Just ordered up a crawler

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RLB454

Active Member
Messages
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Location
Grand Junction, Co
Arrma RC's
  1. Senton 6s
  2. Talion
Hey all!
The last few weeks I have been watching scale crawler vids, so started thinking I needed one. Did a lot of comparing of the top brands, hard decision! Since I have always been an Associated fan, I went with their new "Element RC" Enduro. Just ordered up the builders kit and a few of the hard plastic bits, and cant stop looking at the hop up parts that are coming out.

So here is a question for y'all, well a couple questions:
Motor/ ESC recomendations?

Savox 1210 steering servo? (I have one in my Talion and it is great)

Anyone use Samix parts? (shock towers are sweet!) https://www.rcsamix.com/index.php/forrccar/element/element.html

STRC is about to release some new bits, wait to see what they offer before spending my hard earned $$?

Kit is scheduled to be delivered next Tuesday, figure I'll spend the fall tinkering and building it. It will certainly be a different sort of driving than what I am used to lately with my Arrma's!
 
Hey all!
The last few weeks I have been watching scale crawler vids, so started thinking I needed one. Did a lot of comparing of the top brands, hard decision! Since I have always been an Associated fan, I went with their new "Element RC" Enduro. Just ordered up the builders kit and a few of the hard plastic bits, and cant stop looking at the hop up parts that are coming out.

So here is a question for y'all, well a couple questions:
Motor/ ESC recomendations?

Savox 1210 steering servo? (I have one in my Talion and it is great)

Anyone use Samix parts? (shock towers are sweet!) https://www.rcsamix.com/index.php/forrccar/element/element.html

STRC is about to release some new bits, wait to see what they offer before spending my hard earned $$?

Kit is scheduled to be delivered next Tuesday, figure I'll spend the fall tinkering and building it. It will certainly be a different sort of driving than what I am used to lately with my Arrma's!
Sweet, Sounds like a fun build for the upcoming cooler months! ?
 
Hey all!
The last few weeks I have been watching scale crawler vids, so started thinking I needed one. Did a lot of comparing of the top brands, hard decision! Since I have always been an Associated fan, I went with their new "Element RC" Enduro. Just ordered up the builders kit and a few of the hard plastic bits, and cant stop looking at the hop up parts that are coming out.

So here is a question for y'all, well a couple questions:
Motor/ ESC recomendations?

Savox 1210 steering servo? (I have one in my Talion and it is great)

Anyone use Samix parts? (shock towers are sweet!) https://www.rcsamix.com/index.php/forrccar/element/element.html

STRC is about to release some new bits, wait to see what they offer before spending my hard earned $$?

Kit is scheduled to be delivered next Tuesday, figure I'll spend the fall tinkering and building it. It will certainly be a different sort of driving than what I am used to lately with my Arrma's!

I just watched RC Review's "Best RC Crawler kit" YouTube video and was definitely building the Element RC Enduro in my shopping cart ?? Have fun with it ?
 
I've started running my Losi Rock Rey now that The weather is getting colder and the leaves are on the ground. It's not a true crawler but it goes over rocks pretty well and it will blast up a rocky slope. Lots of fun. Congrats on the new truck. One thing to note. Scale RC is expensive!
 
I guess to each his own, but I don’t get the scale part. I am more a function over form kind of guy, but that’s me. I do see a crawler in my future as well, but it will more likely be a bashing crawler if you will. Not worried as much about the bling. Battle scars are beauty to me.
 
I guess to each his own, but I don’t get the scale part. I am more a function over form kind of guy, but that’s me. I do see a crawler in my future as well, but it will more likely be a bashing crawler if you will. Not worried as much about the bling. Battle scars are beauty to me.

It's a HUGE part of the RC market. A lot of older guys are really into it. The amount of scale accessories out there is mind blowing and it's all expensive. I ripped a side view mirror off my Super Rock Rey. I've yet to replace it, lol ?

I saw a video where a guy put Swampers on his Rock Rey and unlocked the rear diff. I didn't like the look at all. Did it drive better? On the street and for running around on dirt, yes it did. But at that point why not just buy a 3s rig meant for that? A crawler is meant for crawling and a rock racer is meant for rock racing. Yes I will jump my Rock Reys but I want to keep the original scale look ?
 
I guess to each his own, but I don’t get the scale part. I am more a function over form kind of guy, but that’s me. I do see a crawler in my future as well, but it will more likely be a bashing crawler if you will. Not worried as much about the bling. Battle scars are beauty to me.
I have 3 crawlers, an SCX10.2, RR10 Bomber and Redcat Gen 8 and I drive mine like you would probably drive yours. We basically bash the hell out of them and do not try to keep them pretty. My bodies normally last about 3 months on my crawlers lol. I don't care at all about the whole "scale" thing and I don't get the fascination with it but if that's what someone likes, go for it. I like the performance and crawling aspect of it.
 
