Help this noob(ish) build an FPV crawl space crawler!

[KC10Chief]

Hello! My name is Matt and I'm new to RC crawlers but not new to RC. I've been flying RC planes, racing RC cars, flying drones, etc for over 20 years. I retired from the Air Force last year and started my own business as a home inspector here in Oklahoma. There's a lot of crawl spaces here. I don't mind getting in the but I run across some that I cannot get into due to the size of the opening or other factors that make it difficult or unsafe for me to get into.

I have been looking at crawlers and yesterday, bought an Axial Wraith that I plan to convert into an FPV crawl space crawler! I have a ton of RC cars. On and off road that I race. This is my first crawler. This thing is a ton of fun! I have already ordered some suspension link and steering upgrades for it. Aluminum links and steering rods and a high torque Savox servo. What are some other popular upgrades for this machine? I don't need it to be fast. It does seem like it could have a little more torque. Torque over speed is important to me. It should also be water resistant. I am putting a Futaba receiver in it so I can add a channel for the camera tilt. I will use the steering channel for the pan on the camera. I just need to take pictures. I have a lot of FPV experience so I have all of that stuff worked out as well. I'll be removing the body on this thing and 3D printing a platform for all of my camera and FPV gear. I just want to make sure that the crawler itself is nice and reliable so that it doesn't break down in a place that I can't retrieve it. Drive shafts? Axles? What should I be upgrading?

 

[durok]

A HobbyWing QuicRun 1080 waterproof ESC ($43) and a Holmes Hobbies Trailmaster 550 21t brushed motor ($20, waterproof by design) would be a great pairing.

Standard Axial universals are typically stout enough unless you go with a powerful and expensive brushless system.

If your Wraith came with dogbones, I'd switch to them.

LockedUp RC makes a nice rear axle upgrade that is inexpensive - their "OT Shaft - AR60" at $25...

https://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/loc0823-ar60.htm

You also can find the powerplant and speed control at the above website...

Perhaps Incision differential lockers to replace the stock Axials, as well.

For your described usage, these mods would likely be all you would need.

BTW - the ESC comes with it's own programming box, a nifty feature - very easy to use.

Was your Wraith an RTR? Or a kit?

That will determine the level of upgrading that might be required...

 

[Frank211]

A HobbyWing QuicRun 1080 waterproof ESC ($43) and a Holmes Hobbies Trailmaster 550 21t brushed motor ($20, waterproof by design) would be a great pairing.

Standard Axial universals are typically stout enough unless you go with a powerful and expensive brushless system.

If your Wraith came with dogbones, I'd switch to them.

LockedUp RC makes a nice rear axle upgrade that is inexpensive - their "OT Shaft - AR60" at $25...

https://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/loc0823-ar60.htm

You also can find the powerplant and speed control at the above website...

Perhaps Incision differential lockers to replace the stock Axials, as well.

For your described usage, these mods would likely be all you would need.

BTW - the ESC comes with it's own programming box, a nifty feature - very easy to use.

Was your Wraith an RTR? Or a kit?

That will determine the level of upgrading that might be required...

YEAH.... What he said ! LOL

 

[KC10Chief]

Thanks for the info! My Wraith is a RTR kit. Every other RC car I own came as a kit. I love putting them together. Doing maintenance on one of these things is no problem for me. I'll get busy researching some of these parts! I have noticed that the crawler seems a bit under powered at times. Especially if you're trying to start out in a turn.

 

[durok]

Thanks for the info! My Wraith is a RTR kit. Every other RC car I own came as a kit. I love putting them together. Doing maintenance on one of these things is no problem for me. I'll get busy researching some of these parts! I have noticed that the crawler seems a bit under powered at times. Especially if you're trying to start out in a turn.

Axial tends to give you certain upgrade parts when you buy the kit version.

RTR vehicles might benefit from things such as metal suspension links, universal front axles, and metal gears replacing the plastic ones.

Keeping the spur gear as plastic is usually fine, and some of these things aren't needed unless you either drive fast over rough terrain, upgrade your motor to make it noticeably more powerful, or add considerable weight.

 

[KC10Chief]

Axial tends to give you certain upgrade parts when you buy the kit version.

RTR vehicles might benefit from things such as metal suspension links, universal front axles, and metal gears replacing the plastic ones.

Keeping the spur gear as plastic is usually fine, and some of these things aren't needed unless you either drive fast over rough terrain, upgrade your motor to make it noticeably more powerful, or add considerable weight.

