Last week I cover the weak links of the Traxxas Slash. All though few; the Slash has them. Last week I talked only about the shocks, because it’s the one thing that needs to be fixed right out of the box. They will pop off just tooling around the drive way. All of the items that I am going to talk about in this report are things that don’t have to be replaced; unless you plan on strapping in tons of brushless/lipo horsepower.

The c-hubs, steering knuckles, and axle carries are all a point of interest and can be fixed in the same way. The strongest option is of course aluminum. The aluminum will keep these areas from breaking as long as it doesn’t get run over buy a car.  There are two problems with the aluminum. First is of-course price. With the aluminum parts ranging from $20 to $30 it’s not really worth it. Second is that they are so stiff that they will make other parts break. The one other option that you can consider other than just keeping spares is RPM products. RPM parts use a very flexible nylon plastic that will bend, but not break. With the parts running about $9 they are a lot cheaper than the aluminum parts and week links won’t be created down the line. Only problem that might end up happening is that some tracks won’t allow the aluminum or the RPM parts. So be sure to check the rules at your track.

One other problem only happens in really dusty conditions or really high horsepower. The spur gear in the Slash is a really tough chunk of plastic, but it can be destroyed. In dusty conditions the huge hole in the stock spur gear cover allows a lot of dirt to eat up the spur gear. The cheap fix is just a simple little piece of tape. This works good, but you’ll need to replace it often, because it will fall off. A more permanent set-up is the RPM gear cover. The RPM gear cover has no hole and is made of the same nylon plastic as their arms, axle carriers, c-hubs, ect. So you know that it can take a beating. When running brushless and lipo the will even get pushed past its limits. To keep from striping the teeth right off the gear just simply loosen the slipper clutches nut till the slipper will slip for about a foot or two. If you have enough power it should pull a nice little wheelie and keep your spur gear intact.

All of these points don’t really need to be hopped up. Its all about how hard you are going to drive your Slash. If your just tooling around your drive-way then you may never break anything. However; if you plan on strapping in tons of power and getting 25 feet of air at I-Hobby. You’re going to want to a little bit of modifying. Till next time. Keep it rolling.

Jason Annis

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Seems that I started a little firestorm last week with the announcement of my “Cubbies” awards. So to simplify it for those that went into full panic mode (self promotion mode?), here’s the low down. Instead of getting 100 emails with 100 different suggestions (usually the person writing said email) who the “man of the year” is, I’m throwing in some good early suggestions. Of course you can still “write in” anything you want, but here are some good starting points for Car/Truck of the year and Man of the year-

08′ Car/Truck of the year- Traxxas Slash- they sold a billion of them, Hot Bodies D8- the buggy that changed the face/price point of 8th scale racing, Axial AX10 Scorpion- the truck most responsible for the crawling boom

08′ RC Man of the year- Carlton Eppes- head man at RC Pro Series, the most progressive racing organization in the biz, Shawn Palmer- perhaps the best “marketing” type person ROAR (and Schu) has had in decades, Mike Jenkins- the man behind Traxxas and their huge selling trucks

I’m not going to touch the other categories right now. They are probably left wide open for interpretation.

Brian has been really busy posting up all the press releases this week. A lot of new gear and buzz was going down last week. But here is one piece of info that’s been under tight wraps- one of the aftermarket companies is Really close to releasing their AE T4 and Losi XXX-T short course conversion kits. These kits will basically make a T4 or XXX-T look and drive like a Traxxas Slash does. The kits allow for the proper mounting of the Pro-Line short course bodies, use big bumpers, and allow the use of Slash type tires. From what I’ve heard they are uber trick, but will they make it to market before AE gets out their own electric short course truck? Will they make it out before Losi re-designs their “desert truck” to use a full width body? We’ll see in time of course, but it sounds like the aftermarket conversion kits will be announced just after the first of the year.

That’s all for this week ya crazy rednecks. Support your local hobby shops and tracks!

Your Cub Reporter

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Stop the presses! Looks like all those Worlds Fastest RC Car speed records and RC Drag Racing times are going to be broken in the near future!

