Help with getting started!

[tomabbott92]

Hi all
I've just got into the hobby and I'm looking for some tips on suppliers and so suggestions on modle and other basic stuff. all they general gadgets i will need and will have to purchase from over there or over here.
thanks
Tom

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Kinda Hard to understand what you are looking for.
But the single most popular Crawler setup is the Axial AX-10. It has amazing aftermarket support, and is the most capable crawler right out of the box.

 

[tomabbott92]

Kinda Hard to understand what you are looking for.
But the single most popular Crawler setup is the Axial AX-10. It has amazing aftermarket support, and is the most capable crawler right out of the box.

hi I'm looking for a project that is not hard to set up and info on where to get it from. I'm wanting to build an electric crawler that is capable of high performance.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Yea, the Axial AX-10 is a fun build, and is very capable with what is included with the kit. You will need to provide own electronics, (radio,reciever,ESC,motor,battery), and it is a very fun kit.

 

[tomabbott92]

what electroincs would you suggest. From my other rc helicopter hobby i know of the company spektrum but what is the best model for the job?

 

[CharliesTheMan]

The Axial ARTR is the best value that Axial has out right now, and you don't have to assemble the kit. It also has a lot of upgrades that really make it a bargain. I'll shoot you a PM with some more info.

The Novak rooster crawler system in a nice system on a budget, and the Novak goat is a nice system for beginners if you want a really powerful system. It's not weak because it's good for beginners, it's just that you get a fairly nice system that's quite powerful, all wrapped up in one box.

Browse through the rock crawling section and read through the threads. Many of the threads are question and answer threads from when I helped several people get started, so there's a lot of knowledge to be gained.

 

[slowngreen]

i noticed a deal on ebay for a ax-10 kit and they include everything else as well as a rooster system. just makes it easier to get alot all at once.

 

[cgflores]

Hi guys.Trying to decide which rock crawler rtr should I buy.Looking for a nice 1/10 scale nice one which I can use my 40 series proline beadlock rims with the moab xl narrow tires.Any suggestions please?thanks!

 

[CharliesTheMan]

I really don't suggest running 40 series tires on a 1/10 scale crawler like tha axial. You could either go with a super class rig like the G-Made stuff, or what I would highly reccomend, go with a 2.2 class rig, and run it on 2.2 tires. The 2.2 rigs are a lot more fun, especially for someone getting started. Also, there are A LOT more parts available for a person who doesn't want to have to do a lot of fabrication themselves, and there are many more wheel and tire choices for the 2.2 class.

Personally, I would reccomend getting the Axial ARTR. The axial is the best rig to get started with IMO because it's a capable crawler right out of the box. You can basically buy an axial, take it out of the box, and go crawl with the big boys. Now obviously it wont be as capable as guys who have spent years tweacking their rigs and customizing them to handle the way they want them too, but it will still handle itself well enough to run most comp courses out of the box, as long as you get the weight down low, like the battery. The best valuse by far is the Axial ARTR. It comes with really nice comp ready tires, memory foams, heavy duty lockers in the axles, bent links, and some other upgrades. Don't be scared by buying electronics. I will be able to tell you the best route to go no matter what you're budet is. We can get you a set of electronics from $60 and upwards. I might even have some stuff that I could sell you in a brother-n-law deal to help you get started, if not I can find it for you on the forums. Now if you really wanted to run 40s on an axial, you could, but I don't reccomend it at all. It's a big strain on the driveline, they're big, they don't handle nice and realistic like the 2.2 crawler tires, I could go on and on. I reccomend starting out with a 2.2 axial because it's not expensive at all, and once you get into crawling and start learning how to fabricate stuff and build stuff, then you can build a super class rig if you want.

 

[cgflores]

Actually,I got a lot of extra stuff from my nitro trucks and cars.Trying to use whichever I can if I'm going rock crawling which kinda fun..Are there kits that I can upgrade to 40 series wheels?maybe upgarde the hexes to 23mm?

 

[CharliesTheMan]

Yeah. If you have a mamba max or sidewinder ESC, they work great on the crawlers. Also the Tekin FXR and moped ESC's (they work ok at best). Those are the only ESC's that come to mind that will transfer from other aspects of RC. For the steering servo, anything over 130 oz/in of torque will work. I like 200 or better, but 135 will get you by. The Hitec 645MG is what I got started with, but I now run Towerpro MG995 servos in my backup rigs. I have a Hitec 7955 titanium gear (333 oz/in) in my comp rig, but the towerpro puts out 210 oz/in of torque, and they can be bought on ebay for around $12 shipped.

For a motor, you don't want to use anything from racing or bashing RC's. You need something like a 55 turn lathe motor. They can be bought new for around $25 for the cheap stuff, and for $45 you can buy a REALLY nice Holmes Hobbies handwound 540 crawler motor, anything from 35 turn to 65 turn. I run his 35 turn handwounds because I like REALLY powerful motors, and I also run his puller motors, which are the best motors you can buy for a crawler.

You can run larger hexes, but I reccomend getting started with the 2.2 and seeing how you like them. With the Axial ARTR, you'll have the really nice 2.2 tires to run if you don't like the 40s. I've run both ways, and I don't like 40s at all on the axial rigs. But some people do like them, most seem to try them for a little while and then go back to 2.2.

 

[cgflores]

Thanks for the info.helps a lot...whats the top speed for this rock crawlers go?

 

[CharliesTheMan]

Well we don't measure top speed, we measure torque and wheelspeed on the rocks. It all depends on what motor and what gearing, but it's about as fast as you can walk just before it turns into a jog I guess. You want to volt up and gear down with a crawler, and what you want is very smooth low speed throttle control, you want to be able to have enough control so that you can move the tires in 1/4 inch increments basically.

 

[cgflores]

Maybe I'm going to go for the axial ARTR...Is this a good rock crawler?How bout after market hop ups for this?

 

[Timmahh]

yes and many CGF. i just got into crawling and the ax 10 is an excellent unit to get going with, and as your skills/desire improves, so can the AX 10 with a Huge aftermarket for it. i think it has about as much aftermarket for it as the Baja 5B now does. which is a SHITLOAD of really great, and some not so great items.

 

[CharliesTheMan]

The axial is a WONDERFUL crawler. It's design is wonderful out of the box, it's super cheap, the upgrades are cheap, a lot of the best upgrades out there are free. I have four crawlers, and I could pick anything I wanted to crawl with. Even my full comp rig is based on axial axles and tranny. The ARTR is the best bargain that's out there as far as crawlers go, because it's already got most of the most important hop ups that you will need to get started.