Best battery location, setup?

[subspd]

So I have had a Defender since they were released. I have just run the stock location with a 5000mah 3s since day one. But it’s time for a new battery and I’m thinking it’s a good time to consider battery location as well.

What’s the consensus here on the best setup? Bowhouse? Bronco front mount? Another option?

[JatoTheRipper]

There's no best. Everything is a compromise. A forward mount will be better for vertical climbs. A lower mount will be better for side hills.

Here's my opinion. Some people are using small packs up front in front of the servo. Too small for large batteries and the weight too high.

Bowhouse gives you a lower center of gravity, but it moves the weight rearward which will hurt in climbing hills. If you install this tray you'll surely have to add weight up front.

The stock battery is a good compromise.

[AnimalHippie]

I run 3s 2650 and a 3s2200 I get about 90 to 110 mins low gear crawl time out of them without lights running. I also have a 3d printed lower battery tray. I noticed a big side hill improvement over stock battery tray. I also have a good amount of weight up front. My rig is a little more front weighted then I like. So the battery being low and to the rear actually helps me when going down hill. Personally I don't like the front tray. Just too much weight up high. I would go with the bowhouse tray if it was me.

[dr frankenstyle]

I just put a BowHouse in my rig and it seemed to improve everything... up, down and side-hillin'. Even the 5000+ 3s batteries drop down enough that it seems to more than make up for the 1-in. rearward move. My buddy put one in his too, and felt the same about it. He ordered 2 more for his other rigs. I really like the upgrade.

[BashNSlash]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Bowhouse gives you a lower center of gravity, but it moves the weight rearward which will hurt in climbing hills. If you install this tray you'll surely have to add weight up front.

There's a video on. Youtube where I guy tests the lcg battery tray on the trx4 (bronco, I believe). It did hurt more than it helped, so I haven't even installed my LCG tray in my truck.

There is always a compromise. I think the stock location is the best balance in this truck.

Sent from my SM-N950W using Tapatalk

[furadi]

I mount mine right smack on the front bumper so it's actually on the same plane as the battery tray.

[RustyTaco]

Heres what I did with my TRX4 Sport...Battery sits about a low as you can get it, weight is a little more forward, and counter balanced.

Simply remove the battery tray chop the ends off and then mount them to the chassis at the width of your battery. Also had to trim the arm shorter that secures the battery.







And moved a couple other things around...really like where the esc sits now, super easy to power on/off without having to remove the body shell. Receiver is velcroed to the Savox servo which elimintes the need for an extension wire.

[furadi]

Originally Posted by RustyTaco

Heres what I did with my TRX4 Sport...Battery sits about a low as you can get it, weight is a little more forward, and counter balanced.

Simply remove the battery tray chop the ends off and then mount them to the chassis at the width of your battery. Also had to trim the arm shorter that secures the battery.



And moved a couple other things around...really like where the esc sits now, super easy to power on/off without having to remove the body shell. Receiver is velcroed to the Savox servo which elimintes the need for an extension wire.

Interesting! I like it.

[new2rocks]

Here’s my take for what it’s worth. The 2 best ways to improve the stock suspension setup on the TRX-4 are to move weight down and add some weight up front. Our battery tray significantly lowers CG with only a minimal rearward shift (depending on what size pack you run). Overall stability, especially on side hills, is much, much better than stock. I also like running 80mm shocks instead of the stock 90mm. You still get plenty of suspension travel, and the truck is much more stable. With those changes, I saw no need to add a bunch of brass down low, but everyone has opinions on those. Either way, adding weight up front also helps on steeper climbs, and there are several ways to do this. I chose to do it with a metal front bumper on my 110, and it helped a lot.

[DRTMI]

This is how I do it.

[steven318is]

bump

[byrnieman]

Originally Posted by new2rocks

Here’s my take for what it’s worth. The 2 best ways to improve the stock suspension setup on the TRX-4 are to move weight down and add some weight up front. Our battery tray significantly lowers CG with only a minimal rearward shift (depending on what size pack you run). Overall stability, especially on side hills, is much, much better than stock. I also like running 80mm shocks instead of the stock 90mm. You still get plenty of suspension travel, and the truck is much more stable. With those changes, I saw no need to add a bunch of brass down low, but everyone has opinions on those. Either way, adding weight up front also helps on steeper climbs, and there are several ways to do this. I chose to do it with a metal front bumper on my 110, and it helped a lot.

Can you tell me what this thing is? Comes with the Bowhouse RC LCG battery mount for TRX4 and I have no idea what it is or where it goes?



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[JC3]

On a Sport, battery forward mounted on a Bronco front battery plate! Just yesterday I transitioned from the kit's ~50/50 weight distribution to 62/38. Using a 109g 1400mah battery up front. I was running the Bowhouse battery tray before that. The difference was huge. I made other small changes to get to that distribution but since you asked about batteries I'll stick with that. Don't just think about battery placement, think about weight distribution. (BTW, I got three straight hours of crawl time using MambaX and 3800!)

[svt923]

Originally Posted by byrnieman

Can you tell me what this thing is? Comes with the Bowhouse RC LCG battery mount for TRX4 and I have no idea what it is or where it goes?

It replaces the rear chassis brace to allow longer packs to sit flat in the tray.

It is good to install if you run full size stick packs but if you use smaller packs, you don't really need to install it.

[neilus]

I use a 1500mah 3s lipo in between the front fenders. Works great. (sorry about the mobile footage!)

[Topher Builds]

^^ nice line and climb! Sub’d

I use a small pack up front as well.

[Sabre8]

Originally Posted by neilus

I use a 1500mah 3s lipo in between the front fenders. Works great. (sorry about the mobile footage!)

How much runtime do you have with the 3s 1500mah?

[JC3]

I'm using a 3S 1400mah with a MambaX and 3800. I got over three hours straight crawl time last night.

[BashNSlash]

Originally Posted by JC3

I'm using a 3S 1400mah with a MambaX and 3800. I got over three hours straight crawl time last night.

How?? 5000mah nimh, 2s,and 3s seem to last at best 2 hours in three different Trx-4's I own (one with a stock setup and two with Mamba-x 2850kv combos). On average, I get about 1 hour and 15 minutes. My scx10 on the other hand can get 3h minimum on 5000mah batteries.

Are you just straight crawling or do you go trailing too?

[number9]

Originally Posted by RustyTaco

Heres what I did with my TRX4 Sport...Battery sits about a low as you can get it, weight is a little more forward, and counter balanced.

Simply remove the battery tray chop the ends off and then mount them to the chassis at the width of your battery. Also had to trim the arm shorter that secures the battery.







And moved a couple other things around...really like where the esc sits now, super easy to power on/off without having to remove the body shell. Receiver is velcroed to the Savox servo which elimintes the need for an extension wire.

Like that idea a lot. I’m gonna give this a try