How to Build an RC Kit: Axial SCX10 III Builder's Kit

RC car and truck kits offer a baseline platform for customizing your unique rig and offer valuable hands-on experience for developing and fine-tuning your mechanical skills. Compared to ready-to-run (RTR) vehicles which generally include all the components needed to get you on the fast track to hit the dirt or asphalt, RC kits require time, patience, and a whole lot of T-L-C. Yet with this comes the freedom to choose the electronics and hop-ups that are matched to meet your personal driving style. Sure, it’s an investment in the hobby, but it builds real-time knowledge and a sense of pride for creating your very own high-performance machine that you can be proud of.

For RC building enthusiasts like Justin Lozano, “kits may appear intimidating on paper, but once you start it’s actually really doable.” Let’s take a dive into Justin’s experience building Axial’s SCX10 III 1/10-scale 4WD Rock Crawler Builder’s Kit.

Unboxing Your RC Kit

Before unboxing your RC kit, it’s important to note that these types of vehicle builds won’t include all the components or accessories required to run it. But that’s the beauty of it. You get to choose the electronics package, radio, and hop-ups for your custom rig.

For Justin, “I opened it and instantly realized nothing is assembled. Not one thing. It’s a real kit. Every screw, every piece, every step is on you.”

So don’t be surprised to find nothing is assembled and everything is bagged when you unbox an RC kit. That’s intentional. You’re building knowledge and experience plus the bonus of showing off a one-of-a-kind vehicle made from your own hands.

Gear Up the Tools for Your RC Workbench

Preparing your workbench is equally important as the building process. Justin recommends having the right tools before starting your RC kit project. In his personal experience, “if you buy the kit and try to build it with whatever’s in the junk drawer, you’re going to have a bad time.” His suggestion? “Set up your workspace first. Tools ready, clean area, and good lighting.”

There’s nothing more humbling than finding out you’re missing an essential tool midway into your build, especially when you’re already locked in. Justin recounts, “I thought I’d have to run to the store for fluids. [But the] shock oil, grease, lubricants were already included. That came in clutch and saved me time and kept the build moving.” That’s why it’s crucial to read the manual beforehand. You can always read the Kit manual on HorizonHobby.com before ordering the product to ensure you order everything ahead of time.

To ensure an enjoyable and successful building experience with minimal disruptions, we suggest reviewing the manual for a list of their recommended tools as some kits may require purchasing additional items outside of the box. The most common types of tools you’ll find in a pro’s hobby toolbox should include nut drivers, hex drivers, hobby knives, and long nose pliers. Unsure where to start? Consider hobby-grade toolkits that come in a set with the basic essentials.

HH Recommended Tip: Review the instructions in the owner’s manual ahead of time to see what tools are required to set up your rig before starting your RC kit project. This will save you time and stress in the long run and prevent you from making any back-and-forth trips to the local hobby shop.

Getting Friendly with the Owner’s Manual

Get ready to roll up your sleeves because the owner’s manual is going to be your new best friend. Pay attention to the symbols in the manual’s instructions because the manual steps don’t follow the parts bag labels. Each bag will be labeled with letters and numbers with some parts and pieces looking near dang identical. Talk about analysis paralysis. To keep yourself organized and to prevent losing any parts and pieces, we highly recommend only opening one bag at a time.

Building a kit isn’t a race. It’s important to stay organized, be patient, take your time, and have fun with it.

HH Recommended Tip: It’s best to only open one bag at a time and follow the assembly sequence provided in the owner’s manual.

Organs for Your Vehicle: Electronics

When it comes to RC kits, you have the freedom to choose the electronics you want, “which [Justin points out] is part of the fun”. He approached the Axial 1/10 SCX10 III Rock Crawler Builder’s Kit going the “baseline and cost effective” route choosing the “SLT 3 radio and SR315 receiver combo that’s prebound, the 40A Lite Brushed Smart ESC, and the Axial 35T brushed motor. I wanted solid and simple, not fancy, for my first build.” Like Justin, it’s common for RC enthusiasts to build around a budget. No need to overcomplicate your experience with expensive options, especially if it’s your first time. You can always upgrade later.

