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Dedicated Traxxas Stampede 4X4 VXL thread - mods, breakages, upgrades, discussion!

54K views 93 replies 17 participants last post by  cragv 
#1 · (Edited)
12 MONTH UPDATE: I've just replied with pics, full mod list and Q&A after 1 years' ownership. Jump to post #79 in this thread.
24 MONTH UPDATE: another year with the same truck and a few more thoughts on minor issues (there aren't many!). Jump to post #83 to read it.
6 YEAR UPDATE: it's now a Slash 4X4 LCG, jump to post #94 to check it out. Photobucket ruined this old thread; I've fixed some of the images but it's now a bit of a mess! Sorry.

Why this thread? There are a few discussions on AusRC relating to the Stampede VXL already - I searched and found three, which are about the 'new stampede' (from 2010, thread now off-topic), a spare parts discussion and asking 'Should I buy one?'. There's quite a lot of talk about the Slash VXL and the Stampede XL-5 here, but what we don't seem to have in the Electric 1/10 Scale sub-forum is an central discussion thread that is just for owners of the Stampede 4X4 VXL. As a new owner of one of these tough little trucks, rather than adding to pre-purchase threads, it'd be great to have one place to talk mods, breakages and upgrades!


Breakages so far:
Bent rear LHS shock shaft (straightened and filed smooth; Ti shaft purchased)
Bent centre driveshaft (Not bent after all! Gravel in its cover made it look that way)
Snapped lower wheelie bar mount (will be JB-welded then upgraded if breaks again)
Slight crack in Pro-line body rear tray hole, despite nylon washer

Automotive tire Plant Fence Terrestrial animal Grass
Plant Fence Terrestrial animal Grass Groundcover
Plant Beak Bird Grass Fence

(Photo credit: Sandman77 of AusRC)


Mods/Upgrades completed:

Pro-Line Trencher 2.8" on Desperado wheels
Lowered body mounts (looks much better now!)
2x 20mm Sunon fans on motor heatsink with Dodgy Pebble Guard (TM)
Nylon body washers affixed to rear body holes
Pro-Line Chevy Silverado HD2500 body painted Pearl White
RPM Wide Front Bumper
MIP X-Duty Rear CVD (in anticipation of 3S bashing)
Aluminum Shock Caps
Traxxas ESC cooling fan
Slash/Stampede sway bar kit

Tire Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire Car
Tire Automotive tire Light Wheel Toy



Planned Mods/Upgrades:
Thermal transfer compound between heatsink and motor
Battery expansion to accommodate 3S 6400mAh LiPO
Titanium rear shock shafts (ready to install)
RPM Front/Rear A-Arms (ready to install; awaiting breakages)
32P 9T pinion (ready to install; will fit once 3S battery arrives)
T-bone racing wheelie bar (TBR62105) - will buy if my JB-weld fix doesn't last
Tekno R/C Big Bone Center Driveshaft TKR6755 - will buy if new shaft bends again
RPM rear hub carrier (#80382) and new bearings - will buy if/when stockers break
Aluminium wheel hubs for front (mainly for Trenchers+3S)
Turnigy motor Heatsink & Fan combo (on the way to replace my DIY efforts!)


Most Useless mod: LED spotties (TRA6784). I thought this was a good idea at the time but it was just a waste of money. Sure, it looks alright but meh, this thing is fun already without adding silly bling. Installation was a snap though and Traxxas' smart forward-thinking design shines through, as it looks factory from receiver to bull-bar.

Favourite Upgrade: definitely the Trenchers. Instead of insto-360 machine, the truck is now planted on loose gravel, pulls hard in a straight line and even wheelies at speed. Love it, well-worth the investment!

Runner-up fave upgrade:
sway bars are a close second to the Trenchers. Corners at speed better now, with less roll-overs and more traction. What's not to like?

Plant Sky Wheel Tire Tree
Plant Sky Tree Fence Street light

(Photo credit: Sandman77 of AusRC)


My Experience: I bought mine at Tower Hobbies and used one of their email discount codes, coming to a shipped total of AUD$399. Parts largely from eBay sellers in the USA. I've had mine for a few weeks now and have properly run it three times so far. Each time it has been subjected to massive crashes thanks to my noob driving, big air and one to two full 2S 5800mAh LiPO packs. I've had a few breakages but it is very easy to work on and parts are cheap.

