Overview

The FTX Outback Hi-Rock 4x4 RTR is the latest evolution of the legendary Outback trail chassis, representing a significant step forward in scale RC crawler performance and aesthetics. This 1/10 scale ready to run RC crawler has been engineered specifically for serious trail enthusiasts who demand both authentic scale looks and genuine climbing performance. Whether you're exploring rocky terrain, tackling technical obstacles, or simply enjoying the hobby of RC trail crawling, the Hi-Rock delivers the combination of durability, capability and visual appeal that UK RC enthusiasts are searching for.

As trail and crawler fans continue to crave both scale performance and scale looks, FTX has addressed both with the Hi-Rock edition. This isn't just another RC car UK offer – it's a purpose-built trail machine that comes 99% ready to run straight out of the box. The Hi-Rock represents the pinnacle of what an entry-level to intermediate crawler should be: packed with features, finished to a high standard, and genuinely capable on challenging terrain. With its classic pickup truck-inspired bodyshell, extensive scale accessories, and factory-fitted LED lights, this ready to run RC crawler looks as good as it performs.

This brushed motor RC crawler comes fully assembled and pre-tuned, requiring only four AA alkaline batteries and a charged battery pack before you can hit the trails. The inclusion of a 7.2v 2000mAh NiMH battery and charger means you'll be ready to start crawling within minutes of opening the box, making this an ideal choice for both newcomers to the hobby and experienced RC enthusiasts looking for a proven, reliable platform.

Key Features

• Split Transmission System — The revolutionary split transmission layout positions the motor directly above the front axle, creating superior weight distribution and dramatically improving front-end traction when climbing steep ascents. This engineering breakthrough also lowers the centre of gravity significantly, which not only improves handling but creates space in the chassis for fitting aftermarket interior kits, allowing you to add genuine scale realism to your crawler.
• Front-Mounted Motor and Servo Positioning — By mounting both the 550 brushed 17 turn motor and the steering servo at the front of the chassis, FTX has achieved superior weight bias and traction characteristics. This front-heavy setup is specifically engineered to help the vehicle maintain grip and momentum when ascending challenging terrain, a critical advantage in technical trail crawling.
• 45-Degree Steering Angle — The increased steering angle provides dramatically improved trail maneuverability, allowing you to navigate tight gaps between obstacles, execute sharp turns on narrow trails, and handle technical rock gardens with significantly greater precision and control than conventional crawlers.
• Adjustable Transmission Slipper Clutch — This intelligent protection system safeguards your transmission and driveshafts in the event of a sudden lock-up or impact, automatically slipping before catastrophic damage occurs. The slipper can be adjusted to suit your specific driving style and terrain conditions, providing essential peace of mind during aggressive trail sessions.
• Full Metal Gear Construction — Internal axle and gearbox metal gears provide exceptional durability and long-term reliability, resisting wear from extended trail use. These metal components can withstand the punishment of technical crawling far better than standard nylon alternatives, ensuring your investment maintains performance over many seasons.
• Hobbywing HW1040 40A Waterproof ESC — The professionally-grade speed controller features full waterproof protection, allowing you to splash through streams and wet conditions without concern. The 40-amp rating provides ample headroom for the included 17-turn motor and future upgrades, whilst the Hobbywing brand reputation guarantees reliability.
• 15kg Metal Geared Waterproof Servo — This heavy-duty steering servo delivers impressive torque and weatherproof construction, ensuring precise, responsive steering even in muddy or wet trail conditions. The metal gearing provides durability for demanding technical manoeuvres.
• Dual High-Clearance Locked Axles — Front and rear locked axles with high ground clearance ensure both wheels always maintain grip and power delivery, whilst the substantial 80mm ground clearance allows the chassis to clear rocks, roots and obstacles that would stop conventional RC vehicles.
• 6mm Steel Multi-Link Suspension — The sophisticated suspension geometry uses 6mm steel components throughout, providing a perfect balance between articulation and durability. The multi-link design allows each wheel to work independently, maintaining contact with uneven terrain and maximizing traction.
• Twin Rail Metal Frame Chassis — The rigid yet flexible dual-rail construction provides exceptional torsional stiffness whilst allowing the suspension to work properly. This professional-grade frame construction is stronger and more refined than simpler single-rail designs.
• Oil-Filled Shock Absorbers — Premium oil-damped shocks provide consistent performance across varied terrain, controlling compression and rebound to keep the chassis stable and composed. The oil filling maintains consistent damping regardless of temperature or driving intensity.
• Telescopic Universal Driveshafts — These advanced driveshafts automatically accommodate suspension articulation, preventing binding and maintaining smooth power delivery through full suspension travel. The telescopic design is far more refined than fixed-length alternatives.
• Steel CVA Front Universal Driveshafts — The front driveshafts feature constant velocity axles with steel construction, allowing power delivery at extreme steering angles without vibration or binding, essential for the Hi-Rock's aggressive 45-degree steering geometry.
• Four-Channel 2.4GHz Radio System — The included radio provides four independent channels to control throttle, steering, and activate optional accessories like LED lighting and aftermarket winches. The 2.4GHz frequency ensures interference-free operation and reliable range, with the fourth channel enabling scale-authentic features.
• Moulded Aluminium and Steel Chassis Plates — The side chassis features moulded protection plates with exterior aluminium panels and inner plates that shield internal components from mud, water and debris whilst remaining lightweight. This innovative design protects the Hobbywing ESC and receiver whilst maintaining the sleek profile.
• Receiver Box with Expansion Ports — The purpose-designed receiver housing features additional plug-in ports for LED light modules, sound modules, and aftermarket winch systems. This forward-thinking design means you can add scale features without complex custom wiring.
• Classic Pickup Truck Bodyshell — The authentic pickup truck-inspired bodyshell comes complete with moulded accessories including a working grille with LED light buckets, functional snorkel, authentic mirrors, working wipers, and a detailed roll bar cage. The body is supplied in clear plastic, allowing you to paint it in your chosen colour scheme.
• Factory-Fitted LED Bumper Lights — Both front and rear bumpers come with pre-installed LED lights, creating authentic scale appearance whilst actually functioning as working lights. The bumpers also feature realistic tow hooks and shackles for complete authenticity.
• Scale Metal Side Footplates — The vehicle is fitted with scale-accurate metal footplates on both sides, adding weight distribution benefits whilst creating genuine scale truck appearance.
• Adjustable Central Mounting Footplate — The ESC and receiver can be mounted on an adjustable footplate, allowing you to fine-tune weight distribution and battery placement according to your specific terrain preferences and upgrade components.
• Ball Bearing Construction — All rotating components utilise quality ball bearings rather than bushings, providing smoother operation, reduced friction, and longer component lifespan.
• High-Grip All-Terrain Tyres — The included 120mm diameter tyres feature genuine high-grip compound and aggressive tread patterns, providing exceptional purchase on rocks, roots, mud and grass. These are proper trail tyres, not street tyres.
• Scale-Styled Wheels — The 54mm diameter wheels feature authentic styling that complements the pickup truck appearance, proving you don't need to sacrifice scale looks for performance.

