Just a quick reminder that there are a few RC events going on this weekend that you will be able to run into some of the Big Squid RC crew at!

This Saturday June 15th in Champaign Illinois is the Hot Slots Bash! For complete information, just Click Here, or you can call 217-607-1837.

And on Sunday June 16th is the second round of the RC Drift Challenge at Hobby Town USA in Orland Park. You can Click Here for more info on that one.

And finally, Adam the Intern will be at The Clifs Off Road Park in Marseiles IL. for a 2 day scale/crawl event. That one is a little harder to get info on, but the closed FB group can be found Here.

If you see one of the Big Squid RC crew at one of the events, make sure to say hello!

What RC’ing are you doing this weekend? Let us know in the comments!

Adam “The Uber Intern” had built a killer STRC equipped Axial Wraith for Cubby to drive and I drove our BSRC review Vaterra Twin Hammers. Both are tough scale machines that worked well for us all day long.

The event was held in Wentzville Missouri, a town on the north-western edge of the St Louis metro area. Competitors were divided into three different classes based on the truck they were driving. The three classes were 1.9, 2.2 and the crazy “unlimited” class.

The 2.2 trucks kicked things off, first competing on the rock course, then going over to the mud bog. The smaller 1.9 trucks got their turn next, and the “Unlimited” class trucks went last. The rock course was quite challenging and the mud bog was just plain fun. I had never competed in a “scale” event before, luckily the Show Me Scalers event was a blast and I look forward to hitting another one soon.

Event results-

1.9 Rock Course

1st – Aaron (Honcho SCX10) – 4:18
2nd – Doug W (SCX10 – 4:45
3rd – Jeff B (SCX10) – 4:56
4th – Brian (SCX10) – 5:06
5th – Bob (SCX10) – 5:34

2.2 Rock Course

1st – Jeff B (Wraith) – 1:48
2nd – John D (AX10) – 1:51
3rd – Chris B (Ax10/X-Trail) – 1:54
4th – Teddy (Wraith) – 2:17
5th – Danny (Wraith) – 2:24

Unlimited Rock Course

1st – Ken (6×6 SCX10) – 1:18
2nd – Curtis (6×6 SCX10) – 1:55
3rd – Chris B. (Summit) – 2:43
4th – Chad (Mad Torque) – 3:44

1.9 Mud Pit

1st – Doug (Rusty Jeep Comanche SCX10) – 5.9 seconds
2nd – Bob O. (SCX10) – 6.4
3rd – Tim (Twin Hammers) – 7.3
4th – Bob O. (Hi-Lift) – 8.0
5th – Doug (SCX10) – 8.1

2.2 Mud Pit

1st – Todd (Wraith) – 4.5 seconds
2nd – Danny (Wraith) – 5.3
3rd (Tie) – Brian (Energy) – 5.7
Brian (Wraith)
5th (Tie) – Jeff (Wraith) – 6.3
Ken (Wraith)

Unlimited Mud Pit

1st – Chris B. (Summit) 3.2 seconds
2nd – Ken (6×6 SCX10) – DNF

For more information on scale trucks and the lifestyle, hit THIS LINK to visit the Show Me Scalers website. Looking for even more information on scale realism? Try THIS LINK right here on BigSquidRC.

Click below on the “Read More” button to see 8 more galleries full of the rock crawling and mud bog action from the event.

Hit Read More for a TON more pictures!

* Everything you need is included in the box
* Shift-on-the-fly, two speed transmission
* Independent cantilever front suspension
* Brushless-ready drivetrain
* Waterproof electronics (see manual for more details)
* Spektrum™ DX3E 2.4GHz 3-channel radio system
* Scale lights, cockpit and body panels
* Dynamite® brushed Tazer™ 540 12-turn system with programmable modes included
* 12mm wheel hexes
* Dynamite 2S 7.4V 2000mAh Li-Po battery
* Dual-position battery tray for use with the optional Dynamite battery
* Beadlock wheels with Race Claw 1.9 scale tires
* Molded chassis and multi-piece roll cage
* 4-link suspension
* Adjustable, oil-filled, aluminum, coil-over shocks
* Comes with 1.8 amp Lipo wall charger
* Diffs- Front Gear Diff, Rear Locker
* Final drive ratio- Low: 32:1 High 18:1
* Interal gear ratio- Low: 4.05:1 High: 2.27:1
* 48 pitch gears
* Front and rear track- 9.75 in (247.7mm)
* Ground clearance- 0.91 in (23mm)
* Height- 6.125 in (155.6mm)
* Length- 18 in (457.2mm)
* Tire diameter- 4.1 in (104.14mm)
* Wheel diameter- 2.25″ overall, 1.9″ bead surface
* Wheel width- 0.75 in (19.05mm)
* Weight- 2.12 lbs (0.96Kg)
* Wheelbase- 11.6 in (294.6mm)
* Width- 5.9 in (149.9mm)

Street price for the Twin Hammers is $399, and right now we are told the release date may be as late as July/August. Until then, hit up the Vaterra RC Website for more information.

