dale_gribble

iTrader: (4)

I was scratching my head as I built the kit last night. This has nothing to do with how the EXO drives - I am still putting it together so this is only based on my assembly impression.

There are some good innovations on the kit certainly. For example, I love the steering block pin mount solution (grub screws holds the pins).

I am unimpressed with the shocks. They are throwaways as far as I am concerned. I have run plastic shocks and been perfectly happy with them, but these are sloppy and the motion isn't very smooth. I can just tell the plastic caps are going to blow off before too long.

I am unimpressed with the lack of any CVDs and I am unimpressed with the level of plastic throughout. The turnbuckles are undersized compared to the SC kits I run. No sway bars. IMO Axial kit are usually optioned up from RTRs. In this case, the EXO is as absolutely base as can be had yet the price is more than or equal to much higher optioned kits.

This kit is not a bargain and Axial cut some corners. I don't understand why they cut corners because the cost is still high. This should be a $250 kit. Granted it does have a cage but the SC trucks have big bumpers which this kit doesn't so that is a wash IMO.

This kit is $300-$350 street price. For some comparative insight, consider the following:

The Jammin SCRT10 4x4 kit is $250 and comes with steel ball ends, CVDs, hard anodized shocks, aluminum shock towers, CNC motor mount, sway bars, etc.

The Associated FT SC10 4x4 is $350 and comes with 4 wheel CVDs, big bore aluminum shocks with TiNi shafts, Factory Team carbon fiber chassis brace rod, Factory Team blue aluminum clamping wheel hex adapters, Factory Team front and rear sway bar sets included, Factory Team blue titanium heavy-duty turnbuckle set, CVA drives with 6mm heavy duty axles and captured pins
Factory Team light weight differential outdrives, etc, etc. etc.

The Ten SCTE race roller is $300 and comes with aluminum shocks, fat turnbuckles, sway bars, aluminum shock towers, helical cut gears, center CVDs, CNC motor mount, etc.

For options, bargain and kit quality I would already steer someone away from the EXO and refer them to one of the options I listed above. To be fair, I didn't research the EXO, I bought it on cool factor. I guess I just expected the kit to be on par with the SCs I have built and run.

dasmonkeyboy

Ya this is typically of axial. They did the same thing with the xr10. They charged $350 for it and the entire drive trane was crap. But of course they offered an entire beefed up drive trane for a small fortune. Then a year later you could pick the kit up for $120 bucks. I have read posts on the EXO that say the front and rear ring and pinions that they made out of cheap sintered metal strip in one night of racing. You have to pay $60 for the heavy duty set.

Axial is the master of separating you from your money. By the time you figure out that you have been had its to late. Wich is a shame because this kit could of been great with a few quality parts where it counts.

dale_gribble

iTrader: (4)

This is my first Axial kit. I always held a good opinion of them. I will say that the EXO's stock went up some in my book last night as I continued to build the kit. I was surprised at how tight the tolerances are on some of these parts. For example, the diffs require 0 shims, either internally or between the ring and pinion. The steering, plastics, a-arms, hingepins, etc. are very tight but still have smooth freedom of movement. There is like 0 slop in anything. I am not sure how these things all wear, but the things I assembled have less slop then any other kits I have built.

I am running a 4-pole 4600kV Neu-castle 540 on 2S so hopefully I will have more drivetrain luck.

mgivens

iTrader: (12)

The shocks are one of the main reasons I am not buying the EXO... Just finished the wraith kit and hate the shocks, definitely throw away. The bladder/ sealed plastic caps are a pita to deal with and get right. I wish axial would step up in terms of kit quality and durability because design wise they are far ahead of anyone out there!

2112troy

iTrader: (53)

thats a shame. it had looked promising. i will wait the year to get one for $120

tc5 man

I was watching the video on ultimate Rc channel and Jang was building it man it looks like a pain to build mostly the scale body

rc10t4

iTrader: (19)

I think the build quality is good on the Axial EXO and after talking to Axial we will have some great upgrades available soon

Ron

dasmonkeyboy

For $350 the upgrades should already be in the box. Not give me $350 for a kit that is going to break constantly and have to pay another $350 for up grades just to keep it running. For the same price you can get a scte that is pimped out and built like a brick sh#t house. With the exo for $350 you get plastic shocks ring and pinions that strip because there made out of cheep sintered metal, and a cheep sintered metal motor mount that breaks. The only thing the exo has going for it is it looks bad azz and nothing out there comes close to the way it looks.

SoCal Jared

iTrader: (7)

Great preliminary review, thanks for taking the time to post your impressions. I for one will be passing on this kit for the moment.

SnareTan

I think this kit is more about looks than functionallity. The fact that Jang made a seperate video on how to put in and remove a battery says a lot for this design. I too would be extremely concerned about shorting a lipo while pulling the battery out as he was. I was also not impressed with the amount of work it took to attach the body to the chassis.

It does look sweet though.

Tan

dale_gribble

iTrader: (4)

I almost have the kit together. Probably the longest kit build ever. I think its been a week now.

JR Z9100s on steering detail. Neu-Castle 4 pole 4600kv powerplant. Buggy is otherwise totally stock. The 2 piece motor mount is very, very snug. I could barely slide the motor and its mount into the chassis mount. The tolerance is super snug.



Kind of a quick body theme I slapped together. The panels are very curved and I just didn't feel like trying to mask an elaborate paint scheme.