The Masher is one of the most popular monster truck tires of all time. Pro-Line as a new version designed to fit the 3.8″ Traxxas style bead. The tires include foam inserts–as you’d expect–and come molded in Pro-Line M2 compound. The tires are 6.6-inches tall and 3.75-inches wide.

Learn more here.

We got the scoop on this one from Pro-Line a while ago and we’ve been dying tell you–and see it for ourselves. Well, now it’s out and it’s just as cool as we expected and hoped. The Bronco is designed to fit the Axial Wraith and is modeled after what is known as the early Bronco–or EB) which was produced 1977. Pro-Lines states the body is designed to be run with or without doors and it is outfitted like all of Pro-Line’s bodies with decals, overspray film and masks. Those will a keen eye will also no doubt spy the new roof rack and light buckets.

Learn more here.

Body post hole reamers make creating holes in Lexan easy, but unless you have one that has depth marks, it’s also easy to make the holes all slightly different sizes. Marking the depth with a marker will make getting the same size holes every time almost foolproof.

With this new release, Tamiya reminds us that RC should be fun. The Suzuki Jimny SJ30 (AKA Samurai) is offered as a kit, but a Tamiya electric speed control is included. The WR-02 chassis is the second generation (the original was the original Wild Willy). If you’re not familiar with the platform, it’s a 2WD truck setup with a short wheelbase and high CG–it wheelies really easy.

Learn more here.

Tamiya has a long history of making good use of some of its touring car chassis by retrofitting them as trucks. A current example is the TA02T which started life as a pavement pounder and is still being sold with the Ford F-150 pre-runner body on it. Why the history snippet? Tamiya recently pulled the wraps off a new chassis that it states will also see truck use. The XV-01 will be called into action for rally cars, on-road and trucks. Tamiya states that the XV stands for “crossover vehicle.” Interestingly, it is belt driven and features a sealed belt driven drivetrain with gear differentials. The Pro-Spec version includes aluminum shocks as well as other option parts.

Tamiya America’s Fred Medel says the yet-t-be-determined truck versions are still in the works, but there may be a summer announcement. He adds but doesn’t confirm that it is possible that the XV-01 would be used with the scale bodies currently offered on on the CC-01.

Learn more here.

In 2006, HPI brought large scale out of the fringes and into mainstream with the Baja 5B was released. HPI didn’t stop there by any means and the lineup of 1/5-scale vehicles has grown and evolved. The latest to officially join the group is the Super 5SC Flux RTR that is as the name indicates, fully assembled and, thanks to Flux power, brushless. The skinny on this particular ride is that it has a heavy amount of Savage DNA and is outfitted with the same short course body used on the popular 5SC gas-powered rig. Highlights include the 4WD all-steel drivetrain and a 2200Kv system designed to run on 6S.

Learn more here.

Shock fluid is all too often overlooked when tuning a RC vehicle, but the slimy, messy stuff dramatically changes the handling of your vehicle. Follow these simple guidelines below and you will be on top of your game every week!

BASELINE
The first thing you must do is get a base shock setup. Use the factory setup and tune from there–after all the engineers and pro drivers that made that baseline setup know the vehicle best. After starting with the baseline setup (and making sure you have the right tires for your track), you should only make one change at a time.

WHAT SHOCK FLUID DOES
Without shock fluid, your RC truck would look more like a pogo stick than a race truck when it lands from a jump. The shock piston passing through shock fluid coverts the energy of the moving suspension into heat. Heat? Technically, yes, but an easier way to get the concept is to just know that shock fluid controls how fast the piston can travel from point “A” to point “B” in the stroke of the shock. This impacts jumping (as described), but it also impacts handling during cornering, acceleration and braking.

TYPES OF FLUID
With very few exceptions, the shock fluid used in RC is silicone fluid–that’s why we try to remember to call it fluid and not oil (hard habit to break). Silicone fluid available in different viscosities or thicknesses. The thickness of shock fluid is listed in one of two ways: WT or CTS. WT is more often used in American and with American brands. In either case, the lower the number, the thinner the fluid.