My initial experience confirms it has been a good purchase. I was tossing up between this and a Thunder Tiger MT4 but for the flexibility of being able to tune for off-road handling versus actual jumping, I feel I've made the right choice. Parts availability and alternatives are affordable and plentiful. The size of the truck is great for portability and it isn't hard on batteries. The included TQi radio system is excellent, by the way. Simple to use but very customisable for what it is, and comes with all kinds of programmability and options. (Don't tell him, but I've organised with family & a friend to join to buy my brother one for his birthday soon. We've been crawling together for a couple of years and now I know he's interested in the crazy chaos of this truck. Can't wait to see his face when he gets the box!)

So, anyone else want to talk Stampede 4X4 VXL experiences, mods, breakages, etc? Let's talk! Cheers guys :) -Craig (Eltham North, VIC)
 
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#2 ·
Good choice on the trenchers I have them on the rear of my Pede 2wd.
 
#4 · (Edited)
They're certainly impressive. I'm a little concerned I'm going to melt the plastic wheel hexes that came with the MIPs once I run 3S. They're a non-standard oval shape so I'm not sure I'll be able to find Alu ones to fit. May be able to drill/file out the shape and sink a little allen nut into the side, worst-case. We'll see if the plastic holds up, I guess!

Cheers for the photo credit craig. Nice write up and great looking pede you have.
Thanks for the effort and awesome photos, Sandman! Seriously, it was a great surprise to see them posted in the Sycamore thread :)
 
#9 ·
These guys make killer stuff for bashing. Their bumpers on your Stampy will offer very good protection.
http://t-bone-racing.net/Brand-N-Z/Traxxas/Stampede-4x4-c291/

They also make little skid plates that go under the suspension arms. They stop your arms from getting damaged from underneath and leading edges if you are runing over rough/rocky terrain. I think they are located in the Slash 4x4 section.

Sent from my GT-I9210T using Tapatalk 2
 
#11 ·
Here's my Stampede 4x4...



Upgrades include a Castle Creations 3800KV & Mamba Max Pro, Traxxas Sway Bars, Pro-Line Trenchers, Pro-Line Body Mount Kit & J-Concepts F250 Super Duty Body.

Have just received some Pro-Line Power Shocks which will be going on shortly...
 
#12 ·
Here's my Stampede 4x4...

Upgrades include a Castle Creations 3800KV & Mamba Max Pro, Traxxas Sway Bars, Pro-Line Trenchers, Pro-Line Body Mount Kit & J-Concepts F250 Super Duty Body.

Have just received some Pro-Line Power Shocks which will be going on shortly...
Looks good! How do you find the motor & ESC over stock? You're running 3S presumably - what gearing? I've been experimenting and think Traxxas got it just right with 11/54 for 2S, but I suspect that 12 or 13t pinion would be the ticket for 3S... apart from heat! (Which is where your upgrade comes in, I suppose).
 
#13 ·
The Castle ESC and motor combo is brilliant - Castle had their Black Friday sales which was another opportunity to pick them up on the cheap. I ended up cooking my stock ESC when running it on 3S which is why upgraded. I'm running a 13t pinion and have also fitted the cooling fan shroud for the Castle motors. I run it 50/50 on 2S and 3S and don't have issues regarding heat. I've also heard the Hobbywing and Tenshock combos are also good options if you're looking to upgrade.
 
#14 ·
The Castle ESC and motor combo is brilliant - Castle had their Black Friday sales which was another opportunity to pick them up on the cheap. I ended up cooking my stock ESC when running it on 3S which is why upgraded. I'm running a 13t pinion and have also fitted the cooling fan shroud for the Castle motors. I run it 50/50 on 2S and 3S and don't have issues regarding heat. I've also heard the Hobbywing and Tenshock combos are also good options if you're looking to upgrade.
Interesting, thanks for the info. 50/50 gearing, eh? What sort of top speed do you think you're getting on 3S? Must be rather quick!

