Northwind

Well, Capra means goat which doesn't seem to fit too well for portals... Replacement for the moa?

Aye, that's exactly what I'm thinking. I've always broken axial plastic c hubs pretty fast in the past so, if I got the Cherokee kit with the multi part axles most likely I'd replace those anyway... So getting the Raw kit with the combined axles just means replacing one most part. (at about £15 an end so not too bad) It's kind of irritating to not get all the best parts in one place, but, that's also exactly why I'm getting an SCX10, stupendous aftermarket

Ah see that right there is exactly the sort of thing that I was thinking of but hadn't spotted! Thanks! In all honestly, I'd love to go for the Cherokee kit but it's just harder to stretch to the expense. I think that's probably the 2 options pretty well settled in my mind though- there doesn't seem to be anything with the Raw kit that I can't work with (I've had huge success with cheap metal 3rd party axle "outers" in the OCP60 axles to add low weight, so I'd quite likely do that anyway sooner or later) but equally the Cherokee brings enough extra stuff with it that it's a reasonable alternative for me. I think probably I'll go with the Raw kit and save the money for the inevitable hopups! Thanks all! Massively appreciated.

Thanks- I think I'm about 90% settled on the Raw kit tbh, but I just feel a little bit like I don't really understand some of the alternatives. But this thread is help settle that wee doubt so cheers!

It's an AX10 Deadbolt I have- not the SCX10 one, it's original Deadbolt that's basically half Wraith and half AX10 - OCP60 axles and 2.2s but with a simpler main chassis and a "scale" body basically stuck on top like a flag on a pole Great fun but a bit of a blunt instrument. Same as the Ridgecrest, if that helps. What I'm looking for here is definitely something in the SCX ballpark, a 1.9 scaler, to replace the one I already have. It'll not be as capable as the AX10 is but that's half the point

At the moment I have a very modified RGT Bowler which has been pretty awesome to learn the hobby with and to mess with, and an AX10 Deadbolt (the weird missing link model between the AX10 and the Wraith, that got the new axles etc) which has become a reliable day to day thumper. And as much as I've enjoyed the RGT, the simplicity of living with the Axial has pretty much made me resent every minute I spend kitbashing stuff to fit the RGT. It's been a great wee truck for me but I just want something a bit easier to live with now and especially with better aftermarket. Basically at some point I've passed out of the initial mad enthusiasm phase and into the meh, just wish it'd bloody fit together phase. So, there's a couple of contenders for that but the SCX10II just seems to nail the ubiquity angle- probably an Element Enduro or a Vaterra Ascender could be better but nothing can match axial for affordable aftermarket I reckon. And, basically, I like 'em. But I've got pretty close to pressing buy, and now the model range is freaking me out. A Raw build kit could work great as I have really good electronics and wheels I can rob from the old truck. I really like the Honcho model, but it seems to have some hidden shortcomings like not having universals as standard. And looking at the Cherokees it gets pretty confusing to see what's good and what's not, every model seems to have its own exclamation marks, like this model comes with metal shocks, this one only has plastic links, yada yada... And there's stuff you can just hide away in the description like plastic gears etc which are pretty hard to pick out and compare. So, if anyone really understands the range, can you help me out a bit? Specifically, what are the standouts and weaknesses of individual models. I'll rule out the Deadbolt just because I already have a deadbolt bodied Axial, and I really don't like the body of the Wrangler so it'd have to bring some other big advantages. Pretty much hate the Unimog's looks, it seems like extra cost for nothing, for me at least. I've a feeling the Raw kit is the one for me but... educate me, tell me I'm wrong! Obviously any shortcomings can be fixed, so this is mostly just about getting the balance right, or as right as pssible straight out of the box. Obviously I'll change absolutely everything anyway but it still helps! Cheers Andrew

I've got on great with Turnigy 959s- never had a problem with either of mine, even though I outright abuse the torque of them to get out of traps etc.

Doh- meant to put it in the title, fixed now!

