1/5 scale monster truck for bashing

[WickedFog]

I was in your exact situation this summer when looking into buying an 8S beast, i.e. haven’t had any experience with these newer vehicles. I ultimately picked up the RnR X-Maxx from a local shop called Gallimods. They do online sales too (seems like they always have an X-maxx in stock when I stop in for upgrades). They also have a point system for purchases, works out to be 10% cash credit to points equivalent.

IMHO if you’re willing to spend a couple hundred dollars more and use the discount you can get the traxxas brand smart charger and trx brand batteries cheaper. This got me playing and using my truck ASAP.

I have MUCH RESPECT to all those in the thread with their combined expertise; over time I’ll upgrade all the parts people are talking about, but I’d rather get the bashing mileage out of my truck then throw the upgraded parts into it as I repair it, including batteries down the road.

In the long run do whatever makes you happiest and gets you into the hobby. I’m so grateful to finally have one of these machines. It always puts a smile on my face and an adrenaline rush sending it into the air forward and back flipping it! Best of luck!

A regular X-Maxx is $1000, and getting one with the charger and batteries is $1400. For a lot less than $400 you can get a charger and batteries that are a lot better than the Traxxas ones.

 

[Greywolf74]

A regular X-Maxx is $1000, and getting one with the charger and batteris is $1400. For a lot less than $400 you can get a charger and batteries that are a lot better than the Traxxas ones.

This!

 

[Matt Ryan]

A regular X-Maxx is $1000, and getting one with the charger and batteries is $1400. For a lot less than $400 you can get a charger and batteries that are a lot better than the Traxxas ones.

I agree if you’re not able to get discounts. My Traxxas batteries and charger costed me $280 after a sale which reduced the price from $440 to $369.99 ($80 dollars off, current MSRP at Gallimods is $419, so it probably wasn't $440 to begin with). I also earned earned discount point from buying the X-maxx and got another $90 off, more on this below (I paid $899.99 for mine in the summer, they are now listed at $999.99=$1k). My total purchase price with batteries was $1179.99.

Here's a quick cost breakdown for each path suggested to you based on current prices. I agree with those above that you should not even consider purchasing everything purely at MSRP. If you choose to go a route without any applied discounts I would definitely follow the advice above.

I know you said you want to buy 4 batteries which is cool, but starting with 2 and expanding might be less headache and only slightly more expensive (assuming - your new and may not want to piece together everything to make this work right out of the box). I opted to play with pricing even though I have no difficulties with assembling or modifying anything on the truck. My time at the moment in this hobby is more valuable and want to spend more time playing when the weather is nice.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCENARIO 1 -- Buying all Traxxas (Keep in mind I am using this cost analysis purchasing everything from Gallimods):

Cost:
*Truck Cost: $999.99
<https://www.gallimods.com/shop/RC-C...x-4WD-Truck-8S-GREEN-X-wTSM-RTR-x49265496.htm>
*Ez-Plus Combo - Batteries included x2: $419.99
<https://www.gallimods.com/shop/c/p/X-Maxx-8S-Completer-Pack-6700mAh-24amp-charger-x47003585.htm>
Total: $1419.98

Discount Math:
*Buy Truck 1st: $999.99
*Earn a 10% cash back in points towards your next purchase - wait a day or two for the points to register: $99.99
*Then buy the Ez-Plus Dual Combo Kit using 10% discount from X-maxx: $419.99-$99.99= $320
*Then buy two more batteries like HRB with the new 10% discount from the Ez-Plus purchase: $115-$32= $83
*Then buy the XT-60 connectors (smallest is usually a 5 pack) using 10% discount
(discount maxes out at half the value of the purchase price) from the HRB purchase: $8.99 - $4.50 = $4.50
*Perhaps you have a soldering iron, but if not a reasonable one on Amazon costs: $15
**Grand Total: $1422.49

Pros:
**Peace of mind and immediate action no setup.

