I think what makes this so satisfying is the suspension is perfectly in tune with the truck. There's no wheel cocking or seizing, it just moves so fluidly!
I mean for the size and prize its good, if you want a dedicated "rock crawler" sure much better options are out there. This seems to be best for trailing and for people that want a larger size trail truck.
Well I know this video has been out for a bit but my Marksmen has been sitting collecting dust so I took out some RC’s for a good 2 hrs including the Marksmen. It was a nice session & was able to take my time. The Crawlers I had where the New TRX 1:10 scale Bronco, 1:10 4 wheel steer Capra & the Marksmen. I also haven’t had my Bronco out for way to long. I noticed that for some reason I underestimated the Bronco I was amazed at some of the tuff lines it was able to get up. The Capra was like cheating such a great Crawler. But I remember the Marksmen just being a beast but I don’t know after you have a lot of different Crawlers Anne you become a RC snob. It was fun for sure but lacked the finesse & capability of the other 2. I noticed that the links & axles kept getting hung up a lot. It’s definitely a very good trail truck I’ve had it on 2 hr. trail hikes with it & it had zero issues & has been extremely reliable. I’m finding more & more certain Crawlers just do better on different types of terrain. That old saying knowledge of everything Master of none. What I mean is some do everything good but not one very good. Looking back I would not pay the over 400$ price tag & even on sale no one has really came out with any aftermarket parts so it makes it hard to improve. Unlike a TRX which you can upgrade till it’s a great Crawler because of all the parts. Still love it though & glad it’s in the collection.
Nice. In exactly 12 hours my next Marksman video drops and it's a trail run! I have upgraded the steering so far, and you'll see some of the shortcomings on the trail with it too. Between you and me I may have another sneaky upgrade that could transform the vehicle, but I haven't gotten to it yet. May try it today. The rig definitely needs something to improve it some more. As far as being a jack of all trades and master of none, there are some crawlers that do nearly everything well. The Traxxas TRX6 is one. The Axial SCX6 is another. The TRX4 platform in general is epic, as are the Cross RC EMO AT4 and JT4 crawlers. Regardless, it's sure nice to have so much variety these days!
This didn't do as well as I might have expected, but I suppose its own dimensions weren't helping it in some ways here. The weak servo becomes apparent almost immediately and the faster low speed doesn't help traction when you were looking for it. This seems to have good potential, and with a couple simple mods, I think it could do more of the problems. Looking forward to your next one!
Happy to help, this is a great machine. We were asking more of it than for what it was really designed in this video, but for the sake of comparison and just getting to know its limits, I think it was worth abusing mine a bit. It'll make a stellar trail rig, that I'm quite sure of! Cheers :)
This is definitely a trail truck and not a technical crawler and your thoughts on this one are spot on so far. I’ve driven mine quite a bit harder and with brushless power so I am surprised you’ve managed to break something already. The tires are decent but were the first thing I changed. Looking forward to what you do next. Cheers Craig!
Hey Scott, really appreciate the support, thank you. The tires do need changing, I think. Or maybe just the foams. They seem a bit firm for crawling, though they do deform with enough traction (when you can get it). Could be that they just need wearing in some more, which I think is what I'll do before I change them. Want to give them a proper chance first! Of course, I'm not using the Marksman the way for which it was really designed. I think trail-oriented with some crawling is where this thing will shine. Still, it's good to have a comparison, for whatever it's worth to people! I'll keep playing with it and we'll see where we end up :)
@@RCTNT The way you’re presenting it is perfect. People want to know how a given machine performs in different situations. You are giving a full picture of its capabilities and that’s exactly what should be done. I always appreciate the effort you put into your work.
I don't think that would help with torque twist (unless I'm missing something fundamental here...?), but it could help with the steering issue. Thanks for the tip!
I’m somewhat shocked it didn’t do better but those rocks don’t lie. Good call a crawler that is a great trail truck & a decent crawler stock. The unfortunate thing is the aftermarket never really supported the Marksmen it’s a shame. I’m sure you could do some part swaps maybe from other vehicles & definitely upgrade the servo. I still have the stock electronics in mine & I’ve had it since they came out. Now that I see it I’m definitely going to get a better servo. I already have metal bead locks on it which helped. I don’t know what else you could do to it without a lot of modifications. But I agree it’s definitely forth it & is a super fun RC which matters the most. And definitely something you can tinker with to make better. I haven’t had mine out for a bit but I keep thinking I need to get it out so after seeing the video I’ll definitely get it out on the trails. Thanks
Those rocks don't lie, haha, I like that. You're right - though it was asking a bit much for this rig, which really isn't designed for such levels of abuse, I think. I agree on the aftermarket support being lacking, but I have a few wide axles lying around here and I'm going to eyeball a few of them to see what might fit under it. I think there's real potential to see this become a bit of a weapon on the rocks - just gotta deal with a few things first! I'll keep at it!
