If you’re into RC cars, you’re probably just like us and into just about everything RC. Whether it’s racing at the track, playing in the park, or working on a new project at home, RC can be enjoyable for anyone of all ages, skill level, and pretty much anywhere. Perhaps the most overlooked and understated thing about RC’s is building something with your hand and then going out there and driving it however you want it!
The JConcepts nWo Sports Mod truck started life out as an ordinary Axial SMT10. Through some clever imagination and utilizing some of the JConcepts MT upgrades and custom JConcepts 3D printed parts via Shapeways, we were able to build one sweet truck just in time for the JConcepts King of the Monster Trucks event in St. Louis, Missouri held on October 6th-7th.
We first upgraded the SMT10’s lower link set to a beefier, more durable version developed by RH Designs. Without careful inspection, you probably wouldn’t have noticed but the RH lower links shorten the truck about an inch in total wheelbase (12.5″ inch wheelbase final) and painted red to replicate the real nWo truck. Not only does this gives the truck structure and strength, but a more realistic overall look when all the pieces of the puzzle are put together.
No nWo truck would be complete without the JConcepts licensed 1988 Chevy ‘Snoop Nose’ Silverado MT body. There’s just something magical about the way a Snoop Nose truck looks that echo the words timeless and iconic in the same breathe. Thanks to the popularity of Excalibur, Taurus, Clydesdale, Carolina Crusher, and many more, the Snoop Nose style definitely adds a classic, unique look making it fun for any truck build.
We wanted to add a bit of realism and uniqueness to the truck build so we went ahead and designed up some trick looking, Shapeways 3D printable Taurus-style headers that we call Zoomie Stacks. The headers do protrude through the body so a careful body mounting job is required, but the look is totally worth the work in the end.
Also adding a nice touch to the JConcepts nWo build is the 3D printable Flag Pole Under Mounts which are designed specifically to hold your custom flags. While the primary job of the Under Mounts is to hold an antenna tube, the real idea is to make a perfect holder for a scale size flag to add another dimension to your masterpiece. This small mount made from 3D printable plastics by Shapeways and can be purchased at the JConcepts storefront. Take your build to a whole new level by adding those custom, fine details that matter.
The real nWo truck has huge chrome shocks and we wanted to replicate this in the best way possible. Using Team Associated 12mm V2 shocks in natural gray aluminum mixed with JConcepts’ black shock parts, we were able to get very close to the real thing. Initially, there are no easy ways to mount the AE shocks to the Axial SMT10, so we decided to custom engineer and design a JConcepts designed, Shapeways 3D printed Upper Shock Mounts that could easily be bolted on and carry the weight of the truck in full boogie mode. Mission accomplished and the shocks look stunning!
You will need two of each, they come in a left and a right mount. Left Mount. Right Mount.
With the options of going anodized blue or anodized black, the decision is completely up to you or the build you’re going after. For our purposes, we wanted to mimic the real nWo shocks so the black Fin V2 Shock Caps, Fin Shock Collars, and Fin Shock Bottom Cap really does a nice job to bleed out the stock AE blue colors to make something more incognito.
A must have in the Monster Truck world…. Monster Truck tires! With the JConcepts Renegades on all 4 corners of the truck, bring back some of the glory days of cut tread and hardcore performance. Low-profile by design, the Renegades stay flat during racecourse competition, speed runs, or general use. Not only does the back-cut design help grip the surface, but also reduces rotating mass and overall weight much like the real tires they’re inspired from.
To mount a set of monster truck tires, you have to have monster truck wheels and one of the best options out there is the JConcepts Tribute wheels. Designed specifically for he SMT10, Clod Buster and other similar MT’s, the Tribute wheels come included with 3 different offset hex adapters, all necessary hardware, open or closed planetary cap options, and come in a multitude of colors. Not only are they big on style, but monstrous in performance.
It’s always the little things that usually make the most difference. Here we have the JConcepts Mock Fuel Cell that’s a 3D printable piece by JConcepts via Shapeways. This trick little box comes in red so the major painting part is already completed. The only thing left is to paint the small details and next thing you know it really starts to resemble the real deal. Conveniently, the Mock Fuel Cell doubles as the Axial SMT10 battery door that secures the lipo in place.
Power delivery is everything and putting the power down in our nWo Sport Mod truck is the overbuilt MIP X-Duty Center Drive Kit. Made of high-grade alloy steel and heat treated for extra durability and hardness, ensures endless hours of fun and reliability in an area considered high stressed.
Thanks to the power and speed of the Reedy RT1508 HV Digital servo, we’ve got more than enough steering power to turn the monster wheels and tires at 187.4 oz-in. of torque at 6.0V. Speed is a very acceptable .10 sec/60deg at 6.0V that will keep you in the groove when split seconds matter.
Choosing a lightweight, capable ESC that is dependable and durable isn’t easy, but the Tekin FXR Pro Forward/Reverse speedo is a simple choice as Tekin is one of the most robust and recognizable names in the electronics game. While the footprint is super small, the FXR Pro comes up huge in features for dialing in the right power and settings. Either count the LED lights or use Tekin’s Hotwire PC interface, you can make the fine tune adjustments at the track and on the fly.