*Correction please note* In the video I forget to mention that the first time you remove the rear upper link bolts there are nuts on them that must be removed. There are two ways to get to these nuts. 1 remove the battery tray. 2 Disconnect the rear driveshaft and come at them from the underside. I apologise for any inconvenience this caused to those of you that tried this modification as a result of my video. Keep learning about your RCs and have fun tinkering.
I moved the rear axle on my week-old Gen8 to the back position last night. One thing to note: for the rear upper links installed in the factory position (center) there are nuts on the end of the screws that hold the upper links to the skid plate. In order to get to these nuts you have to remove the battery tray. The nuts aren't required to put the links in the rear most position. Just don't lose the nuts: they will be required if you ever want to move the rear upper links back to the center or forward positions.
James Morrell You are correct about the nuts being there but you didn't need to remove the battery tray. The nuts should be easily accessible from the bottom of the skid. And yes this is a detail that I missed to bring up in the video as I had already moved the links around before filming to see if it would work and to speed up the process left the nuts out when I set it back to the factory wheelbase to start my recording. As I filmed the video I simply missed the opportunity to mention that the nuts would need to be removed. In the end I figured I didn't need to go back and rerecord to correct my failure to mention the nut removal step. I assumed that anyone who would be trying this type of modification should be able to figure it out. I will put a pinned comment in to mention it though. The rear axle sits much more centered in the wheel well this way doesn't it?
What about the links with the nuts attached to them? I extended those and not sure if I should have. And would having different positions of links on the rear comparing to the front be okay?
The links with the nut between the rod end and the link are for adjusting the steering geometry and it's not necessary to mess with those unless you are trying to change or correct an issue with the steering. As far as lengthening the wheelbase more on one end vs the other, that won't matter. I changed both front and rear because I felt it looked better with this body. If you prefer the way it looks with the stock position for the front axle and the longer setup just in the rear it will be fine. It was designed to be adjustable in any combination of the different spots to accommodate various aftermarket bodies and customization.
Less than 24 hours till I order my Gen8 Axe. Been saving, now I'm getting that kid at Christmas feeling. Thanks for the tips, sub'd and I'll be back with more thumbs 👍
Good video and info. I have a couple questions if you see this and don't mind answering. What wheel and tire combo is that and do those wheels have a different offset that puts the tire out closer to the edge of the body? Thanks
The tires are the stock Redcat Gen 8 ones. The wheels are cheap knock offs from Amazon. I don't know what the exact offset is but it's a little wider than the stock plastic wheels. www.amazon.com/dp/B088C32HSM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_AC5BNKQ0T7N7KWNB0WBT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Wikcentral At the 2:30 mark I did include that information however it's not on screen very long. It's hard to know how long to leave stuff like that on screen. Too long and it's a distraction and to quick and people might miss it. Thanks for highlighting it for those that missed it. 👍👍
Henry Urbina Running video in the new setup will be coming I just don't have it recorded yet. I'm trying to figure out how I can compare short vs long wheelbase to make it more objective. 👍
This is great info. I find that so many Utubers focus on upgrading parts before looking at settings within their vehicle. I just got my non-Axe Gen8 and am starting to tinker with suspension settings. If you have any thoughts on shock mount hole positioning, I'd love to hear them. I'm taking my truck one step at a time to figure out what works best.
on our Gen 8 I used the upper middle hole for the front. I found this spot to have the least amount of bump steer compared to the other holes. On a crawling truck the slight angle changes aren't that critical so play around with them and see what makes the truck most comfortable to drive for you. 👍
Thanks for explaining this. I was searching for a way to shorten the wheelbase on my Axe Edition. I high centering on one of the courses I run, where my TRX4 Sport just motors on over those peaks. I've also got a Power Wagon body I've been meaning to use and this looks like the perfect opportunity to use it. What wheels and tires are you using on yours? I like them a lot.
Don Schenk Glad it was useful. The tires are stock and the wheels are generic method knock offs from eBay. Your power wagon project sounds fun good luck friend. 👍
Excellent video. did not know that was even an option . you're right it looks way better and it's got to help the approach and departure angle. I just ordered mine today. can't wait to do that mod . also subscribed . appreciate the time you put into your videos. Crawl on...🏁
New sub !! Just got my first crawler, and this is it. I'm not new to RC, but totally new to crawling. Looking forward to tips, tricks, and trail videos !!