This was a surprising result. I honestly expected it to do better than this on all six. From what I could see, the tires seemed to be letting it down most of all. It just didn't seem to have as much grip as I would expect for the size and style. Had the steering and pinion been more in line with what you prefer, it may not have mattered. And maybe after they've been broken in and seasoned a bit the tires will do better, anyway. Will be interesting to find out. BUT, I am sure it will do much better once the steering, pinion, and whatever is damaged in the front axle have been addressed. Would be neat to see how it does with some of the comparison testing winners from your previous tire tests. You have so many to choose from, so many pretty good tires that had an excellent showing. Maybe this is a good candidate to try them out on? And most of all, what I'd really like to see, is this thing in a head to head with the Gen8V2 as you've fixed it up. Get 'em both done up the way you want 'em, and then see how they do compared to each other. Two entirely different approaches to crawling/trailing, would be interesting to see them side by side.
The tires need breaking in a bit, possibly. Or the foams replaced/modified to be softer. They were an issue here. Could try with smaller tires, I guess. Might still be better, though I'd be worried about axle impacts given its track width. I only have one set of decent sized 2.2 tires here otherwise, and that's the Boom Racing Hustlers on the TRX4 Bronco I lifted a while back. Hm, Marksman vs Gen 8 V2 eh? Can't hurt, they're similarly capable. I'll think on that. Of course, I just took a closer look at the Cragsman this morning and wow, that's an interesting looking rig. Atees has em for sale so I'm thinking about that as well. Be interesting to see how it lines up against the Marksman too. asiate.es/aff?l=188618&i=76070
@@RCTNT Ummm. Whoah. That has a lot of wow. Granted, it's also kind of a lot of money, too. But that feature list is impressive. metal chassis and lots of other metal parts negative pressure shocks (they look like reservoir type but it doesn't say) portal axles with metal parts Front and rear independent locking differentials 2 speed transmission selectable transfer case front and rear wheel weights WP880 ESC and RS775 motor, 2S to 4S 6 channel transmitter and receiver All they left out was an included winch and scale lighting kit and that thing would be all set.
The pictures indicate it has lights... It's in the description, too! Haven't looked too closely yet but I think this might now be on The List! Crazy eh
@@RCTNT yeah, I saw that. no details as to their functionality, but at a guess probably not on par with the Traxxas scale pro lighting system. but i haven't seen anything on the market that really comes close. still, good that they include some lighting. definite plus.
Good drive and vid. It seems like traction is poor on the rocks...maybe more front weight, better tires? That steering link looks way too long and on too much of an angle...strange. I'm surprised that motor/ESC combo would have the wrong pinion out of the box? Why add the premium motor/ESC and set it up wrong? I'm looking forward to your changes and re-test!
Thanks Brian. I want to wear the tires in some more to give them a chance. Its also possible the foams are just too hard for what we're asking of the vehicle in this video. As a trail machine, the motor and gearing is great. It's just when you want to crawl it a little harder, all those little 'good enough' things become bigger issues. And to be clear, I don't think we were using it as intended in this video. But we can make it better! We'll see :)
I’ve have no clue what Redcat is still using those Helfly servos. It’s been junk on any Redcat I purchased. They use that same servo on everything no matter what scale. I will say Redcat will replace it when it burned. Looks like it might be a nice trail truck but as a crawler it leave a lot on the table. It will be interesting to see if you can make it better.
That was quite underwhelming... I personally gave up on it on most of the problems before you did. The size advantage should have really made it easier than compared to a regular 1/10th, even with the already known shortcomings. Apparently those tires and steering (both on strength and angle) are really what it's holding it back. Oh, and reliability...
I agree with everything you said. Now it's time to work on it a bit and we'll see where we end up! Despite the issues, I still really like this thing as an overall machine. The body and paint is lovely, the simplicity and clean layout of the chassis and plastics is nicely done and I like the body roll on the trail. It's fun - which is priority number one in most cases with this stuff!
