The FCX18 wins the trail, the FCX24 wins your desk in 2026
FCX18 vs FCX24 comes down to where you drive. The 1/18 FCX18 LC80 measures 282mm long and weighs 535g; the 1/24 FCX24 Power Wagon is 210mm and 390g. Both lines carry portal axles, two-speed gearboxes and metal drivetrains, so what is left to decide is size and terrain. The 1/18 suits outdoor ground and the 1/24 suits a desk.
Key Takeaways
- Where you drive decides which one to buy.
- The FCX18 is 72mm longer and 145g heavier than the FCX24.
- The FCX24 fits a desk or coffee table and stores anywhere.
- Both lines get portal axles, two-speed gearboxes and metal drivetrains.
- Choose the scale first, then pick a stock or mod trim.
One FMS drivetrain, built at two sizes
FMS runs two parallel micro-crawler families, the 1/24 FCX24 and the larger 1/18 FCX18. The Scale and Motion platform guide treats them as two starting points aimed at different buyers.
The FMS FCX18 LC80 Tri-Color V2 mod at FairRC ships with metal-gear portal axles, a metal-beam chassis, a two-speed transmission, 4-link suspension, metal shocks and 24 metal bearings. The FMS FCX24S Power Wagon at FairRC carries portal axles, a two-speed transmission and 4-link suspension in a smaller shell.
Neither scale strips out the crawling hardware. So the deciding factor is how much room you have.
FCX18 vs FCX24 on paper
The figures below come from the AMain Hobbies listings for the 1/18 Toyota LC80 trail truck and the 1/24 Power Wagon micro crawler .
| Spec | FCX18 LC80 | FCX24 Power Wagon |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | 1/18 | 1/24 |
| Length | 282mm | 210mm |
| Width | 136mm | 124mm |
| Ground clearance | 35mm | 26mm |
| Weight | 535g | 390g |
| Stock motor | 180 brushed | 130 brushed |
| Battery included | 900mAh 2S | 380mAh 2S |
| Drivetrain | Portal axles, two-speed, 4-link | Portal axles, two-speed, 4-link |
| Wheelbase | not published | 138mm |
The 1/18 pack holds well over twice the charge, so the FCX18 keeps running long after the smaller truck needs a swap.
When should you buy the FCX18?
Buy the FCX18 when you drive outdoors on real ground. The extra 9mm of ground clearance and 72mm of length let the truck straddle ruts and roots that stop a 1/24 dead. Its heavier 535g body also stays planted on loose surfaces instead of skating over them.
The larger frame also leaves headroom for power: the Tri-Color V2 mod swaps the stock 180 brushed can for a 3200KV outrunner brushless motor with its own ESC. It adds a drag brake, which holds the truck back on steep rocky descents.
A 282mm Land Cruiser also photographs like a real truck on a trail, where a 210mm one looks like a toy on a rock. Still, the FCX18 packs down far smaller than a 1/10 crawler, so it travels in a backpack. It earns the size on garden trails, in parks and on uneven natural ground.
When should you buy the FCX24?
Buy the FCX24 when storage and indoor driving decide the purchase. At 210mm long and 390g it lives on a desk, clears a coffee table course and drops into a bag without planning. Many FCX24 models still read as proper scale crawlers.
The Power Wagon pairs those portal axles with a two-speed gearbox . FMS mounts the power assembly in the middle of the chassis, which keeps the center of gravity low, so the Power Wagon resists toppling on side slopes. Its soft-rubber tires use a coarse tread that grips rock, mud and sand.
Stock FCX24 trims run a 130 brushed motor and land near $120, while the brushless FCX18 mod sits at roughly $250. That price gap makes the 1/24 a sensible first crawler or upgrade base, with brushless power available later on the mod trims.
Some upgrade parts fit both scales
FairRC lists metal-gear portal axle sets , 41mm oil-filled aluminium shocks and a brushless motor combo as fitting the FCX24 and FCX18 alike. So a shelf of spares doesn’t go to waste if you later add the other scale.
Bodies, chassis plates, wheels and tires are scale-specific, though, and a 1.0 inch FCX18 tire won’t go near a 1/24 axle. Treat the overlap as a bonus on wear items; one parts drawer will never cover both trucks.
What you give up either way
Going smaller costs you reach. The FCX24’s 26mm of clearance and 380mAh pack limit how rough the ground can get and how long a session lasts. In exchange you gain a crawler that stores anywhere and needs no dedicated space.
The bigger truck costs you convenience and money. The FCX18 takes more room in a bag and on a shelf, and mod trims roughly double the outlay. You get that back in suspension travel, clearance and runtime, plus a truck that looks right outdoors.
The two lines compete with each other on equal terms. If even the FCX24 feels too big for your space, the FCX24M branch goes smaller again with more realistic proportions.
Pick the scale that fits the ground you drive on, then pick the trim. A stock FCX24 on a living-room course will get run more often than an FCX18 that waits for a trip to the park, and the reverse is just as true.