Believe it or not, the 'thing' in the middle is actually one of the original chimney tops previously belonging to the house itself. It got taken down from its original location some years ago due to weather degradation and deterioration of its stonework. The remaining chimneys were capped at a lower height, and this section was then rebuilt here as a planting box in the middle of the patio area. I've sized everything out with both the Clodzilla and the Axial in mind.
The Axial now has two-mode four-wheel steering capability. It'll either halve its original turning circle or it'll crabsteer at the press of a handy button on the side of the transmitter. Another button controls overall two (standard) or four wheel steering selection. Since the last photos were taken the AX10 has also had two metres of black spiral wrap applied to its links and to the periphery of the cage structure. There wasn't enough left over to do the rear steering links. The front wheels currently have 75 (15 x 5) grammes of weight added to each, and the rears have 35 (7 x 5) grammes. I'd like maybe a bit more, but everything's a compromise in RC, I'd equally lose a bit of (sometimes important) pulling power.
A fair few parts are required to convert an ARTR AX10 like mine to four wheel steering. My understanding is that the stock AX10 KIT version (green alloy parts) is easier to convert as it comes with locked out steering hubs already fitted to the back of the truck, whereas the RTR and ARTR versions didn't have these items, utilising a solid rear outer axle design instead.
The following is the list of items required to convert my ARTR to 4WS. Everything was sourced on eBay, items with dollar prices were imported from the USA, the swingshafts came all the way from Hong Kong:
Axial AX10/SCX10 Hub Carriers, Axle Lockouts F/R New (these came complete with all necessary bearings, screws and bushes)
@US $7.95
Axial AX10 Scorpion Servo Plate and Mounts (I could have opted for a 4 link plate for about the same price, although these don't come with the necessary servo mounts)
@ US $4.95 + US $10.29 P+P (combined with above)
Axial Racing HARDWARE Upgrade KIT Ax10 RTR (Axial item AXA1411) - needed for the rod ends and hardware for the steering links. There are a fair few bits left over from this kit - good for use as spares or a supply of parts for a future project.
@ US $15.00 + US $4.99 P+P
AXIAL AX10 Scorpion, Aluminum Rear Steering Links ORANGE (ST Racing Concepts #SPTSTA30881O)
@ US $5.28 + US $3.00 P+P
Axial AX10: Servo Parts Set (Axial item AX80006)
@ £4.62 + £1.50 (although I used my eBay voucher here so total cost was only 50p)
3Racing (#AX10-11) Swing Shaft For Axial AX10 Scorpion
@ £10.39 including P+P
2x 200mm JR HITEC ACOMS servo extension leads (only 1 needed)
@ £1.25 + £0.75p P+P
A Traxxas 2055 servo (I already had this - it came with an earlier radio purchase. A 2070 might have been a better choice but that would've cost me more money - maybe later I'll get one.)
All-in-all this conversion cost me £46.70, including the postage and packing which, as usual, represents a fair proportion of this total.
The rock garden has cost about a tenner so far, two half-round log edging rolls which now form the obstacles on the track board were £5.00, a small silver birch sapling and a pot for it to grow in (and so I can move it as required) came to about the same again.