Castle Creations has just posted a page talking about their new 9000 kv Mamba Max Motor! You read that correctly, 9000 kv! The other kicker? It’s $99! Wow. I can’t wait to get one of these in the King Squid RC Dragster! Heck.. imagine this puppy in a Traxxas Slash!

Check out the official Castle Creations page Right Here!

We will do our best to get our hands on one of these things and start testing, so stay tuned!

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The Slash is for the most part an over built truck. It’s based off of the Rustler and Stampede trucks so parts are usually easy to get a hold of. There are a few areas that could use a little bit of tweaking though. The main weak spots to look at are the shock caps, rear axle carriers, front C-hubs, steering knuckles, and the spur gear. Luckily there are some cheap and easy mods to help these areas and in this report I’m going cover number one problem; the shocks.

On the shocks caps you have a couple options. It all breaks down to your budget and track rules. If money and rules are not a problem then go with Traxxas’ Big Bore aluminum shock kit. They are very strong and SUPER smooth. The problem is that most tracks are not allowing full aluminum shocks, but they are allowing the aluminum shock caps. These really beef up the shocks and work as expected, but they are really, really tight. They are so tight that its a little difficult to bleed the shocks the right way. The last option is new shock mounts. The stock shoulder bolts allow side to side pivoting, but zero front to back movement. The shock towers are so soft that they do a lot of flexing. This puts the caps in a bind and pops them right of the bodies. To help this problem I run a button head screw and a short piece of fuel tubing. This allows the shocks to pivot front to back and relives the stress. I run this set-up, because it helps keeping the shocks together for spec racing and I can still change shock oil easily. I don’t think they will be strong enough for a brushless Slash though.

The shocks are the very first thing that needs to be looked at. They are good shocks; they’re just not good enough for hardcore racers or bashers. When you’re going fast you are going to crash. In the next Slash Report I’ll cover the rest of the points that brought up and how best to fix them. Till next time.

Jason Annis

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Unfortunately, it’s that time of the year again, Christmas. That time of year where you get to see your co-workers drunk, unbearable traffic near any major shopping area, and have to put up with your family for at least one day. This year brings a different type of Christmas, a recession Christmas, one America hasn’t truly seen for many years. My solution to a recession Christmas? Spend, spend, spend! It’s the only way out, I tell ya.

So here is my list of this years top 10 Christmas gifts. Perhaps you need to forward this column to your significant others.

10. Montecristo Robustos Millenium- a very fine, hand made, 50 gauge cigar. Perhaps the best way to complete a fine meal at Ruth’s Chris. But buyer beware, fake Cuban’s abound. Price- $800 per cabinet of 25

9. X-Ray T2 009 - X-Ray likes to refer to their products with the word “luxury “, how I refer to them is “elegant, wonderfully engineered, rolling works of art”. I’ve never been disappointed with any offering from X-Ray, nor seen one poor piece of engineering on their uber pieces. Even if you don’t race touring, these cars are just plain beautiful, and would make a wonderful little treat under the Christmas tree. Price- roughly $600

8. Audi R8- I’ve never been an Audi fan, but the R8 seems to be different, it just screams new age performance. Maybe having watched Iron Man a dozen times, or seeing one of the hot chics from The Hills drive one also has something to do with my new found fondness of the Audi empire. Whatever, but while this car will actually make it under very few Christmas trees this year, I can promise you that nearly every man in America would donate a major vital organ to get one. Price- $115,000 (base)

7. Team Associated SC8 - Based on a great 8th scale nitro platform (the RC8), these trucks are not only solid performers, but look awesome, and provide only the type of smile that scale realism can provide. You can also get these trucks in several different uber trick lids. Price- $700

6. 60th Anniversary Klipschorn- Yes indeed, that sound. Are they the most accurate speakers you’ll ever hear? No. Do they image the best? No. Do they sound absolutely incredible? Hell yes. There is a reason why the Klipschorns have made it to their 60th anniversary with very little change, it’s because they sound THAT F’en good. And these aren’t some fluffy little “surround in a box” speakers, these are physically impressive beasts, made with quality components. Don’t expect to pick these up and move them by yourself, but every drop of sound that comes out of them with add immeasurable pleasure to your life. Price- $7000 each

