Back again with my Rock Socker for its second outing. This time, I luckily got some quality driving time while my kids were happily occupied with sticks in the woods (kids will be kids, right?). So, what changed since the first run? I added new tires, more lights, and replaced the stock shocks – I'd heard they were the weak point and prone to leaks, and I didn't want to wait for that to happen. To be honest, I didn't notice a huge difference with the new shocks, but at least they're less likely to leak. The new air-filled tires, though, that's a different story. I wasn't sure how much air to put in them (still figuring that out), and I ended up inflating them unevenly just by feel. It turns out that even slight differences in air pressure made each tire a slightly different size – not noticeable at first glance, but definitely felt when driving. A bit of steering trim helped keep it running straight for the time being. These air tires are super bouncy compared to foam ones. The impact goes right to the chassis, making the shocks and springs work overtime. But, they're a breeze to clean after muddy runs, which is a huge plus. And now, the fun part: we managed to break it. Driving through deep puddles, it almost felt like it was floating at times, with the wheels acting like a boat's propellers. Hilarious! Eventually, it just stopped – no throttle response, but the steering was fine. After the usual clean-up and a bit of TLC at home, it sprang back to life. My guess? The ESC might have gotten wet and triggered its protection mode, even though it's supposed to be waterproof. This is a bit frustrating since I could not pinpoint the actual issue. I'm now planning to seal any possible openings in the ESC with heat-resistant sealant (already ordered some). I also found a few water drops inside the supposedly waterproof receiver box, so that's on my to-do list to replace as well. I'll keep you all posted on this journey. It's proving to be a fun, educational, and creative project so far!

Hi folks how's things,I'm Mark and thought I would post pictures of my cars,I've got a Arrma big rock 3s and a hpi bullet 3.0 it's nitro..what kind of cars has members got..

Hey everyone, just upgraded wheels on my CR-01. What a difference! So, you know how it’s a pain cleaning wheels after a muddy run? The car itself is easy to clean (it's waterproof, a quick wash, air dry, a bit of WD-40, and few drops of oil does the trick), but the wheels? That's a whole other story. They trap water like crazy and drying them? Yeah, not fun. Normally, I'd spin them fast to get the water out (like a washing machine, you know?), but this crawler doesn't spin fast enough for that. Tried sun-drying them, no luck – water just stays put. Options? Could seal the vents in the tires, but then handling and performance will drop significantly. Taking apart the beadlock wheels is no joke either – who’s got time for all those tiny screws (80 to be precise)? So, here's what I did – got wheels with actual air in them! That's kinda rare for RC cars, right? Usually, it's just rubber or foam insert to simulate air pressure. But these? They're like real car wheels – airtight, pressurised and tubeless. I can pump them up or down depending on where I'm driving. Cleaning them is a breeze now, and it makes maintenance way more fun. They're a bit bigger, so I unlocked the diffs to go easy on the drivetrain. Next run is going to be with these new wheels, a few extra lights, and mostly everything else same as before. Can't wait for the weekend – fingers crossed the kids let me have a go this time! 😂

What a thrill! We faced mud, pools, and dirt in abundance – the perfect setting for its inaugural run. Just moments before, it was shiny and new, but quickly it got a proper initiation into the rough and tumble world. I was eager to take it out after weeks of building, but it turns out, my kids were just as excited. I found myself filming and teaching them how to drive, secretly hoping they'd get bored. However, our adventure stretched over 5km, included a battery change, a fun picnic, and by the time we returned, I still hadn't gotten my hands on the remote! Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed watching them take the wheel. It was a delight. During this run, I left both differentials unlocked, which, in hindsight, was a misstep. You can see it struggled a bit in the mud. Next time, we're going locked – testing at home has already shown it offers much more traction and power. So no more struggling through the mud. I'm confident now it can tackle any level of dirt and muck!

Alright, the Rock Socker is ready for action, at least in its debut form! I've got the lights all hooked up, waterproofing checked off, tires vented, and wires neatly tied up. There are still some upgrades in the pipeline, but as it stands, it's primed and ready for its inaugural trail run. I must say, this vehicle is stunning – I'm absolutely loving it! Stay tuned for more updates…