CTS measurements are linear, so 200 CTS is twice as thick as 100 CTS–pretty straightforward. That is not the case with, say, 60WT and 30WT. More importantly, the difference in thickness between 25WT and 30WT is actually significantly greater than 55WT and 60WT fluid.

Most club racers mix and match different brands of shock fluids and for most of us that’s just fine. You should always build your shocks in pairs to avoid any weird problems from using two 30WT fluids that aren’t exactly the same.

TUNING
A higher fluid number indicates a thicker shock fluid, and the thicker the fluid, the slower the piston will move throughout the stroke of the shock. Thicker fluids makes the vehicle more stable and feel smoother, and it also helps the truck jump and land better.

If the track is bumpy or blown out it can hurt the handling of the vehicle. This is where you need to start tuning with your shock fluids. If the track is bumpy and blown out, you will want the rebound to be faster and this can be done by using a lighter or what is also often called a thinner shock fluid. This will keep the tires in contact with the track thus making the vehicle handle better. You want to make small adjustment and make sure you write the setups that work. If you’re really ambitious, you can take notes of how your truck responds to all of the changes you try.

The temperature impacts shock fluid. The higher the temp, the thinner the fluid is going to feel and the colder it is, the thicker it’s going to feel. Your shock fluid may change or “fall off,” so on hot days you’re going to want a thicker fluid than on a cold day. If you find the perfect setup early in the season when temps are right around 60F, you will probably have to go up 5WT when summer is at its peak and temps are in the high 80′s or low 90′s.

PISTONS
Another tuning aid is the shock piston. If your piston’s holes are too small the shock will have too much “pack” and the shock will be very stiff and almost lock up in rough sections on the track. Small holes are good for smooth tracks, with big jumps or jumps with harsh landings. Big holes provide less pack and are good for bumpy tracks. Bigger holes will make the vehicle more stable and have more traction in the bumpy sections and will allow the suspension to soak up the bumps. A piston change is a much larger change (more noticeable) than shock fluid and can make the car good in one section of the track and bad in another. Use shock fluid changes before changing pistons. A good time to use a piston change is if the track as a whole is blown out or is noticeable and consistently smooth.

Because of their simple design, most RC shock pistons offer the same amount of resistance on rebound as they do on compression. Ideally, a shock should be able to rebound faster than it compresses. This allows the suspension to be better able to absorb a rapid succession of bumps. Aftermarket piston such as RPM’s Two Stage pistons the best of both worlds. These two-piece pistons pull apart during rebound and allow the shock fluid to flow easier and the piston to move faster. RPM’s Two Stage pistons require tuning and experimenting just like ordinary pistons, but with some work you can have a truck that can smoothly land jumps and fly over sections of small bumps. MIP recently announced its own take on shock pistons with its Bypass1 pistons which are also adjustable and also provide different compression and rebound characteristics.

There is no set-in-stone shock setup. It’s all about feel and what the vehicle is doing, and I cannot stress enough how important notes are. Setup sheets and notes make setting up the vehicle week to week or track to track 100% easier and much more consistent.

When you spend your hard earned cash on hobby products you want get your money’s worth. The products you purchase must be dependable, reliable and of overall high quality. Duratrax is a name synonymous with value-priced hobby products and its new lineup of Onyx chargers is designed to be the perfect chargers for anyone from beginner to weekend warrior racer. With a great price, impressive specifications and long list of features, the Onyx 235 just may be just as good as the competition-level counterparts. Let’s plug in and find out…

Specifications

• Part No. DTXP4235
• AC and DC operation
• 1-10 Cell NiCd/NiMH
• 1-4 Cell LiPo/Li-Ion/LiFe
• 8A Maximum Charge Current
• 10 battery memory
• 5V/500mA USB Charging Jack
• $89.98

