed a set of LEDs in ours and they powered perfectly from this second port, which is otherwise unused in the default configuration.

The radio transmitter is small in the hand but will suit kids very well. There’s a 50% throttle limiter button on the radio, as well as steering trim and steering dual-rate dials. It’s a basic unit but fine for this vehicle.

Steering

The Remo Hobby 10275 gets an entire section for steering, and that is unfortunately not for good reasons! The trim and dual-rate dial system on the radio creates an unnecessarily low limit to steering end-points. There is more throw available in the throttle than what the radio allows, in other words.

We tested this by maxing out the dual-rate dial first, then steering fully left and/or right, then holding the wheel and adjusting the trim further in that same direction. For both left and right we found there was more throw available in the servo. There’s no way to fix this without replacing the ESC with a discreet ESC and radio receiver, which would also mean a new radio transmitter too. Not ideal given this is possibly one of the world’s cheapest 1/10 RC crawlers – there will not be a budget for all that in most cases, we’d think. This is especially unfortunate given the CMS (Chassis Mounted Servo) and 4-link front setup already limit steering and so the car needs every bit of throw it can get from the servo!

Fit For Purpose?

This is a very cheap RC car. It’s certainly not a bad vehicle – just search the web for “cheapest RC car” or “best cheap RC car” and you’ll find many blog and store sites loudly proclaiming how good this or that cheap model is. In our experience, most of these “best cheap” models really aren’t so good.

The Remo Hobby 10275 gets really close to being a good choice for bargain-basement 1/10 RC crawling. The electronics and components are not terrible! There are imperfections and limitations by design and everything is made to a price. Much is forgivable at this price-point.

However – and this is the kicker – the Remo Hobby 10275 is not a rock crawler in its stock form. The ESC cutting out is an issue, as is the poor steering and low traction. There’s a poor drag brake and a throttle delay when changing directions. See all of this in our video series below:

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!

What Is It Good For?

All is not lost with this model! For all the challenges we found with rock crawling, keep in mind that we tested this vehicle on the same course that challenges vehicles costing fully ten times this amount! The car is durable in its stock form and materials used are fully appropriate for its intended purpose.

Yes, it’s a poor rock crawler. But it will make a fabulous backyard basher. It’ll handle puddles and creeks and it’ll deliver fun while doing so! The light weight and bouncy suspension combined with the tall-ish gearing and fast 390 brushed motor mean this thing is a hoot on bumpy ground.

Remo Hobby 10275 Mods

Keeping in mind this is a very cheap new RC crawler, any changes we’d make to this model need to be low-cost. We can’t just rip out all the electronics and replace them with high performance gear and do the same with wheels and tires. That would defeat the purpose entirely!

No, for the Remo Hobby 10275 we want only to change or upgrade things whilst keeping the price as close to $0 as possible. We wanted to lower its center of gravity, slow it down, improve its steering and address that ESC cut-out issue. We managed to achieve all of this for about $15!

Our Verdict

For the price, we think the Remo Hobby 10275 will deliver on both longevity and fun, particularly in the hands of kids. For this purpose, we recommend it. However, if you’re after a rock crawler first and foremost, look elsewhere.

Where To Get It

We have a 10% discount coupon available care of Banggood, who also graciously supplied us with the Remo Hobby 10275 for review and testing.

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 🙂

Traxxas TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler

by Craig | Jul 3, 2022 | RC Crawlers, Traxxas

Traxxas TRX-6 Flatbed Hauler (#88086-4)

The Traxxas TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler is nearly here! But this isn’t the start of the story. About two years ago, Traxxas released a limited run of the TRX6 called the ‘Snap-On Hauler’. It was only available through a special Snap-On promotion. The big red rig was covered online and saw a few YouTube videos, but it never had a retail release.

It seems Traxxas was sitting on their designs and molds from that Snap-On run. For whatever reason, they’ve waited until now to release it to retail. And so, finally, this 6×6 hauler has been announced and we’ll see it on shelves within the month. Woohoo!

How Big Is the TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler?

The TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler is a truck cab with a flatbed for hauling. To give you an idea of size, the front-to-rear axle on the TRX6 6×6 G63 Benz is 454mm/17.87”. The new model is based on the TRX-6 platform, but its front-to-middle axle is 471mm/18.6”! That is to say, the gap between front and rear axles on the older Benz is smaller than the gap between the front and middle axles on the TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler! Blimey!

The tray, or flat bed, is rather long. 584mm/23” long, in fact! Between the low-set side rails is a gap of 222mm/8.75”. The total width of the bed is 246mm/9.7”.

The entire rig is 953mm/37.5” from nose to tail – that’s just about a meter! The track and total vehicle width is the same as the TRX6 G-Wagon, at 249mm/9.8” front and rear. We have yet to get firm details on the approach, break-over and departure angles, as Traxxas’ site for this monster still list the TRX6 G-Wagon angles – clearly that can’t be the same, with such a long bed and gap between front and middle axle. We’ll update this when the numbers are available. The whole thing weighs 4.83kg/10.7lb, as opposed to the TRX6 Benz’s weight of 4kg/8.8lb.

Just What Is This Thing?!

This new release is all about the truck cab and flatbed, complete with running lights and shiny, black-chrome trim. Truck style wheels, fuel tanks, toolboxes and bumpers, the TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler is very attractive, even if this style of RC vehicle is not your usual thing.

The new, big rig has a few key differences underneath, if you’re wondering: the total wheelbase is considerably longer at 603mm/23.7” than the regular TRX6 wheelbase of 454mm/17.9”. There’s a ball-bearing carrier between rear transmission out-drive and middle axle. That extra drive shaft helps the TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler achieve its longer wheelbase without needing other changes to the TRX6 configuration.

