Greg Vogel’s Pro-Line By The Fire Crawler Build

Paul Onorato October 31, 2025 Stories

Axial SCX10 III Base Camp RTR — #AXI-1375T2

Ready to hit the trails without emptying your wallet? The updated 1/10-scale Axial SCX10 III Base Camp is officially the smartest choice in the crawling world. We’re talking killer looks and a lower price tag. Built on the legendary SCX10 III platform, this rig is ready to climb straight out of the box.

It’s a long-time favorite for a reason. Portal axles give you that sweet, sweet ground clearance, and the tough LCXU 4-wheel drive transmission (with all-metal gears) even lets you swap to standard axles if you feel like it. The stock setup is solid: oil-filled shocks, a bulletproof drivetrain and a full set of scale details—snorkel, half cage, functional storage box, rock sliders, side mirrors and more—to boost the realism. You also get reliable Spektrum electronics and an Axial 35T brushed motor, all high-quality gear that keeps the maintenance low. Just grab a battery and you’re ready to rock.

Hitec DB961WP Servo — #HRC36961S

When building a custom rock crawler, don’t let a basic stock steering servo bottleneck its off-road performance. Meet the Hitec DB961WP: the steering solution for Pro-Class durability and power. This servo delivers massive torque and blistering speed, backed by high-resolution, low-deadband circuitry for pinpoint steering accuracy and zero slop. It’s a wide-voltage (HV) hero, running happily on 4.8 – 8.4V. Greg wanted to make sure his Axial Base Camp build could go anywhere and the ‘WP’ means it’s totally waterproof and ready for the slop, shrugging off mud and streams without issue. Inside you will find dual oversized ball bearings and all metal gears. The DB961WP provides the unshakeable reliability your high-end build demands.

Axial SCX10 III Base Camp Clear Body — #AXI-2066

Ready to ditch the stock look of your RTR? That was Greg’s goal, so he grabbed the Axial SCX10 III Base Camp clear body. This allowed him to turn his crawler build into a one-of-a-kind to stand out from the numerous other trucks competing at Pro-Line By The Fire event. The body is made from durable, thick polycarbonate to handle the inevitable trail carnage. And you can think of this as not just a replacement part; it’s a blank canvas that will perfectly mount onto the SCX10 III chassis. For you seasoned builders, you know the drill: prep, mask, and spray your dream livery—whether it’s a battle-worn patina, a wild metallic flake, or a perfect match to your full-scale truck. Here, Greg kept it pretty simple and sprayed it one color using a can of Tamiya PS-54 Cobalt Green spray paint. This made replacing the stock painted body a quicker and easier process and the new color perfectly matched up with the sticker sheet included with the Base Camp clear body.

Pro-Line Rock Shooter Aluminum 1.9” Crawling Wheels — #PRO278100 —AND— Pro-Line Aztek Predator 1.9” Rock Crawling Tires — #PRO1025403

When you’re serious about scale performance on a rock crawler like the Axial SCX10 III Base Camp, the stock rubber just won’t cut it. To truly lock down traction and inject some serious scale realism into this custom rig, Greg went straight for the ultimate combo: Pro-Line Aztek Predator 1.9” rock crawling tires mounted onto the stunning Pro-Line Rock Shooter Aluminum 1.9” crawling wheels.

Greg Vogel’s Pro-Line By The Fire Crawler Build

Let’s talk rubber first. The Aztek Predator Tires are designed to conquer anything. Their aggressive, multi-step tread pattern with alternating large and small blocks digs deep into loose dirt and conforms perfectly to sharp rock edges. They come molded in Pro-Line’s legendary super-soft Predator compound, giving you that tacky grip that simply sticks where you point it. This tire compound is the secret weapon for getting over those impossible technical lines, making even amateur drivers look like pro crawlers.

Now, for the bling and brawn. Greg decided to wrap those Predators around the gorgeous Pro-Line Rock Shooter aluminum wheels. These aren’t just for show—they’re fully functional, multi-piece aluminum beadlocks, meaning you can easily mount and dismount those soft tires without messy glue, perfect for swapping compounds trackside. Built from durable, heavy-duty aluminum, these wheels add crucial unsprung weight right where you need it (down low), drastically improving the crawling stability and center of gravity of this featured Axial Base Camp. They look absolutely incredible, providing that rugged, realistic, machined finish that screams high-end performance. Together, this combo gave Greg’s SCX10 III build the traction, stability, and scale appearance it needed to dominate the trail.

