CONTENTS Volume 36 Number 7 July 2021
FEATURED VEHICLES
DEPARTMENTS
32 › Stingray
06 › Starting Line
Blasting Off In The All-New Traxxas 4-Tec 3.0
46 › Quattro Bomb Tamiya’s 1991 Audi V8 DTM Racer
56 › Special Project: Rock It Don’t Stop It ChuckworksRC SCT3 X Pro-Line Racing Mid-Motor Slash
74 › Hammer Down
10 › Gearbox 14 › Reader’s Rides 26 › TDC 30 › Pit Tips 82 › Tailpipe
Kickin’ Up Dirt With The Losi Lasernut U4 2.2
FEATURES 42 › Going for Broke!
Racing The 2021 Xact 10K Challenge For $10,000 In Payout Cash!
54 › The Treal Deal Treal Has Its Eyes On Upgrading Your RC Truck
66 › Solid vs Portal Debating The Merits Of Axial’s SCX10 III Solid Axle Conversion Kit
TEST BENCH 70 › Spektrum DX5 Rugged 5-Channel DSMR Transmitter with SR515 Receiver 72 › PROTOform Body Grip Tool for RC Body Painting
ON THE COVER + LEFT: Traxxas 4-Tec 3.0 Corvette Stingray
RADIO CONTROL CAR ACTION (USPS 001-087; ISSN 0886-1609) is published monthly by Air Age, Inc., 11 Grumman Hill, Suite 5, Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Copyright 2021, all rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Wilton, CT, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008153. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Go to our website RCCarAction.com. U.S. $34.95 (1 yr.); Canada $55.95 including GST (1 yr.); elsewhere $64.95 (1 yr.). All international orders must be prepaid in U.S. funds; Visa, MC, Discover, and AmEx accepted. RC CAR ACTION DIGITAL EDITION: 1 year $34.95 in U.S., Canada, and International. To subscribe, go to RCCarAction.com/de. EDITORIAL: Send correspondence to Editors, Radio Control Car Action, 11 Grumman Hill, Suite 5, Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Email: RCCA@airage.com. We welcome all editorial submissions but assume no responsibility for loss/damage of unsolicited material. To authors, photographers, and people featured in this magazine: all materials published in Radio Control Car Action become the exclusive property of Air Age, Inc. unless prior arrangement is made in writing with the Publisher. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: To make sure you don’t miss any issues, send your new address to Radio Control Car Action, P.O. Box 7337, Wilton, CT 06897 USA, six weeks before you move. Please include the address label from a recent issue, or print the information exactly as shown on the label. For faster service, email service@ airage.com. POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 to Radio Control Car Action, P.O. Box 7337, Wilton, CT 06897 USA.
Starting Line We’re excited whenever a new RC vehicle is released. Sometimes new releases are existing chassis with new bodies mounted on them. Other times, it’s an older model that gets a few upgrades or a refreshed look. We love these new releases nonetheless. It’s an entirely different level of excitement when an all-new from the ground up RC kit is dropped. This is the case with our cover car, the all-new Traxxas Corvette Stingray. The latest Traxxas release is a completely new take on their on road platforms. This latest chassis, the 4-Tec 3.0, is longer and wider than any that have come before it. It features new innovations and unrivaled scale details right out of the box. Check it out in all its glory it in the article, Stingray. Join us as we examine Tamiya’s celebration of DTM done the Audi way. We examine their 1991 Audi V8 Touring, which is a replica of the racecar that was campaigned in the famed DTM racing series in the 90s. It’s not all on road in this issue however. We take a deep look at a short course basher that’s turned a Slash 2WD into a mid-motor contender. Thanks to a complete overhaul using ChuckworksRC and Pro-Line Racing components. You won’t want to miss it.
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You’ll also experience the raw power and capability of the Losi Lasernut U4 2.2. It may inspire you to create your own scaled-down King of the Hammers racecourse. Later on in the issue, Axial staff debates the merits of ditching portals for a straight axle conversion and attend the incredible 2021 Xact 10k Challenge where competitors went head for $10k in cash. As always, we enjoy seeing what you are doing with your RC vehicles. If you have a build you’d like to share with fellow readers, consider submitting your ride to be included into out Reader’s Rides department. You can find the easy to submit form at RCCarAction.com. It’s never been easier to submit your ride.
Until next time, Jerry Tsai Editorial Director
est. 1985
EDITORIAL Editorial Director
Jerry Tsai Associate Editor
Matt Boyd | mattb@airage.com Features Editor
PUBLISHING Group Publishers
Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr. Yvonne M. DeFrancesco Associate Publisher
Leigh Guarnieri | leigh@airage.com | @lguarnieri
Lauren Short CONTRIBUTORS
James York Joel Navarro DESIGN/PRODUCTION Production Director
David Pandy Art Director
DIGITAL + PRINT CIRCULATION Circulation Managers
Charles Mast Natalie Prisco Dawn Page Circulation Assistant
Brandon Mast Newsstand Manager
Matt Kexel
Jeff Chen DIGITAL MEDIA Web Producer
Holly Hansen Online News Editor
Trevor “Chilly” Duncan ADVERTISING Strategic Account Manager
Leigh Guarnieri | leigh@airage.com | @lguarnieri
CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, submit a change of address, or for questions about your subscription, go to: rccaraction.com/quick-help/ You can also send an email to service@airage.com, or call +203-529-4638 8am to 6pm EST AIR AGE MEDIA EDITORIAL OFFICE 11 Grumman Hill, Suite 5, Wilton, CT 06897 USA Email rcca@airage.com REPRINTS AND LICENSING Wright’s Media airage@wrightsmedia.com (877) 652-5295.
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GEARBOX
GEARBOX New and noteworthy items 1. Pro-Line Racing 1.9" Single Stage Closed Cell Rock Crawling Foam Inserts Pro-Line’s inserts are made from lightweight and waterproof Blue Closed Cell Foam and they are perfectly sized for ProLine's 1.9" XL sized Rock Crawling Tires. These inserts are completely contoured to correctly match the shape of ProLine's tires for improved tire performance and appearance. P/N: 6173-00 MSRP: $19 pr. prolineracing.com
3. Protoform VTA Front Tires Mounted (26mm) 3. Spektrum SR515 DSMR 5-Channel Sport Receiver Built around frequency-agile DSMR technology, the compact five channel SR515 receiver delivers superb range and response, especially in noisy RF environments where a solid 2.4GHz link is crucial. Not only is the 2.4ghz link solid, this model also implements our lightning fast 5.5ms frame rate, providing a quicker, low-latency connection for the pro-level enthusiast. P/N: SPMSR515 MSRP: $60
This pair of VTA tires is fully approved for U.S. Vintage Trans-Am Racing and is fully capable on any surface: carpet, prepared asphalt or parking lots. Utilizing a super long-lasting compound and molding technology perfected by Pro-Line Racing, these VTA spec tires are 100% Made in the USA. P/N: 10140-17 MSRP: $31 pr. racepf.com
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READERS RIDES
READERS’ RIDES A NEW WAY TO SUBMIT YOUR RIDE! We now have an easy new way to submit your Readers Rides to RC Car Action online. Just go to Rccaraction.com/readers-ride-entry-form/ to fill in your vehicle’s info and upload your pix directly to us! As a bonus, it will generate a shareable link that you can send to your friends or share on social media to show off your ride to everyone!
GUITAR HERO TRIBUTE STRIKES A CHORD JOHN JAMES « MENIFEE, CA John tells us he checks OfferUp pretty regularly for vintage RC stuff as well as parts for abandoned projects that are being sold off. That’s how he came across the custom metal tube chassis that served as the basis for this buggy he calls “Sand Halen.” Anyone who was around in the 1980s will recognize the distinctive red, white, and black striped color scheme of the late, great Eddie Van Halen’s signature “Frankenstrat" guitar. John picked up the unpainted chassis and cage from the previous owner who had given up on it due to misaligned geometry, and it sat on his bench a couple of months awaiting inspiration. When Eddie Van Halen passed away in October John tells us it hit him like a punch in the gut, and he immediately thought to turn the buggy into a rolling tribute to the guitar god. The frame was nominally based on a 2WD Slash but the measurements were off and the whole frame was tweaked, but the welds were good so John figured it was strong enough that he could heat it up and straighten it out. With that sorted, he set about painting it in authentic fashion using masking tape and rattle cans, just like Eddie did with the original Frankie! The Krylon Banner Red John chose is a pretty close match to the Schwinn Bicycle Red on the guitar. John uses mostly Traxxas parts for running gear and electronics and he finished off the look with a scale race seat and harness and trimmed the interior with black felt. Naturally, Eddie, Alex, Michael, and Diamond Dave were cranking on the stereo during the entire build. The only question we have left is: Can it jump?
