traxxas help

Dirt_Dawg
Edited Date/Time 3/18/2012 1:05pm
Hey guys looking into buying a traxxas rc , been navigating their site but there are so many models and stuff that I dont know where to start. Would appreciate any info or suggestions. I think i prefer electric over nitro and 4x4. Are traxxas reliable and sturdy?

Should i get the lipo battery ? how long do they last run time? i will call customer service and ask a few questions as well.

i been looking at this model:

http://traxxas.com/products/models/electric/7009slash116vxl4x4
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MotoChief Dos 3/11/2012 4:40pm
3/11/2012 4:40pm Edited Date/Time 3/11/2012 4:41pm
I have the 1/10th scale Slash 4x4 electric. It is very nice. Hauls ass out of the box. What do you want it for, racing or just playing around with?
Dirt_Dawg 3/11/2012 4:52pm
3/11/2012 4:52pm
MotoChief Dos wrote:
I have the 1/10th scale Slash 4x4 electric. It is very nice. Hauls ass out of the box. What do you want it for, racing or...
I have the 1/10th scale Slash 4x4 electric. It is very nice. Hauls ass out of the box. What do you want it for, racing or just playing around with?
Thanks... no racing just messing around in the park and backyard. I just notice the model i want i would need to upgrade to make it go 50 mph , so i think ill pass on that model.. I want something ready to go straight out the box.
Dirt_Dawg 3/11/2012 4:53pm
3/11/2012 4:53pm
MotoChief Dos wrote:
I have the 1/10th scale Slash 4x4 electric. It is very nice. Hauls ass out of the box. What do you want it for, racing or...
I have the 1/10th scale Slash 4x4 electric. It is very nice. Hauls ass out of the box. What do you want it for, racing or just playing around with?
how long do the battery last?
ocscottie
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ocscottie 3/11/2012 4:55pm
3/11/2012 4:55pm
Is your mind all made up on buying a Traxxxas because of their involvement in the sport? there are better choices out there IMO

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EvanR127
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EvanR127 3/11/2012 4:59pm
3/11/2012 4:59pm Edited Date/Time 3/11/2012 5:02pm
Years ago traxxas was kinda crap and for beginners only but now they seem to do pretty well. Team assocaited and Losi was the best when I was in it a couple years ago.

Also last time I checked the used market on RC cars was going to crap, so you can pick up nice kits on ebay for dirt cheap ($50 for a RC10T4!). Just rebuild them and get new electronics.
GuyB
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GuyB 3/11/2012 4:59pm
3/11/2012 4:59pm
The Slash is a good thrasher. For racing there are better options.

Yes, Lipo is better.
Dirt_Dawg 3/11/2012 5:00pm
3/11/2012 5:00pm
ocscottie wrote:
Is your mind all made up on buying a Traxxxas because of their involvement in the sport? there are better choices out there IMO
Not really OC but they do sponsor the sport we love, not looking for any specific company as long as its good quality and price. You know of another company that is better?
MotoChief Dos 3/11/2012 5:02pm
3/11/2012 5:02pm Edited Date/Time 3/11/2012 5:02pm
MotoChief Dos wrote:
I have the 1/10th scale Slash 4x4 electric. It is very nice. Hauls ass out of the box. What do you want it for, racing or...
I have the 1/10th scale Slash 4x4 electric. It is very nice. Hauls ass out of the box. What do you want it for, racing or just playing around with?
Dirt_Dawg wrote:
how long do the battery last?
The stockers that come with the RTR model are NiMH and last about 15-20 minutes. They are cheap as well. You will want a different charger than the one that it come with. Also not too expensive. Get a better charger and a few extra batteries and you can run it for a long time.

Scotty, I bought Traxxas because of their support. I like to support those that support us.
MotoChief Dos 3/11/2012 5:05pm
3/11/2012 5:05pm
I used to race RC when I lived in Hawaii and I only ran Associated cars and trucks 1/10 and 1/8 scale Nitro.

