SCALE LOOKS ANDHIGH PERFORMANCEJOIN FORCES

AXIALSCX10

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THE AXIAL NAME is synony-mous with rock crawling forgood reason. Before the AX10Scorpion, rock crawlers werecustom-built rigs that used partsfrom different kits. After theAX10 Scorpion, rock crawlingwas changed forever; crawlerscould be built right out of a box.Until now, the same was true ofscale crawlers. Either they werecustom-built, or existing plat-forms were radically changed to get better performance. Therelease of the Axial SCX10proves that scale looks and high performance can go handin hand. Featuring a realistic C-channel frame, coil-overshocks and tidy chassis layout,this truck definitely looks thepart. Proven axles, transmissionalong with high-quality Pro-Linerubber and reverse triangulatedlinks make this truck a true performer. Take a look and seeall the great features the SCX10delivers.

WORDS BRANDON WILCOX ❯❯ brandonw@airage.comPHOTOS HOPE McCALL

TEST DRIVE

Type 1⁄10-scale 4WD truck kitPrice $260 (varies with dealer)Wheelbase 11.4 in. (290mm)Width 9 in. (227mm)Weight, as tested 4.4 lb. (1,995g)Spur/pinion 87/14Final drive ratio 46.7:1Chassis Steel C-channel ladder frameDifferential(s) Sintered aluminumlockersSuspension 3-link with aluminumlinksShocks Fluid-filled, threaded plastic-body, coilover shocks w/dual rate springs

SPECIFICATIONS

■ KIT ■ ELECTRIC ■ OFF-ROAD

WITH THE LOWER LINKS TRIANGULATED AND THE 3-LINK SUSPENSION, THE TRUCK

IS VERY STABLE“

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AXIAL SCX10

BODY, WHEELS & TIRES.The SCX10 comes with Pro-Line’s 1.9-inch Flat Iron rockcrawling tires and Axial’s new1.9-inch wheels. The Flat Ironsare M2 compound, measure 4.2 inches high and includememory foam. They offer solidtraction on different types ofrock and are easy to clean outafter a day on the trail. Sixscrews hold each aluminumring in place, and realistic-look-ing screw-on hubs are includedto cover up the end of the

axles. The front are molded tolook like a true locking hubs,and the backs are standardwheel caps. Axial’s CF-100Kustom Retro body is includedwith the kit. It’s molded out ofLexan and comes clear, sopaint it up any way you want. Itfeatures full fenders for scaleauthenticity; only about 50 per-cent of the tire sticks out fromthe wheel fenders, again keep-ing with clean scale looks.

SUSPENSION. The heart ofthis truck’s suspension is theproven 3-link design from the

AX10. Improvements weremade, however, and this truckhas triangulated lower links forbetter suspension geometry(more stability and less axlesway) and inboard-mountedlinks to prevent hang-ups onthe rocks. All the links are gray-anodized aluminum and givethe truck a clean look. Theplastic-body shocks are thread-ed so you can make quick pre-load adjustments. Each shockfeatures two springs: a soft topspring and longer medium bot-tom spring. Both can bereplaced so you can dial in the

truck to your liking. The kitcomes with two choices forshock caps, a standard cap anda fake reservoir cap that lookslike a real piggyback shock.

DRIVETRAIN. The entire drive-train on the SCX10 runs onhigh-quality rubber-sealed ballbearings. The transmission isthe same great transmissionfound on the AX10, and has aheavy-duty 2.5mm motor plateto prevent flexing. The transmis-sion is a 3-gear single speedunit that is locked so both thefront and rear axles always get

FEATURES

YOU CAN DIAL IN THETRUCK TO YOUR LIKING

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Once again, the crew at Axial delivered another greatproduct. Whether you hit therocks in your backyard, orrun the trails with yourfriends, the bottom line isthat the SCX10 is a solidtruck. The proven AX10transmission and axles com-bined with the reverse trian-gulation of the lower linksmake for a predictable andcapable crawler, and thescale chassis, rims, cleanlayout and body make it lookthe part while on the rocksor the trail. The entire plat-form is very durable, and Inever had a problem on anyterrain I tested on. The buildwas easy, and the quality ofthe parts is top-notch.Whether you are looking toget your first crawler orbuilding a capable trail truck,the SCX10 is an excellentchoice.