I would have expected the Marksman to walk all over the course...not stagger around like it had 5 pints too many! As you pointed out, it probably would do better on more appropriate terrain? Perhaps its wheels/tires are too "scale" for the size of truck and would benefit from some 2.9" wheels/tires? Maybe that would help the track and break-over problems.
Made a bit of a scene, didn't it! You're right, bigger rubber would help with clearance - but center of gravity would obviously suffer. Worth the trade off? Could be! But would the axles handle the extra strain? Probably not. I'll think on that one. Thanks :)
I have 2 1/8th scale crawlers and trying to drive them on 1/10th scale courses is frustrating. They do much better out on the natural trails and rocks. Part of the reason I got in to larger scale was to find new ways to enjoy my local trails.
@@RCTNT 100% I think the Marksman is underrated but suffers from its scale and proportions. It is too scale accurate to be a serious crawler in its geometry/proportions but its body is not scale accurate enough to appeal to the scale accurate crowd. In those terms I think the Marksman has missed the mark. It either needs a decent hard body or detailed lexan OR it needs to have some adjustments to make it more capable for its size. On a side note, I can relate to "inappropriate terrain". I have a 1/24 scale course that my 1/10 vehicles treat like a speed bump, yet to the smaller scale vehicles it is like trying to summit Mt Everest.
That's very well put, I think I agree completely, now I think about it. That's a bit of a conundrum for redcat. I wonder if they'll do another bigger scale rig - probably not in the near future, if the decision is based on sales figures!
Hi Craig. You got me hooked on checking the tire (tyre)/steering slop on my vehicles. I think you mentioned a few times in your TF2 & TF3 reviews. I am working on my TF2 and mitigating the steering slop one step at a time: I did the shackle reversal, I'm about to shim the bushings...if that doesn't work, then I might get some flange bearings. I also noticed a slop on my SCX10.2, and that's bothering me. I wonder if the Trx4 sport has less steering slop and I should have gotten that instead....what I want to say is that I would really appreciate if you mention it more often in your videos. Structural mods like that are difficult and risky because of the moving parts and manufacturers should pay more attention. No matter how good of a servo you have, if there is a slop, then the vehicle just veers off to one side, and it really riles up my OCD.
Do note, a bit of slop in the drivetrain is good. A very tight transmission can be even worse than a loose one. It'll bind and create more friction, wear, breakages earlier. Of course, an RC4WD will most of the times require some good shimming, especially after some use, but not to the point of binding. Also, although you can make a crawler go straight fine, it's not a touring car. Even the real size ones are quite sloppy and loose in the steering, and drivetrain =)
Well, there's RC4WD levels of slop and then there's everything else. Your SCX10.2 will be similar to the TRX4 and others - some, but not a lot. @YoShImUrA53 below has already commented with the main answer to your concerns here, I think. Get things close, but not tight, and you'll be set. As he said, on the road at speed, you'll notice if the steering is anything less than precise. On the rocks, nah. Close enough is good. The TF3 in its stock form was laughably bad - and you do notice it on the rocks then, because you lose potential throw/reach when you need it. But most rigs in stock form are easily good enough, including the Marksman here. Some slop is ok in crawlers :)
Thank you for the directions and confirmations. It’s good to talk about these things with people who have better knowledge than me. I hope to find people in my vicinity who can help me out as I fix these steering issues. In the meanwhile I will be enjoying your videos…maybe I will do lessons learned or ‘what I discovered’ type of videos as I work through these issues. We’ll see
I've seen one at the local crawl spot , really not impressed with it. It just couldn't do what I expected from it, especially with 10th scales walking past it 🤷
Do you think an 8th scale Traction Hobby Cragsman or the lighter Founder would do any better or worse.? I treated myself to a Cragsman about 4 months ago & I broke a steering knuckle on about the 10th run & I've been waiting for them to come back in stock ever since.! Very, very frustrating because it was beautiful to drive.! I actually ordered one from AliExpress for £16 (£3.49 usually) but there's a 4 to 6 weeks delivery..... I'm waiting... And longingly staring at it across the room.! Great video, as always.!! 👍 👍 👍 Stay safe out there mate & best wishes from Scotland 🏴 🙏 ❤️ 📻 🕹️ 🔋 🚗 🚖 🚕 🚔 🚚 🚙 🚘 🚓 🚒 🚑 🚐 🚎 🚤 🚁 🛩️.!
