I am notorious for dragging my feet on things. This XR-10 build has been no different. It's not so much that I'm a procrastinator, it's just that new designs always have flaws and with the durability our bergs have given us, I had no desire to move to an XR-10.
Crawler Innovations became a dealer for Axial through one of our other distributors so I purchased an XR-10 kit back in June. I gave the kit to my 9 year old son Gavin about two weeks after school got out for the summer. I showed him all the parts I had slowly collected for the this truck and gave him the option to build it box stock and sell it as a roller for the store and I would pay him for his labor. Or... he could build the truck for himself and it would be his new comp truck assuming he liked it of course.
Well Gavin decided to keep it from the beginning. So he only assembled the axles from the kit. I had purchased a Y Town Crawlers, Carbon Fiber, V4 Beetle Juice from Jeremy back in April in Alabama at the East Coast Championship. So once Gavin assembled the axles, I began setting up the chassis and links.
At first I used the Crawler Innovations delrin lower links. I used black low clearance delrin links in the front and black REAR high clearance delrin links in the rear. It was set up in a 60/40 configuration. It was OK, but I did not like how my titanium upper links turned out looks wise. Being a newb with the XR-10, I also was unsure what direction to actually go with the truck. Do I use front axle cases for both the front and rear? Should I modify the rear lower links to mount to the rear shock mount? Is 60/40 best for this truck? Etc, etc, etc... I tend to over think things:roll:.
So... I scrapped the first set up and went for a K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) set up. I ordered titanium upper & lower links from Chaotic Crawlers along with there Ti steering link for VP Knuckles. I used 3.5 Traxxas shocks in the front and 4.0 Traxxas shocks in the rear. I also kept the axles and mounting positions as designed.
Slowly the truck came together, but it's taken three months to get it running. Mostly from me being busy running the business and partly from a lack of interest. With the historic heat wave Texas is having this summer, it's been to hot to work in the shop and too hot to go out and crawl. We have finally had some nice weather this last week. I took advantage of the Labor Day holiday and finished this truck. We have the ETXRCC season opener competition this Saturday and we will see how this trucks performs on the rocks in competition.
Specifications:
- Axial XR-10 Axles
Front axle Upgrades:
BWD HD Steering Servo Mount
BWD HD Steering Arm
Chaotic Crawlers Ti Steering Link
Crawler Innovations Engraved Servo Guard
RC4WD Hardened Steel Gear Set
Rowdy Racing Battery Tray
VP Aluminum C - Hubs in Black
VP Aluminum Steering Knuckles in Black
VP Aluminum Motor Plate in Black
VP Aluminum Transmission Case in Black
VP XR-10 Knuckle Weights
Rear upgrades:
BWD HD No Flex Rear Axle Brace
RC4WD Hardened Steel Gear Set
VP Aluminum Motor Plate in Black
VP Aluminum Transmission Case in Black
Shocks;
Front:
3.5 Traxxas Big Bore
3 Hole Piston
15 Weight Oil
JeepinDoug Mini T Spring Cups for 2.2
Mini T Soft front springs
Shock Cap Mod
Rear:
4.0 Traxxas Big Bore
2 Hole Piston
30 Weight Oil
JeepinDoug Mini T Spring Cups for 2.2
Mini T Firm front springs
Shock Cap Mod
Limited Externally 1/4" with fuel tubing
Chassis:
Y Town Crawlers, Carbon Fiber, V4 Beetle Juice
Skinz:
Custom Made by Freq-E-Tag Designs
Links:
Chaotic Crawler Titanium Link Set for the Y Town Crawlers, Carbon Fiber, V4 Beetle Juice
Electronics:
- Hitec 7955 Steering Servo; programmed and wired directly to the BEC running 7.4 Volts.
- 2 x Castle Creation Mamba Micro Pros; I disassembled these, removed the on/off switch at the board, removed all castle wiring, installed 18 Gauge wire, shortened the receiver leads at the circuit board, and programmed them.
- CC BEC; programmed to 7.4 volts with shortened leads and re-shrink wrapped
- wantamix V2.0; I got with Losikid (Austin) about two months ago to work with him on these. My original wantasummit mix was glitching and I was never happy with it on my berg. I was also not excited about the super long leads and added weight. He came up with a new firmware and a new design8). So we tested it and it was definitely an improvement over the original design. On this XR-10, the unit performs flawless."thumbsup" The unit on my berg is still having occasional issues, but I think I have narrowed it down to the DX3R. So the DX3R will be going in for repair soon.
Motors:
2 x Holmes Hobbies 35T Hand Wound
Batteries:
850mah Turnigy 3S Lipos
460 mah Turnigy 3S Lipos
We are still testing battery brands, C ratings, and mah size. So far these Turnigy batteries are doing great. The last few Hobby City batteries have failed prematurely and not held up under load.
Pictured Wheel, Tire & Foam Set up;
Front:
VP DH1 Bead Locks (1.25" width wheel)
Crawler Innovations Aluminum Weights
HB White Dot Sedona siped & grooved
Crawler Innovations Double Deuce Foams;
Firm Inner, 2.00 Width, Soft Outer
460 Hub
Rear:
VP SLW V4 Bead Locks (1" width wheel)
Crawler Innovations 1/4 wheel widener mounted on inside (brings the wheel to 1.25" width)
HB White Dot Sedona (no mods to tire)
Crawler Innovations Double Deuce Foams;
Firm Inner, 2.00 Width, Medium Outer
600 Hub
I am always humbled and amazed by the success Crawler Innovations had received. This little sticker reminds me of that and I am grateful for all the support and encouragment I have received from customers and RCC members. Thank you so much for making this possible. "thumbsup"
Ready To Run Weight - 6 Pounds exactly
Crawler Innovations became a dealer for Axial through one of our other distributors so I purchased an XR-10 kit back in June. I gave the kit to my 9 year old son Gavin about two weeks after school got out for the summer. I showed him all the parts I had slowly collected for the this truck and gave him the option to build it box stock and sell it as a roller for the store and I would pay him for his labor. Or... he could build the truck for himself and it would be his new comp truck assuming he liked it of course.