Well welcome to the club. Most all my content is for the crawling side of the RC hobby as it is my favorite right now. I hope you find it just as fun. If there's anything I can help you with let me know here in the comments of one of my videos or find me on Instagram, @TJsRC. If you're into the trailing videos right now I have a few different playlists full of them on my channel. Good luck and have fun.
If you are going to use a body designed for 312mm wheelbase I don't see why not. I've haven't tried something like that so I can't say for certain. Experimenting with new things in this hobby is fun so give it a try and let me know how it works out for you. 👍👍
Eleazar Renteria The Gen 8 has bad bump steer to begin with but this change shouldn't have had much affect on it. I purposely run my Gen 8 shocks in the lowest ride hight setting to minimize the bump steer. The taller than stock you try to get the Gen 8 to sit the more pronounced the bump steer gets, unless you make some changes. There are some things that you can try to do if the bump steer drives you bonkers. There is a servo relocation mount by Club 5 that is supposed to help with it but I haven't tried it yet. There are a number of videos on UA-cam about the Gen 8 bump steer, try searching those. As for your suspension not working, what exactly is happening? This modification is something redcat designed into the chassis for the user to be able to change so it shouldn't have messed anything up. You made sure to relocate all 7 link ends where they attach to the chassis? Is your Gen 8 an original or is it the AXE edition?
Okay TJ, I followed your video to a t... on my Redcat gen 8 axe Edition. the truck looks way better. absolutely crawls like a beast. the bumpers are in the stock location and I never have a problem with approach angle. I have a little problem with departure but I deal with it. the truck is able to do some incredible lines. I just shared the video with two good friends of mine. They both have red cats gen 8's, that are struggling a little bit with those Rigs. I said bro, you have to watch TJ's video. this guy doesn't mess around it turns your Redcat into a super truck. thank you again TJ . Crawl on...🏁
The upper shock mount has a number of different spots for mounting. So you can move it forward or back to match the wheelbase if you want. However it's not strictly required. If you extended the wheelbase and make no adjustment to the position of the upper shock mount the truck would simply ride a little lower.
rich 4614 You could always build a temporary obstacles course in your house and play that way. We are under stay at home orders to but we can still go outside for walks. I live in a very small town so there's lots of room to safely be outdoors. I know that not everyone has that luxury right now.
Brad Cruse Unfortunately I really didn't prepare properly to prove it. I should have filmed the truck going over various obstacles and terrain before the change then refilmed the same with the new wheelbase. My gut feeling driving it now is I like it better but I'm not sure how to quantify that. The TRX4 Bronco is a little shorter so as we make future trailing videos I'll try to look for obstacles that demonstrate the difference between the wheelbases of the two trucks. Even if it performed worse though I would leave it extended because it looks so much nicer on the scout body set up this way.
@@TJsRC hey I noticed that when you took out the top bolts you didn't have to use pliers. I'm looking at mine now and my top bolts have nuts on the ends! did yours?
Brad Cruse Yes there are nuts but mine were already removed because I actually did the extension and checked to make sure it would work with the stock body before hand then put it back to stock before filming this and then proceeded to forget to mention the nuts during filming.
I don't have a "trail review" video but I do have a few with the Gen 8 Axe on the trail, snow and rocks. If you want to see how it handles the various terrains. I've been busy with some home remodeling projects and haven't been able to get any RC videos made for a while. I will say I quite enjoy the truck. It looks great trailing and crawling. It preforms on par with the TRX4. The only real difference between them is you can bash the heck out of the TRX4, if you really want but I would not intentionally miss treat the Gen 8 like that. It's a perfectly fine right when you respect that. We have yet to have a single failure on ours and it has seen a good amount of trail time. Good luck my friend.