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RIDE
M OF THE
ONTH
BUILD HIGHLIGHTS - Chassis: Custom Tube Frame (2WD Slash-compatible) - Body: Custom Aluminum Panels - Electric Motor: Globact 550 12T Brushed - Speed: Traxxas XL-5 - Battery: Traxxas 7600 2S Lipo - Wheels: BAAD Racing Aluminum 2.2-3.0 (39.4 mm width 21.4 mm offset) - Tires: Pro-line Mohawk 2.2-3.0 front; Dumont 2.2-3.0 rear - Shocks: Proline Powerstroke front and rear (Team Losi 50-weight oil) - Axles: Traxxas 3637 (front); Integy HD Steel drive shaft with polished sleeves (rear). - Paint: Custom scheme inspired by Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat Guitar using Krylon ColorMAXX Banner Red with Krylon Fusion Flat Black and Flat White accents (with Clear Gloss) - Radio System: Traxxas TQ 2.4 GHz - Scale Accessories: RC World racing seat, 4-point harness, window nets, and fire extinguisher - Other Options: • Traxxas caster blocks, steering blocks, turnbuckles, stub axles, steering bellcrank, and bulkhead • Integy heatsink, fan, receiver box cover, and front & rear suspension arms • Hot Racing polished gear cover
SPONSORED BY The special “P-L” logo marks the Readers’ Ride of the Month. If you see it on your vehicle, you win a Pro-Line prize pack that includes a T-shirt, cap, and Pro-Line body.
WIN A PRO-LINE PRIZE PACK!
RIDE
M OF THE
ONTH
To submit your vehicle, email your high-resolution JPEG images and a description to readersrides@airage.com. Readers’ Rides is also on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/ rccaraction and post your ride; we’ll message you if we want to feature it here in the mag.
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READERS RIDES
THIS MAIL JEEP DELIVERS WES BRAZWELL « MACUNGIE, PA While hanging out at the Recon G6 event at Blue Rocks, Wes and his friend Desmond Mooney came up with the concept for this build. Desmond wanted a replica of the LS Mail Jeep—a rock-crushing machine built under a 1970s-era US Postal Service DJ5 Jeep. The massive wheels and tires are nowhere near tucking under the body, but the look just works so Wes got to work. While waiting for the VS410 Origin chassis to arrive he did plenty of planning and research on the history of the Jeep line and how they were modified to accommodate the needs of the USPS. He found that the main difference was an extended grille section which allowed a larger engine without requiring a major retooling of the body. He also reached out to Tim Jackson (builder of 1:1 LS Mail Jeep) on social media, and he was gracious enough to answer questions and even send Wes some pictures and graphics files for me to use. Wes used a blend of traditional scratch building, vacuum forming, and 3D printing to recreate the body. Many of the panels were vacuum formed from styrene using wooden bucks and then glued together on simple styrene structures to enhance durability. With a little Fusion 360 design help from Josh Thiede of Harley Designs, Wes also created a mold to allow him to form aluminum into a louvered panel for the hood. He had Adam and Aiden Hoelper at Pocono Scale 3D-print it for him.
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BUILD HIGHLIGHTS - Chassis: VS410 Origin - Body: Custom Replica LS Mail Jeep - Motor: Castle Creations Slate - Speed Control: Castle Creations Mamba X ESC - Radio System: Flysky - Wheels and Tires: Pro-Line Racing BF Goodrich Krawler T/A KX tires on Locked UP RC Wheels - Scale Accessories: 3Racing Winch SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: Wesmade_Builds YouTube: Wesmade Builds
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READERS RIDES
HIGH-DETAIL LOWBOY DAN BOYLE « PALM DESERT, CA Dan started his ‘32 Ford Roadster build with a 1/8-scale body from a Vintage Monogram kit, and mounted it to the trusty Axial SCX10 steel frame. He turned to RC4WD for the aluminum V8 motor and a single-speed aluminum transmission. He dressed up the V8 with proper hotrod eye candy in the form of fuel injection stacks from a Muscle Machines diecast car. Hidden inside the RC4WD V8 is a brushless motor to power the car. He also installed a second tiny electric motor under the V8 to power the front pulleys and fan. The wild headers are crafted from heavy-gauge copper wire. For the interior, he covered the floor and door panels with sheets of aluminum which he resurfaced with a brushed aluminum look using a Dremel with a small wire brush. The dash also is aluminum and even has a cup holder crafted from small copper wire with a scale Coke can in it. The steering wheel, grab bar, and roll bar are wrapped with twine—a trick some old-school hotrods used to use— along with rope pulls for the doors. He cut down the windshield and roof to give it the chopped look, matching the low stance of the channeled body. The seats are from an old bomber (3D-printed) and he covered them in some old fabric and installed seat belts. The wheels are wide 2.2 rims, but Dan cut out the centers and replaced them with some vintage-looking centers to give the car a period look. Dan’s Deuce has working headlights and taillights and a very real-sounding Sense Innovations ESS-One sound system for which he downloaded a realistic big V8 sound.
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BUILD HIGHLIGHTS - Chassis: Axial SCX10 - Body: Monogram 1/8-scale ’32 Ford Roadster plastic kit - Light kit: Custom LEDS - Sound System: Sense Innovations ESS-One - Scale Details: • RC4WD 1/10-scale V8 engine • RC4WD TCI HD R4 single-speed transmission • Enderle fuel injection stacks from a Muscle Machines diecast car • Copper wire headers • Twine-wrapped roll bar and steering wheel • Brushed aluminum interior panels • 3D-printed bomber seats SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: 32 Ford Roadster By Dan Boyle
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READERS RIDES
HERO HONCHO HILUX JOSEPH ROCHA « ADELANTO, CA This Toyota SR5 was Joseph’s first crawler. It started as an Axial Honcho and his original plan was to add Pro-Line’s 1985 Toyota Hilux body for it to be his main trail rig, but as he continued to add accessories to it and his buddy Chris at SNT GFX painted up the body Joseph decided it was far too nice to get torn up on the trails so he went full scale with the build instead, adding Pro-line’s interior set as well. Pro-Line also supplied the rolling stock—Class 1 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 1.9 tires—and a set of Pro-Spec scaler shocks. Axles are from Vanquish: black anodized Currie VS4-10 D44s. Power comes from a 3 Brothers RC Yellowjacket 2000kv motor backed by a Castle Creations Mamba X ESC. The look is finished off with an RC4WD 5-inch light bar, an eBay sourced LED kit, and various scale items from Scale By Chris, The Scale King, RC4WD, and Pro-Line Racing.
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BUILD HIGHLIGHTS - Chassis: Axial SXC10 Honcho - Body: Pro-Line Racing 1985 Toyota Hilux SR5 - Motor: 3 Brothers RC Yellowjacket 2000kv 14-pole non-sensored brushless motor. - Speed Control: Castle Creations Mamba X - Battery: HobbyStar 4200mAh 11.1V 3S 40C LiPo - Wheels and Tires: Pro-Line Racing Class 1 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 1.9" Tires - Shocks: Pro-Line Racing Pro-Spec Scaler Shocks (90mm-95mm) - Axles: Vanquish Products Currie VS4-10 D44 (Black Anodized) - Paint: Createx Colors Wicked Brown—painted by Chris of SNT GFX - Light System: RC4WD 5in Light Bar; eBay special 12-LED Light Kit - Radio System: Spektrum DX5 Rugged DSMR Orange - Scale Accessories: Scale by Chris, Pro-Line Racing, RC4WD, and The Scale King - Other Options: • Front and rear skid plates and rock sliders by ScalerFab
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READERS RIDES
RAM TRX4 SHANE MOORE « GRAVETTE, AR Shane loves his TRX4 Defender but it’s no secret that it has a fair amount of weight up high, and that was creating some issues for him out on the trail—especially after he added the Traxxas lift kit. After some internet research, he found out that Pro-Line's 2020 Dodge Ram Body would fit the TRX4 12.8 chassis. As a diehard Dodge fan, he decided to decided to give it a go. It took some body modifications to get the OTTSIX 2.2 USD Stickys not to rub, but eventually, it was mission accomplished. The Ram body and a set of Treal brass portals took care of the top-heavy issue he was having. Now he is hoping that once the 2021 Dodge Ram TRX hits the streets that Pro-Line will make a crawler body of it for the TRX4 12.8. Hey Pro-Line—if you’re reading this, Shane is definitely dropping the hint!
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BUILD HIGHLIGHTS - Chassis: TRX4 - Body: Pro-Line Racing 2020 Dodge Ram - Motor: Traxxas Titan 21T 550 - Speed Control: Traxxas XL-5 HV ESC - Battery: Traxxas 3S 5000mAh Lipo - Wheels and Tires: Traxxas 2.2 Method 105 Beadlocks with OTTSIX 2.2 USD Stickys (Green Compound) - Shocks: Traxxas GTS Aluminum 110mm - Axles: Stock Traxxas with Treal Brass portals and C-hubs - Paint: Tamiya PS-21 Park Green with Tamiya PS-5 Black and Tamiya PS-1 White Backing - Graphics: home-designed vinyl graphics - Light System: Traxxas TRX4 Sport front bumper light, Traxxas Rock light kit; RC4WD LED Bumper lights - Radio System: Traxxas TQi 2.4 GHz 5 channel - Scale Accessories: Warn Winch w/ Wireless Controller - Other Options: • 15mm brass hex hubs w/disc brakes, steel driveshafts, and brass portals (front and rear) from Treal • Long Arm Lift Kit, TRX4 Sport Mirrors, TRX4 Defender Fender Flares, and TRX4 Narrow Inner Fender Kit from Traxxas • Samix brass diff covers • RC4WD rear bumper • Traxxas Hi Torque 400 servo • Traxxas Link Wireless Module with temp and voltage sensors
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TRAck DAY CARRY
TDC
1. Tamiya TRF Trolley Pit Bag P/N: 42337 $229 tamiyausa.com 2. Tamiya RC Tool Set P/N: 74085 $37 tamiyausa.com 3. KO Propo EX-II Standard Edition kopropo.com
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1
Track Day Carry By Jerry Tsai
Moving your entire workbench from home out to the track, park, parking lot or wherever you’re running your RC vehicles can be a pain. That’s why portable pits are just a great resource to have. You can use them to organize your gear at home and just zip them
up and bring them to wherever you need to go. Here’s a set up centered on a Tamiya pit bag of an RCCA staffer. Let’s take a look at the bag and some of the essentials it holds in this edition of Track Day Carry.
