The Backyard – Some Thoughts on the Axial SCX10 III Toyota SR5

Happy Friday and welcome to The Backyard!

I always like to keep you all guessing a bit here in The Backyard, so this week instead of talking monster trucks, retro racing, or some larger hobby philosophic topic, I figured I’d throw out some general impressions on a truck I recently picked up—the Axial SCX10 III Toyota SR5.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product/axial-1-10-scx10-iii-1987-toyota-sr5-4×4-rtr-brushed-rock-crawler-red/AXI-2062.html

Now, this is not a full review. I haven’t had enough time with it yet to do that properly. Think of this more as some early observations after getting some runtime on it and putting it through the kinds of things I’d normally do with a trail truck.

And overall, I actually like it quite a bit.

First off, visually, this thing absolutely works. The SR5 body looks great, the proportions are nice, and it has a really solid overall stance right out of the box. Axial generally does a good job with aesthetics, and this truck continues that trend.

It also has one of the better RTR weight distributions I’ve experienced lately. The truck feels planted and predictable, which goes a long way in making something enjoyable to drive on technical trails.

I am usually really bad about paying attention to runtime, but I did here- I ran the truck on a 4200mah 3S pack and managed about 2 hours and 25 minutes of runtime, which is impressive. That’s enough to go out and do a proper trail session without even thinking about batteries.

Durability also seems pretty solid so far. Nothing about the truck feels especially fragile, and despite some tumbles and general trail abuse, it’s held together well.

Now, there are a few areas where I think the truck leaves some room for improvement—particularly considering the price point.

The biggest weak point out of the box is probably the electronics.

The steering servo was serviceable, but mine definitely wasn’t centered properly from the factory, which immediately made the truck feel a little odd on the trail. The dig servo also struggled to engage consistently at times and just doesn’t seem to have a ton of authority behind it.

The tires and foams are another area I’d likely address fairly quickly.

The stock tires are decent enough in dry conditions, but once there’s any moisture involved, grip starts dropping off noticeably. The foams are also extremely soft. The truck itself has pretty respectable weight distribution, but the soft foams allow the tires to fold over a bit too much in sidehill situations.

The good news is that none of these things feel especially difficult to improve.

In fact, the truck feels like it’s only a couple changes away from being really, really good.

A little more weight down low, some quality inserts or 3D printed foams, and upgraded electronics should wake it up nicely. I’ve already got plans for a Hobbywing Fusion Pro system and a new steering servo that I originally bought for another project, and I suspect those upgrades are going to make a pretty substantial difference.

That’s kind of the story with a lot of RTR crawlers these days.

Manufacturers have gotten very good at the chassis design, suspension geometry, and overall visual presentation. The base platforms themselves are usually quite competent. The compromises often happen in electronics and consumable components in order to hit a certain price point.

Thankfully, those are also some of the easiest things for hobbyists to upgrade later.

So while I don’t think the SCX10 III Toyota SR5 is a flawless out-of-the-box experience—especially considering the cost—I do think there’s a very solid truck there. It really does look great, too. I think it’s the best looking SCX10 III that Axial has released thus far.

And with a few tweaks, I suspect it’s going to become one that I enjoy quite a bit.

OK, that’s it for me this week. Hope ya’ll enjoyed a few impressions from a first run! Until next time, keep it on all 4’s.

Hit this link for details if needed Axial SCX10 III Toyota SR5.