Electric Rock Crawlers
RC Rock crawlers & Scalers are awesome pieces of kit. They are not only designed to handle rocks but all types of rough terrain. With rock crawling it is not about the speed of the vehicle but about the real look and its maneuverability.
They can navigate extreme rough terrain and uneven ground. Rock crawling is all about fun. When thinking of a new rc rock crawler or scaler you need to consider torque (power). You will need more controlled power and less RPMs and speed. When needing to climb awkward rocky surfaces, lower gear setups help to deliver low speed and steady power.
Rock crawling / climbing involves maneuvering your vehicle over uneven surfaces. This means a lot of turning and twisting. With this comes the need for good steering and soft suspension. Most rock crawlers are 4WD (4 wheel drive) and some are equipped with 4 wheel steering. This enables the crawler’s wheels to control which direction the vehicle will go in. Four wheel steering also allows the vehicle to drive sideways like a crab walks. You will find that more times than not, all your wheels will not be on the ground at the same time. For this reason, locked differentials are a must. If your differentials are not locked, power will not be distributed to the correct wheels.
The large tyres on your RC crawler allow for a good ground clearance and also helps to aid stability and chassis damage. Also you will require your weight to be evenly balanced and not all at the rear of the vehicle. If you decide to use your crawler on a smoother surface, you can always change to a narrower tyre to give better traction. Bead-lock rims are very popular as the tyre and rim will not separate easily when going over heavy and rough terrain. Saying this, it is not a necessity and rims and tyres can be easily glued into place. Rock crawlers come in RTR ready to run or kits where you have to build them and add electrics.