4. SE Double-Ended Cleaning Brush $9.95 (Set of 10) amazon.com
3
2
5. Weller BL60MP Cordless Soldering Iron $60 homedepot.com 6. Tamiya Ratcheting Screwdriver Pro P/N: 74152 $44 tamiyausa.com 7. Tamiya TRF RC Parts Storage Case P/N: 42302 $16 tamiyausa.com 8. Pro-Line Racing Tire Glue $14 P/N: 6031-00 prolineracing.com
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9. Bag of Zip Ties
4
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TRACK DAY CARRY
Purpose Driven A Closer Look at the Tamiya TRF Trolley Pit Bag If you’re looking for a sturdy but lightweight pit bag that has wheels, look no further than Tamiya’s TRF Trolley Pit Bag. This convenient and mobile, easy to haul pit bag converts any place you go into a pit area ready to service your RC at. Easy rolling wheels on the rear of the bag allow for easy transporting if all your RC gear. It is constructed of water resistant material and features an adjustable tow handle. At the top of the bag, you’ll find a durable handle that comes with a comfortable grip for when you want to carry the bag instead of roll it. The interior features five cardboard inner boxes – one large enough to fit a touring car model as well as four small boxes that are great to store tools, battery packs, a charger, spare parts and more. The exterior includes pouches on the top and side for additional tool storage. A deep pocket on the
Source: Tamiya TRF Trolley Pit Bag P/N: 42337 $229 tamiyausa.com 28 RCCarAction.com
PIT TIPS
PIT
TIPS
By RCCA Staff
Share the wealth, submit your Pit Tips: pittips@airage.com
Wrap It Up
If you’re looking for a more custom feel for your transmitter, consider wrapping the radio’s grip with any number of grip wraps such as ones used on bicycles, tennis rackets and even baseball bats. They can add cushioned comfort, soak up sweat and are disposable and easily changed when worn or dirty.
Magnetize It Stop dropping your screws. Get a grip on your hardware by magnetizing your drivers with a magnet or a specialized magnetizer/demagnetizer tool. Simply rub the tip of your tool to magnetize it or in the case of the demagnetizer tool, you can also get rid of the magnetized effect when needed.
Remove It Stripping or even breaking the head off of a stubborn screw or bolt is the worst. It can be frustrating trying to drill it out and doing so may cause damage to the surrounding areas. Try using a dedicated screw extractor tool and power drill to help you to remove it with professional results. When used properly, extractor bits can easily remove damaged hardware from your RC ride. We keep a few different size extractor bits in our pitbox just in case.
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FEATURE VEHICLE
STING BLASTING OFF IN THE ALL-NEW TRAXXAS 4-TEC 3.0 Text by Jerry Tsai Images by Leigh Guarnieri
RC is a fantastic way to get to own and drive the cars of your dreams at a fraction of the cost, all without the bother of where to store your collection of rides too. In 1/10-scale, you can own just about any modern supercar or out of reach rare classic you can think of without having to be a multi-millionaire with a 30 car garage. What’s better, being a
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model of the RC variety, allows you to experience the thrill of driving them too. This is where Traxxas’ 4-Tec series of on road RC cars really shines. We’ve had our turn with the 4-Tec 2.0 in its many guises, from Ford GT to Cadillac CTS-V and everything in between. We’re willing to bet that
the brutal power that its brushless VXL system puts out would more than out power their life-size counterparts if the 4-Tec 2.0 VXL was up scaled to 1/1-size. But we’re getting sidetracked. We were excited to get our first spin in Traxxas’ latest on road creation, the 4-Tec 3.0. For its
RAY
AT A GLANCE TYPE On-Road SCALE 1/10 DRIVETRAIN 4WD POWER Electric BUILD RTR PRICE $350
debut, 4-Tec version 3.0 is being released as a detailed recreation of the latest Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 in 1/10-scale. As the latest high performance achievements for both companies, we think that the release of the 3.0 as a Stingray C8 is quite appropriate. This Traxxas ready to run (RTR) RC supercar embodies the all-new mid-engine Corvette in exacting scale detail on their new, larger 4-Tec 3.0 chassis. Let’s take a closer look.
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FEATURE VEHICLE
ALL-NEW The brand new Traxxas 4-Tec 3.0 looks to put supercar performance at your control with a newly designed longwheelbase, wide-track chassis design. Not only does the new 3.0 Stingray look to outperform on the pavement, but it is nearing die-cast levels of scale detail as well. Right out of the box, one can see that the stealth fighter-like faceted Corvette Stingray body and its massive side intakes have been duplicated down to the millimeter. The Stingray even shows off a realistic recreation of its 16-valve LT2 V8, visible just beneath the rear hatch “glass” window. The supercar is finished with authentic black-chrome wheels to fill its oversized fenders. Built not only to drive, this RC car is ready to display too.
The 4-Tec 3.0 is noticeably longer and wider than its 2.0 predecessor. The 3.0’s suspension utilizes oil-filled Ultra Shocks for use on a variety of paved surfaces. Notice the detailed brake discs and realistic tire tread. 34 RCCarAction.com
THE CHASSIS As mentioned earlier, the 4-Tec 3.0 chassis is entirely new and features a longer wheelbase and wider track developed specifically for the Corvette Stingray. In addition to ensuring accurate proportions, the designers at Traxxas point out that the longer, wider footprint of the 3.0 chassis improves stability and further refines handling. The results are enhanced steering precision and the simulated balanced feel of the real life ‘Vette’s mid-engine layout. We compared the 4-Tec 3.0 to our 2.0 and immediately saw the size difference. The 3.0 is much more substantial and it even caused us to look up if the 3.0 was indeed a
1/10 scale car. It’s greater length and width of the 3.0 should give it the edge in overall stability compared to the 2.0. The low center of gravity chassis positions weight down low for stable handing and superb balance. To avoid frontend scrapes, the front bumper is angled for snagless approaches. The chassis is made up of interlocking modular pieces, which allows for sectional maintenance with added rigidity. Suspension is adjustable for droop and features dual rear camber link mounts. The 3.0’s shock absorption and handing are handled by four oil-filled Ultra Shocks. A reliable high output Traxxas 2075 digital and waterprooof steering servo comes standard.
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FEATURE VEHICLE
CLIPLESS BODY Debuting on this chassis is a new clipless body retention system that Traxxas has developed. After all, nothing destroys the look of a detailed scale look than unsightly body clips. Right out of the box, we noticed that the Stingray’s hyper-detailed scale look was left clean, without unsightly body posts and clips. Instead of using old-fashioned body posts and clips, an integrated quick-release system seamlessly secures the body. The hidden mechanism delivers a secure hold, and releases in seconds to provide quick and easy chassis access. We must emphasize that we really like this method of body attachment. The feel is sold and getting the body on and off the chassis has never been this easy. Without the hassle of aligning posts with ugly holes in the body, the body simply drops onto the chassis and is snapped into place. Taking the body off only requires depressing tabs underneath the chassis. Ingenious.
POWER & GRIP A brushed Traxxas Titan 12T 550 motor powers this first edition of the Stingray, which includes an internal cooling fan for extended run times. The Titan 12T’s stock pinion gear allows an out of the box top speed of over 30 miles per hour. In case you want to change out its pinion gear to run customized gearing, a fixed gear motor plate makes setting gear mesh simple with 11 different gearing positions. We’re confident that we’ll see a brushless version of the Stingray sometime down the line and we can’t wait. The 3.0 features a full-time shaft driven 4-wheel drive drivetrain for confident and dynamic driving. It is equipped with a steel center driveshaft with center bearing support and can readily support powerful brushless systems such as Traxxas’ own Velineon (VXL) brushless system. We found that
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the Titan 12T that the Stingray comes with has surprisingly plenty of go as is. It’s very quick off the line and is more than a match for many other cars we ran it with. That said, we might go with a VXL upgrade in the future because who doesn’t like even more power at their fingertips? Putting all that power down requires some major grip and the Stingray’s wheels and tire step it up in the traction department. The Corvette runs a staggered wheel and tire combination with wider rear tires for an aggressive stance. Pushing more realistic details, the 12mm wheel hexes also include replica cross-drilled brake discs. Brake calipers are also included and can be mounted forward or trailing positions. Talk about scale realism!
The all-new chassis features a clipless body attachement method as well as an angled front bumper avoid frontend scrapes. JULY 2021 37
FEATURE VEHICLE
ELECTRONICS As with many Traxxas RTR’s, the Stingray comes with their reliable TQ 2.4GHz Radio System and their venerable XL-5 electronic speed controller (ESC). The waterproof ESC can be set to run three separate drive profiles, from Race Mode to Sport Mode to Training Mode. Race Mode gives the driver forward and brake throttle controls while Sport mode adds reverse as an option. Training Mode is great for beginner drivers and limits power output to 50%. We’ve been known to engage Training Mode when handing the controls over to the little ones. Trust
us, it’s a welcome feature that helps avoid unwanted damage to the vehicle from errant crashes. Thanks to an adjustable battery hold down, the Corvette can take either a 7-cell NiMH flat pack battery or a 2-cell LiPo without modification. The battery hold down swivels to allow different height batteries and locks securely without any requiring any pins or other parts that can easily become lost.
