wraith flex questions

[bashin calfee]

Hay guys i have a custom axial wraith and i cant seam to figure out how to get more flex out of it. Any ideas

[BLKXJ 96]

More flex or articulation is not always a good thing. I would give softer springs a try, move the battery to the front of the truck, or weight the wheels. I was very happy with just moving the battery to the front of the truck, it was a night and day difference of how the truck handled. I also run Losi gold springs which are way softer than the stock springs that come with the Wraith.

[johnnyh66]

One tire height is a good general rule of thumb

[DH-89XJ]

hey man, my wraith's got a lot more flex. i have some pictures. but i can't find them. but, there is a different way to get the info on all the mods I did to my wraith. seb's rc shop will be able to help you out. his youtube video is here -> Seb's RC Shop, Axial Wraith, best suspension and performance mod in the world LOL - YouTube and Orange Axial Wraith, Chris S. design, counter lever system, single shock, big flex, Seb's RC Shop - YouTube

[BELADOG]

I'm still not convinced less is more. At least not on the Wraith.

I went with the G-Made 124mm Zeros. They have soft springs which lower the ride by about 1/4" and allow more throw than the frame will allow. The tires will actually rub the frame at full throw!
Simple and inexpensive mod to make a huge difference.

[BELADOG]

Those vids are cool to see how gnarly you can go, but they dont show the mods at all.
Plus imo they are really hard to watch. Trying to hold the camera while you drive is silly, As is handing the camera to someone who frames the worst possible viewing angles...
Damn. I'm such a hater. Obviously jealous lol.

[Jus]

I felt the flex was too much with my Wraith kit.. I limited the rear shocks down travel.. Much better now.

Longer shocks is a good start if you think you need more.. Good luck.

[ScaleFreak93]

The stock flex is too much. The one tire rule is a great rule of thumb I prefer 4"-4.7" of flex.

[dunerinaz]

Stock flex is not too much, even in terms of scale. I wouldn't want any more but I can't see it as too much.

[ScaleFreak93]

Yea, but most people limit their rigs flex even in real life. It's just too much for what it is.

[Conman]

That's the beauty of the wraith. You can form it to your purpose what ever it may be. I bought the wraith for my son to build a slow speed crawler which is what the wraith was really inteded for, not a trophy truck. By no meas does the wraith have too much flex, it just needs a lower center of gravity. I've done all the "free" lowering tricks and now going to either buy or build longer shock towers and find a little longer shock with softer springs. Anybody with any good info, Bashin and I would appriciate it.

[dunerinaz]

Originally Posted by Conman

That's the beauty of the wraith. You can form it to your purpose what ever it may be. I bought the wraith for my son to build a slow speed crawler which is what the wraith was really inteded for, not a trophy truck. By no meas does the wraith have too much flex, it just needs a lower center of gravity. I've done all the "free" lowering tricks and now going to either buy or build longer shock towers and find a little longer shock with softer springs. Anybody with any good info, Bashin and I would appriciate it.

For now, until you get shocks, you can grab a set of the soft 1.04 lb springs and it makes a huge difference using the stock shocks. It stays way more planted than with the stock springs. Plus, you'll get some nice sag in the suspension which is a good thing.

[ax10tn]

99% of the time to much flex will indeed hurt you crawling rocks because it will dig you into a hole..

[ScaleFreak93]

Nope, apparently according to others here a crawler is useless without at LEAST 90* of flex

[dunerinaz]

I have seen a lot of overkill when it comes to flex or articulation. I personally don't think the stock shocks can offer too much. They don't have much travel so they are the limiting factor. I think the stock shocks with softer springs is a happy medium. Like I said, I wouldn't want any more.

[BELADOG]

Originally Posted by Conman

T... and find a little longer shock with softer springs. Anybody with any good info, Bashin and I would appriciate it.

Bashin is a bitchin name

I built mine as a crawler as well.
With an 18.5 its top speed is about twelve.

I look at it like this.
If this was a 1:1 real vehicle it would absolutely need some serious lift if not for clearance alone... it's like crawling a limo!

I get that some of you prefer less travel for your scale Jeeps and factory framed trucks. I get that it makes it more challenging and more realistic to regulate your articulation. But this is not a scale version of a uni/mono or ladder frame rig. Its a tube chassis with 4 link! Let it stretch man!