Also different are the tires, though they’re still on 2.2” wheels, same as on the TRX6 Benz. All else is body and trim related, which we’ll cover below.

What’s New?

Aside from the lengthened driveline, there are truck-style wheels and bumpers. A full light system, including running lights on the tray. The bold new truck cab body and flatbed towing tray.

There are small details, too, such as the front portal hubs having extended axles to fit the chromed hub caps. The tires are the same size, tread and compound as on the TRX6 Mercedes, but the side-walls are distinctly truck-like in their lack of detail, aside from the Traxxas logo.

The cab itself is a little taller than the G-Wagon variant. The side mirrors are hinged, but their faces are covered with a non-reflective sticker. Minor detail, but worth noting if you care about that stuff (and you can buy reflective sticker sheets cheaply online). Speaking of decals and disappointment, the front and side grille detail on the cab body are all stickers/decals rather than moulded plastics – a small thing, but a shame, nonetheless. The windows also are blacked-out stickers and the body has been painted over those windows on the inside, so even removing the stickers won’t grant you a view to any interior you might install later.

What’s the Same?

Both the original TRX6 and the new Ultimate RC Hauler share much of the same running gear. This is still very much a ‘full-fat’ TRX vehicle. The same two-speed transmission is present, as are the lockable/unlockable diffs on all three axles. The front axle can be locked separately to the rears. The same Titan 21T reverse-rotation 550 brushed motor is present, running from the same Traxxas XL-5 HV ESC (Electronic Speed Control). Even the same light control hub, Traxxas 8028, is present, piping 3V 0.5A power to the LEDs on and around the body.

The tires look a little different on the sidewalls, but they’re still the same 2.2” CANYON RT rubber as found on the regular TRX6. The steering servo is unchanged also, being the Traxxas 2075X 125oz unit. All electronics run at 6V, supported by the built-in BEC (Battery Elimination Circuit) in the XL-5 HV ESC.

Underneath, the links, shafts and axles are the same high-durability units as found under the TRX6, that extra shaft and carrier bearing aside. There’s still a full-size battery tray with battery latch and the same plush 90mm GTS aluminum shocks are present on all axles.

It’s Bed Time!

The bed is moulded ABS plastic. It’s attached at 8 locations along the 30” chassis rails and has a tidy sidewall underneath that sits on top of the rails. It looks solid and has a pleasing texture on the bed itself, with the Traxxas logo inlaid. The bed doesn’t roll or tip, unfortunately – but the space is definitely there for enterprising hobbyists to either implement a tip or roll system, or even simply to add ramps that could hook into the end for drive-on/drive-off. The bed also features hard plastic side rails and utility loops.

There are a few locations to fit included wheel chocks, which are supplied with stretchy O-rings to fit over tires of whatever vehicle you may choose to carry. This will ensure a secure load even when the going gets bumpy. It’s a small but thoughtful inclusion and a rather elegant way to accommodate a variety of possible vehicle types.

Lastly, there’s an included winch plate that will allow you to fit any regular style RC winch to the front of the bed. As it doesn’t tilt, it’s purpose is somewhat diminished, but the inclusion is still thoughtful for the scale addition and will also be appreciated by the aspiring hobbyist with plans to incorporate a tilt mechanism or ramps (hello!).

88086-4-TRX-6-Flatbed-Hauler-Chock-Detail

88086-4-TRX-6-Flatbed-Hauler-Chassis-Overhead

88086-4-TRX-6-Flatbed-Hauler-Angled-No-Tires

88086-4-TRX-6-Flatbed-Hauler-Chassis-Bottom

88086-4-TRX-6-Flatbed-Hauler-Tire-Bands-Detail

88086-4-TRX-6-Flatbed-Hauler-Winch-Detail

Black Chrome is Cool

All the shiny bits on this new rig are finished in what Traxxas calls “black chrome”. It’s like regular chrome, but tinted. The plastic pieces have the finish, as do the bumpers (which look metal but are going to be plastic as well). There are diamond-plated, chromed steps on both sides of the cab, set into faux fuel tanks. Even the storage boxes get the treatment – they don’t open, but they look good.

The wheels even have this finish. It’s very smart and very ‘truck’. Looks great, doesn’t it! One thing that would be nice to consider adding could be dual wheels on the rear two axles. Traxxas already makes that extended outdrive for the front axles to reach that screw-on hub cap, so we’ve got to wonder whether we might be able to grab one of the dually-ready 1.9” wheel types (AsiaTees has a few to choose from, including the Pro-Line Carbine plastic set) and get even more scale with this thing. We’ll investigate that and get back to you.

8854X-TRX-6-Flatbed-Hauler-Tires-n-Wheels

Light Me Up

The new Traxxas TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler sports a total of 25 LEDs! They’re located:

In the headlights, with one bright, cold-white LED in each headlamp bucket.
In the front light cluster, with one orange parker on each side.
On the cab roof, with 5x orange running LEDs in chrome-lined light moulds.
On the tray side, with 2x orange and 1x red LED along each side of the bed.
On the rear of the headache rack, behind the cab, with 5x rear-facing red LEDs.
On the rear bumper, with 5x rear-facing red LEDs.

That’s a lot of lights! They all run from the Traxxas 8028 light control module which comes with the model. The 8028 unit outputs 3v 0.5A to power all the lights without flicker or fade, even when the other electronics are working hard. (Some models run their LEDs from the BEC, which leads to the lights flickering with voltage droop when the servo is working hard, for example. No such problem with the Traxxas setup. Awesome!).

Wiring under the tray and under the cab is super tidy. Cable ties are used and there are guide pieces to ensure the wiring is routed tidily throughout.

Do We Like?

We do like. Very much!

We’ll grab a unit and check it out as soon as its broadly available. We already have plans for a tilting tray and even exploring adding an extra axle to the rear. There’s an overflowing parts bin here that we’ll take a dive through – the TRX6 Ultimate RC Hauler is surely worthy of some time on the work bench, we think!

