Flexible SCX10 ii Chassis

[micro racer]

I work at a hobby shop and we got one of the new SCX10 ii Blazer RTR's as well as a TRX-4 Sport on our last order. We took both out of the box to compare them a bit, and found the TRX-4 chassis to be significantly stiffer than the SCX10 rails. Like, the brand spankin' new SCX10 chassis twisted more than my 3 year old Dingo chassis that had gone through two Axialfests. So, what gives?

The Axial plastic feels way cheaper, and you can actually see the skid plate (besides the crossbraces themselves) flexing quite a bit. I don't know a whole lot about solid axle suspension, but I know that for TC and buggy racing you generally want the chassis to be pretty stiff, so the suspension actually does what it's supposed to do. For $420, I expect a much higher quality truck than presented, especially considering that the TRX-4 was listed $60 cheaper, at $360.

I'm not really sure what to make of this, other than it doesn't make me want to buy another Axial vehicle. I was wondering what everybody here thought of this...

 

[JDM74]

Are you twisting it by hand or watching the chassis twist when it flexes the suspension?

 

[SSD]

There doesn't seem to be a big problem of chassis' bending with the SCX10 II in real world use. Otherwise we would have heard about it by now.

So while it is not as stiff as the TRX4 is doesn't appear to be a real issue.

 

[svt923]

The Axial chassis has always been rather rubbery, my 4+ year old SCX10 chassis and my less than 1 year old SCXII Honcho really aren't any different in terms of chassis flex.

 

[GrimmTheTourist]

I run two scx2 kit versions and I never had any issues with the frame rails.
I also have a TRX4 and I would not say the plastic on the scx2 is worse. I just abuse them on the rocks and trails and both chassis work perfectly fine.

Once one of my SCX2 tumbeld down a very steep hill in the woods with many roots and rocks. I was watching it spinning, flying and falling down and thought "well, thats it " It finally landed very hard on a flat spot and the only thing that broke was the front bumper. I just drove the hill back up :ror:

So I would say it is strong enough.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

They are C-channel frames so they should be plenty stiff. I do know of somebody that bent an SCX10 frame, but it was a long tumble down a 30 feet high hill. There have been reports of aftermarket rails (usually just flat sheet metal which is must more pliable than C-channel) bending and even some other trucks, like the Origin, but not so much on the SCX10.

One thing to remember is that 1:1 trucks have C-channel frame rails and they do flex and twist a substantial amount. You might never notice it on road-but if you take it off-road you will notice it. Nothing to worry about really. If it bothers you purchase some aluminum cross pieces and stiffen it up. Many companies sell those pieces.

Axial plastics ARE cheaper than any other RC crawler I've ever owned. Their plastics are straight up junk and their quality compared to the competition and their overall quality is just worse than any of the big name brands. That's why you are noticing that the Traxxas TRX-4 feels like such a better truck.

 

[micro racer]

Are you twisting it by hand or watching the chassis twist when it flexes the suspension?

I'm twisting it by hand; the truck is for sale so I haven't run it, but I know for sure that my old, beat rails (and plastics) visibly twisted when they were twice as stiff as the new stuff.

Jato, the rails themselves do look reasonably stiff, I think it is more the crossbraces and skid plate flexing. A lot of my issue comes from simply comparing the 10.2 to the OG stuff, in that even my worn down skid barely twisted, but the new one offsets the holes by about 10 degrees with a moderate torque applied to the bumpers.

SSD, it's not so much that I'm worried that they'll permanently bend or deform while running, more that it just doesn't feel like the new Dingo kit I built 5-6 years ago. And that was the cheapest kit Axial ever made for the SCX10.1.

 

[SSD]

I have a brand new SCX2 frame rail and a very old SCX1 frame rail in my hands here and I can say they feel exactly the same as far as how flexible the steel is. Same weight also.

Before I weighed them I convinced myself the old one was heavier.