3-2-1 BLAST OFF After fully admiring this beautiful ride and charging up a 7-cell NiMH battery,
If you didn’t know you were looking at an RC car you could almost swear its the real thing. 38 RCCarAction.com
we were ready to head to a local parking lot to see what the new 4-Tec 3.0 can do. We locked our battery in and attached the Stingray body to the chassis. The clipless body easily dropped on and we were ready to run. We immediately ran some speed passes and found that the 3.0 is indeed more stable when compared to our 4-Tec 2.0, which we also brought along for some drive time. Straight-line passes were easy to drive with the 3.0 and its handling was tight and responsive. The low center of gravity layout of the chassis noticeably kept body roll to a minimum. The youngest of our drivers had a blast driving freestyle all around the parking lot. She especially liked the look of the sleek ‘Vette. Who doesn’t? The Stingray body looked ultra realistic thanks to its elongated proportions and details such as Everything about the Corvette Stingray, including its black chrome wheels, have been replicated in exacting detail.
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FEATURE VEHICLE
VEHICLE SP SPECS
FINAL THOUGHTS We’ve always been fond of the 4-Tec 2.0 and now we are excited that the 3.0 has hit the streets. If you’re looking for a great looking, fun driving road car at a very reasonable price, we highly recommend you looking into this RTR kit. We can’t wait to see which other bodies Traxxas will create for the 4-Tec 3.0 chassis. Its overall larger chassis and stretched wheelbase should allow for plenty of realistic bodies to be made for it. Until then, we’ll gladly roll around with the Stingray.
Height: 5.1 in. (130mm) Length: 19.4 in. (492mm) Width: 8.1 in. (204mm) Wheelbase: 11.3 in. (288mm) Scale: 1/10 Price: $350 Chassis: Molded Tub / Nylon Composite Shocks: Oil-filled Suspension: Independent Transmission: Single Speed Direct Drive Differentials: Sealed, Hardened Steel Bevel, Limited Slip Body: Pre-painted Lexan Wheels: 2.1 in. dia., black chrome replica Corvette Stingray C8 Tires: 2.8 in.dia., staggered width, high-performance, longwearing compound Speed Control: Traxxas XL-5 Electronic Speed Control Motor: Traxxas Titan 12T 550 (12-Turn) Radio: Traxxas TQ 2.4GHz Transmitter Steering servo: Traxxas #2075 High Torque Waterproof Receiver: Traxxas #6519 3-channel micro receiver
TEST GEAR (NOT INCLUDED) Battery: Traxxas 7-Cell NiMH “flat pack”
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SUPPORT your local TRACK
GOING FOR RACING THE 2021 XACT 10K CHALLENGE FOR $10,000 IN PAYOUT CASH! Text and Images by : Joel Navarro
Last year was a slow one for RC racing as Covid pumped the brakes on all racing programs all over the US and the World. With every racer on earth itching to race again and with life starting to get back to normal, the first Annual Xact RC
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10K Challenge came to world renown OCRC Raceway in Huntington Beach. So you ask what exactly does a 10K Challenge mean? It translates to some of the fiercest competition around with every driver aiming for the perfect drive that
BROKE! might score them a piece of the $10,000 cash payout up for grabs. With 232 entries and over 15,700 laps ran, you can bet the racing action was hot on the track. Let’s take a look!
JULY 2021 43
SUPPORT your local TRACK
Expert Modified winners (2wd & 4wd Combined) 1st Aydin Horne 2nd Broc Champlin 3rd Ryan Cavalieri Expert Stock winners (2wd & 4wd Combined) 1st Mathew Gonzales 2nd Jake Thayer 3rd Mathew Willbilly
CLASSES AND RACE FORMAT With SoCal being a hotbed of racers that include current and past World Champions, you definitely had to bring your A-game. The classes that included a cash payout were the Expert Modified and Expert Stock class that required you to run both a 2wd and 4wd buggy. The rest of the classes ran were Sportsman 2wd, Sportsman 4wd and Mature (Over
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40 class). The race program ran over two days with three rounds of qualifying ran on Saturday with your two best runs counting and Triple A-Mains ran on Sunday with two bump ups from lower mains advancing to higher mains. WRAP UP Although we’re just getting racing off to steady start in 2021, it’s exciting to see
There were a lot of heavy hitters racing at the Xact 10k Challenge that included current and past world champions.
races like the Xact 10K Challenge to throw into the mix of your normal club racing schedule. Big races might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you do put one or more big races on your calendar, I can guarantee the Xact 10K Challenge won’t disappoint. You get to race against your best buds and watch top caliber world champions with a chance to win some cold hard
cash to boot. The race weekend went off without a hitch and while some dreams didn’t materialize for some, for others it was a blast and nicely profitable with a cash payout. Next year will be here before you know it and if you dash for some cash, save some room on your calendar the Xact 10K Challenge.
The motors in the stock classes were where tech checked and every racer had to pass through tech inspection before every run before they put their car on the track.
Sources OCRC Raceway www.ocrcraceway Xact RC www.xactrc.com
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QUATTRO BOMB TAMIYA’S 1991 AUDI V8 DTM RACER Text & Images by: Lauren Short
The 90’s era of road racing undoubtedly produced some of the most iconic race cars of all time. Luckily for us road racing enthusiasts Tamiya has a habit of recreating the best ones in 1/10 scale RC form, and their latest addition to that lineup does not disappoint. Known for shaking up the early 90’s DTM grid, the Audi V8 quattro sedan took the race series by storm helping Audi to secure the championship in the 1990 DTM season. Boasting a larger V8 along with the all-wheel drive
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quattro drivetrain, the Audi V8 quattro quickly solidified its place in the history books as one of the most formidable race cars of its time. Beyond the performance it had a classic understated style that Audi had been known for. Tamiya did what they do best and faithfully recreated the body and decals to match the ’91 season version of the sedan that includes an aggressive front splitter, trunk spoiler, and decals to match. Let’s take a deeper look at the kit and see if it measures up the success of its real counterpart.
AT A GLANCE TYPE On-Road SCALE 1/10 DRIVETRAIN 4WD POWER Electric BUILD KIT PRICE $183 MSRP
5 in. (127mm)
7.5 in .
(190 mm)
) mm 7 5 2 in. ( ) 10.1 mm 0 6 4 in. ( 1 . 8 1
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BUILD QUALITY The build process of the Tamiya Audi V8 kit is relatively straightforward, thanks to the excellent instructions and parts tree layout. Just some basic tools are needed and you’re ready to go. The Audi V8 quattro kit comes with a TT-02 chassis, a venerated design that is both strong and easy to assemble. I think it’s worth mentioning that although Tamiya kits in this price range are primarily plastic, Tamiya knows what they’re doing. The plastic materials used throughout the kit are extremely high
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quality, ranging from solid ABS to fiber-reinforced parts where needed. You won’t be disappointed with the longevity or performance of this kit as the TT-02 chassis is tried and tested. The whole kit goes together nicely, with no need for modification of parts and no odd fitment issues. The TT-02’s tub chassis fits modern rectangular LiPo batteries as well so there are plenty of battery options available, in my case I opted for a MaxAmps 7.4v 5450mAh pack. After choosing a battery, simply outfit the kit with your receiver and steering servo of choice and you’re ready to roll.
Racing slick tires
Tamiya includes an impressively detailed polycarbonate body with the kit which is what makes a lot of their kits really stand out from the rest. The body holes come pre-cut along with precut wheel arches, so trimming excess material is simple. A quick coat of white paint on the inside is all that is needed to finish up the paint scheme. After some basic paint, apply the detailed decals and you’ve got yourself a great looking car! The devil is in the details, as they say, and Tamiya is no stranger to detailed replicas. The Audi V8 quattro kit is supplied with a large sheet of
The Audi V8 quattro sits on aggressive 2-tone mesh wheels that are wrapped in sticky racing slick tires.
Double wishbone suspension front and rear
Aggressive mesh racing wheels
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A TBLE-02S ESC comes with the kit, making it ready for use with the supplied brushed motor or brushless options.
decals to match the detailed body and though it may seem like a daunting task to apply all of these decals, the end result is well worth the time!
HITTING THE ROAD Like the real thing the Tamiya Audi V8 quattro sits atop a balanced 4WD chassis. The TT02’s 4WD layout provides great stability and performance, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to get into 1/10 electric racing for the first time. The 4WD system delivers good grip on the pavement with the supplied slick tires making it easy to carry speed
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in the corners, and maybe a pay a little homage to Audi by catching some air and going sideways in the process. The included 27T Torque-Tuned motor adds some extra oomph compared to the standard silver can motor and may possibly be a nod to the extra power the Audi V8 brought to the DTM grid. The supplied friction style shocks are basic, but they work for most situations and handle the road nicely. The TT-02 chassis is one that can always be relied on for consistent performance and enjoyment. It’s simple and delivers on the fun factor every time.