FEATURES
The Onyx 235 can be used plugged into a standard AC wall socket (110-240V) or connected to DC (11-15V) power supply or car battery. As such, Duratrax includes a power cable to connect to a wall outlet and alligator gator clips. Thanks to its multi-chemistry compatibility, the Onyx 235 is able to charge almost any type of pack the typical RC enthusiast might come across. That includes 1-10 cell NiCd and NiMH packs as well as 1-4 cell LiPo, Li-Ion and LiFe packs. There is a handy charging jack on the front of the Onyx 235 that allows you to plug in and charge radio batteries such as receiver and transmitter packs too. Realizing that sometimes bashing or racing is made better with music, Duratrax even included a 5V/500mA USB charging jack enabling you to recharge many portable electronic devices such as iPods or cell phones. It has a 10 battery memory allowing you to quickly setup your charge parameters and then start them with a single button press. The Onyx 235 uses advanced charge algorithms for accurate charges regardless of battery type. Additionally, a built-in Micro USB port allows customers to upgrade the firmware on their Onyx 235 in order to keep up with any changes or enhancements from Duratrax.

PERFORMANCE
When I first “unboxed” the Onyx 235, I found a slew of cables. Duratrax provides charging leads for Deans, Traxxas and Tamiya style connectors, and they also provide AC and DC power leads as well as two types of balance boards (ElectriFly and FlightPower/Thunder Power). With all these cables, I didn’t have to solder up a thing and yet I was able to charge many different packs! The Onyx 235 does make use of standard banana plugs so if you did have a pack with an unusual connector you can easily make up your own charging cable. My goal with the Onyx 235 was to find out if it could help me take less stuff to the track when I race. I had been forced to bring my usual LiPo charger, DC power supply, radio charger, backup cell phone charger and an old Duratrax InelliPeak charger. It’s a good thing I’ve got a big SUV! Well, I’m happy to say the compact Onyx 235 replaces all of those items.

Since it can charge and balance up to 4s LiPo packs, I’m able to use the Onyx 235 to charge up my 1/8-scale truggy batteries. I especially like the fact that the Onyx uses balance boards because often with units that have balance jacks right in the side of the charger, you don’t have enough length to safely place your LiPo into a charging bag. But, with the Onyx 235 I can easily get my packs into the charge bag for increased safety. My old charger was DC only so lugging the DC power supply was required for use. Since the Onyx runs on either household AC power or DC power I was able to leave that DC power supply home and simply plug into the AC power provided by my local track. Recently I switched to a radio that has a LiFe transmitter pack. I had been forced to bring along a dedicated charger just for that battery however since the Onyx 235 is compatible with LiFe and has a built-in radio battery jack I was able to use the Onyx and leave yet another item at home. After a few hours of qualifying, the battery in my iPhone was pretty low, but the Onyx 235 was right there to keep the music gong strong with its integrated USB jack enabling me to charge the iPhone and keep the tunes going strong. My old LiPo charger could not charge anything but LiPo packs; it couldn’t charge up the older NiCd or NiMH packs but the Onyx 235 sure can. It peak charged my 6-cell NiMH pack permitting me to lighten my load again.

FINAL ASSESSMENT
The Onyx 235 does the work of many chargers yet the price is very reasonable. Unlike some other chargers, it has the power needed to charge larger 4s LiPo packs at up to 8 amps and it’s got bonuses like USB charging and the ability to upgrade the firmware. All in all, the Onyx 235 is a stellar device to have on your bench. No matter where you are in the hobby spectrum from beginner to advanced, the Onyx 235 has the features you need at a price you can afford. It will save you space by cutting down on the items you need to charge the variety of batteries we use in this hobby and it will save you money because you never need to buy them in the first place. Best of all it comes with a 5-year limited warranty. How many electronic devices have a warranty that long? Duratrax stands behind the Onyx 235 and with its impressive feature set I can see why.

Hot
> Charges almost any RC pack
> Powerful 8 amp charge current
> Low cost and great warranty

Not
> Pack memory is numbers not names
> Limited to 5 amp charge current when on AC

Links
Duratrax

Pro-Line recently pulled the covers off a new Traxxas Slash transmission that is a direct replacement for the Traxxas Magnum 272 transmission. The Pro-Line transmission will, of course, also be compatible with the Stampede, Rustler and Bandit. Pro-Line states that the rotational weight of the transmission is reduced by 20% which will yield improved acceleration and runtime.

