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limestang wrote:Terra Buggy - Looks amazing, but difficult to build and work on. Way too many screw types and sizes.
- Limestang

Very much this! ^

I bought an EXO Terra kit well over a year ago and it's still sitting in a box on the shelf unfinished. Looks cool but a huge pain in the ass to build. At least when Tamiya mixes machine screws and self-tapping screws, they do it for a logical reason; Axial uses machine screws and self-tapping screws interchangeably. Perfect example: The front plastic gearbox is held to the chassis with four machine screws, but the nearly identical rear is held on with four machine and four self-tapping. Why? Haven't a clue. That kind of thing is all over the EXO and it's dumb.

It'll be completed and on eBay someday once I finish all my RC10 projects.

So, my 4yr old still hasn't stopped talking about "his" Jeep (the one he doesn't have but is somehow certain he's getting it), so......I'm going to get it for him.

I'll build it for Christmas though and it will be from Santa. With that much time ahead of me, I'd like to plan out the build and get some hop-up parts before I start.

What would be the top 5 or so parts I should highly consider upgrading from the kit?

I saw LTO_Dave's Wraith build and that thing is awesome. Hope he chimes in.

Also, are the upgrade parts from Axial a good solution, or are the prices like buying bearings from Team Associated (horrendously over priced)?

This will be for the SCX10 Wrangler G6 Recon. -- http://www.axialracing.com/products/ax90034

I would just run it bone stock if it´s for trail.
Perhaps buy a set of big tires/wheels so it can double as "monstertruck"

I bought an RTR SCX10 Jeep Rubicon for me and my 4yo to play with, no problems so far. The nice thing is that for him, its nice and slow, and it goes over most obstacles pretty well. Also runs well on my lawn, which of course none of my buggies can do. I've done some crawling with it and been fairly impressed at what it can go up with a little finesse. If something breaks, I'll replace and or upgrade, just like I would with any other RC car

I have 5 scx10 trucks, They are the standard in the scale truck seen, i run from highly modified to stock. al cars have week points, but upgrade support is awesome for axial

LTO_Dave wrote: I waterproofed both of them and added a brushless setup in the JK.

They definitely have their weaknesses...like the steering links, shock hoops, 3-link suspension, leaky shocks, etc. But they can take a beating.

Back to this....

What is involved with fully waterproofing it? My understanding is that certain ESC / motor combos are advertised and waterproof. Are they? How do LiPo batteries and the connectors handle water? And the Servo, etc? Do the other metal parts rust like crazy, or is everything pretty much aluminum or stainless?

You also mentioned leaking shocks, but I've read a lot of people run without fluid at all....so does it matter?

Follow up --

Sorry, I didn't see your post before today.. That's a nice rig you have, I see that you have already bought some upgrades for it..

As you have probably worked out, the Axial SCX10 series are not race cars, they are scale 4x4's as the others have said..

I would say that it would be an ideal vehicle for a 4yo to learn to drive with, as they do a fast walking pace with a 45-55 turn and stock gearing..

As for waterproofing, the main concern is probably the steering servo as it is quite exposed sitting on the front axle.. I have seen people seal the cases with silicone sealant and/or PVC tape.. You can also seal the main output shaft with grease if required.. Alternatively you could just buy a waterproof servo.. Traxxas has a few waterproof servos that they put in some of their RTR vehicles, so that may be a cheap option..

If you have a small enough ESC and receiver, the kit radio box does a fair job of waterproofing the electronics from water splashes, but if you want to submerge the model, then some silicone sealant may be needed around the lid and cable entry/exit, and don't forget the 2 screw holes in the bottom of the box..

Thanks.

I used a Holmes Hobbies 35T TorqueMaster Expert motor and the pinion is only 13T so it's pretty slow which is perfect. It's not dreadfully slow though; The boys will have to run/walk to keep up with it.

That blue servo is a HiTec waterproof model so I'm hoping it will be sufficient.

Receiver and BEC fit into the electronics box so they're protected from the odd splash and I used marine grease in many places throughout the axles, hubs and in the transmission.

The Castle Sidewinder3 ESC is marketed as being waterproof.

It's not set up for submerging, but some splashes and snow should be okay.

Your going to love that set-up you have. Man did that cost you some coin too! These SCX's are great performers out of the box. By chance did you put weights in the tires before gluing them? They will help immensely with keeping the COG down.

This is my set-up, Honcho based...

SFC K wrote:Your going to love that set-up you have. Man did that cost you some coin too! These SCX's are great performers out of the box. By chance did you put weights in the tires before gluing them? They will help immensely with keeping the COG down.

I did actually put some strip weights in the fronts, but since then (even before my son has got it.....still before Christmas of course) I have ordered Axial 1.9 8-hole beadlocks, the weight rings for all four wheels and the maximum amount of additional weight inserts for the fronts. Now I need to bake the wheels to get the tires off. I also ordered the front and rear HD OD/UD gears.

AX8087 beadlock wheels

AX30547 wheel weight rings

AX30548 wheel weight inserts

AX30401 HD 36T/14T OD ring and pinion

AX30402 HD 43T/13T UD ring and pinion


Nice truck.