Crawler Canyon Presents: Zoku LCG Phoenix early tune, aka "moving the sliders"

[@Brian_Mowry__BMOW71]

Looks like it's tuned great! The Phoenix in stock form is outstanding, but now it looks to be at a whole different level of fantastic!

[@rccrawlingaddict207]

I love the way my phoenix crawls. If you have never driven one you are missing out. With a 3300kv from Holmes hobby it crawls and hops. Really like the BFG mud terrain T/A for climbing.

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Was this directed to someone else? Because this is a Phoenix, and I have like... four?

[@rccrawlingaddict207]

@@CrawlerCanyon It was directed toward everyone else......that has never driven a phoenix. They are smooth driving.

[@alxe24]

What a show you gave us. If you could choose to use that chassis with or without the portals. Which one would you go with? Also. How much is the chassis if you don’t mind me asking?

[@CrawlerCanyon]

I would say with portals. I genuinely prefer the Phoenix as a portal rather than a straight axle-- I think that's because of the gear reduction, there's literally just less with the straight axle, so power delivery and everything else feels different. The Zoku kit (as of typing this) is $200, which is a deal for what you get-- it's bolt-on and go.

[@alxe24]

Seems like a great set up and although $200 isn’t pocket change you seem to get what you pay for, which in my book is always a good thing. I might pull the trigger. Does it comes from within the USA?

[@CrawlerCanyon]

@@alxe24 yessir, designed, made, and shipped out of San Diego, CA.

[@brianmassey7563]

What I've noticed with high forward drive is to do less side-hille (when possible) and do more vertical. Seems obvious, but you tend to approach lines "in the way your used to" instead of what your rig wants. Another great vid. keep it up!

[@CrawlerCanyon]

OH, I don't let the rigs tell me what to do. W're gonna attack that sidehill the exact same way in every rig, and if they fall off, they fall off. Then we try to make that not happen.

[@Andy_Yates]

He's so damn good now. You can really see the body leaning over on the side hilling and I suppose that's the possible shock tuning to come 👍

[@billysandy2433]

What did you use for fill on the rock course?

[@ronnutt]

How did you make the front body pin? Did you do it in a lathe? Love your content! You are an inspiration for my crawler course!

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Yeah, my pin, and dead easy-- the stock plastic pin is 5mm, so that's just 5mm steel rod drilled and tapped to take an M3 screw, then I made a little aluminum knob for the end.

[@ronnutt]

@@CrawlerCanyon Ver nice! Thanks for the quick reply!

[@shoky11TV]

I'm Super interested in getting this chassis for my Phoenix....but the price is high....compared to an RP Interceptor chassis. Would it be possible for you to setup a head-to-head Zoku vs Interceptor with the VP Phoenix running gear? As always LOVE your work!!

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Absolutely, 100% no. Contrary to pretty much everything they say regarding the Phoenix on the RP page, the Interceptor chassis that I had in my hands a few months ago didn't line up at all with ANY of the holes on the Phoenix skid or gearbox, which just leaves the front of the gearbox just hanging out in the open. There is no provision whatsoever for mounting the dig and OD servos, you have to buy extra parts. The Zoku is complete: rails, front and rear bumper mounts, laydown servo mount, new angled skid, angled skirts to match the angled skid, dig/OD servo mounts. It is a direct bolt-on solution that will convert a Phoenix in about 90 minutes. The Interceptor is a universal chassis that fits a variety of vehicles with a varying degrees of success. Great for a 10.2. Not recommended for a Phoenix. IMO.

[@shoky11TV]

@@CrawlerCanyon You raise some excellent points regarding the Zoku as a complete package.....probably worth the $$

[@CrawlerCanyon]

@@shoky11TV I've told him directly that he's not charging enough. Plenty of LCG options out there charging more for far less work and a less polished package.

[@shoky11TV]

@@CrawlerCanyon Haha - that's a fair call...they do make a complete, well thought out package :)

[@TheAmericanUhate]

Anti-dive & anti-squat both also affect roll center. Right now it looks like it's really low anti-dive/squat, which is great for climbing, but hurts side hill ability. Higher values basically stiffen up the suspension under load and has less body roll on side hills imo. Keeping it like that, with those Deez bands that I gave you, would definitely help side hilling and steep vertical climbs, I think you'd be surprised by them if you give them a shot on all 4 corners

[@BusyBeesGrading]

Thats what im looking to do with my portal builders kit.

[@Bidle78]

Looks really awesome. Do you have a link for those weights in the front. Can’t find them anywhere. Spain would be great and easy for me. As I’m based in Europe.

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Looks like mostly out of stock, but FAIF Racing is who you're looking for in Spain. faifracingrc.com/categoria-producto/piezas-de-mejora-para-rc/piezas-para-vanquish/

[@twilliamrc4wd]

Have you tried going for Full Metal axles you're around 300g to 400g in the front and around 300g to 200g in the rear

[@OGRadRC]

I really like those shock towers. Where did you get those? 👍🏾

[@CrawlerCanyon]

It's all part of the Zoku RC chassis for Phoenix.

[@JohnSmith-rt4yo]

where did you get the foam truck block

[@CrawlerCanyon]

amzn.to/3S0zurs

[@ANGLINARMY]

Would love to see a Phoenix vs Ecto crawl comparison...there's not one on KZbin that I could find. Thanks

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Unfortunately, everything here is so modded out that there's no way to compare them directly-- I don't have a single trailing arm left on a rig here, and my "main" Phoenix (in this video) isn't directly comparable against, well, most anything. It feels like cheating. A stock Ecto vs. a stock Phoenix would be a bit closer, but dig and four link is going to give the advantage to the Phoenix, even with that big beautiful body on top. I've made this analogy before (I think) where an Ecto (or similar) is a real nice Lexus, but an LCG'd Phoenix is like jumping into a McLaren.

