Readers Rides – May 2024

THE PROTOTYPE
Alec Grossman « Winston-Salem, NC
Alec Grossman should be no stranger to longtime RCCA readers. He is a prolific RC builder that oftentimes finds his creations gracing the Readers Rides pages. Alec tells us about this one-of-a-kind Land Cruiser project. “This FMS Hobby Toyota Land Cruiser 80 is my prototype,” he says. “This truck is the testbed that I use for modifications for all of my other FMS Hobby vehicles. This was the first truck I converted to portal axles and a two-speed transmission, which was not an easy task and involved a lot of cutting on the underside of the interior. And after a lot of frustration with the top-heaviness of the body, this was the first truck of which I attempted to modify the body. I cut and shut the rear window to convert it from an SUV to a pickup, I added round styrene rod around the bed to reinforce it after being cut, and I filled in the cracks with Miliput before sanding and painting. I also did a snorkel delete, because this truck is electric! It’s a little rough-and-ready, but it does the trick, and the center of gravity is a lot lower and more forward now!” Great work, Alec, we like the look and your impressive custom work.

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis: FMS Hobby LC80
– Body: FMS Hobby LC80 (highly modified)
– Motor: FMS Hobby FCX24 2-speed transmission and motor
– Speed Control: FMS Hobby LC80 stock ESC/receiver combo
– Battery: Stock FMS Hobby LC80
– Wheels & Tires: RCAWD Brass 1.0″ beadlock wheels, Injora 58mm A/T Super King Trekker tires
– Shocks: RCLions 48mm Double Barrel
– Axles: FMS Hobby FCX24 axles with Injora 23g brass outer portal covers in Front, FMS Hobby brass portal axle covers in back
– Paint: Krylon Color Maxx Satin Italian Olive and Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black
– Graphics: RC Plate Shop license plate and stickers
– Lighting: FMS Hobby stock lights
– Radio System: Stock FMS Hobby
– Other Options: Sleek RC toolbox and cooler, Injora traction boards, Twisted Tree RC antenna, Zica Toys 3 3/4-inch 6 Million Dollar Man Steve Austin figure

Father-Son SMT10 Build
Ethan Stehr « Kalispell, MT
Inspired by RCCA and by going to Monster Jam events, Ethan used this inspiration to build his own truck. He tells us, “My name is Ethan Stehr and I’m 17 years old! This project began over four years ago in 2020, when I got this SMT10 Raw Builders Kit for Christmas. My interest in solid-axle monster trucks began with the June 2019 issue of RCCA, which contained Kevin Hetmanski’s King of Crushers monster truck, as well as many fond memories of watching Monster Jam in the old Metrodome and US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My father and I built the kit, which was my first ever, over a couple of weeks. The electronics were recommended by my local hobby shop, and everything else was stock when we first built it. I was super excited to drive it for the first time, but when I did, I ended up snapping the stock steering links. I replaced them with some SSD titanium ones. Most of the other upgrade parts on the truck came in the same way, when I broke a part and had to replace it… mostly because I don’t have quite enough money to spend at one time to do everything I want to it! Now that it works well (for the time being) it is super fun to drive! I plan to replace the front axle shafts with ones that match the rear, as well as aluminum OCP axle housings from Vanquish. Throughout this whole process I learned so much, such as the fact that the L-wrenches included with the kit are not ideal for tinkering (so I bought some MIP wrenches), and have had so much fun figuring out how this kit works and enjoying the hobby.” It looks great, you did a great job Ethan! We’re thrilled that you’re enjoying the RC hobby and glad that you and your father can have fun with it.

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis: Axial SMT10
– Body: Pro-Line 2008 Ford F-250
– Motor: Castle Creations 3800kV brushless motor
– Speed Control: Castle Creations Sidewinder ESC
– Battery: Spektrum 3S Hardcase LiPo
– Wheels & Tires: Jconcepts Tribute wheels with Jconcepts Renegades tires
– Shocks: Pro-Line PowerStrokes XT (5”)
– Axles: Stock Axial housings, Vanquish VXD rear axle shaft, Vanquish Incision 38/13 ring/pinion gears front and rear, Vanquish aluminum lower trailing arms and Incision upper links
– Paint: Tamiya Color Brilliant Blue and Tamiya Color Black rattle can paints
– Graphics: Various decals and lettering
– Lighting: Pro-Line 4” Super Bright light bar
– Radio System: Spektrum DX5 Rugged and SR515 receiver
– Other Options: SSD titanium steering links, Vanquish 25-tooth servo horn, Reefs RC servo, Fast Eddy bearings, RCScrewz stainless steel screw set