The USA-market asking price is only $20 over the older TRX6 model. For all its shortcomings – stickers, static bed, opaque windows – the truck is greater than the sum of its parts. This is a compelling vehicle and we are genuinely excited to get this one onto the bench and then out into the world. Nice one, Traxxas!

88086-4-Flatbed-Hauler-Rear-3qtr-HotRod-01

Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 1/14 Brushless 4X4 Buggy

by Craig | Jul 2, 2022 | Rlaarlo

Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 – Cheap & Cheerful?

Relative to other brushless fare in this scale, the Rlaarlo SDKJ-006 is cheap! The value seems to get even better when you consider the buggy’s carbon fiber chassis and quality shocks. Excluding battery, the Rlaarlo buggy weighs just 923g (or 32.5 oz). This makes for a compelling buy at first glance.

Yes, it certainly looks good on paper. Fast steering, light weight for its type, four wheel drive and full metal drivetrain. So, what’s the catch? Join us for a closer look as we try to find out!

What’s In the Box?

Let’s start with what you get for your USD$199.99 (use 15%-off code RCTNT here for further discount).

Rlaarlo #XDKJ-006 1/14 Brushless Buggy RTR
Radio Transmitter
2800mAh 2S LiPO battery & USB charger
Accessories bag with foam bumper, spares & tools:
- 1 x Front Bumper
- 4 x Suspension Arm
- 4 x Wheel Hub Kit
- 2 x Dogbone
- 4 x Body Clip
- 1 x Wrench
- 1 x Screwdriver
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x User Manual

Packaging is the same as what you’ll find in the 144001 and similar models. There’s no plastic aside from bags for the spare parts. All else is cardboard, which is great to see.

The Rlaarlo’s Power System

In an email, Rlaarlo told us the XDKJ-006 is the brushless version of their brushed XDKJ-001 model. The 001 is essentially a clone of the 144001 – not necessarily a bad thing. The motor is a 3200kv 2847 sized motor, with a max rpm of about 40,000 (that’s 3200 multiplied by the full-charge voltage of a 3S LiPO battery, 12.6v).

The ESC is a 45A unit that supports 2S and 3S batteries and is splash-proof (we tested that!). Whilst the ESC has a cooling fan along with overheat and overcurrent protection built-in, both it and the motor will run better and longer on a 2S battery. Lower voltage means less heat. It also means a longer run-time for the same rated capacity battery – and this buggy is plenty fast on 2S, honestly! We’d recommend keeping to 2S batteries unless you’re doing the odd speed run.

Let’s Talk Speed

Rlaarlo has made a few claims about this vehicle’s top speed. So, while we’re talking about speed, we should address some of their claims. On Rlaarlo’s website, the vehicle is advertised as being able to do “90KM/H+”. On the box itself is a sticker that says “100KM/H (on 3S battery)”. Bold claims indeed!

That said, we’d think the high 80s (50mph+) should be possible on 3S power and in ideal conditions – smooth road, no headwind, etc. The low-mid 60s (35-40mph) may be possible on 2S power. These are real-world estimations after having driven this thing on a track and on sealed road.

Theoretical Max Speed

Rlaarlo has this claim on their website: “Max 80KMH on 2S battery, 90KMH speed potentials on 3S battery”. From a theoretical perspective, this cannot be correct. Here’s why: remember above where we discussed RPM and motor kv? The unloaded speed of a motor at any given voltage is a function of its kv rating. In this case, a 3200kv motor has a definite maximum RPM of 26,880 with a fully charged, 2S LiPO battery (that’s 8.4v multiplied by 3200kv). That same motor has a maximum RPM of 40,320 with a fully charged, 3S LiPO battery (3200kv x 12.6v).

A 3S battery has 1.5x higher voltage than a 2S battery. We know that motor speed is a function of motor kv and battery voltage. Therefore, the max RPM on 3S should be 1.5x higher than on 2S. Let’s see: 40,320 / 26,880 = 1.5. Great, our numbers are correct! Now let’s get to what that means for our purple buggy vs physics!

Real-World Top Speed

Let’s say the car really can hit 80KM/H on a 2S battery (spoiler – it will top out at 60 to 65km/h). If it really could do 80km/h on 2S, it should be able to do a theoretical maximum of 120km/h (75mph) on 3S (remember, that’s 80km/h times our 1.5 multiplier). This is setting aside air drag, vehicle stability, effective radio control distance and being able to keep the front tires down. But if 2S will deliver 80km/h, we really should at least see 100km/h though, right? The box sticker says so, after all!

What’s the top speed of the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006? You could reasonably expect 60km/h (37mph) on a 2S battery and maybe, maybe 90km/h (56mph) on a 3S battery. Real world variables will harm these potentials – surface, temperature, air speed, and so on. Would the motor and ESC handle the required current draw for such speed runs? We’d think it would be okay if you did it once or twice. Drive on 3S regularly and ESC and/or motor burn-out will be likely.

Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 Running Gear

That’s the electronics out of the way. What about the drive-train that has to get all that juicy brushless power down to the road? Rlaarlo claims ‘powder cast’ metal gears. We’re pleased to report at least that this powder casting system seems to be much better than the pot metal mold and cast process that was so common in the hobby over years past. We’ve had a similar experience with the RGT Rescuer gears, recently. It turns out their gears are actually quite strong – here’s our recent Q&A post about that. The gears in the Rlaarlo look to be of similar quality. Awesome!

All gears in the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 are powder metal – the new, stronger kind, not that older pot metal casting. The drive shafts and axles are all steel and the front CVDs and dog bone axles and cups are all of stainless steel as well. Ball bearings are metal throughout, though unshielded. For a cheaper vehicle that packs brushless power, all of this is good. You might break something eventually, but it’ll be a LOT stronger than the ‘cheapie’ cars of just a few years ago. Double awesome!

