SVT makes a mockery of Jeeps (and maybe a SCX10III)

[svt923]

Good morning everyone.

How is everyone enjoying their time inside?

Great!!

Me? Well, I found that being stuck in the house doesn't lead to nearly the RC productivity one would assume.

Regardless, this box arrived for me.



Normally, this would be the time where I would slowly build it, provide build tips, and my expert commentary but things are anything but normal at this point. So there will be some building, possibly some insightful tips, and a whole lot of one central theme to this thread: making fun of Jeeps! Yes, I am truly doing work of a higher calling here

Jeeps: the easiest punching bag in the automotive world. The brand that launched more stupidity memes than the lady yelling at the cat sitting at the table and that dude checking out the other girl while holding hands with his girlfriend combined. Then we get to the most glaring deficiency with Jeeps as a whole: their owners. What else brings together the vaping douche bros, Target running housewives who's kids are considered a fashion accessory, and the mid-life crisis set other than a Trail Rated badge? Just like that episode of South Park where Cartman became a gospel star by replacing baby with Jesus in pop songs, substitute Jeep into all your Mustang, Charger, Corvette, BMW, Porsche and truck jokes and they all still apply.

Now before you go accusing me of not understanding #jeeplife using that awful slogan you got off the millions bumper sticker, windshield banner, key chain, or shirts bought by morons, I do understand.



That was my WJ, it has solid axles and the 4.0L inline six which is undeniable Jeep stuff. I no longer own it because I have learned and grown as a person. Of course, this will not deter some of the Jeep people but half of you will throw down $50K at the dealer for the rendering of a new Wrangler and the other half bitch about how a “REAL JEEP” hasn’t been made since 1945: all of your automotive opinions are invalid.

Damn, that was a lot of piling on and I haven’t even opened the box. Should probably fix that:



My protection has gone out the window.

More to come as I dig through the bags of parts and endless waves of Jeep insults.

If you feel personally offended by any of this opening post, it is because you know it is all true. You feel this deep in your soul and will try to cover the pain by dropping another $10K on your 4 Wheel Parts credit card.

[bikepilot]

Oh my!! HaHaHa! I love your build threads and commentary! I can't wait for this to continue! Plus I learn a lot from them thanks!!

[AK KRAWLER]

We ALL needed this, it should be fun!!!

[rkj__]

Does Jeep make good 4x4s?

[joshiepoogoose]

looking forward to your commentary!!

[JatoTheRipper]

Damn if you didn't already explain the Jeep life perfectly!

[2mtech]

NOW it's about to get real up in here!

So what I hear you saying is that Jeep may not be your personal first, phanboi, wouldn't drive anything else choice of 1:1 vehicle? I bet you drive a Tacoma ;)

[soze]

Yes, I love the SVT witty comedian builds!

[DukeMinnix]

Originally Posted by 2mtech

I bet you drive a Tacoma ;)

He does 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[Inspector86]

So let me know if you want to dump the Jeep body. I'll give you a few bucks for it.

[svt923]

Originally Posted by bikepilot

Oh my!! HaHaHa! I love your build threads and commentary! I can't wait for this to continue! Plus I learn a lot from them thanks!!

Here's a great tidbit of information: yell "hey sweet cheeks" at the next Wrangler you see driving by (gender of the driver is irrelevant), they may seem mad but really they're flattered.

Originally Posted by AK KRAWLER

We ALL needed this, it should be fun!!!

It is even more fun if everyone piles on.

So brush off those Jeep memes you have been saving for right occasion!

Originally Posted by rkj__

Does Jeep make good 4x4s?

Yes, #Renegade4life

Originally Posted by joshiepoogoose

looking forward to your commentary!!

Phew, I though you were going to say that you are looking forward to my painting. Really dodged a bullet there.

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Damn if you didn't already explain the Jeep life perfectly!

And it has only been 1 post!

Clearly, it is all downhill from here which also happens to be an exact quote from a 1982 Jeep product development meeting.