5. Any Steve Neu Motor- From out of nowhere, to the top of the brushless motor heap, comes Neu Motors. Hand made with love and perhaps even a touch of magic, these are the beasts they will shred nearly any rc gearbox known to man. These aren’t cheap pieces of crap, they are the best, and the trickest motors to put in your BL anything. Price- varies with motor size, but will run about $275 for your 8th scale conversion

4. Smart Car Forto- Well ok, you probably can’t get one of these for Christmas, as wait times right now are pretty incredible. Yes they get great gas mileage, yes they are easy to park, but likely the biggest reason to buy one is the “WTF is that That Thing” head turning factors. American’s just seem to go nuts for their “distinct” look. Price- $17,000

3. LRP Soldering Station - Wanna have the core’est soldering iron at any track? Wanna keep your place at the top of the “who has the coolest pit spot” heap? The LRP Soldering Station is a must have. It’s trick, gnarly, and uber core. Price- $350

2. Tag Heuer Monaco- Remember when Rolex used to be THE name in watches? Well, now those are for people old farts that just plain piss away money. Tag Heuer is more trendy, more up with the times, they support F1, and put out a good product. Price- $3000

1. Drum roll please……… Traxxas Slash- if you don’t have a Slash, you deserve one, they are the best thing since sliced bread. If you already own one, it’s time for some hop-up parts for it. Grab some RPM upgrade parts, some trick new Pro-Line wheels and tires, and don’t forget the Mamba system to make those tires smoke! There is nothing like getting a brand new hobby grade rc car/truck for Christmas, so even if you already have one, perhaps a second one to “uber-up” would be perfect! To boil it down, you can’t have a bad Christmas if a Slash is involved. Price- $200

That’s it for this week, as always, keep your eye on BigSquidRC for daily updates, support your LHS, and get your butt out to your local track!

Your Cub Reporter

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The Traxxas Slash is by far the biggest hit in the RC industry right now. Companies, tracks, racing organizations, and the media are all scrambling to get parts, hop-ups, classes, and articles out as fast as possible involving the Slash and its nitro brother the Slayer. (Can’t leave him out….

The Slash is nothing really that new. The idea for RC CORR tucks have been around for years. Kyosho had a truck based on the first generation Inferno. Tamiya had the Pre-runner series of trucks based off of their TA-O2 touring car chassis. Team Losi sold a body conversion for the XX-4 four wheel drive off-road buggy. Team Associated SC8 is the one of the newest additions to the field, the idea is not new. So why did the Slash explode onto the market and the others didn’t?

The Kyosho, Tamiya, Team Losi, and Team Associated CORR trucks all have one thing in common that kept them from growing a new class like the Slash did. Price! They were either a kit, a conversion, or a nitro. It takes a good deal of money to get one. The Slash is only $200 RTR. And with every track and organization requiring them to run almost box stock (Servo, motor, ESC, tires, chassis, ect.) its rather easy to get int one. Figure $300 for a Slash, two cheap batteries, and a charger and you are Ready – To – Race or just blast it around the house.

The Slash Report will cover everything about the Slash. I’ll cover the bashing and racing side of the Slash, and also everything in between. So if anybody has any ideas or questions; please shoot us an e-mail. Till the next report, keep it rolling!

Jason

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RPM RC has just sent out a press release announcing their new Traxxas Slash Rear A-Arms! They have increased the material around the inner and outer hinge pins by 64% as well as removed the extra holes that were for vehicles other than the slash. They also ended up being 10% lighter, and way stronger! The full press release is in the NEW Product Forum for those who want to read it. Oh yea, they are only about $11 a pair!

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So let’s jump right into the good stuff.