The Audi V8 quattro comes with a Tamiya Torque-Tuned 540 brushed motor for some added power compared to the usual “silver can” included in most of their kits.
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Tamiya recreated the ’91 livery extremely well, down to the small details like hood latches and exact sponsor decals.
HOP-UP! If higher performance piques your interest, there are tons of Tamiya options parts available for the TT-02 platform making it a great option for the tinkerers and more advanced RC enthusiasts. From full bearing kits to aluminum driveshafts, adjustable suspension arms and precision fluidfilled shocks, the choice is up to you. There’s nothing wrong with leaving this kit as it comes out of the box, but for those of you like me who can’t leave anything stock, Tamiya has got you covered.
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Both the headlights and taillights come with separate light buckets in case you decided to wire up some optional LEDs. Even without the optional LEDs the buckets give the light some added depth.
Source: Tamiya tamiyausa.com
FINAL WORD As far as scale RC kits go the Tamiya Audi V8 quattro is an excellent example of form meeting function. It faithfully recreates scale details of its real-life counterpart and is based around a solidly designed chassis that has become a benchmark for top notch quality. The kit comes in at a very reasonable price and the TT-02 chassis has a ton of upgrade potential, making this kit a great choice for beginners, collectors, and even more advanced enthusiasts who intend to take it to the racetrack. As is the case with many of my Tamiya kits, it will definitely be put to good use and will also make a great addition to my display case. It’s a great looking, well performing kit that pays tribute to one of the greatest touring sedans of all time. By all means, the Tamiya Audi V8 quattro kit is a real hit in my book.
VEHICLE SPECS Scale: 1/10 Price: $183 MSRP Weight as tested: 3lbs. 7oz. Chassis: TT-02 Shocks: Plastic, friction-type Suspension: Double Wishbone Front & Rear Transmission: Direct-drive motor to center spur Differentials: Gear type, front and rear Driveshafts: Composite Dogbones Bearings: Plastic and Copper Bushings Body: Polycarbonate, unpainted Wheels: 2-Tone Mesh Tires: Tamiya Slicks ESC: Tamiya TBLE-02S Motor: Tamiya 27T Torque-Tuned 540 Brushed
TEST GEAR (NOT INCLUDED) Steering Servo: KO-Propo Response Battery: MaxAmps 7.4v 5450mAh LiPo Radio: KO-Propo Receiver: KO-Propo
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FEATURE Treal Aluminum 7075 CNC Rear Axle Housing for Losi LMT
THE TREAL DEAL Treal Has Its Eyes On Upgrading Your RC Truck By RCCA Staff Looking for unique, high quality upgrades for your crawler, monster truck or other RC vehicle? We were recently turned onto a brand called Treal, which as we quickly learned, has plenty of CNC parts that are worth a closer look at. Unlike many fly by night operations, the RC upgrade accessory company Treal, operates their own design, R&D and manufacturing facility to bring you innovative parts for your RC crawlers and monster trucks. Founded in 2013, the company employs design experts with more than 10 years of design and manufacturing experience to help create RC upgrades for your favorite vehicle from start to finish. Treal’s experienced team of CNC programming technicians make sure that their parts are of the highest quality before it gets shipped to you. Treal currently boasts 14 CNC lathes, 3 lathes and 4 milling machines, and can count on its advantages of one of the most comprehensive supply chains in the industry. The company houses R&D, production, quality assurance, sales and customer service all in-house. All of this is set up to get you the part you need for your RC. Impressive isn’t it? Treal started its Team Driver Program in 2020 with ten drivers and have sponsored some big name events such as Recon G6 and Moab 4x4. Since then, Treal has now increased the team driver program to twenty drivers. 54 RCCarAction.com
If you’re interested in checking out more about the team, Treal Team Manager Peter Lundberg can be found on Instagram at: @ RC_Teamzone and on Facebook at: @peter.lundberg.14203. Treal continues to grow quickly thanks to its mission to provide quality RC parts at reasonable prices. Some of Treal’s best selling products include 1.9 beadlock wheels as well as parts that are compatible with popular crawlers such as TRX4, Gen8, SCX24, and the new LMT line. The brand has a robust pipeline of ideas and innovations and is continuing to release new parts monthly.
To find out more about Treal, follow them on social media: Facebook Company Page: @Trealhobby Facebook Fan Page: Treal Fans Group Instagram: @treal_hobby
Treal Aluminum 7075 Front Steering Knuckels for Losi LMT
Treal Aluminum 7075 CNC Front Axle Housing for Losi LMT Treal Aluminum 7075 Servo Mount for Losi LMT
Treal Aluminum 7075 Steering Linkage for Losi LMT
Source: Treal URL: trealhobby.com Amazon: Search for Treal Hobby
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SPECIAL PROJECT:
ROCK IT DON’T STOP IT
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CHUCKWORKSRC SCT3 X PRO-LINE RACING SLASH 2WD Text and Images by Jerry Tsai
Competitive racing is no doubt fun but most of the time I drive, I like to get my RC wheel time by casually bashing at the park or around the neighborhood. One of my favorite vehicles to bash about is my Traxxas Slash 2WD. It’s quick, reliable and fun to drive. I’ve had it for a few months now and I decided it was time for a complete overhaul – but not because anything was wrong with it; I just can’t seem to leave anything stock for very long. As an RCCA reader, I’m sure you know the feeling. I was cruising through the web
and caught on to ChuckworksRC, a chassis maker that looks to reinvent your Traxxas RC vehicle. The company offers a wide array of chassis kits that promise to turn your Traxxas into an even better performer than it is right out the box. The key to the ChuckworksRC mantra is to turn your rear motor layout Traxxas 2WD vehicle into a well-balanced mid-motor configuration. The reason for this is the owner, Chuck’s, experience with his own Slash 2WD. He often raced it in the backyard and was consistently
getting beat by his friend. He figured that his short course truck wasn’t the best at clearing jumps and on top of that, his Slash seemed to enjoy rolling over way too easily. Part of this he figured was its high center of gravity and the other factor was that due to its rear mounted motor, it was tail heavy. To remedy this, he got on his CAD and worked on a different chassis layout. Right away Chuck envisioned a mid-motor conversion for the Slash. The rest is history.
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SLICE SCT3 While ChuckworksRC offers many different chassis, some designed specifically for hard biting off road racing and others for no prep drag racing, I ultimately decided to go with the Slice SCT3, which is made for improved bashing. SCT stands for “Short Course Truck”, and this chassis is designed specifically with rough terrain in mind, as well as big jumps and lots of abuse.
Three in one. The intersection between Pro-Line’s suspension components, ChuckorksRC’s chassis and the original Traxxas parts can be seen here.
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The chassis is made up of a series of CNC machined plates that are reportedly made of a proprietary blend of composite materials. It is not carbon fiber, but we can report that is very rigid, strong, and lightweight. It also uses what looks like durable polymer and aluminum parts as well as steel hardware in its assembly. The chassis is designed to accept any transmission as well as just about any hop part up made for a Traxxas 2WD 1/10-scale truck. Chuck states that he created this particular chassis to perform well on the track, but the SCT3 is geared more for bashing. With the chassis selected, I decided to upgrade a few more parts of the Slash too. As I poked around further, I decided to go all in on ProLine Racing’s robust selection of Slash performance upgrade parts. We’ll get into that later on in this article.
ChuckworksRC SCT3 chassis reverses the gearbox mounting direction and brings the motor amidship for better balance.
MY SLASH The base kit is a Traxxas Slash 2WD On Board Audio (OBA) model that comes with the OBA equipped Slash complete with a pre-painted and detailed short course truck body, a TQ 2.4 GHz radio transmitter, Power Cell 7-cell NiHM iD battery, 4-amp peak detecting DC fast charger. I decided to keep most of the electronics and motor stock but did swap the battery to a Traxxas 5800mAh 7.4v 2-Cell LiPo instead for some extra power. In case you haven’t heard, Traxxas’ OBA system is essentially a speaker system that allows the RC truck to sound like a monstrous 900 horsepower V8 short course racer. The realistic rumbling engine sound is linked to throttle control so the OBA’s sound module produces grand amounts of engine noises that are timed to your throttle inputs. It’s great fun, especially in a basher.
CHASSIS I began the project by disassembling the Slash down to it essential components. I didn’t need to strip it all the way down to its gears, just its major assemblies such as gearbox, arms and suspension mounts. This wasn’t a problem, as the Slash’s intuitive design makes the truck JULY 2021 59
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incredibly friendly to work on. Once all the parts were removed from the chassis, I went ahead and started assembling the ChuckworksRC chassis together. Chuck includes everything you need to put the chassis together including an instruction booklet, but I did wish that the instructions and images were a bit clearer. Half way through assembly, I found that some hardware was missing but I was able to make do
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with the RCScrewZ Traxxas Slash 2WD Stainless Screw Kit that I happened to have on hand. I highly recommend picking up this hardware kit if you’re upgrading your Slash.
parts fit perfectly without any issue, which was a relief. Before I knew it, the chassis was assembled and I was ready to install the Pro-Line upgrades.
UPGRADES The great thing is that when I did have any questions, Chuck was extremely quick in responding to his e-mails and he even lists his phone number on his website for you to call or text. Now that’s fantastic customer service! The chassis
Using Pro-Line parts, I revamped the truck’s suspension as well as steering components. As great as the stock Traxxas parts are, Pro-Line’s upgrade parts do help beef up high stress
“The Pre-Built PRO-Series includes a 32p 56-tooth spur gear that makes stripping gears a thing of the past.”
