Hobbies
Remote Control Rock Crawling
RC Crawlers are remotely controlled vehicles designed to scale steep inclines and climb over rocks. They offer a different driving challenge, one centered around control over extreme terrain rather than outright top speed. What they lack in pace they make up for in technical climbing capability. Typically, they feature a highly articulated chassis, powerful high-torque motors, huge ground clearance with minimal overhangs, and of course, giant grippy tires. Rock Crawlers are the ultimate go-anywhere vehicle. They are built to conquer any obstacle mother nature can put in front of them like logs, gravel, rocks, boulders, and bluffs.
Jeremy Danford, a Service Technician out of the Kent, OH facility, who has spent his entire life enjoying off-road sports, got hooked a few years ago after a friend brought over a small crawler to play with. He had always known about the hobby but hadn’t yet competed or built his own vehicle. Today, Jeremy competes on a national level and has built over 30 trucks. RC Crawlers are generally built to a 1/10 th scale and weigh about 6 lbs. Some competitors buy their trucks pre-made but to successfully compete, the truck needs to be specifically designed to match guidelines for the different competition classes. Jeremy enjoys designing and building his trucks. This includes designing and assembling all the chassis’ parts, fixing wheels to the chassis, positioning the electric motor, linking the battery, speed controller and receiver, and accessorizing. He custom designs and 3D prints all of the trucks’ interiors and accessories. Jeremy competes at local clubs and events where there are typically 30-50 competitors but also travels to some of the biggest national competitions where he has competed against 300-400 other trucks. Two organizations set standard rules for the competition’s scale model Jeremy competes at local clubs and events where there are typically 30-50 competitors but also travels to some of the biggest national competitions where he has competed against 300-400 other trucks. Two organizations set standard rules for the competition’s scale model vehicles: SORRCA and WRCCA.
SORRCA has three classes: Class 1 – street vehicles that replicate what one might drive every day; Class 2 – modified street trucks that are street legal but also have some trail capabilities; and Class 3 – fully modified vehicles that are primarily built for trail use. WRCCA has four different classes: Mini, Sporty, Pro, and Super. Currently, Jeremey competes in every class but enjoys the sporty class best for the truck’s simplicity and technical capability.
Last year Jeremy placed inside the top 20 at Nationals in all classes and placed 5th overall. This year he has the potential to be sponsored by one of the Big 5 automakers because of his continued success. How is he so successful? Jeremy says that this is a “thinking man’s game”. It isn’t about speed but takes a skilled driver, a competitive truck design and build, a deep understanding of the physics behind vehicle rock climbing, and patience. He tests out his new vehicles and practices for competitions on the backyard course that he built. The fun has even become a family affair: Eden, Jeremy’s 9-year-old daughter got 5th place in an RC Crawler competition held last year in Maryland. Congrats to both Jeremy and Eden!
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