If you wanted a bullet proof crawler the TRX4 sport can not be beat. But the Element is a very solid truck, I have two of them. Your best mods are going to be tires, get some Hyrax g8. They are very nice tires. I really like vanquish beadlocks, pricey but great wheels. 2nd best mod is wheel weights. Order some self stick wheel weights from amazon and link the inside of the wheel with them. The weight keeps you glued to the ground. 3rd, servo. I love reefs 444, so strong, so torquey. Holmes hobbies makes the best crawler motor in my opinion, go for a crawl master. esc go with hobbywing 1080 to go with your crawl master. great esc and can handle the reef 444 . don't go crazy and buy the biggest lipo ever. Get you like a 3s 2200. Have fun
 
If you wanted a bullet proof crawler the TRX4 sport can not be beat. But the Element is a very solid truck, I have two of them. Your best mods are going to be tires, get some Hyrax g8. They are very nice tires. I really like vanquish beadlocks, pricey but great wheels. 2nd best mod is wheel weights. Order some self stick wheel weights from amazon and link the inside of the wheel with them. The weight keeps you glued to the ground. 3rd, servo. I love reefs 444, so strong, so torquey. Holmes hobbies makes the best crawler motor in my opinion, go for a crawl master. esc go with hobbywing 1080 to go with your crawl master. great esc and can handle the reef 444 . don't go crazy and buy the biggest lipo ever. Get you like a 3s 2200. Have fun
I have the Hyrax G8 as well as the Hyrax Predators and I prefer the Predator tire compound as it's stickier. Also, I prefer to add weight to the axles as opposed to adding wheel weights. I know that adding more weight to the wheels is harder on the bearings as well as the rest of the drivetrain.

I do agree that Holmes makes the best crawler motors and the Hobbywing 1080 esc is a great esc that isn't too expensive. I was going to try the Reefs servo in my Bomber but decided to try Promodeler instead. I will still give Reefs a try when either my JX or my Bluebird servo goes out in one of my other rigs though.
 
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I add weight in tires and at the portal axles. Important to not add weight any higher. Never had a problem with bearings in any of my rigs but I also don’t tear my rides up by going through mud and water.

I went brushless with my first rig and did mamba x and a Holmes puller pro stubby. Was a nice rig but prefer brushed in crawlers.

Get the reef you won’t regret.
 
Thanks guys for the recommendations. Pardon my ignorance on motors, but why is a brushed motor better than brushless for crawlers? Seems brushless motors are all the rage now days for just about everything.

Comparing the Savox 1210 SG and the Reefs 444, looks like the Reefs is faster and a lot more torque. For only $10 more, I think the Reefs will be in this builds future.

The Hobbywing 1080 ESC price does look appealing, guess it depends on what motor I go with??

I am sooo tempted right now to just order up the Vanquish wheels https://www.vanquishproducts.com/method-1-9-race-wheel-101-grey-anodized-v2/

Looking like PL Hyrax tires are hard to beat.

I don't plan to go crazy with this build........ but I probably will :ROFLMAO: I used to race a lot back early '90, everything was brushed and you would be lucky to finish a 5 minute race before your custom battery pack ran out of juice. Got out of the hobby by mid 90's, and just got back into it beginning of this year and just amazed at the new tech. Trying to control myself this time, I think I am doing pretty good since I only have 2 Arrmas and 2 Losi's. I had my sights on an Infraction this fall, but the more I looked at and watched crawler vids....well, you get the point.
I like this guy, he isnt exactly a ball of fire, but good info. Brushed vs brushless: thoughts?
 
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I’m looking at crawling too. Got a couple scx24s for my gf and I to hold us over through winter. I think the scale stuff is awesome because you can go any direction you want, be more creative beyond making something faster/stronger and adds a bit more complexity and detail that some people need. I have to keep my mind busy at all times so having something that I can get that detailed with and not be held back by function over form adds a whole other world to rc.
 
Spent the last week looking at and ordering all the necessary bits to complete this new addition, a few unnecessary items, and maybe overkill on others. Decided to go with the Castle Creations Mamba X and 14 series Slate 2280kv combo for the power, Reefs 444 servo, Pit Bull "Raceline Combat" aluminum beadlocks, PL Hyrax G8 tires, AE's hard plastic shock towers and bumper mounts, ST Racing Concepts aluminum servo mount and rear chassis brace along with their brass hub hexes, Vanquish plastic Origin bumpers, brass pivot balls, and to top it off a Pro Line Raptor 12.3" wb body. Should be a very solid rig! I appreciate all the input on this (y) Also have hardened steel spur and pinion on the way, and steel spur hubs. 100% steel gears all the way through.
Had a full day with nothing to do yesterday, and in my impatience to wait for all the goodies to come in, I built the chassis. Only waiting on a couple items that will be easy to swap that are directly bolted to the chassis.

And for my next question.....
I've been wanting to get a single radio for all my rigs, what are y'all using? I used to race/run Airtronics back in the good ol days, so now looking at the Sanwa/Airtronics M12 or 12S, but don't need all the features of those, so maybe the MT44? don't plan on racing anything, just bashing and now crawling. Futaba 4PM? Spectrum DX5R? So many good options ?
 
Crawling is lots of fun!
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View attachment 52413
Well, she's done! Came out pretty durn sweet. Going camping in Moab this weekend so I will get to break her in proper. Of course I will snap a few pics crawling on the red rocks of Moab!
Here is one of her all nekkid and stuff :giggle:
View attachment 52414
What bumpers are those? I really like them with that body. I just took delivery of my new Element Enduro builders kit and I got that body and the bumpers from the Vanquish VS410 Pro but I like your bumpers better than the Vanquish ones.
 
I guess to each his own, but I don’t get the scale part. I am more a function over form kind of guy, but that’s me. I do see a crawler in my future as well, but it will more likely be a bashing crawler if you will. Not worried as much about the bling. Battle scars are beauty to me.

I agree. I tried crawling for a couple of months but just found it super boring. I'm not into the scale thing either, "doll houses for grown men" as my friend calls it. :unsure:
 
Crawlers are cool looking but just don't know if it's my cup of tea. Don't know anyone that owns them or where you would have to run them. I live in flatsville with no rocks or hills to climb. Doesn't mean that I won't ever own one though.
 
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