Pro-Line’s pre-mounted BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR2 SC tires are designed for short course truck applications. It comes pre-mounted to Raid removable hex wheels.
parts and help bump up overall performance as well. Pro-Line’s Pro Spec aluminum shocks were installed, as were ProTrac shock towers. These units give the already smooth riding Slash even more dynamic dampening characteristics. Further strengthening the suspension and steering are a set of front and rear PRO-Arms and aluminum caster blocks. Another major upgrade was done to the transmission. A Pro-Line PRO-Series 32P Transmission was swapped in place for the stock unit. The Pre-Built PRO-Series includes a 32P 56-tooth spur gear that makes stripping gears a thing of the past. All the internal gears inside the transmission are made from hardened steel to handle upgraded power. The transmission also features an
updated case for enhanced strength and an aluminum motor mount with clear gear cover. A Robinson Racing 32P 15T pinion gear completes the new transmission set up. The SCT3 chassis requires you to mount the gearbox and motor assembly backwards, with the motor on the right side instead of the left. It also repositions it forward of the rear shock towers, which shifts its heaviest weight forward of the rear axles. This mid-motor repositioning should help the balance of the truck as it shifts its weight in turns and jumps. The chassis did require a little bit of sanding for the Pro-Line gearbox to fit the chassis. One cannot go with a Pro-Line build without also mounting a set of its popular wheels and tires. I chose a set of Pro-Line’s pre-mounted BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR2 SC, which is designed for short course truck The gloss window frame and matte truck bed show that taking time to mask off and paint a flat clear coat on black surfaces really pays off. JULY 2021 61
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“With its OBA blaring at full blast, the Raptor really snapped some necks.”
applications. The tires come in Pro-Line’s popular M2 compound and come premounted to Raid Black 6x30 removable hex wheels. I wanted to keep the OBA control unit and speakers but the SCT3 isn’t made to accommodate it. As you can see, I was able to find spaces for both speakers and the control unit on the chassis anyway. Both speakers were double stick taped to the chassis.
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A NEW LOOK
scale details.
Now that the SCT3 was set up how I wanted it, I turned my attention to its looks. I decided to forego the stock body and go with a 1/10-scale Ford F-150 Raptor body by Pro-Line instead. The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor is part of Pro-Line’s True Scale Clear Body for Short Course Trucks series of bodies and includes plenty of scale details formed into the body as well as a sticker sheet for even more
I took the time to paint it so that it is a mix of gloss and matte finishes to further push for a realistic look. The body and windows remain gloss while the grille, front and rear bumpers, fender flares and bed are all covered with a coat of clear matte paint on the outside of the body to tone down the Lexan’s inherent shininess. It’s a pain to do but it’s well worth the effort in my opinion. For even
more detail, I also added a few scale decals from RC decal maker, Mr. Hop-Up.
over blacktop pavement with plenty of speed and control.
IN ACTION
The ChuckworksRC chassis is slung much lower than the stock version, which gives it way lower center of gravity. This translated to a much more stable drive, especially when taking corners at speed. The chassis’ mid-motor layout also helped the truck zigzags much quicker in a slalom and gave the upgraded Slash a much smoother, more
With the Pro-Line Racing beefed up ChuckworksRC SCT3 complete, I headed to a local park to see what it could do. With its OBA blaring at full blast, the Raptor really snapped some necks. Sounding like a 900 horsepower Baja racer, the SCT3 tore up gravel and jumped
confident jump along with graceful landing characteristics. On top of all of that, the Pro-Line suspension upgrades also helped smooth out the ride and its bulletproof transmission really gives you the confidence to take on any terrain it comes across.
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Pro-Line Racing prolineracing.com Pre-Assembled Pro-Spec Shocks (Front) / P/N: 6308-30 / $73.95 Pre-Assembled Pro-Spec Shocks (Rear) / P/N: 6308-31 / $73.95 Blue Aluminum Front Caster Blocks for Slash 2WD / P/N: 6255-00 / $22.95 Extended Front & Rear Body Mounts (Slash 2WD) / P/N: 6070-00 / $19.95 PRO-Arms Front Arm Kit for Slash 2WD Front / P/N: 6333-00 / $17.95 PRO-Arms Rear Arm Kit for Slash 2WD Rear / P/N: 6334-00 / $17.95 PRO-Series 32P Transmission for Slash 2WD / P/N: 6350-00 / $123.95 ProTrac Suspension Kit Front Shock Tower for Slash 2WD / P/N: 6062-03 / $13.95 ProTrac Suspension Kit Rear Shock Tower for Slash 2WD / P/N: 6062-04 / $13.95 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor True Scale Clear Body / P/N: 3461-00 / $46.95 BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR2 SC 2.2”/3.0” M2 Tires on Raid 6x30 Wheels / P/N: 10123-10 / $44.95 Robinson Racing robinsonracing.com Steel Alloy Motor Pinion Gear 1/8” / 32 pitch 15T / P/N: 0150 / $3.50 RC Screwz rcscrewz.com Traxxas Slash 2WD Rubber Shielded Bearing Kit / P/N: tra033r / $49.95 Traxxas Slash 1/10 2WD Stainless Screw Kit / P/N: tra033 / $39.95 Tamiya tamiyausa.com PS-60 Mica Red 100ml Spray / $9.75 PS-5 Black 100ml Spray / $7.00 PS-55 Flat Clear 100ml Spray / $9.75 Mr. Hop-Up mrhopup.com Mr. Hop-Up RC Decal Sheet B / $10
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FINAL WORD It looks like the SCT3 did do what Chuck originally set out to do when he developed the idea for his chassis line. I found the truck to be very stable and well balanced. As fun as this modified Slash already is, there’s still more that can be done to it. Let’s take a look at power upgrades next time. I hope to swap out the stock brushed motor and ESC combo with a brushless system. Until then, this midmotor Raptor still is a blast to zip around the neighborhood.
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SOLID VS PORTAL
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DEBATING THE MERITS OF AXIAL’S SCX10 III SOLID AXLE CONVERSION KIT Text by Lauren Short Images courtesy of Horizon Hobby
When Axial released the SCX10 III it took the RC Trail and Scale community by storm. Not only did it improve upon an already capable and well-respected chassis, but it incorporated some innovative features as well. One of the biggest features of the new chassis design was the addition of new portal axles. Now to some, this was a welcomed change since portal axles, after all,
have a lot of positives to them and some serious strengths for technical crawling. But to others, this was seen as a step away from the heart of scale crawlers and took away from the platform’s aesthetics and highspeed capabilities. Since its release there really hasn’t been an easy option for straight axle fans so if they wanted to enjoy the
SCX10 III, they had to stick with the portals that came with it. Well, we are happy to say that is no longer the case. The day has finally come for solid axle fans to rejoice with the release of Axial’s Standard Axle Conversion Kit for the SCX10 III, and easy all-in-one conversion kit to change your SCX10 III from portal axles to solid axles.
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WHAT’S IN THE BOX Axial includes everything needed to convert your SCX10 III to solid axles front and rear. The conversion kit includes fully assembled AR45 solid axles trimmed in metal 12mm wheel hexes. The front axle comes with metal steering links and is designed to provide up to 45 degrees of steering angle for a smooth, high performance feel. New metal suspension links with stainless pivot balls along with a set of fully assembled threaded aluminum coilover shocks have been included to accommodate the solid axle suspension geometry. 20T/35T transmission gears have also been included to pair with the solid axle gear ratio. The conversion kit is designed for a 12.3” (313mm) wheelbase, but Axial states that the kit will support all other SCX10 III wheelbases including 11.4” (290mm), 12” (305mm), and 13.9” (353mm).
WHY SOLID AXLE? Okay, okay, so I know what some of you might be thinking. Portal axles are better for technical crawling, why would I want to convert to solid axles? Well, that really comes down to personal preference and vehicle application. Some of us just prefer the look of solid axles since they still are the truest to scale for most vehicles out there. Solid axles also pack quite a few performance benefits over portal axles. One of the biggest advantages of solid axles is they provide a lower center of gravity compared to portal axles. This comes at a small loss in ground clearance but can be a big benefit depending on your application. According to Ian Roberts, Product Developer and Rock Crawling Innovator at Pro-Line Racing, “Portals raise the center of
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gravity of your crawler. Ideally you want as much weight as possible below the centerline of your wheel. [With portals] you can offset this slightly by lowering your chassis with softer springs or a shorter shock [but this comes] at the expense of wheel travel. The weight of the axle shafts and the ring and pinion will still be above the centerline.” So, what that means is if you’re looking to optimize your rig’s center of gravity then solid axles are the way to go. Another big benefit of solid axles is that they are better suited for high-speed applications. The more intricate design of portal axle gears may help in reduction but can’t really cope with the stresses of high speed, high torque applications in the long run. Solid axles also have a greater potential suspension up travel, making them more capable for dealing with rapid movement over ruts and bumps. Combine this with the capability for power and speed, solid axles are ideal for rock racing and rock bouncing vehicles.