The 006’s Radio System

Things are a bit less rosy when it comes to the radio transmitter. As we said in our video review (embedded further down this page), the radio looks like the FlySky Noble’s ugly younger sibling. It clearly has design cues from the Noble, which is a gorgeous transmitter, by the way, but it misses the mark. For our grown-up hands it was cramped to use. The dials are minimal but functional and the unit takes 3x AA batteries, which is good to see. Range is sufficient for the vehicle’s size and steering was predictable.

Probably our least favourite element of this radio is the throttle feel. The first half of the throttle trigger’s pull gives nearly no feedback from the car – it starts rolling, but only just. It’s as if there’s a high degree of exponential programmed into the radio. The second half of the trigger pull gives very rapid response – so rapid that on any surface other than carpet or bitumen, you’ll spin the wheels and then spin out! We’d love to see that expo effect dialled back – you’ll need to replace the radio system and ESC entirely for that. Worth it? Maybe, maybe not. (But if you do it, consider the FlySky GT-5, which comes with the gyro-equipped FS-BS6 receiver, and the HobbyWing QUICRUN 16BL30 ESC.

Electronics

As with other cheaper 14-scale buggies, the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 comes with an all-in-one radio receiver, ESC and BEC. It features a cooling fan and a spare port for another cooling fan for the motor and a simple button-press for power. The BEC outputs 5V 2A, which is sufficient for this vehicle. The servo is a 3-wire, 1.7kg unit and has plenty of speed and sufficient strength to turn the buggy, even on rough terrain.

The motor got warm on 2S running, but far from hot. If you decide to run just on 2S with this buggy, the entire electronics package should reward you with long and reliable life. Ours hasn’t missed a beat – so far!

There’s an included 2800mAh 2S battery. Note, the battery capacity seems to be labelled with the same enthusiasm as the buggy’s top speed. We think it is more likely to be about 1500mAh, based on charged capacity and runtime, compared to various other 1000mAh, 1500mAh and 2200mAh 2S batteries we have here.

Road Character

The buggy accelerates best on high-traction surfaces. It holds a straight line at speed and brakes well. The tires hold on sharp turns on bitumen and the plush suspension can be firmed for road use with stiffer shock oil if you so desire.

Acceleration on 3S power is where things go a bit wrong. The buggy’s short wheelbase and low-ish kv motor means there’s a lot of torque on tap. 3S power on flat surfaces is really where that exponential feel we discussed earlier may be a strength – the only time it’s welcome, really! You’ll want to bring the throttle on gradually, as the buggy can wheelie even when its already travelling at speed.

The best advice we can offer after driving this thing for a while is to keep it on 2S power. The buggy is happiest at 8v rather than 12v. You have less undesired wheelies, lower heat, longer runtime and better overall handling at 40mph and below. Stick with 2S and you’ll get a lot of value from this buggy.

Offroad Handling

How does the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 handle off-road? Not well, at least, not in stock form. The rear bottoms out too much. The tires spin, struggling for traction on clay and dirt surfaces. The shorter wheelbase only adds to the twitchiness.

There is hope, however. We swapped the rear shock oil for 45wt. and dialled in the pre-load on the rear to about 70%. We dialled the front to about 20%. Lastly, we packed the rear diff full of moly grease, inducing an LSD (Limited-Slip Diff) effect. All of this worked together to increase the available traction on bumpy and slippery surfaces. The buggy certainly still suffers with a short wheelbase, but it’s a lot better than in the stock configuration at least!

Check out our short ‘Three $3 Fixes’ video for more detail on that:

How’s It Jump?

The buggy is well balanced. It gets a little unsettled on bigger jumps, but with 4WD and brushless power, there is ample air authority if you get the throttle inputs right. If you accelerate whilst in the air, the nose comes up. If you brake, the nose drops. It’s all fairly predictable and this is one satisfying part of the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006’s design.

The balance is well distributed on all four wheels, too. We found it consistently landed flat and even if you get out of control in the air, there is time to recover and land with grace. It’s not amazing, but for a cheap, short wheelbase buggy, it’s pretty good!

Is the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 Waterproof?

It’s splash proof. We tested that with a watering can and then a garden tap. No problems there, the 006 took all the water in stride and kept going. Puddles might be an issue, but for rain driving at least, the news is good. You can get it wet. Just don’t go swimming with it.

It’s Cheap. How’s the Quality?

Overall, it feels cheap. But it performs like it’s more expensive than it is. Be aware that the carbon fiber chassis has its limits and you absolutely can break this model if you abuse it. There is an alloy chassis available and Rlaarlo sells replacement and upgrade parts (here: https://rlaarlo.com/collections/xdkj-011-parts-amp-replacements).

For the asking price, we’d rate it as Good Enough. The alloy model is a little cheaper than the carbon fiber model and it might last a bit better. For the extra weight, the added durability may make sense to you. We received our unit from the manufacturer to test and review, but if we were buying it ourselves (as we’ve done for most of our RC garage here), we’d probably go for the alloy one.

The dogbone cups will wear out. The servo will die. The front shock mounts will break after a few bad landings. But all of this is par for the course on even expensive RC buggies. For what you pay, this machine is definitely good enough. Not great, but absolutely satisfactory.

After-Sales Support

Rlaarlo have a catalogue of parts available from launch day for this buggy. They also claim parts compatibility with the 144001, brushed power system aside, obviously. This bodes well for the model’s longevity.

What we don’t see on their site yet is the all-in-one ESC-receiver-BEC unit. We emailed today to ask about that and they’ve said they’re available. We’ll also note that if you have an electronic failure outside of warranty, and/or if you want to upgrade for better radio features or other reasons, the FlySky and HobbyWing combo we covered above wouldn’t be a bad way to go.