Big Red Grim Reaper
Lee Krug « MICHIGAN
This monster truck was submitted by Lee Krug, who shares plenty about the build with us: “This is my fully customized second-gen Tamiya TXT-1 that I originally bought used about 10 years ago, right before I had to have double hip replacement surgery. It needed a lot of work to become what it is now. When I got it, it had a dinged-up Ford Bronco body, vertical mounted Cen Genesis 7.7 piggyback coilovers running one 55T brushed modified motor, but I didn’t care; I had dreams for this truck. I got it home and tore it right down to the bare frame. Every screw and bolt on this truck is hand-picked. No screw kits at all. And it’s still not done. It always has been and always will be my absolute favorite truck out of my large and growing RC collection. This truck is built like a rock and she’s my shelf queen, but she does get out about once a month or more to crush Lexan bodies in the yard. She’s not built for speed, but running a 5200mAh LiPo and dual 12T 550 cans, she gets around quick. If you own or ever have driven a TXT-1, then you’ll understand why they’re not made for speed. These are massive, more like a 1/8-1/7 scale truck size, but are classed as a 1/10.” Thanks for sharing your ride with us, Lee! It looks great!

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis: Tamiya TXT-1
– Body: Jconcepts 1988 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD Long Box
– Motor: Dual Traxxas Titan 550 12T brushed motors.
– Speed Control: Hobbywing Quicrun waterproof 880 dual brushed motor ESC
– Battery: Common Sense RC Lectron Pro 7.4V 2S 5200mAh 35c hardcase LiPo
– Wheels & Tires: Stock Tamiya TXT-1 wheels, RC4WD Mud Slinger tires
– Shocks: RCLions 120mm internal spring struts/dampers
– Axles: Stock Tamiya TXT-1 axles with custom top-mounted machined aluminum steering servo mounts/top suspension link brackets
– Paint: Rust-Oleum 2x paint/primer, Gloss Red
– Graphics: JConcepts factory sticker kit for the 3500 HD Chevy extended-cab body
– Lighting: Gool RC Ultra Brightz headlight and taillight LED light combo
– Radio System: Redcat Racing 3CH-24GHz Radio
– Other Options: Custom-made suspension limiting straps made from cotton thread and nylon, custom-made 4-link upper and lower suspension links made from extra-strength hardened metal, 8/32 threaded rod with RPM extra-strength long arm rod ends and metal inserts wrapped in non-bendable high-strength hardened metal, automotive brake line tubing pre-coated in anti-corrosion paint, Spektrum LiPo battery strap, Fast Eddy Bearings high-speed sealed bearing kit, Dean’s battery connectors, Traxxas Revo electronics and receiver, 4AA battery box used for light system and Hot Racing dual heatsink-mounted cooling fans, Annimos 25kg metal gear digital waterproof servos front and rear, Hot Racing metal aluminum servo savers front and rear, custom-made hardened aluminum center gearbox brace tubes, custom motor mount made to fit 550-size motors to keep the gearbox mounts from twisting and breaking during extreme chassis flex

Piggies 6X6 Chevy
RED TIGER « Mantua, OH
This six-wheeled beast comes to us from a reader who goes by the name of Red Tiger. Of his creation, Red says: “I was searching for a 6×6 crawler when I stumbled upon the FMS Chevy Apache 6×6. After I burned up the first motor, A-Main sadly didn’t have any more in stock. After waiting for them to come back into stock, I finally acquired one and it has worked perfectly since then.” Thanks for sharing your Apache, Red, we’re digging the pigs!

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis: FMS Chevrolet Apache 6×6
– Body: FMS Chevrolet Apache 6×6
– Motor: FMS 050
– Speed Control: FMS ESC/receiver combo
– Battery: FMS 380mAh 2S
– Wheels & Tires: FMS Cooper Tire
– Shocks: FMS friction-type
– Paint: Tamiya
– Lighting: FMS 11820 light set
– Radio System: FMS
– Other Options: Lego pigs and toolbox