RC Rock Crawlers

RC rock crawlers are a category of off road RC cars that has enjoyed widespread popularity in recent years. These remote control cars attract all ages of beginner and experienced hobbyists alike. Entire families enjoy running RC crawlers together. Though often capable of exciting speed, most RC rock crawlers aren’t designed with a focus on racing. What then is the special attraction of these off-road RC cars and trucks?

One factor is certainly their scale realism. Horizon Hobby® offers RC rock crawlers in a wide range of sizes, from massive 1/6 scale to compact 1/24 scale. They all share a fierce dedication to accurately reproducing the looks and the engineering of full-scale vehicles known for bucking rugged terrain along back country trails.

Radio control crawling is also among the most social of all RC hobby activities. Large crowds of crawling fans gather at events like Axialfest West and Axialfest Badlands to maneuver their off-road vehicles over the challenging trails together. The camaraderie they share is as important to them as the performance of their models. Many smaller groups have organized across the country for weekly or monthly outings with their RC crawlers. The radio control rock crawling hobby provides many opportunities to make lasting friendships while adventuring together.

RC rock crawler manufacturers such as Axial® know their crawler fans want realism and they strive to provide it, inside and out. The economical, 1/24 scale Axial SCX24™ 2021 Ford Bronco 4WD measures less than nine inches long but features an officially licensed Ford Bronco ABS hard body with molded door handles, mirrors, roof rails, and a tire mount with spare tire!

At the other extreme, the 1/6 scale Axial SCX6™ Jeep® JLU Wrangler 4WD packs every inch of its nearly three foot long length with molded scale details that impress the most demanding Jeep enthusiasts. LED headlights and taillights are even included for hitting the trails after dark.

Set these RC rock crawlers alongside the real off-road cars and trucks, and except for the size difference, you can barely tell them apart. Plus, their chassis include engineering that’s very similar to that found in the full-size crawlers. RC rock crawlers can include rugged drivetrains, high and low gear transmissions, multi-link suspensions, oil-filled shocks, and much more. For lovers of realism, watching an RC crawler model’s body bob and move above the axles just like a real vehicle’s body is definitely a thrill.

If you enjoy working out problems and overcoming challenges, RC rock crawling is the hobby for you. Successfully maneuvering your radio control rig through a trail filled with rock formations and other obstacles gives you a feeling of pride and accomplishment you’ll want to experience again and again.

RC crawlers are specifically engineered to conquer those difficulties. The 1/10 scale Axial Capra 1.9 4WS not only offers extra ground clearance for getting over rough terrain but also features a Dig transmission to switch in an instant from high-traction four wheel drive to the tight turning capabilities of front wheel drive.

Most Horizon Hobby RC rock crawlers come in the ready to run (RTR) completion level. There are also kit models, such as the SCX10™ II 4WD Raw Builders Kit, if you would like the challenge of assembling your own RC crawler rig.

While the need for speed is what attracts hobbyists to RC racing, it’s often the love of the outdoors and the desire for adventure that draws them to RC rock crawling. There’s no better escape from your everyday concerns than by taking your RC crawler deep into a distant trail, focusing on maneuvering it over obstacles, and immersing yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural world.

Guiding your RC rig over and through the terrain is relaxing and enjoyable. Joining with friends in the RC crawler hobby puts you in the great outdoors, on your feet, and walking wherever your scale model is wheeling. RC rock crawling is good fun, and also good for you!