The Most Fun Small Crawler?
Hanging out at MMRC, the question of “most fun” small crawler often comes up for discussion so this page will act as a resource to send to those interested in getting into this side of the hobby. If you're even moderately knowledgeable, you might consider skipping to the “Seasoned to Small Crawlers” section.
Note… I didn’t say best, cheapest, lightest, most competitive, or capable crawler although I believe the rig I’ll outline has MANY of those claims. “Fun” is a purely subjective and the reader is welcome to define however they like!
Let’s define “fun”…
An need for easy, competent, and budget friendly “out of the box” option.
An eco system of replacement & upgrade parts at local hobby shops and online vendors.
Low frustration to replace, or modify parts. The fewer the tools needed, the better.
Customer service both online and over phone. Staff need to respond quickly and support the product.
For those that desire, a healthy and viable upgrade path for more competitive solutions.
Over the summer of 2024 and now winter of 2025 I’ve built and driven a number of popular offerings and I feel the Redcat Ascent 18 hits all my fun requirements. I’ll break down what I think are two specific “entry points” to this crawler and some parts and options to consider as your needs shift.
New to Small Crawlers…
Not all are needed to enjoy the kit but after #1, items #2 and #3 are higher priority. #4 is more involved and only consider if you have the tools, etc.
Buy the “ready to run” RTR option from a local hobby shop, Redcat, or AMain. Part number is #RER31319, RER31320, RER31321, or RER33117 depending on color
Replace the stock plastic drive shafts with either the Treal or Injora otions. I prefer the Treal due to the driveshaft pin and the black color matching the rest of the kit.
Replace the rims/inserts/tires. I suggest the LGRP Trail King, Black Label, or Clawhammer tires. I’ve really enjoyed the LGRP wheels as well and they all pair well with the tires mentioned. Consider picking up the lighter aluminum beadlock rims to manage some front/rear weight. For inserts, consider the Injora yellow’s or if you want something a little lighter and softer, the DJ Crawler Purple’s.
Consider adding weight to the front with Injora’s Brass Steering Knuckle. If you replace the knuckles, check for gearing fitment IF you also elected to change front overdrive portal gears.
Seasoned to Small Crawlers…
If you have some experience with crawlers (big or small), consider the following upgrade options below if you desire a more capable rig, or an ultimate line slayer. Suggest you start with steps #1 through #4 above. Buying a RTR rig will get all the stock parts required vs. buying them separately. The RTR will be cheaper and much less risk of missing a critical part.
Shift to a brushless motor and ESC. Switching will give a much finer throttle control and much more slow crawl over obstacles. I would suggest the Furitek MicroSilk solution with either the Mini Komodo V2 motor version or the Micro Komodo motor OR the new HobbyWing QUICRUN WP Mini24 Combo. I’ve not personally tried the Hobbywing but I’ve seen it in action and it’s pretty great. The Furitek solution is smaller and lighter so if that is your jam, or you prefer the bluetooth & mobile phone app to change settings than the Furitek is the direction to go. Please note this is the point where you will need to pick up a receiver for your radio of choice.
Overdrive the front, or underdrive the rear. I elected to overdrive the front with the Redcat portal gears for ~11%. Part number RER31798
Upgrade to a more powerful servo and once again, you have choices to make. The new TORQ MLS-1025 servo provides a direct bolt-on solution without a servo mount or the more traditional path with the Injora 11kg servo with mount. If you head towards the TORQ, you will need to shave a decent amount of the back of the servo so the upper links are 100% free from binding and you will need to think about how you mount the body. I elected to shift to posts vs. the front/rear mounts.
Upgrade the chassis and links. This is where most folks drop off and I would NOT judge if you did. The stock chassis rails are pretty great and if you’ve done #1, #2, and #3 above you can already see some huge improvements. This one is for those that have deep pockets and/or really want to nail every line. There are a few options but the one I elected to run with is the Titanium Low CG Competition Chassis by Orange Crawlers. The low CG and 10° skid do help a great deal over many obstacles with my testing and I’m very pleased with the upgrade. You might consider the RC Steve 710 titanium double bend links for the Juice chassis linked above. These are almost as light as the stock plastic and the double bend in the rear give some great clearance but also protect the driveshafts without issue. The rears also extend the back by another 4 to 6mm which helps with clearing obstacles.
Final Thoughts and Credits…
If you're still reading, appreciate it. Much of the research above was done in tandem with others at our local Madison Mini RC club. Stan G., Andy A., Bob M., Sean W., and others have been creatively working on all of the above at different times and sharing tips, tricks, and helping each other out. Many thanks to them for the help over the last few months.
There are likely already a handful of new to market rigs and parts that are shifting the landscape so consider this a time capsule of sorts. I’ll continue to post thoughts on the blog as time and products progress and feel welcome to post thoughts, ideas, or suggestions in the comments below. You can also check out my dedicated RC Crawler page.
Thanks for reading & rock on!
