So what is scale driving?

[realsickclown]

Ok I've been driving a crawler/scale rig for 2 summers now and still wonder what "scale driving" is? I've looked&looked and can't find much info. I know you get negative points for reverse in a comp, but out on real 1:1 trails you use reverse a lot. So I was just wondering if anybody drives their rc like a real truck? I.E.: not bashing the pumpkin on the rock face, not dragging the belly over a break over,or just dragging your rig on it's side until it gets thru?if it won't go,it just won't go,don't force it. . Or am I just being a bit too technical on driving style? Screw the clock,can you get thru with minimal scratches. I am really interested in this cause either I'm right or wrong.

[JohnRobHolmes]

If you are talking events, there are certainly ones where you can reverse all you want such as G6 and TrailMaster events.


Some folks drive fullsize rigs like they stole it, belly dragging and breaking rocks with axles. I drive MOST of my crawlers that way too, but I have a few scalers where I am extra careful and spend lots of time planning each line so nothing drags.


Whatever is fun, do more of it!

[iihuntyii]

Well, it's probably just personal opinion and will vary from person to person. From my perspective, you are combining scale vehicles with driving in a scale manner. When I think of a scale competition, I think of the scale part as referring to the vehicle and not really the method in which it is driven. Certainly you can go "scale driving" and drive it like you would a 1:1, but I think some people would get bored with that. One of the benefits of rcs is that it allows people to push limits and do things that they cannot do in a 1:1. A similar argument can be made for why people choose to go the scale crawler route as opposed to a true rock crawler. A true rock crawler will run circles over a scale crawler (Okay, exceptions are there but I'm speaking in generalities). Again, it's all personal preference and like most things, there's a happy medium....not too much scale and not too much uhm...whatever the opposite of scale is, lol.

[MAC FAB]

You ask the million dollar question. I have no clue as to why people bash their stuff getting 20 feet of air....... That said, there are some bitchen videos here of guys that are "full scaler" if you will. I see these things as scaled down 1:1 that I wish I could squeeze into and drive. I suppose if you were going to race in one of the various classes, it should be full fpv only. What you literally see is what you get. Driving it like you stole it doesn't scale correctly either, as most of the 2.2 rigs scale at 1/10 or 1/8. So the speeds you hit aren't really accurate, not to mention gravity doesn't scale. So where am I going with this? Driving what looks proper. My buggies go in the low 30s for speed. 240mph. I have 32" and 40" wheel travel scaled.....it runs like the real deal, I guess that is all that matters.

[TacoCrawler]

For me...

scale driving is precision driving...
selecting a line that is realistic and doable
as if a 1:1 were utilized instead of a toy.

Driving like ya stole it is not scale driving.
It's destructive driving IMO
Destructive to itself and the environment surrounding.

I follow the 1:1 "Tread Lightly" principle.
Others whom think it's acceptable to destroy their rig and the trail
would be not be regarded well amongst my 1:1 peers.

Granted private land abuse I care little about...
But public land... different story.

I realize RC crawlers aren't 1:1 rigs and are less destructive...
but I really dislike when the folk running a shared trail before me...
spin their tires up and destroy my predetermined line

I'm fairly annoyed by self centered people
whom have little regard for others.

I have wheeled my current 1:1 for over 15 years...
being careful and smart with my driving placement/line...
following that principle will likely find me wheeling
my 1:1 rig another 15 years.

The truth is many drive their RC crawlers/bashers with little concern for
the trail/line or others whom might follow.
But in the 1:1 world... they would not be favored highly
and they would spend a lot more money for repairs.

Sliders are... s l i d e r s
Not hammer down... shock absorbing armor.
Same can be said for skid plates.
Likely why they're called "skid" plates
instead of "hammer" plates

I slide my 1:1 sliders and skid plates over rocks all the time...
just a little grind wear and scuffed paint.
But if hitting hard in/on the rocks... the abuse will take it's toll.

So to me...
scale driving is a skilled, methodical, precision driving technique
of which few whom I roll with at my club gathering's understand or adhere to.

Their idea of crawling...
it to force it thru... instead of scale precision driving.
Many of those guilty roll Wraith bashers
and have little patience for precision driving.

^ I feel that a forced line... is simply bashing.

granted... young folk seem to do this more so then senior folk.
But I've seen elders doing likewise.

Patience is a virtue, precision is a skill.

btw... not everyone is into racing or competing with their toys.
I don't race my 1:1... nor my RC crawler.

