RC Rock Crawlers

2026 UPDATE. YEA this article is old, but this rig still SLAPS.

Axial Racing has stepped up to become a major player in the RC rock-crawling world, and with the SCX10 platform, the company clearly set its sights on the growing scale-crawling crowd.

I’m definitely not going to complain about that.

I love scale things—planes, cars, boats, models, and anything else that looks like the real thing. That’s what makes scale RC so much fun: it’s like the real thing, only scaled down.

Axial really set the bar high with the SCX10 Trail Honcho. The scale-rock-crawling community expects a lot from these trucks, and Axial delivered a rig that looks remarkably realistic while still being a surprisingly capable crawler.

Not to say we’re picky…but we want manufacturers to do what they claim.

 

The Axial SCX10 Honcho is available through Amazon and local hobby shops.

Check Amazon for current availability →

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Out of the Box:

Bam!

Hope you aren’t too disappointed—the truck already comes fully assembled.

You’ll need to supply your own battery and charger, however. Personally, I consider this a good thing. It gives you the ability to choose the battery that best fits your needs, or simply use one you already own, rather than paying for equipment you may not want.

Right away, the thing that stands out is the accurate scale appearance and proportions. The Honcho looks remarkably similar to the type of truck it’s intended to portray, while still leaving plenty of room underneath for a serious crawling chassis.

Build Quality:

The Axial Honcho is rigid in the right places and flexible where it needs to be.

Nothing about this being a “scale” rock crawler prevents it from performing like a serious RC crawler. In fact, the SCX10 is a very capable machine even when compared with more performance-oriented competition crawlers.

I was particularly impressed with the realistic-looking truck frame. The Honcho has what is essentially a truck/truggy-style chassis, giving it an appearance that’s much closer to a real off-road vehicle than the typical tube-frame competition crawler.

That’s a big part of the SCX10’s appeal.

You get the scale appearance without giving up the ability to actually crawl.

Drive Train:

Getting down to the nitty-gritty, there’s really only one thing you need to know about the SCX10 drivetrain:

Bulletproof.

The differential locker and other drivetrain components were designed to handle the high torque produced by the truck. The hardened components are well suited to the abuse that comes with rock crawling.

Speaking of torque, the motor and gearbox can produce enough torque that Axial included a slipper clutch to help protect the drivetrain.

The slipper clutch allows the transmission to slip when excessive torque is sent through the drivetrain. Instead of transferring every bit of that sudden load directly into the gears and axles, the clutch can absorb some of it.

That’s an important feature for durability.

Sure, you can build a drivetrain out of hardened metal components, but it’s easy to underestimate just how much stress a crawler can put through its drivetrain when a tire suddenly gets wedged against a rock.

The slipper clutch is there for a reason, and it’s worth keeping properly adjusted.

Tires and Wheels

Compared with many other RC rock crawlers of the era, the stock tires were impressively soft and grippy.

A good set of tires really complements the suspension and drivetrain of the SCX10. In crawling, tire compound and sidewall behavior can make an enormous difference, and the stock setup already provides a solid starting point.

Want to beef up the tires?

You can even fit 2.2″ tires on this beast.  Try THESE on for some series size.

Control

Axial uses the proven AX-3 2.4GHz radio system to control the SCX10.

The precise response of the 2.4GHz system is a major advantage over the older 27MHz radios that were common when these trucks first came onto the market.

The days of jagged, glitchy 27MHz radio response are thankfully gone. You also don’t have to worry nearly as much about other drivers occupying the same channel.

There’s another nice safety feature: accidentally turning off the transmitter while the truck is still powered doesn’t send the crawler running off into the lake.

Instead, the truck simply stops responding.

The digital steering servo also provides plenty of torque for getting the truck out of a bind, whether you’re fighting through tall grass, wedging a tire against a rock, or trying to navigate a narrow passage.

Crawling Performance

This is where the SCX10 really starts to shine.

The 4-link rear suspension and 3-link front suspension keep the truck stable while still allowing the axles to articulate over uneven terrain.

The suspension links help control unwanted axle movement and keep everything pointed in the direction it should be.

And despite the Honcho’s scale appearance, don’t make the mistake of assuming that it’s only a display truck.

It can crawl.

The Backyard Test

One of the unexpected benefits of driving the SCX10 is that it changes how you look at your surroundings.

After spending some time crawling with this truck, I started noticing obstacles everywhere.

I hadn’t realized my own front yard had so much potential for rock crawling.

A pile of rocks, a curb, tree roots, landscaping, dirt, or even a few strategically placed obstacles can become a legitimate crawling course when you’re driving a 1/10-scale truck.

And that’s one of the things I really like about the SCX10.

You don’t need a dedicated RC course to have fun with it.

Final Thoughts

The Axial SCX10 Honcho was a great example of why scale crawling became so popular.

It looks like a real off-road truck, but underneath the realistic body is a chassis capable of tackling surprisingly serious terrain.

The combination of a strong drivetrain, capable suspension, grippy tires, 4WD, and a realistic truck frame makes the SCX10 much more than a shelf queen.

If you’re looking for an RC crawler that combines scale realism with genuine crawling ability, the SCX10 Honcho delivers.

And perhaps the best part is that once you start driving one, you’ll probably start looking at your own yard a little differently.

That pile of rocks that you used to ignore?

It’s a crawler course now.