Certainly, you’re covered for breakages, then. We’ll repeat ourselves here to recommend that you run this thing on 2S power. You’ll reap the benefit of a more controllable buggy, longer run time and lower wear and tear. For the Rlarlo XDKJ-006, 2S is the sweet spot.

Is It Worth Buying?

If you like the WLToys 144001 and similar buggies and the idea of a brushless version appeals, then the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 should be on your short-list. You should be aware that the LC Racing EMB models are far and away better in quality and performance, but they’re also 33% more expensive than the XDKJ-006 here.

We’ve tried to frame the Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 as a half-way point between the brushed 144001 and the brushless EMB-T (or the EMB-1 for similar money). The performance and quality is about right for the price, relative to these vehicles. And to be fair, to get anything like this kind of performance even just a few years ago would have been easily twice the money it is today.

With that in mind, this one is easy to recommend. What do you think? Check out our video review below where we make this comparison and even compare the EMB with the Rlaarlo on our rocky track. See what you think!

Where To Get It

Grab yours here, direct from manufacturer: https://rlaarlo.com/?ref=uDkKyZb6JFa7v

Our thanks to Rlaarlo for providing an XDKJ-006 for our review and testing, and especially for welcoming our proviso that the review would be honest, even if that meant it might be negative. That was an integrity move.

The Rlaarlo XDKJ-006 isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty good – and for the asking price, that’s not a bad deal!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

Element RC Enduro Ecto Trail Truck RTR

by Craig | Jun 11, 2022 | Element RC, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

Element RC for Fun

If you are returning to the world of RC (Radio Control) after some years, you’ll be familiar with Associated Electrics (AE). You may not be so familiar with one of their newer brands, Element RC. AE is known for its off-road racing heritage, going back to the slot car era from 1965. Meanwhile, Element RC is a more fun and family focussed brand with community and exploration as core concepts rather than AE’s trophies and podiums.

Reedy Power is another AE brand. This covers motors, speed controls, batteries, chargers, servos and accessories. Under the one umbrella, AE can deliver a complete in-house package in the Element RC Enduro platform. And that’s what we’re looking at today.

The Elemental Platform

In recent years, Element RC has run on a single flexible platform known as the Enduro. There’s a current kit option in the Enduro Trail Truck Builder’s Kit 2. The rest of the range is RTR (Ready To Run) and models are differentiated by modular options of body, suspension, axle type and wheelbase.

We’ve reviewed and enjoyed the very capable Sendero HD, a trail truck with a scale body and live axles at each end. The Knightrunner is another interesting unit, also a scale trail truck but with IFS (Independent Front Suspension). Rounding out our collection is the Gatekeeper with its rear trailing arms and anti-roll bar.

At the heart of all these models is the same StealthX transmission, which provides drive to front and rear axles and a mid-mounted motor over the skid plate. The StealthX transmission features a 5.7% overdrive output to the front axle. Also, all Enduro vehicles include an additional gear set that grants 11.83% overdrive to the front instead of the default 5.7%. The vehicles all ship with a steel C-rail chassis, 5-pole motor, waterproof & metal geared steering servo, a Reedy brushed ESC and the XP-130 radio system. It’s a solid platform that allows a variety of implementations for different effects on the trail and rocks.

Element Ecto Chamber

Given how similar the two vehicles are, our experiences with the Gatekeeper are going to be quite relevant to our expectations of the Element Ecto’s performance. We had a very good experience with the Gatekeeper when we tested it a few months ago. It was a very capable machine, if a little top-heavy with that hinged exocage on top. (Check out our GK series here on YouTube). With the modular design of the Enduro platform in mind, the Ecto would appear to be very similar indeed to the Gatekeeper. The only differences that jump out on first inspection are the lighter-weight polycarbonate body and the straight links, rather than the bent links of the Gatekeeper.

Both Ecto and Gatekeeper use the same Reedy 14-turn, 550-size brushed motor and other electronics. Gearing is the same and the trailing-arm rear suspension are identical too. The bent links of the Gatekeeper give the CVD joints (Constant Velocity Drive) in the drive shafts a slightly better angle on the Gatekeeper. Other than that, the Ecto appears to be the better-equipped of the two for sheer rock crawling performance – and that’s what we’re interested in.

Fit For Purpose?

We wondered about this when we compared the Gatekeeper to the Axial Capra in a video last year (view that here, if you’re interested). The trailing arm suspension of the Gatekeeper is what we called “go-fast suspension”. Given the suspension choice, the Gatekeeper and Ecto are ostensibly more aimed at rock racing rather than rock crawling – faster rather than slower, technical driving.

However, we found that although the Capra did indeed outperform the Gatekeeper on the rocks, the GK wasn’t far behind. Both vehicles could complete our 6-problem course and the overdrive from the StealthX transmission definitely helped.

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.

Ecto vs Gatekeeper vs Capra

The Element Ecto is lighter than the Gatekeeper. The Axial Capra is heavier than both. The Ecto’s COG (Center Of Gravity) is lower because of that polycarbonate body – the Gatekeeper’s exocage was heavy! We therefore expect the machine to do quite well on the rocks. However, the suspension and faster 14-turn 550 motor still make us wonder. Can it best the Capra on the rocks? The Capra has a DIG (DIsengageable Gear) that gives it quite an edge.

Honestly, we’re not sure. This article is being written during a week-long rain period here locally and while we’ve done a little testing in our review video this week, we still haven’t been able to get the Ecto onto dry rocks for a more precise comparison. Stay tuned for an Ecto vs Capra video soon as well as an Ecto vs Gatekeeper video. We are excited for both and can’t wait to see how they stack up!

What’s in the Box?

