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Old 07-07-2017, 08:26 PM   #1
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Default Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

I'm curious what everyone's honest thoughts are about the Traxxas TRX4? I've looked at this rig on line as well as seeing it in person. It appears to be, by all accounts, a slick and capable rig. Yes, the body is a little heavy, but in my opinion, the body is one of it's most attractive features, at least visually. The portal axles, lockable diffs and 2 speed tranny are nice, too.

So why does it seem that I see a lot of these for sale already? People bought them, used them for a little while and now posting on different sites for sale. Some reasoning I've seen state they miss this rig or that rig and so they want to return to it. If this is your only rig, then I guess I can understand that.

I've been considering one, but am on the fence.

Overall, just curious what those with the rig think of it. Worth it? Stay away from it?
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Old 07-07-2017, 08:40 PM   #2
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IMO it's a rig loaded with features (I'm not saying there isn't room for upgrades) its well built, and is sure to have aftermarket support before long. I think some sneer at at because it's a Traxxas, but I think for their first "scale crawler" they knocked it out of the park.


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Old 07-07-2017, 08:52 PM   #3
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Thanks, skybolt! I don't disagree with you. Traxxas seemed to do their homework on this one. Also agree that many will dis it simply because it is a Traxxas, which is a shame. Although I suppose I am guilty of dismissing certain products simply because it is made by such and such company. We all do it to a degree.
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Old 07-07-2017, 09:48 PM   #4
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Default Re: Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

Well worth the entry price and Traxxas raised the bar in a huge way! Enjoying mine and I love the body n cage!

Edit, no regrets!

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Old 07-07-2017, 10:38 PM   #5
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Very happy with it ,,been throwing some love at it now,,, but when ready gonna drive it and not let up..
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Old 07-08-2017, 05:23 AM   #6
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Default Re: Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

I've seen a lot of overpriced ones on ebay for $650 etc.

Have you guys ever searched for scale crawlers on Ebay.. there is a company selling those Gelandes and other models from RC4WD for like $1,400 $1,200 etc. and they are not even assembled and the electronics are shit imo. Well they make the pictures look like they are.. but if you scroll down you can see there is still work left to do when you get it. What is the deal with that l

I was about to leave the RC hobby all together before I got the TRX-4. I was so tired of fixing my Axial Yeti TT, I figured trail driving and crawling a Traxxas.. its never going to break lol. So far I was right.. even the body takes more abuse. However when it breaks it could be a more complicated fix but i'm ok with that because its not EVERY time like before so far its been no times

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Old 07-08-2017, 10:45 AM   #7
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Loving it

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Old 07-08-2017, 02:50 PM   #8
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Default Re: Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

Been looking at this for about a month - undecided until today when I did the deed. Why?

Just about every review I've seen is 95% positive. Kits costing about the same as this but requiring $150 of electronics don't have the features of this rig.

I've reviewed about 2 dozen videos and twice as many threads and became convinced.

My LHS said that some of the early servo failures were due to the servo power wire running across a hot motor melting and shorting the servo. Don't know how true that is, but it is something to watch out for.
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Old 07-10-2017, 09:16 AM   #9
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If the motor is so hot it's melting wires, that would be a red flag haha. My hobby town guy said he has not had 1 come back with a problem. He said that's a first for a new trx truck for him. But... he could have just been trying to sell me one and telling a fib. He did everything but reach in my pocket to get the money hehe
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Old 07-10-2017, 09:43 AM   #10
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Well after much deliberation (not really, pretty much had my mind made up), I pulled the trigger. So far I'm happy with my decision.

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Old 07-11-2017, 08:16 PM   #11
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We (my boy and I) are super pleased with the TRX-4, it is a pretty darn good unit.


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Old 07-11-2017, 08:47 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Trey3 View Post


We (my boy and I) are super pleased with the TRX-4, it is a pretty darn good unit.


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Are those the bronze SSD Assassin's? Not sure if they are bronze or silver and the light is just messing with my eyes. Either way, it looks nice!

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Old 07-12-2017, 05:25 AM   #13
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Are those the bronze SSD Assassin's? Not sure if they are bronze or silver and the light is just messing with my eyes. Either way, it looks nice!

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We went with bronze. I need to upgrade the light in our work shop, but we have to many RC upgrades we want to do, so lighting funds get pushed back.


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Old 07-12-2017, 03:10 PM   #14
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If the motor is so hot it's melting wires, that would be a red flag haha. My hobby town guy said he has not had 1 come back with a problem. He said that's a first for a new trx truck for him. But... he could have just been trying to sell me one and telling a fib. He did everything but reach in my pocket to get the money hehe
I zip tied the steering servo power wire away from the motor just to play it safe. I think the cost was $0.03. That's my upgrade so far.
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Old 07-13-2017, 11:39 AM   #15
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Default Re: Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

Very happy with mine. I now have two. Upgraded the steering servos - Savox 1230sg. Put a Holmes hobbies brushless in one and a crawl master brushed in the other. I ditched the bodies and painted up some Summit Apocalypse bodies. I have proline Hydrax tires on one and stock on the other. Put some Scale fab bumpers in the rears, turned the front bumper mount upside down and mounted the front stock bumpers higher. We have run them for hours and not had any issues. Very capable rigs, they stay up with my converted Wraiths with no problems. I have some Summits so the locking diffs and high low are very familiar to me and makes the TRX4 a lot of fun not only in the rocks but also bashing on the trails. Would recommend it.
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:12 AM   #16
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Default Re: Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

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Originally Posted by gfmucci View Post
Been looking at this for about a month - undecided until today when I did the deed. Why?