Traxxas is a good, fun truck but not for serious racing IMO.
sbarrington314 3/11/2012 5:07pm
3/11/2012 5:07pm
i have a slash with 2 stock batteries. last me a good hour of thrashing. and these things can take quite the beating. and you dont really need it to go 50mph. its pretty quick stock. works well for me for just F'ing around outside the house. and all the race places have a good class for them.
Dirt_Dawg 3/11/2012 5:13pm
3/11/2012 5:13pm
sbarrington314 wrote:
i have a slash with 2 stock batteries. last me a good hour of thrashing. and these things can take quite the beating. and you dont...
i have a slash with 2 stock batteries. last me a good hour of thrashing. and these things can take quite the beating. and you dont really need it to go 50mph. its pretty quick stock. works well for me for just F'ing around outside the house. and all the race places have a good class for them.
OK thanks...which slash model you got?
TeamPropainTurbo38t 3/11/2012 5:15pm
3/11/2012 5:15pm
MotoChief Dos wrote:
I used to race RC when I lived in Hawaii and I only ran Associated cars and trucks 1/10 and 1/8 scale Nitro. Traxxas is a...
I used to race RC when I lived in Hawaii and I only ran Associated cars and trucks 1/10 and 1/8 scale Nitro.

Traxxas is a good, fun truck but not for serious racing IMO.
If you want reliable get Traxxas. Maybe not the best for racing but NOT FAR OFF. I have the Slash VXL 2WD with LiPo batteries and we have a bunch of backyard tracks we race for fun. The 2wd drive is better for short track, you can brake tap and drift the turns perfect. 4wds are a hair slower and more parts to break. I run mine stock with the exception of better bumpers , aluminum spindles, better tires and I change the oil weights in the shocks(different weights for each side because we do a lot of LTO stuff). On the other hand I BEAT THE HECK OUT OF MY TRUCK. I took it to the local BMX track a couple times and literally flatlanded all the jumps time and time again from like 10-12 feet in the air and all that I have broken are the stock plastic spindles and the body. I also jumped it 75 feet a couple times off my buddy's FMX ramp with no issues. I'd say it runs about 60mph with the brushless and LiPos
gspointer
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gspointer 3/11/2012 5:20pm
3/11/2012 5:20pm
I raced losi and associated, but I have a 1/16th slash with a brushless. It is pretty tough. I havent broke it yet.


OP if you haven't driven an RC car I wouldn't worry about top speed just yet. 30+ is pretty fast.
therealjonon
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therealjonon 3/11/2012 6:07pm
3/11/2012 6:07pm
GuyB wrote:
The Slash is a good thrasher. For racing there are better options.

Yes, Lipo is better.
x2
KAWboy14
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KAWboy14 3/11/2012 6:12pm
3/11/2012 6:12pm
they were jumping those things on the triple at dallas sx......that was unreal how much of a beating those things could take and still keep going.
Clapped
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Clapped 3/11/2012 6:21pm
3/11/2012 6:21pm
I have had the Slash 2wd and currently have a Slash 4wd. For bashing or just playing around, Traxxas is the way to go, hands down. You can set them up for racing pretty easily with a LCG (Low Center of Gravity) chassis, but then you're talking about at least $150 for the chassis kit. And trust me, these things are little money pits. I had well over $1,000 into my 2wd slash and have about $1,000 in my 4wd.

