New models that come without battery include-

2407X Bandit VXL 1/10 scale electric buggy, street- $315
3607X Stampede VXL 1/10 scale monster truck, street- $330
3707X Rustler VXL 1/10 scale stadium truck, street- $325
3908X E-Maxx Brushless Edition 4WD monster truck, street- $640
5607X Summit 4WD electric monster truck, street- $565
5608X E-Revo Brushless Edition 4WD electric racing monster truck, street- $680
6708X Stampede 4X4 VXL electric monster truck, street- $400
6807X Slash 4X4 Ultimate 1/10 Scale 4WD short-course truck, street- $540
6808X Slash 4X4 1/10 Scale 4WD short course racing truck RTR, street- $390

Expected release date on most models is early June, for more information on all things Traxxas THIS is the link to their official website.

What else has Traxxas been up to? Check out THIS LINK right here on BigSquidRC.

Cubby – First off I would like to add some info/data to the answer I gave Dave B in last weeks ASK Cubby. Dave’s email basically said that “C” ratings on Lipo batteries seem to be a bit shady, and well, you need to read LAST WEEKS COLUMN to see how I replied.

A bit over a year we reviewed a Zeus 3S 850 mah Lipo pack. Our West Mountain CBA is fully capable of testing a pack of that size to its stated “C” rating, so of course we did just that. The pack was rated at 25C, which is 21.25 amps, and after testing the pack lived under that load. At 25C the pack exhibited a big horseshoe in the discharge curve, meaning it was being pushed to its limit, but otherwise it didn’t get too hot and lived to fight another day.
If anyone out there is looking for proof that not everyone lies about their “C” ratings, the Zeus pack we tested would make a good example. IMO a 25C continuous rating on that pack was in the ballpark, I would have considered it a rock solid 25C pack if there was no horseshoe in the discharge curve. When we dialed up the discharge rate to 30C (25.5 amps) the pack couldn’t take the load and dropped below 3 volts per cell immediately. HERE is the link for the review (with full graphs) that I am talking about.

But… a small capacity pack with a low “C” rating isn’t exactly what Dave was complaining about, so this week I broke out the West Mountain again. Yes, we’ve connected big loads to packs before, but we’ve never connected a big continuous load in a more controlled setting with the CBA. I took half of a 5000 mah 55C saddle pack and decided to go big with it, our West Mountain tops out at 120 amps continuous on a 1S/4.2 volt battery. So… what happened to our 1S 5000 55C Lipo under 120 amps continuous? It wasn’t good, LOL. The voltage immediately dipped below the 3 volt cut-off. By immediately I mean in less than 5 seconds. The curve looked like a cliff, the voltage went straight down to below the 3 volt cut-off. Also of note… I wired up the pack like it would be used in the real world, with 12 gauge wire and a Traxxas connector. The Traxxas connector got mildly warm, but the wire got straight up HOT (and I have a blister on one of my fingers to prove it). We knew the wiring was going to be the weak link in advance and our testing simply proved it. I then backed off the discharge to 100 amps with pretty much the same end result. Finally I dropped the load down to 80 amps where the pack behaved in a more “normal” manner, except the wire was still getting hot. The voltage dipped hard under 80 amps, but not below the cut-off value, and the battery itself stayed at a relatively low temp throughout the entire discharge. I am going to re-do the test later this week, this time with heavier wire and post the graphs in next weeks ASK Cubby. Is 120 amps continuous too much for the cells in a 5000 mah 55C Lipo or are they more than up to the task given heavy enough wiring? More info next week on this one.

Hello Bigsquid,
I have a brand new Slash, what is the first mod I should do? I was thinking a brushless system but don’t know what is a good brand.
Emilio

Cubby- Yo what’s up Emilio, thanks for the email and mad props for the super easy question. I have a very clear cut first mod on the Traxxas Slash- new hinge pins. The stockers are made out of butter and like to work their way loose. Uber hinge pins are a relatively affordable mod that makes the truck more durable, easier to work on, and can improve the way it drives. They don’t add to the bling factor, but good hinge pins won’t bend and won’t back out, making them worth their weight in gold. I’ve used two different brands- Pro-Line and ST racing Concepts. The Pro-Line Set runs about $22 and are super easy to install. The STRC set sells for $18 and I’ve also had good luck with them. Both sets can also take a pretty intense beating. You can barely tap a pipe and bend the stockers while after slamming a cement curb the aftermarket pins remain straight as an arrow. Pick a set and install’em, you’ll be thanking me later.

The next hop-up/mod I would recommend wouldn’t be a brushless system either, it would be a good Lipo battery. Not only will a good Lipo give you more power and run-time, but having an extra battery around comes in really handy. Check out one a 2S Venom 5000 mah pack, they have good performance, don’t break the bank, and are readily available from most hobby shops.