Technical Performance

The FTX Outback Hi-Rock represents a serious engineering achievement in the 1/10 scale crawler category. Powered by a 550 brushed motor with 17 turns of wire, it delivers smooth, controllable power delivery ideal for technical trail work where finesse matters as much as raw torque. The motor is governed by a Hobbywing HW1040 40-amp waterproof speed controller, a professional-grade component that ensures reliable operation in wet conditions and provides ample current capacity for the included 7.2v 2000mAh NiMH battery. The battery offers approximately one hour of continuous crawling on a single charge, making it suitable for extended trail sessions. The twin-ratio transmission system provides gear ratios of either 56.6:1 for maximum low-speed torque and climbing ability, or 33.3:1 for faster trail speeds – you can adjust this depending on your preferred driving style and terrain. The 313mm wheelbase is precisely tuned to balance climbing ability with obstacle articulation, whilst the 80mm ground clearance proves substantial enough to clear serious technical obstacles without bottoming out. Construction throughout emphasises durability: metal gears in the transmission and axles resist wear from sustained technical use, the steel multi-link suspension geometry maintains traction across three-dimensional terrain, and the waterproof rating on both the ESC and servo allows genuine all-weather operation. The vehicle weighs 2600 grammes, a mass substantial enough to provide good traction without becoming difficult to transport or handle. The 56cm length and 24cm width make it portable enough for genuine trail trips whilst maintaining the proportions and presence of a genuine truck. This is not a lightweight toy – it's a serious, properly-engineered RC crawler built to UK standards of quality and durability.

What's in the Box

• FTX Outback Hi-Rock 4x4 fully assembled rolling chassis with bodyshell
• Classic pickup truck-inspired bodyshell with all scale moulded accessories (grille, snorkel, mirrors, wipers, roll cage, spotlights)
• Front and rear bumpers with shackles, factory-fitted LED lights and tow hooks
• Hobbywing HW1040 40A waterproof electronic speed controller
• 15kg metal geared waterproof servo for steering
• 550 brushed 17-turn motor with front-mount position
• Split transmission system with adjustable slipper clutch
• Twin rail metal frame chassis with moulded and aluminium side plates
• 6mm steel multi-link suspension front and rear
• Oil-filled shock absorbers
• Telescopic universal driveshafts
• Steel CVA front universal driveshafts
• Front and rear high-clearance locked differentials
• Scale-styled wheels with high-grip all-terrain tyres (120mm diameter)
• 7.2v 2000mAh NiMH rechargeable battery pack
• NiMH battery charger
• Four-channel 2.4GHz radio controller system
• All necessary hardware and assembly components

What You Need to Complete

• Four AA alkaline batteries for the radio controller (these power the transmitter only, separate from the main vehicle battery)
• Suitable driving location with trails, rocks, or technical terrain to fully appreciate the crawler's capabilities

