SCX24 BUDGET BUILD – Building a BEAST for $100!! Upgrades, Installation, Free Mods & More!!

In this video I give myself a budget of $250 to buy and upgrade an Axial SCX24 Jeep Gladiator! This is a saturated video, complete with shopping list, installation, baseline course runs and more. I also throw in some tips and tricks for free mods and additional low cost upgrades. Once complete, I run the new build on the indoor course and even challenge it to a friendly competition with the fully built brushless flex machine Gladiator!

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[CapeCrawlers]

Timestamps
Build plan and overview: 1:21
Baseline course runs: 3:40
Shopping list and budget check: 10:33
Parts overview: 14:08
Installation, tips and tricks: 16:56
I broke it: 26:08
Finished product: 27:46
Upgraded course runs: 29:02
Fully built gladiator course runs: 33:32
Final thoughts: 36:28

[garrisonweaver]

Another performance booster I’ve found is removing the little ears off the front bumper and fastening it to the frame rails. It sits nice and flush with the body and keeps you from getting stuck so much

[Savage]

Ever since i found your channel ive been eyeballing a gladiator so hard, it’d be my first crawler so this budget build video came out at way too perfect of a time ! Keep posting these bro they’re tones of help!

[loganmcneel]

definitely one of the most scale clean scx24s that i’ve seen! good job adam you never seem to disappoint!!

[viperfangs]

Since there's no correction in the video, nor any corrections on the video description, or in the comments, the Injora wheels you want, if you are going to "flip" them for a deeper dish look, are the ones linked in the video description and not the ones he shows at 11:47 minutes. The ones shown in the video are the deep dish variants, where the spokes sit about halfway into the rim. If you try to "flip" those, you won't be getting a deeper look because the spokes are sitting halfway into the rim... so no deep deep dish look and no widened stance. In the "regular" stamped steel Injoras, the correct ones, the spokes sit almost at the opening of the rim. These you can "flip" and get the look you see in the finished build. Just a heads up before anyone goes spending money on the wrong item.

[UpperLeftRC]

A nice free upgrade you might like to add to this is taking the (drop down front bumper arms) off the front bumper and mounting the bumper directly into the frame rails, it bolts right in and the front grill section of the body sits decently snug down against it. Brings the bumper up and in so it doesn’t stick so far out. you can also trim just a bit off the bottom of the front body grill section to get a more flush fitment, doing this gets rid of that jutting out underbite look and cleans up the front of the rig up really nicely, no problems with servo clearance either!🤘🏼😄

[snörre]

Love that. Recently got a little overwhelmed by your and other channels who threw out one expensive and high end rig after the other while i havent even finished modding my first didnt even get to drive it a lot. One item i would strongly recommend is the Injora Underdrive gears, i use them front and rear, gear reduction, slower speed, more crawling power even with stock motor.

[sugatooth]

Seeing all these upgrades done at once to a stock truck really brings me back to doing my own initial mods. And also makes me painfully aware how much money and time I’ve sunk into them by this point 😂

[brianl]

Outstanding choice on tires. Have run a set of those on my Deadbolt for a year with stock foams and they still have grip for days. Earlier scx24s
had machined fine threads on the pivot balls. The newer ones are coarse thread. Broke a few of them in knuckles as well until I noticed this.

[MrMcSnuffyFluffy]

On my kid's gladiator I put that same motor in and then superglued two heavy washers to the outside of each wheel. I happened to have some that were the perfect fit. I don't know the exact weight, but I'd guess each wheel is as heavy, or heavier than any nice brass wheel out there. The washers completely transformed the rig into a capable crawler.

[wesleyhughes]

I literally just did this last night. Took $100 and spent it on upgrades for the Jeep Wrangler. Will be more done later, but got a good start.

[basherz_den]

We ran into the same issue with breaking off the stock steering link screw in a brass knuckle.. but because it doesn't thread in real far and brass is softer.. we took a screw that came with the knuckle and pushed it through the threads from the other side.. works like a charm and you still have threads left once you screw hardware in it will catch the threads on the bottom..😎🤘🏼great video man! Keep em coming.

[edwardlove]

Oh wow she crawls so smoothly. I've yet to buy a scx 24 and look forward to buying one. Thanks for your tutorial it was great.

[parkergabrielson]

I would recommend taking the front bumper off it gives it a way better approach angle. I also recommend what I did and buying a cheap chassis of amazon that angles the skid and makes it so much better on not getting high centered.

[grizzlyworksrc]

Awesome build! With as much as I love doing crazy all out builds, there is something very fun, challenging, and rewarding about getting a good performer on a tight budget.

[johnhartman]

Thanks for this and all of the details in this and the other videos. I'm currently watching/listening on repeat. Total newbie here. I attended a local comp last week, watched your videos and ordered your recipe last night and still spent less than a tire for my Corvette. I'm currently taking notes on your install tips and reading the comments. My first comp is the 17th. Friendly local stuff. Thanks Adam!

[garrichelle]

That a good budget build. I am going to get my granddaughter who is 6 one. We are definitely going to do some of these mods. She absolutely loves driving my sx24 wrangler when she comes over.

[Matthewtoyreview]

These videos help out so much! Can you continue this series? I appreciate all your knowledge and the way you explain everything! Thanks a ton

[brandonbentley]

Got a Gladiator for my child. RTR is $150. For another 160 to 200, you can literally option out the whole thing! So, about 300-330, you're set for life. Great rig for ALL ages! So capable and fun. Unlike other fast rtrs, kids can give it full throttle without ramming it through a kitchen wall...hehe. 😊

[henrycruzcal]

An excellent comparison between a beast and a smart budget build.
You showed how we can have fun for little money but also what is possible if you have the money.
Thank you