Axial SCX24 – What is the difference in the models?

Right now there are four different model Axial SCX24s available. The B-17 Betty, the 1967 Chevrolet C10, the 2019 Jeep Wrangler JLU CRC, and the Deadbolt. A question that I see come up a lot is “will the same parts work on all the SCX24s?” So let’s talk a little about that…

For the most part, under the hood (or body I guess) all the SCX24 models are the same. The electronics – motor, servo, receiver/ESC – are the same from vehicle to vehicle. The chassis rails, shocks, and axles are the same as well. So if you are upgrading any of those parts whatever fits one of the vehicles will fit any of the vehicles. There are, however, three places that there are differences in the vehicles – the body, the wheels/tires, and the suspension links.

Body

The body is the most visible difference. But aside from looks, how the bodies mount is also different. All of the bodies are hinged in the rear so that they can be easily lifted for changing batteries or working on the vehicles. But the bumper they mount to is different from vehicle to vehicle. In the front, the Jeep and Betty use a single body post and body clip, while the C10 and Deadbolt use two body posts and body clips. They also have front bumpers that are unique to each body style. While most of these differences may seem minor cosmetic differences, there are other things to consider. Out of all the four variations, the C10 body sits the lowest and has the least amount of clearance for tires, which will limit your tire upgrade choices unless you do other modifications. The Deadbolt has the most clearance, and can use the widest variety of tires without modifications. The Jeep and Betty are in the middle as far as tire clearance.

Wheels and Tires

Speaking of tires, they are another difference between the vehicles. The Jeep and Deadbolt both use the Axial Nitto Trail Grappler tires mounted on Axial KMC Machete wheels. The C10 uses Axial BFGoodrich Krawler T/A tires mounted on Axial Method MR307 Hole wheels. The B-17 Betty uses Axial Rock Lizard tires mounted on Axial Rockster wheels. For more info on tires and the upgrade options available please see our 1.0 Tire Comparison.

Suspension Links and Driveshafts

The main difference between the models is the length of the suspension links and driveshafts. The Jeep and C10 share the same links and driveshafts, and the B-17 Betty and Deadbolt share the same links and driveshafts. Take a look at the photos below. The highlighted areas show the parts that are different between the models.

Jeep/C10 chassis parts
Deadbolt/Betty chassis parts

Why is this important? There are a couple reasons. A popular upgrade is aluminum suspension links. If you decide to upgrade your links, you need to make sure you get the correct ones for whichever vehicle you have. There are several companies that make aluminum links, but the most popular ones are made by Hot Racing. They make two different sets of links for the different vehicles. The SXTF133A01 links fit the Deadbolt/Betty, and the SXTF133J01 fit the Jeep/C10.