Looking for more Vaterra RC information? Hit up THIS link on BigSquidRC.

Axial has really been cranking out the quality scale stuff lately. If you are into the crawler scene, or looking to make the jump, Axial is the name you need to know. So how does their new SCX10 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon hold up with their high standards? Does it leave the competition stuck on a trail waiting for a winch? Or does the Axial need to use the winch? Keep reading to find out…

 Review By: Adam the intern

 Specs: Width:9″ (229mm)Length21.24″ (540mm)Height:9″ (229mm) Wheelbase:12.3″ (313mm)Ground Clearance:2.7″ (68mm)Weight:4.65lb (2.1kg)Motor27T 540/550 sizeRadioTwo ChannelServosOne digital, high-torque metal gear (standard size)ESCForward and reverse ESC

 Primary Competition: Axial scx10 honcho/dingo

 What’s Needed To Complete: The truck comes pre-built and ready to go, but requires a battery and charger.

 Test Drivers: Adam the intern, Melissa, and Juan.

Test Venues: Local parks and crawl spots

Set-up Notes: After running the truck for the first time straight out of the box, I went ahead and used the supplied option parts to move the battery mount to the front of the frame. This gave the truck better weight distribution and kept if from doing wheelies on the trail.

Turning: The truck comes equipped with a digital high torque steel gear servo that has no problems turning the wheels. When i adjusted the drive range on the remote the servo was able to max out the steering in both directions which comes in handy on tight trails.

Jumping: Normally this section would be left blank during the review of a scale crawler but we decided to have some fun and really see how much of a beating the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon would take! We jumped it down stairs, off a table, over roots on the trail, off my trampoline…. you name it.. the Jeep took a fall from it! lol.

Bumps/Whoops: The jeep had no problem gliding over any bumps along the trail. Axial’s 27 turn motors provided just enough speed to get the tires spinning and bouncing over rough/uneven terrain.

Off-Road: The Rubicon is a very capable truck for an RTR it has a 3-link in the front and a 4-link in the rear which proves to be a preaty decent combination! The truck has plenty of articulation and locked diffs, add that to a bullet-proof drivetrain and improved electronics and you have a trail ready rig that comes ready to go!

Grass: The 1.9s did have some trouble in high grass but it would make it with some rapid reversing and constant acceleration.

Tires: The tires proved themselves VERY capable! Molded in R35 sticky compound the Maxxis Trepador tires are bigger in diameter than normal 1.9s and look great! The taller size helps with giving more axle clearence than the old scx10 and look a lot better with the jeep body! If only they would have been on bead-locks…

Power: Axial gave the truck a 27 turn motor which is my personal favorite motorwhen it comes  to scale crawling because it has some speed but will still crawl when geared right. The truck has plenty of power and speed for what it is made for and certainly had no problem pulling out Juan’s scx10 every chance it had.

Radio: The AX-3 2.4GHz , Axial’s new radio is one of my favorite rtr 2.4s if the remote is shut off while the car is still on the car will not take off which really is a nice feature to have! I can’t even keep track of how many times I’ve had cars launch at full throttle because I accidentally turned off my remote.

Broken Parts: The Jeep is a VERY solid truck and I had a hard time finding any weak points and only one thing has broke so far after weeks of abuse. I stripped a spur gear, which the mesh sounded a little loose out of the box so maybe it was slightly off from the factory but after I replaced the spur no other problems have happened. Other than that a very outstanding rig.

Misc Notes: Axial included an extra set of stickers for the body and a lot of other extras!

Best Mod Under $5: Defiantly some other plug besides the old style Tamiya. Normally I would have an exciting mod for this section but with this truck, that is the only small thing that I have/would change.

Best Mod Over $5: Some led lighting! Axial used to always have lights on their trail ready trucks but this rig is missing them. Would have added a very nice touch and would have been very useful during testing!

WE have a TON of pictures for this one, check out the galleries below.