What was the hottest news at the show (besides the BigSquidRC and IMEX booth babes)? It was a hard call this year. I think the general consensus would have to go to the Traxxas Crawler. It was on display in all it’s glory, and looked really gnarly. Although, in my opinion, it looked a little more “monster truck” than “crawler”. Any which way, it was big, had huge tires, and looked like it could go over or through anything that might get in it’s path. Will it be more well received than the Slash? No way, but as with anything the Golden Child Traxxas touches, it will be a steady seller.

Traxxas had their first entries into the “mini” market also on display. The Mini E-Revo and Mini Slash were both shown under glass because they weren’t even plastic models, they were foam mock-ups. First time I looked at them, I thought they may have been shrunk down models of their larger offerings just for show. But, they are actually going to sell these. The rc world has been waiting for Traxxas to jump into that market for years, and during this time, 18th scale has gone from “hot” to “has been”. These two trucks are destined to pump much needed life into the “mini” market, and become all time favorites of indoor bashers. 18th scale trucks tend to be very durable, have insane run times, and are a blast to drive in your friends driveway or garage. With a Traxxas stamp on top of one, they should set new standards for all the above.

You couldn’t move two feet without seeing a Traxxas Slash at the show. I had personally totally dismissed the Slash when introduced, but it has become the “next T-maxx”. It’s everywhere, and when you watch them being driven, you just have to have one. At most local tracks, rules are strict, keeping them nearly stock. But bashers are having none of it, bolting on every hop-up they can bolt on. A company by the name of Xtreme was showing aluminum chassis’s, towers, and even hub adaptors to run 8th scale buggy wheels/tires on the Slash. The guys at the local track will tire of running bone stock sooner or later, so I can’t wait to see what direction the aftermarket takes with Slash hop-ups. Also can’t wait to see Associated and Losi’s rebuttal’s.

You also couldn’t move two feet without running into a booth selling brushless and li-po. The “new technology bastard” is now being sold by Everyone. It’s amazing satisfying to watch all the “old school” companies who hated this stuff when it was first introduced sell their soul to the devil while peddling it to keep their doors open now.

Sign of the times? Booths featuring 8th scale gas truggies were getting very little attention, yet a booth with a bone stock Slash in it had people stopping and taking pictures.

Btw, pretty much every year for as long as I can remember, the Hobbico/Great Planes/Tower Hobby booth had the prime real estate right at the entrance of the show. This year, there was a full size Traxxas CORR truck parked in front of it.

There were many large companies that didn’t come to the show. Big hitters like Kyosho, HPI ect didn’t make the trip out to the midwest. That didn’t keep exhibitor numbers down, as there seemed to be ten little companies show up for every one of the big guys that stayed at home.

BigSquidRC didn’t just get their name on the map at I-Hobby, nor did they just get their name on the radar of the mainstream dead tree magazines, they showed they are a legit, uber urban hip, and trend setting/digital era media source. The combination of hot booth babes, great view numbers for advertisers (with very reasonable cost per view rates), and very professionally done track demo’s, made BigSquidRC the break out hit of the show.

While walking the show on Sunday, I asked around about attendance numbers. Seems Thursday dealer day was nearly a ghost town, Friday dealer day was steady, Saturday consumer day was extremely heavy, and Sunday seemed about an average turnout. It’s obvious the show organizers have worked really hard, both to provide lots of activities at little to no cost for consumers to enjoy, and also with/for exhibitors to get them good deals on booth spaces and demo areas. The 08′ show might very well have had a record number of exhibitors, and from looking at the demo’s, that might have been a record as well. Nearly all the times were sold out for the BigSquidRC demo track, but there were also tons of airplane demo’s, monster truck racing, tractor pulling, and robot fighting going on. So props to the show organizers, they have their chit together, and put on one hell of a good show. It’s hard to pull record amounts of exhibitors and consumers in such a rough economy, but they pulled it off. All the exhibitors seemed to have gotten their money’s worth, and the consumers looked happy as larks.

To conclude, many say the day of the trade show is dead. While I might agree that they are on their way out the door, the 2008 I-Hobby show proved that they aren’t dead yet, and do serve a purpose, perhaps an even more important purpose in a bad economy. It pumps up those juices (and opens up the wallet) of not only the consumers that attend, but also pumps up those working in the industry.