Cons:
**Will cost $49.52 higher than Scenario 2
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCENARIO 2 -- Purchase all the products suggested on this thread (some quick research was done to try and find the cheapest batteries suggested on page 3 of this discussion - I chose HRB 6500 mah. I also chose the HOTA D6 Pro 325W 15A 1-6S Dual Charger)

Cost:
*Truck: $999.99
*Charger: $118.99
*HRB Lipos (unit price $115 x2 pair): $230
*XT-60 Connectors: $8.99
*Soldering Iron: $15
**Grand Total: $1372.97
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Using the discount even with the higher prices only makes the All Traxxas route $49.52 more. At this point, its your choice if you want to spend more time setting your rig up with aftermarket products, or get out and start bashing sooner.

Above all else, best of luck and I truly hope whatever you choose makes you happy!!

Best,
Matt

This!

Hi, thanks for adding to the discussion. Please see my most recent response.
Best,
Matt

If i got those batteries for the xmaxx. I just need to make sure to pick the traxxas connector?

Hi, check out my latest comment to you on page 5 of the thread. Hopefully it helps!

 

[WickedFog]

Even at $280 - I'd still be looking elsewhere for batteries and charger. But I've been in the hobby a long time, so I am already used to swapping connectors on my vehicles. And I have a stash of all the connectors on hand that I will ever need. But saying you paid $280 for them is just saying that the discount you got wasn't used on something better. They are still $420, no matter how you slice it.

Personally, I'd prefer to start off with a charger and batteries I know I will use a long time, can use for other RC's besides Traxxas, and are quality items. I have never been a fan of the electronics in an RC being proprietary to a brand. Same goes for Spektrum smart stuff.

But then again, I can see the thinking behind it because way too often people get into the hobby and have no clue about LiPo's. So plug-n-play simplicity is their answer, rather than proper customer education. Which could be challenging at best sometimes.

 

[Greywolf74]

I agree if you’re not able to get discounts. My Traxxas batteries and charger costed me $280 after a sale which reduced the price from $440 to $369.99 ($80 dollars off, current MSRP at Gallimods is $419, so it probably wasn't $440 to begin with). I also earned earned discount point from buying the X-maxx and got another $90 off, more on this below (I paid $899.99 for mine in the summer, they are now listed at $999.99=$1k). My total purchase price with batteries was $1179.99.

WickedFog didnt say $440 he said $400. Not sure where you got $440 from?

Here's a quick cost breakdown for each path suggested to you based on current prices. I agree with those above that you should not even consider purchasing everything purely at MSRP. If you choose to go a route without any applied discounts I would definitely follow the advice above.

I know you said you want to buy 4 batteries which is cool, but starting with 2 and expanding might be less headache and only slightly more expensive (assuming - your new and may not want to piece together everything to make this work right out of the box). I opted to play with pricing even though I have no difficulties with assembling or modifying anything on the truck. My time at the moment in this hobby is more valuable and want to spend more time playing when the weather is nice.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCENARIO 1 -- Buying all Traxxas (Keep in mind I am using this cost analysis purchasing everything from Gallimods):

Cost:
*Truck Cost: $999.99
<https://www.gallimods.com/shop/RC-C...x-4WD-Truck-8S-GREEN-X-wTSM-RTR-x49265496.htm>
*Ez-Plus Combo - Batteries included x2: $419.99
<https://www.gallimods.com/shop/c/p/X-Maxx-8S-Completer-Pack-6700mAh-24amp-charger-x47003585.htm>
Total: $1419.98

Discount Math:
*Buy Truck 1st: $999.99
*Earn a 10% cash back in points towards your next purchase - wait a day or two for the points to register: $99.99
*Then buy the Ez-Plus Dual Combo Kit using 10% discount from X-maxx: $419.99-$99.99= $320
*Then buy two more batteries like HRB with the new 10% discount from the Ez-Plus purchase: $115-$32= $83
*Then buy the XT-60 connectors (smallest is usually a 5 pack) using 10% discount
(discount maxes out at half the value of the purchase price) from the HRB purchase: $8.99 - $4.50 = $4.50
*Perhaps you have a soldering iron, but if not a reasonable one on Amazon costs: $15
**Grand Total: $1422.49

Pros:
**Peace of mind and immediate action no setup.

