RC Crawlers

[Cruisertrash]

Alright, looks like I got some homework to do checking into all this stuff.

@MonPetiteShoe definitely a lack of classic Cruiser bodies for RC crawlers, except the 40/45 seems to be gaining steam in the 1:16 & 1:18 sizes.

@DomOfTheDead @nakman whats the limiting factor in performance for the TrailFinder platform? Crappy leaf springs? Driveshafts? I’ll probably bring my own electronics to the party.

I’ll say I’m not afraid to go ham on the thing. My WPL chassis has ended up cut, glued, pieces removed, pieces added, different mounting bolts & studs added. I’m sure I’d have to do that to just about any RC truck to get things the way I want them.

 

[DomOfTheDead]

Alright, looks like I got some homework to do checking into all this stuff.

@MonPetiteShoe definitely a lack of classic Cruiser bodies for RC crawlers, except the 40/45 seems to be gaining steam in the 1:16 & 1:18 sizes.

@DomOfTheDead @nakman whats the limiting factor in performance for the TrailFinder platform? Crappy leaf springs? Driveshafts? I’ll probably bring my own electronics to the party.

I’ll say I’m not afraid to go ham on the thing. My WPL chassis has ended up cut, glued, pieces removed, pieces added, different mounting bolts & studs added. I’m sure I’d have to do that to just about any RC truck to get things the way I want them.

The hard body trucks are cool looking but raise the COG a lot and are more vulnerable to damage if rolled. The leaf springs are just crappy, made cheaply and they do offer a 3 link conversion but it adds cost. The axles are metal but use a split case design that susceptible to water and debris getting inside.

 

[Cruisertrash]

The hard body trucks are cool looking but raise the COG a lot and are more vulnerable to damage if rolled. The leaf springs are just crappy, made cheaply and they do offer a 3 link conversion but it adds cost. The axles are metal but use a split case design that susceptible to water and debris getting inside.

The WPL has split axle housings and surprisingly I’ve never gotten a drop of water or dirt inside. I was surprised. I have ideas for using 4” long Tomica leaf springs and modifying the frame rails to accept them. Again, it would be a DIY oriented thing.

But I hear you on going another route too. Just need to ponder it for a week as usual.

 

[MonPetiteShoe]

There's a company called MFab who make 3D printed kits with SLA. They've got an FJ60 and an FJ55. There's significantly more DIY, and they run to the tune of $225-$300. There are a lot of versions mounted to 1/10 scale Traxxas RCs.
If you're going to be at the Jack-it-night meeting, I can bring the Redcat and you can whip it around. Ain't no thang.

 

[Cruisertrash]

There's a company called MFab who make 3D printed kits with SLA. They've got an FJ60 and an FJ55. There's significantly more DIY, and they run to the tune of $225-$300. There are a lot of versions mounted to 1/10 scale Traxxas RCs.
If you're going to be at the Jack-it-night meeting, I can bring the Redcat and you can whip it around. Ain't no thang.

I’ve eyeballed the MFab stuff. Once you add the cost of the platform and the body, plus electronics, that gets expensive though. I’d love to test your mini whip at jack it! I’ll bring my little WPL if you want to try out the mini platform. As long as the obstacles are scaled appropriately it does really well.

 

[dan1554]

Hopefully not a repost, but this looks nice (pricey though). https://rcworld.us/rc-1-10-scale-chassis-for-lc80-kit/

 

[MonPetiteShoe]

Hopefully not a repost, but this looks nice (pricey though). https://rcworld.us/rc-1-10-scale-chassis-for-lc80-kit/

Finally! An 80 without rusted rocker panels!
That looks pretty sweet. Just need to get it in Moonglow, and I've got a sweet Mini-me.
I'm always impressed by the level of detail they put into those RCs. That's basically a replica chassis. Nuts.

 

[Cruisertrash]

I think I finally found a guy who can design and 3D print FJ60 bodies for the 1:14 scale WPL C-24 (80s Toyota pickup) chassis. I brought up a group buy and he's into the idea. I think with the FJ60 body on that chassis it may end being more like 1:16 fwiw. Bigger than the 1:24 scale toys, and not as cumbersome to transport as the 1:8 & 1:10 scale monsters.

So ... would anybody have interest in getting in on that?

As a reminder the C-24 is about $75 ready to run: assembled truck, transmitter, electronics, batteries. And it does alright out of the box. There's also a kit version that you build yourself with a few upgraded parts for about $130, including electronics and batteries. Outside of that there's an aftermarket for upgrades and it's all cheap. $15 for a transfer case, for example. They're easy to build into very capable crawlers for about $200-300 total (not including a 3D printed body). For me it was a great way to get into the hobby without spending $1500 - which is the price I got quoted at a dedicated RC Crawler store as the bare minimum required to get anything "decent". The WPL is also really portable and easy to stash away in a box when you're going camping.