Well Gavin decided to keep it from the beginning. So he only assembled the axles from the kit. I had purchased a Y Town Crawlers, Carbon Fiber, V4 Beetle Juice from Jeremy back in April in Alabama at the East Coast Championship. So once Gavin assembled the axles, I began setting up the chassis and links.
At first I used the Crawler Innovations delrin lower links. I used black low clearance delrin links in the front and black REAR high clearance delrin links in the rear. It was set up in a 60/40 configuration. It was OK, but I did not like how my titanium upper links turned out looks wise. Being a newb with the XR-10, I also was unsure what direction to actually go with the truck. Do I use front axle cases for both the front and rear? Should I modify the rear lower links to mount to the rear shock mount? Is 60/40 best for this truck? Etc, etc, etc... I tend to over think things:roll:.
So... I scrapped the first set up and went for a K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) set up. I ordered titanium upper & lower links from Chaotic Crawlers along with there Ti steering link for VP Knuckles. I used 3.5 Traxxas shocks in the front and 4.0 Traxxas shocks in the rear. I also kept the axles and mounting positions as designed.
Slowly the truck came together, but it's taken three months to get it running. Mostly from me being busy running the business and partly from a lack of interest. With the historic heat wave Texas is having this summer, it's been to hot to work in the shop and too hot to go out and crawl. We have finally had some nice weather this last week. I took advantage of the Labor Day holiday and finished this truck. We have the ETXRCC season opener competition this Saturday and we will see how this trucks performs on the rocks in competition.
Specifications:
- Axial XR-10 Axles
Front axle Upgrades:
BWD HD Steering Servo Mount
BWD HD Steering Arm
Chaotic Crawlers Ti Steering Link
Crawler Innovations Engraved Servo Guard
RC4WD Hardened Steel Gear Set
Rowdy Racing Battery Tray
VP Aluminum C - Hubs in Black
VP Aluminum Steering Knuckles in Black
VP Aluminum Motor Plate in Black
VP Aluminum Transmission Case in Black
VP XR-10 Knuckle Weights
Rear upgrades:
BWD HD No Flex Rear Axle Brace
RC4WD Hardened Steel Gear Set
VP Aluminum Motor Plate in Black
VP Aluminum Transmission Case in Black
Shocks;
Front:
3.5 Traxxas Big Bore
3 Hole Piston
15 Weight Oil
JeepinDoug Mini T Spring Cups for 2.2
Mini T Soft front springs
Shock Cap Mod
Rear:
4.0 Traxxas Big Bore
2 Hole Piston
30 Weight Oil
JeepinDoug Mini T Spring Cups for 2.2
Mini T Firm front springs
Shock Cap Mod
Limited Externally 1/4" with fuel tubing
Chassis:
Y Town Crawlers, Carbon Fiber, V4 Beetle Juice
Skinz:
Custom Made by Freq-E-Tag Designs
Links:
Chaotic Crawler Titanium Link Set for the Y Town Crawlers, Carbon Fiber, V4 Beetle Juice
Electronics:
- Hitec 7955 Steering Servo; programmed and wired directly to the BEC running 7.4 Volts.
- 2 x Castle Creation Mamba Micro Pros; I disassembled these, removed the on/off switch at the board, removed all castle wiring, installed 18 Gauge wire, shortened the receiver leads at the circuit board, and programmed them.
- CC BEC; programmed to 7.4 volts with shortened leads and re-shrink wrapped
- wantamix V2.0; I got with Losikid (Austin) about two months ago to work with him on these. My original wantasummit mix was glitching and I was never happy with it on my berg. I was also not excited about the super long leads and added weight. He came up with a new firmware and a new design8). So we tested it and it was definitely an improvement over the original design. On this XR-10, the unit performs flawless."thumbsup" The unit on my berg is still having occasional issues, but I think I have narrowed it down to the DX3R. So the DX3R will be going in for repair soon.
Motors:
2 x Holmes Hobbies 35T Hand Wound
Batteries:
850mah Turnigy 3S Lipos
460 mah Turnigy 3S Lipos
We are still testing battery brands, C ratings, and mah size. So far these Turnigy batteries are doing great. The last few Hobby City batteries have failed prematurely and not held up under load.
Pictured Wheel, Tire & Foam Set up;
Front:
VP DH1 Bead Locks (1.25" width wheel)
Crawler Innovations Aluminum Weights
HB White Dot Sedona siped & grooved
Crawler Innovations Double Deuce Foams;
Firm Inner, 2.00 Width, Soft Outer
460 Hub
Rear:
VP SLW V4 Bead Locks (1" width wheel)
Crawler Innovations 1/4 wheel widener mounted on inside (brings the wheel to 1.25" width)
HB White Dot Sedona (no mods to tire)
Crawler Innovations Double Deuce Foams;
Firm Inner, 2.00 Width, Medium Outer
600 Hub
I am always humbled and amazed by the success Crawler Innovations had received. This little sticker reminds me of that and I am grateful for all the support and encouragment I have received from customers and RCC members. Thank you so much for making this possible. "thumbsup"
Ready To Run Weight - 6 Pounds exactly
