Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

I had a bronco before and now I got a defender and like everyone says she’s very top heavy. I’ve been doing some research and most say to add weight down low. I found a bunch of brass stuff on Amazon for a decent price. Does anyone have any other recommendations? I’m new to the game and just looking to make minor mods for now.

Thanks

Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Brass works well on the axles down low.

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Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Also LCG battery tray helps lots

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Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

You really only need a few things. Go with the heaviest cheap portal covers, like these. Then a set of alloy or steelie beadlocks, and perhaps most
importantly-- smaller diameter tires. I'm running 4.3" Axial Ripsaws on mine and it's phenomenal.
That's pretty much the extent of weight added to mine. Also, take the top bit of the roof basket off. It's like 4oz at the highest possible point.

The pertinent run and discussion of the Defender starts around the 25 minute mark.

<iframe width="1024" height="768" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-NRRjO03PXM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Keep adding weight to the axles until you are happy or get a lighter body.

Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

For the most part I agree with what everyone’s saying here. I started with a sport kit, so basically the same idea except got a head start out the gate with a light body. All I have brass wise on my truck is front portal box covers. I’ve focused more on removing weight than adding. Removed roof rack, sideplates, running boards, you get the idea. I run plastic bumper up front and a shorty battery without inner fenders up front as well. If I had to guess I’d say my weight balance is a 70/30. I really can’t see anybody else needing more brass than I have. She handles great and is very predictable.

My rig:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...7d940215d7.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c38c9472dc.jpg


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Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Like anything that's tippy due to heavy body, gotta compensate with weight down low. Especially the defender. I know guys with them and my knightrunner would have 0 issues while those things would tip over if you looked at them wrong.

If there is anything on the frame like the battery that can be lowered do it. Then add weight to the axles, aka brass.

Also, I noticed the shocks are still set for lighter bodies but springs cranked up. Heavier shock oil, get rid of any fast rebound out of them. Helps ALOT with tipping because the spring is rapidly shifting the center of gravity and the down side is compressing just as fast.

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Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

My defender is a trail truck but I climb rock gardens and do big dirt hill climbs etc with it. My body is all stock components still plus I added scale parts to it.
All I did was buy brass lower shock mounts/front inner and outer portal/ full winch bumper and rear aluminum bumper. She now stays on her tires, for rock crawling I bought the trx-4 kit and use that

Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Yes I am leaning towards this as well, doing some mods to the defender and going with the kit trx 4 for more crawling. I’ve also been looking at the element sendero as well.
I am ordering tires with bead lock wheels and some brass down low with a steering servo and I’ll see how far that takes me

Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Good luck! I feel my TRX4 Sport kit is my best performing/most fun/most reliable truck. If I take out the HW Fusion and went with a faster kv, it would be a do-it-all truck. The 1800kv is too slow for anything other than crawling and driving from trailhead to trailhead. If I were you, I would pick up the Sport kit rather than the other TRX4 kit. It comes with the Traxxass electronics and those are junk really. Saves you $100 and comes with a body! A better buy IMO. Also comes with the single speed transmission and non-switchable diffs which I feel are pointless in a strict crawler.

If you do pass on another TRX4, I’d look really hard at the SSD Trail King and Element Ecto.


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Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Out of the box the TRX and Sendero are different. I think it is good to have a variety. The element Sendero is light and more like a "comp" truck and the TRX is more of a trail truck but that doesn't mean one can't excel at the other.

Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Getting rid of the defender body is a start. Or stripping everything off off of it. Some brass weights on the unsprung side will definitely help.

Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Fitting a Sport body and switching to a Bowhouse LCG battery tray made a night and day difference for me. Additionally, running the 2.2” TRX6 tires will help with side hilling, without adding a great deal of weight.

MC

Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

a few things not mentioned here
wider wheel hexes will incresse stabulity
pot metal axles for better cog
and sway bars these really help keeping the body leval but hurt your articulation

i have a 1/8th raptor cab on my trx4 with solid steel roof rack ya wana talk about top heavy but it still dose ok for what it is

this truck would litteraly flop over sitting still
i tryed the stiffer springs but that raised the ride hight and cog to much the heavy shock oil just kept the body leaned over and wouldent let the spring do there job so i went with light springs thin shock oil potmetal axles brass portal covers 12mm hexes and a heavy sway bar it handles good at.speed and on the rocks and the leaning is gone and it no longer sits leaned over to one side or the other

link to video thread of this truck http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/scale...-test-run.html

Re: Just got defender and she’s tippy
 

Alright Where's the update and some new pictures of progress. Waiting.