I really don't know, Alan. I'll get a Cragsman soon to find out, I think. Hope you get the part you need. Asiatees carries some spares, too. asiate.es/aff?l=188618&i=76070 ... And I just looked over their range and it's all out of stock too! Hmm, not ideal!
Thanks Michael. I thought it would do better as well, but I reckon with some changes we might see it happen. I'll keep tinkering and we'll see where we end up :)
It does seem awkward, yeah. Body roll + torque twist, weak servo, poor tires (at least, when new)... maybe it's just a sum of parts or something. Dunno yet, still working on it! We'll see how un-awkward we can get it :)
@@RCTNT If it were mine I’d probably get a different steering servo (like you mentioned) better tires and maybe change the shock oil to something a little heavier weight. That would be a place to start IMO.
The channel to watch for fair reviews. And for fixes that help...which all vehicles seem to need. Nice job!
Heh thanks
And yeah, most do! Just as well, it's a hobby after all! Cheers
@@RCTNT And part of the enjoyment. 🙂
4:43 "this whole down here is formidable" been there done that my friend!!!!
Pfft lol
I think what makes this so satisfying is the suspension is perfectly in tune with the truck. There's no wheel cocking or seizing, it just moves so fluidly!
I mean for the size and prize its good, if you want a dedicated "rock crawler" sure much better options are out there. This seems to be best for trailing and for people that want a larger size trail truck.
Nicely put. I pretty much agree with you on that.
Well I know this video has been out for a bit but my Marksmen has been sitting collecting dust so I took out some RC’s for a good 2 hrs including the Marksmen. It was a nice session & was able to take my time. The Crawlers I had where the New TRX 1:10 scale Bronco, 1:10 4 wheel steer Capra & the Marksmen. I also haven’t had my Bronco out for way to long. I noticed that for some reason I underestimated the Bronco I was amazed at some of the tuff lines it was able to get up. The Capra was like cheating such a great Crawler. But I remember the Marksmen just being a beast but I don’t know after you have a lot of different Crawlers Anne you become a RC snob. It was fun for sure but lacked the finesse & capability of the other 2. I noticed that the links & axles kept getting hung up a lot. It’s definitely a very good trail truck I’ve had it on 2 hr. trail hikes with it & it had zero issues & has been extremely reliable. I’m finding more & more certain Crawlers just do better on different types of terrain. That old saying knowledge of everything Master of none. What I mean is some do everything good but not one very good. Looking back I would not pay the over 400$ price tag & even on sale no one has really came out with any aftermarket parts so it makes it hard to improve. Unlike a TRX which you can upgrade till it’s a great Crawler because of all the parts. Still love it though & glad it’s in the collection.
Nice. In exactly 12 hours my next Marksman video drops and it's a trail run! I have upgraded the steering so far, and you'll see some of the shortcomings on the trail with it too. Between you and me I may have another sneaky upgrade that could transform the vehicle, but I haven't gotten to it yet. May try it today. The rig definitely needs something to improve it some more.
As far as being a jack of all trades and master of none, there are some crawlers that do nearly everything well. The Traxxas TRX6 is one. The Axial SCX6 is another. The TRX4 platform in general is epic, as are the Cross RC EMO AT4 and JT4 crawlers. Regardless, it's sure nice to have so much variety these days!
This didn't do as well as I might have expected, but I suppose its own dimensions weren't helping it in some ways here. The weak servo becomes apparent almost immediately and the faster low speed doesn't help traction when you were looking for it. This seems to have good potential, and with a couple simple mods, I think it could do more of the problems. Looking forward to your next one!
As you said, Andy - a few little changes and we'll have a winner here. It's already a great trails machine :)
Thank you for giving an honest opinion. I've been thinking about it for awhile.
Happy to help, this is a great machine. We were asking more of it than for what it was really designed in this video, but for the sake of comparison and just getting to know its limits, I think it was worth abusing mine a bit. It'll make a stellar trail rig, that I'm quite sure of! Cheers :)
@@RCTNT great work. 👍
This is definitely a trail truck and not a technical crawler and your thoughts on this one are spot on so far. I’ve driven mine quite a bit harder and with brushless power so I am surprised you’ve managed to break something already. The tires are decent but were the first thing I changed. Looking forward to what you do next. Cheers Craig!
Hey Scott, really appreciate the support, thank you.