Element RC Ecto RTR, XP-130 radio, manual, sticker sheet, spare plastics and body trim. No tools, no battery, no charger. That’s the default box contents. Check out our review (below) to see how we set our rig up in preparation for rock crawling. We’ve left it largely stock for comparison purposes, but even in that configuration we expect it will be a performer. Here’s the full review and initial rock run:

Should You Buy It?

If you’re into this style of body and are looking for a capable rock crawler, then yes – the Element Ecto is for you! If you’re on the fence about the body but still want a capable crawler and you like the Element RC Enduro range, take a look at the Gatekeeper or the Sendero HD. Both are superbly capable crawlers. Aside from suspension and motor turns in the Sendero HD, both share the same reliable and well-designed components of the Ecto.

If you’re after a capable scale crawler and are wondering what else might meet your needs, there are a few other rigs you might consider:

GMade BOM TC (click for video review)
Axial Capra (click for video review)
Axial Base Camp (click for article & video review)
Traxxas TRX4 Sport (click for video review series)
Cross RC EMO AT4 (click for article & video review)
Redcat Racing Gen 8 V2 (click for video review series)

Whatever you choose, the selection available today is better than ever before. Any of these rigs will serve you well. We plan to have some head-to-head action between many of the above vehicles soon, too. In the meantime, the Element Ecto is impressive. Time will tell, but we think it may just be the cream of the Element RC Enduro crop.

More Info

See the manufacturer’s page here: https://www.associatedelectrics.com/element/cars_and_trucks/Enduro/Ecto_Trail_Truck/

Grab one here, shipping is world-wide (and using this link helps support us at no extra cost to you – thank you kindly if you use it)!

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

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.

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

FMS Chevrolet K10 1/18 RTR Crawler

by Craig | Jun 1, 2022 | FMS, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

FMS Chevy K10

If you’re into American pickups from the 70’s and you’ve been thinking about a smaller scale crawler, your search is over. The FMS Chevy K10 scale RC crawler is a gorgeous, licensed hard-bodied model with moderate performance to match its looks. It’s an RTR (Ready To Run) and you only need to supply 4x AAA batteries and a USB 5V 2A charger to get going.

FMS Does Impress

We were recently impressed by the FMS Suzuki Jimny 1/12 model, with its exquisite scale detail inside and out. The FMS Chevy K10 is a little over a foot long and enjoys nearly the same level of detail on its body. The underside is tidy and the interior reasonably accurate, though somewhat more spartan than the Jimny. The price is accordingly lower than the little Suzuki and we think there’s a lot to like in this model. Let’s take a closer look.

1970s Hard Body

This model is all about the body. FMS makes a few other similar models with the same running gear and different tops. There’s a Hilux and FJ Cruiser, among others. The FMS Chevy K10 here has a lengthened rear to suit the long bed of this classic pickup truck. That means the trailing arms, drive shaft and chassis are longer than the others. This hurts performance, but oh boy, does it look good! Worth the trade off? We think so!

You get a shiny exterior, complete with chrome bumpers, grille, mirrors, and period-correct wheels. Black plastic door handles and wipers add to the scale detail. This thing just looks amazing when it’s rolling outdoors.

Lights!

There is a pair of headlights in the FMS Chevy K10 that are pleasingly round and yellow when on. They have a standard light and high-beam setting. Underneath these, a pair of indicator lights are located just above the bumper. These can be set to flash with the corresponding steering direction like faux indicators, or to be set to ignore steering entirely, or to stay on in hazard-flash mode.

The rear of the tray features red brake lights that light up when the vehicle is in reverse. There aren’t taillights nor brake lights. Reverse lights should be white, but they are red. It’s forgivable, as they look great and aren’t distractingly incorrect; just a little incorrect! The car still looks fabulous.

Electronics

The FMS Chevy K10 features a Chassis Mounted Servo (CMS). This setup hides the 1kg servo up and away from the front axle, helping to add to the scale appearance of the rig. There’s an 050 sized brushed motor, lights at each end and an all-in-one ESC, Receiver and Light Controller located in the engine bay area. The 2S 380mAh LiPO battery goes here too, along with the power switch. A 1A USB LiPO balance charger is included with the model.

The ESC is a 20A brushed unit designed to run on 7.6V. Note, no part of this vehicle’s electrics is waterproofed. There are ways to do this without buying different hardware components, but be aware of this break with the current norm in the hobby. Lack of waterproofing aside, it’s a tidy setup and everything works well together. However, the radio transmitter needs a little more explanation – read on.

Radio Transmitter

It’s small in the hand and easy to operate. We found the springs under the 4x AAA batteries weren’t stiff enough and the radio would power-cycle and need to reconnect with the vehicle if it was shaken too much. Also, whilst there are many buttons on the transmitter and the appearance of 6-channels (including beeps when pressed), most of the extra buttons don’t serve any purpose with this model.

Confoundingly, there are several features programmed into this handset that do require extra buttons, but instead of using those Ch-3, 4, 5 and 6 buttons, the functions are instead accessed via multi-purpose buttons with the help of a Mode A/B switch. In Mode A, your Throttle Trim and Steering Reverse buttons work as labelled, but in Mode B, your Throttle Trim + button cycles through the light profiles while the Servo Reverse button acts as a steering end-point limiter, cycling through 30%, 50% and 100% of steering range. It’s not an intuitive system – but once you understand these functions, operation is easy enough.

FMS Donuts

The shiny chrome wheels perfectly suit the K10 body. The axle width is just right, and that soft rear suspension means the rear wheels tuck right up into the wheel well with articulation – it looks just like the real thing! The licensed Cooper Discoverer STT Pro tires complete the look for a stunning finish.

In real life we’ve been driving on Cooper tires for years on our 4WD vehicles. The 80-series here ran the Discoverer STTs and the 100-series is currently rolling on the Discoverer ST MAXX variants. We haven’t used the STT Pros before, but the Discoverer range is known for its rock ability, particularly for steep ascents and descents. This is a seemingly perfect match for the intended purpose of this plucky little model. Love!

