2nd Truck Options: Element RC, Gen8 or Deadbolt and Why?

[Natedog]

I'd have to disagree with the Deadbolt needing many upgrades to compete, we run an SCX10ii Deadbolt basically stock with just a tyre change, even stock foams and it can hang with the best of them and does most stuff my built rig does, with some practice they are brilliant even right out the box.
Pete Gray also won Class 2 in the UK scale Nationals with a box stock Deadbolt.

My SCX10 Honcho out crawled many more expensive trucks, the newer SCX10ii is even better. Like any RC it greatly benefits from a few key upgrades. "thumbsup"

I have an Enduro and a Gen8. They're set up differently, but I like the Enduro better. The lack of portals doesn't seem to be an issue, and it does steep climbs better. I do like the Gen8 body though, but its size inhibits capabilities

Portals are fun, but they raise COG and don't necessarily crawl better, but they can allow laziness when picking lines. On steep climbs portals often lose out due to increased COG and the rearward weight transfer that they produce.

The new plastic links are much better than the old plastic links.... By a lot!

My rtr Honcho is still running them with zero issue.

Orrrrrr.....

Get a $200 Axial Raw Builders kit...

1080 and HH Tralimaster the radio might be a problem but rtr takeouts are cheap, I have given a few away. Servo Power HD 20 kg and your traxxas take off tires, and you got a great rig for a little more than a rtr.

;-)"thumbsup"

 

[Spacefeeak1974]

My SCX10 Honcho out crawled many more expensive trucks, the newer SCX10ii is even better. Like any RC it greatly benefits from a few key upgrades. "thumbsup"





Portals are fun, but they raise COG and don't necessarily crawl better, but they can allow laziness when picking lines. On steep climbs portals often lose out due to increased COG and the rearward weight transfer that they produce.





;-)"thumbsup"

I was thinking of the Ascender as well in the Bind and Drive as I could take the receiver out and get a non Spektrum if I wanted. Thoughts on that vs the Axial?

 

[Natedog]

I love my Ascenders, I’d do that over the others that have been mentioned, quality fit and finish is excellent! My first RTR Blazer is still my most capable Crawler. About only broken parts in years are couple front body Mount posts Radio swap is easy, use the receiver in something else or sell it to offset cost.


Vaterra Team Driver

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Portals are fun, but they raise COG and don't necessarily crawl better, but they can allow laziness when picking lines. On steep climbs portals often lose out due to increased COG and the rearward weight transfer that they produce.

Yep. Portals are such a give and take and some people fail to realize that. They offer improved ground clearance, but at the expense of a higher center of gravity.

If you need ground clearance portals come in handy, but they definitely hurt when side hilling.

Straight axles are great for center of gravity, but they lack the added ground clearance of the portals.


I used to be a diehard Ascender fan. Mine is still very capable with the extensive modifications, but I think we've evolved to where there's much better stuff out there out of the box.

Plus, Horizon gave up on the Ascender when they relegated it to a plasticy, RTR mess of a Suburban and it wasn't long after that I threw in the towel on the platform. Now that Horizon owns Axial, they have very little interest in the Ascender which is very sad, but true - no matter what they claim.

 

[Spacefeeak1974]

I just learned that the Axial 69 blazer body fits my TRX4 with almost zero mods. I think I’ll beauty up one of those and use magnets on the front and still use my lower CG stock body if I want to do a comp

Second rig probably go for something light like an SCX10 or Element with a Creep body

 

[ScottyPotty]

Element would be my choice. My duddy had one and loved it, quality crawler.

 

[Sherman]

I've been pretty impressed with my Element Sendero so far. I haven't even modified it much from the RTR kit other than some cosmetic changes and a new font bumper.

 

[Spacefeeak1974]

I've been pretty impressed with my Element Sendero so far. I haven't even modified it much from the RTR kit other than some cosmetic changes and a new font bumper.

Certainly seems like the best option given it has beadlocks, metal bodied shocks and a decent RTR drivetrain. I'm going to wait to see what Axial comes out with before making a decision, but i'd like an Element or SCX10 to have a lighter non portal rig with a super low CG to complement my TRX4. FOr the fun of it I may get the kit version because my 10, almost 11yr old wants to build one. I may just get the Trailwalker because I have 1.9's that I took off my TRX4 and never glued the tires as I used them on beadlocks. I put my take out foams from my BFG Krawlers in them and they are super soft on the Traxxas tires which might be the ticket on a lighter rig

Jon

 

[Natedog]

Pass on the Element, non rigid plastic unless you spend extra money to replace everything, squish clunky axle pumpkins, lore pinion inputs, very thin body that falls apart, only innovate thing is trans. Od/UD can be Drive in other trucks with diff gears or transfer case. Portals are cool, but they also don’t generally climb as well due to rear ward weight transfer and tons of brass is not a good answer. Buy SCX10ii then.