In addition to the trick transmission, Pro-Line has a cool new light bar which will be great for all sorts of scale. A pre-production version is shown here. Pro-Line is calling it the HID Light Bar Kit and states it should be available soon. The pods are designed for 5mm LED bulbs which are not included.

Learn more here.

The Traxxas Slash is the one that kicked off the whole short course craze and it’s still an extremely popular truck. Traxxas is doing a good job of keep the Slash fresh and one of the latest new looks for the truck is a Dodge Rob MacCachren Edition. MacCachren switched to Dodge in 2011. If you’re not familiar with MacCachren, he has three decades of racing experience and 20 championships to his credit including five Baja 1000 wins and a matching five Baja 500 victories. Most recently MacCachren won the 2009 Traxxas TORC Pro 2 championship and backed that with a Pro 2 championship win in 2010 in Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.

Learn more here.

Many racers fill out setup sheets, and the info on these detailed sheets is incredibly valuable. There’s one piece of information that isn’t often included on setup sheets yet has a profound impact on setups. That item of info is the temperature. When you race, write down the temperature somewhere on your setup sheet. The temperature can have an impact on shock fluid and tire compound. A setup that was dialed in the early season, may be off in the peak of summer if you follow your setup to the proverbial letter. If you have the temp noted and know the temperature is 10 or more degrees different, you’ll know shock fluid and tire compounds may be to change. Warmer temps often require thick shock fluids and sometimes a move to a firmer tire.

The Vintage Offroad Nationals is a race, now in its 5th year, that takes place annually up in Connecticut. This year it’s switching locations to an outdoor off-road track in Bethel, CT. The race will be held September 14-16.

Vintage vehicles are considered anything made in the mid-nineties or earlier. In addition to buggy classes, the race includes three off-road truck classes: stadium truck, Heavy Metal 1 and Heavy Metal 2. Heavy Metal 1 (HM1) is for large-tired monster trucks such as the Tamiya Clod Buster and HM2 is for lower trucks such as the Tamiya Blackfoot.

There will be a charity race for Steve Semeraro. Steve was a contributor to RC Truck Stop and recently passed away due to illness related diabetes. For the charity race, drivers will pilot a vehicle outfitted with a Fat Shark RC Vision System and make three laps, racing against the clock. The driver with the fastest overall time will receive a car kit. All proceeds will be used to make into a donation to the American Diabetes Foundation in Steve’s name.

Travis Boyd describes his Axial AX10 as loaded. He states it “has just about everything you can put on it.” The list of hop-ups include aluminum suspension parts, skid plates, bumpers and the very noticeable XTECH lights. Most of the aluminum suspension parts are from Axial and the body is a 1980 Chevy Blazer CGR from Pro-Line.

Links
Axial
Pro-Line

Some of you may not know that the AX10 Ridgecrest release for April 2012 (retailers in May 2012) marks the five year anniversary of Axial’s AX10 series. The original AX10 Scorpion hit the market in April of 2007. It was Axial’s first vehicle, brought crawling to the mainstream and quickly became the most influential crawler in the industry. Everything took off from there. RC Crawling had been around for years, but Axial grabbed it and rapidly fast tracked it to what it is today. Today, crawling is a changed segment. While highly technical and competitive 2.2 crawling is still alive and well, the majority of crawling enthusiasts seem to be drawn to either scalers or vehicles that bring some speed into the equation. That is why the Ridgecrest is the vehicle it is. And what exactly is that? Read on and find out.

HIGHLIGHTS
> Fully assembled ready-to-run
> $309.99
> All-new molded plastic tube style chassis
> Wide AR60 OCP Axles
> Ripsaw tires and Raceline Renegade wheels
> 12-inch wheelbase (competition legal)
> WB8 Wild Boar drive shafts
> 4-link suspension with double shear mounts
> AX-3 2.4GHz radio system
> AE-2 speed control (Castle Creations built)
> 20-turn brushed motor
> Waterproof receiver box
> Slipper clutch
> Threaded body shocks
> Multi-position battery and electronics mounting

FEATURES
Chassis
Previous to the Ridgecrest, the AX10 platform used stamped aluminum side plates for the chassis. This has been replaced with a molded plastic tube type chassis. The center skid plate is also all-new. The chassis is well designed and makes getting to the essentials such as battery changes easy. The battery tray and radio mount can be reposition in a few different configurations to redistribute weight bias and thus modify handling–ingenuous. The plastic overall construction does make it light and inexpensive to replace parts in case you have an accident out on the rocks or bashing terrain. I have to admit breaking the chassis would be hard, but not impossible. Once you take the body off, you can see the speed control and receiver are well protected from getting knocked around.

