Various rock racers have been hitting the market lately but the amount of hype that the Axial Yeti has received is unmatched. It has been regarded by many off-road RC fanatics as one of the best rock racers available.
This skillfully engineered machine gives you the best features with amazing technical innovation and unique design characteristics. It’s design is completely inspired by full scale desert trucks.
Apart from the design, the stamina and the build is similar to the desert trucks. The engineering is done such that it provides a high level of racing capabilities without compromising any of the other features. Aluminum shocks are used for a smooth suspension and better precision.
This spectacular rock racer appears to be a combination of features from the Exo Terra and the Wraith. The size of the truck is ideal for off-road racing and the best part is the removable roll cage.
The detailed body gives it’s aesthetics an edge over others. It is powered by a 4-pole brushless motor that gives the truck more than enough torque and speed.
PROS
- Blend of torque and speed is ideal for giving you the best performance.
- The receiver box is completely waterproof so you don’t have to care about the rain.
- Perfect 1/10 scale size, build quality is exception for price range.
CONS
- Assembly takes time due to the amount of smaller electronics.
- Instructions are not perfectly clear, adding to assembly time.
- Expensive car, afraid to run it to hard due to it’s price and scared to break parts.
Key Features of the Axial Yeti
The key features that make the Axial Yeti Rock Racer worth the buy are:
Front Suspension
The front suspension of the Yeti is independent of the rest of the suspension unit of the rc car. This helps in improving the stability and balance of the car at very high speed. This is true for all the possible terrains no matter how rocky or muddy.
For irregular terrain, this suspension helps a lot in the balance and stable drive without damaging any of the interior components.
This independent front suspension system gives better control to the user and provides better accuracy and sense of direction. As you could imagine, stability and balance are very important on rocky & uneven terrains.
Falken WildPeak M/T Tires
These tires have a conservative and old-fashioned designed, which makes folks think that the traction will not be up to the mark. This is untrue, these WILDPEAK tires have great traction on all kinds of surfaces no matter how slippery.
These tires have proved to be extremely competitive and are in very high demand due to the traction it provides. The fibers and pattern combined give the required grip which improves the traction. A lot of research and study has gone into constructing tires this effective.
Method IFD Bedlock Wheels
These are the wheels that are used inside the tires to hold them in place. These officially licensed wheels are based on the method MR101s.
Their black color and construction style gives the truck and an edgy look. They are very easy to assemble and are compatible with almost all the 2.2 tires.
The design is made such that it can go with any Wraith, AX10 or SCX10 rock racers. The IFD stands for interchangeable face design. This means that you can easily give these wheels a new look anytime you want.
Shocks
The shocks used in yeti are icon aluminum shocks that are made precisely based on the vehicle dynamics. These shocks are equipped with precision machined pistons which improve the precision and control of the user and also gives a smooth performance.
The shocks are clear coated as well for prevention against rust and similar problems. In addition to that, they are threaded which assists in adjusting in the height, tolerance as well as pre-load turning ability.
Gears
The gears used are heavy-duty bevel gears which offer a better mesh. This reduces the slop while driving in a rough terrain.
Moreover, these gears are heavy and that helps in adding more weight to the vehicle. This way the center of gravity lowers on the rocky terrain, keeping the vehicle balanced and in place.
The materials used in the production of these gears are high-grade steel. It is then further processed for hardening.
Lower Link Plates
These plates are made with aluminum that is hard anodized 2mm aluminum. This makes the plates durable, sturdy and hard. The stiffness required is reached by the anodization extent.
Turnbuckles
These turnbuckles are made of hard anodized aluminum as well. They are used with the independent front suspension system. They help with the balance and the tuning of the suspension.
Universal Axle Set
This set is extremely important for the high performance of the vehicle. It makes the drivetrain smooth and easy to control. The axles made of hardened steel, this not only makes them durable but also helps results in better resistance to shocks and jerks.
Long Travel Rear Sway Bar
Horsepower and the ability to use it to move forward is extremely important in rock racing. This sway bar helps in putting the torque on the ground for moving forward.
It is used in combination with the long travel suspension. This assists in putting the massive torque on the ground.
In addition to that, the long travel rear sway bar prevents traction roll overs and improves overall stability of the vehicle.
