Simple Upgrades Traxxas TRX-4

Hey folks, how are you? We're going to examine some basic Traxxas TRX-4 performance enhancements today. Since their release, the TRX-4 has gained a lot of popularity. It has many mechanical features, such as cruise control and two-speed locking differentials, but it also has a slight drawback: the trucks are a little hefty. When using a crawler, you want to keep most of the weight low so the vehicle won't be agitated if it goes sideways. Our TRX-4 models have the problem of tipping over a little bit more easily because of the weight that is up high on them. Additionally, because of the spare tire and other attachments, they are rear-heavy. That being said, the concept of weight will serve as the foundation for the improvements in this paper.

How to Eliminate it Up High and How to Get More Down Low.

#1 - Lower Weight Battery

The battery is going to be the first improvement we discuss. Most people think, "Well, let's use a big stick pack, it has a lot of milliamps, it'll provide a really long runtime!" when they think of setups like this. You don't have to run a battery like this, but more milliamperes mean more run time; it may be in the hours for crawlers. There is a lot of weight up there with a stick battery in the middle. Alternatively, you can use Traxxas Mini LiPos, which comes in two varieties: the 3-cell 1400 milliamp and the 2200 milliamp. Both suit this battery compartment's recessed section incredibly well.

The battery fits nicely in that little pocket; nevertheless, you must apply a small amount of foam to the top to ensure the battery door retains it. Thanks to this recessed compartment, the battery will be positioned in the rig at its lowest point. Additionally, this battery weighs less than that large stick pack, which will help to reduce weight and lower it as much as possible.

#2 - Adding Weights

Our next improvement for the TRX-4 will be adding weight to the axle's low spots rather than removing them. Two businesses producing some desirable brass improvements for the TRX-4 are STRC and Samix. They add weight to the TRX4 with various mods, including portal covers, C hubs, hub carriers, shock link mounts, and spring perches. Performance is greatly improved because all of these components are mounted on the axle at the lowest position of the vehicle.

Doing the math, you will see that the total weight of the Samix brass steering knuckle, C hubs, portal covers, and link mounts is 12 ounces. You're adding three-quarters of a pound to the TRX-4, which will significantly impact. In addition to being attractive, these brass components have the significant benefit of helping to balance the extra weight on the back of the truck because most are placed on the front.

#3 Reducing Body Weight

Speaking of bodies, do you know what these things weigh out of the box? The tactical body weighs 594 grams, roughly 1.3 pounds, while the defender body weighs 860 grams or 1.9 pounds. To give you a better idea of body weight, we used an SCX10 II scale body made by Matt, one of our talented staff members who produce some truly amazing scale trucks.

This specific body is a four-door Lexan Wrangler. Matt has added a ton of stuff to it, including working lights, what appears to be a radiator, a nice custom grille, our light bar, light pods, an overflowing roof rack, lots of small accessories on the back, and more running lights. If we turn it over and have a look, there is also a light controller inside.  

Even though this body weighs 818 grams and has heaps of stuff on it, it is still lighter than the Defender body! We can easily improve the TRX-4's performance by making specific changes to the body. If you're comfortable with it, you can get rid of some gadgets and the extra weight on the rear of the body, or you can even get a new body that weighs much less.

These Incision stainless-steel link kits make it quite simple to change the body if you want to. A stainless-steel link kit from Incision comes with all the links required to get the truck into a 313mm wheelbase, typical for 1:10 crawlers in this class. This makes it possible to use any crawler body that is 313mm.

Converting your truck to a more conventional size is good. Since these are made of stainless steel, they weigh more than the aluminum links already on the bottom of the truck. This will increase the weight of the undercarriage, which continuously improves performance. For those who prefer to keep the stock wheelbase in place, an Incision stainless steel link kit is also available.

#4 - Adding Wheel Weight

Our final easy improvement is adding even more weight. We're discussing adding weight to the wheels this time. You will want new tires and wheels because the TRX-4's stock wheels are glued to the tire and aren't bead locks. There is a ring in the middle of deadlocks, like these Vanquish wheels, and you can put adhesive weight on it all the way around. This will add a significant amount of weight to each wheel separately and to the wheels as a whole.  

These were Vanquish beadlock wheels, which are incredibly adaptable and long-lasting due to their metal construction. They are also an excellent long-term investment. They use SLW hub beef tubes, which gives them a few advantages. We have a beef tube weight attached to this SLW hub on the wheel, which is manufactured by Beef Tube and produces additional brass weights for crawlers.

Another significant benefit of owning this wheel is the ability to put even more weight inside the hub and inside the ring. If that wasn't enough, the SLW hubs are also customizable! They are available in various lengths to offset your wheel, essentially from the axle. The truck gains stability when you increase the wheel width since it pushes the tires farther out from the axle, which is especially useful when your site is sideways or hilling.

Summary

Your TRX-4 will be more stable if you remove excess body weight and battery, but putting more weight down low will have the most significant impact. Most of the Samix components on this list are added to the front for better forward weight bias and performance. Your crawler will stay well grounded if you keep your kit forward balanced, and the additional weight will keep it tire side to the ground and look pretty damn beautiful too! Check out our YouTube video below if this post has piqued your curiosity.