Get a 3-4 lipos and you'll be set for all day. I use the Turnigy lipos from hobbyking,com. They are really cheap compared to others out there and, in my opinion, are just as good. When you buy your truck, also buy wheel bearing carriers, a-arms, and hub's from RPM. That way, when you break something, you can replace it right then and there. RPM parts are extremely durable and are warranted against breaking. RPM parts are the way to go if you need to replace parts you break.
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clem 3/11/2012 7:39pm
3/11/2012 7:39pm
Buy a box to go with it and keep plenty extra parts in it. You'll figure out what breaks more often and hen buy two or three of those. I've got a HPI blitz SC truck with the brushless setup and a Hotbodies d8 4wd 1/8 scale nitro. I like the nitro wayyyy better. I like smelling that premix and hearing that badboy Rev. I don't bash them up, track time only. Me and my buddies built a track and its plenty fun, we build big jumps, whoops and even some jump on-off sections. We all moto'd together so were competitive as heck. Get some good tires also, makes a huge difference. Peace

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newmann
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newmann 3/11/2012 8:05pm
3/11/2012 8:05pm
Slash breaks control arms and spindle/knuckles faster than you can get replacements. Absolute junk. Every little thing the kid hit resulted in broken parts. After spending all his money on it I was buying the replacement parts. Thankfully the motor burnt up with just a few hours time on it before I went broke buying parts and shipping charges. He sold all his nitro crap to go electric because it was supposed to be reliable.He was very disappointed.to say the least.
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pacman00 3/11/2012 8:29pm
3/11/2012 8:29pm
slash 4x4 with a 7 cell nicad with the stock motor/esc is decent and cheap. the traxxas velineon brushless/esc isnt too bad cause its not the fastest combo, which is good because its gonna be plenty fast but more controllable. use a pros setup sheet to get the truck in the ballpark setup wise. run alot of toe out at first, as you get better start bringing the toe in. you can get cheap lipos, hardcases are much safer, but dont buy a cheap charger. if you go lipo balance at least every 2 charges and get a safety sack. gil losi's own place burned down from a charging lipo catching on fire. he lost tons of stuff that cant be replaced.
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jock 3/11/2012 8:40pm
3/11/2012 8:40pm
I bought a couple of Traxxas Rustlers at Xmas for me and my young son to bash around the yard and at the bike track.
Burnt 1 motor out, but other than that, they have been great. Buy a quick charger and some extra batteries, and enjoy.
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Rizzo 3/11/2012 8:59pm
3/11/2012 8:59pm Edited Date/Time 3/11/2012 8:59pm
Dirt_Dawg wrote:
Hey guys looking into buying a traxxas rc , been navigating their site but there are so many models and stuff that I dont know where...
Hey guys looking into buying a traxxas rc , been navigating their site but there are so many models and stuff that I dont know where to start. Would appreciate any info or suggestions. I think i prefer electric over nitro and 4x4. Are traxxas reliable and sturdy?

Should i get the lipo battery ? how long do they last run time? i will call customer service and ask a few questions as well.

i been looking at this model:

http://traxxas.com/products/models/electric/7009slash116vxl4x4
There are several factors to consider before you go buying things.
1) NiMH vs Lipo....Lipo is more popular and newer technology. If you are going with Lipo, keep in mind that your speed control, motor and charger MUST be compatible. All the new brushless systems are, but look out for the brushed systems, that is why the cost a lot less, they either can't handle lipo or are sketchy if they do.

2) RTR or Kit.... Ready to Run is the way to go if you are looking for a cheaper buy in. Get a 2.4 GhZ and a brushless system, they cost more, but you won't be looking to upgrade shit the minute you open it.

3) Basher or Racer....If you are gonna mess around in the backyard, the street or the field behind your house, then fine, if you are gonna race at your local indoor clay track or outdoor raceway, then buy accordingly. Race kit means you buy everything seperate. Truck, speed control/motor, controller, receiver, servo, battery, charger, tires, tools etc. You could spend a grand easy before you hit the track

4) Traxxas vs AE vs LOSI....All 3 have a presence at Supercross. Traxxas has their display and semi, LOSI sponsors the Rockstar Lites team and AE sponsors riders(Barcia most notably), so no matter what you buy, you are supporting moto.

