1/18 Crawler?

[rctoyguy]

What would be a good (if there is one) 1/18 chassis to use as the starting point for a crawler?

I'm trying to get something built as inexpensively as possible, just to see if crawling is something I really want to do. It looks like I'll be in the $300 range minimum to get a 1/10 truck built - all I have that can be used is a TX/RX and ESC, batteries, charger, etc... Basically I need to build a full rolling chassis with servo.

[Flash]

I am sure u could. I have not seen any others with an 1/18 scale crawler.

[shutupanddrive]

You might want to try a VMG to pirate for parts. I've got a 1/18 project going that will use VMG axles, a custom made tvp chassis, 1/18 nylint tires and wheels, and a stock TLT body. I kind of dig making crawlers of all different sizes!

[rctoyguy]

But is it less expensive to build a 1/18 than it is a 1/10?

[tjscrogins99]

It may end up being less expensive just because you will have to make alot of the parts for a 1/18 yourself.

If its your first crawler you may want to save up and just go 1/10 ax10 or somthing, have the option to go to comps, gtgs. I mean the kits are $209 now thats a steal.

[tjscrogins99]

It may end up being less expensive just because you will have to make alot of the parts for a 1/18 yourself.

If its your first crawler you may want to save up and just go 1/10 ax10 or somthing, have the option to go to comps, gtgs. I mean the kits are $209 now thats a steal. Alot of the fun is from running with other trucks, you wont find many 1/18ths to run with.

[Jasontville]

I have to admit I have been wondering the same thing myself.. I mean how cool would it be to pull this thing out of your desk at work and get some wheel time in?
I thought about the 18MT but it's not a solid axle. Losi seems to come out with everything mini, it will not be long before they come with a mini and I beleive a 1/10 scale also.

[celsiusprime]

If you end up wanting to build a 1/18 from Leo-X axles, I have a surefire design for a servo mount that directly attaches to the front axle. The original servo location is on the chassis, not conducive to building a crawler. In a bunch of the posts that I've read, the relocation of the servo was the biggest hurdle, but I just made my servo mount last night and it works great. I can email the design to anyone who is interested.

P.S. I have the design in CAD format. But I can make a pdf of the plate cut-out.

[RcFrankenstein]

my first crawler was the funnest and most challenging, and it was a vmg, had a blast stretching it to a amazing 12.5 inches, but what i have found out, is no matter how cheap you want to be when building, it all starts with the axles, after that, some scrap metal, a old street sign, just about anything and poof, you have a chassis, then go threw all those rc's you have sitting around or some friends old ones, and salvage parts, or just go thru rcc's for sale section, these guys give great deals on unneeded parts, that alone was worth me buying a star, lol, but anyways, good luck on the quest ............ and heres a pic of my vmg;

[RcFrankenstein]

oh, and one more thing, it has stock steering, lol

[celsiusprime]

alright, Frankenstein, what shaft outdrives are you using for the drive shafts? Those are not stock.

[RcFrankenstein]

on axle sides, is the stock bones, then a piece of aluminum, then the cvd from a minizilla, and on the tranny locked in place thru the center of the tranny with a screw, are 2 outdrives that i modded from the minizilla, like i said in the other post, a few parts from here and a few parts from there, and i've created a monster, lol