The tires do need changing, I think. Or maybe just the foams. They seem a bit firm for crawling, though they do deform with enough traction (when you can get it). Could be that they just need wearing in some more, which I think is what I'll do before I change them. Want to give them a proper chance first!
Of course, I'm not using the Marksman the way for which it was really designed. I think trail-oriented with some crawling is where this thing will shine. Still, it's good to have a comparison, for whatever it's worth to people! I'll keep playing with it and we'll see where we end up :)
@@RCTNT The way you’re presenting it is perfect. People want to know how a given machine performs in different situations. You are giving a full picture of its capabilities and that’s exactly what should be done. I always appreciate the effort you put into your work.
@@scottjlambert that's what I'm aiming for! It's my pleasure to do this for those of you who get something out of it :)
I think that thing has some real potential with a little bit of upgrading
Same! Gotta get to that soon
Believe you can put a servo relocation mount, help eliminate Torque twist...you can get it a lot cheaper at Aliexpress
I don't think that would help with torque twist (unless I'm missing something fundamental here...?), but it could help with the steering issue. Thanks for the tip!
I’m somewhat shocked it didn’t do better but those rocks don’t lie. Good call a crawler that is a great trail truck & a decent crawler stock. The unfortunate thing is the aftermarket never really supported the Marksmen it’s a shame. I’m sure you could do some part swaps maybe from other vehicles & definitely upgrade the servo. I still have the stock electronics in mine & I’ve had it since they came out. Now that I see it I’m definitely going to get a better servo. I already have metal bead locks on it which helped. I don’t know what else you could do to it without a lot of modifications. But I agree it’s definitely forth it & is a super fun RC which matters the most. And definitely something you can tinker with to make better. I haven’t had mine out for a bit but I keep thinking I need to get it out so after seeing the video I’ll definitely get it out on the trails. Thanks
Those rocks don't lie, haha, I like that. You're right - though it was asking a bit much for this rig, which really isn't designed for such levels of abuse, I think. I agree on the aftermarket support being lacking, but I have a few wide axles lying around here and I'm going to eyeball a few of them to see what might fit under it. I think there's real potential to see this become a bit of a weapon on the rocks - just gotta deal with a few things first! I'll keep at it!
This was a surprising result. I honestly expected it to do better than this on all six. From what I could see, the tires seemed to be letting it down most of all. It just didn't seem to have as much grip as I would expect for the size and style. Had the steering and pinion been more in line with what you prefer, it may not have mattered. And maybe after they've been broken in and seasoned a bit the tires will do better, anyway. Will be interesting to find out.
BUT, I am sure it will do much better once the steering, pinion, and whatever is damaged in the front axle have been addressed. Would be neat to see how it does with some of the comparison testing winners from your previous tire tests. You have so many to choose from, so many pretty good tires that had an excellent showing. Maybe this is a good candidate to try them out on?
And most of all, what I'd really like to see, is this thing in a head to head with the Gen8V2 as you've fixed it up. Get 'em both done up the way you want 'em, and then see how they do compared to each other. Two entirely different approaches to crawling/trailing, would be interesting to see them side by side.
The tires need breaking in a bit, possibly. Or the foams replaced/modified to be softer. They were an issue here.
Could try with smaller tires, I guess. Might still be better, though I'd be worried about axle impacts given its track width. I only have one set of decent sized 2.2 tires here otherwise, and that's the Boom Racing Hustlers on the TRX4 Bronco I lifted a while back.
Hm, Marksman vs Gen 8 V2 eh? Can't hurt, they're similarly capable. I'll think on that.
Of course, I just took a closer look at the Cragsman this morning and wow, that's an interesting looking rig. Atees has em for sale so I'm thinking about that as well. Be interesting to see how it lines up against the Marksman too.
asiate.es/aff?l=188618&i=76070
@@RCTNT Ummm. Whoah. That has a lot of wow. Granted, it's also kind of a lot of money, too. But that feature list is impressive.
metal chassis and lots of other metal parts
negative pressure shocks (they look like reservoir type but it doesn't say)
portal axles with metal parts
Front and rear independent locking differentials
2 speed transmission
selectable transfer case
front and rear wheel weights
WP880 ESC and RS775 motor, 2S to 4S
6 channel transmitter and receiver
All they left out was an included winch and scale lighting kit and that thing would be all set.