I was building this for myself but I just don't like the way it looks tbh! So I got a Deadbolt instead and now this is spare. Wee video of it running- the garden stuff was filmed immediately before I boxed it up, the crawler stuff is older so there's a few minor differences (mostly the wheels and tyres which are cheapo chinese in the crawler shots, but have been replaced with proper 2.2 Axial Treps) It already has a load of upgrades as I bought it as a slider. Included is a practically new Flysky GT3B (bound to the truck and set up but only used for that), a Hobbywing 1060 ESC, and a Turnigy 2S lipo with basic balancing charger, plus some random spares. (the videos were all filmed with this 2S lipo in it. Don't worry about the tape! The battery is not swelled or in any way imperfect other than the dang sticker fell off) The servo has been upgraded to a JX 20kg number, and the steering components have been upgraded to aluminium including the hubs etc so it's a lot tougher and steers better. I kept the short link as plastic as it doesn't hinder performance but helps protect the servo. Wheels and tyres are stock- Maxxis Trepadors on Axial wheels. (the spare on the back is a 1.9 so isn't quite right). Also the inside of the roof and bonnet panels have been sprayed black to improve the looks a little, and I've added an interior panel in the battery tray to fix the annoying "battery drops out the side" issue they have with smaller batteries. Overall condition is decent, everything works as it should, no major damage- some scuffing from rollovers etc, it's a used crawler and in very good nick for that. It's engineered for 3S capability but runs and crawls really nicely on two. If you want more speed then just fire in a 3S, it'll run perfectly though you'll probably want to stiffen the rear springs if you do that. If I were keeping it I think I'd fit axial universal front axles to improve the steering lock but it all works very well as it is and way better than an out-of-the-box Axial RTR pics here as they're too big to upload to the forum: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/753813671677304

I've had both an Outback 2 and a Mauler, the Fury is basically the new upgraded Outback with some of the faults of the original fixed... Depends what you want really. The Outback is more scale, the Mauler is more capable. I really enjoy both but I basically prefer the scale look so I'm sticking with the Outback. The Mauler is more outright fun out of the box, though. The Fury is a pretty big step up in spec tbh, it's a much newer version and it shows.

It seems to do most of what everyone wanted the V3 outback to do- better motor, fixes the insta-strip diffs and has a proper servo. Shame it didn't get the randomly fantastic Fastrax Swampers that the RGT Bowler (another Outback variant) comes with as stock. But does £200 push it too far? Spare parts/interchangability for the Outback's never been a problem btw, SCX10 axles (and compatibles) need only a little fannying about with links to fit. Mine has xtraspeed portals in

OK, that is just adorable, might have to put the body on mine

Or at least, more interesting Jeeps and Landies. There's a million Wranglers and XJs but not many CJs, loads of D90s but where are all the Series 2s?

Yeah I actually got one in the sale, now I'm addicted so I want one for the other truck YGM Shortie

Just about to order one from aliexpress but if anyone's got a spare they want rid of it'd be nice to get it faster Andrew

I'd say yes- but don't buy "RC wheel weights", they're just wheel balancing weights with a scene tax. it's one of those things you really want to fanny about with and try different things to see what suits your truck and where you drive I reckon, I have full wraps in mine which is about 75g a corner + steel wheels, and I think it was a bit too much weight for the Outback to deal with- I stripped the diffs super fast and had to replace with metal, and then I snapped off a stub axle while just ambling along. I think another part of it is that it just looks nicer when it moves- I really don't like the bouncy, too-fast look you get often with scalers, I want it to sink into holes and rebound slowly and stuff.

I had something similar but gave up the project as I had too much other stuff on. Pro tip- aftermarket nerf gun motors are available in 130 can, 3S lipo format and while they're way too hot for the application, it's a lot of fun. Power + no precision + no grip = glad your RC car cost £20

No worries, I thought it'd just be that- all the Outback/Barrages/Rock Cruisers are variants of the same thing so CML distribute the spares and hopups, it's really pretty good. Or if they don't have it, you can generally get it from Absima.de quickly since they also rebrand and sell the same truck. And they use industry standards and are pretty compatible with, frinstance, the xtraspeed axles I just wedged into mine. Regarding enthusiasts, the issue isn't what they know, it's that it's just very hard to remember how it looks from ground level. So yeah, you can judge how certain things are in detail like parts availability, but it's really easy to lose track of the barriers to entry and the stuff that gets people into a hobby or turns them away. And even when we support noobs- and RC seems fantastic for that, genuinely welcoming and enthusiastic- it's still mostly the people who've already made the first step that you meet, not the ones who look in Wonderland and go "That looks awesome but it's too expensive" For RC, I'm not there yet, but I'm used to the same thing from mountain biking, where enthusiasts will give beginners advice like "get 2 bikes" or "That £1000 bike is rubbish because its forks aren't as good as my £1000 Fox forks" or best of all "that's obsolete because it doesn't have 2019's new pointless standards on it" and it all basically says "Go away unless you're going to spend a fortune,"... rather than "Go and get that kick-ass £300 bike from Go Outdoors or Halfords and ride it everywhere". (one of the bike mags genuinely just ran a feature describing an £80 rainproof as "cheap enough to buy several of"!) Enthusiasts are supremely placed to judge what's good, what's bad and what's best but generally not so good at judging what's good enough. But really good entry level kit that doesn't cost a month's disposable income is one of the most valuable things for noobs. Whereas the price of a Losi large scale won't even be on a new person's radar. TL:DR it's all about perspective not knowledge, but the more into it we get the harder it is to see it from the other end.

