Kyosho Rock Force Crawler KYO30984B

Comment: The Kyosho Rock Force is one of those crawlers that bring the hobby to a higher standard of performance by way of superior engineering.

While the platform looks the same as any other crawler out there, there are significant differences in it's design that can't be seen. First and foremost is their axles. They use a worm-gear drive instead of the standard ring and pinion. What this means is, when the truck is "off-power", the axles lock solid, equating to no wheelspin. Add to this a disconnect system that does as the name implies, and disconnects the respective axle (either front OR rear) while the remaining axle is still under power. While the concept on it's face doesn't seem to make sense, it allows for extremely tight turns in tight places, called "burn turns". When the turn is completed, flick the axles back into 4WD via the transmitter, and continue on. Many top crawler competitors who don't have a Kyosho Rock Force have modified their crawlers with just such a system, to do just as I described, but with an internal locking mechanism in the transmission to do what the KRF does at the axles.

Another aspect that will escape attention is the linkage system used to connect the axles to the frame. Normally, there are two upper and two lower links that are arranged in a double triangle, to keep everything aligned properly. The KRF uses only one upper link, mounted crosswise in the front, that acts as the alignment for the whole front axle system. Very nice. This also allows the KRF to sit much lower than other crawlers, reducing it's center of gravity, to help keep it on all fours. There also isn't much articulation, but that doesn't seem to hurt it any, as the KRF just scoots up and around anything you point it at, without complaint!

While Losi has released their own crawler using some design elements of the KRF, the KRF was first. The cost may seem to be prohibitive to some, but consider this, it would take the same amount, if not more, to get a crawler like say, the Axial AX-10 to meet the design specs the KRF already has, to compete.

All-in-all, the Kyosho Rock Force is a refined crawler for those who want to compete, or the casual crawler enthusiast to go back to those rocks that previously confounded them, and finally conquer!