TJ I have taken 30 years off from RC trucks. Last one I bought was. Kyosho 4x4 buggy that had a chain the would come off with any hit. Santa is bringing me a Blazer TRX4 and I am planning on the Gen8 Scout as a companion. I am into the scale bodies as I am old enough to remember then on the road new. In your estimation what makes the TRX4 more durable than the Axe Scout. Keep up the great info and content.
@@thomasconnolly7452 Its simply a matter of the plastic being tougher and the portal axles stronger on the TRX4. This is a relative comparison though and doesn't mean the Gen 8 is weak, it's just not as indestructible as the TRX4. This alone isn't enough reason to choose the TRX4 over the Gen8 IMO. We trail hard sometimes and still haven't broken anything on our gen 8. They are both great rigs. I think you'll enjoy them.
@@TJsRC it definitely makes it look more symmetrical to the body, I have the regular gen 8 and was thinking of doing the same thing so now I just might!
New subscriber here. I just acquired one of these. Great tip, and great video. I look forward to watching more of your videos. Check out our channel if ya get a chance. ✌️
Eric Bostick Good suggestion, that also helps for sure. I did move them a little but didn't want to push them in so far that it stopped looking realistic.
The first thing that this accomplished was getting the wheels centered better in the wheel wells. It just my opinion but I feel it looks much better this way vs stock. The performance benefit is a better approach and departure angle because the tires are now closer each end. Also it's a general principal that on up hill climbs usually a longer wheelbase will be more stable and less prone to roll backwards. However the distance between the stock wheelbase and this isn't that significant so the real world benefit isn't huge. Honestly I think the looks is worth enough, for me anyway, that I would have done it even if it meant the off road performance would suffer.
*Correction please note* In the video I forget to mention that the first time you remove the rear upper link bolts there are nuts on them that must be removed. There are two ways to get to these nuts. 1 remove the battery tray. 2 Disconnect the rear driveshaft and come at them from the underside. I apologise for any inconvenience this caused to those of you that tried this modification as a result of my video. Keep learning about your RCs and have fun tinkering.
It was an easy mod, I ended up removing the battery tray. Now I have 2 more spare bolts, all good !!
Great, glad it's all good. 👍👍
I moved the rear axle on my week-old Gen8 to the back position last night. One thing to note: for the rear upper links installed in the factory position (center) there are nuts on the end of the screws that hold the upper links to the skid plate. In order to get to these nuts you have to remove the battery tray. The nuts aren't required to put the links in the rear most position. Just don't lose the nuts: they will be required if you ever want to move the rear upper links back to the center or forward positions.
James Morrell You are correct about the nuts being there but you didn't need to remove the battery tray. The nuts should be easily accessible from the bottom of the skid. And yes this is a detail that I missed to bring up in the video as I had already moved the links around before filming to see if it would work and to speed up the process left the nuts out when I set it back to the factory wheelbase to start my recording. As I filmed the video I simply missed the opportunity to mention that the nuts would need to be removed. In the end I figured I didn't need to go back and rerecord to correct my failure to mention the nut removal step. I assumed that anyone who would be trying this type of modification should be able to figure it out. I will put a pinned comment in to mention it though. The rear axle sits much more centered in the wheel well this way doesn't it?
@@TJsRC Yes, the rear axle sits much better in the wheel well. Well worth the minimal effort required to move it.
James Morrell Awesome. Glad you are liking the look of it. Have fun and stay safe my friend 👍👍
Only difference I removed the fender flares and left the screws bolted on, like Hemi Storm did to his Gen8 when he painted it...mad cool
I bet that looks pretty tough. 👍👍
What about the links with the nuts attached to them? I extended those and not sure if I should have. And would having different positions of links on the rear comparing to the front be okay?
The links with the nut between the rod end and the link are for adjusting the steering geometry and it's not necessary to mess with those unless you are trying to change or correct an issue with the steering. As far as lengthening the wheelbase more on one end vs the other, that won't matter. I changed both front and rear because I felt it looked better with this body. If you prefer the way it looks with the stock position for the front axle and the longer setup just in the rear it will be fine. It was designed to be adjustable in any combination of the different spots to accommodate various aftermarket bodies and customization.
@@TJsRC Thanks man your a great help..