SUMMARY:

A = Outstanding/Best in Class, B = Above Average, C = Average, D = Below Average, F = Horrific

Time To Bash: C The Jeep is 100% ready to go out of the box. All you will need is a battery and a charger of your choice and you’ll be tearing up the trails in no time!

Workability: C A very nice setup which isn’t hard to work on at all. A lot of the parts on the truck resemble the real thing so if you have an automotive background then working on the Jeep will come easy.

Car Show Rating: A This truck had some major improvements to it’s scale looks which made it even cooler than an average SCX10. The Poison Spider Bumpers really set off the look and scale functions! Extremely eye catching! The only thing that the truck needed that I think Axial could have pulled off.. was a driver!

Bash-A-Bility: C Would have been an A  but the spur gear  couldn’t take the abuse.

Fun Factor: B VERY FUN! Especially when you pull out the camera and capture pictures that even have you guessing weather or not its a real truck!

Handling: C Even though its not super fast the handling rating comes down to one thing.. Torque! Plenty of torque to turn the wheels wherever you want them.

Value: C Although it’s awesome out of the box the price tag may turn some people away because it’s a little steep.

Big Squid Rating: B Once again it’s a very solid truck and holds together well. It would make a great starter vehicle if you were looking to get into crawling/scaling. I have recommended this truck to many of my friends and the ones who got one loved it just like me. Great job Axial!

* Komp Kompound™ for outstanding grip
* For use on 2.2″ rims
* Stepped Lugs aid in lateral traction
* Multi-Varied Tread Blocks for maximum traction, especially off-camber
* Inside Ribbing
* Integrated Sidewall Protectors
* Over-The-Shoulder Lugs
* 5.75 inch Mounted Diameter
* No Foams included to save you money
* (2) Two Tires per package & (1) Decal sheet
* Weight – approximately 5.2 ounces per tire (w/o foam)
* Part #PB9002NK

Street price on these bad boys is $30 per pair and they are available right now. Hit up the official Pit Bull Website for more information.

Looking for more crawling news here on BigSquidRC? Take a look HERE.

“Axial R/C Inc., A subsidiary of Hobbico Inc., is proud to announce Axial as the Official R/C Vehicles of Ultra4 / King of the Hammers for 2013.

Ultra4 Racing is the latest and greatest off road motorsport event on earth. This style of racing challenges man to a duel with the elements. Unlike standard off road racing in a stadium or in the wide open desert, Ultra4 vehicles face challenges that no other motorsport demands. Competitors are not only made to cross vast areas of open desert, they also travel up boulder strewn canyons and negotiate terrain that appears impassable. To compete in such a demanding environment, competitors build custom four wheel drive vehicles that are made to crawl over the harshest terrain, then conquer the wide open desert at exhilarating triple digit speeds. This element of automotive enthusiasm is precisely what Axial R/C has set out to deliver in 1:10 scale, so the relationship between Axial R/C and Ultra4 is a very natural fit.”

For more information on Axial and all their fine products hit up their Official Website. And for more Axial news right here on BigSquidRC check out THIS link.

The part numbers you’ll need are-

* AX80121 for the front flares
* AX80122 for the rear flares
* AX80125 for the front bumper
* AX80126 for the rear bumper/tire carrier

Street price for front flares, rear flares, and front bumper is $16 each, while the rear bumper/tire carrier has a street price of $24. Hit up the official Axial Website for more information.

Everyone has been working hard all week, TGIF, hit this LINK to have a lucky weekend.

For more information on Axial and all their gear check out the Official Axial Website. For more information on the new Axial SCX10 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon check out THIS link right here on BigSquidRC.

* Officially licensed Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon body
* .040 thick polycarbonate body
* Officially licensed Poison Spyder Rock Brawler bumpers and Crusher Flares
* Trick swing out spare tire carrier
* Ultra reliable and globally proven SCX10 axles
* Durable and efficient WB8 Wild Boar™ driveshafts
* Officially licensed Walker Evans Racing wheels
* Officially licensed Maxxis Trepador tires molded in R35 compound
* Realistic steel C-channel chassis frame
* Four wheel drive with heavy duty differential lockers front and rear
* Adjustable oil-filled coil-over shocks w/ realistic looking shock reservoir
* Protective pinion/spur cover
* Slipper clutch
* Part #AX90028

MAP pricing for the new Axial is set at $379 and you can get even more information on the official Axial Website.

Looking for more Axial news on BigSquidRC? Click right HERE.