The Race Duty CVD bones are made out of aluminum, thus saving weight and reducing rotating mass. Less rotating mass yields quicker acceleration and longer run-times, something everyone is looking for. Steel is used for the out-drives and axles for increased durability.

MIP part number #13105 is for the front of the Traxxas Rally and Slash 4×4 while part number #13115 fits the rear. For the Traxxas Stampede or Rustler you’ll want part number #13110. Retail pricing is $60 a pair, for more information THIS is the link to the MIP website.

To check out more MIP news on BigSquidRC, THIS is the link you want.

The Parma Rally Xtreme is available right now. The part number is #1239 and it has a retail price of $50. For more information on everything Parma THIS IS the link to their official website.

Check out THIS LINK for more Parma news right here on BigSquidRC.

File this one deep in the rumor mill drawer, but we have started hearing some rumblings about a possible new 1/5th scale coming from Traxxas! This is one of those brothers, uncle’s, roomate’s cat sort of deals, but the last time we reported a Lowered Slash Traxxas Rumor we got a LCG chassis a few months later, and the one before that we heard about a dragster with a timing system…. just saying..
To add some even more crazy to the rumor, we heard something along the lines of a dragster/funny car! I could believe a 5th scale.. but a 5th scale funny car? While there would be a few people that would LOVE it.. because I know a handful of people who actually run large scale drag racing.. I’d have to think that is not where the big sales numbers are at.

Take it for what it’s worth.. just a rumor.. any takers on this one? Comments are open.. lets hear em!

Looking for more Traxxas news? Check out THIS LINK.

Recently the crew over at Pro-Line posted a “Sneak Peek” of their upcoming Trencher 2.2 for 1:16 E-Revo. Soon all you 16th scale E-Revo drivers will be able to enjoy all the great characteristics of the Trencher too. We’ll have more information on the 2.2 Trencher soon, until then hit up the official Pro-Line Website to see all the other goodies they have.

Are you a big fan of Pro-Line? You can find more Pro-Line news at THIS LINK right here on BigSquidRC.

Hey Big Squid,
It’s Luke L from Florida. I was just wondering what would be a good starter car forCompetition grade Rc racing. I’d like to know if you know of any good cars for a dirt (actually clay) track. I’m willing to spend about $100-$200 and possibly go a bit over my limit.

They use buggy, Truck, and short course I believe. Here is a link www.newredhobbies.com . (I’m thinking of short course but, I don’t know too much about Rc cars) Also short course is allowed in all category’s so it seems dominant.

Cubby- Yo hey Luke, congrats homie, I have selected your email as “Letter of the Month” and thus you are entitled to an uber BigSquidRC t-shirt. Hit Brian up with your snail mail and he’ll get one on the way to ya.
So what’s a the best “competition grade” vehicle for $100-200? Wow, that’s a pretty tight budget there, but you do have some options. While not “competition grade”, I would recommend the ECX Torment SCT to stay in your price range. Sticker price on the Torment is only $190 and would be a decent truck to get your feet wet with. It’s not going to break any lap records, but it handles well, can take a good beating, and most importantly- is affordable to try out. If you race it for a while and decide this hobby is for you then you can really break open the coffers.
I’m also going to recommend one more vehicle to you, the Durango DESC210 RTR. Why would I recommend it to you? The Durango RTR is much more a race vehicle, and in RTR trim, the thing is a bashing beast. I spent an afternoon ramming it full speed into trees, ditches, off roofs, and broke literally nothing. Being a noob racer you are going to hit a lot pipes (and HARD) and the DESC210 RTR is going to allow you to have some huge slams without a bunch of wrenching afterwards.
However, there are three downsides to the Durango. The first being price, the second being its motor, and the third being its tires. Durango just dropped the pricing on the DESC210 RTR to $290, so it’s a bit over your budget, but if you can break out some extra cash it will be worth it down the road. Also, the included motor is a 17.5 sensored unit. Ya, I know all the local race morons are ga-ga over 17.5′s, but to me they are the dumbest thing ever created by man. The 17.5 “stock” brushless class basically makes you gear a motor to death to keep up. Bluntly- that is incredibly dumb. I’d recommend bolting in a lower turn motor for some real power that lasts. Lastly, the stock tires work fine on certain surfaces, but not well on prepped tracks. Pro-Line has numerous tires alternatives that will give you the grip you need to actually compete (and be easier to drive on a track). Of course these upgrades are going to put a hit on your wallet, but the Durango with proper tires and motor is an animal on the track and well worth the moolah. Best of luck and let us know what you end up buying. Don’t forget the pics!

Cubby
What is your honest opinion of Traxxas product right now? Is it as good as everyone says it is?
Big fan and thanks,
Adam R.

