Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

This is on a whim as I sit here laid up on the couch after being too hard on my ankles yesterday at a comp. I'm doing this as it could be helpful to a handful of people that really feel like throwing some parts at a Wraith. And of course you can just do certain areas as a time. I may also do what I will call "stages" to how I would go about upgrading.

Keep in mind that "bulletproof" isn't a 100% reality as with big power you can still blow up parts, especially wear items (like bearings and gears) over time. This is just what I consider the best available options. There are also options for larger pieces that I will often ignore as my goal is almost always to maintain the Wraiths appearance.

Each post will be on a specific area of the truck. So I'll get started with the typing now. Check back later.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Axles:

Front Axle
Housings: Vanquish Products - Wraith Axle
Bearing Caps: GH - TowerHobbies.com | 05270 Golden Horizons Aluminum Internal Diff Holder Silver Wr
Diff cover: Vanquish Products - WRAITH DIFFERENTIAL COVER
C-hubs: Vanquish Products - xr10, xr-10, axial,
Knuckles: Vanquish Products - axial wraith steering knuckles
Bearings: I actully recommend replacing the bearings on the pinion shaft with BUSHINGS, trust me - Just search for TRA1675 - For the rest, use FastEddy
Axle Shafts: Axial Universals - Axial Wraith Universal Set
Lockers: Hot Racing - Hot Racing Axial SCX10 AX10 Wraith Unibody SHD Differential Lock
Gears: Axial HD Axial HEAVY DUTY BEVEL GEAR SET
Truss: Vanquish Products - (pair) Wraith Axle Truss
Link Mounts: Axial - Axial Wraith AR60 OCP Machined Link Mounts
Servo Plate: No need to change
Servo Posts: GH- TowerHobbies.com | 04056 Golden Horizons Aluminum Servo Mount Black Axial AX10
Tie Rod: Vanquish Products - Wraith 3/16 Titanium Tie Rod
Drag Link: Vanquish Products - Wraith Drag Link


Rear Axle
Housings: Vanquish Products - Wraith Axle
Bearing Caps: GH - TowerHobbies.com | 05270 Golden Horizons Aluminum Internal Diff Holder Silver Wr
Diff cover: Vanquish Products - WRAITH DIFFERENTIAL COVER
Lockouts: Vanquish Products - Wraith Aluminum Lockouts
Bearings: I actully recommend replacing the bearings on the pinion shaft with BUSHINGS, trust me - Just search for TRA1675 - For the rest, use FastEddy
Axle Shafts: Coming soon
Lockers: Hot Racing - Hot Racing Axial SCX10 AX10 Wraith Unibody SHD Differential Lock
Gears: Axial Underdrive Axial HEAVY DUTY BEVEL GEAR SET 43T/13T
Truss: Vanquish Products - (pair) Wraith Axle Truss
Link Mounts: Axial - Axial Wraith AR60 OCP Machined Link Mounts

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Transmission & Driveline

Replacing Wraith style case with AX10 style case and extended outputs
Case: Vanquish Products - VP Axial AX-10 Alum Trans Housing
Top Shaft: SuperShafty #SS-112A - AXAIL BOMB PROOF MODS
Spur/slipper: Robinson 32p 56t Gen 3 Steel Slipper - Robinson Racing HP Slipper Unit 56T Gen 3 Slash
Idler gear: Robinson Racing - Robinson Racing Hardened Steel Idler Gear Wraith
Final Gear: Robinson Racing - Robinson Racing Hardened Steel Bottom Diff Gear Wraith
Outputs: SuperShafty #SS-111 - Needs to be modified to 6mm AXAIL BOMB PROOF MODS
Bearings: Teamfasteddy.com
Motor plate: BWD - FOFF Motor Plate
Driveshafts: MIP - MIP C-Drive Spline Set for Axial AX10 Scorpion (2)
Driveshaft hub: MIP - TowerHobbies.com | 08137 MIP Drive Hub 6mm E-Revo/Maxx

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Suspension:

Lower links: Vanquish Products - Wraith Titanium Lower Links
Upper links: Vanquish Products - Wraith Titanium Upper Link Arms
Shocks: Proline Powerstroke
Lower Ride - Pro-Line POWERSTROKE SLASH FRONT SHOCKS
Taller Ride - Pro-Line POWERSTROKE SLASH REAR SHOCKS
Chassis side shock ball: Dlux - Big Bore Shock Ends
Sway bar: Axial
Front - Axial Wraith™ Sway Bar Set Front (Soft, Medium, Firm)
Rear - Axial Wraith™ Sway Bar Set Rear (Soft, Medium, Firm)

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Chassis:

This is a little more complicated area. The stock chassis has a couple weak points but most can be solved without much trouble. However the fixes aren't always readily available.