WHICH DO I CHOOSE? So now you might be left thinking should I stick with portals or go with solid axle? Well once again this comes down to personal preference. If you’re strictly a crawling enthusiast sticking with portals might make the most sense due to the benefits of higher ground clearance. According to Wyatt Mellon, Axial’s Surface Product Development Engineer, “For an all-around vehicle [he] would choose portal axles” and suggests “1.9” wheels, 1.9”x4.75” Pro-Line tires, 1.9” Pro-Line dual stage foams, 90mm shocks, overdrive portal gear sets in the front axle, and brass knuckle and portal covers” as potential option parts. Wyatt also mentioned this about
portal axle gearing benefits: “As far as gearing options go portal axles can achieve a larger gear ratio difference to overdrive the front axle. A straight axle is limited to the bevel gear sets only, whereas a portal axle can use the bevel gear sets in addition to portal gear sets.” So, keeping the portals on your SCX10 III may be a benefit for general crawling applications. Ultimately what the new Standard Axle Conversion Kit means for SCX10 III owners and enthusiasts is there are now more choices available to set up your rig exactly the way you want it and for exactly the type of application you enjoy the most. RC is all about options, so the new conversion kit is a welcomed addition to the SCX10 III lineup of parts. Thanks to the guys at Horizon for chiming in with their thoughts on solid and portal axles, and to all of our readers I’ll see you out on the trail.
Sources:
Wyatt Mellon, Surface Product Development Engineer at Axial Racing
Ian Roberts, Product Developer and Rock Crawling Innovator at Pro-Line Racing Axial Racing axialracing.com
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TEST BENCH RC Products Tested & Evaluated Text and Images by Lauren Short
SPEKTRUM DX5 RUGGED 5-CHANNEL DSMR TRANSMITTER WITH SR515 RECEIVER FEATURES Perfect for crawlers and bashers alike, the DX5 Rugged is built with adventure in mind. The rubber-trimmed exterior protects the radio from impacts and bumps and allows you to set the radio down on less than favorable surfaces without worrying about damage. The transmitter chassis is both strong and ergonomic and is designed to withstand impacts, while the front support allows for attachment of accessories such as lights or small camera mounts. Lanyard loops have been fitted to the top and bottom of the radio, allowing you to sling the radio however you choose. The DX5 Rugged electronics have been coated for water-resistance making it a great choice for any outdoor RC enthusiast. The steering wheel is wrapped in a textured rubber off-road style “tire” that adds positive grip. A thumb control stick is connected to the steering wheel for added control and is perfect for controlling your RC vehicle while filming. Additionally, Spektrum designed a hidden tool compartment that is perfect for a small t-driver, some spare body clips and other small odds and ends you might need on the trail. The DX5 Rugged features an innovative touch control panel, newly updated from the original version, and an intuitive, easy-to-follow menu system for easy adjustment and customization. Users can custom program and store up to 20 unique models in the radio’s memory with plenty of adjustment options to fine-tune each one. To top 70 RCCarAction.com
it off the DX5 Rugged features 5 separate full-proportional channels, making it the perfect solution for crawlers with multiple accessories like winches, light controls, and more. The DX5 Rugged package comes with a Spektrum DSMR SR515 5-channel receiver. TESTING We take our radios everywhere; wherever our RC cars go our radios go along with them. It’s the one of the most crucial pieces of equipment and often times one of the more fragile things that we carry. When out on the trail crawling and bashing one of the last things I want to have to worry about is the safety of my transmitter. I’m also the type of enthusiast that generally stuffs my radio into a backpack in a hurry to get outside. With that in mind, the Spektrum DX5 Rugged makes a great addition to my radio arsenal. Considering it’s built with outdoor adventures in mind, it certainly makes for a great transmitter for RC crawling fun. There have been plenty of times that I needed to set my radio down for a moment, and usually in those times I’m only half paying
attention to what I’m doing out of fear for my radio getting knocked over and damaged. Thanks to the DX5 Rugged’s exterior strength and protection, I no longer need to worry so much about possible damage to the transmitter. As for ease of use, the DX5’s touch control is a really interesting feature compared to standard button controls. It takes only takes a few moments to get used to, thanks to the controls being kept simple and straightforward. The smooth touch panel features clearly labeled controls, making it extremely easy to operate and the LCD screen is crisp and clear. Navigating through the DX5 menu is very linear, which is great when it comes time to make setting adjustments. Beyond the obvious rugged design and ease of use, the DX5 Rugged is designed with longevity in mind as Spektrum built in a small data port for updates so the radio stays supported for years to come. That type of product support is always a great to see, and when paired with the DX5’s 20-model memory it makes for a truly versatile, long lasting piece of equipment that is well suited for just about any RC enthusiast.
Spektrum DX5 Rugged 5-Channel DSMR Transmitter with SR515 Receiver MSRP: $200 P/N: SPM5200 horizonhobby.com
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PROTOFORM BODY GRIP TOOL FOR RC BODY PAINTING FEATURES The PROTOform Body Grip Tool is a unique, ingenious solution to getting a better grip while painting your RC body. Designed and manufactured in the USA, the Body Grip Tool features a hard Type-1 PVC handle that is machine turned down into an ergonomic shifter style shape. This rounded shape fits many size hands and allows for different ways to grip the body tool to suit the user’s preference. The Grip Tool includes two different sized suction cups along with precision threaded inserts to install the cups into the tool handle. The large 60mm cup is rated for up to 7lbs and is ideal for larger scale bodies while the smaller 45mm cup is rated for up to 3lbs and ideal for smaller scale bodies or bodies with hard-to-reach surfaces. PROTOform recommends mounting the suction cups to either the hood or the roof panel of the body for the best results.
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TESTING
SOCKET HEAD CAP SCREWS
The Body Grip Tool held on tightly and didn’t falter. The only time the tool came off was when I decided I was done and lightly pulled up the released tab, effortlessly releasing the tool from the roof panel. At first glance you might wonder how such a simple tool can make a difference in the painting process, but I can assure you that the PF Body Grip Tool really does improve the overall PROTOform Body Grip Tool painting experience. If you’re in the market for for RC Body Painting a worthwhile tool for your paint kit, I highly MSRP: $24.95 recommend giving the PROTOform Body Grip Tool P/N: 6349-01 a look. racepf.com
SOCKET HEAD SCREWS
HEX NUTS
WASHERS
BALL LINKS
That being said, once the PF Body Grip Tool was on, it was solidly attached. The suction cup itself is held tightly into the handle with a precision threaded metal insert, so I had no worries of it coming loose while painting. I noticed that the tool’s added grip gave me much more confidence in gripping the RC body. My hands aren’t small by any means, but even still my grip on an RC shell can sometimes slip a little when painting and dropping a body with
Personally, I prefer what PROTOform refers to as the “effortless grip” where my palm and fingers wrap around the shell. This grip style allowed me to put just a little bit of pressure between the grip tool and the body keeping it nice and tight without any unwanted movement. In between coats I gave the body a good wave back and forth to promote drying, all the while experiencing no issues or concern of the tool slipping.
SELF-TAPPERS
First things first, I ensured that both the polycarbonate body I was about to paint AND the suction cup was clean before adhering to the roof section of the body. This is crucial, and something you learn rather quickly when using suction cup mounts on real cars. If the cup and mounting surface aren’t clean, it doesn’t matter how good the suction cup is, it won’t stay on for long.
a fresh coat onto the ground can be catastrophic to the paintjob, let alone the body material itself. So having this added bit of ergonomic comfort and confidence really helped to speed through the paint job.
NYLON INSERT LOCK NUTS
As you may know by now, I’m a huge fan of innovative tools and gadgets so it may not come as much surprise that I had been eyeing the PF Body Grip Tool for a while as a possible addition to my paint kit. Needless to say, when it ended up on my desk for review, I was stoked to test it out!
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LOOK FOR THESE DISPLAYS IN YOUR HOBBY SHOP
FEATURE VEHICLE
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AT A GLANCE TYPE Rock Racer SCALE 1/10 DRIVETRAIN 4WD POWER Electric BUILD RTR PRICE $520 MSRP
ER KICKIN’ UP DIRT WITH THE LOSI LASERNUT U4 2.2 Text by Jerry Tsai Images by Leigh Guarnieri
If you’re into off road racing, there’s little doubt that you’ve heard of the rocky mecca known as The King of Hammers. The famed annual race held in Johnson Valley, California is home to a unique kind of competition known as Ultra4 Racing. Ultra4 (U4) vehicles are built to purpose for extreme off road competition and are capable of speeds over 100 miles per hour over rough and unpredictable
desert terrain and are still capable of We gladly concur with them. Losi the most technical rock crawling one teamed up with U4 team Lasernut can encounter. Racing to scale down their real life off road competition machine to Suffice it to say, U4 vehicles are 1/10-scale. The Losi Lasernut U4 2.2 the ultimate expression of off road is a ready to run (RTR) off roader that power and technical expertise. takes off road performance and scale Being both real life and RC off road looks as serious as it is fun to drive enthusiasts, the team at Losi felt and look at. that it only made sense that they brought the U4 experience to RCers.
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STRETCHED OUT
Lasernut’s race inspired scale roll cage mounted body pivots up from its rear upward to reveal its inner workings.