Shocks, Coils & Links

Coil-over springs around plastic ‘friction’ shocks comprise the suspension on all four corners. The front shocks are nearly upright. The rears are laid forward at around 45 degrees – this ensures they fit under the bed. The laid-over shocks give the rear a very soft, bouncy character. Stiffer springs could help, but ultimately, laid-over shocks at such an angle give a diminished response part-way through articulation. This will compromise handling if you’re carrying anything in the tray, but on the plus side there is plenty of plush movement to help keep wheels on the ground in the slow and rocky stuff.

The links are a different matter. There’s a 4-link setup at both ends. This makes sense for the rear. There is the same 4-link setup in front, which would make sense if there was an axle-mounted servo. However, as this is a CMS vehicle, a panhard rod is required to ensure the suspension can cycle without lateral movement, which would otherwise compromise steering input. A panhard system works best with a 3-link arrangement, comprising one upper link rather than two. Panhard and CMS will work with a 4-link setup, but not so well as with 3-link. We think one of those two upper links should be removed to allow proper and smooth articulation of the front axle. We’ll cover this in more detail in a follow-up video where we address a few minor issues with this vehicle. Stay tuned for that. In the meantime, the system works well enough as-is and we were able to enjoy it on the rocks.

Rock and Roller

Speaking of rocks, we took the FMS Chevy K10 to a favourite local river spot with large, round boulders and long slabs of rock. This is perfect terrain for a vehicle such as this. We enjoyed steep ascent and ascents, steps, side-hilling and (very) shallow water crossings. (Incidentally, the ball-bearings in this vehicle are not sealed. Along with the electronics, you’ll want to avoid water in your adventures whilst in stock form).

Gearing and motor size seem well matched to the intended purpose. The servo has sufficient strength and speed to handle such terrain. The radio was comfortable in the hand and the vehicle’s speed was a good compromise between low-speed torque and high-speed running. This thing will go happily at walking pace and still be able to bog right down on challenging obstacles with sufficient torque to turn the wheels. In a word, driving the K10 is fun.

The Verdict

The last FMS model we looked at was the Suzuki Jimny. This was a pleasant surprise, with a great mix of hard-body and scale features and able to deliver a reasonable off-road driving experience. This set the expectation for the Chevy K10 reasonably high.

Did the K10 deliver? We’re glad to report that it absolutely did! If you’re a fan of 1970s square style pickup trucks and you’re interested in a vehicle in this size, the FMS Chevy K10 should be on your short-list. We really like this thing! Check out our video review to see it in action!

Specifications

Size: 323.8 x 139 x 130.7mm
Tire: D:54.8mm W:19.5mm
Wheelbase: 196mm
Ground Clearance: 37.7mm
Approach Angle: 58.8º
Departure Angle: 34.6º
Speed: 5km/h Max
Remote Control Distance: 80m
Smart Lighting Effect
Max Climbing Angle: 42º
Approx. Runtime: 30mins
2.4GHz Transmitter
2-in-1 20A ESC & Receiver 3 Channel
3Y 1kg Digital Servo
050 Brushed Motor

What’s Included

1:18 CHEVROLET K10 RC Crawler x1
Transmitter x 1
Receiver x1
USB Charger x1
Battery 2S Lipo 7.4V 380mAh x1
Manual x1
Hex Wrench Socket x1
Color: Red
Package total weight: 1240.00 grams (incl. packaging)
Package size: 19.00 x 43.00 x 18.00cm
Factory description: FMS 1:18 CHEVROLET K10 1:18 Chevrolet K10 RC Crawler Hard Body (Officially Licensed) RTR
Manufactured by FMS
Manufacturer number: FMS/11808

Where to Get It

We’ve been using AsiaTees for years and now have an affiliate account with our favourite hobby store. If you’re interested, consider using this link helps support us at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

The manufacturer’s link to this model can be found here.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

FMS Suzuki Jimny 1/12 4WD RC Crawler

by Craig | May 21, 2022 | FMS, RC Crawlers, RC Reviews

FMS Jimny by ROC Hobby

If you’re into hard-body crawlers and highly-detailed scale, is this the car for you? (Spoiler: yes, yes it is!). Made by ROC Hobby, in conjunction with Eachine, this is the FMS Suzuki Jimny – and it’s gorgeous! The vehicle is branded by official licence from Suzuki Motor Corporation Ltd. This lets the factory bring us scale detail at a pleasing level, right out of the box. Let’s take a closer look!

A Very Scale Model

We recently looked at the Jimny look-alike from RGT. It was a performer (for its size) and it had a lovely scale body. But now we have the FMS Jimny here the RGT is looking decidedly less scale in comparison!

The RGT was a mish-mash of different scale ratios. The track and wheelbase were inconsistent with the full-size vehicle and the body was a different scale again. We covered this in the article and videos for that vehicle – check them out if you haven’t seen them yet.

In contrast, the FMS Jimny is consistent in its overall dimensions, in and out. This does limit its off-road performance, but that’s a feature rather than a bug.

FMS Jimny Specs

Scale: 1/12
Length: 291mm x Width 135mm x Height: 158mm
Weight: 925g with battery
Wheelbase: 187mm
Ground Clearance: 16mm
Departure Angle: 60°
Approach Angle: 61°
Wheel Diameter: 60mm; Width: 15mm
Top Speed: 8km/h (2^nd gear); 2km/h (1^st gear)
Remote control distance: 30 meters
Battery charge time: 25 minutes
Battery run-time: 20 to 60 minutes depending on drive style & terrain
2.4GHz 4-channel transmitter
3-in-1 ESC, Receiver & Light Controller w/3x 9g digital servos
Not Waterproof!