In that vein of not making things better, let's build some stuff. We have several step by step builds already so I'm just going to hit some highlights.

First up is the portals which apparently have different front and rear covers.



The portals are all Capra parts and I built a Capra not long ago but never realized this. My attention to detail is unmatched.

For all the crap Axial got for pretty much everything they released over the past 5 years or so, this is one of the things they got so right.



You can fanboi over any brand you want, this is still the best axle gear set that exists for a scale axle. Other than moving to the 6 bolt lockers, there was no need to improve this design since nothing else is close.

Still underrated is the big ass inner pinion bearing that Axial has been using since the SCXII. People would blow out the 5x11 inner pinion bearings from the AX10 axles frequently and we still get new trucks on the market using them for whatever reason.



The fit of this bearing was a light press on the front housing and a drop in on the rear, we will have to see how this affects things in the future. I mean, what would be more scale than a Jeep munching axle gears?

I get that there are many compromises made when designing a mass market vehicle like the SCXIII, most are understandable but some are just head scratchers.



The steering servo mount requires trimming to fit servos that have the unusual trait of being rectangular. Why does the servo mount need this piece of plastic cutting off the corner of the space the servo will occupy? If you just have to cut it off to fit like 50% of servos, then it clearly has no purpose. Just make the opening rectangular like all servos have been for the past 50 years.

Here are the new shock towers, they are made of either high carbon plastic or cast iron, whichever is harder.



Rich's build tips recommends tapping the screws that go into these, you should listen to him because he is a smart man. The key is to tap the holes enough so the last few turns of the screw are cutting into untapped plastic.

Also, the panhard mount is a separate piece from the shock tower which is good because you will never be able to remove the panhard mounting screw once the truck is assembled.

Axial gives you a metal servo horn in 23T or 25T varieties (sorry Hitec fans, get with the times) and this was a pain to get on my Holmes servo. I am fairly confident it will never fall off even if the screw loosens up and many profane words will be deployed the day I have to remove it.



If you are one of the people that has uttered something that starts with "why does the panhard..." I'm going to stop you there and tell you to check the clearances on compression.



There is literally zero room for anything other than the stock setup. The fact it even works at all is kinda amazing.

We have all seen the new skid and bolt on upper link mounts, right?



I'm not here to tell you about those but if you are curious about the other upper link mounting position, the rear upper link needs to be shortened to 88mm to use the outer upper hole and the rod ends rub badly if you try to use the inner one.

If you are the OCD type, the turnbuckle links are a god send.



Eyeball the links when you build them, install them, then tweak the final length on the truck. Without much effort, you can get all the links within .1 mm of each other. Not like real Jeeps are exactly the models of suspension precision. Where else, in 2020, can you experience death wobble, a catastrophic suspension and steering defect that has gone unsolved for most of a century, and it is considered an "ownership quirk" Only in a Jeep TM

Here is where the curtain gets pulled back and you get to see the rotten little secret of my SCXIII.



Notice anything missing?

Only the most astute among us will notice the transmission is missing and there is a very good reason.




The transmission case included with my kit is missing some rather large chunks. Kinda like Axial provided me with the cutaway version so I can watch the inner workings of the 2 speed while I drive.

I sent an email to Horizon support on Friday, still haven't heard back from them. I texted the owner of our LHS yesterday about the part and I should have a new one tomorrow or Friday. In conclusion, support the good local shops.

Now I know it shocks you to learn that a scale version of a Jeep, the mutant child of renowned quality powerhouses of Chrysler and Fiat, would contain a major defect from the factory. At least Horizon will make this right faster than Jeep deployed JL frame welders. Just wait until FCA can wedge legendary Peugeot reliability in there with their already sparkling reputation. God, I can smell the cost savings and corporate synergy from here.

Before I finish up, I would like to take this time to highlight some of the great ideas of Jeep owners:





And some states even let these people vote.

