Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

[Mountainsofbeer]

I'm ruffly 13.5-14hrs. into my TRX-4 over one hour with a 6yr old driving and toggling the diffs like it was going out of style and no issues yet even being a pound or so heavier than stock. Everything underneath (driveshafts, links etc.) is scratched to hell though will probably have to replace the driveshafts eventually and maybe a rock will take a link end out. i'd guess at this point i'm leaning towards a problem with the two-speed or linkage/servo to take it out before anything else just based on how clunky it feels when it engages.

I have spend more than $150 on RTRs it does get out of hand and I see your point. If your going to spend the money anyway why not just spend it once with a kit version. for me it was having a nice painted body (I hate painting and i'm bad at it) and an assembled car to touch and stare at immediately lol. if it wasn't for impulse and watching all these cool RC youtube vids I wouldn't be here so RtRs probably bring in some guys like me that eventually will get kits

[CoolRunning]

What does everyone think the clicky sound is in the drivetrain? They are pretty clunky changing gear but it stays in gear perfectly though. I feel it needs a far stronger shift servo as my axial is very smooth and silent in comparison. Mine developed a very squeaky bearing pretty quick and I greased the back axle to hopefully eliminate it (wow thought my Rock Rey had a lot of screws! Ha). I'll get a bearing kit for it soon and do a full disassembly to learn the truck. It didn't have really any grease in the portals or diff. Tiny amount basically.

I think the test bar none is exocaged roc412 powered TRX4. Check the vid of how fast it is. If that beast hasn't exploded into little bits already I think we brushed guys are looking sweet long term!

My 7 yo (and yes me as well) hit the various switches like coked up retirees at a pokey den with a bag of stolen money and I get no servo buzzing at all and no issues with any shifts of any kind. The RTR servo gets surprisingly warm though. Imagine a truck at this price and then adding another $100 just because of a quality servo; it might price it far out of reach and might not even be the brand you like. I think the RTR works fine for trailing and light crawling myself. I wish Savox came out with a monster 500oz waterproof servo but I think the best is about 300oz @ 6v. Paying $200AUD for a silly servo to get good power and waterproofing is agonising and I'm not sure I can do it in all honesty.

[Col_Sanders]

For the most part, I just don't run RTR electronics on anything for long. It does kinda suck that you can buy a whole truck for the price of a good ESC, brushless motor, and servo, but its a hobby....I don't have a hobby that isn't like that. Trucks, guns, R/C, ATVs, paintball...Any of those hobbies can bleed you dry.

Anyway, I'm happy with the truck so far. I'm running a Roc 412 on 3S. I broke the stock pinion gear while doing wheelies on pavement, but threw on a 12t Axial pinion and haven't had another problem.

I am running a stock 10.2 body on mine. It did great at Axialfest.

[clm]

My current honest thoughts about this Trx-4... is Traxxas is taking their sweet time shipping it to my local hobby shop. Ordered it about a month ago now and Traxxas keeps telling them they shipped it but it as of yet not showed up. The beginning of next week.. thursday or friday.. monday or tuesday.. thursday or fri.....

Grrr...

The $66 HG p402 kit is likely to beat it here

[HOLLYWOOD33]

Originally Posted by Col_Sanders

For the most part, I just don't run RTR electronics on anything for long. It does kinda suck that you can buy a whole truck for the price of a good ESC, brushless motor, and servo, but its a hobby....I don't have a hobby that isn't like that. Trucks, guns, R/C, ATVs, paintball...Any of those hobbies can bleed you dry.



Anyway, I'm happy with the truck so far. I'm running a Roc 412 on 3S. I broke the stock pinion gear while doing wheelies on pavement, but threw on a 12t Axial pinion and haven't had another problem.



I am running a stock 10.2 body on mine. It did great at Axialfest.

Any modification, or did it simply drop on the chassis?

