Let there be light(s)!
My attention has been torn between two vehicles these past few weeks. While I started out with a mind full of ideas for my Axial SCX10
I'll admit it, I originally scoffed at the idea of adding lights to my R/C vehicles. To be fair, I had a SCT at the time and didn't see the need to add lights to a "race" vehicle. Scaling however, has opened my eyes to the possibilities and options that are out there for adding realistic flair to my vehicles. In fact, one my first upgrade purchases for my SCX10 was a light controller and LEDs. After getting that system roughly configured, I've made a few enhancements to how the wires are being run (specifically to the tail lights) and have picked up another set of lights and a light bar kit.
The first set of lights that I picked up was the Ultra Bright LED Light Kit from TheToyz.com ($11.99). This allowed me to put lights into the front and rear bumpers and run the light controls off of the main battery. The kit also came with a controller and wiring harnesses that can tap into the steering servo and brake controls. Doing this will activate turn signals and brake lights for that ultra-realistic feel.
After seeing photos of the Axial SCX10 G6 kit, I started to come around on my feelings about light bars. I hadn't been the biggest fan of them, but after seeing more of them added and in-use, the more I liked the look and usefulness that they provide. I ordered a G.T. Light Bar kit from AsiaTees ($6.20) to help round-out my lighting setup. Installation and setup of these lights was very easy and I had them up and running in minutes.
After getting everything situated, I decided to run the light bar off of an external battery (which is now hooked up to a spare ESC that I had laying around. You have to love spare parts!). I'm still finalizing my plans for where and how the light bar will be mounted to the Jeep's rollcage, but for the time-being my current setup will work perfectly.
All told, the cost for these light kits, in total, was under $20. Not a bad price to pay for adding some visual appeal (and functionality) to my rig. Here are the specific kits I purchased, if you're looking to do the same mods to your machine.
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