The pictures indicate it has lights... It's in the description, too! Haven't looked too closely yet but I think this might now be on The List! Crazy eh
@@RCTNT yeah, I saw that. no details as to their functionality, but at a guess probably not on par with the Traxxas scale pro lighting system. but i haven't seen anything on the market that really comes close. still, good that they include some lighting. definite plus.
One way to find out, I guess!
Great review !👊Thanks for all your time and effort
Good drive and vid. It seems like traction is poor on the rocks...maybe more front weight, better tires? That steering link looks way too long and on too much of an angle...strange. I'm surprised that motor/ESC combo would have the wrong pinion out of the box? Why add the premium motor/ESC and set it up wrong? I'm looking forward to your changes and re-test!
Thanks Brian. I want to wear the tires in some more to give them a chance. Its also possible the foams are just too hard for what we're asking of the vehicle in this video. As a trail machine, the motor and gearing is great. It's just when you want to crawl it a little harder, all those little 'good enough' things become bigger issues. And to be clear, I don't think we were using it as intended in this video. But we can make it better! We'll see :)
I’ve have no clue what Redcat is still using those Helfly servos. It’s been junk on any Redcat I purchased. They use that same servo on everything no matter what scale. I will say Redcat will replace it when it burned.
Looks like it might be a nice trail truck but as a crawler it leave a lot on the table. It will be interesting to see if you can make it better.
Agreed, it's a bit baffling on this big one! I think we can get a bit out of it yet, I'm looking forward to working on it!
That was quite underwhelming... I personally gave up on it on most of the problems before you did. The size advantage should have really made it easier than compared to a regular 1/10th, even with the already known shortcomings. Apparently those tires and steering (both on strength and angle) are really what it's holding it back. Oh, and reliability...
I agree with everything you said. Now it's time to work on it a bit and we'll see where we end up! Despite the issues, I still really like this thing as an overall machine. The body and paint is lovely, the simplicity and clean layout of the chassis and plastics is nicely done and I like the body roll on the trail. It's fun - which is priority number one in most cases with this stuff!
I would have expected the Marksman to walk all over the course...not stagger around like it had 5 pints too many! As you pointed out, it probably would do better on more appropriate terrain? Perhaps its wheels/tires are too "scale" for the size of truck and would benefit from some 2.9" wheels/tires? Maybe that would help the track and break-over problems.
Made a bit of a scene, didn't it! You're right, bigger rubber would help with clearance - but center of gravity would obviously suffer. Worth the trade off? Could be! But would the axles handle the extra strain? Probably not. I'll think on that one. Thanks :)
I have 2 1/8th scale crawlers and trying to drive them on 1/10th scale courses is frustrating. They do much better out on the natural trails and rocks. Part of the reason I got in to larger scale was to find new ways to enjoy my local trails.
Well put. That's roughly what I had in mind when I called the test course"inappropriate terrain". Not really what it's designed for!
@@RCTNT 100% I think the Marksman is underrated but suffers from its scale and proportions. It is too scale accurate to be a serious crawler in its geometry/proportions but its body is not scale accurate enough to appeal to the scale accurate crowd. In those terms I think the Marksman has missed the mark. It either needs a decent hard body or detailed lexan OR it needs to have some adjustments to make it more capable for its size.
On a side note, I can relate to "inappropriate terrain". I have a 1/24 scale course that my 1/10 vehicles treat like a speed bump, yet to the smaller scale vehicles it is like trying to summit Mt Everest.
That's very well put, I think I agree completely, now I think about it. That's a bit of a conundrum for redcat. I wonder if they'll do another bigger scale rig - probably not in the near future, if the decision is based on sales figures!
Hi Craig. You got me hooked on checking the tire (tyre)/steering slop on my vehicles. I think you mentioned a few times in your TF2 & TF3 reviews. I am working on my TF2 and mitigating the steering slop one step at a time: I did the shackle reversal, I'm about to shim the bushings...if that doesn't work, then I might get some flange bearings. I also noticed a slop on my SCX10.2, and that's bothering me. I wonder if the Trx4 sport has less steering slop and I should have gotten that instead....what I want to say is that I would really appreciate if you mention it more often in your videos. Structural mods like that are difficult and risky because of the moving parts and manufacturers should pay more attention. No matter how good of a servo you have, if there is a slop, then the vehicle just veers off to one side, and it really riles up my OCD.
Do note, a bit of slop in the drivetrain is good. A very tight transmission can be even worse than a loose one. It'll bind and create more friction, wear, breakages earlier. Of course, an RC4WD will most of the times require some good shimming, especially after some use, but not to the point of binding.
