Hobby Plus CR-18P 1/18 Rock Van - detailed look, comparison with CR-18 and FCX24, first upgrade 

Yes, ESC is top. Unfortunately those radios seem to make problems (see my latest videos) after some time :(

@@donaldsneffe do you think the esc can handle 3s? With the low top speed, maybe 3s can improve that greatly to at least walking speed 7km/h ish so it can be a trail truck as well?

@@Diamondbac I do not think so. I did not test and will not test. But I think some people said that the FCX24 board does not take 3s... then it should be the same in the Rock Van. Somebody should try - but not me ;-)

Yes, those are nice. I use those for many years now, for example in my CR-24 Defender "upgraded". However, I do not think this is super cheap. Those weights are not heavy at all and they cost quite a bit, even on Ali, and you'll need a lot to get a bit of weight. IMO cheaper to buy lead-stripes (for fishing), way cheaper - cut them and use double sided tape. Sorry for the late reply, kinda missed this comment...

@@donaldsneffe thanks for the reply and I think you're correct if you want more weight. In the US Walmart sells fishing weight lead wire for about $5. I put the super heavy injora brass beadlocks on my fcx24 and now I have to upgrade the motor 😂 Don't worry about the late reply, time doesn't exist on RU-vid! All the best mate.

I saw it - but I will make my own and use an additional light switch, so I can switch those lights independent from the main lights. I like to make my own stuff ;-) And I want "warm white" lights. Not the "cold white" the Rock Van does have.

How did it work out?

@@keldonator The lights weren't super hard to install. You do have to take off the bumper to get the light bar in. I really like the lights and its nice how you can drive with just the headlights on or have both the light bar and head lights on.

Thank you. Mine will get warm white lights, 4 ;-)

Thank you! Yes I know, I also bought 2 more CR-24 from Banggood (Uruav, but "Hobby Plus" on the box). Those are new versions with new electronics, now a 3-wire servo, the old ones did have 5-wire servos.

No - it has the old TurboRacing electronics. It is way worse. If you check my MCCT (not the Kratos test, Kratos is upgraded, also electronics) it is about the same as the (old) CR-24 and the CR-18 "LC80 style". However, with the cheap TurboRacing 4ch receiver you can still use stock radio and an external ESC. Wonder if Hobby Plus will upgrade the Kratos one day with new Flysky electronics (as Rock Van and Co. do come), as they did for example for the "new" CR-24s. Then this would be an awesome crawler. Rock Van and Co. are super cheap now - Kratos was way more expensive when I bought it some years ago (160 or even more).

Probably will buy a clear body, too (and accesories). Clear body with only front windows would be cool.

You mixed this up. SCX24 shocks won't work (I said), because of the 1.4 mm screws. FCX24 shocks will work, but they are a bit longer than stock shocks. But there is a lot of room to mount the shocks higher on the Rock Van (CR-18) shock mounts (integrated to frame); drilling new holes is easy.

Two is better? ;-) - Yes.

Hi, das geht nicht. Dazu reicht nicht einmal ein normaler RC-Schalter, da du ja Warnblinker willst und kein "konstant Leuchten". Dazu müsstest du einen "fähigen" Lightcontroller (LaneBoysRC) extra montieren, das ist wohl zu viel Aufwand nur wegen der Warnblinker. Theoretisch könntest du dir "blinkende LEDs" kaufen (ja, so etwas gibt es), diese anstatt der Blinker montieren, und dann über einen einfachen RC-Switch schalten. Aber das Problem bei den selbst blinkenden LEDs ist, dass diese dann womöglich nicht synchron blinken. Das mit den Servos ist... sch...

@@donaldsneffe Danke für die Info, Nebelleuchten über den Ch.3 Schalter würden demnach funktionieren?

@@markusludwig6023 Ja, aber nur mit einem zusätzlichen RC-Schalter (+ Widerständen für die LEDs).

No, not possible.

Thank you. 1.3 mm hex (same as SCX24 uses).

@@donaldsneffe would it be ok if you could show me a link to one because mine require a screwdriver not a hex

@@keiarovandersluis7880 Oh man, sorry, you are right - checked it again. They use a PH screwdriver, not a hex, PH 00 or better PH 000, both should work.

@@donaldsneffe ok thank you

Xiaomi Wowstick 1F - very nice for Micros, but for 1/10 and M3 screws it is too weak, I use a larger Bosch.

CR-18P and FCX24? No, very different.