Something I'd love to know about your experience with the stock ESC when running 3S - were you using the fan on the ESC when you cooked it? I don't want to have to upgrade too soon and already have cooling installed on my motor and ESC. Am hoping to bash on 3S without ESC/motor failure. Will be adjusting gearing based on temperatures, so this is hopefully a reasonable expectation. Am I being realistic?
 
#15 ·
The 50/50 related to the amount of usage on 2S and 3S, not gearing. Stock ESC lasted one 10min session on 3S running on grass. Wasn't using the fan but it was in moderate temperatures (in April/May of this year). the ESC developed push-truck syndrome where you had to give it a nudge to get it going after coming to a complete stop.

To be honest I would have thought it would have lasted a bit longer but I may have had a dud ESC.
 
#16 ·
Ah, I did read that rather quickly. Reality makes sense again! I've got a selection of pinion and spur sizes here (9t-14t and 50-54t), ready for experimentation. Have heatsink and fans on both ESC and motor, so when my 6400mAh 3S arrives we'll see how the temps go. I've run it at 11/54 on 3S on short grass for 6 or 8 minutes with my current cooling setup and both ESC and motor were warm, but not hot. I guess we'll find out! I'll post back with experiment results.

Castle can expect my money sometime down the track though. I dream of standing back-flips :)
 
#17 ·
Castle can expect my money sometime down the track though. I dream of standing back-flips :)
You will need other things too for standing backflips. Mainly upgraded driveshafts. The stockers are shyte to say the least. Tekno ones look great.
For the power plant I would choose the Castle 1512 2650kv 1/8th scale motor. Will be pretty nuts on 3S but on 4S it will be just bonkers.



Sent from my GT-I9210T using Tapatalk 2
 
#19 ·
Plenty. Need a radio box from a Rustler and you need to move it to the front of the truck but motor and ESC will fit. I have fitted many 1/8th scale motors to Slash/Stampede 4x4 platforms. Stupid and unnecessary power levels but fun, fun, fun.

Sent from my GT-I9210T using Tapatalk 2
 
#23 ·
Hey guys,

I'ev just made a build thread for my stampede: WHAMpede's Stampede

I've just fitted tekno centre driveshaft, big bone kit with end drive cups, and tekno front/rear axles to suit proline arms. They are sweet! I had MIP, but too many problems with them!

I've listed breakages i've had and part numbers where possible to help!

Next up mamba motor!

Thanks for a great forum!
 
#24 ·
I've just fitted tekno centre driveshaft, big bone kit with end drive cups, and tekno front/rear axles to suit proline arms. They are sweet! I had MIP, but too many problems with them!
I had a read of your thread. Sorry to hear about your motor failure! I asked a question about gearing and heat relating to the failure as it's something I'd like to avoid in the short term at least!

Interesting experience with the MIPs, too. I found them a little complicated to build but used loctite throughout and have been happy with them so far. How long did they last on your truck before you switched to Tekno?
 
#26 ·
Interesting. I've been over my MIPs after reading this but everything is still right and secure. Guess I'll keep an eye on it

The Tekno stuff does look strong and I like the simplicity of design - seems more durable that way. Thanks for the replies.
 
#29 ·
Ah that sucks! Definitely sounds like ESC failure there, probably a voltage regulator kicked the bucket and sent the full discharge rate the battery was capable of directly into the motor. My Nanotech 6.4A 3S can do over 500A peak discharge for example, while the stock motor is rated to 320A max current. Ouch.

I ran 3S for the first time on Saturday. Here were my mistakes: Trenchers on pavement, stock slipper clutch position, 11/54 gearing, max throttle applied too soon.
Result: clutch fibre all over the transmission and that familiar burning smell. Silly Craig!

Thankfully I only ran it for two straight runs on the car park before stopping to check it. Now with a 9t pinion, tightened slipper (backed off 1/8 only) and throttle applied with mechanical sympathy, this thing flies! Seriously, awesome. The motor gets warm but not hot with the thermal transfer compound under the heatsink and fan assembly I've installed, and does this thing boogie! Woo!
 
#32 ·
The latest: I installed 13/54 and kept the Trenchers on. Went to the longest quiet straight stretch of road nearby I could find, though it is only about 400m long.

I still ran out of road, given I had to get my truck up to speed and down again without taxing the motor too hard. Wheelies even at speed were impressive, and the pizza cutter Trenchers as max speed approached were... interesting.

