Rock Socker or Hilux Hilift ?

[Percymon]

Now theres a strange comparison i know, but bear with me..

I was never a fan of the visuals of the CR-01 chassis - sure the axles and rails look the part but the springs always put me off buying one, as much as I would love the Unimog version.

Then the Rock Socker comes along at a fantastic price, tempting me to hit the buy button, I don;t mind the looks and i can accept that its not the best rock racer out there (I have a Gmade R1 already for more speed orientated rough running so thats not really a factor). But I know if I buy the rock socker I'll also buy numerous hop ups such as the alloy servo beds, lustre chassis rails and various other bits like the alloy suspension parts.

I'm now thinking, for similar outlay, whether a Hilux Hilift is a better buy ? - i'm not bothered about the 3 speed thing - quite happy to lock it in a set gear and use a CR Tuned motor for a bit of gentle garden running.

If at a later date I decided to do a bit more crawling / trail running the Hilux would be obviously be more realistic looking but would the CR-01 chassis be more capable ?

The other factor in this is I've been offered a Hi-lift Hilux kit at a fantastic price

Your thoughts please :D

[waterbok]

The gearbox and axles of the cr01 are great, throw out the suspension setup for a 'scale' one and of you go. Have a look at some crawler forums it all has been discussed years ago.

There are also aftermarket frames/rails for the CR (Junefac)

[IBIFTKH]

Take the Hilux.

You won't get offered many at a good price while the Rock Socker will be around for a good while yet. Personally I think the 3-speed is a more interesting build and you've got that great looking Toyota shell. It doesn't take much to turn it into a pretty capable machine and after that the possibilities are almost endless.

[Tamiya1/10]

if you are not crazy about either model, don't let the good deal sucker you in.

case in point, would you buy something you don't like or need just because is a good deal...unless you plan to give it to someone else or you know someone will pay more for it from you.

[Percymon]

I'm happy to buy the rock socker , I can overlook the visuals of the springs at its price point (but not at £90 more for the unimog version).

I'm equally happy to buy the hilux - I've still got the rere bruiser nib so the hilux would be a great way to build the yota body without starting on the bruiser

In the crawling world the hilift is way behind the time (articulation, stiff suspension etc) , the cr-01 less so, but I'm not looking for a hard core crawler.

As a gentle mud trail / sand dune runner I'm not sure which is better

[Grastens]

Do you prefer working with polycarbonate or white plastic body shells? If the chassis build and running can be regarded equally (running the Hilux in one speed, and complexity of both chassis making for good builds), that stage of the process may help determine a selection.

[qatmix]

3 speeds are junk, get the CR01 much more capable, and you can always pop on a more scale shell and change the frame.

[Percymon]

3 speeds are junk, get the CR01 much more capable, and you can always pop on a more scale shell and change the frame.

Hmmm - you might be right but I'm still tempted by the high lift at £200 !

[qatmix]

Hmmm - you might be right but I'm still tempted by the high lift at £200 !

Its cheap at that price, and its pretty.. Honestly if you dont have a 3 speed of any type and you fancied one, then go for it, but if you want something a bit more fun, then the CR01 is better (BTW I have owned both, I only have the CR01 now)

[XV Pilot]

I faced a similar dilemma a while back, wanting something with realistic looks and enough offroad ability for trail use, that was fun to build and practical to run.

I considered both the CR01 and the Hi-Lift, but in the end decided to get a CC01 and a shedload of hop-ups. Perhaps not what everyone would do in such a situation, but it worked for me!

[Percymon]

I considered both the CR01 and the Hi-Lift, but in the end decided to get a CC01 and a shedload of hop-ups. Perhaps not what everyone would do in such a situation, ut it worked for me!

I can fully understand that point , six months ago the cc01 to cr01 price gap was huge and the cc allows more scale looking builds with less modification.

[EddScott]

If it has to be one or t'other then I would get the HiLift no question - although I think I'm probably the only person in the world that would prefer the Tundra.

If its a scale crawler you want then I would go off piste and get an Axial SCX10. Mine is probably in my top 5 favorite RC cars I've owned.

[sidewaysdave69]

I would go with a cr01 over the hilux. I have both and the hilux is like an arthritic pensioner compared to the cr01. The only thing i don't like about the cr01 is the chunky axles, especially when you see that a relatively small company like g-made are knocking out portal axles.

if you get a cr01 get the hop up bent lower arms, much better than the originals.

[mr crispy]

If also go for the CR01. I like the look of the 3 speeds and I'd enjoy building them, but that's only going to give me a few days or at most a week of entertainment. As soon as they start moving they just look like trundling toys to me and put me right off.

The CR01 would be fun to build and lots of fun to drive and challenging to crawl. Much more capable and able to modify to suit your own style of crawling or trail driving.

[JennyMo]

I'd also be inclined to go for the Rock Socker, purely for the engineering and capability - and ultimately buy the Tamiya (or Trailfinder) HiLux hard body for it?

Jx

[Percymon]

Thanks for all the comments folks

Having spent a hour or so watching YouTube videos of the high lifts I concluded they are pretty useless items for running - yes they look scale but they seem to get hung up on the smallest of earth mounds (mainly due to the low slung drivetrain) and with the stock "dampers" and all leaf springs fitted are so stiff the model just lurches from side to side rather than displaying any axle articulation. I'm sure they build would be fun but not so sure it'd keep my attention for long as a runner.