Thanks for reading, read your BigSquid every day, and support those friendly folks down at your local hobby shops.

Your Le Cub Reporter

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What a great show iHobby has been so far. We have met a ton of people this year. We have also had a chance to meet a lot of fans of the site which is really great! Now and then we tend to forget that more then just friends and family actually read the reviews and articles up here, and hearing from people all over the US stopping in to tell us they liked a certain video or review is really cool! It’s also clear that word is spreading about the site and the photo’s. I think today has had the most visitors in our sites history! Thanks for all your support!

Shortly after this post will be another breaking news Traxxas update, so make sure to check back shortly once we get the story up.

At our demo’s today we had a real blast putting on the show. We had Pro Drivers Tim Mohr and Jason Annis catching some big air and showing off their bashing roots. They, along with Chris “thenewguy821″ in our forums were giving Elizabeth some tips as she raced our Traxxas Slash around our obstacle course. Shawn Palmer from Schumacher Racing also came out to play on the course.

Xtreme Racing had an amazing looking chassis and shock towers for the Slash. I think these will be some must have products for you hop-up fans.

Over in the Schumacher Racing booth was Nic Case’s Mi3 Speed Run vehicle! Who would of thought our Big Squid RC sticker could do 161mph! My claim is that those stickers actually add about 2mph to RC vehicles.

Jason did a real number on one of his vehicles he brought for the show. We tell everyone we bash hard, and Jason fits right in with the group!

Tim Mohr also gave us a little ‘Race Face’ behind the famous King Squid Grand Motor Sports RC Dragster.

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They know a good thing when they got it! Pro-Line Racing has announced another Traxxas Slash body called the Hardcore. With the Traxxas Slash being the ‘hot’ vehicle right now, I don’t blame them at all! It’s a sweet looking truck, made with .060 lexan with some nice detail work. If you are a Traxxas Slash owner, you really have it made when it comes to the body department!

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Striking while it’s hot, Pro-Line Racing has just announced a second body for the popular Traxxas Slash! The folks over at Pro-Line know a good thing when they see it, and I have a feeling it’s going to do very well for them. I was invited out to the track this weekend for a little bashing fun and I think there were more Slash’es then monster trucks! It was like an infestation! They should of named it the Traxxas Roach, they are everywhere!
Anyway, don’t be like the people I saw this weekend getting them confused with other blue and silver ones! Run out and get yourself a body and some original paint! Don’t forget the Big Squid RC Stickers!

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Whoa! RPM RC has just about every electric Traxxas vehicle covered! This new cover is for ALL ELECTRIC Traxxas Slash, Stampede, Bandit, Rustler. This inclues the XL-5 and VXL models. They carry their limited lifetime warranty and are only about $7! We are big fans of RPM and their dedication to bashers!

The full press release will be posted in the NEW Product Forum.

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For those of you that own a Traxxas Slash, and since that seems like anyone into RC, Pro-Line Racing has you covered! I can’t believe how this truck is taking off, and now you can finally get your paint out and look different. The Traxxas body is called the Hardcore Slash. This body is built to be durable and ready for action. It’s got some cool details like roll bar, radiator, rear shocks and wing and everything you would expect from Pro-Line You know you need this! Wait for it….. GO!

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Welcome once again to another exciting and infuriating Cub Report!

BigSquidRC.com’s top man, Brian, is not at the top of his game. He was actually hospitalized this week, but seems to be doing better now. If you get a chance, shoot him a “get well soon” note to brian (at sym) bigsquidrc.com . We need to keep Brian well and healthy enough to keep my checks coming. Thanks!

Also in BigSquid news- aspiring models are needed. If you are, or know of a pretty lady that would like to get in some trade show modeling experience, shoot Brian an email as he is looking for “booth-babes” for this falls I-Hobby International Hobby Expo in Chicago. If you know someone, help Brian have the coolest booth at the show, and help a young lady gain a nice reference on her resume.