A bunch of semi drunk boys and girls on their walk to the nearby train station stopped to watch on my first run, which was just as I braked a little hard and used my roof to stop the last 15 meters :/

Disappointingly, the gps reception in my phone failed to work through the lexan body this time so I have no speed measurement, but I'd guess 70-75km/h. Based on my GPS reading of 45.3km/h with 9/54 gearing earlier this week, I was expecting about 65km/h on this run, but the ballooning trenchers would easily have added more speed, even if the motor didn't have the space to get all the way up to max RPM.

Will try again soon. Won't gear higher with the Trenchers, but with the stock Talons I'm going to try 17/54 once I find a nice long road! :)
 
#33 ·
Happy with high 40s to mid 50s on the motor during a hard bash on jumps and gravel with ambient temperature of 26 deg C. All good.

Unfortunately, I'm the latest victim of MIPs attacking:



The pin let go under full 3S power, just as I hit a big jump. Interestingly, I found the pin in about 10 seconds flat, but it took about ten minutes to find the axle! I'll rebuild with a sliver of heat shrink tube over the axle ends and a dab of loctite on the pins. Should do the job with the periodic replacement of the rubber.

Edit: I reckon I didn't install the MIPs properly. I used loctite but maybe didn't rotate the hinge pin correctly so that the flat part faced the lock nut squarely. I didn't have good lighting when I first put them in. This time I had light, clear desk, time and hindsight. I've cleaned and reassembled both sets and do not expect any more trouble. We'll see!
 
#34 ·
Hi, new to this forum and 1st post. I have MIPS front and rear on my Stampede 4x4 and have used red loctite after losing one of the half shafts before using red. MIP recommend red loctite and people told me to not use it because it is almost permanent. I'm using it and will use a heat gun to help soften the red lock before trying to unscrew the grub screws.

My Stampede 4x4 was bought in late Oct for my 7 year old son and there is very little left standard on this car. Awesome car to own and tonnes of fun.
 
#38 ·
Yesterday I wrapped my stampede around a metal fence pole after getting air at high speed on 3S (maybe 55km/h). It was painful to watch, with the body looking like a pancake (the roof took the brunt with the axles vertically parallel to the pole with the body sideways across the centre). It was an absolutely vicious stop.

Popped the body back out into shape, observing a few cracks around the edges of the polycarbonate tray and bonnet, and that was all that happened. I couldn't believe it, I even drove it away from the crash with the tyres rubbing on all corners prior to popping the body back into shape. Still can't believe the vehicle was undamaged. Didn't think to take a photo at the time; wish I'd had it on video as it was an epic smash. (No, I won't do it again for film!). This is one tough truck!
 
#39 ·
Tyres: the stock rubber that comes on the stampy's wheels are just about right for sealed surfaces, with a little give to allow for rough handling and cornering under power without flipping the truck (at least with sway bars installed) but on gravel and dirt they're useless, just spinning away while the truck goes nowhere.

I'm running Proline Trenchers on Desperado wheels but am finding they actually give so much grip the truck just isn't as fun as it could be on loose surfaces. That's aside from being next to useless on sealed surfaces and 3S because they turn into pizza cutters once you break about 40km/h with all that rubber on the rims.

Haven't tried Badlands yet but they may be my next port of call. I'm hoping for slightly less traction and less tyre body distortion at speed.

What are you guys running on what surfaces, and how do you find them?
 
#40 ·
in my previous experience with the trenchers vs badlands on 1/8th scale and 1/10 is that the badlands will give you more grip because there lugs are spread apart and are pretty tall so it has some bite to it,, trenchers on the other hand were good on the ERBE and terrible on my Blitz ... but badlands won't last on tarmac
 
#41 ·
Thanks, I've read about them. Am particularly interested in what other stampede 4x4 owners are running on loose surfaces, hence my posting here rather than in a general tyre thread. The trenchers hook up really well but grip is a bit too good!
 
#42 ·
I think I've also realised that the Stampede is too heavy with the Trenchers. Am even considering going down to 2S if I can find a motor that gives me sufficient torque for 13:54 gearing and decent speed, so lighter tires would be a big part of that.
 
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