Lifted and Stiff

[Holdencars]

I've found a nice sweet spot tuning my suspension for maximum ground clearance while maintaining side hilling/roll over stability. I'm addicted to rock crawling - flat or uphill. Not so keen on trail. I like places I think the Honcho can't tackle then tackle them. I'm not a basher, I do it like I would 1:1

I've lifted it at least 10mm with the lift kit and re-oiled the original shocks with 30wt and screwed down the pretension considerably. Lower links are aluminum and adjusted to clock the axles slightly. The super swampers give it additional clearance as well.

It still has good flex and crawling over a radical horizontal pitch changes it slowly lurches over then as soon as a wheel grounds there's zero rebound - its remarkably stable given its high COG.

Here's the pics

 

[Duxx]

Are those 2.2's then? What's the clearance from the bottom of the chassis?

Scale beer cans, now that's the schlitz!

 

[heinie_21]

Surprised that someone worried about clearance enough to lift their honcho into monster truck status would still use an axle skid plate.

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[SinCity]

I'm trying to find a way to lower my XJ 10mm or so, raising the body on a SCX-10 in my eyes only makes it worse on angles. If you look at all the KOH/Ultra4, the rigs sit very low, with large tires. My 1:1 is as low as I can get it, while maintaining enough lift to clear tires. Minimum clearance is 13.9".

My suggestion is lower it back down, run a droop setup and add bump stops to the compression side to eliminate rubbing. This will increase stability on all categories, move the bumpers in and you will have the same approach/departure angles. Is that a Honcho front bumper on the rear? LOL

 

[Perkolator]

i'd start by adjusting the tension on your coilovers so there is some actual down-travel left in them - currently they're almost maxed out and most likely reason you claim the rig is stiff. then i'd drive and test it. next you might think about removing the lift brackets or just raising them up one hole to lower the stance and get a better COG. i don't think you'll rub since you've already cut your body.

you think it stays planted now...wait until you lower it, add weight to the tires, and put more weight inside the axles via beef tubes, HD locker, and metal steering parts -- THEN it will stay planted "thumbsup"

 

[Holdencars]

Are those 2.2's then? What's the clearance from the bottom of the chassis?

Scale beer cans, now that's the schlitz!

They're 1.9's - there's 90mm clearance measured at the motor/tranny plate

 

[Holdencars]

Surprised that someone worried about clearance enough to lift their honcho into monster truck status would still use an axle skid plate.

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True, the skid plate is a hindrance more often than not but I'm reluctant to remove it after seeing the gouges rocks have taken out of it -

 

[Holdencars]

i'd start by adjusting the tension on your coilovers so there is some actual down-travel left in them - currently they're almost maxed out and most likely reason you claim the rig is stiff. then i'd drive and test it. next you might think about removing the lift brackets or just raising them up one hole to lower the stance and get a better COG. i don't think you'll rub since you've already cut your body.

you think it stays planted now...wait until you lower it, add weight to the tires, and put more weight inside the axles via beef tubes, HD locker, and metal steering parts -- THEN it will stay planted "thumbsup"

I'm fairly happy with it for now, I've got wheel weights in it and no foam - it's been serving me well so far, here's a vid in its current setup
Axial SCX10 Honcho - Days Rocks - YouTube

 

[Holdencars]

Shot this today
Axial SCX10 Honcho - Test and Tune 2 - YouTube

 

[Jus]

True, the skid plate is a hindrance more often than not but I'm reluctant to remove it after seeing the gouges rocks have taken out of it -

I've got plastic AX-10 axles that have been dragged over rocks for years and they are still holding up.. If the time comes to replace them it's like $10 and then good for another 5 years.

 

[canadianbacon]

I've got plastic AX-10 axles that have been dragged over rocks for years and they are still holding up.. If the time comes to replace them it's like $10 and then good for another 5 years.

Yep, mine are the same. If I look at the bottom of my axles, I can't even see the seam anymore, just looks like one piece axles cases.

But if this was mine, I would lower it quite a bit. My F-150 is about as low as I can get it, I just let the suspension do the work over rocks.

 

[Holdencars]

I've got plastic AX-10 axles that have been dragged over rocks for years and they are still holding up.. If the time comes to replace them it's like $10 and then good for another 5 years.

You're right - If theyre only $10 then I could have bought 2 new axles for the price of the hindrance. Thank you, I just removed it.

 

[heinie_21]

All the advice about losing then lift is from guys with experience in both 1:1 rock crawlers and scale crawlers. Not listening to this vast bank of knowledge that we have been kind enough to share would be just stubborn.

But it is your truck. Your choice. Run it like that if you wish, but it could only help you to at least TRY what we've advised. If you try it and still think we are wrong, throw that lift kit back on there and no harm done!

Good luck

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[Holdencars]

All the advice about losing then lift is from guys with experience in both 1:1 rock crawlers and scale crawlers. Not listening to this vast bank of knowledge that we have been kind enough to share would be just stubborn.

But it is your truck. Your choice. Run it like that if you wish, but it could only help you to at least TRY what we've advised. If you try it and still think we are wrong, throw that lift kit back on there and no harm done!

Good luck

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I'm definitely taking all advice onboard - hey, the diff guard is gone! I really appreciated that advice.

I kept my Honcho stock for a few months and my biggest complaint with it was getting it hung up in the middle with all 4 wheels spinning freely so I knew I needed ground clearance. I bought the shock lift kit "and" the super swampers at the same time and installed them both - probably a mistake to do 2 upgrades at once. The swampers gave it nearly 10mm lift at the diffs where it need it - so the shock lift was most probably overkill but definitely beneficial with its chasis ground clearance. I also meant I had to tune the shocks / springs quite a bit more stiff than they were previously.

Until now I was "anti" 2.2's for my rig but I think it's now inevitable... Justify to myself to spend some more $ for wheels and tyres then swap out or change the lift to droop. And while I'm justifying I should probably choose new shocks ...

 

[Jus]

With smart driving and patience you'll learn how to approach and clear obstacles without hanging up so much..

For over a year I ran 1.9 tsl-sx on my Honcho which are like 4.20" installed on the truck... That thing went places I couldn't go with my Wraith and 5.75" tires.

But if it's frustrating you or you just don't want your driving to have to be so technical I can't blame you for wanting to lift it and put on bigger tires.

 

[heinie_21]

get a Traxxas Summit. I think you will enjoy driving it more than your honcho. Or get the axial version of the summit (wraith).

 

[Holdencars]

With smart driving and patience you'll learn how to approach and clear obstacles without hanging up so much..

For over a year I ran 1.9 tsl-sx on my Honcho which are like 4.20" installed on the truck... That thing went places I couldn't go with my Wraith and 5.75" tires.

But if it's frustrating you or you just don't want your driving to have to be so technical I can't blame you for wanting to lift it and put on bigger tires.

I never mentioned being frustrated - I opened this thread saying I was over the moon with my rig

Lifting it has huge advantages over stock height on 1.9's if the shocks are tuned properly.

Here's a another vid from today - you can make up your own mind
My latest Youtube

 

[heinie_21]

Lol not seeing anything in that video that a stock honcho couldn't do. Better yet my 1.55 lr3 could do it and it's a low rider compared to the rig in the video.

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[Holdencars]

Lol not seeing anything in that video that a stock honcho couldn't do. Better yet my 1.55 lr3 could do it and it's a low rider compared to the rig in the video.

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Got anything other than a still shot

 

[Duxx]

Looks good bro! I like the challenge of driving the 2.2's.

Scale beer cans, now that's the schlitz!