Cons:
**Will cost $49.52 higher than Scenario 2
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCENARIO 2 -- Purchase all the products suggested on this thread (some quick research was done to try and find the cheapest batteries suggested on page 3 of this discussion - I chose HRB 6500 mah. I also chose the HOTA D6 Pro 325W 15A 1-6S Dual Charger)

Cost:
*Truck: $999.99
*Charger: $118.99
*HRB Lipos (unit price $115 x2 pair): $230
*XT-60 Connectors: $8.99
*Soldering Iron: $15
**Grand Total: $1372.97
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Using the discount even with the higher prices only makes the All Traxxas route $49.52 more. At this point, its your choice if you want to spend more time setting your rig up with aftermarket products, or get out and start bashing sooner.

So why can't you combined method 1 and 2 here?

*Buy Truck 1st: $999.99
*Earn a 10% cash back in points towards your next purchase - wait a day or two for the points to register: $99.99
*Then buy a Ultra Power UP300AC Touch 300W Multi- Chemistry AC/DC Charger plus 2 PowerHobby 4S lipos using 10% discount from X-maxx: $285.97-$99.99= $185.98
*Then buy two more Power Hobbies 4S LiPos batteries with the new 10% discount from the Charger + Lipo purchase: $145.98-$18.59= $127.39
*Then buy the XT-60 connectors (smallest is usually a 5 pack) using 10% discount
(discount maxes out at half the value of the purchase price) from the HRB purchase: $8.99 - $4.50 = $4.50
*Perhaps you have a soldering iron, but if not a reasonable one on Amazon costs: $15
**Grand Total: $1332.86

Hybrid of method 1+2 = Savings of $89.63
This way you not only save almost $90 but you now also have a lipo charger thats 300W instead of 200W and it can charge up to 6S packs instead of being limited to 4S packs incase of future expansion.

Also I'm not really sure what you mean by "At this point, its your choice if you want to spend more time setting your rig up with aftermarket products, or get out and start bashing sooner." Theres no mention of buying any after market hop ups that need to be installed on the truck before you can start bashing in either scenario. At least not in relation to buying batteries and a charger. Unless you are suggesting that soldering connectors on batteries takes up enough bashing time to warrant spending an extra $90, or even $50 in your 2 scenarios? I dont know too many people that would spend that much money to avoid soldering on a few battery connectors but even if you were that type of person you're still spending more money and at the end of the day you end up with an inferior lipo charger that any serious hobbyist is just going to turn around and replace at some point.

Just my .02

 

[Matt Ryan]

WickedFog didnt say $440 he said $400. Not sure where you got $440 from?

So why can't you combined method 1 and 2 here?

*Buy Truck 1st: $999.99
*Earn a 10% cash back in points towards your next purchase - wait a day or two for the points to register: $99.99
*Then buy a Ultra Power UP300AC Touch 300W Multi- Chemistry AC/DC Charger plus 2 PowerHobby 4S lipos using 10% discount from X-maxx: $285.97-$99.99= $185.98
*Then buy two more Power Hobbies 4S LiPos batteries with the new 10% discount from the Charger + Lipo purchase: $145.98-$18.59= $127.39
*Then buy the XT-60 connectors (smallest is usually a 5 pack) using 10% discount
(discount maxes out at half the value of the purchase price) from the HRB purchase: $8.99 - $4.50 = $4.50
*Perhaps you have a soldering iron, but if not a reasonable one on Amazon costs: $15
**Grand Total: $1332.86

Hybrid of method 1+2 = Savings of $89.63
This way you not only save almost $90 but you now also have a lipo charger thats 300W instead of 200W and it can charge up to 6S packs instead of being limited to 4S packs incase of future expansion.

Also I'm not really sure what you mean by "At this point, its your choice if you want to spend more time setting your rig up with aftermarket products, or get out and start bashing sooner." Theres no mention of buying any after market hop ups that need to be installed on the truck before you can start bashing in either scenario. At least not in relation to buying batteries and a charger. Unless you are suggesting that soldering connectors on batteries takes up enough bashing time to warrant spending an extra $90, or even $50 in your 2 scenarios? I dont know too many people that would spend that much money to avoid soldering on a few battery connectors but even if you were that type of person you're still spending more money and at the end of the day you end up with an inferior lipo charger that any serious hobbyist is just going to turn around and replace at some point.