Front bumper braces: RC4WD - https://store.rc4wd.com/mobile/Front...h-_p_1808.html
Bumper: Custom bumpers are your best choice, search RCC vendors
Other upgrades: DMG stiffy kit, hard to acquire but worth it! PM "the DMG"

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Upgrades (assuming RTR) in order of importantance.

Stage 1:
Axial Universals
Knuckles
Chubs
Lower links
Upper links
Steering links

Stage 2:
Tires
Wheels
Lockouts
Transmission gears
Driveshafts
Lockers
Diff covers
All bearings

Stage 3:
Shocks
Transmission Top shaft and slipper
Axle housings
Axle truss
Axle Gears
Bearing caps
Lower link/shock mounts

Stage 4:
Transmission housing swap to AX10 style
Heavy duty outputs
Swap driveshaft ends for 6mm revo style
HD rear axle shafts

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Are you going to do a write up an how to get approved for the loan you need to buy all that crap? :shock:


:flipoff:

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

wow. that's awesome.

i had forgotten how fun the wraith was while waiting 3 months for universal shafts. now i'm ready to start beating on it again and you just gave me a ton of new ideas "thumbsup"

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Before I bought mine I had read over and over that you need to do the links and I was skeptical. Well, they do need to be replaced. I'm making my own because it's more fun for me, but the VP ones listed above are extremely nice looking.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I generally make custom links for my builds but for a bulletproof setup nothing I would be machining is going to be as strong as the titanium option from VP. Sleaved links are just not strong enough and stainless bends too easy. I put my wraith through hell and I've been surprised at the strength.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I totally agree that the titanium ones are going to be stronger than the aluminum (I thread end links into thick wall tubing instead of the threaded rod with sleeve). I think the big weak point for building your own links is the set screw that threads into the link. With the VP ones, it's machined from one piece. I was looking at Ti rod and it isn't too expensive for links, but you need to buy a ton of it. Then threading the ends can be tricky. To make it cost wise worth it, you'd probably have to make about 5 sets for your trucks. Until you've done 5 sets out of Ti, then the VP is actually cheaper too.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Well looks like im gonna need to save up about 600 dollars, HAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!! :flipoff:

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Past Saturday I build my own Wraith kit, and I want to konw if exist an upgrade for the skid plate to avoid the stock attaching of the lower links to the skid plate with set screws...

The ball ends have play once the set screw if fully screwed

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Just use a normal screw and tighten it down. I have been impressed at the strength of the stock skid. RPP does carry and aluminum version but you won't be able to tighten them down to take out the slop.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Do you have a recommendation for a certain type or brand of grease/lube to use (or not use) when assembling the differentials?

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Slick 50 from most auto parts stores is great, buy it once and you'll have plenty for a year or 5!

I have been using Rock Lube lately because it's handy little squeeze bottle.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Do you mean this stuff?

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I'm guessing that you are using the revo MIP Hub to attach the drive shaft to the AX10 gear set? Because the AX10 set doesn't have the hole in the pionion shaft? I thought Axial made a HD gear set for the wraith?

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

No, in talking about at the transmission output. Axial has drilled outputs on their new gear sets.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

The reason that I ask is, I am installing a pair of SS no-slop lockers into my Wraith, and when I took it apart there was some blue grease in there on the bevel gears from the factory. It looked like Maxima WP wheel bearing grease. So I use some that I have here, and when assembled it seemed a bit sluggish. I was wondering if bearing grease might be too thick for this application?

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

It will smooth out, I use bearing grease often.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I too had trouble locating strong 4mm setscrews. What I ended up doing was purchasing 4x20 cap head bolts, grade 12.9. Thread a nut onto the bolt, thread the bolt into your already tapped link. Cutoff head of bolt with a cutoff wheel. Then un-thread the nut off the end. It will clean the threads up as it is removed, making it easy to thread into your Revo joints.

Robinson has just released a one piece lower gear that is a much better option than the steel lower gear with the stock outputs, as you are still relying on the small 2mm bolts to hold the lower gear and outputs together. Only downside is I'm sure it is much heavier than the other option.

A less expensive option than the Vanquish links is R2J's stainless set. Sure, theoretically the stainless isn't as strong as the Ti, but they've been holding up under my Wraith for monthes now. More than I can say about the chassis, and axle housings.

And a heads up, the Wraith axles, especially the fronts, aren't long enough to allow the setscrews on Felsenfest spools to fully engage on the end of the shaft. I learned this the hard way and destroyed a spool and a set of front shafts.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I was looking at those but I dont like that he is tapping the rod ends out to 10/32 instead of turning the ends of the links down to 8/32 or 4mm. Then if you replace a rod end you have to drill it out.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I would rather stay with the later and deeper 8-32 threads then with 4mm. It's also stronger.

I have ran stainless links, they just aren't strong enough when you get a heavy rig. I would go for some custom chromo links before anything stainless, not a fan at all.