I would choose a different chassis if speed were my goal.
Those whom hammer down on a scale rig... will eventually break.

I drive my scale crawler in the same fashion
as I would my 1:1.
And my goal is to replicate the same articulation
and ride deflection that my 1:1 is capable of.
And not destroy it in that process.

No, my 1:1 is not an $ 100,000 custom crawler...
it a warmed over production rig that I wish to make last for my lifetime.

Reality is...
a single flop or roll over with a production 1:1 would likely be it's demise.
Not the case with a toy maybe...
But then... I don't drive my RC like a toy neither.

To each their own of course...
but the inquiry is about scale driving...
not rock racing/bashing.

[johnnyh66]

In scale comps, I drive to win. If scaled, all my rigs have well over 1000 horsepower and I use it.
I literary will push them to the breaking point if need be... and keep ggoing.
I push my rc's way harder than I ever would my beloved 1:1 88 4Runner.

At gtg's, I take it easy... enjoy winching, trying my line till I find traction... slow and steady.
Much closer to how I drive my 1:1.

[humve]

I try not to beat my truck but every one is different. When I am one the trails I will sometimes use reverse and sometimes not it all depends on if I want to winch. To me scale driving is just having fun. No different than a 1.1 or a 4 wheeler just having fun.

[realsickclown]

Ok, thanks everybody that does really clear up a few other questions as well. Thanks for all the great info.

[Tommy R]

I try to wheel my RC crawlers the way I'd expect their 1:1 counterparts to be driven. It's a nearly stock Class 1 Land Rover? Yeah, I'm taking it easy and being careful and methodical. Some wheelspeed is okay sometimes, but bouncing around and slamming into stuff is a big no-no for me.

However, if I'm wheeling a Class 3 rig which is an RC modeled after very hardcore 1:1 rigs, I'll wheel it harder.....push things a little further....and take more risks. That being said, I still try to keep it scale. Just remember "scale crawling" is like 1:1 crawling....very arbitrary/vague in description.

When I wheel my 1:1 Jeep I push it pretty hard, but always focus on maintaining no body damage. The way I look at it, anyone can make it through an obstacle if they're okay with body damage. Doing the same obstacle while keeping the body clean? Now THAT is impressive to me. And that's what I try to do.....1:1 or RC.

One other thing, I'm now much less focused on scale comps these days. As a result, I'm gearing my trucks down and installing lower speed motors for more realistic wheelspeed. As has been said, it's super easy to put Top Fuel Dragster horsepower in our scalers. I try to keep that under wraps a bit. And I'm enjoying crawling now much more because of it.

[dna4engr]

I push all my rigs pretty hard. I don't crawl 1/1, but when I used to go mudding with my 78 F150 I didn't have any consideration for breaking anything. Hammer down to not get stuck.

My Class 3 rig is driven just like it's counter parts. Watch a 4wheel & offroad 1/1 TTC and that's how my truck gets run. Slow and methodical when it makes sens, and hammer down power when necessary (which is like 85% of the time lol).

My Class 2 rig is driven much closer to a 1/1 modified street/trail truck. The most obvious deviation from that is when I need to jump a 1ft ledge to clear a gate (I don't think most people would jump a 12 ft ledge in 1/1).

This last statement really plays into the point I wanted to make. Course design and gate setup defines my driving style. I much prefer to crawl an obstacle but if I need to jump a ledge, bounce to get over a lip, or grind the side/roof to get through a gate clean, I do. Many times, in order to avoid a reverse, I'll plow a rock or dead tree limb along the course when unneccessary. We could set the courses easier and make gates realistic. However, these little toys are too dang capable so we need to make these insane obstacles that a 1/1 couldn't do if we scaled it up.

Just my $0.02

[MAC FAB]

With that jumping the 12' ledge coment, you bring up a valuable point. My next build will be able to withstand a beating beyond your wildest dreams and not break any suspension components, they will be all steel, no plastic anything anywhere. That said, perhaps there should be some "spec" parts required on some of these vehicles that WILL in fact, break if you push them too hard, thus preventing me from blasting through your roughest section (I'm 2wd buggy) as fast as I can while keeping the rubber down without a flinch. I never thought about the trail destruction somebody posted about before due to an r/c rig, but wow, thats just like everybody is getting tired of the 1:1 trophy trucks with their 40" tires chewing up the baja courses.