 

[Spacefeeak1974]

Pass on the Element, non rigid plastic unless you spend extra money to replace everything, squish clunky axle pumpkins, lore pinion inputs, very thin body that falls apart, only innovate thing is trans. Od/UD can be Drive in other trucks with diff gears or transfer case. Portals are cool, but they also don’t generally climb as well due to rear ward weight transfer and tons of brass is not a good answer. Buy SCX10ii then.

Axial cinches on the shocks though on most of their RTR's. The hard plastic front and rear chassis brace for the Element are under $7. Axial needs to get their new truck out now! I'm hoping its something interesting that is competitive on pricing (I have my doubts given that the UMG10 was the latest Kit and it was $299). They need to keep it at that point to stay competitive with Element and Traxxas. Even if it has portals it still needs to be under $300 for an unassembled kit

 

[Sherman]

Sure, the non-rigid plastic on Element is a bit flexy...but so far I haven't honestly ran into this being a major issue. You can firm some of this up with a bit of metal, a dremel, and some drill bits...but the upgrades aren't that expensive either. I just haven't been in a situation yet where I've been driving it and go "dang, look what that frame flex made happen..."

Also, I haven't been super tough on my truck's body, but I'm already 2 months into using it and it's still in good shape with no cracks. Just scratches here and there. First thing I did was firm up the bottom inside edges with duct tape before I took it outside. I also have both my mirrors! I keep them folded in most of the time except for if I'm taking pictures.

But when it comes to trucks, honestly each has their own pluses and minuses, and each one can mean something different to different people. So I can understand everyone having different opinions. Just have to figure out which one YOU want, or what is important to you that each truck offers or doesn't offer. Good luck deciding!

 

[Spacefeeak1974]

Sure, the non-rigid plastic on Element is a bit flexy...but so far I haven't honestly ran into this being a major issue. You can firm some of this up with a bit of metal, a dremel, and some drill bits...but the upgrades aren't that expensive either. I just haven't been in a situation yet where I've been driving it and go "dang, look what that frame flex made happen..."

Also, I haven't been super tough on my truck's body, but I'm already 2 months into using it and it's still in good shape with no cracks. Just scratches here and there. First thing I did was firm up the bottom inside edges with duct tape before I took it outside. I also have both my mirrors! I keep them folded in most of the time except for if I'm taking pictures.

But when it comes to trucks, honestly each has their own pluses and minuses, and each one can mean something different to different people. So I can understand everyone having different opinions. Just have to figure out which one YOU want, or what is important to you that each truck offers or doesn't offer. Good luck deciding!

Thanks-I really like where Element is heading. I know Axial is the juggernaut with the most upgrade potential backed by monster Horizon, but every one of their products i've looked at doesn't hold a candle to my TRX4 in terms of the way they are built and the electronics the RTR's come with. My guess is you'll start to see Spektrum STX3's and better stuff on newer releases which will be nice, but what they have now is behind the others. Plastics are still kinda cinchy. Even the Capra which is their newest seems scrawny in the axles. Element seems to be in the same wheelhouse from a durability standpoint as the TRX4

Jon

 

[Spacefeeak1974]

I'm thinking I may go Axial this time. I'd like to go to Axialfest this June and having an Axial rig seems to be required

Heres what im thinking. I'd like to build as a kit because I just like kits and my son has been wanting to build something again
Axial SCX10 2 Raw Builders Kit: $199.99
J Concepts Creep Body: $34.00
Gmade SR04 Steel Beadlocks in Matte Black: $40
Gmade RH Hub Centers in Red: $13
Powertrain: probably to keep the cost down im going to chance one of the Surpass 10T 550 80amp crawler combos. Heck for $38 not a lot of risk
Radio: Probably go with another FlySky GT3, but might opt for the C version with the lipo battery and to get the orange one so I can keep mine and this one apart
20KG Annimos Servo (carryover as I just replaced in in my TRX4 with a RAW 500) decent servo and for how light this is should be plenty of torque
2.65 Traxxas 1.9 Stock TRX4 Tires with Proline take out open cell foams (replaced my TRX4 tires with BFG Krawlers recently and took stock foams out and put in DS foams so I can use the soft foams too

Probably go light gray on the paint with a red stripe of sorts so along with the matte black wheels with red hubs it'll look like a crawling rat rod of sorts
Thoughts? I'm not a fan of the plastic bodied shocks Axial includes but if they start messing up I can replace them. I may wait a bit longer to see if Axial comes out with a portal truck, but I think that'll be more than $350 total. It would be neat to see how this performs with basically all budget items and using extra parts

Jon

 

[oldblue2010]

did you ever get this rig on the road? I also am an AXIAL fan - but that TRX4 Sport kit is tough to bypass