[Mountainsofbeer]

Originally Posted by CoolRunning

What does everyone think the clicky sound is in the drivetrain? They are pretty clunky changing gear but it stays in gear perfectly though. I feel it needs a far stronger shift servo as my axial is very smooth and silent in comparison. Mine developed a very squeaky bearing pretty quick and I greased the back axle to hopefully eliminate it (wow thought my Rock Rey had a lot of screws! Ha). I'll get a bearing kit for it soon and do a full disassembly to learn the truck. It didn't have really any grease in the portals or diff. Tiny amount basically.

I think the test bar none is exocaged roc412 powered TRX4. Check the vid of how fast it is. If that beast hasn't exploded into little bits already I think we brushed guys are looking sweet long term!

My 7 yo (and yes me as well) hit the various switches like coked up retirees at a pokey den with a bag of stolen money and I get no servo buzzing at all and no issues with any shifts of any kind. The RTR servo gets surprisingly warm though. Imagine a truck at this price and then adding another $100 just because of a quality servo; it might price it far out of reach and might not even be the brand you like. I think the RTR works fine for trailing and light crawling myself. I wish Savox came out with a monster 500oz waterproof servo but I think the best is about 300oz @ 6v. Paying $200AUD for a silly servo to get good power and waterproofing is agonising and I'm not sure I can do it in all honesty.

ha its funny the locking diffs would be a big hit with kids

it's fairly high up maybe you'll get away with a non waterproof one if its cheaper. I try not to go deeper than the hubs when I'm around water

Mine makes a steady click and some racket when in 1st gear especially. After hearing other peoples TRX-4s I see they all make it lol. I think it might be from transmission but so hard to tell what part of truck its coming from. If everything is greased and it still makes the noise not much you can do? All my old two-strokes kinda sound like they might explode too but they don't hehe

[Col_Sanders]

Originally Posted by HOLLYWOOD33

Any modification, or did it simply drop on the chassis?

The body posts up front are almost an exact match to the dimples in the body, but the rear posts are a bit farther back than the dimples. I'm running a stock 10.2 front bumper on the rear. It doesn't stick out far like the rear bumper would. I had to trim a little bit off rear of the body on the bottom.

[clm]

Originally Posted by clm

My current honest thoughts about this Trx-4... is Traxxas is taking their sweet time shipping it to my local hobby shop...

It's here it's here it's... servo sucks 125oz inch would be a great servo... for a 2wd buggy or truck. On the TRX-4 it only has enough torque to move the front tires if it is on flat ground with nothing next to them, have a gnat fly next to the side of the front wheel and they refuse to move! lol

Time to make a list of the possible replacements to buy one, along with the link module and a Castle 2.0 WP BEC.

Chris

[Tossedman]

I hear lots of complaints about the servo. My son and I each have one and so far the only thing that we've had to replace is one stripped servo horn.

[clm]

Ok, I just pulled apart the rear axle and... wow that is a crunchy differential. With the differential out of the axle there is enough play between the two outdrives of it for really nasty crunchy sounds from the spider gears and the outdrives dragging on the body. I can see those spider gears going out quickly if you are playing the 'lets see how big we can balloon the tires' game. I was hoping that you might be able to pack the diffs with some heavy oil and have limited slip and locked but that may not be the case, no sealing of any sorts, it would just leak past the outdrives. Big frowny face...

I might try to get a video if I can manage a way to do that without the phone falling over :p

https://youtu.be/9eKdpGehvy0

Gears and shafts look perfect, there is some roughness spinning the two outputs in their respective diff halfs. A bit of high voltage brushless lipo action with the diff unlocked and the insides would be toast.

[Meatwad]

Things seem to be staying together on 3s with an mmp/castle slate 2800kv. It'll do one leggers on the pavement and drag brake endos while chasing my dog.

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by Tossedman

I hear lots of complaints about the servo. My son and I each have one and so far the only thing that we've had to replace is one stripped servo horn.

Yes, servo could be stronger, but if you're on a budget it could last awhile. I prefer steering on demand, so mines getting swapped out, with an aluminum horn.