Just my .02

The $440 is how much the combo kit was listed for when I bought it. It is now listed as $419. The $440 was not referring to anything anyone else said in a post.

You could combine, but the other equipment is not available or I can't find it on Gallimod's inventory. Did you look through the website?

Everything depends on the level of understanding and skills of the hobbyist. To someone like you, Wickfrog, or I soldering isn't difficult. For someone new it may not be something they want to do right from the start and they may want to get going and play right away.

Again it all depends, for me I would rather not have to take up a kitchen table in my small home and inconvenience my family by soldering and other installations. Also, as I have mentioned many times, time is a variable for many people.

Value is all in the eyes of the individual, some may put more value in saving money, time or both - if possible. The combinations of each depend on how each of us live our entirely different lives and have different needs.

Also, it depends on how much use you are planning on the equipment. We all use our equipment at different rates which will increase the variability of our products breaking down compared to each other.

Ultimately, for me $50 more was convenient and I'll roll the dice on reliability since my personal use of the vehicle does not exceed charging and discharging my system more than once a week.

As they say, to each their own! All I am trying to accomplish is giving this person another viewpoint to weigh into their decision. More information leads hopefully to better choices.

Cheers!

Even at $280 - I'd still be looking elsewhere for batteries and charger. But I've been in the hobby a long time, so I am already used to swapping connectors on my vehicles. And I have a stash of all the connectors on hand that I will ever need. But saying you paid $280 for them is just saying that the discount you got wasn't used on something better. They are still $420, no matter how you slice it.

Personally, I'd prefer to start off with a charger and batteries I know I will use a long time, can use for other RC's besides Traxxas, and are quality items. I have never been a fan of the electronics in an RC being proprietary to a brand. Same goes for Spektrum smart stuff.

But then again, I can see the thinking behind it because way too often people get into the hobby and have no clue about LiPo's. So plug-n-play simplicity is their answer, rather than proper customer education. Which could be challenging at best sometimes.

I agree with most of your points. As stated to Greywolf, it all depends on each of our individual needs and future needs. Example, some people may have just scraped enough together for a machine and may not have the means to purchase a second, third or more rigs to use those lipos on. In addition, some people just don't have the time to build, modify or tinker on a rig.

The following statment is not directed at anyone in particular here, but look at the bigger picture of any hobby community. Community is about bringing more people together. The more people who can access a hobby the better and richer that community becomes for the pure enjoyment that it has to offer. I'm all for either path or scenario someone wants to take to get into this or any hobby.

I definitely agree that most people aren't interested or willing to research information about lipos (i.e. state of charge, storage, discharging, C rates, etc.). Battery chemistry is like a second hobby of mine as well as mobile and home solar, so I enjoy the researching.

I disagree because the savings is a savings no matter how you calculate it. It is a savings because as far as I can see on the Gallimods website some of the other battery equipment mentioned in previous posts is not in stock or carried by the shop, where the discount is applied, so I wouldn't have found more value on or applied to something else in terms of products. This is the point I made in my message above to Greywolf. Essentially the discount I applied is a savings of money and time. Again it all depends on each of our needs and what we want.

My intention is only to give this person another viewpoint to hopefully improve their options to make a future decision.

 

[Greywolf74]

You could combine, but the other equipment is not available or I can't find it on Gallimod's inventory. Did you look through the website?

All of the products I used as examples were taken from Gallimod's website.

Everything depends on the level of understanding and skills of the hobbyist. To someone like you, Wickfrog, or I soldering isn't difficult. For someone new it may not be something they want to do right from the start and they may want to get going and play right away
Again it all depends, for me I would rather not have to take up a kitchen table in my small home and inconvenience my family by soldering and other installations. Also, as I have mentioned many times, time is a variable for many people.

Value is all in the eyes of the individual, some may put more value in saving money, time or both - if possible. The combinations of each depend on how each of us live our entirely different lives and have different needs.