Cubby- I just love loaded questions like this one, so sure, I’ll answer it. I mean that’s what I get paid to do right? You didn’t ask me what I thought of Traxxas as a company, you state “Traxxas product”, so here it goes… If I had to give a one word reply it would be “dated”, “neglected”, or even perhaps “overpriced”. Ya sure, they’ve got some newer platforms like the Rally/Slash 4×4, the drag car and the XO-1, but a large part of their product line-up was engineered back in the mid-90′s. IMO the real meat of their products, vehicles like the Pede, Rustler, and Maxx’s, are overdue for a ground up overhaul.

But… Traxxas obviously has some upsides- their customer service and parts availability top the list. If you get a new truck and it’s messed up Traxxas customer service has a great reputation for bending over backwards to make it right. Even more importantly, when you do end up breaking your new truck most local hobby shops stock a prodigious amount of Traxxas parts. Even the little mom and pop shops that carry more Dungeons and Dragons than rc typically have at least the bare essentials of Traxxas parts on hand, and that can’t be said about any other brand. Finally, the quality control on most Traxxas parts is good, certainly on par with some of the brands known for “racing” gear. Ya sure, the knucklehead racing crowd loves to talk about what crap quality all Traxxas product is, but to say that means they’ve never compared parts next to each other without bias. Ya sure, the racer dude may have paid twice as much for brand XYZ so he thinks he needs to justify the extra price by throwing Traxxas under the bus, but if you do an honest evaluation most Traxxas parts stack up just as good as some of the racer brands. Is Traxxas as good as everyone says it is? Now that’s a hard one. I’ve only got two choices for an answer, yes or no, so I think I’m going to go with “No”. Here’s why- the competition has caught up and passed Traxxas in many product categories. For instance, lets look at the Stampede, perhaps the biggest seller Traxxas has ever produced. The Pede finished last in our 2wd MT shootout last year. The Pede is still
a good truck, but the competition has put out better trucks that are priced lower. Sadly that is the story for much of the Traxxas product line-up, there are now better and less expensive alternatives to be had.

Part #6968 is the rear wheels, which come pre-glued with belted tires rated for 70+ mph. Part #6969 are the fronts which also come pre-mounted with 70+ mph tires. Pricing is $125 for the rears, and $45 for the fronts. Click HERE for the official Traxxas webpage.

To catch up on your Traxxas news just click RIGHT HERE.

Pro-Line designed the new Desert Militia MT to fit all the popular Traxxas monster trucks like the Revo, Summit, and Maxx series trucks. The part number is #3401-00 and it has a street price of $32.

How about some more Pro-Line News right here on BigSquidRC?

Hi my name is Eli
I have the traxxas slash 4×4 ultimate edition came with the lcg chassis. Well my steering servo gave out i told traxxas i was having problems with it they sent me a replacement one since it came from the factory like that. Well i got tired of waiting for it to come in so i went for a drive and smacked a tree at 50mph and snapped my chassis. Is there any way i can just get the chassis i dont need the conversion as mine came like that already. I just bought it feb 16th i believe and i broke it like a week later lol. So i just need the chassis. My local hobby said a week when i broke it then it turned into the end of march, now its almost the end of april and no chassis. Can you help?

Cubby- Yo what’s up Eli, it sounds like you are having the same problem a lot of people are. The Traxxas part number #7422 LCG “chassis only” isn’t in stock at the major distributors, thus the reason why your LHS can’t get ya one. The conversion kits aren’t in stock either, so ya, you’ve pretty much gotta wait it out a little longer. The only word I could find out on the chassis was another couple weeks before they hit the distributors.
Traxxas has typically been known for having a great parts supply, so it’s not often when people have been forced to wait on replacement parts. Hang in there just a little longer Eli, or you can just convert your Slash 4×4 to the high ground clearance model, which is arguably better for bashing anyways.

Hi…
Just really try to establish who and where people are meeting and bashing in uk.. in in peterborough so maybe a way away from you.. any information on good sites to make contacts and info on any events that go on around uk would be great…
I have E-revo mamba monster, revo 3.3′s and Tmaxx
Cheers Dean E.

Cubby- Yo what’s up bro, and thanks for the email.
You have just asked an age old question, “How do I find other people to bash with?”. Of course bashing by yourself is fun, but the more the merrier certainly holds true when it comes to rc. Back in the old days, pre-internet, it boiled down to keeping your eyes open and asking around at your LHS. Today, both of those still hold true. The guys working behind the counter of your LHS talk to a lot of different people each day, if there are people meeting up most likely they would have heard about it. If they have not heard of anyone meeting up locally to bash, shoot’em your contact info in case someone else comes in looking. About searching on the internet, I would recommend the MSUKForums to you. Those guys re-post some of our pr’s and seem like cool dudes, so check them out. If there is bashing going on in the UK, you’ll probably find it there, if not, put up a new post and see if anyone responds. Best of luck and shoot us some pics from your first UK bash.