Originally Posted by clm

Ok, I just pulled apart the rear axle and... wow that is a crunchy differential. With the differential out of the axle there is enough play between the two outdrives of it for really nasty crunchy sounds from the spider gears and the outdrives dragging on the body. I can see those spider gears going out quickly if you are playing the 'lets see how big we can balloon the tires' game. I was hoping that you might be able to pack the diffs with some heavy oil and have limited slip and locked but that may not be the case, no sealing of any sorts, it would just leak past the outdrives. Big frowny face...

Gears and shafts look perfect, there is some roughness spinning the two outputs in their respective diff halfs. A bit of high voltage brushless lipo action with the diff unlocked and the insides would be toast.

Mine are smooth while running, haven't pulled them apart yet. Spider gears (and anything else) can be shimmed. MERV (Mini E-Revo) guys have been running them in for a few batteries so that it all seats, then shimming the diffs. However, it is of course better if they don't need shimmed. Mines run on 3S only so far.

Originally Posted by Meatwad

Things seem to be staying together on 3s with an mmp/castle slate 2800kv. It'll do one leggers on the pavement and drag brake endos while chasing my dog.

That's a ton of fun!

[davemud]

Originally Posted by CoolRunning

What does everyone think the clicky sound is in the drivetrain?

My TRX4 has the click too. I checked the pinion spur to make sure the grub screw wasnt contacting anything after I realigned the mesh. Out of the box the pinion is only about half way on the spur. I ran the motor open and the click isnt from the pinion spur.

All of my metal cvs and uvs were dry so I lubed them. the truck was quieter but click is still there. If you run the truck upside down you will see side to side movement in the drive shafts. you can feel the play in the drivetrain if you rotate the drive shafts back and forth as well. I belive this is where the click comes from as it sounds the same. I don't think its a problem just a characteristic.

I imagine a pair of steel MIP shfts might eliminate it but I'm not spending 85.00 CDN per shaft to see. I just dropped 150 on the servo upgrade. Again I don't think its a problem and maybe lube in the sliders will quiet the click. I'm hoping the click isnt from play in the diffs. I'd appreciate hearing everyone's thoughts on this.

[clm]

One thing I found out with the driveshafts is that the male section is too tight inside the female section, I am a bit concerned the driveline slider binding might cause issues elsewhere. I am waiting for MIP.

[CoolRunning]

I'm wondering if mine is from the gearbox as it's bad it high gear and especially going backwards.

I have a spare SCX10 LWB MIP driveshaft sitting here so I might test how it fits in the next few days as it may be a straight up fit.

[Mudflap84]

Originally Posted by Meatwad

Things seem to be staying together on 3s with an mmp/castle slate 2800kv. It'll do one leggers on the pavement and drag brake endos while chasing my dog.

I put the mamba micro/2850kv combo in yesterday and now my daughters cat has is the one being persuedI ran 2 3s packs thru it and couldn't break anything(yet).I thought I ordered a 39T spur from rpp but ended up with another 45T.Anyway,my front diff quit unlocking prior to this.The plastic shift collar/fork needs an after market metal upgrade.I lubed the cable,monkeyed with the adjuster and got it working again. As I said in another post,I highly recommend disassembling the tranny and diffs and getting some light WP grease in there:mine were bone dry.This helps cut down on the noise and all the shifty buttons and servos will thank you. The drive shaft slip yokes are WAY too tight.I had a hell of time with the front one when I pulled the tranny. I had a Dingo and Poison Spyder rtr and sunk a lot of money in them,so I guess $450 in upgrades later,the trx 4 seems to be right on track.I'm like MountainsofBeer-instant gratification,then regroupOh yeah;every fastener that has touched water is rusting,WTF?

[clm]

Originally Posted by CoolRunning

I'm wondering if mine is from the gearbox as it's bad it high gear and especially going backwards.

I have a spare SCX10 LWB MIP driveshaft sitting here so I might test how it fits in the next few days as it may be a straight up fit.

Just a thought, do you have the noise with the diffs locked?