For me, I was getting tired of climbing the pile and flipping it back over every other rock. A friend said they should have named it the Axial Turtle
Once I added longer shocks and lowered the CG it performed beautifully.
So whats wrong with someone who wants to build a crawler specific Wraith adding more articulation? You would not limit the Scorpion. Heck you can twist that thing in half! Not like we want to enter a scale guild and compete for detail.
I just like the fact that it looks like a real vehicle (not an insect) and can hold its own on a pile of Granite.

I watched about five hours of youtube videos and all the crazy good crawler Wraiths have fantastic travel (at least twice the stock droop).

You guys have ten times the experience as I when it comes to crawling and I would never dare question your knowledge or experience, but for me it made it much easier. Maybe when I get bored I will limit it, but till then I'm certainly not going to make fun of or criticize someone who wants more travel. Ill just tell them how to get it.


I went with G-Made 124mm Zero shocks. They come with a 1.5 spring which sags under the huge Wraith and drops the CG by about 1/2". They also have a ton more throw and the tires will actually rub on the frame under full twist.

Those shocks, with the droop kit will bring the travel back to stock,
but allows another 5/8" cg drop!
I run w/o the droop kit, and just flipped the lower axle link mounts.

here is a pic of it under load.
It would not come close to climbing this pile in stock form.

[2500hdon37s]

Originally Posted by BELADOG

Bashin is a bitchin name

I built mine as a crawler as well.
With an 18.5 its top speed is about twelve.

I look at it like this.
If this was a 1:1 real vehicle it would absolutely need some serious lift if not for clearance alone... it's like crawling a limo!

I get that some of you prefer less travel for your scale Jeeps and factory framed trucks. I get that it makes it more challenging and more realistic to regulate your articulation. But this is not a scale version of a uni/mono or ladder frame rig. Its a tube chassis with 4 link! Let it stretch man!

For me, I was getting tired of climbing the pile and flipping it back over every other rock. A friend said they should have named it the Axial Turtle
Once I added longer shocks and lowered the CG it performed beautifully.
So whats wrong with someone who wants to build a crawler specific Wraith adding more articulation? You would not limit the Scorpion. Heck you can twist that thing in half! Not like we want to enter a scale guild and compete for detail.
I just like the fact that it looks like a real vehicle (not an insect) and can hold its own on a pile of Granite.

I watched about five hours of youtube videos and all the crazy good crawler Wraiths have fantastic travel (at least twice the stock droop).

You guys have ten times the experience as I when it comes to crawling and I would never dare question your knowledge or experience, but for me it made it much easier. Maybe when I get bored I will limit it, but till then I'm certainly not going to make fun of or criticize someone who wants more travel. Ill just tell them how to get it.


I went with G-Made 124mm Zero shocks. They come with a 1.5 spring which sags under the huge Wraith and drops the CG by about 1/2". They also have a ton more throw and the tires will actually rub on the frame under full twist.

Those shocks, with the droop kit will bring the travel back to stock,
but allows another 5/8" cg drop!
I run w/o the droop kit, and just flipped the lower axle link mounts.

here is a pic of it under load.
It would not come close to climbing this pile in stock form.

if you cant climb that pile with a wraith in stock form. you need to learn to drive.


Axial did their research, and the wraith comes with the perfect shock for it IMO. short enough to keep it low and not too much flex, yet enough flex to do well on the rocks.

[ax10tn]

well my stock kit version would crawl over this that my ax10/vp chassis is going across right now in the pics.

[BELADOG]

Originally Posted by 2500hdon37s

if you cant climb that pile with a wraith in stock form. you need to learn to drive...

Thanks for the compliment. Your truck looks sweet too bro

Well you are probably correct. I have allot of learning to do. I like to be technical and slow when climbing. As I have never stated I am a pro...In fact quite the contrary.

Look, all I know is it went up and over nice and slow the way its built now.
Stock required massive wheel spin to "bounce" it up over the over-vert entrance.
On the back side it would have hit the skid and clanked its way down the other side.
now it droops and stays connected all the way.
still needs a lower cg I think though.

I'll keep practicing

[ScaleFreak93]

Stock does not require "massive wheelspin" to "bounce" up. If you actually know how to choose a line you could easily take a stock wraith over that tiny pile