We’ll break down these electronic components:

Transmitters, Receivers, & Servos

How do you control and operate your vehicle? With a transmitter and receiver of course! This combo allows your transmitter to communicate with your car. Transmitter and receiver combos make a wonderful hassle-free option to select from if you’re unsure which electronics are compatible with each other. In addition to this, when the transmitter sends a steering signal over to the receiver, the receiver will then send that signal to the servo to turn the wheels left or right.

Batteries & Chargers

You can’t power up your rig without a battery and charger. Batteries are the heart of your rig, giving it the power it needs to run. Spektrum offers powerstage bundles that conveniently include both the battery and charger so that you can get your rig running in almost no time.

Electronic Speed Controls AKA ESCs

An ESC, short for electronic speed control, is a component in your vehicle that connects the motor, the battery, and the receiver to give your vehicle movement and to control speed.

A motor is a component that converts energy from the battery, via connection from the ESC, and converts it into a torque for forward and backward movement. These can be offered as either brushed or brushless.

HH Recommended Tip: Wondering whether you choose between a brushless or brushed motor for your RC vehicle? Read our Brushless vs. Brushed Motors: Which is Right for Your RC Vehicle? blog article to compare and contrast your options.

Tires & Wheels, Bodies, Paints, Hop-Ups, & More

Now comes the most fun: modifying your rig with upgrades and hop-ups. From tires and wheels to bodies and paints—the options and possibilities are endless. Whatever you choose, freedom is totally in your control.

Tires & Wheels

RC tires contribute to your rig’s performance just as much as the electronic components do and kits give you the freedom to choose which tires and wheels you want. They can be purchased separately or pre-mounted. Just note that there will be gluing involved if you purchase tires and wheels separately. But you can minimize your time on the workbench with pre-mounted options. Justin selected the Pro-Line 1/10 Limited Edition Aztek G8 Crawler Tires which are factory pre-mounted on Impulse Wheels for a hassle-free experience which conveniently eliminated his time spent gluing.

HH Recommended Tip: Read our How to Choose RC Tires article that offers an in-depth guide on the various compounds, tread patterns, tire profiles, and applications on RC tires and check out our How To Glue RC Tires blog article for a step-by-step guide on how to properly set up your tires and wheels.

Bodies and Paints

RC kits offer plenty of room for customization. You can purchase the same kit as someone else and end up having two vehicles that look completely different from one another. This is especially true with bodies.

Most RC bodies are commonly made of polycarbonate material and can range from being pre-cut and painted or non-painted and non-decaled. Pre-cut, painted bodies are a time saver for those that want to skip the painting process. Whereas non-painted bodies come clear and offer more freedom for customization as you get to choose how you want to design and decal your body. Keep in mind that clear bodies require a specific type of paint which are specially formulated for use on bodies made of such material.

“This was a lot of firsts for me. First time masking, painting, cutting, and mounting a body,” Justin admits. He used the “Pro-Line spray paint” and stock “Pro-Line Window masks” on the body he selected for his Axial Builder’s Kit. What was thought to be intimidating to him initially actually proved to be quite doable in the end. The bottom line? Having fun learning about the ins and outs of a kit and going in confidently. What makes the RC hobby so great is that there’s an entire community of support to help even when you get stuck in the trenches.

HH Recommended Tip: If you’ve never painted a body, check out our How To Paint RC Car Bodies blog article for a step-by-step guide.

No matter what your experience level is in the RC hobby, we believe RC enthusiasts should experience building a kit at least once in their lives. It’s easy to be intimidated when you first unbox your RC kit, but everyone starts somewhere. You get a deeper appreciation and understanding of what it takes to build your own rig and now you’ve just equipped your RC workbench with the knowledge, skills, and bragging rights of building something you can be proud of. That means when it comes time to getting your RC vehicle on the dirt or the track, you’ll know how to troubleshoot and maintain it. The experience? Priceless. Many can attest to Justin when he says:

“pride hits different when you drive something you built yourself. And if you get stuck, the RC community is always there.”