Cost Effectiveness - Kit vs Piece Together

[rctoyguy]

I have been reading quite a bit on the forums here, and I gotta say I am more confused than I was when I started. I am looking at options to get started crawling - I would expect it to be 95% "bashing" as opposed to official competitions, and I am on a very limited budget. The only parts I have that can be moved to a crawler is a ESC, Rx, and battery - so basically I need everything.

Is it more realistic to try and round up all of the parts to build one (axles from here, trans from there, chassis from here, etc) or just buy the Axial kit?

A friend has recently gotten started, he bough the Axial kit, but he has already replaced basically everything so that makes me think it might not be the best way to go.... If I am going to piece one together, I don't even know where to start - buy chassis first, buy axles first, buy trans first, what? Won't I run the risk of ending up with a bunch of parts that don't really work together? (this trans won't mount to this chassis, or these axles won't mount with these shocks/links, etc)

Thanks for any guidance.... I'm just really confused.

[sparky0068]

Start off with a 4x4 wheely king and mod when the possible.

[Philistine]

Originally Posted by sparky0068

Start off with a 4x4 wheely king and mod when the possible.

X2

If your looking at "95% bashing" a WK is the way to go. The Axial kit is built as a crawler and is not a basher. Crawling and bashing are really two different things and are not easy to mix in one bulid. Pick one or the other.

[rctoyguy]

By "bashing" - I just meant that I don't see a lot of official competition in my future, so fitting into a certain class, etc isn't really a priority for me at this point.

[JavelinSST390]

You could also consider the Axial RTR. But I WILL say that after seeing a couple axials in action the Axials are a LOT more fragile than the WK's are.

And I can tell you, the WK will take a BEATING.



Now, I guess it depends on what you want to do.

If you just want to start with something simple and have it evolve into a crawler over time, I'd asy get he WK or axial RTR or axial kit.

If you have something very specific in mind you wanjt to end up with (a copy of a buddy's rig, for example) Then start with a pile of parts.

I only say this because I started with a stock Wheely King, and it slowly mutated into something where the only stock WK parts left are the trans and axles. But that's because when I started I didn't know what I wanted.

[rctoyguy]

The Axial kit is still very high on my list - I guess that is part of my problem - I DON'T know exactly what I want. Heck, I haven't even seen one run in person, but the videos I've seen are really cool, and I love the look of these trucks with tons of suspension travel/articulation.

I'm also surpised to hear that the Axial might be more fragile - the WK is mostly plastic, right? and the Axial is mostly aluminum? That big chunk of chassis hanging down on the WK doesn't look like it would allow very much clearance.... Disclaimer - All I have to go by at this point is pictures I've seen - no idea how they really perform.

I'm intrigued by the WK - new 4wd plus HPI's conversion guide would put it at less than $200 - the Axial is what, $250 or better?

To the original question - Is it realistic to think I can round up all of the needed parts to build something decent for $200?

[Pooflinger1006]

I would say build from scratch, I built a PTI a while back for playing around and bashing. Now im into comps and there is no way a PTI can compete, its just set up all wrong, and the ax-10 has to long of a wheelbase.

So I ordered the xrc chassis, R2 tranny with disconnect from rc4wd.com, axial axles, castle creations BEC, beadlocks and some losi rock claws. Once i get it together I will have a decent rig for a comp and still have the PTI to go bashing or mudding since its getting waterproofed

[Josh87]

If you are just gonna rock crawl you can't go wrong with the axial kit. Stat with the kit and mod it one piece at a time, tht is how you will learn the most.

[JavelinSST390]

Originally Posted by rctoyguy

The Axial kit is still very high on my list - I guess that is part of my problem - I DON'T know exactly what I want. Heck, I haven't even seen one run in person, but the videos I've seen are really cool, and I love the look of these trucks with tons of suspension travel/articulation.

I'm also surpised to hear that the Axial might be more fragile - the WK is mostly plastic, right? and the Axial is mostly aluminum? That big chunk of chassis hanging down on the WK doesn't look like it would allow very much clearance.... Disclaimer - All I have to go by at this point is pictures I've seen - no idea how they really perform.

I'm intrigued by the WK - new 4wd plus HPI's conversion guide would put it at less than $200 - the Axial is what, $250 or better?

To the original question - Is it realistic to think I can round up all of the needed parts to build something decent for $200?

The only aluminum parts on the axials are the links, motor plate, and chassis plates. Well, those are the metal parts the Axial has that the Wk doesn't. Other than that, the knuckles, c's, axle housings, and shocks are plastic.

The only reason I say the axial is more fragile is the stock knuckles, and stock link ends are a bit limp-wristed, in my opinion.

here's my buddies ax-10 after he dropped by accident just getting it out of his car. And it didn't drop from that far, either. About waist high was all it took. Broken knuckle, and two broken rod ends. It ended his day before he could even get it out on the trail.