I can’t help it, I’ve got Olympic fever. I just can’t get enough! Phelps, Liukin, and others- how can I resist? It just looks so damn good in HD. Seems I’m not the only one, as the ratings of this years Olympics from Beijing are through the roof. But what does this have to do with rc? Not a damn thing other than it’s nice to see a well organized event come off as a huge success, and I’ve got some results from the question I asked last week about who us Americans would like to see represent us if rc racing was actually an Olympic sport. The top 3 vote getter’s from BigSquid readers are….

Honorable mentions- Brian “Dirtinator” Kinwald, Scott Hughes, and Billy “Mr Versatile” Fischer.

3. Mark Pavidis- Perennial front runner Pavidis garnered 3′rd place in the votes. Mark would certainly be a good pick for the team, as he has nerves of steel, and really picks up the pace the bigger the event is. He doesn’t back down from anybody, forcing passes when he has to. And perhaps his largest asset? Car set-up, he’s simply a master at making the most out of his equipment.

2. Ryan Maifield- AE’s latest hotshot has been tearing a wide swath through the pro ranks, winning nearly everything he enters. Driven, determined, and even a bit cocky, Ryan drives the tires off anything he races, and isn’t afraid to huck it huge to make a tricky pass. And, he doesn’t just like to win races, he prefers to CRUSH the field. Confidence is a dangerous thing, and he has lots of it right now.

1. Getting the most votes for our theoretical “Olympic RC Team America” is- Adam Drake. The Drake is not some pretty boy model type, he looks just like you and me. But what he is, is perhaps America’s top racer at the moment. The Drake is known for incredible corner speed, but less known, and more importantly, he is the king at finding good lines. If you want to find the very best line through any section (and have the skill to follow it), just watch where The Drake goes. Likable, friendly, and smart, The Drake deserves his title as being the best liked racer in America, and would represent a Team America in only the best light.

Of course there are tons of super talented drivers left off this list, but the most surprising to me was that not one carpet guru got made the top 3. Just goes to show that BigSquid readers, along with most Amercian rc’ers, know the top dirt guys better than the top carpet guys.

Did you tune in live to Speed TV this weekend and catch the CORR race? Gotta love CORR’s tv package this year with Speed, as you can’t beat Live! Rockstar/Makita/Kal-Gard’s Kyle LuDuc pwned Pro 4, Rockstar Energy/BFGoodrich’s Rob MacCachren took Pro 2, and BOSS Plow/Kumho/Amsoilʼs Chad Hord took Pro Lites. And what the Heck does this have to do with rc? Well, Thunder Tiger/AE unveiled their new rc CORR truck at the event, that’s what!

Dubbed the SC8, which stands for “short course”, the new AE rc CORR truck is based off their extremely fast RC8 nitro platform. The trucks look phenomenal, very scale, even down to the tires and mud-flaps. But will it be a bigger hit than the Traxxas Slash? Oh, it’ll be a hit alright, but don’t expect to see as many of them as the Slash. The Slash has a much better price point, and, it’s electric, which is all the rage now. I’m also disappointed to see the SC8 being a nitro, as it’s obvious the industry is swinging hard to electric now, but, I’m impressed to see AE jump into the “CORR” truck game so quickly. Industry rumor is that word about the Slash leaked out over a year ago from guys within the CORR ranks to the Thunder Tiger/AE camp, giving AE a bit of a “head’s up” to get a similar truck to market. Truth? Who knows.

Not to be outdone, Horizon/Losi released info on their 8th scale nitro buggy based Oval car this week. Dubbed the L8ight, this is what you get when you take one of their 8th scale off-road buggys and convert it for oval use. Does it look trick? Sorta. Will it suddenly be the boost that dirt oval needs so desperately? I don’t think so. But, it will open a lot of eyes, and provide lots of enjoyment to owners. I’ve seen converted 8th scale dirt oval cars race, and they look like a blast! Very realistic, lots of roost, tons of fun!

Now, if Thunder Tiger/AE and Horizon/Losi can FINALLY release their BL/Li-po 8th scale RTR’s! I-Hobby, you’ll see.

