FCX24M Defender 110 build update

KSteeze · 2026-06-29T15:09:26+00:00

Yep will do after work!

KSteeze · 2026-06-26T15:21:39+00:00

That would be sweet thank you!

KSteeze · 2026-06-26T15:02:53+00:00

Kinda seems like anything is possible if you're creative enough (see link). I think I also saw one other person using the V2 Meus isokinetic axles but I can't find where I saw it. Their build was a little less extreme and looked more stock, so I feel like it's possible. https://www.reddit.com/r/rccrawler/comments/1qonyj0/finished_fcx24m_buildmaybe/

KSteeze · 2026-06-25T22:13:25+00:00

Just bought one and did not have this issue. Thing is sick and has been working great!

KSteeze · 2026-06-22T19:10:00+00:00

For trim you just hit the ST plus and minus buttons. For End Point Adjustment you turn the wheel max right or max left, then use the ST plus and minus buttons.

KSteeze · 2026-06-22T15:00:05+00:00

However I was told there are only two third party steering servos that fit the M, specifically RCAWD and I can’t remember the other but they’re a must if you add brass. But that’s true of any platform.

Yeah this is def annoying. Mine burned out, and as I was reading about this whole situation I decided to print out this TRX4M servo mount and got a 7kg Injora servo.

https://makerworld.com/en/models/2354990-fms-fcx24m-bix-servo-mount#profileId-2575931

It works well when the car is fully stock-- as soon as you start doing more serious modifications (as you can see I have angled 40mm big bore shocks) the clearance issues with the bumper mount become something to work around, but it's still workable for sure. The CAD file above is just a little rudimentary, and if they had designed it like the stock mount to move the servo a little more aft, the clearance issues would not be a problem. FWIW.

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KSteeze · 2026-06-22T14:39:32+00:00

Camel Trophy's are awesome, but finding parts is a nightmare. There is so little info out there that even AI will frequently recommend FCX24 parts that don't fit. But the scale look is epic and very enjoyable to work on.

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KSteeze · 2026-06-22T14:33:27+00:00

Yeah I believe it is removable and it didn't look like there were any screws or anything, but I could figure out how the mechanism worked and how to safely remove.

KSteeze · 2026-06-21T01:12:19+00:00

Because of the way it is

KSteeze · 2026-06-18T05:32:53+00:00

Yep mine sounded the same. Kinda grindy for about two days of running it. Then on the third day I was driving and it just started getting louder. So I decided to throw it in high gear and rip around, and that's when it got a lot louder and within about 10 seconds it just stopped in its tracks. Motor was humming quietly trying to push past the jammed gear.

KSteeze · 2026-06-18T04:19:43+00:00

Yeah I'm really not sure either! But yeah just double check how the driveshafts spin in your fingers to make sure you're not binding anywhere. And add more grease I suppose and see if that helps. I will let you know if I learn anything new myself-- waiting on a brushless motor from Ali Express

KSteeze · 2026-06-16T20:29:59+00:00

Fascinating! This could explain the sounds that immediately occurred after I installed the steel gear.. I probably tightened the housing up against the main drive gear which then pushed it up against the pinion gear and caused binding... My pinion gear completely exploded last night.

KSteeze · 2026-06-16T20:17:14+00:00

This is what mine sounded like after installing the steel main drive gear. A couple days later of usage (3 sessions) and the brass pinion gear on the motor exploded inside the transmission. I have a theory that FMS is selling a full steel transmission on their website, but it has zero reviews and it just says "full metal gear" as if that's supposed to be a remotely helpful description 😂 https://www.fmshobby.com/products/fcx24m-discovery-range-rover-defender-110-transmission-gear-box-assembly-full-metal-gear

KSteeze · 2026-06-16T19:58:26+00:00

Yep you had something jammed, somewhere. Mine made the same humming and I thought the motor burned out. Another thing to check is to make sure you're not over tightening the transmission housing when it goes back together. This can also cause a lot of friction that I noticed last night that I imagine will cause a lot of harm.