Great video I was looking at that on mine I thought it would be cool 😎👍🏻✌🏻
Adventure Time RC It is. I love the look of the proportions much better this way. 👍
Less than 24 hours till I order my Gen8 Axe. Been saving, now I'm getting that kid at Christmas feeling.
Thanks for the tips, sub'd and I'll be back with more thumbs 👍
Thanks and have fun hitting the trail with it. 👍
Good video and info. I have a couple questions if you see this and don't mind answering. What wheel and tire combo is that and do those wheels have a different offset that puts the tire out closer to the edge of the body? Thanks
The tires are the stock Redcat Gen 8 ones. The wheels are cheap knock offs from Amazon. I don't know what the exact offset is but it's a little wider than the stock plastic wheels.
www.amazon.com/dp/B088C32HSM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_AC5BNKQ0T7N7KWNB0WBT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Tech specs worth noting The wheelbase is 324mm Stock with adjustments for 312-336mm
Wikcentral At the 2:30 mark I did include that information however it's not on screen very long. It's hard to know how long to leave stuff like that on screen. Too long and it's a distraction and to quick and people might miss it. Thanks for highlighting it for those that missed it. 👍👍
Thanks for the quick tutorial with no blathering on or going off topic. The way it should be done. Five stars.
Thank you very much. I'm glad you found it useful. 👍
Thanks
Your welcome. I hope it was helpful.
Hi, will definitely give this a try! Thanks
Good luck my friend. I think you'll like it. 👍
Wow looks good iin the wells ! Thanks for making the hobby fun!
don anthony Yes I think it's better this way. Excited to see if there's any objective benefit off road or if it's barely noticeable. 😁👍
Sweet! Thanks for the video. Had no idea that was even an option on that truck!!! Hope to see a running video.
Henry Urbina Running video in the new setup will be coming I just don't have it recorded yet. I'm trying to figure out how I can compare short vs long wheelbase to make it more objective. 👍
What is the new wheel base afterwards???
The stock wheelbase is 324mm and extended it should be 336mm.
Is this a better option then the keys?
I’m not sure what you mean by Keys
This is great info. I find that so many Utubers focus on upgrading parts before looking at settings within their vehicle. I just got my non-Axe Gen8 and am starting to tinker with suspension settings. If you have any thoughts on shock mount hole positioning, I'd love to hear them. I'm taking my truck one step at a time to figure out what works best.
on our Gen 8 I used the upper middle hole for the front. I found this spot to have the least amount of bump steer compared to the other holes. On a crawling truck the slight angle changes aren't that critical so play around with them and see what makes the truck most comfortable to drive for you. 👍
@@TJsRC Thanks - another way to tackle bump steer. I like it.
Appreciate the helpful tips!
Thanks for watching. 👍
Thanks for explaining this. I was searching for a way to shorten the wheelbase on my Axe Edition. I high centering on one of the courses I run, where my TRX4 Sport just motors on over those peaks. I've also got a Power Wagon body I've been meaning to use and this looks like the perfect opportunity to use it. What wheels and tires are you using on yours? I like them a lot.
Don Schenk Glad it was useful. The tires are stock and the wheels are generic method knock offs from eBay. Your power wagon project sounds fun good luck friend. 👍
great video, I wish you success in your creative work, I like each other!!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😉
Thanks😀
Nice Video 😊
Thanks 👍
Excellent video.
did not know that was even an option .
you're right it looks way better and it's got to help the approach and departure angle.
I just ordered mine today.
can't wait to do that mod .
also subscribed .
appreciate the time you put into your videos.
Crawl on...🏁
Thanks friend 👍
New sub !! Just got my first crawler, and this is it. I'm not new to RC, but totally new to crawling. Looking forward to tips, tricks, and trail videos !!
Well welcome to the club. Most all my content is for the crawling side of the RC hobby as it is my favorite right now. I hope you find it just as fun. If there's anything I can help you with let me know here in the comments of one of my videos or find me on Instagram, @TJsRC. If you're into the trailing videos right now I have a few different playlists full of them on my channel. Good luck and have fun.
If I shortened to 312mm wheelbase, can I use 312mm body without problems?
