INNOVATIVE FEA-TURES PUT A NEWSPIN ON THE COMPROCK CRAWLER

VENOMCREEPER

60 RCCARACTION.COM

It is always easier to follow a paththat has already been traveledwhen manufacturing a vehicle, butthis tactic typically stifles innova-tion and keeps performance rela-tively unchanged. Venom clearlydecided to blaze its own trail withits Creeper rock crawler based onthe distinctive features incorporat-ed onto the chassis such as theTru-Lok locking differentials,Beadlox wheel and tire system andinternal anti-roll shock springs.Venom didn’t stop there and setout to make the Creeper competi-tive on the rocks, easy to driveand have full-size scale looks. TheCreeper comes in kit form, whichallows you to customize it with theelectronics to suit your require-ments. Venom also offers severalhop-up parts including a remotediff-lock kit and dig unit to furtherdial it in. Sounds as if the Creeperis ready to rule the rocks, andthere’s only one way to find out.

WORDS PAUL ONORATO ❯❯ paulo@airage.comPHOTOS HOPE McCALL

TEST DRIVE

Type 1⁄10-scale 4WD electric rockcrawler kitPrice $230 (varies with dealer) Wheelbase 12.5 in. (318mm)Width 10.8 in. (267mm)Weight, as tested 5.1 lb. (2,318g)Spur/pinion 45/15Final drive ratio 49.8:1Chassis Aluminum twin verticalplates, 2mm thickDifferential(s) Lockable bevel geardiffsSuspension 4-link solid axle w/bentlower linksShocks Fluid-filled, threaded-bodymolded-composite plastic w/internalanti-roll springs

SPECIFICATIONS

■ KIT ■ ELECTRIC ■ OFF-ROAD

SEE THE VENOM CREEPER IN ACTIONAT RCCARACTION.COM/CREEPER

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THE LOCKABLE DIFFS AND INTERNAL ANTI-ROLL SHOCK SPRINGS MAKE THIS COMP CRAWLER AN

IMMEDIATE STANDOUT FROM THE REST.“

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CHASSIS. As soon as theCreeper is in your hands, youinstantly notice the crawler’sfirst-rate parts fit and finish,not to mention it just looksplain cool. You have the optionof purchasing it with either red-or green-anodized links, RockRings, suspension links andshocks. Twin 2mm aluminumplates with a deep gunmetalanodizing act as the backbonefor the chassis. The rest of thechassis is composed of high-

strength glass-filled nylon partsthat feel incredibly rigid. Anupper platform provides asecure location for batteriesand a mounting point for theshocks. There is enough spaceto hold a standard 6-cell NiMHpack. Since Venom calls theCreeper a comp crawler, Iwould have liked to have seena lower mounting spot for thebattery to help the CG andeven better, mounted on thefront axle for improved trac-tion.

SUSPENSION & STEERING.Venom uses a solid axle setupwith triangulated 4-link sus-pension, and out of the box ithas 70 degrees of articulation.Actually, this is more articula-tion than you would want on acomp crawler and you caneasily tone it down with heav-ier weight shock fluid andsprings. The molded compos-ite-plastic body, fluid-filledshocks feature internal anti-rollsprings that reduce torquetwist from the motor and helpkeep all four wheels on the

ground for full-time all-wheeldrive—essential for rock crawl-ing. For additional groundclearance, each lower suspen-sion link is bent. Up front, theCreeper boasts 40 degrees oftire deflection to give it a tightturning radius. This is thanksin part to the universal styledriveshafts and extra clear-ance provided by the design ofthe steering knuckles.

DRIVETRAIN. A sealed gear-box protects all of the gearsand is designed with a cen-

FEATURES

The optional remote diff-lock kit comes witheverything you need to get it working. It evenincludes the miniservo that activates the shiftlever on the axle via flexible cable.

VENOM CREEPER

YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF PURCHASING IT WITHEITHER RED- OR GREEN-ANODIZED LINKS, ROCK

RINGS, SUSPENSION LINKS AND SHOCKS.

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The innovative features thatVenom developed into theCreeper such as the lockablediffs and internal anti-rollshock springs, make thiscomp crawler an immediatestandout from the rest.Adding to that are its high-quality components, scalegood looks and terrific box-stock performance. Like anyof the other rock crawlerkits, the Creeper needs acouple of tweaks to be fullycompetitive at comps, likemoving the battery lower onthe chassis and installing theoptional wheel weights.Then, if you take anotherstep and add the optionalremote diff lock kit and digunit, this truck will be a solidcontender.