Eh, there's no problems getting UK spares for these, why do you think that? I think we have a different definition of "accessible", when you name Axial and RC4WD, expensive enthusiast products that are pretty much the exact opposite. I own a Bomber too, but there's essentially no chance that I'd have got into the hobby by buying something like that. Enthusiasts are not good judges of accessibility.

I'm new to it and I reckon the good thing which has happened to the hobby, and is still happening, is accessibility. Like, I'm a crawler guy really. For £140 I got a RTR, totally competent rig, an RGT Rock Cruiser V2. A few years ago, what would an entry level rig cost, and how would it compare? More,and badly, is the answer. Stock it has some minor issues but iron those out and there's no part of the hobby that's not open to me except for really detailed scale. That, imo, is bloody awesome.

I got one of these a while back: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-2in1-852D-SMD-Hot-Air-Soldering-Rework-Station-DIY-Laptop-repair-Heat-Tape/192494773886?hash=item2cd195267e:g:Ht4AAOSwroZau6zZ Yep it's a bit more expensive than the Weller I used before but the hot air gun is just ridiculously useful, and the iron heats up in seconds and it's way more controllable. I've no problems soldering with basic tools but I wish I'd bought one years ago

Thanks! I used a Canon Ixus 285 digital camera on a wobbly aliexpress copy gorillapod I've done a fair amount of mountain bike filming but I'm going to have to learn some new tricks I think due to differences in speed and size, the long shots are a bit too slow but I do like how the closer shots came out with the truck moving right by the camera.

Always like your vids! TBH all it is, is the V1 is a total parts bin special while the V2 is mostly right for the job. So now it has axles and shock mounts that actually fit the truck (they're exactly the same width as the V1 was if you added the official extender kit, just without messing with the suspension), and a motor that's more suited to a crawler.. The 370 worked OK while it lasts but it's just too fast, even geared low it was seriously stressed out when crawling and burned up really fast. The 390 isn't just stronger, it's also lower turn, and geared higher, so it's much happier at low speed. It's just the motor plate that's different incidentally so a dead easy upgrade, costs about £4 for the plate. The stub axles aren't actually any stronger They still bend fairly easily, and break outright in normal use. But they're not terrible. The diff/locker/whatever you want to call it is still rubbish and strips out far too easily, but there's a metal upgrade part. It's all good stuff! Then there's the V2 Rock Cruiser as well- the ugly cab-forward one- which takes all this stuff and adds excellent upgraded tyres (Fastrax Swamper 118s) and nicer looking axles with scale-ier diffs, a separate RX and a Hobbywing 1040 ESC, and a 280mm wheelbase, basically it's an Outback V2.1. Love mine tbh.

First crack at RC filming, think it came out pretty well- this is one of my local spots, Bonaly just on the edge of Edinburgh, usually for me this is a mountain biking descent

OK a wee followup on the Fastraxes- I got a chance to compare close up with a load of different tyres at Scalefest, where there was an indoor crawler contest. Obviously that's a pretty unusual environment but these were ridiculously effective. 2 features completely defeated my Trepadors, which I thought would be the better tyre for this- not just more expensive but big contact patches for dry surfaces as opposed to the swampers. The Swampers just tromped on up the hardest stuff and basically made me look like I know what I'm doing, which I don't. One long steep ramp defeated a good third of all entrants outright- I found myself pushing a TRX4 up it Out in the world, I have less direct comparisons but they're still doing really well. The foams have softened a lot though, especially on the front, they're pretty much collapsing now and are going to need replaced. I'm going to sell the Trepadors and keep these cheapies