Also, although you can make a crawler go straight fine, it's not a touring car. Even the real size ones are quite sloppy and loose in the steering, and drivetrain =)
Well, there's RC4WD levels of slop and then there's everything else. Your SCX10.2 will be similar to the TRX4 and others - some, but not a lot. @YoShImUrA53 below has already commented with the main answer to your concerns here, I think. Get things close, but not tight, and you'll be set. As he said, on the road at speed, you'll notice if the steering is anything less than precise. On the rocks, nah. Close enough is good.
The TF3 in its stock form was laughably bad - and you do notice it on the rocks then, because you lose potential throw/reach when you need it. But most rigs in stock form are easily good enough, including the Marksman here. Some slop is ok in crawlers :)
Thank you for the directions and confirmations. It’s good to talk about these things with people who have better knowledge than me. I hope to find people in my vicinity who can help me out as I fix these steering issues. In the meanwhile I will be enjoying your videos…maybe I will do lessons learned or ‘what I discovered’ type of videos as I work through these issues. We’ll see
That's a great idea! We all benefit then :)
Have fun working on it!
I was surprised that didn't do slightly better. Still a good test of the car. 👍🏻
Me too!
Interesting. It did surprisingly not very well. It'll be fun to see what you can do to improve it.
Thanks Mark, I'm looking forward to seeing where we get with it, too. Cheers!
I've seen one at the local crawl spot , really not impressed with it.
It just couldn't do what I expected from it, especially with 10th scales walking past it 🤷
It's cheap for its size but to crawl better instead of being just a general use trail rig, it does need a bit of optimising, let's say.
Hello from southeast alaska I really like that RC bro
Hello from southeast australia thanks I like it too :)
Do you think an 8th scale Traction Hobby Cragsman or the lighter Founder would do any better or worse.?
I treated myself to a Cragsman about 4 months ago & I broke a steering knuckle on about the 10th run & I've been waiting for them to come back in stock ever since.!
Very, very frustrating because it was beautiful to drive.!
I actually ordered one from AliExpress for £16 (£3.49 usually) but there's a 4 to 6 weeks delivery..... I'm waiting... And longingly staring at it across the room.!
Great video, as always.!! 👍 👍 👍
Stay safe out there mate & best wishes from Scotland 🏴 🙏 ❤️ 📻 🕹️ 🔋 🚗 🚖 🚕 🚔 🚚 🚙 🚘 🚓 🚒 🚑 🚐 🚎 🚤 🚁 🛩️.!
I really don't know, Alan. I'll get a Cragsman soon to find out, I think. Hope you get the part you need. Asiatees carries some spares, too.
asiate.es/aff?l=188618&i=76070
... And I just looked over their range and it's all out of stock too! Hmm, not ideal!
Thanks for another very thorough review. It was disappointing.
Thanks Michael. I thought it would do better as well, but I reckon with some changes we might see it happen. I'll keep tinkering and we'll see where we end up :)
@@RCTNT You're welcome. It appeared that the long wheel base hurt it on many occasions. I wonder if an increase in ride height would help?
It could help, yes. Center of gravity would be the obvious drawback, but on balance it might be worth it. I'll get to that, for sure. A valid option!
I’ve looked at this rig before but it just seemed awkward as a crawler…..maybe it’s just the body look? Idk…
It does seem awkward, yeah. Body roll + torque twist, weak servo, poor tires (at least, when new)... maybe it's just a sum of parts or something. Dunno yet, still working on it! We'll see how un-awkward we can get it :)
@@RCTNT If it were mine I’d probably get a different steering servo (like you mentioned) better tires and maybe change the shock oil to something a little heavier weight. That would be a place to start IMO.
@@markcole6475 these ideas are good. I will keep the original tires for now though. They may do better with a little wearing in.
There's a universe where that would've worked 🤣🤣👍👍👍
I mean, it's probably true, right?
The interco tires aren't very good at all, no real grip on anything, great for trail riding, they were one of the first things I changed.
Probably for the best!
Just Empty Every Pocket
Lol
No problems
😆It's a( BIG FAIL) not so crawler, but a trail drving jeep.🙄 Need to make it a custom anyway?😮💨 Almost review😅
Yes.
Great RC trail truck. Not really a crawler, peeps should know it.
That's why we test! Thanks for watching :)