Gotcha. Thanks! I definitely don''t want to to be fast. About 2 mph is as fast as I need it to go. As it is right now, it's real easy to control the speed on it. Rough terrain for this thing will be loose soil, going over pipes, bricks, wrinkled and wadded up plastic sheeting, debris and anything else that might be in a crawl space. I just ordered everything mentioned above as well as some aluminum suspension and steering links. I'll be disassembling this thing this evening and checking out the plastic gears. I'll look into replacing them as well. Thanks!

 

[DukeMinnix]

I was all into your idea until you said you're going to remove the body and build a platform. thats all well and good, but the wraith is body on skid, it doesn't have your typical "body" like a lot of others. I'm wondering if you should have gone the scx10 platform route so you'd have an actual ladder type frame to build off of.

 

[durok]

KC10Chief -

When you say remove the body, do you mean the Lexan body parts or the tubing of the cage?

The tubing is (mostly) structurally required... Although if you're careful you can trim some of it away.

Which exact Wraith did you get?

This one:

This one:

Or this one:

 

[Jim85IROC]

Honestly, for your intended use, I don't think many upgrades are really necessary. You run into parts breakage with high power, or when you get the truck bound up and try to throttle your way out of it. Crawling around under houses isn't likely to get you into any of those scenarios that break parts. Not getting stuck is going to be your biggest worry, followed by parts failures.

In your situation, I'd focus on a couple areas. First would be to replace the worst parts of the RTR wraith: The sloppy plastic steering links, and the crap servo. This will help it steer better, which will help keep you from getting into places you don't want to be, and will be more reliable, so you won't be crawling after it.

Aside from that, I'd worry about keeping the electronics cool, especially if your platform & FPV gear ends up adding weight. Lastly, I'd install some sort of hook at the back of the truck that you can clip some sort of fishing line or spool of cord to so that in the event that you get stuck, you have a method of retrieval.

Lastly, I would suggest that you dedicate the vehicle to this one task. Taking the wraith crawling for fun is going to put wear and tear on the parts, and they will inevitably fail when it's 30' under a house, and not when it's out on the rocks. If this is going to truly be a work asset, keep it as one and buy yourself a different weekend toy, or buy a dedicated vehicle for work and keep the Wraith as a weekend toy. Don't try to do both with one truck. You'll end up regretting it.

 

[durok]

(snipped for clarity) I have already ordered some suspension link and steering upgrades for it. Aluminum links and steering rods and a high torque Savox servo. What are some other popular upgrades for this machine? I don't need it to be fast. It does seem like it could have a little more torque. Torque over speed is important to me. It should also be water resistant. I am putting a Futaba receiver in it so I can add a channel for the camera tilt. I will use the steering channel for the pan on the camera. I just need to take pictures. I have a lot of FPV experience so I have all of that stuff worked out as well. I'll be removing the body on this thing and 3D printing a platform for all of my camera and FPV gear. I just want to make sure that the crawler itself is nice and reliable so that it doesn't break down in a place that I can't retrieve it. Drive shafts? Axles? What should I be upgrading?

Honestly, for your intended use, I don't think many upgrades are really necessary. You run into parts breakage with high power, or when you get the truck bound up and try to throttle your way out of it. Crawling around under houses isn't likely to get you into any of those scenarios that break parts. Not getting stuck is going to be your biggest worry, followed by parts failures.

In your situation, I'd focus on a couple areas. First would be to replace the worst parts of the RTR wraith: The sloppy plastic steering links, and the crap servo. This will help it steer better, which will help keep you from getting into places you don't want to be, and will be more reliable, so you won't be crawling after it.

Aside from that, I'd worry about keeping the electronics cool, especially if your platform & FPV gear ends up adding weight. Lastly, I'd install some sort of hook at the back of the truck that you can clip some sort of fishing line or spool of cord to so that in the event that you get stuck, you have a method of retrieval.

Lastly, I would suggest that you dedicate the vehicle to this one task. Taking the wraith crawling for fun is going to put wear and tear on the parts, and they will inevitably fail when it's 30' under a house, and not when it's out on the rocks. If this is going to truly be a work asset, keep it as one and buy yourself a different weekend toy, or buy a dedicated vehicle for work and keep the Wraith as a weekend toy. Don't try to do both with one truck. You'll end up regretting it.

I think he's already got the steering taken care of... "thumbsup"

 

[Jim85IROC]

I think he's already got the steering taken care of... "thumbsup"

yes he does. I just wanted to present a coherent philosophy of what upgrades I'd do, rather than piece-meal something together based on what he's bought that applies to my suggestion and what he's bought that doesn't.