I took my time building the SCX10 kit, but don’t let that fool you; I was extremely eager to get it outon the rocks. Luckily, the weather was good and I drove to one of my favorite spots, Hubbard Park inMeriden, CT. The speed control was already set for instant reverse, and the drag brake was set to thestrongest setting. The included Pro-Line 1.9-inch Flat Iron tires really hooked up. I had no troublegoing up the first steep vertical sections I attempted. I continued to drive around and go over variousobstacles. I wanted to test on the most diverse type of rocks I could find to see what the truck iscapable of. The SCX10 felt planted, and I was able to slowly traverse most of the rocks. I managed to flip on a few steep climbs, but that’s to be expected without running additional weight in the fronttires, plus the spring setup on the stock truck is relatively soft. I took some more difficult lines withthe truck to see how the smaller tires and steel chassis affected the truck’s side-hilling characteris-tics. While it didn’t perform like a 2.2-inch comp rig, the SCX10 side-hilled very well. Sometimes therig felt a little top-heavy, and I’d roll down the rocks. The truck just keep on going. It’s certainlydurable. I ventured toward the back of the park and had some fun driving up and down the trails. TheSCX10 excelled there and had no problem going over difficult sections of dirt, roots and rock. As longas the sections weren’t too vertical, the plush suspension and soft rubber of the tires got up and overthe obstacles and down the trail. Having the links mounted inboard on the chassis was a huge advan-tage; the links didn’t get caught up on rocks or sticks. I added some lead weight to the inside of thefront tires for better vertical performance, and the truck improved. I liked that when I attempted toclimb a highly-vertical face and couldn’t get up, the truck didn’t flip because the rear of the body hitthe ground. I could then tap reverse and back out of it and go around. I managed to get a solid hourout of the MaxAmps.com 4200mAh battery. It still had more juice, but I wanted to test the truck atanother location. I proceeded to a local dam where I have tested many crawlers. There were smallboulders and ruts. I didn’t notice any axle sway; with the lower links triangulated and the 3-link sus-pension, the truck is very stable. And shouldn’t it be? It’s based on the comp-winning AX10 Scorpion.

power. The axles are also fromthe AX10 and feature provenhardened steel driveshafts anda sintered aluminum locker forfull-time traction. The rear axleis a straight-axle that preventsextra parts from getting hung upon the rocks, and makes for acleaner looking vehicle.Telescoping plastic driveshaftsare used to connect the trans-mission and axles. The trans-mission features a slipper clutchthat makes the spur gear spintrue and helps to prevent thespur gear from stripping. Theclutch is also great if you’re

using a high-powered brushlessmotor and want to protect yourdrivetrain.

CHASSIS. The chassis on theSCX10 is an all-new designand is made of C-channelsteel. It is super durable andhas plastic braces to keep thechassis nice and stiff. Plastichoops are on the front andback of the chassis to mountthe suspension too, they offerthree shock mounting positionsand really add to the scalelooks of this truck. The skid-plate is made of plastic and

the links mount on the insideof the chassis for proper sus-pension geometry and to pre-vent getting hung up on rocks.

CLEAN LAYOUT. To keepthings clean and tidy, Axial gaveus screw-on wire guides thatkeep your wiring out of the wayand very clean looking. Theradio box is made to protectyour receiver from the basicelements, sand, dirt, mud andthe occasional splash of watershould keep your receiver awayfrom harm. On the side is asmall lip that makes mounting a

speed control very easy, justuse double sided tape and let itrest on the lip, it won’t comelose. Another nice feature is thebattery tray. The kit allows youto mount the battery tray in thefront or rear of the truck, Imounted mine in the rear asthat was the stock location andI chose to use a LiPo batterywhich is relatively light. TwoVelcro straps hold the battery inplace and make for quickaccess.

■ AIRTRONICS MX-3FHSS 2.4GHZ RADIO/RECEIVER ■ AIRTRONICS 94773 HIGH TORQUE DIGITAL SERVO ■ INTEGY MATRIX PRO LATHE MOTOR 65T ■ MAXAMPS.COM AA BATTERIES (8)■ MAXAMPS.COM 4200MAH HC LIPO ■ TEKIN B1R BRUSHED SPEED CONTROL

SOURCESAirtronics airtronics.netAxial axialracing.comIntegy integy.comMaxAmps.com maxamps.comPro-line prolineracing.comTekin teamtekin.com

PERFORMANCE

TESTGEAR

VERDICT

❯❯ Scale looks❯❯ Great performance❯❯ Very clean layout

❯❯ Wheelbase is nonadjustable

+-

PLUS/MINUS

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