by sunny on April 29, 2010
Losi just announced the 1/10th-scale Bind-N-Drive Night Crawler, a transmitter-less version of a similar RTR from the company. It's pretty much the same vehicle as the original Night Crawler with the exception of the Spektrum DSM 2.4GHz Technology transmitter removed from the package.
What separates a regular rock crawler from a night crawler? I honestly didn't know. Turns out, they're specifically designed for scaling rocks in the dark, when you're not likely to see what's going on in the ground. To facilitate that, the Night Crawler BND sports a red-accented black body, red wheel rings and brilliant LED lights (both front and rear) to easily distinguish it on the course during after hours.
The Night Crawler BND comes with a 540-sized crawler-specific 55T motor and high-torque metal gear steering servo, a combination that should work well for scaling tricky obstacles in rocky terrain. Front and rear solid axle features a worm gear drive (for extra brakes when there's no power), with a smaller differential case for higher ground clearance. Other notable features include red anodized vertical chassis plates, 4-inch adjustable aluminum shocks, three-piece 2.2 beadlock chrome wheels, Losi Rock Claw tires, molded 4-link suspension setup and competition-legal Grappler Pro body.
Many crawlers in the market require a few modifications before being truly ready for the rocks. Losi claims that's as far from the case here. Armed with an electronics package with a LiPo-compatible, crawler-programmed ESC, all you need to do is bind it to a DSM-equipped transmitter and it's ready to run out of the box.
Pretty hot, right? The Losi 1/10 Bind-N-Drive Night Crawler is now available for $299.
[Losi]
Specifications:
Type:Rock Crawler
Scale:1/10 (2.2)
Length:17.5 in (444.5mm)
Width:9.875 in (250.8mm)
Wheelbase:12.3 in (312.4mm)
Weight:4.18 lb (1.9 kg)
by sunny on February 19, 2010
Axial's new kit based around the SCX10 brings a body that looks even tougher than its previous incarnations. Called the Axial SCX10 with Trail Honcho Body, it boasts gorgeous-looking scale, powerful performance and competition crawler capabilities.
Arguably bringing more intense looks than most truggies on the market, the 4x4 electric truggy sports an OD green painted polycarbonate body (.04 inch), complete with die-cut premium vinyl decals. The c-channel steel ladder frame, diamond plate bed insert, molded plastic rear cage, spare tire mount and LED headlight buckets do amazing things to complete its realistic 1/10th scale looks.
Based on a proven chassis, the new Trail Honcho SCX10 claims dependable operation, managing to handle all the demands of the off-road with its durable aluminum chassis (with cross braces for added rigidity and toughness). To ensure ruggedness, it comes with coilover shocks, rock sliders (literally glide over rocks for minimal damage), a tube-style front bumper, enclosed radio box and durable all hex socket hardware.
Power is fed by a pre-installed 27T motor with ESC, delivering enough punch to see this truck pull off heavy-duty performance both indoors and out. Axial notes that it can maintain a range of low-end speeds following quick acceleration, thanks to the 20T pinion paired with an 87T spur gear. The high-torque metal gear servos should allow you to hold your line steadily while climbing rocks too. Other features include beadlock wheels, Pro-Line Flat Iron tires, low CG transmission design and a bundled AM 2 channel radio.
I know a few people - with no intentions of buying a new truggy - who are now looking at the Axial SCX10 with Trail Honcho Body, about to change their minds. Seriously, it looks like one great truck at an even better price (MSRP on Axial's site is $275).
Specifications:
CHASSIS
Wheelbase: 313mm (12.3")
Width: 227mm (9")
Height: 150mm (5.9")
Ground Clearance: 68mm (2.7")
Weight: 1814g (4.0 lbs")
BODY
Length: 457mm (18")
Width without fender flares: 216mm (8.5")
Height: 137mm (5.4")
Radio: 2 channel
Servos: 1 hi-torque metal gear (standard size)
ESC: forward and reverse ESC
Motor: 540/550 size
by sunny on February 8, 2010
As one of the few competition-ready 1/10th scale RC crawlers on the market, the Venom Creeper is almost guaranteed to be noticed by fans of this class of vehicles. Boasting terrific climbing abilities, killer looks and easy-to-assemble parts, it's also one of that can appeal to even those still deciding on whether to try their hand at crawling.
