The RC Crawler, Carisma SCA is a 1/10th scale 4WD. This is a RTR RC crawler that is assembled with powerful brushed electronics.
The durability of the Carisma reeks of a proven capable chassis. But can you upgrade the RTR to push the boundaries of crawling goodness? How can you do that? Which parts will give the best results? Is it too expensive?
Good thing you found this this article! I will be discusing the important upgrades for you Carisma SCA that will deliver superior, faster and more durable performance from the RC rover.
Upgrades and Costs At A Glance
| Part | Reason of Upgrade | Cost |
| Servo | More power supply | $16-70 |
| Motor & ESC | Faster speed | $20-100 |
| Tires | Smooth performance on track. | $20-80/ $1,300. |
| Axles | Stong structural support. | About $180 |
| Body | Protection, durability and aesthetics. | $100-150/$400-500 |
How Much Does Its Cost to Upgrade?
The entire upgrade will cost you about $250/450-2,300 (approx.).
You can upgrade the Servo at $16-70, $20-100 on Motor & ESC, up to $20-80/ $1,300 on Tires, $180 approx. on Axle and $100-150/$400-500 on the Body.
you can upgrade other accessories within $80-150 dollars.
7 Carisma SCA Upgrades:
There are a couple of things you can do to the 1970’s classic ‘Range Rover’ body. This includes fixing any wheel issues, roof back issues and installing servos. You can also get some aluminum axle upgrades. In addition, you can go for some bodywork too.
1. Servo
Trust me when I say that 20kg servos will do you good! It adds power to your SCA which it much needs! Moreover, the stock servos give up on life pretty easily. It’s better to upgrade the servo to avoid any bad experiences on the track.
A good servo, that most people prefer on their Carisma is the DS3218 ($16-20). You can literally notice an improved torque over the stock servos. Another benefit of buying these is that they come with an alloy servo horn.
As different servos have different splines, the Axial servo horn may not fit the new servo you are buying. A little research can help you. You can also see the ‘suggested buy’ section on eBay or Amazon while shopping for servos and servo horns.
You can also check out the 20kg servos from Power HD (Savox) or the 25kg servos from Hexfly.
2. Motor & ESC
The stock motor and ESC that come with the Carisma SCA have a few problems. The most common complaint is overheating of the combo mid-crawl and stopping the truck for around 1.5 minutes.
The rig is also not brushless. So you can go for a brushless 2230KV setup. But if you want to stay brushed, here is a motor and ESC option for you.
Motor: RC4WD Z-E0003 540 Crawler Brushed Motor 55T
ESC: Hobbywing QUICRUN WP 1080
With the above ESC, another motor for you is the 550 Holmes Hobbies motor (45T) along with a 17T pinion ($20-30).
3. Tires
The stock tires are prone to rubbing. You can see this on the skin of the rubber. The rubbing makes it fade away. This happens because of a flexibility issue.
One solution to this is cutting the body. But we’re really not into chopping bodies of our RCs, are we?
So the better option is to just upgrade the tires. A very nice but albeit expensive option is the Toyota Hilux Alloys & Tyres.
But this is mad expensive, going just over $1,300. A budget-friendly option will be this one. Now it all depends on the type of use you will be getting out of your Carisma SCA.
4. Axles
The stock axle shafts are bullshit. They are cheap and vulnerable. Upgrading to aluminum axles would be the way to go in this case.
The Carisma CNC Aluminum Front Axle w/Ball Bearings is your best option for the front axle.
In the case of the rear axles, you might see the plastic rear lockout wobbling often. Especially on one side more than the other. The rear axle is also from Carisma CNC.
It is a bit ridiculous the stock plastic axles wobble. Mostly because it is paper-thin and garbage. So you kind of have no option but to buy from the same company who offer you bad stock axles.
5. Body
The thing about Carisma is, the body parts are difficult to find. And most people are satisfied with the Carisma SCA’s body. Although the scrin printed body may not allow accessorizing the car.
But still, I would like to tell you an interesting upgrade. But for that you will need to modify the chassis a bit.
You can convert your Carisma’s body with a CRX body. For that you will need Hobbytech CRX Survival Kit.
Here’s the downside to this not-so-important upgrade. It’s crazy expensive! 400-500 bucks for just the soothing of yes? I mean, maybe, up to you!
Carisma SCA Accessories Upgrades:
One of the upgrade is that of the roof rack. But people usually love the rig of the stock Carisma.
Go ahead and get some 2.2 metal beadlocks. This will add a little LCG. Get some Hobbypark directionals along with lead weight for the same LCG purpose.
The most interchangeable parts with the Carisma SCA is that of the SCX10. And you can get some two tone paint job done too with the new body parts.
When changing the electronics, get a full light system too. You may as well include a detailed driver figure as a part of the interior change.
You might as build your bed with added weight which is dropped. There is also the option of 1.9 aluminum beadlock with 121mm super swampers.
Another upgrade is the Boomracing 90mm internal shocks. Along with rear bumper, bumper mount from Boomracing too. Get Avid revolution bearings too!
More options are: 1) slipper clutch, 2) alloy transmission, 3) metal gears. 4) Hobbyporter Hp-007 7ch.2.4ghz Radio, 5) steering knuckles and steering links made of aluminium.
Conclusion
Carisma SCA off the box is agood crawler. There have been very little disappointments and complaints about the crawler. Parts are difficult to find though. But the biggest concern is the expenses of upgrading. Yes, it is a bit expensive, sometimes almost redundantly.
However, once upgraded, you will not want to miss something like it!
Related Posts: