While mother nature is trying to decide what season to give on an hourly basis we are left with a little more time to drool over new releases and new parts and we have a few new releases this week from JConcepts, Axial and Hobbywing. There is usually a lull in the action this time of year; between the hoard of new releases for the holiday season and the late spring releases that gear us up for the summer season. With any luck we’ll see more new products in the coming weeks so get your credit cards ready, I have a feeling you’re going to need them!
JCONCETPS
JConcepts has two new scale crawler tires for us this week in the form of 4.25″ tall Rock Bumps and Boss’; both fitting 1.9″ wheels. This is an unusual size as it is too large for class 1 (4.19″ being the upper limit for that class) and shorter than the 4.75″ height that marks the upper end of Class 2. These tires are aimed specifically at the Sporty Mini class and is sized as such with a narrow 1.5″ width.
First up are the Rock Bumps, a pin style tire that has both horizontal and vertical traction bars within the tread as well as multiple forms of sidewall tread to grab the terrain no matter how the tire is pointing. Sold in pairs, supported by soft open-cell foam inserts and molded in the sticky Green compound these tires are the hot ticket for most rock surfaces and could be the hot ticket to your next comp podium!
Item #4156-02 Rock Bumps 4.25″ Com; Pin Tires https://blog.jconcepts.net/2026/03/jconcepts-new-release-rock-bumps-comp-tire/
If the Rock Bumps are a little too “comp-pin-esque” for your liking and you’d like something a little more on the subdued side look no further than the Boss 4.25″. This tire, much like the Rock Bumps, is designed for the Sporty Mini class and is molded in the “works-darn-near-anywhere” Green compound. To me the pins look like the space ships from the vintage game Space Invaders; once I saw it I couldn’t unsee it… The pins are arranged in rows with no overlapping of the pins, giving the tire a paddle-like aesthetic. While the compound is quite soft these tires should last as their shape exposes a slightly larger version of itsel as the pin wears. The smallest of the pin shape will do well with rougher surfaces and debris and as the tire wears it will work better on smoother and smoother surfaces. Soft, open-cell foam inserts are included with each pair of tires as well.
Item #4157-02 Boss 4.25″ Tall Comp Pin Tires https://blog.jconcepts.net/2026/03/jconcepts-new-release-boss-comp-tire/
AXIAL
For those drowning in the sea of RTR crawlers available from Axial, your cries have been heard. Axial now offers the SCX10iii as a Raw Builders Kit, allowing you to enjoy the build process and get hands on with the truck before you ever drive it. Included in the box are the straight axle versions of the AR45 axles, the LCX-U transmission with dig, 6mm stainless steel suspension links with steel hollow balls, an adjustable metal panhard mount, three battery tray options as well as a new battery mount location in front of the transmission for a lower CG, metal transmission gears, threaded body aluminum oil-filled dampers with large diameter springs all of which attached to the standard stamped-steel SCX10iii chassis rails. The end user will have to provide their own electronics and radio gear, wheels, tires and a 313mm wheelbase body.
Item #AXI-2955 SCX10iii Raw Builders Kit https://www.axialadventure.com/product/1-10-scx10-iii-4wd-rock-crawler-builders-kit/AXI-2755.html
HOBBYWING
While the “Stock” class now runs 17.5t brushless motors many tracks run a slightly faster, but not mod class fast, 13.5t motor in classes such as 2wd and 4wd buggy, stadium truck and short course and this has proven to be a great step up the ladder for drivers transitioning out of stock class racing before they dive head first into the mod class. Hobbywing are at the forefront of motor development with the Gen5 (G5) 13.5t V10 XeRun. This motor is not only more powerful than the previous generation (3.9% increase) but is also more efficient (4% more efficient than the G4); in spec class racing these are measurable gains that will lower lap times. The endbell is designed to shed heat more effectively, allowing racers to run more aggressive gearing without risking damage to the motor or other electronics. Finally the motor is 14g lighter than the previous generation, reducing both sprung and rotational mass.
Link: https://www.hobbywing.com/en/products/xerun-v10-g5
1i-RC UPDATES
This past week I finally received the replacement switch for the Hobbywing 10BL120 that I butchered trying to install in our RC10DS Classic Kit and was able to solder it onto the bare wires left on the ESC. I am thankful that Hobbywing offers these switches as a replacement or repair option. Since the program button is built into the switch itself and the switch is a 3-wire arrangement a normal 2-wire switch would eliminate the setting feature of the ESC and this was something I was not willing to sacrifice.
Next week will bring a new RC to our fleet of test cars and I am excited to build another kit while also getting back to my roots in the hobby. It was 30 years ago this May that I got my first hobby grade RC, a Traxxas Rustler, and I’ve been completely hooked ever since. If I can get the photos together I will post the restoration process that was done back in 2016 when the truck turned 20. To this day the truck hangs in my office as a reminder of where it all started and to always remember the fun that I had with that truck no matter where I ran it. What was your first RC? Post a comment and let us know; we’d love to hear your RC genesis story!
Thank you one and all for tuning in again this week for TWIRC! We greatly appreciate your continued patronage and look forward to bringing you all the latest news again the same time next week! Until then, be good to yourself, be good to each other and be good to your RC.