Axles
One of the biggest differences in this AX10 and its predecessors is that it is noticeable wider. The same AR60 OCP Axles that are used on the Wraith are brought into use on the Ridgecrest. The wider axles are used for the simple reason of increased stability. Crawling with solid axles is the norm, but Axial takes it to the next level by making these axles so scale in both looks and construction. The “pumpkin” section (contains the ring gear and pinion) is offset just like the real one. Realism aside for a moment, having it offset allows for more clearance when crawling over the steep rocks and varying terrain. When you take the covers off, you will see the ring gear, diff housing and diff retainers. In addition to looking cool, the easily removable diff covers are also good for maintenance purposes. The rear axles are straight, while the fronts have hub carries at each end. Axial does make the upgrade parts to make it rear steer possible for those who like it.

DID YOU KNOW?
The AR60 OCP Axle is modeled after the famous full-size Dana 60 axle. The Dana 60 is much older than many would expect. The Dana 60 axle was first used in production trucks in 1955 and is still being used in some production trucks. The Dana 60 wasn’t just a truck axle; it has also been used in cars.

Suspension
Having a triangulated 4-link design allows the Ridgecrest to climb over more rocks and other terrain with ease and a good amount of controllable articulation. Compared to previously  3-link design, this setup is much better. Specifically, the upper axle mount on the 4-link setup is far more durable than the upper axle mount used on the 3-link design. Each molded plastic link is built as a solid one-piece design with the ball ends incorporated into the link. Plastic balls snap into the ball ends. The plastic shocks are great for a RTR and feature threaded bodies. There are multiple points of mounting on the chassis to change the angle the shocks.

DID YOU KNOW?
Threaded-body shocks aren’t just for RC. Threaded-body shocks are used in high performance full-size off-road vehicles and you’ve probably seen Fox and King threaded-body shocks. Threaded-body shocks are also often used in on-road race vehicles such as Late Models.

Drivetrain
Like Axial’s other vehicles, the Ridgecrest includes an adjustable slipper clutch. Yes, I did say slipper. In rock crawling, traction and torque are essential, so some people may wonder why would Axial not put it solid drive? Well, for durability. It’s fully adjustable, so that the transmission can slip under hard conditions. The alternative is popping parts apart when the truck get bound up. While some will tighten it all the way down, for first time crawlers it will allow some give to reduce drivetrain damage. Speaking of damage, the WB8 Wild Boar drive shafts–that we also first saw on the Wraith–can take a lot more abuse before being damaged. With everything installed, accessing the slipper is a little awkward.

DID YOU KNOW?
Axial was founded in 2005 and is located in Irvine, CA. It is now a division of Hobbico in Champaign, IL. Axial is still located in Irvine, CA.

Electronics
The Ridgecrest is equipped with Axial’s 2.4GHz AX-3 radio transmitter and AR-3 receiver. Power is controlled by the AE-2 brushed speed control that is made by Castle Creations. The speed control featured pre-progamed drag brakes. The use of a 2.4GHz in a RTR is now more common and for good reason. 2.4Ghz on its own has it own benefits, but in an RTR, it’s not the first thing you need to upgrade anymore–allowing our wallet to contribute to other upgrades. The The speed control has a LiPo cutoff and is programmable with the Castle Link which is sold separately.

DID YOU KNOW?
Many of the employees at Axial are full-size off-road enthusiasts and wheel some well equipped Broncos, Toyotas and Jeeps. Axial also partners with many well-known off-road brands such as Poison Spyder, PIAA, Corbeau and others. 

