AXIAL SCX 6
Viva Las Vegas!
|
It was early spring of 2022, and we had just completed the second 2.2 Capra build with our new Prodigy RC parts, and the trail performance had been impressive.
Compared to a standard Capra, our new 2.2 version handled lines which were all but impossible with the standard 1.9” version. It was out on a test crawl where our friend Greg took an interest and asked if we would be willing to build him a green version of the new 2.2 crawler. At the time Greg was driving his Axial SCX-6 and doing surprisingly well out on the rocky trail, unfortunately he was the only SCX-6 driver. |
Greg had been pushing for us to add another SCX-6 to the fleet so we could crawl with a similar truck, but it just wasn’t something on my radar at that time. Besides the $1100 price tag, I had a few other trucks in build and wasn’t looking to further stretch the RC budget. I told Greg I'd be happy to get one underway and got the builder's kit on order.
|
A few weeks later and I was finishing up the wiring for Greg’s new 2.2 Capra when he showed up to the house with a white SCX-6 in hand. Setting it down on the workbench, he asked if this would cover the labor from the build.
Greg has always been over-generous, but this was rather unexpected. He had picked up a second SCX-6 a few months back and painted the body, along with adding custom wheels and tires. I guess he figured this was the best way to ensure there would be more than one SCX-6 on the trail. Little did both of us know at the time, but the SCX-6 would quickly move up near the top of our favorite crawler list. |
Greg's Green 2.2 Capra with Author's 2.2 Capra
|
The SCX-6 is surprisingly fun to drive.
|
First Trail Run
After a few hours of running the 2.2 Capra’s, we unloaded the SCX-6 trucks and started out on the trail. The SCX-6 has a very different feel than any crawler due to the massive size and weight. “Lumbering” is a good way to describe the way this truck moves, but it's not terribly clumsy. The power from the sensored stock motor and ESC is very good, with much more low-speed control than I had anticipated. If there is a clear deficiency, it’s the weight balance of the truck; it’s rather top-heavy. The detailed and robust Jeep body places over 400 grams well above the chassis rails and causes all kinds of grief when things get tricky. |
On moderate side-hills, the weight of the body has you leaning quite a bit, and for anything more aggressive, the Jeep will quickly roll over. I did this a few times, rolling over, and the SCX-6 sounds like a metal garbage can bouncing down a flight of concrete stairs until it comes to a stop. The large plastic body magnifies the sound considerably.
|
I tried the two-speed transmission, switching from high to low gearing, and I wasn’t really a fan of this truck moving fast. The shifting felt a bit vague at best.
In our rocky area, I didn’t have a use for the high-speed feature of the Jeep, so I made a mental note of removing that option. The OEM steering servo is under-powered, but this isn’t unexpected from an RTR. While adequate for running around over basic terrain, the servo didn’t have the power to turn the wheels among larger rocks or when descending a steep line. The weight of the Jeep was just too much for the servo to manage in those moments. Other than those nits, the SCX-6 was quite a bit of fun to drive. |
Steep descents are too much for the RTR servo to handle.
|
The SCX-6 is perfect for the Mojave Desert.
|
Vision for SCX-6
The first few trips out on the trail were interesting, and I was impressed as to what this Jeep was capable of in its factory configuration. If there is one main item that limits the Jeep's crawling ability, it is the massive body. The heavy weight placed high above the chassis does it no favors out on the trail. After some consideration, I figured out what approach I’d take with the SCX-6. My goal was to make this a formidable crawler on any technical terrain. The first thing I established was that no matter what changes I made to enhance crawling performance, I didn’t want to lose the SCX-6 feel of the Jeep during the process. |
Typically you will see is that any change to a chassis or suspension layout on a 1:1 vehicle changes its definition, and that holds true in this sense as well. Furthermore, changing out the body to save weight in this situation also radically changes the feel and performance of the SCX-6, thus making it no longer an SCX-6 in my opinion.
|
With the goal established, I decided that the following would remain stock: body shell, chassis rails, suspension design, bumpers, transmission positioning, link / skid positioning, and axle design ( meaning no portals ).
The rest was going to be reworked / upgraded to enhance crawling performance for our particular needs at the local terrain. Unlike some of our other reviews, I’m going to run through the list of modifications and then give my thoughts rather than addressing each one. |
The TSL Boggers are a fun, chunky tire on the SCX-6
|
The direct-power NSDRC servo is worth every penny.
|
Internal Layout
As previously discuss, the goal was to enhance the crawling abilities of this truck while maintaining the essence of the SCX-6. To start, here is a list of things we have removed:
Items Upgraded:
Items Adjusted:
|
|
Batteries
Our SCX-6 runs on a single 4s 1440 mAh lipo battery, giving us an average of 1-hour crawling time. Usually we take a few batteries per SCX-6, and then one small 850 mAh "reserve battery" when it's time to head back to the truck. I started carrying a reserve battery after I had to carry this beast for nearly a quarter mile one afternoon because I lost track of battery usage. Of course you can run a larger battery, but carrying extra weight is never ideal if crawling up steep rocks is your goal. |
|
With these changes, we lowered the center of gravity and move the weight forward on the SCX-6.
This helped to offset the weight of the large lexan body and keep it stable when climbing steep, technical terrain. Also worth noting that with the Treal aluminum shock tower and integral aluminum pan-hard mount paired with the brass C-Hub makes the pan-hard link much more rigid, greatly enhancing steering. |
|
Compared to how the Jeep handled on our first few runs, the difference is significant. The biggest improvement has been with the steepness of rocks it can crawl; it's quite impressive as to what it can scale.
|
|
Along with the improvements in crawling up rocks, the descending control has also been greatly improved.
This short downward transition consistently sent our stock SCX-6s rolling over and bouncing off their roofs at the bottom of the trail. Descending and turning isn't something the Jeep liked to do. After some changes, this tricky line on the trail is all gravy. |
|
Rubicon Measurements
Here are the most current specs on our SCX-6. If we make any major changes, we will update these notes as soon as we can. We have calculated these values with a set of aluminum beadlock wheels, 3Bros Anti foams, 1440 mAh 4s battery, and Proline Racing Hyrax tires installed. Later on we will get into the importance of anti-squat testing and overall balance, but for now just make note of these measurements if you would like to improve your crawling performance. Keep in mind that to test out your own truck, you will need 4 weight scales ( 1 per tire ) and to lock out your shocks so they cannot compress or expand. Not doing this will give you incorrect data. For a better understanding of anti-squat and CG calculations, check this video by Kevin Wilson of SBC. Take the time to watch this video, maybe even more than once, and your understanding of link position and its affect on your truck's performance will greatly improve. https://youtu.be/nU4PXWg2Dg8 Here are the links you need for adding in values:
|