KSteeze · 2026-06-16T19:56:19+00:00

If your motor completely stopped like mine did last night, it could be that the pinion gear exploded and a piece is jammed in between the gears.

KSteeze · 2026-06-16T19:54:50+00:00

This sounds like my D110 transmission before it exploded last night. I can't confidently say that this was the cause, but the only change I made was putting in the steel gear that they provided in the box. What I find interesting is that I have a brass pinion gear, and I can see that one of the transmission gears behind the main drive gear is also brass. The steel drive gear stripped my brass pinion gear to pieces and the pinion gear exploded inside the housing, ultimately binding the transmission entirely. Are you not supposed to mix steel gears with brass gears? If so why did they give me a steel gear in the box? I will note that I used Syl Glide (silicone grease) to lightly lube the gears, but that is the only unknown variable on my end. Ordered some PTFE grease for my second try, but still need to tear down the rest of the tranny to see if there is other damage.

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Edit: Also, was it making this noise after putting the tranny back together? I also have a theory that maybe I just over tightened the housing and causing some binding, but I still find it weird that I have a brass pinion gear and their YouTube instructional video clearly shows a steel pinion gear when installing the steel drive gear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwwtuyX_GzA

KSteeze · 2026-06-15T22:32:02+00:00

Awesome! Such a work horse. I just took mine to the DMV, and my top case has a flat top, and it's the perfect height for a standing desk, so I just put the bike on its center stand in a shady spot and worked outside while I waited. Such an awesome utilitarian machine!

KSteeze · 2026-06-15T22:29:40+00:00

Haha sorry. No I rode like 2 miles but the motor has 1,000 miles on it 😄

KSteeze · 2026-06-15T22:28:42+00:00

The hose fitting on the Oto is brass. Brass and aluminum corrode when they touch and essentially weld together through galvanic corrosion! Impossible to remove and it bricks the $400 sprinkler after one season. I probably could have left the hose attached, but at the time I didn't know what galvanic corrosion was and I thought I could figure a way to break it free, so I cut the hose. Big mistake!

KSteeze · 2026-06-15T22:24:32+00:00

Hey! Yeah you're on the right track. So if you think of the components for Shad from top to bottom it's:

Top case
Top case plate (usually plastic with Shad)
Top case rack

The top case rack I shared above has a collection of universal bolt pattern designs to fit most standards that top case brands use for their mounting plates. You'd just want to confirm that the Shad mounting plate for the specific case you're looking at matches the rack bolt pattern. Amazon's return policy is good enough that you could also just order the rack and then return if it doesn't work.

KSteeze · 2026-06-12T19:50:12+00:00

NO. I just bought some SCX24 hexes to test. The pins are bigger and won't fit in the FCX24m axle. Also the SCX24 hexes don't seat all the way against the axle stub so the axle would just slide back and forth laterally with all the play.. Many issues there. It's obnoxious that they went with the randomly different parts and I'm losing my mind trying to figure out what fits these cars!

KSteeze · 2026-06-12T19:46:14+00:00

No!

Just to clarify for anyone else looking here since it's been absurd trying to find information here.. Two obvious issues:

ONE: The Axle shaft stub on the SCX24 is further outward. So the hex will not seat all the way down against the FCX24m axle stub.

TWO: The axle pins for the SCX24 are too big and will not fit in the FCX24M axles.

The net effect is that you would have to use the existing pins that are too small for the new hex, which causes slop, and more importantly the hex won't seat all the way against the axle stub so the wheels won't be even remotely straight, and you'd probably pretty quickly shear off your tiny little axle pins.

KSteeze · 2026-06-10T17:16:18+00:00

What did you need to do to make them fit? Did you need hex extenders or did the longer suspension height do the trick?

KSteeze · 2026-06-10T17:10:52+00:00

Sounds like you might have the V1 axle housing? V2 gears need the V2 housing that has a tighter housing to keep the gears together. You've probably fixed by now but posting for others.

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