Body, Wheels & Tires
The pre-painted Lexan body is what some could best be described as an SUV. It is outfitted with, front and rear, molded plastic bumper bars that are a nice touch. Optional lights are sold separately and may be fixed to the front bumper. Getting these shells later in a clear version will be nice. The overall shape is great and will only get better with some personal paint jobs in the future. It’s worth noting that one big point of difference on the Ridgecrest, compared to its cousin, the Wraith, is that the Ridgecrest has the above described removable body shell. The Wraith, in contrast, has a cage as an integral part of the chassis. So, while the Wraith is certainly cool looking, changing its look is a bit challenging compared to simply swapping the body.The body mounting points are very adjustable.

The Ripsaw tires have proven to be a good all around tire. Crawling, and higher speed running is not problem with these tires.  They feature a nice aggressive tread pattern and are supported by foam inserts. They come glued to licensed chrome spoke Raceline wheels with a cosmetic bead lock look.

DID YOU KNOW?
In full-size, the Ripsaw tires would be a massive 55 inches tall. This makes them comparable in size to the Mickey Thompson Baja Claw TTC tires that are 54 inches tall and the 54-inch Interco TSL Bogger. 

PERFORMANCE
I drove the Ridgecrest on a variety of terrains. On the rocks, it performs well. Higher speed runs are more enjoyable than other crawlers I’ve driven in the past. I was a little surprised at the way it had just enough torque to crawl under slow throttle applications, but still tore up the grass on higher speed runs. A multi terrain environment is where the Ridgecrest shines. The Ridgecrest is great for all beginner and experienced crawlers.

Getting really down to the grit on the crawling aspect, the speed control with drag brake is fantastic. It maybe a brushed system, but it proves to be doing the job just fine in my book. Being able to hold your rig in place during an approach of a rock or obstacle is key. The metal gear servo didn’t miss a beat or seem sluggish at all. And as previously described, the 20-turn motor had plenty of low end torque and speed punch.

Who knew a crawler could jump? Taking the Ridgecrest off my small BMX ramp was a little nerve racking at first, but it handled it like a champ. Keep in mind, this is a 4-link, solid axle rig. Not everything solid axle I’ve driven before has fared as well on the landing.

Axial added the waterproof element to the receiver box which is top notch in my book. While it is intentionally mounted up high and out of the way, I would love to see the speed control further protected from water. A little bit bigger sealed box for both units would be my only change. My opinion is that Axial kept the speed control out in the open for cooling. When crawling, the motor can heat up and little bit and so does the speed control. Under high speed running, the speed control remains at a comfortable temperature and relatively cool for a 20-turn motor turning those big tires. I realistically know that water isn’t a huge concern all the time when crawling on rocks, but it does happen when off-roading and water is just hard to resist…I mean, accidents do happen.

FINAL ASSESSMENT
From start to finish I really feel that the Ridgecrest is great for the price. Even though Axial budgeted down a tiny bit with the non-bead lock rims, the truck makes up for in value else where in the rig. The entire chassis is robust for plastic and it’s light weight. I think with this chassis design they kept the CG (center of gravity) as low as they could. I do see a fare amount of aluminum upgrades for more of the hardcore guys. You can’t beat the speed control with LiPo cut-off and drag brake–especially when it’s partnered a 2.4 GHz radio system. So, to answer the original question about what exactly is the Ridgecrest: it’s a little bit of everything. It’s surprisingly quick, it can crawl, it’s a solid first vehicle for beginners and its well equipped enough to satisfy more experienced hobbyists.

Hot
> Metal-gear servo
> 2.4GHz radio included
> Improved drivetrain durability and wide stance
> Great value

Not
> Bead locks are only cosmetic
> Slipper adjustment is a little tricky
> Tire compound can hold truck back on some climbs

ACTION VIDEO

FIRST LOOK VIDEO

Links
Axial Racing
Castle Creations 

Sam Manfre of Crystal Lake, IL sent us in these photos of his truck he calls “Mz Dixie 2.” It’s a customized Tamiya Tundra that he outfitted with a JunFac 4-link setup and steering system. He is using G-made G-Transition shocks and Pro-Line tires and HPI rims. Sam states the bed cap is homemade out of 0.081 styrene.

Links:
Tamiya
G-made
HPI
JunFac
Pro-Line