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the FTX Outback Hi-Rock suitable for beginners to RC crawling? — Yes, absolutely. This is classified as a Skill Level 3 vehicle, which means whilst it's assembled and ready to run, it does require basic understanding of RC operation and terrain navigation. Newcomers to RC trail crawling will find it very capable and forgiving, though they should take time to learn proper throttle control and line selection. The included radio is intuitive and the crawler is robust enough to survive learning mistakes. More experienced RC enthusiasts will appreciate the sophisticated engineering and customisation potential.
• What battery does the FTX Outback Hi-Rock need and how long does it run? — The vehicle comes supplied with a 7.2-volt 2000mAh NiMH battery pack and charger, which is perfectly suited to the 17-turn motor and provides approximately one hour of continuous crawling on a single charge. You can upgrade to larger capacity NiMH batteries (the source mentions 3000mAh as an example) for extended run times, or switch to 2S LiPo batteries (7.4v) for increased performance, though 2S LiPos should be operated at reduced throttle settings to avoid overwhelming the steering servo. Four AA alkaline batteries are required separately for the radio controller transmitter.
• How does the Hi-Rock compare to other FTX crawlers? — The Hi-Rock is positioned as a premium evolution of the Outback chassis family. Its key advantages are the revolutionary split transmission system (which positions the motor above the front axle for superior weight distribution), the increased 45-degree steering angle for improved maneuverability, the lower centre of gravity allowing aftermarket interior mounting, and its comprehensive factory-fitted scale accessories including LED bumper lights. If you're comparing to other FTX models, the Hi-Rock represents the best balance of scale appearance, technical trail capability and modern engineering in the 1/10 crawler range.
• Is the FTX Outback Hi-Rock waterproof? — The electronic speed controller (Hobbywing HW1040) and the steering servo (15kg metal geared waterproof unit) are both rated as waterproof, meaning you can safely splash through streams, ford shallow water, and operate in wet muddy conditions. However, the receiver box, whilst protected by the chassis and plates, is not fully waterproof – you should avoid fully submerging the vehicle or driving in heavy rain. The waterproof electronics mean you can enjoy genuinely wet-weather trail sessions without excessive caution.
• Can I upgrade the battery and motor in the Hi-Rock? — Yes, the Hi-Rock is designed with upgradeability in mind. The front-mounted motor position accommodates various 17-turn and smaller-turn motors, the waterproof ESC will handle upgraded motors with no issues, and the receiver box has been designed for future enhancements. However, you should note that increasing motor power significantly will demand more from the 15kg servo – for heavily tuned versions, many owners upgrade to a more powerful servo. The split transmission and slipper clutch are engineered to handle upgraded motors within reason.
• What makes the split transmission system special? — The split transmission is a major innovation in the Hi-Rock. Rather than positioning the motor alongside the transmission as in conventional crawlers, FTX has mounted the motor directly above the front axle. This creates three significant advantages: it places substantial weight directly over the front axle improving front-end traction when climbing, it dramatically lowers the vehicle's centre of gravity improving stability and reducing tip-overs, and it creates internal chassis space for fitting authentic scale interiors without modification. This is a sophisticated engineering solution that demonstrably improves both performance and scale appearance.
• How much ground clearance does the Hi-Rock have? — The Hi-Rock offers 80mm of ground clearance, which is genuinely substantial. Combined with the high-clearance locked axles and 6mm steel multi-link suspension, this allows the crawler to clear large rocks, substantial roots, and significant obstacles that would ground out conventional RC vehicles. This clearance is measured with the suspension at ride height – full suspension articulation provides even more clearance over obstacles.
• What radio frequency does it use and will it interfere with other RC vehicles? — The Hi-Rock is supplied with a four-channel 2.4GHz radio system. The 2.4GHz frequency is the modern standard for RC vehicles worldwide, providing excellent range and automatic frequency hopping to avoid interference with other 2.4GHz RC equipment. You can safely run multiple Hi-Rocks or other 2.4GHz RC vehicles simultaneously without interference concerns – this is a massive advantage over older 27MHz and 40MHz systems.
• Is the vehicle truly ready to run out of the box? — The Hi-Rock is 99% ready to run, meaning it arrives fully assembled, tested and tuned. You simply need to insert four AA batteries into the radio transmitter, charge the included 7.2v NiMH battery, and you're ready to start crawling. No soldering, no assembly, no technical knowledge required – this is genuine ready-to-run (RTR) convenience.

Why Buy from RC Model Shop?

RC Model Shop is a trusted UK RC retailer and authorised dealer for all the brands we stock, including Traxxas, ARRMA, Losi, FTX, Hobbywing, Spektrum and more. Whether you are a seasoned competitor, a weekend basher, or just discovering the world of RC for the first time, our team of experienced RC enthusiasts is here to help you find the perfect setup and provide ongoing support. Order the FTX OUTBACK HI-ROCK 4X4 RTR 1:10 TRAIL CRAWLER today with confidence, knowing you are buying from an authorised retailer with genuine products, expert knowledge and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Shop online or visit our store – we look forward to helping you get the most out of your RC experience.