[2mtech]

Love that ventilated tranny!

Originally Posted by DukeMinnix

He does ����������

I know...and I applauded his choice! Not a Jeep fan myself, to be sure.

[svt923]

Originally Posted by 2mtech

NOW it's about to get real up in here!

So what I hear you saying is that Jeep may not be your personal first, phanboi, wouldn't drive anything else choice of 1:1 vehicle? I bet you drive a Tacoma ;)

Of course I do, it was part of my Jeep rehabilitation program.

Originally Posted by soze

Yes, I love the SVT witty comedian builds!

I guarantee at least 1.5 of the choices of wit, comedy, and building in this thread.

Originally Posted by DukeMinnix

He does 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

The best color one too.

Originally Posted by Inspector86

So let me know if you want to dump the Jeep body. I'll give you a few bucks for it.

You seem to confuse my completely accurate assessment of Jeep culture for me not liking the JL body, the two exist independent of each other.

Originally Posted by 2mtech

Love that ventilated tranny!

And only 1 part of the housing was like that, which means there is a very good chance someone else may get the other faulty parts from that mold batch as well!

[rkj__]

Last time I emailed Horizon, I think it took 3 or 4 days to hear back, but their response exceeded my expectations when I did hear back.

[svt923]

Originally Posted by rkj__

Last time I emailed Horizon, I think it took 3 or 4 days to hear back, but their response exceeded my expectations when I did hear back.

If you’re a Horizon preferred dealer, that turnaround is shortened to approximately 15 minutes apparently.

[new2rocks]

Because Tacos never fail...











I'll keep enjoying my Fiat Alfa Jeep Prius...

[Wes S.]

Wow. Oh hey he's building a 10-III - got caught up in all that genius commentary

[svt923]

Originally Posted by new2rocks

Attachment 388206

So Jeep ownership is an equally bad idea as choosing to live in the rust belt.

Thanks for the confirmation Jeep guy.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by svt923

The steering servo mount requires trimming to fit servos that have the unusual trait of being rectangular. Why does the servo mount need this piece of plastic cutting off the corner of the space the servo will occupy? If you just have to cut it off to fit like 50% of servos, then it clearly has no purpose. Just make the opening rectangular like all servos have been for the past 50 years.

This is the oddest design flaw of the entire truck. It's no secret that there are more servos than ever with varying shapes and sizes. Why would a fake oil pan and a rounded corner take precedence over servo fitment? It is, after all, a servo mount.

I did see Rich say that a revision of this part is already in the works, which is great, but it's odd this part made it out the door.

Rich's build tips recommends tapping the screws that go into these, you should listen to him because he is a smart man. The key is to tap the holes enough so the last few turns of the screw are cutting into untapped plastic.

Not tapping the last part of the hole is a good tip and I'm going to try that when I get my replacement shock tower.

Also, the panhard mount is a separate piece from the shock tower which is good because you will never be able to remove the panhard mounting screw once the truck is assembled.

I understand why the Panhard bar has a weird shape, but I still think it should be made of thicker material and better rod ends like the rest of the links.

Axial gives you a metal servo horn in 23T or 25T varieties (sorry Hitec fans, get with the times) and this was a pain to get on my Holmes servo. I am fairly confident it will never fall off even if the screw loosens up and many profane words will be deployed the day I have to remove it.

My horn was a pain to get on as well. It was even more of a pain to get off when I wanted to try to move it over one spline. I don't recommend that "fun". It was very cool that the included metal servo horns though.

The transmission case included with my kit is missing some rather large chunks. Kinda like Axial provided me with the cutaway version so I can watch the inner workings of the 2 speed while I drive.

I know people usually come online to complain about the flaws, but this seems to be one of the more common ones I've been seeing. Very odd.

It's concerning the bearings don't have a great fit in your axle housings. I think all of my bearings except one fit well.

I wonder if Horizon is shutdown due to the COVID-19. They are typically quick to respond to emails.