Just about every review I've seen is 95% positive. Kits costing about the same as this but requiring $150 of electronics don't have the features of this rig.

I've reviewed about 2 dozen videos and twice as many threads and became convinced.

My LHS said that some of the early servo failures were due to the servo power wire running across a hot motor melting and shorting the servo. Don't know how true that is, but it is something to watch out for.
How much will you pay for the capable steering servo your TRX4 will need? For me it's 150.00 coincidentally. The RC industry has trained hobbyists to think that's just fine. Actually as a quality management professional that's defective design an completely unacceptable.

No one cares though so your complaint of having to spend 150.00 on appropriate electronics will never change. It's completely incomprehensible why everyone on here is happy paying a significant percentage of the cost of Ready to Repair trucks on major components just so they can drive the thing.

I imagine like myself they would either rather spend it on actually optional upgrades like a winch or other hobbies and interests than fixing an already expensive RTR truck. But that's not the case.

I've learned from my two new ReadyToRepair truck purchases this year to either buy used and let you guys suck those unacceptable ready to repair expenses up for me since everyone is so happy doing it.
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:31 AM   #17
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I zip tied the steering servo power wire away from the motor just to play it safe. I think the cost was $0.03. That's my upgrade so far.
The melted wire thing is bullshit. Maybe in a few cases but the real issues are the servo is too weak for the weight of the truck and the servo burns itself out always trying to recenter the steering. See Holmes Hobbies professional review on YouTube.

Traxxas doesn't give a shit. Why would they when no one else in the RC industry or hobby does? My TRX4 burned the defective included servo out in under 3 hours and took the gears out of a spare Hitech I had in under 2 hours.

So I will buy the 150.00 Savox servo my TRX4 needs to be useful assuming the LHS guarantees he'll replace what he recommends at his store otherwise I'll get it on line or from the local used RC Trader.

I'll keep the useless stock replacement from Traxxas and put it in when/if I sell the TRX4. It does have a lot of good features but an already clicking drivetrain, two dead servos and buzzing ready to kill themselves shift servos I can easily see why's many are already for sale used. If the Summit is any indication and it is there will be many problems with the complicated drivetrain once it has some wear and tear on it.
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Old 07-20-2017, 09:34 AM   #18
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The inherent reason people are selling the rigs is because they feel like they got cheated because the stock electronics are not holding up how they expected them to. Which IMO is a complete cop out. I mean I have yet to have an RTR that has outstanding electronics all the way around. Beyond that, I personally think it is performing better than my SCX10-II for the most part, granted I have changed a decent bit about it already because I had the parts laying around doing nothing, swapped out the Servo for an HH SHV500, ESC is an HH BLE Pro, Motor is an HH 2700kv Puller Pro Stubby. Also changed the wheels and tires. So mine is a bit of a different beast than it would be stock, next up is either a body swap, or figuring out way's to lower the COG. Part of the reason the Hobby is fun is you can modify almost any rig to perform more or less the way You want them to. So far I have just beaten it quite heavily and have yet to have anything break (Knocks on wood, lol).

Last edited by malickie; 07-20-2017 at 09:37 AM.
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Old 07-20-2017, 12:38 PM   #19
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Default Re: Honest Thoughts About the TRX4

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The inherent reason people are selling the rigs is because they feel like they got cheated because the stock electronics are not holding up how they expected them to. Which IMO is a complete cop out. I mean I have yet to have an RTR that has outstanding electronics all the way around. Beyond that, I personally think it is performing better than my SCX10-II for the most part, granted I have changed a decent bit about it already because I had the parts laying around doing nothing, swapped out the Servo for an HH SHV500, ESC is an HH BLE Pro, Motor is an HH 2700kv Puller Pro Stubby. Also changed the wheels and tires. So mine is a bit of a different beast than it would be stock, next up is either a body swap, or figuring out way's to lower the COG. Part of the reason the Hobby is fun is you can modify almost any rig to perform more or less the way You want them to. So far I have just beaten it quite heavily and have yet to have anything break (Knocks on wood, lol).
To add to this, alot of those buying this rig aren't primarily crawler people. And don't realize how rough things can be for rtr electronics.
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Old 07-20-2017, 12:49 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by Meatwad View Post
To add to this, alot of those buying this rig aren't primarily crawler people. And don't realize how rough things can be for rtr electronics.
True, I would guess half the people are coming over from Basher type rigs and got used to how those hold up, which of course is for the most part completely different from how Trail/Scale/Crawler rigs function.
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