I'll watch a few more clips of modified high lifts to see if they change my current view.

Keep the comments coming though

[Backlash]

About 5 years ago, I bought a partially built F350 Highlift,, but due to being really disappointed with the poor steering and suspension (when compared to more capable "scalers" like the Axial Honcho), I never bothered completing it..

Just recently I found myself with some time to spare, so I decided to revisit this project, and now that I have it running, I am sure glad I did..

The first thing that I did was remove the MFC-02 and stored that away for another project.. While I was at it, I removed all of the unnecessary gear, such as the plastic fuel tanks and the original battery holder.. Two pieces of aluminium angle were then cut, and fitted to the underside of the chassis rails to create a battery mount to me allow me to fit my 5000mAh Hardcase LiPo between the chassis rails at the rear..

Next I fitted a TEU 105BK ESC, a high torque servo, and remote 5A BEC, and ditched the 4 channel radio in favour of my Spektrum DX3R.. The steering servo was relocated next to the shift servo, and a more direct steering setup was fabricated and installed, doing away with all of those nasty linkages.. I also setup the shift servo to work off one of the thumb buttons on the DX3R, and calibrated to shift between first and second gear only..

To finish off the drive line, I removed the silver can motor and replaced it with a HPI X30, 30 turn motor, and 13 tooth pinion, which was the smallest that I could fit without getting out the Dremel and grinding away at the gear case..

Next, I removed the horrible original "plastic" tyres, and replaced them with some Weighted Proline Flatirons on Axial Beadlock wheels that came on my Honcho.. After setting the ESC, and steering trims, it was time to give it a run.. To say that I was impressed was an understatement... With its leaf springs, and high centre of gravity (due to the high mounted motor) its not in the same league as the Honcho, but oh what a difference those few changes made... Its also quite different being able to run at a reasonable pace, and then with the press of a button, drop down into first gear and crawl over those more difficult objects..

I am now one happy boy, and this may be my new favourite toy.. With any luck, I will get to give it a run on the weekend with a mate and his Axial Scaler..

My advice is, if you want a scale looking truck that is fun to drive, then buy the highlift.. If you want a truck that will do really well on the trails, then buy an Axial Dingo or Honcho, and do like I did, and fit a Hilux shell to it..

[ukfox]

I have a hilux hilift and an f350.

In stock form the suspension is stiff,

the stock tyres don't help either.

I enjoyed the build, 3speed, and the detail of the hilux body is Ace.

being able to change gear on the move is a nice touch

With an MFU fitted these come alive

If you 4 link the suspension on the hilux it will perform much like a cr01, And of course you can add bigger better wheels and tyres.

I nearly hit the buy it button, when I saw those rock sockers, but I have a TXT2 for off road trucking

Good luck deciding.

I know,,, Buy BOTH

[Percymon]

I know,,, Buy BOTH

Belive me, I've considered that. Not gone through for two reasons..

1. I have a pre-order in for the mountaineer rere so wondering whether i need the hilux really (esp with a NIB Bruiser in the attic too)

2. I've been totting up hop-ups for the cR-01 and even avoiding much of Tamiyas offering (opting for 3Racing / KM Racing and GPM parts) I could easily add £150 to the cost of the CR-01 kit

I'm erring towards a lightly hopped up CR-01, and to wait to see how the mountaineer pricing compares to the hilux offer I have.

Bit of time to think

[Theibault]

I have both (you should get both, it's not like you are shy of having over 60 vehicles ). I will say that had I to choose today to only keep one, it would definitely be the CR01. I drive it more than almost all my other cars. Also, mine is bone stock. This rig doesn't need any hop ups in my opinion other than better tires.

[sidewaysdave69]

You could also try and find a junfac lizard chassis. That's what my cr01 is on with a trail finder 2 body.

gives it a more scale look with better movement. They are like hen's teeth now but if i could find one i am sure there is more out there

[Percymon]

I'm waiting on stock confirmation at Stella and Banzai for a CR-01 kit - worst case i'll get the Rock Socker from Fusion

Already ordered a load of alloy parts, so no turning back now

Now another question..

Shock length for the CR-01 ? and any recommendations ?

[berman]

In terms of capability and modification in regards to crawl ability...

CC-01 > High lift > CR-01. Nobody in our club has a CR-01 anymore, one guy still owns a pair of axles, they are just far to awkward and top heavy. It is quite funny watching them get owned on the same trail by the other two Tamiya offerings.

Never use the kit tyres unless you are prancing around the back garden, get the stickiest, grippiest shoes you can find, and go from there.

If you are not too fussed about where it can go, and just like it from a build and potter around perspective, then the CR-01 and High lift would be more enjoyable for you.

[SteveU30]

But then you watch Matteo's awesome video of his 3 speed Tundra and your confidence that you made the right decision is shaken, it just looks amazing in motion in this setting don't you think

[Percymon]

I've watched that video more times than I care to remember, or admit !

It's a great clip but it highlights how low slung the transmission is in the chassis, which means it easily grounds out cresting a hill or ridge. The terrain in that video could also be traversed in a vintage bruiser in similar fashion, suggesting the modern 3 spd chassis is little more capable than the old.

Give it some decent slightly bigger tyres and it would be at another level, even better with R2 transmission but by then you're in a different place to a kit build