Oh and keep the Jeep bashing humor coming. It's hilarious because most of it is true. Death wobble FTW! I like Jeeps, but I wish I could like them more. For that to happen, Chrysler has to start making better vehicles.

[svt923]

Hello fellow Jeep lovers, are we ready to dive into another aspect of #jeeplife?

Fantastic!

Today we have some great things for you so let's begin.

Dante expounded on the fates of men after their deaths in his epic poem, Inferno. Since Dante wrote his legacy work in the 1300s, he could not fathom the future technology man would create and the horrors that would result. While my knowledge of 14th century Italian literature is rusty, I can confidently say that somewhere between the 8th and 9th circle of hell exists the Jeep wave.

We all know about the Jeep wave right? That absurd social contract that exists between Jeep owners that obligates them to acknowledge each other in public. Of course Jeep owners would equate one's choice of automobile to some sort of eternal bond forged in fire and blood. This obviously makes every other make of automobile superior because no other brand includes an unwritten obligation of social interaction with most likely terrible people. We all know what the whole point of this pointless exercise is anyway:



There is no segue from that so let's build a transmission.



I got a new transmission case that does not look like it was microwaved for 11 minutes so things can finally be assembled.

One of the things I picked up while waiting for my kit is the non-portal gear set.



This increases the reduction of these gears from 1:1 to 1.7:1. Clearly, I’m going for all the gear reduction.

If you have been racking your brain on exactly where these gears go, they install between the pinion/spur and the 2 speed gear clusters.



A bit of note on the step where you install this portion of the transmission housing is my kit would bind up if these screws were fully tightened.



If you have built an Axial before, you know the dance of tightening and backing off the screws until you get a good mix of security and smoothness. The new Axial’s have done a good job largely eliminating this game but it still pops up every now and then.



Most of the way there, so this seems like a good time to tell everyone to grease the shafts for the shift and dig dogs. I waited until now to remind you because taking apart the whole transmission once assembled is a great learning experience.

The SCXIII uses the same slipper setup as the Capra with pads and a spacer in lieu of a spring. Some people have issues with this assembly slipping once installed, I have not. My advice is to make sure your hands are clean of transmission grease when touching the pads and lightly sand the surface of the pads to take off any glazing.



Axial gives you a nice, thick metal motor plate, which is great. The hardware they give you to secure the motor is not so much.



Maybe I’m strange but I prefer my motors to be secured by more than 3 threads of a screw. I replaced the stock 10 mm ones with 12 mm screws.

Speaking of motors, I raided the box of spare motors and found this:



This isn’t one of those wussy Castle 1406 motors, this bad boy is a 1410 3800 kv usually found throwing the front wheels of much faster vehicles off the ground. Now you see why I went with the non-portal gearing.

Clearly labeled pinion, clearly labeled motor plate: idiot proof.



Man, I can’t wait for people to screw this system up.

As easily recognized by anyone with eyes, I’m using a 13T pinion instead of the stock 14T. This gives me a ratio of about 60:1 in high gear and 80:1 in low. We are clearly torture testing over here because that will be a ton of torque at the wheels.

In case you were wondering, you can install the transmission with the rest of the chassis assembled. In theory, this means the whole thing can be removed with 6 screws at most.



For dig and shift duties (because you have to run both on this truck, right?), I went with the Power HD TR4 servos.



They don’t take much effort to install, I drilled out the servo mounts on the chassis for M2.5 screws instead of the stock M2s and used the 25T servo saver bases from the Axial 2 speed servo saver set (AX31009). After messing with the settings on my DX5 Rugged to get the endpoints right, the 2 speed shifts and the dig is set for 3 positions.

That is all for now my Axial brothers. I hope this experience has brought us together with a bond as deep as the soldiers who stormed the beach at Normandy because buying a common product is clearly same thing. Just don’t wave one the trail to other Axial owners. In fact, stop waving all together because that simple hand gesture has been irrevocably ruined.