Pro-Line 4” Ultra-Slim LED Light Bar Kit — #PRO635201

The Pro-Line 4” Ultra-Slim LED Light Bar is the latest and newest generation of LED lightbars and they are the perfect custom touch for any RC build, from scale crawlers to bash-ready monster trucks. These things are seriously low-profile and look incredible thanks to the detailed injection-molded housing. Inside, you get a super-bright LED strip that handles 5V all the way up to 12V (hello, direct 3S plug-in). Wiring is a cinch with the included standard receiver plug and long lead. But here’s the cool part: the optics are dialed in. You get a dual-focus combo—a tight spot pattern in the middle for distance, flanked by a diffused flood pattern on the edges to light up your periphery. Plus, Pro-Line hooks you up with a universal mounting kit featuring standard, low-profile, and tube clamp mounts. This allowed Greg to mount it directly onto the stock roll cage.

Spektrum Firma 2-in-1 Brushless Crawler Motor/ESC — #SPMXSEM1040B

When Greg decided to seriously upgrade the power in the stock Axial SCX10 III Base Camp, he went straight for simplicity and performance: the Spektrum Firma 2-in-1 Brushless Motor/ESC Combo. This unit is a total game-changer for scale crawlers. Spektrum engineered a high-performance brushless motor and the ESC into a single, compact unit. This not only cleans up the wiring clutter in our Base Camp’s chassis, but also makes installation a snap. You get incredibly smooth, sensored low-end control that is absolutely essential for technical crawling, letting you feather the throttle with surgical precision.

This 2-in-1 setup offers maximum torque and precise control while keeping your custom build clean. The combo is also fully waterproof, meaning Greg’s custom Axial Base Camp is ready to tackle muddy banks and creek beds without fear of frying the electronics. If you want a quick, clean, and powerful upgrade, swapping out your stock setup for the Firma 2-in-1 is the ultimate way to achieve unstoppable performance.

Spektrum S7110 Low Profile Servo Winch — #SPMSS7110

Greg dropped this Spektrum S7110 Low Profile Servo Winch into his custom Axial SCX10 III Base Camp build, and let us tell you—it’s the cheat code for crawling. Forget finicky separate winches; this is pure, integrated muscle. The S7110 is a beast for any 1/10th scaler, delivering a seriously powerful 160 oz-in of torque at 155 RPM when powered by 7.4V input. That’s more than enough pull to yank your rig off the most stubborn ledge or flip it back onto its tires.

Under the hood, it’s all premium: a low-wear metal gear drivetrain powered by a smooth brushless motor, all supported by bearings. This combination means bulletproof reliability and consistency when you need it most—which is usually when you’re upside down. If you’re serious about scale recovery, this compact, high-performance servo winch is the ultimate upgrade for your Base Camp or any other crawler.

EcoPower Electron 3S 50C LiPo Battery — #ECP-3140

You can have the best motor and the trickest servo, but if your juice is weak, your rig is just going to nap on the trails. That’s why Greg dropped the EcoPower Electron 3S 50C LiPo battery pack into his Pro-Line By The Fire Build.

This isn’t just any pack; it’s the premium energy source needed to feed a demanding crawler. Running 3S gives you the perfect voltage boost for high-power demands, especially when that Spektrum winch is straining hard. The robust 50C discharge rate means instant, consistent power delivery. No more bogging down when you hit a technical climb. EcoPower delivers fantastic runtimes, letting you spend less time charging and more time tackling terrain. Plus, the reliability is second to none, giving Greg total peace of mind when navigating the different events.

MyTrickRC Axial Basecamp Light Kit — #MYKAX22

Greg’s custom Axial SCX10 III Base Camp was looking sweet, but a true scale rig needs lights to own the night. That’s why the dedicated MyTrickRC Axial Basecamp Light Kit was installed and wow what a difference.

This isn’t some generic light kit; it’s plug-and-play perfection, custom-designed specifically for the Base Camp’s body and light buckets. You get super-bright LEDs for headlights, taillights, and marker lights that instantly boost the scale realism and make those nighttime trail runs actually possible.

Installation is a breeze, which is a huge bonus when you just want to get back on the rocks. The system is reliable, runs clean, and ensures you won’t lose your rig when the sun goes down. If you want a quick, custom upgrade that dramatically changes the look and usability of your Base Camp, this MyTrickRC kit is a mandatory purchase.