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With the Short Course scene exploding beyond everyone’s expectations, it was only a matter of time before 4WD trucks became popular. With the introduction of the 4×4 class, Hong Nor released their SCRT-10 racing truck; a 4wd Short Course truck kit aimed at doing battle with the Traxxas Slash 4×4. While kits are great for racers, a RTR is needed in the lineup for those wanting instant gratification. Enter the SCRT-10 RTR; a fully loaded 4wd Short Course truck based on Hong Nor’s racing rig!
THE FACTS
WHO MAKES IT Hong Nor
WHO IT’S FOR Beginner to Advanced Racer
HOW FAST 23.35mph
HOW MUCH $295
BUILD TYPE RTR
VEHICLE TYPE 1/10-scale electric 4wd short course truck
THE BOTTOM LINE A more-than-capable RTR for the entry level crowd; a few upgrades and it becomes a more-than-capable track threat!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• The chassis design is based on a 1/8th scale buggy, meaning it is very basic but completely functional. Front, rear and center transmissions are all braced to the 3mm chassis and contain fluid-filled differentials. The battery is mounted on the left side of the chassis to offset the motor and servo, both of which are mounted as close to the centerline of the truck as possible.
• Speaking of the electronics, the SCRT-10 comes loaded with a Hong Nor brushed ESC, 12 turn brushed motor, steering servo and slick little 2.4GHz radio system. While the transmitter feels pretty good and is 2.4GHz, it’s completely analog so you’ll have to set the trims with itty-bitty rotating dials. The servo has plenty of torque to steer the SCRT-10 in the direction you want to go. The ESC/motor combo, however, won’t set any speed records. This system is spunky and will probably take quite a bit of abuse, but it will be one of the first things you’ll want to upgrade. Dropping in a quality brushless system will definitely give you the ultimate happy-smile time.
• The SCRT-10s suspension has a ton of adjustment to tune to any track condition. Included in the SCRT-10 box is a little goodie bag with additional anti-squat plates, camber link plates and ride height shock adjustment clips.
• The SCRT-10 comes equipped with front and rear SC bumpers. The front bumper seems a bit under-designed, while the rear one looks like it came off a Sherman Tank. Both mount to the chassis and shock towers, forming a pretty strong triangle shape.
• I’m impressed with the balance of the SCRT-10. The chassis looks huge with everything mounted so close to the centerline of the truck. It will only accept a 2S pack, however, so all you speed junkies will need to wait a bit for a 3S or 4S battery holder to be released.
• I love the look of the SCRT-10’s wheels. Match those up with the red beadlocks and chrome screws and you have some of the best looking RTR wheels out right now. The tires provide good traction and should last quite a long time.
PROS & CONS
+ Simplistic, 4WD1/8-scale chassis layout
+ Includes three oil-filled differentials
+ Rides on a full set of ball bearings
+ Capable electronics for the RTR crowd
+ Tons of tuning options built into the suspension
+ Exterior package looks great
+ 2.4GHz radio system
– Jumps a little nose-heavy
– Only accepts a 2S battery
ITEMS NEEDED & USED
– 7.2 or 8.4V stick pack, or 2S 7.4V LiPo
– Battery charger
– 8 AA’s for transmitter
+ Peak Power Flo 4000 LiPo pack
+ LRP Pulsar Competition 3
TOOLS INCLUDED & NEEDED
+ Turnbuckle wrench
– A quality metric Allen Driver set is recommended
DESIGN ANALYSIS
The chassis layout is like a miniaturized 1/8-scale; front and rear gearboxes are driven by the motor and mounted to the center differential. Encapsulated within the front and rear gearboxes is a fluid-filled differential. You can change the fluid to help tune the SCRT-10 to varying track conditions. Side dirt guards are included to help keep all the debris from entering the drivetrain.
The servo is mounted in a laydown configuration. The ESC and receiver box are mounted on top of the center differential. The battery mounts on its side to keep the weight as close to the center of the chassis as possible.
The front and rear beadlock wheels are interchangeable thanks to the use of wheel hexes. This means that you can use any aftermarket wheel that accepts wheel hexes on the SCRT-10.
The plastic-bodied shocks are very smooth for RTR units. While not threaded, there are enough preload clips included to change the ride height quite a bit.
The SCRT-10 uses steel universal driveshafts to power the front wheels. Out back, standard dogbones drive the rear wheels.
The drivetrain on the SCRT-10 is like rolling butter thanks to a full set of quality ball bearings.
