Are you looking to dominate your local terrain with the Spydr? Are you looking for the best components to complete your UTB18?  Follow this guide for a complete breakdown on setting up your Spydr! 

Chassis Kit:

The first component needed to build any rig is the chassis. Here at Killr Chassis, we've designed the Spydr Chassis Kit to provide drivers with a stable and highly adjustable flat rail chassis for the UTB18 platform. This chassis allows you to arrange your electronics in a variety of ways so that you can tune the weight bias of your truck depending on your desired setup. We will cover electronics and electronics placement later in this guide. 

Axles:

The axles you choose to put under your rig can have a huge impact on  performance. For the Spydr, there are a number of axle setups that will provide you with a competitive edge. Thanks to the portals and diamond style housings, the stock axle design provides exceptional diff clearance. The stock housings are a great option for the Spydr since the plastic allows the rig to glide through aggresive terrain. If you intend to use the stock housings, we recommend upgrading to metal portal boxes and knuckles. This will lower the center of gravity while adding a bit of rigidity to the housings.

One downside to the stock housings is that they are a two piece design. This means that there are four screws required to hold the two halves of the axle together. Two of these screws hang below the axle tube and can become a hang up spot. To counter this, we recommend the use of Treal 7075 axle housings due to their one piece design. These housings eliminate the need for the low hanging screws. These aluminum housings will lower the center of gravity even further. There are other aluminum housings available, however we chose Treal due to their oversized pinion bearing design for increased support. We recommend adding brass to the front axle via the portal outers or the knuckles depending on your preferences. Lastly, the addition of universal axle shafts and over/underdrive gears will push your performance even further.

Links & Wheelbase:

The Spydr Chassis Kit is designed for use with the stock 9" wheelbase. We understand that some drivers may want to shorten or stretch the wheelbase depending on their needs. The Spydr Chassis Kit will work with a wheelbase anywhere from 8.5"-10"+. While they are not required, we recommend using high clearance links with the Spydr for increased clearance behind the skid.

Shocks & Suspension:

When building your Spydr, it is important to consider your suspension setup. There are a number of options to choose from when it comes to shocks. We opted for the UTB18 shocks from Dlux Fab. These shocks have been incredibly smooth and predictable on our Spydr build. Other shock options include:

  • UTB18 Stock Shocks
  • Team Brood Velvet Shocks (80mm)
  • Proline Pro Spec Shocks (70-75mm)(90-95mm)
  • Frixion RC REKOIL Shocks (75-80mm)
  • InTheWorks Big Bore Shocks (80mm)

You should also consider your suspension geometry. The Spydr allows you to adjust your suspension geometry thanks to 10 upper link mounting options. This will allow you to tune your caster angle, pinion angle, and link separation. The center hole in the upper link mounting array is a position that emulates the stock UTB18 suspension geometry. We recommend using a link riser on the rear axle to increase link separation for increased vertical performance.

Wheels & Tires:

Wheels and tires can make or break any build. Before choosing tires and wheels for your Spydr, it is important to consider the type of terrain and climate you will be driving in. For areas that are predominantly rock, we recommend a tire tread design with high surface area. Two examples would be tires like the Proline Trencher (4.19") and the Pitbull PBX (3.5"). For a mix of rock and loose terrain, it's best to use a tire with larger tread blocks. Two examples would be the Proline TSL SX (3.85") and the Pitbull Rock Beast XOR (3.75"). For those looking for ultimate rock crawling performance, the HB Rover (3.85") are a great choice due to their hollow tread blocks.

On the UTB18 platform, wheel size can play an important role in how your rig drives. Many drivers have opted for 1.9" wheels due to the fact that you can run weight hangers on the front axle without interference. Although 1.9" wheels are less scale, they provide an advantage over 1.55" wheels for their ability to accomodate these weights. Another factor to consider is the wheel offset. This is important due to the use of portal axles. We recommend using wheels that have enough offset to fit over the portal boxes completely. This will eliminate hang ups and allow for a tighter and more accurate turning radius. We chose to use the Boom Racing Pro Build 1.55" wheels on our Spydr build for scale looks and high adjustability.

Lastly, you should consider what type of insert you plan to run in your wheel and tire setup. We recommend picking up a set of SlymeBallz inserts from Flub RC. These inserts are available for a wide variety of wheel and tire combinations. These inserts are superior to foams since they are waterproof and provide your truck with extreme lateral stability. These inserts will eliminate tire roll and make your steering more precise.

Electronics:

The electronics you choose for your rig will play a tremendous role in the overall performance and feel of your rig. For our build, we chose to use the electronics below:  

  • Battery: GNB 300mah 3s LiHV
  • Servo: Shift RRS Servo
  • ESC: Furitek Lizard Ten
  • Motor: Holmes Hobbies 380 V2 2000kv
  • Reciever: FS-BS6 for FlySky TX

These electronics have provided us with hours of smooth and reliable  operation in the toughest of conditions. However, there are a multitude of other options that we would recommend as well. Some other electronics recommendations can be found below:  

Servos: 

  • NSDRC RS400
  • AGFRC A50BHL
  • Shift RRS
  • Shift GT3
  • Holmes Hobbies SHV500 LP

ESCs: 

  • Furitek Lizard Ten
  • Furitek Stinger (UTB18)
  • Holmes Hobbies Crawlmaster Mini V2
  • Dlux Fab Suppressor 
  • HK Hobbies STFU

Motors: 

  • Holmes Hobbies 380 V2 2000kv
  • Furitek 2204 1400kv
  • Furitek 2204 2500kv
  • Surpass 2204 1400kv

Batteries: 

  • GNB 300mah 3s LiHV
  • GNB 380mah 3s LiHV
  • GNB 380mah 4s LiHV
  • Tattu 850mah 3s LiPO
  • Galaxy 850mah 3s LiPO

Transmission:

When building your Spydr, we recommend using an aluminum transmission housing. Although this will add a little bit of chassis mounted weight, an aluminum housing will provide more secure mounting and rigidity within the drivetrain. In our testing, we've found that the stock transmission mounting holes have a tendency to strip out over time. Steel gears are not required as the stock plastic gears will work fine in most situations. We recommed steel gears simply for peace of mind.

Electronics Placement:

The ability to position your electronics in a multitude of positions is what separates the Spydr from other chassis on the market. Depending on your electronics package, there are a number of ways to arrange the electronics to achieve your ideal weight bias. If you plan on running a large outrunner such as the Holmes Hobbies 380 V2, we recommend placing the motor in front of the transmission. Due to the Spydr's 5.55º angled skid, the motor is able to sit low and forward. This will provide a front weight bias for those steep climbing situations. We've designed the Spydr to accomodate the 380 outrunner while still allowing you to run the electronics tray up front. We recommend mounting either the reciever or a small battery to this tray. For setups that use a larger battery such as an 850mah 3s, we recommend running the motor behind the transmission and mounting the battery to the battery tray up front. Make sure to adjust the transmission side to side and check for clearance on the motor, links, and driveshafts.

Bodies:

Just like our Spectr Chassis Kit, the Spydr offers seamless integration with the Spydr Hilux body kit available from Flub RC. This is a durable, 3D printed body kit that features a pinched nose and dovetailed rear for ultimate driveability. The Spydr can also work with a variety of other bodies thanks to the adjustable body mounts provided in the kit.