Axial Wraith Spawn: 12-month test

I remember the day clearly. It was the day before my 36th birthday and I was lying in bed with a serious itch to celebrate the day.

I’d been eyeing off a project to better occupy my time in lockdown (didn’t that suck), and couldn’t stand the thought of baking bread, taking up yoga or having virtual drinks with my mates. I needed a new source of entertainment ... a bit of action in my life.

Before I could say Axial Wraith Spawn, I decided to buy myself a rock crawler. I’d owned cheap units in the past, but as I’m pretty rough on gear – constantly busting steering servos or rear diffs – finding these parts can be tricky, but it’s an issue I don’t have with the Wraith; quite the opposite, to be honest.

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I paid $750 for the RTR (Ready To Run) Axial, as well as a fast charger and 500mAh 7.4-volt LiPo 2S battery. I despised the days of charging a battery for three hours and only getting five minutes of play time, so I spent a bit more up front and I’m glad I did.

Charging the battery takes less than an hour, and my record drive time so far is taking the Wraith Spawn on a 5km bushwalk, and it still had juice in the tank. So, what’s the verdict?

It’s an awesome bit of kit, quick enough for a laugh on dirt and capable enough on the rocks, but it’s not without flaws. Firstly, I have managed to destroy two plastic hubs in the rear end, losing drive to the wheel with the busted hub. On the plus side, the replacement part cost $11 and the shop had them on the shelf.

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Next up, the factory steering arms aren’t much chop if you want to drive on rocks, they are just too soft and bend instead of performing their task of steering. This is a more complicated fix, as there are so many choices when it comes to upgrades. I’ll be buying an alloy replacement part in the very near future, which should solve that problem.

I’m certainly glad I bought this lockdown distraction, though; it really is a hobby you need to immerse yourself in. You will break parts, and you will want to upgrade them. It’s kind of like owning an actual 4WD, except when you roll it, you have a laugh and kick it back on its wheels ready for another crack.

AVAILABLE FROM: Check hobby stores online
RRP: $750