And as for the $$$ aspect, well, No matter what you do, you're gonna have at least $400 to $500 into a capable crawler. As far as I've seen there's just no way around that. Once you figure in the cost of radio, servo(s),speed control, motor, batts, spare parts, etc. etc.

[Col_Sanders]

Originally Posted by rctoyguy

The Axial kit is still very high on my list - I guess that is part of my problem - I DON'T know exactly what I want. Heck, I haven't even seen one run in person, but the videos I've seen are really cool, and I love the look of these trucks with tons of suspension travel/articulation.

I'm also surpised to hear that the Axial might be more fragile - the WK is mostly plastic, right? and the Axial is mostly aluminum? That big chunk of chassis hanging down on the WK doesn't look like it would allow very much clearance.... Disclaimer - All I have to go by at this point is pictures I've seen - no idea how they really perform.

I'm intrigued by the WK - new 4wd plus HPI's conversion guide would put it at less than $200 - the Axial is what, $250 or better?

To the original question - Is it realistic to think I can round up all of the needed parts to build something decent for $200?

No. Not unless you have parts laying around already. If you already have a radio, ESC, batteries, and a good servo, then you could build a decent crawler for $275 or so. That will get you the Axial kit and a good motor.

The Axial RTR I think is running ~250-270 or so from some of the vendors here. From whats been said here its a decent little rig. Also if you are patient and can figure out what you want, you can scoop up some deals on the classifieds here for parts and come up with a good crawler/basher for fairly cheap.

[Dragon Soaring]

If your a scratch builder like me then the only answer is to do a custom build

[rctoyguy]

I'd be willing to do a scratch build at some point, but for my first crawler, I think I'd better hold off - LOL.

It's looking like I'm going to piece something together - already got a lead on some Axial chassis parts and a friend of a friend kind of deal that will get me som stock axial shocks for free... Can't beat free....

[Knoc]

RTR is easily gonna be your cheapest bet.. Id go for the axial way over the wk. You end up having to stick money into a stock wheely king to make it a craweler.. Otherwise its just what it advertises... A wheely king. Get the axial, you wont be disapointed. If its near the same quality as the kit, its a big thumbs up.

[Nerve]

As an alternative, what about the new Tamiya CR-01 kit?

Not really sure how well it would hold up as a "basher", but it would get you into crawling. I think the kit was just over $300 CDN.


My LHS is giving one away as a contest for the month of April.

Basically, there are two guys in our crawling club that took a bone stock G Wagon from The Source (aka radio shack) and turned it into a capable, cool looking crawler.

Pics are on the main homepage http://www.rccontario.ca/


Otherwise ...go with what you can afford or build. Axial or WK, both will get you into crawling and both will probably do what you want it to do.

[rctoyguy]

I like the Tamiya - I'm a Tamiya guy thanks to TCS racing - but I thought the CR-01 was a lot more than that...

I'm a little shocked to see the pic of the busted truck - everything I've read (supposedly unbiased reviews) say the Axial is tough as nails. It mush have just hit the ground wrong, I guess (hope).

[BitHed]

...i picked up AX10 axles and a tranny...thats it...i knew that i would mod it as i went along and in that repect i made the right choice for me...I have enough RC stuff sitting around that i can play with different setups..right now my 'chassis' is 2 HPI MT2 rear shock towers

...cost wise go with what you can afford and what you 'must' have at that certain moment in time...but personally for me i prefer to pick up stuff as i go along...

...FWIF there is a saying in Japanese that basically translates to "There is NOTHING more expensive than something you get for free"...but free IS free

[Nova's Ark]

I would post a wanted add, once you can view the classifieds here on RCC. 30 tech posts and 30 days. You will get many people offering you all kinds of possibilities. The AX-10 kit is OK for starters. I think the AX-10 kit is better than the wheely king, but it all comes down to preference. Many times you can buy a used rolling crawler for half the cost to build it yourself. Good deals are available if you work hard to find them, have the cash at the time, and are patient to wait for them.

To answer you original question; I think piecing a crawler together is best. However, if you've never built a crawler before or have little skill, a kit may be best. No matter what, costs add up quick. The more you can make yourself the better. All of my crawlers were pieced together, or bought as a roller and completely rebuilt. My son did start with an AX-10 kit, but the only thing left from that kit is the axles, transmission and bead locks. Everything else was sold.

Buy your axles first, chassis second, transmission third. Make a plan and stick to it. A lot of money is wasted by changing plans mid build. If you plan it out, buy only what you need, you will build a crawler the way you want it and have the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

[JBHardwear]

I buy the AX10 kit on every build, Use the parts I want and sell or trade the left overs, works great

[BitHed]

...and the more you read on the forums the more you find that there is no 100% RIGHT way to do anything Its all 'do what you want' Best of luck with it though...Its a blast...

[Nova's Ark]

Originally Posted by BitHed

...and the more you read on the forums the more you find that there is no 100% RIGHT way to do anything Its all 'do what you want' Best of luck with it though...Its a blast...

So true