 

[Bananaclip]

Maybe some universal cross bracing from SSD or even better an SSD Frame Kit.......Oh that sounds nice doesn't it....:mrgreen:

 

[ferp420]

The softer plastic will take more abuse and give in a realy hard hit so its better for people who are just getting in to rc

 

[Sjonnie82]

So what is the point you want to make? You work at a shop and complain about a truck?
Seems you don’t have a lot of experience with other cars or driving :roll:

 

[JatoTheRipper]

The softer plastic will take more abuse and give in a realy hard hit so its better for people who are just getting in to rc

In theory, but not in practice. Axial's rubbery plastic still isn't that durable.

 

[micro racer]

I have a brand new SCX2 frame rail and a very old SCX1 frame rail in my hands here and I can say they feel exactly the same as far as how flexible the steel is. Same weight also.

Before I weighed them I convinced myself the old one was heavier.

I'm not necessarily looking at the rails themselves, more of the chassis on the whole. I certainly can't imaginge Axial drastically changing the type of steel they use, but their plastic is definitely more flexible, for equivalent parts (like the skid plates).

I like Bananaclip's "SSD frame kit," though...

 

[QuesoDelDiablo]

The flex that you're seeing is only induced when the torsional forces on the chassis are GROSSLY overloaded.

In real world use, the loads applied to the chassis are nowhere near what you're doing with your hands. Bottom line is that the SCX10/10.2 platform isn't heavy enough to need to be any stiffer.

Traxxas just probably just overbuilt theirs and that's why you see what appears to be an issue.

IMO

 

[micro racer]

So what is the point you want to make? You work at a shop and complain about a truck?
Seems you don’t have a lot of experience with other cars or driving :roll:

Excuse me?!

I've been to Axialfest three years in a row, built three trucks from parts, and raced spec buggy for two years. Now, I certainly don't know everything, but I do know at least a bit about RC cars, how they're built, and how they handle.

I simply wanted to create a discussion about something I observed. Indeed, it has been a factor in people buying the TRX-4 over the SCX10.2, as they felt that the TRX-4 was a more well built vehicle.

If you don't think this discussion is useful in any way, please just move along instead of attacking people for things you (incorrectly) assumed about them...

 

[Bananaclip]

So what is the point you want to make? You work at a shop and complain about a truck?
Seems you don’t have a lot of experience with other cars or driving :roll:

Uncalled for man..... not cool:roll:

 

[gottorque]

Lets be honest though, that TRX has way more fluff and gizmos bolted to it. Take the battery tray off the TRX and yeah more than likely that frame will have additional flex. That battery tray is a torsional brace as it ties the center section and rear section together.

But just my .02

 

[Ditchrat]

The softer plastic will take more abuse and give in a realy hard hit so its better for people who are just getting in to rc

Bingo

 

[lszomb]

I did not have trx4. But scx10.2 does have the worst plastic parts among all RCs I have. But I also enjoy it as a platform that allows me to learn where is the weak point and try to fix that. Sounds silly? LoL.

 

[Col_Sanders]

The TRX-4 is definitely heavier duty and more solid. It has more cross bracing and better plastics as well as a thicker frame. But like has already been stated, the type of twisting that you are putting the chassis by hand is not what would be applied to it during normal use. I've seen them take some pretty bad tumbles and not bend.

One thing to remember is that 1:1 trucks have C-channel frame rails and they do flex and twist a substantial amount. You might never notice it on road-but if you take it off-road you will notice it. Nothing to worry about really. If it bothers you purchase some aluminum cross pieces and stiffen it up. Many companies sell those pieces.

Axial plastics ARE cheaper than any other RC crawler I've ever owned. Their plastics are straight up junk and their quality compared to the competition and their overall quality is just worse than any of the big name brands. That's why you are noticing that the Traxxas TRX-4 feels like such a better truck.

Fully boxed frames have been the norm in 1:1 for quite some time. I think Toyota was the last to make the switch from C Channel. They had recalls over frames rusting and breaking.