Axial SCX10 II

I had an Axial SCX10 Jeep that I spent way too much money on, but had a ton of fun upgrading, and then actually rock crawling with.  Most of the crawling I did was over the four or five days of Axial Fest each summer in Cisco Grove, CA.

I have since sold my SCX10 and am now contemplating a new one.

There are a TON of RC Crawlers out there now.  Plenty of companies have joined in the fun, from Team Associated, Losi, HPI , and Traxxas which are familiar companies to folks that race.  As well, there are more RC Crawler specific companies like Axial, Cross Rc, and RC4WD that gear almost all of their product towards RC crawling.

However, if you want to go to Axial Fest, you have to have an Axial vehicle.

As of right now, Axial Fest 2019 is on hold because the Cisco Grove RV Campground, the home of Axial Fest since its inception, is under construction for renovations until September of 2020.

As well, Axial Racing was purchased by Horizon Hobby in 2018.  It is unclear if Horizon will spend the money to promote the brand as much as Axial did on its own.

All of that aside, if I were to build a crawler most likely it'd be an Axial SCX10 II.

At first, I was dead set on the SCX10 II 2000 Jeep Cherokee Kit.  It comes very well equipped out of the box and has a unique transmission not found in their Ready To Run versions of the SCX10 II.  The RTR kits still have the old AX10 transmission which totally works and has tons of aftermarket support.  However, the kit version is a more in-line transmission that cleans up the drive axle angle and puts the weight of the transmission in a better position.

Axial recently released a complete kit transmission as its own part.  This opened the door to getting any SCX10 II kit.

Axial also recently released the Raw Builders Kit which sells for $200.  This is an awesome idea because it leaves out a body, wheels, tires, and all of the electronics.  Unfortunately, it also has the old AX10 transmission.  However, with the kit transmission available separately, this is a very attractive kit option to me. I already have a Proline 1966 Ford Bronco body with Ridgeline Trail Cage, Savox water proof servo, Sanwa MT-44 transmitter, Sanwa water proof receiver, Boom Racing wheels, and JConcept Rupture tires ready to be installed.  I just need a new electronic speed control and motor.

At the same time, for $300, I can get the SCX10 II version of my original Jeep in the Dead Bolt RTR kit.  It comes with a body, roll cage, lights, wheels, tires, electronic speed control, motor, servo, transmitter, and receiver.  The electronics are all standard RTR gear, nothing special.  At the same time, I ran all of 2016 Axial Fest with the RTR electronics and made it through with only a few minor problems.  The kit itself is not as well appointed as the Jeep Cherokee Kit nor the Raw Builders Kit, but I'm going to make upgrades and changes to whichever kit I get.  It's nice to have all the spare parts when you're out in the middle of the national forest and, quite possibly, miles from your campsite.

In any event, we'll see if I get an RC Crawler at all in 2019.  I have other plans and ideas that will require $$$!!

Until next time, keep it rubber side down!