SPECS & TUNING OPTIONS
SCRT10
DIMENSIONS
LENGTH 21 in (526mm)
WIDTH Front – 9 in (229 mm), Rear 10.1 in (258mm)
WHEELBASE 12.6 in. (320mm)
WEIGHT 92.8 oz.
SUSPENSION
• Shock position— 6 on towers, 2 on suspension arms
• Camber (F&R) — turnbuckles
• Ackerman— 2 positions
• Toe— front; turnbuckles, rear; toe plates
• Wheelbase— rear hubs can be spaced
• Droop— set screws in the arms
DRIVETRAIN
• Diff stiffness— grease or silicone diff fluids (all 3)
MAINTENANCE AND TUNING TIPS
• After your first full battery, check the servo saver to make sure it is still tight. You might even want to tighten it down a couple turns before running.
• Heavier weight oil in the shocks is a must! You’ll want to change that out after the initial run (enjoy the truck FIRST before tweaking on it!)
PERFORMANCE
Test Conditions: Smooth with high traction
STEERING At low speeds, the SCRT-10 has surprisingly good steering for a 4WD truck. At higher speeds, however, the front of the truck loses all grip and just plows straight ahead. There could be a couple things happening here; the front tires just can’t hold on at higher speeds or the servo saver spring is too soft. Doing a little ‘bench-testing’, I noticed the servo saver spring was very soft and you could flex the servo saver quite a bit. My suggestion would be to replace this spring with an aftermarket one (that is stronger) or just crank down the servo saver. Be careful, though, not to go too much or you could damage the servo. A new set of racing rubber (on all 4 corners) should help in the steering department, too.
ACCELERATION The stock electronics and Peak 30C pack provide great acceleration. The RTR tires dig in and pull hard from a standstill, keeping the SCRT-10 pointed straight the whole time. This acceleration only lasts about three seconds, however, and then you’re hitting top speed. But around our test track, it pulled away from all but the fastest 1/8-scales, only to be eaten alive on the straight. I’m ok with that…another tooth (or two) on the pinion and we’re in the game!
BRAKING There’s nothing that compares to 4WD when it comes to braking. While never really providing ‘strong’ brakes, the RTR electronics provided consistent braking power throughout the entire run. Even the rear of the truck felt planted while trail-braking into corners.
SUSPENSION The SCRT-10’s suspension was pretty good through our test run. In RTR form, the oil felt a little soft, causing the truck to rely mostly on the springs for suspension. This caused the truck to dance around a little in the rough sections. The truck would also lift the nose quite a bit under acceleration and dive hard when braking; an indication that the suspension is pretty soft. If you plan on racing the SCRT-10, fill the shocks with heavier oil and you should be good to go.
JUMPING During our test runs I found the SCRT-10 jumped nose-down quite a bit. I adjusted the way I approached the jumps, but still found the front of the nose wanting to dive in the air. If I applied a bit of throttle in the air I could get the truck to jump level, but I had to remember to do it! A change in the shock oil or spring (or maybe even ride height) would certainly help the SCRT-10 in this department.
DURABILITY I gave this truck a good thrashing around our
test track. At one point, one of the larger 1/8-scale SC trucks missed the braking point at the end of the straight and proceeded to launch me into the wall! No problem…my ‘Sherman Tank’ rear bumper took all the impact and helped protect the truck from damage. After a full battery pack of beating…er, testing the truck, I handed the controller over to one of the locals who had been eyeing it all day. I told him to ‘treat it like it wasn’t his’…he told me that would be no problem! He jumped it, rolled it and rubbed fenders with everybody on the track. Examining the truck I noticed the front bumper had started to pull out from the screws under the chassis. I’m pretty sure it’s time for a replacement.
THE LAST WORD
In my opinion, 4WD and short course are two words (ok, three words) that should go together. Combine these and create an affordable RTR package and you have yourself a definite winner. Is it better than the other 4WD SCers out right now? It’s hard to say, but I can say that I see more and more of the Hong Nors popping up (and some of the others dropping off). I think the 1/8-scale look and feel certainly gives the SCRT-10 a definite advantage in both the handling and maintenance department, plus this type of chassis layout begs for more power. This is a great truck for someone wanting into the 4WD scene, but it still has major potential to win races.
LINKS
Hong Nor, www.hongnor-racing.com
Peak Racing, distributed by Kyosho, kyoshoamerica.com/PeakRacing_c_7.html
LRP, distributed by Team Associated, teamassociated.com