@@donaldsneffe thank you very much for the info really appreciate it 👍

@@donaldsneffe do you know where we can get upgrades for them here in Europe?

@@rcfungames Not really. Spares and upgrades are ultra expensive here... you can try Manis RC Shop (Graz), but I never ordered there. I buy this stuff from FairRC. Cheap, cheap shipment (free shipping for parts 100 $ up), fast, awesome customer service, and actually (delivered by DPD) even no customs (however, for my first orders there I had to pay customs and handling fee, but very low; for my last 4 orders which have been delivered by DPD and not Austrian post I did not have to pay anything).

@@donaldsneffe thank you very much I really appreciate the information 🤜🤛 Keep up the amazing work you've got an awesome channel 👍

Crawler? Modellbau-Regler.de AS12/15 (Lipo or BEC, Lipo is the newer version with better BEC) or ASX24 Crawler. But if it is a larger truck: Also Hobbywing Quickrun 1080, ISDT ESC70.

@@donaldsneffe Thank you sir

In the very first CR-24s this was common, where they had plastic joints (the very first ones in red). After changing to metal joints, I did not have this problem anymore. Funny as it is, I never had this in a plastic driveshaft with metal joints in a CR-18 or 24 so far, but in full metal driveshafts for those Hobby Plus ;-)

@@donaldsneffe Many thanks for your reply. 👍 As well as being bent it has twisted about 180° That means the motor was turning, but the rear wheels weren't. That's a fair amount of torque from that little motor if it managed to that!! I've ordered a new set of the standard plastic ones because the up rated metal ones seem a bit expensive. I'd rather be spending my money on the oil shocks instead. 👍😁

@@the.just.able.biker67 I bent the drive shafts in the CR-18 Kratos when doing the "Amp-Draw-Test" for my "Best ESC for Micro Crawler" Video (so part 1) - I stopped it to check how much Amps the motor will draw while block. After that I found that driveshafts were twisted. So you probably have really pushed it hard. Yes, this 050 Torque motor of the CR-18s and Hobby Plus is really good - kind of winner of my brushed micro motor tests - and very cheap, too.

@@donaldsneffe I've been watching the best esc video, but I haven't got to the end of it yet. I'll watch the rest tonight. I can't wait to see what the secret one is. 👍

@@the.just.able.biker67 It is not this video, it is the "part 1 Amp draw". But you will not see it in the video, I only checked this some time later when I took my Kratos to modify it - damaged/twisted drive shafts - had to exchange those ;-) But unfortunately this video is already really old now, meanwhile there are more top brushed ESCs, for example all the new "Flysky" (CR-18P, new CR-24, FMS FCX24/18) are really good, the ASX24 Crawler from Modellbau-Regler.de is top, the Floh ESC from Klemm is top - all those are not in this video, also not the Furitek ones (with brushed motors). This video was _before_ (shortly before) companies came out with new, better ESCs for microcrawlers. This video was the reason why Modellbau-Regler.de reached out to me and developed the ASX24 especially for SCX24 (v1), and later Klemm with the awesome Floh ESC. Unfortunately SCX24 v2 came out at this time, and with those electroncis you could not simply plug an external ESC anymore (AX24 can) and use stock electronics. And the "good" ESCs... FCX24 etc., and people went crazy for brushless and Furitek. So there is not such a high demand on good ESCs for micros anymore.

Leider muss ich den OH32M02 aus England bestellen... dass wird teuer... Zoll ect. 😅👎

Der 6x6 ist leider noch OVP (ja, meiner ist von Banggood) und der 4x4 ist immer noch nicht lackiert (der wird ein Steyr, ich hab die oberen Leuchten verspachtelt), seit wohl fast einem Jahr... - die Blattfedern sind recht "pingelig", wenn ich mich recht erinnere (hab ihn wohl irgendwann 2021 gebaut), aber der Wohnwagen ist noch schwieriger. Ja, es ist ein Problem, so viele halbfertige Projekte ;-) Mit dem 6x6 brauchst in nächster Zeit eher nicht rechnen hier von mir auf RU-vid. Vorher vielleicht noch der Trophy Truck... Aber wer weiß, irgendwann... sicher.

It is. FMS Atlas 6x6 and Rochobby Katana do have "Hobby Plus CR-18" chassis and axles, those were the first 2 1/18 models released by FMS (and Rochobby). All later 1/18 models from FMS, RocHobby and EazyRC do have different Axles and transmission. The first one was the EazyRC Patrion (later renamed to Patriot).