If you are going to use a body designed for 312mm wheelbase I don't see why not. I've haven't tried something like that so I can't say for certain. Experimenting with new things in this hobby is fun so give it a try and let me know how it works out for you. 👍👍
Before the body looked a tab to big, but now spot on brother... with the wheels extended a bit. Now my Gen8 is next 👍
Awesome. Glad to hear my friend. 👍
Looks great man
Thanks my friend 👍
hi
Hello friend.
Thank you for the tip, I have the old Gen8, will check and see if I can do that on mine👍👍
James Swift Yeah check into it. I don't have an original Gen 8 so I'm not sure if it does or if this is a new feature on the Axe edition. 👍
Just got mine in the mail today. Think I'll do this mod today! Looks better in my opinion. Thx!
Jarbo awesome. I hope you enjoy it. 👍
Did anyone else get really bad bump steering after doing this? did i do something wrong? my suspension also seem to not work properly
Eleazar Renteria The Gen 8 has bad bump steer to begin with but this change shouldn't have had much affect on it. I purposely run my Gen 8 shocks in the lowest ride hight setting to minimize the bump steer. The taller than stock you try to get the Gen 8 to sit the more pronounced the bump steer gets, unless you make some changes. There are some things that you can try to do if the bump steer drives you bonkers. There is a servo relocation mount by Club 5 that is supposed to help with it but I haven't tried it yet. There are a number of videos on UA-cam about the Gen 8 bump steer, try searching those. As for your suspension not working, what exactly is happening? This modification is something redcat designed into the chassis for the user to be able to change so it shouldn't have messed anything up. You made sure to relocate all 7 link ends where they attach to the chassis? Is your Gen 8 an original or is it the AXE edition?
Okay TJ,
I followed your video to a t... on my Redcat gen 8 axe Edition.
the truck looks way better.
absolutely crawls like a beast.
the bumpers are in the stock location and I never have a problem with approach angle.
I have a little problem with departure but I deal with it.
the truck is able to do some incredible lines.
I just shared the video with two good friends of mine.
They both have red cats gen 8's, that are struggling a little bit with those Rigs.
I said bro, you have to watch TJ's video.
this guy doesn't mess around it turns your Redcat into a super truck.
thank you again TJ .
Crawl on...🏁
I'm glad to hear that it worked good for you. Sounds like you are having a blast with your Gen8.
@@TJsRC I am amazed that more people aren't talking about stretching the wheelbase on the Gen 8.
You are the first.
Great mod.
Thanks again TJ
@@repairmanjack9082 I agree, I think it both looks better and performs better this way. Keep having fun with it my friend.
Is there an adjustment for the shocks? If so, would you move the shocks when extending the wheelbase?
The upper shock mount has a number of different spots for mounting. So you can move it forward or back to match the wheelbase if you want. However it's not strictly required. If you extended the wheelbase and make no adjustment to the position of the upper shock mount the truck would simply ride a little lower.
@@TJsRC hi, I bought the machine, and am on lock down! I ended up putting some upgrades. Thanks awesome video!
rich 4614 You could always build a temporary obstacles course in your house and play that way. We are under stay at home orders to but we can still go outside for walks. I live in a very small town so there's lots of room to safely be outdoors. I know that not everyone has that luxury right now.
@@TJsRC yeah, tons of new cases in San Diego CA. I have been working at a hospital, very interesting times are upon us.
Good upgrade my friend. 👍🤙👍
AL RC Crawler Thanks. 😁 I think so too 👍
Good idea I will do just that on my gen 8.stay safe my friend.
Thanks, you too!
Good idea. You might have to get a second truck!! Lol
Henry Urbina You know I tried running that idea past the wife and I just got this funny look. I think it means she's thinking about it. 😂🤣👍
Either that or you need a buddy to help you out.
Hey buddy keep up the good work I enjoy the videos
Charles A. Stephenson Thanks buddy. How's trucking life treating you?