I found the assembly of the Creeper relatively straightforward. The manual is light on text, so takeyour time and heed the helpful build notes scattered throughout. I discovered that adjusting the pin-ion/spur gear mesh is a bit of a pain once the Creeper is fully assembled. The upper deck and sus-pension links make it difficult to negotiate a wrench and it’s hard to see. Out on the rocks, I quicklybecame a fan of Venom’s lockable diff design. The difference in maneuverability between lockingand unlocking the front diff is huge. When the diff was unlocked, the Creeper could make turnsapproximately 10 inches tighter than when it is locked. In rock crawling comp terms, that is a bigbenefit when it comes to clearing gates. This innovative feature also comes into play whenever theCreeper got bound up during a climb. When trucks with locked diffs start to bind because one tirebecomes wedged between rocks, they will not be able to progress, or they end up breaking if forcedto move forward. The only option is to take a reverse to try another angle—a maneuver that will costyou penalty points. With the Venom remote diff lock, you can unlock the diff and let the power go tothe wheel that is not stuck to try to pivot yourself out of the problem. Once the truck is out, you canlock the diff again. This lockable diff feature is a lot to think about but adds another dimension to theCreeper’s performance.

Skidplates on each axle came in handy for helping the Creeper clear obstacles that have stoppedmy other crawlers, and the front skid does a good job of protecting the steering linkage.Unfortunately, the tranny does not come equipped with a skidplate and caused it to get hung up.Venom addresses this issue with an optional tranny skid (VEN-8370). The Creeper has gobs of artic-ulation, which can get you into trouble. The more there is, the easier it is to get the truck twisted upin the rocks. The internal anti-roll springs seemed to help keep the wheels on the ground and resistthe torque twist coming from the powerful Venom Fireball rock crawler motor. Heavier weight shockfluid and stiffer springs will help calm the excessive articulation. I was pleased to see Venom includememory foam for its soft Ridge Line tires, but they did not seem to react as fast as I like. I drilled anadditional hole into each wheel, and that did the trick to improve traction. I was quite happy with theCreeper’s overall performance and can’t wait to try out the optional dig unit as soon as it becomesavailable.

tered driveline for optimumefficiency. A rubber plug allowsaccess into the gearbox formaking pinion/spur gear meshadjustments. The center drive-shafts are beefy units withsteel couplers mated to tele-scoping glass-filled nylonshafts. Each axle is equippedwith skidplates, while theinside features hardened-steelbevel gear diffs with steel uni-versal-style shafts connectedto 12mm hex drives.

TRU-LOK LOCKING DIFFER-ENTIAL. Venom stepped out-side the norm for a compcrawler with its Tru-Lok lockingdifferentials, which is by far itsmost notable part. This featureallows you to manually lock orunlock the diffs through anexternal slider that actuates adiff-locking ring. Typically,comp crawlers only use full-time locked diffs, and thatmakes sense if you had tochoose between a locked orunlocked diff. But what if youcould easily switch between

the two so you could haveclimbing ability and maneuver-ability? Venom also offers anoptional remote diff-lock kitthat allows you to take fulladvantage of the lockable diffswith your transmitter. I installedone on the front diff of myCreeper.

BODY, WHEELS & TIRES. Arealistic-looking, tuber-stylepolycarbonate body with metal-lic diecut stickers helps theCreeper stand out from the rest.At each corner, you’ll find 6-

spoke bead-lock wheels withVenom Ridge Line tires sup-ported by memory foam. Thetires have a soft compound,and sidewall lugs offer addedtraction. To keep the tire frompeeling off the wheel, Venomdeveloped the Beadlox systemwhere an elliptical tire bead iscaptured and locked in a chan-nel between the aluminum RockRing and wheel. Venom alsooffers optional wheel weightsthat screw directly onto thewheel, which makes adjustingthe total weight a breeze.

■ A123 NANOPHOSPHATE 2200MAH LI-ION HARD-CASE BATTERY PACK ■ HYPERION EOS0606IBALANCE CHARGER ■ LRP CRAWLER SPEED CONTROL ■ VENOM FIREBALL ROCK CRAWLER55T MOTOR ■ VENOM VR3T 3-CH FM RADIO SYSTEM ■ VENOM VEN-1825 HIGH-TORQUEMETAL GEAR SERVO ■ VENOM REMOTE DIFF LOCK KIT

SOURCESA123 enerland.comHyperion distributed byMaxAmps.com, maxamps.comLRP distributed by Team Associatedteamassociated.com Venom Racing venom-racing.comZegers R/C Graffixxzegersrcgraffixx.com

PERFORMANCE

TESTGEAR

VERDICT

❯❯ Innovative features like lockable diffs

❯❯ Great performance and scale looks

❯❯ Excellent parts fit and finish

❯❯ High CG battery tray❯❯ Pinion/spur gear

mesh is difficult to adjust

+

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PLUS/MINUS

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