If you're interested let me know below!

 

[timmbuck2]

I would be interested... Always wanted to get into this

 

[Corbet]

 

[Yarn Cruiser]

@Corbet the real trick is just getting your wife into the hobby. My class 2, 46' power wagon, competition rig. It's been a couple years since @DomOfTheDead and I have competed, I think that might change this year. Maybe we will set up a rising sun competition. This lady always earned me compliments when we showed up. Until we got out on the course. I play to win.
Dom did a very good job of building her up and painting her for me.

 

[VoodooBlue_Vixen]

Anyone interested in setting up an RC course at the ColoYota Expo?

 

[DomOfTheDead]

Anyone interested in setting up an RC course at the ColoYota Expo?

That would be a fun idea. Stay The Trail has a good portable 1/ 24 scale course that has the whole needed set up for an event like that, including multiple RC trucks, batteries and chargers. They might be a good option if they will.be there as a vendor already. Another option could be reaching out to the guy the runs The Crawlspace and see of he would like to set up a course and/or be a vendor

The Crawl Space · 4920 N Iris St, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

★★★★★ · Hobby store

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[VoodooBlue_Vixen]

That would be a fun idea. Stay The Trail has a good portable 1/ 24 scale course that has the whole needed set up for an event like that, including multiple RC trucks, batteries and chargers. They might be a good option if they will.be there as a vendor already. Another option could be reaching out to the guy the runs The Crawlspace and see of he would like to set up a course and/or be a vendor

The Crawl Space · 4920 N Iris St, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

★★★★★ · Hobby store

maps.app.goo.gl

Stay the Trail has been invited as a non profit. They attended last year.

The Crawl Space is on my list, but I don't know the owner. Do you know his name?!

 

[DomOfTheDead]

Stay the Trail has been invited as a non profit. They attended last year.

The Crawl Space is on my list, but I don't know the owner. Do you know his name?!

Jon, I think. Not sure. Changed ownership a year or two ago and I haven't had much contact with the new owner.

 

[DomOfTheDead]

just saw some teasers for this, where are my GX peeps at?

1/24 SCX24 Lexus GX 470 4X4 Rock Crawler RTR, White | Axial Adventure

Axial Adventure

www.axialadventure.com

 

[Cruisertrash]

@DomOfTheDead I’m never getting a reasonably price 60 Series mini crawler

 

[Cruisertrash]

@DomOfTheDead I’m never getting a reasonably price 60 Series mini crawler

I actually just emailed WPL, the Chinese company that made my little 1:16 crawler. They have a lot of English-language forward-facing stuff on their website and social media so they seem approachable. The have the Hilux, 40, 45 flatbed, 80, and now a Jimny. Seems like a 60 would be up their alley.

 

[DomOfTheDead]

I found a discontinued 1/10 60 lexan body

Team C 1/10 Toyota Landcruiser FJ60 Crawler Body, 313mm

Team C is one of leading EP Off Road car manufacturer, they design and produce 1/10 and 1/8 off road buggy in China. Team C offers a great line of products, from beginner ready-to–run models up to high end competition cars. An attractive and full rc-car range, all of which offers fantastic value...

www.asiatees.com

and a bunch of die cast 60 stuff but that would be an expensive frankenstein experiment to try out. Prob end up way too top heavy for usage

 

[Cruisertrash]

I found a discontinued 1/10 60 lexan body

Team C 1/10 Toyota Landcruiser FJ60 Crawler Body, 313mm

Team C is one of leading EP Off Road car manufacturer, they design and produce 1/10 and 1/8 off road buggy in China. Team C offers a great line of products, from beginner ready-to–run models up to high end competition cars. An attractive and full rc-car range, all of which offers fantastic value...

www.asiatees.com

and a bunch of die cast 60 stuff but that would be an expensive frankenstein experiment to try out. Prob end up way too top heavy for usage

I've seen the lexan stuff, but I'm after more of a "scale" build. I also saw the expensive die cast trucks that are made in Japan. I've scratched my head for a year on weather or not I could frankenstein something together with one of those and I come to the same conclusion - it would be incredibly top heavy. That then leads me to trying to figure out a franskensteined suspension system to hold the dang thing up, and ... well, now we're very far off the path.

Probably the nicest 60 body is from MFab (aka Manitou Liu on IG), one dude in western China 3D printing stuff. Really nice stuff. He does whole chassis' and suspension systems that have a really great flex/weight ratio and look very realistic. Big bucks though. I want one of the cheap RTR or basic kit vehicles from Banggood or Alibaba: affordbale, somewhat scale looking, upgradable on the cheap, decent performance, and a huge Fun/Dollars ratio.

This guy has done a number of MFab builds, crazy detailed stuff. I would want something a little more in the crawler direction - a balance between scale perfection and actual use on obstacles. Something I'm not afraid to hurt. Hence not wanting to spend $1000.