Traxxas RTR is good stuff for bashing, it comes with almost everything you need. If you think you are going to race, then decide on what class. You mentioned 4 x 4 10th scale, then the truck to have is the Losi 4 x 4. I am an AE guy myself, but right now, the Losi 4 x 4 is better. That in mind, the AE 4 x 4 can be picked up for decent money either on the resale market or even hobby shops as AE has a new 4 x 4 Factory Team kit so the RTR kit is going cheap. The AE Factory Team 2wd kit is better than the 2wd Losi kit. If you buy any 4wd Kit, put the Tekin RX8 w/Pro 4 motor in it, that setup is the shit. Resale is better with AE or Losi, the Traxxas stuff, not so much. check out A Main Hobbies.com, they are the best online site right now, decent prices and monthly coupons. RcTech.net is the Vitalmx of R/C cars. You can get all the info you want and the classified section is legit, you can find some great deals on stuff if you want to save some money and go resale. Hope the info helps, if not, call the Pulp MX show and ask Matthes, he LOVES R/C cars.
sbarrington314 3/12/2012 5:54am
3/12/2012 5:54am
im surprise u had such bad luck newman. ive absolutely beat on mine only ever broke 1 control arm. got me some aftermarket tough ones now.
sbarrington314 3/12/2012 5:56am
3/12/2012 5:56am
sbarrington314 wrote:
i have a slash with 2 stock batteries. last me a good hour of thrashing. and these things can take quite the beating. and you dont...
i have a slash with 2 stock batteries. last me a good hour of thrashing. and these things can take quite the beating. and you dont really need it to go 50mph. its pretty quick stock. works well for me for just F'ing around outside the house. and all the race places have a good class for them.
Dirt_Dawg wrote:
OK thanks...which slash model you got?
just 1/10 RTR cheap model.
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huck 3/12/2012 6:32am
3/12/2012 6:32am
newmann wrote:
Slash breaks control arms and spindle/knuckles faster than you can get replacements. Absolute junk. Every little thing the kid hit resulted in broken parts. After spending...
Slash breaks control arms and spindle/knuckles faster than you can get replacements. Absolute junk. Every little thing the kid hit resulted in broken parts. After spending all his money on it I was buying the replacement parts. Thankfully the motor burnt up with just a few hours time on it before I went broke buying parts and shipping charges. He sold all his nitro crap to go electric because it was supposed to be reliable.He was very disappointed.to say the least.
I own 2 slash trucks. Haven't broken anything on either....
DPW
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DPW 3/12/2012 6:53am
3/12/2012 6:53am
sbarrington314 wrote:
i have a slash with 2 stock batteries. last me a good hour of thrashing. and these things can take quite the beating. and you dont...
i have a slash with 2 stock batteries. last me a good hour of thrashing. and these things can take quite the beating. and you dont really need it to go 50mph. its pretty quick stock. works well for me for just F'ing around outside the house. and all the race places have a good class for them.
Dirt_Dawg wrote:
OK thanks...which slash model you got?
I have the Slash 4x4 Electric...takes a beating and keeps going. I use it just for fun no racing...I did break one control arm, but that was after clipping a tree WOT my fault. Jumped into pool by accident dried it off and ready to go again.

My dog loves chasing it too I need to throw on the GoPro and get some videos of the action.
Dirt_Dawg 3/12/2012 10:03am
3/12/2012 10:03am
thanks for all the info guys....some good info that i needed to know.
mx757
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mx757 3/12/2012 12:07pm
3/12/2012 12:07pm
Personally, if youre looking for something tough that will take a beating, I would suggest going with a monster truck such as the E-maxx or E-revo.Its still going to be 4wd, but they have a little more ground clearance and bigger tires to get through bigger/rougher terrain. http://traxxas.com/products/models/electric/3903emaxx

The one knock I have really with the short course type vehicles, is that they occasionally drag the nose when you go into steeper jumps and such, like you would likely see at your local track if you decide to go play around there at any time.

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