The one piece locker is an option I have thought about recently, I would have to actually see what the weak point proves to be. My Wraith will likely tell us sooner then later.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

can u use a gen 3 slipper on like a bone stock transmission (besides pinion) or do you need a special shaft?

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

They make a 48p version for the Wraith but I use the heavier 32p version for the Slash which requires a larger shaft from SuperShafty.com

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

are their any other 32p options where i dont need a $27 shaft.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Not that I know of. I liked having the beefier transmission top shaft anyway though. These trucks put a lot of force down and every upgrade counts when it comes to the transmission.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

do you reomend HR's hardened steel or hardened Aluminum trans gears

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I do not like HR trans gears, I use exclusively Robinson Racing gears.

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

ok well do you like hardened alumium gears or hardened steel gears (ps. a pro4)

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

Great write up Harley!


Can you confirm something, getting ready to order these items above and finding a conflicting part number to description and I know they will be very different if ordered wrong. On your link for the RR Slipper it sends me to RPP and the slipper part number is the same as what Super Shafty offers for the RR Slipper (RR#7856) but here is the difference, RPP.com site says it's a Slash 4wd, S/S site says Slash 4wd and then looking on R/R site the part number confirms Slash 2wd. Just to make sure we should be ordering a Slash 2wd #7856 correct? I know the 2wd vs. 4wd slipper set up will be very different so i want to make sure.

Thanks as always with all your suggestions and knowledge.

Nick

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

@Harley

I see that you recommend the AX10 MIP driveshafts. Any reason that you don't recommend the more expensive Wraith specific driveshafts?

(I assume that they are essentially the same thing, and the AX10 shafts have enough length to work.)

I think when he originally wrote that, the Axial specific part was not available. There are a few dated things in his posts since he was pretty much the first to have a Wraith as well and it being difficult to maintain all the posts he has made from the past two years.

I'd assume they applied the same idea but just changed the pins to fit. I just installed them on mine and they seem like they will be perfect. Although, I haven't gotten the chance to run them yet.


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Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I run the MIP Wraith shafts and they work fine also, BUT from what I am reading this is the "BOMB PROOF" thread that outlines the NO HOLDING back approach to upgrades so in his suggestions the tranny is swapped out to a AX10 and heavily upgraded as seen at this link and pic: AXAIL BOMB PROOF MODS


http://supershafty.com/images/img1152.png

So with the output shafts being larger and AX10 style thus reason for the AX10 MIP shaft kit...... Harley or anyone correct if I am wrong, hope not:ror:.


I am currently running the Wraith tranny so after looking at the list I seen on the Super Shafty web site they offer the "BEEFY TOP SHAFT" for the AX10 and Wraith tranny so I just ordered on for my Wraith so I can load a R/R Slipper on my rig in the 32p spur. I tried the R/R in the 48p 80t spur (stock Wraith) and with my power combo it was geared wrong and slipped way to much, I didn't even run it for a full run and took it out......still need to put it up for sale.


Hope this helps....


Nick

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

gotcha. I was just wondering if it was going to be an easy way to save $20 on the price of the Wraith MIPs ($60) vs the AX10 MIPs ($40).

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

harley's guide to emptying your wallet instantly

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I am also using indestructible wraith spacific MIP drive shafts and a semi-Bomb proof tranny in my Wraith with RR metal gears the 80 tooth 48 pitch RR Gen 3 slipper and the front half of a HR metal transmission housing because the back half does not have the DIG housing and no way to support the stock output shafts. As I understand it the Super Shafty Bomb Proof tranny uses larger 8 mm output shafts and will require different drive shafts or larger MIP ends. So far my set up works fine 8)

Re: Harley's Guide to a Bulletproof Wraith
 

I am still learning here but looks like the savings is just a sub save as you would need to purchase the other items to bring it all together, great if you are going that deep into it but from the sounds of it you are not other wise we would be talking about purchasing that BOMB PROOF $250 tranny :lmao:, I am eye'ing it out for sure but till I break what I got now I have been doing well with my steps. I mostly crawl, light bashing where I think the Bomb AX10 conv. would be needed if I was on a brushless and bashing it hard like I have seen on some of the video's these guys have on youtube, looks awesome and bad ass but I have not found myself running my rig like that yet. Watch my vid in my sig, that is most what I do, some spots I have to get it hard to make it over spots so if you feel you are doing the same I have not had issues with my set up other than going 32p due to gearing options. I would get the Wraith MIP's, $20 more will save you alot more to stay away from the domino of other expense.





What is your power set up? Crawling or bashing? My RR Slipper wouldn't hold even tightened all the way with my HH 13t CrawlMaster & 3s. The gearing was way off also so I hope the new package I ordered today like Harley suggests works better with it being geared correct.