By basing it on Losi’s capable TEN platform, the Losi designers had a bit of a head start on the development of the Lasernut, but they still had some way to go before it would see the light of day. It would’ve been too easy and unfair to consumers to simple slap on a U4 style body on the TEN chassis and go to market. No, that’s not how they do it. Losi worked to make the Lasernut not only look scale correct, but also wanted to incorporate features that make it unique and a true (albeit smaller) U4 performer. In order to get the correct dimensions, the designers stretched out the chassis so that it drives just like how a scaled down U4 racer would. The stretched look also keeps the Lasernut looking scale correct and allows it to rock giant 145mm tires, which we’ll get into later on. The result is an impressively big 1/10-scale rock racer. It’s long, measuring over 2-feet in length and endowed with a wheelbase of 14.75-inches. We have to say that unboxing it was fun to do due to its sheer size. UNDER THE SKIN Lasernut’s chassis isn’t only stretched, but is made of a tough and 3mm thick sheet of aluminum that can deflect rocks that it glides over. The high-performance chassis has the ability to adjust its independent suspension and drivetrain for any trail or course condition. Surrounding the chassis is a Lasernut race inspired scale roll cage that has a neat flip-up cage feature for easy access to the battery. By undoing the two body clips at the front of the Lasernut, the body pivots up from its rear straight up to reveal its inner workings. This is
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of note because it makes battery changes so easy. It also keeps lighting wires tucked away with nothing to unplug when the body is released. Did we say lighting wires? Yes, we did.
body, any superficial damage is hard to visually detect and the Lasernut keeps looking new even after more than a few rollovers. FEEL THE POWER
The Lasernut hits it out of the park in terms of scale features. Not only does it have a working LED light bar on its roof, but it also has amber colored light pods just forward of the cockpit too. Lights always look cool on an RC. Speaking of cockpit, you’ll notice that it is fully detailed and includes a pilot and co-pilot figure replete with flexible air hoses for their helmets. This is a feature that real Ultra4 racers require when racing in the dusty desert. We love that the Losi designers included that neat feature in the Lasernut. Lexan body panels are attached directly to the roll cage; similar to how real life U4 vehicles have their body panels mounted. On top of all this scale-ness, hard plastic details are also mounted throughout the body to give it a true scale appearance. We found that thanks to its cage based
Under its skin, you’ll find this rock racer is capable of accepting 4S power LiPo batteries, which means this desert racer is made to be quick. The included Spekturm ESC is waterproof, completely programmable and comes prewired with a high-current IC5 connector. For those who like options and upgrades, the ESC will work with most sensorless brushless motors and is 3S and 4S LiPo compatible. The Lasernut comes loaded with waterproof electronics including a Spektrum branded receiver, servo and the aforementioned ESC. Everything is sealed against the elements allowing you to splash in the rain, spin in the mud and make tracks in the snow. It’s full-throttle freedom to run anytime, rain or shine.
With a working LED light bar on its roof and amber colored light pods just forward of the cockpit, the Lasernut’s built-in lights really add to its scale looks.
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Handing all the uneven terrain is a set of proven coil-over oil filled shocks with pre-load adjustment. The vehicle’s adjustable oil filled coil-over shocks can be found on all four corners in order to soak up even the toughest of terrain. The aluminum threaded 12mm oil-filled shocks are fully adjustable and allow you
This rock racer is powered by a brushless 19000kv motor and can handle 4S LiPo power.
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to tune the handling of the Lasernut U4 to maximize suspension performance. The shocks are mounted to 4mm thick 6061-T6 aluminum shock towers that are adjustable and built to withstand tons of punishment. Keeping the racer stable over big bumps and extreme turns are front and rear sway bars. These sway bars
are fully adjustable and help you push the Lasernut U4 to its limits. We like how it comes with adjustable turnbuckles for added adjustability and tune-ability. GET A GRIP One of the most eye-catching features is also one of its biggest performers too. We’re talking about its oversized wheel and tire combo. Lasernut sits on a set of scale licensed Raceline 2.2 racing wheels and BF Goodrich M/T tires. The legendary BFG tires feature an aggressive tread pattern that handles any terrain at any speed. Looking to go flat out over some dirt? These tires can handle it. Need to take on a technical rock crawling section? Look no further than these giant BFG M/T’s to do the job. If you’re wondering why the wheels are finished in a rose-gold chrome look, it’s because the real life Lasernut U4 racer sports the same wheels in that color. We dig it. Driving this beast is a full-time fourwheel drive system that provides increased traction and handling. It
utilizes three oil-filled differentials, located in the front, center and rear. Each of the differentials can also be tuned for various conditions giving the Lasernut incredible off road flexibility. Motivating the entire endeavor is a brushless Spektrum Firma 4-Pole 1900kv 550 motor that is rated to take the Lasernut up to an incredible 50 miles per hour on a 4 cell LiPo.
The chassis layout is efficient and well-balanced.
ELECTRONICS With all this power, it can be said that the Lasernut can get squirrely when its throttle is mashed wide open. This is where Spektrum’s Active Vehicle Control (AVC) comes in to save the day. Included with this ready to run vehicle is a Spektrum DX3 Radio System. The DX3 radio offers advanced features like AVC, a 3-position throttle limiting switch and travel adjust. The receiver’s built-in AVC traction control system works behind the scenes, making hundreds of throttle and steering adjustments per second, so more of the motor’s power is translated into ballistic speed and acceleration instead of just flying dirt. Like traction control in your full-scale vehicle, you can activate or deactivate the system on the fly and adjust the level of stability based on driving conditions. Any RC vehicle can go fast and with AVC you can go faster while maintaining optimum stability in all driving conditions. The DX3 remote also has a switch that allows the driver to limit maximum throttle input from 100 to 75 and 50-percent. This helps when driving in low traction terrain such as snow or in small areas such as the backyard. We love this feature when allowing the little ones to drive the vehicle. Limiting the max throttle output to 50-percent allows us to rest easier, that and running a 2S battery in it while doing so. JULY 2021 79
FEATURE VEHICLE GOING FULL BLAST We headed out and found some off road terrain to see how the Lasernut U4 2.2 ran. We brought along both 3S and 4S batteries to allow for plenty of run time. As we figured, the Lasernut is a powerful beast. Powered by a brushless 19000kv motor and rocking 145mm diameter tires right out the box, it’s an impressive RTR kit for sure. At distance we swear that we were looking at the real thing and its LED lights made it look even more real. This rock racer easily jumped and glided over rocks of even moderate size even at speed. Even while using the 3S, it was very quick, but when fed the 4S battery, the Lasernut found another gear. This thing is seriously fast. Both batteries lasted longer than the 45 minutes we drove on each battery. Thanks to Spektrum’s
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Smart technology, we were able to monitor battery life directly from the controller. We did note that there’s a trade off between speed and handling. We would like the Lasernut to be able to turn a bit sharper when taking fast sweeping turns but that wasn’t in the cards for us. Perhaps if we made a few adjustments it would have helped, but we were having too much fun to bother. After plenty of full speed blasts, we brought it in for some technical work. We wouldn’t replace our traditional crawlers with the U4 racer, but that’s not what its all about. While we found it very capable on some technical trails its main strength is powering through wide open spaces quickly and we found that very satisfying. The stretched out wheelbase is great for keeping it stable.
A full-featured Spektrum Firma 130A brushless smart ESC comes standard.
“We wouldn’t replace our traditional crawlers with the U4 racer, but that’s not what its all about.”
VEHICLE SPECS Height: 8 in. (203mm) Length: 24.3 in. (617mm) Width: 13.25 in. (337mm) Wheelbase: 14.75 in. (375mm) Scale: 1/10 Price: $550 Chassis: 3mm thick 6061 T-6 aluminum Shocks: 12mm oil-filled Suspension: Independent Differentials: Front, center and rear oil-filled Body: Pre-painted Lexan, injection molded hard plastic Wheels: Licensed Raceline 2.2 Tires: Licensed BF Goodrich M/T (145mm) Speed Control: Spektrum Firma 130A brushless smart ESC Motor: Spektrum Firma 4-Pole 1900kv 550 motor Radio: Spektrum DX3 2.4GHz radio transmitter Steering servo: Spektrum waterproof metal gear Receiver: Spektrum SR6100AT AVC
FINAL WORD We love this thing. The Lasernut not only looks great, but it is powerful, stable and is packed with many driver friendly features such as Spektrum’s AVC traction control system and a pivoting body that keeps wires at bay. We are impressed with the lengths that Losi went to keep this scale version of the famed desert racer as accurate as they did. If you’re looking to recreate your own U4 race, you’ll want to take a good look at this purpose built rock racer.
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THIS OLD TRACK
When RC Takes Over The Lawn By RCCA Staff
How obsessed are you with RC? It’s safe to assume that if you’re reading this magazine that you are pretty deep into the hobby. Just how deep does your obsession go? Are you willing to pull out your front lawn to create an RC track?
lawn of his house turned into an RC dirt playground and we just had to share it. The owner of the house was planning to re-landscape his front yard and as he started the project, he decided to make it a dirt track instead.
We recently received a picture from an avid RCCA reader that shows the front
He reports it’s been a hit with his and his neighbors’ kids and that he has tried
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several track layouts so far. Due to its limited size, he said although 1/10-scale trucks and buggies work that smaller than 1/10-scale off roaders are best suited for it. He mentions that unfortunately it probably won’t stay this way for long but he will enjoy it as long as he can. We hope he gets to enjoy it for a long while; it certainly looks like a ton of fun!