[@neildaniels5443]

The front wheels are like hands just feeling and grabbing those rocks like they are lady lumps 😍 I'm sorry but I had to say it ,just looks so good 👍

[@ShoddyRC]

It’s nice to hear your Phoenix has the same clicking and gear noises as mine. I thought I did something wrong building it.

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Mine comes and goes, which is of course the VERY best problem to have- impossible to isolate, impossible to diagnose. I have 4 VFD twins, and this is the only one that clicks. I’ve been told that swapping to the machined gears is a sure fire cure, but I’m not spending $90 to find out. The clicking is free.

[@ShoddyRC]

@@CrawlerCanyon I hear you there! If I figure mine out, I’ll let you know. There has to be a shim I can add somewhere to make it quiet.

[@Team_ReVolt]

Very interesting video. I do have a few question (because I'm thinking about buying a VS410 Phoenix): 1) straight axles vs portal: is the CG of the straight axle version lower? 2) can I get SOA on either a straight or portal axles version? 3) are the element shocks better then the Vanquish ones or is it because the're 90's (standard portals are 80's right?)? 4) best tyre for this rig?

[@CrawlerCanyon]

1. on the stock chassis, the CG will be lower on the straight axle by the amount of raise from the portals. Everything else is the same. 2. 1TenthRC makes SOA brackets for the F10 axle (currently out of stock) 1tenth.com/shop/ols/products/boco-stainless-bta-servo-mount-and-4-link-for-vanquish-f10 But they do make sure to state, "NOT INTENDED FOR A STOCK SETUP. Experienced builders on custom rigs." 3. The Vanquish/Incision shocks are... okay. I would put them behind Element or Traxxas GTS/Big Bores. Or more to the point, of my four Phoenix-related vehicles, none run Incisions. 4. That will depend on terrain and location I think, but I wouldn't take the JConcepts Tusks off of this rig for any reason. They're superb.

[@doptimusg]

I'm in love. How do I get my hands on one of these lcg kits?

[@CrawlerCanyon]

You can contact the gentleman directly through his Instagram, instagram.com/zokurc/

[@alextxh7554]

Is that kit worth getting? I’m on the fence about it.

[@CrawlerCanyon]

I would say absolutely. I haven't yet had another LCG kit as complete. And the performance increase is like you put in cheat codes. It's stupid good.

[@alextxh7554]

@@CrawlerCanyon thanks 👍🏼

[@shoualor1707]

Sick. More Argentum please.

[@CrawlerCanyon]

There is a video of him falling into a hole for like 20 minutes straight if you're into that kind of thing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnzdnmmLiJh0r9k

[@chriscord6524]

Also team brood Kyosho velvet 80mm shocks with extended caps too. After that it’s just in and out of those dirty lil holes all the live long day. #rcporn

[@CrawlerCanyon]

If you ever see Velvets here, either assume that I've gotten a mysterious millionaire benefactor, or that I've been replaced by a pod person, because Velvets cost past double what Dravtechs do, and that ain't never happening here.

[@twilliamrc4wd]

You know you can have a little bit more like a medium style sprained medium firm or medium soft and it was still perform does that same way with a heavier truck but you can still get the side Hill

[@FaithSaraG]

That thing is stupid good.

[@after9527]

Might have to break your fleet down into classes now, like lcg class, or over $ amount class.

[@CrawlerCanyon]

I've gotta figure something out, as it's staring to look like a LeMans pit area 'round here-- say for instance, as good as he is, Ironsides against Argentum would just be mean. Pick from half the fleet vs. Ol' Blue is just an outright murder.

[@michaellenheiser3157]

No longer are you giving up Performance for vanity. 👍

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Just imagine it with some kind of cheater body on it. Yikes.

[@dkmgm2011]

Wanna stay flexible but you're suck on the 80s? You need some hair bands in your life. And I don't mean Def Leppard. I run nineties on most of my rigs. I'm in Arkansas, terrain is quite diverse. Most of my crawling requires the flex. Now as you said, it's all a trade off. But we can cheat a little. I went to hair bands as a "soft" limit strap after being dissatisfied losing travel with the pen spring/internally sprung shock mod. One on each of your front shocks, top to bottom eye. It reacts similar to a sway bar on sidehill stability while allowing full droop and articulation. Also curbs torque twist and keeps you from unloading on steep inclines. Cheap and extremely effective. The double bun of shock tuning. I'm ready to see what the wheels have in store... FOR WHEELIN WEDNESDAY!!! Def Leppard sucks.

[@chriscord6524]

Dude just go ahead and finish the damn thing. You’ll need the FT10t axles in clear aluminum. Made in CA USA. And a set of their wheels. If I had the money I’d buy them, but 16yo kid with shoe habit. #Vanquish-products #cheap-advertising #product-tester#1

[@CrawlerCanyon]

I don't really care for alloy axles. I have two (total) and didn't want to buy either of them, but had literally no other choice. The price of a single alloy F10 is halfway to a whole new build.

[@just_inolredneck8319]

If u see me own a vanquish vehicle.. call me I’ve been.. well brainwashed.. I will stick with my Capra and my g1 lcg.. 🤷‍♂️ I just don’t want to spend all that money to change over n tools either.. 🤷‍♂️ it’s what it is..