Like most kits, you get a clear polycarbonate shell (rock buggy style) upon opening the Creeper's box, along with a nice decal sheet (which includes some metal flake stickers and Venom logos). The anodized parts come in either red or green (the box tells you which ones are inside), which should play a part into how you'll eventually style your own (that one in the picture looks badass, by the way, with its red parts and black shell). Both the thick threaded tires and true bead lock wheels are hella attractive too, apart from being particularly well-suited for the task.
The Creeper's nylon gear transmission case (via aluminum plates bolted to it) ties everything together, making for a thick, protective design that should keep your parts safe during trying runs. Plenty of aluminum parts here, so durability should be far from an issue.
Shocks integrate both external coil springs and internal anti-roll springs. The idea is to reduce the amount of body roll while maintaining maximum ride height, which did seem like the result. It wasn't as pronounced an improvement as I expected, though. Regardless, the shocks should be perfect as is - no need to fiddle with it.
Axles tend to take severe abuse during crawling and the ones here are built out of a combination of steel, aluminum and glass-filled nylon. Suffice to say, these things are strong. You can trust them not to give out for the most part, although I'd still recommend carrying spares just in case.
The kit doesn't include a battery and an engine, so you'll have to spend some time picking which ones to shell out for. Both electronics and drivetrain come with the set, though, so that's two less things to worry about (although you can replace them for even better performance).
Overall, the Venom Creeper is not only good-looking, it's a serious crawler that's ready to face the stiffest competition. Both experts and beginners are bound to get a lot out of this kit - we cannot recommend it enough.
Specifications:
- Length: 17.5" (445mm)
- Height: 8.25" (210mm)
- Width: 10.75" (267mm)
- Wheelbase: 12.5" (317.5mm)
- Tire Dims: 127 x 55 R2.2
- Weight: 5 lb (2.27 kg)
- Chassis: Aluminum Plates
- Drive Train: Shaft Drive
- Radio: Futaba 4PK
- Servos: Venom High Torque Metal Gear
- Batteries:Venom 7.2v 3000mAh NiMh
- Shock Type: Oil Filled Threaded Body
- Body: Clear Poly-Carbonate Body
- Ball Bearings: 30 Ball Bearings
Venom Official Site
by sunny on January 31, 2010
Small car, big obstacles. If the idea of crawling through harsh terrain with a diminutive model strikes your fancy, then Losi's 1/24-scale Micro Rock Crawler should be your off-road performer of choice. The smallest model ride of its kind, it's a veritable mini-monster that delivers big-time fun.
How small is this RC truck? Put it this way - Losi's roster of rock crawlers (including the 1/10th and 1/18th scale Comp and Mini-Rock) can easily run it over. Measuring less than six inches in length, the obstacle-clearing Micro leaves no hills unscaled in physical appeal. Despite the shrunk-down frame, it aptly captures the hard-to-conquer features of its larger-scale counterparts. With a fully-decorated and pre-painted tuber-style body, along with heavily-treaded tires, it's an authentic-looking off-roader that bravely conquers unpassable ground.
Losi's Micro Rock Crawler comes with a full set of similarly tiny fittings that should enable it to clear otherwise impossible terrains. Armed with a four-link suspension, worm gear drive, beadlock-style wheels and National Champion 2.2 Rock Claw tires, expect excellent balance, smooth control and unrelenting grip. While the micro-motor won't send your heart aflutter with insane speeds, it should handily deliver where it counts - providing brisk bursts of power to push through all manners of difficult surfaces.
The ready-to-run Micro Rock Crawler should prove, once and for all, that even off-road performers can come in small packages. Whether you're staying indoors or hitting the trail, this should make for plenty of obstacle-clearing entertainment.
Specifications
- Type: Rock Crawler RTR
- Scale: 1/24
- Length: 5.85 inches (148.6mm)
- Width: 3.5 inches (86.36mm)
- Wheelbase: 4 inches (101.6mm)
- Weight: 6.63 oz (188g)
- Chassis: Twin Verticle Plate (TVP)
- Suspension: 4-Link
- Tire Type: Micro Rock Claws
- Body Color: Blue or Black
- Radio: Losi Radio System with Spektrum 2.4GHz DSM Technology
- Batteries: 4.8V 150mAh 4-Cell NiMH
US $10.95