Receiver Box
The receiver box is present at the bottom of the vehicle in the chassis. It is completely waterproof so you don’t have to worry while driving the Yeti in mud or water or in a rainy weather.
There are three different kinds of silicon seals used to prevent the moisture from going inside the machine.
Battery Tray
The battery tray added to the Yeti is completely adjustable. It is easily accessible by removing the pins and pivoting the body.
It is totally adjustable with four buttons. The height can be adjusted according to your preference for removing and changing the battery as well.
Axial Yeti Review – Our Impressions
The features of the Yeti are certainly impressive, but the real deal is how they work on the ground and how well they perform in the field.
The review of these features regarding how they work is as follows:
Suspension
The suspension is an extremely important part of any vehicle. It helps in absorbing the shocks and jerks and preventing it from damaging the rest of the components and technical parts of the vehicle.
On rough sections where the full capacity of a suspension is witnessed, the suspension of the Yeti worked perfectly. It absorbed all shocks and jerks or the imperfect terrain.
The independent front suspension worked wonders and the rear suspension helped in keeping the rear tires planted on the surface.
It performed well on the combination terrain as well. So, the suspension of the Yeti is rated as excellent. It excelled on jumps and rocky terrains.
Yeti Power
When coming to a dead spot, the yeti had a very good yank. It has a strong pull and wound out amazingly.
The brushless power it gives is pretty awesome, it can make huge jumps and throws long rooster tails. All you have to do is slightly punch the throttle on the transmitter and the machine blasts off in no time.
Getting out of muddy spots and zooming out of rocky areas is no big deal for the Yeti.
Once you start the machine you can witness how powerful it is.
No matter the terrain, whether rock, snow or mud, the Yeti has enough power to conquer it.
User Control
High powered cars are useless if you can’t control them, and the Yeti provides plenty of control. The many features listed above help in giving you the ultimate control over this machine.
If you run in hard packed dirt, its very smooth and can even be handled by the novice of drivers. And if you slow it down a bit, you can essentially make this vehicle do whatever you need.
High jumps and uneven terrain proved to be a non-issue in testing, it took them like a champ, landed smooth and never gave me cause for concern.
Small rocks and other debrid can throw many trucks off course and make you lose control, I never had that issue. It rolled over rocks without issue and I remained in full control over the Yeti at all time.
Battery Options
Yes, the Yeti comes ready to run, but you will need to provide your own battery and charger. For out testing we used a 2S lipo battery.
The 2S combined with the brushless motor was very impressive. Plenty of get up and go, for even better performance a 3S lipo would be a better choice of battery.
Acceleration
The acceleration of a rock racer plays an important role in the overall performance of the truck. This machine has ideal performance in regard to the acceleration.
It gains speed in no time and gives the thrill that is required by the rock racing fanatics. If you want even more speed, swapping the battery to a more powerful one will work wonders.
Comparisons
Before buying something this expensive, comparing it with other similar products on the market is imperative to know how it will work for you.
For your ease, we have done a couple quick comparison of the Yeti with the Wraith and Cutback short course truck.
The Yeti vs. The Wraith
Both the machines have a centrally mounted engine and a four-wheel drive system but the Wraith has a slower brushed motor as compared to the Yeti.
The Yeti has a better top end speed and a higher RPM. This helps the Yeti in crossing difficult obstacles with more power in comparison to the Wraith.
Simply put, the Yeti is a better version of the Wraith. Although both perform fairly well on hard terrains, the Yeti is more powerful.
The Yeti vs. Cutback SCT
The front and rear suspension of both the machines are similar. Both have aluminum units rather than plastic units which make adjustments easy and simple.
Both have a full fendered body. There are a lot of similarities between both the rock racers but in comparison to each other, the Yeti is far more sophisticated and loved as compared to the Cutback SCT.
Wrapping It Up!
Axial Racing have out done themselves with the the Yeti, it is certainly an impressive beast, and an almost perfect rock racing machine. The power, sophistication, and durability that comes with it make it a great choice for both the beginners and experts.
It is a little heavy on the pocket book, but with it’s amazing features, high-grade equipment and unbelievable durability, it’ll be bashing rocks for a long time and be more than worth the investment long term.