Definitely going to extend mine as well soon as it arrives tomorrow
Very nice my friend. Have fun. 👍👍
Good vid, Thanks for real tips
SadGamerDad You're welcome, thanks for watching. 👍
looks much better, just need a gen8 to try it on now
Glad you agree, thanks for watching 👍👍
Great informative video! Did you do a follow up video to see if it crawled better? Thanks
Brad Cruse Unfortunately I really didn't prepare properly to prove it. I should have filmed the truck going over various obstacles and terrain before the change then refilmed the same with the new wheelbase. My gut feeling driving it now is I like it better but I'm not sure how to quantify that. The TRX4 Bronco is a little shorter so as we make future trailing videos I'll try to look for obstacles that demonstrate the difference between the wheelbases of the two trucks. Even if it performed worse though I would leave it extended because it looks so much nicer on the scout body set up this way.
@@TJsRC hey I noticed that when you took out the top bolts you didn't have to use pliers. I'm looking at mine now and my top bolts have nuts on the ends! did yours?
Brad Cruse Yes there are nuts but mine were already removed because I actually did the extension and checked to make sure it would work with the stock body before hand then put it back to stock before filming this and then proceeded to forget to mention the nuts during filming.
I don't have one yet but like the look. I would like to see a trail review.
I don't have a "trail review" video but I do have a few with the Gen 8 Axe on the trail, snow and rocks. If you want to see how it handles the various terrains. I've been busy with some home remodeling projects and haven't been able to get any RC videos made for a while. I will say I quite enjoy the truck. It looks great trailing and crawling. It preforms on par with the TRX4. The only real difference between them is you can bash the heck out of the TRX4, if you really want but I would not intentionally miss treat the Gen 8 like that. It's a perfectly fine right when you respect that. We have yet to have a single failure on ours and it has seen a good amount of trail time. Good luck my friend.
TJ I have taken 30 years off from RC trucks. Last one I bought was. Kyosho 4x4 buggy that had a chain the would come off with any hit. Santa is bringing me a Blazer TRX4 and I am planning on the Gen8 Scout as a companion. I am into the scale bodies as I am old enough to remember then on the road new. In your estimation what makes the TRX4 more durable than the Axe Scout. Keep up the great info and content.
@@thomasconnolly7452 Its simply a matter of the plastic being tougher and the portal axles stronger on the TRX4. This is a relative comparison though and doesn't mean the Gen 8 is weak, it's just not as indestructible as the TRX4. This alone isn't enough reason to choose the TRX4 over the Gen8 IMO. We trail hard sometimes and still haven't broken anything on our gen 8. They are both great rigs. I think you'll enjoy them.
Like your approach to mods.
Thanks 👍
Looks awesome!
Delaware RC Man Thanks. I definitely like the look of it after extending the wheelbase. 👍
@@TJsRC it definitely makes it look more symmetrical to the body, I have the regular gen 8 and was thinking of doing the same thing so now I just might!
Delaware RC Man Awesome 👍 Good luck. Let me know how you like it if you do.
@@TJsRC I definitely will let you know brother! I'm saving to get some wheels and new foams for it too
New subscriber here. I just acquired one of these. Great tip, and great video. I look forward to watching more of your videos. Check out our channel if ya get a chance. ✌️
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Good upgrade..!!
Definitely a good one. It looks much better IMO. Thanks for watching. 👍
I have the redcat gen 8 and I’m doing all aluminum parts I can put on it is going to be a tough truck it’s looking real good
Sounds fun. Would love to see it when you're finished, do you have an Instagram account for showing off your RC?
appreciate you dawg
Thanks friend 👍
Trim the body front and rear for the bumper then move them in on he as well for better angles.
Eric Bostick Good suggestion, that also helps for sure. I did move them a little but didn't want to push them in so far that it stopped looking realistic.
What are the better characteristics of this modification?
The first thing that this accomplished was getting the wheels centered better in the wheel wells. It just my opinion but I feel it looks much better this way vs stock. The performance benefit is a better approach and departure angle because the tires are now closer each end. Also it's a general principal that on up hill climbs usually a longer wheelbase will be more stable and less prone to roll backwards. However the distance between the stock wheelbase and this isn't that significant so the real world benefit isn't huge. Honestly I think the looks is worth enough, for me anyway, that I would have done it even if it meant the off road performance would suffer.