Scale Exterior

From bumper to bumper, the FMS Jimny sports a stunning array of accurately reproduced scale parts. The bumpers themselves look like the real thing, with integrated lights at both ends. Real mirrored glass adorns the flexible side mirrors. Under an opening hood you’ll find an engine bay filled with faux engine parts – not just a cover hiding the electrics! The battery and power switch live here, too.

The 3 doors open and there is a pleasing amount of scale trim adorning the body exterior. Flip the vehicle over and you’ll find a convincing appearance of the real car underneath, too. Just have a look at this!

Let’s Take This Inside

The scale party continues once you open a door and peer inside. The doors themselves have an inner skin with arm rest, non-functional window winder, open lever and map holder. The rear barn-style door also incorporates an inner skin with an approximation of the real thing. There’s also a wire pair visible near the hinges that goes up into the integrated tail and brake light at the top of the rear window – which also has the demister lines across it!

There’s a lidded storage compartment behind the rear seats, which independently fold down. The front seats both fold and slide forward and back. The dash is fully detailed with labelled dials and radio. Best of all, the steering wheel moves in conjunction with the front wheels! Just fit your 6” figurine in the front seat and you’re set for some real fun with suspension of disbelief intact!

A Bright Idea

Part of the appeal of the FMS Jimny is its slick light kit. The 3-in-1 radio-ESC-light controller gives tight integration with throttle and steering inputs, plus a separate channel to change light profiles. There are several settings from which to choose (manual except with light control outline here).

The lights can be found in the front and rear bumpers, the front grille, side quarter panels for indicators and the aforementioned tail-and-brake light in the rear window. The system works very well and adds to the scale experience in day and night driving.

Walk and Crawl

With those tiny 60mm tires and limited suspension articulation, you won’t be crawling any major terrain. But that’s okay, as the FMS Jimny is clearly intended to bring you more of a trail drive and light-obstacle clearing experience. The car includes a 180-size motor with appropriate gearing and power for the car’s size and scale nature.

In second gear you get walking speed from the car. That’s just fine for taking it along the trail. Then drop it into first for the harder obstacles and you have a decent little crawler. Limited in tire and suspension, sure, but still quite able if it can get sufficient traction.

Suspension & Geometry

Just like the real thing, the FMS Jimny sports live axles front and rear. There is three-link suspension (ie. with panhard) at each end, which is great for realism but not so much for performance! Again, given this is a scale machine, that is more than forgivable.

There are coil springs on all corners and angled shocks too. The shocks are not oil-filled and really their only purpose seems to be to limit the maximum articulation before the links reach the end of their throw. Without them, the coil springs could pop out. Still, the lack of proper shocks leaves the Jimny to bounce quite a lot on the bumpy stuff. Everything’s built to a price and in this case, the lack of proper shocks seems a logical place for some compromise.

Battery & Charger

The car comes with a USB balance charger that needs 5V and 2A. It outputs the required voltage range to charge the included 2S LiPO battery via its balance plug – that is, ~6v to 8.4v, at 1A. This means the 380mAh battery should be able to charge in 20 to 25 minutes, which is absolutely fine for a ‘cheap’ included battery system.

Note, the battery charger does not have a Storage charge program, so you want to try to keep this battery at around 7.4v when you’re done with it. For reference, empty is about 6.6v and full is 8.4v, so if you run it for 2/3 of the usual runtime before you put it away, that’ll be much better for it than storing it full or empty. It’s a LiPO thing.

Radio & DIP Switches

The little radio takes 4x AAA batteries. It’s comfortable in the hand and the steering wheel has a pleasing and precise spring and movement. There are end point and trim dials for throttle and steering, a 2-way switch for channel 3 (that’s high and low gear) and a button for channel 4 (to cycle through the light profiles).

There is also a set of 4 DIP switches on the top of the unit. These are all two-position switches whose functions are not listed anywhere in the included manual, so here are their functions:

Switch 1: driving profile (down is forward/brake/reverse; up is forward/reverse with no brake)
Switch 2: battery profile (down is for LiPO with Low Voltage Cut-off; up is for NiMH with no LVC)
Switches 3 & 4: drag brake (3 Down 4 Down 25%, 3U4D 50%, 3D4U 75%, 3U4U 100%)

Finish & Durability

The FMS Jimny ships in an attractive EPP case. Being a hard bodied vehicle, the protection works well and the car arrives in good condition. Our unit had loose screws in the roof, with one screw out and the second rear one half out. Both of these were easy to screw back in (1.5mm hex driver) with threads intact. Our RHS side mirror was also loose, but that was easily tightened via the screw on the inside of the RHS door.

There was protective film over the windows and the wiring and electronics were tidily installed from factory. The car is designed in such a way that the fixings should not come loose with use, but if they do, everything is accessible without fuss, though you’ll need your own tools. The car will last as long as its driven as intended. Don’t push things too hard with rock crawling or running second gear in hard terrain and everything should serve you well for a long time.

The Verdict

Is it a rock crawler? Well, kinda sorta. Is it a trail truck? Also kinda sorta. Scale is the focus here and while there are some interesting bells and whistles like the steering wheel and light system, nothing is waterproof and the tires are not aggressive. The steering servo does have sufficient torque for the model and the motor is well matched to the transmission. Some pros and cons here – so where does that leave the prospective purchaser?

If you like scale and the smaller size of this model appeals to you, definitely pick one up. If you’re after a scale experience in 1/12, you will not be disappointed. However, if you want more capability in the rough stuff but you still want something in this size and with a moderate amount of scale, you might instead want to check out something like the MN86KS or the WPL C44KM. As for us, we’re gonna get this thing out and maybe even improve it a little – we’ll let you know!

Where To Get It

Who makes it: ROC Hobby under the FMS brand

Where to get it: AsiaTees ships globally.

Also available from: Banggood.

Craig Veness

RC-TNT

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

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