As previously posted by Brian on the main page, Tekin’s former sales and marketing man, “Scooter” has opened up a new BL and Li-po company. Scooter has been a warm face to see at many a race, and I personally wish him the best on his new business venture. The BL/Li-po sector is a hard one to break into, but Scooter is a down to Earth guy that knows what racers are looking for. I am looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table.

Lastly, Red Bull Cola tastes awesome! It tastes best well chilled, just like normal Red Bull. It is quite strong, but very pleasing. If you can find a can, it’s worth a sip or two.

Till next week, support your local tracks and LHS’s, and check BigSquid daily for the latest and greatest!

Your Cub Reporter

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So, what truck has turned out to be the surprise hit of 2008 thus far? Two words- Traxxas Slash! Everybody seems to love the truck- hobby shops, tracks, bashers, racers, hacks, scale guys, pro’s, brushless lovers, and noobs.

Myself, along with many in the rc industry, have constantly ragged on Traxxas in the past. But you simply can’t argue with the success their new Slash truck is having.

Hobby shops love the Slash because they can’t keep them in stock. Tracks love them because they are the hottest electric class going right now. Basher’s love’em because they are hard to break. Racers love’em because they drive well and go around the track in a way that reminds them of a real Pro-2. Hacks love’em because of the large bumpers- you can put more “love’n” on the guy in front of you without breaking your own truck. Scale guys love’em because finally there is a truly race-able vehicle on the market that is actually close to scale. Pro’s love’em because they are simply a blast to drive. Brushless guys dig how you can throw in pretty serious power without the tranny blowing it’s guts up. And noobs love’em just because they look so trick.

Traxxas are no strangers to pwn’ing the sales floors in most hobby shops. AE and Losi might get all the big props, but Traxxas makes the money. The T-Maxx virtually saved the sport at the turn of the century. All their other models meet reasonable price points, give large bang-for-the-buck, and have much above average reliability. Traxxas’s distribution chain is also one of their strong points (and object of envy to most other chassis manufactures)- you can walk into nearly any hobby shop in the
country and find plenty of Traxxas parts. Their latest nitro engines and chassis designs are literally marvels of engineering. And now, after the release of the Slash- it’s even more obvious they have their heads in the right place. Release something fresh, release something that is simply FUN.

And what could possibly be even more fun than a scale electric Pro-2 truck? Well Traxxas has already answered that one as well. Last week Traxxas released information on their new “Slayer“- a nitro 4wd truck that looks just like a Pro-4! The truck features their powerful, yet easy to tune 3.3 engine, aluminum shocks set-up like the Revo, and attractive Pro-4′ish body and tires.

So how long till the Slash/Slayer clones start hitting the market? Well, years ago, after the runaway success of the T-Maxx, it took nearly 2 years for the clones to come out. I predict it won’t take nearly that long this time around.

It’s a no brainer to predict that producing kits closer to scale is going to be the next rage in the industry. This will actually be one that I look forward to!

Support your local hobby shops and tracks, and check in daily on the fastest growing
rc web-site on net- BigSquidRC!

Your Cub-Reporter

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This just in from RPM RC. If you are one of the people running out to get the new Traxxas Slash, RPM RC already has some parts that are compatible! That’s awesome news, since bashers NEED to upgrade to RPM. Here’s the list:
#80242 - Black Front a-arms
#80245 - Blue Front a-arms
#80712 - Caster Blocks
#80372 - Front Bearing Carriers
#80382 - Rear Bearing Carriers
#80852 - Front Shock Tower
#80832 - Rear Shock Tower
#70322 - Black Shock Spring Clips
#70325 - Blue Shock Spring Clips
#70327 - Yellow Shock Spring Clips
#70328 - Purple Shock Spring Clips
#73152 - Black Lower Shock Spring Cups
#73155 - Blue Lower Shock Spring Cups
#73157 - Yellow Lower Shock Spring Cups
#73158 - Purple Lower Shock Spring Cups

Go upgrade, then go BASH!

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