Also, it depends on how much use you are planning on the equipment. We all use our equipment at different rates which will increase the variability of our products breaking down compared to each other.

Ultimately, for me $50 more was convenient and I'll roll the dice on reliability since my personal use of the vehicle does not exceed charging and discharging my system more than once a week.

As they say, to each their own! All I am trying to accomplish is giving this person another viewpoint to weigh into their decision. More information leads hopefully to better choices.

Cheers!

I agree with most of your points. As stated to Greywolf, it all depends on each of our individual needs and future needs. Example, some people may have just scraped enough together for a machine and may not have the means to purchase a second, third or more rigs to use those lipos on. In addition, some people just don't have the time to build, modify or tinker on a rig.

The following statment is not directed at anyone in particular here, but look at the bigger picture of any hobby community. Community is about bringing more people together. The more people who can access a hobby the better and richer that community becomes for the pure enjoyment that it has to offer. I'm all for either path or scenario someone wants to take to get into this or any hobby.

I definitely agree that most people aren't interested or willing to research information about lipos (i.e. state of charge, storage, discharging, C rates, etc.). Battery chemistry is like a second hobby of mine as well as mobile and home solar, so I enjoy the researching.

I disagree because the savings is a savings no matter how you calculate it. It is a savings because as far as I can see on the Gallimods website some of the other battery equipment mentioned in previous posts is not in stock or carried by the shop, where the discount is applied, so I wouldn't have found more value on or applied to something else in terms of products. This is the point I made in my message above to Greywolf. Essentially the discount I applied is a savings of money and time. Again it all depends on each of our needs and what we want.

My intention is only to give this person another viewpoint to hopefully improve their options to make a future decision.

I get what you're saying. you're trying to give people with more money than time an option to get around to playing with their new toys faster. I totally understand that. My point was you are in the vast minority of people who would rather spend $90 instead of taking the time to learn how to solder 4 battery connectors and that assuming they dont already know how to solder. It never hurts to have that minority view point for those that may fall in to that category but my point was for the majority that dont fall in to that category its not the best direction to go. Most people with hobbies, especially hobbies that delve deeply in to fixing & upgrading things will find or make the time needed to do so. For the majority of us that have more time than money, I was just pointing out that you could not only save more money with your discount idea but also end up with better equipment in doing so. In the end were on the same page just coming at it from opposite ends of the spectrum.

 

[Demonwolf14]

Good evening, I know I am resurrecting my thread, but I just found something that i think is awesome for the X-maxx. I just stumbled onto the WideMaxx kit for the X-Maxx, it looks SICK!! I haven't pulled the trigger on the X-maxx yet, since I am still away from work due to my knee surgery in August. but when I do I am definitely picking up one of these kits.

 

[STONER RC]

Good evening, I know I am resurrecting my thread, but I just found something that i think is awesome for the X-maxx. I just stumbled onto the WideMaxx kit for the X-Maxx, it looks SICK!! I haven't pulled the trigger on the X-maxx yet, since I am still away from work due to my knee surgery in August. but when I do I am definitely picking up one of these kits.

Hope your recovering is going well bud. Had my hips replaced yrs ago sitting around sucks. But as for the wide kit. For $200 the kit imo doesn't do much for the X it only adds a 1.2" to each side. You can get that with wheel hubs extensions. With the size of the X it won't do much. But that my opinion. Maybe if your running stock motor and drive like grandma it might help. But 200 not worth it get wheel extensions for 25 -40$ get same result

 

[armykyle1]

Good evening, I know I am resurrecting my thread, but I just found something that i think is awesome for the X-maxx. I just stumbled onto the WideMaxx kit for the X-Maxx, it looks SICK!! I haven't pulled the trigger on the X-maxx yet, since I am still away from work due to my knee surgery in August. but when I do I am definitely picking up one of these kits.

My wide kit should be here Tuesday hopefully. I'm definitely curious how it'll perform.

Hope your recovering is going well bud. Had my hips replaced yrs ago sitting around sucks. But as for the wide kit. For $200 the kit imo doesn't do much for the X it only adds a 1.2" to each side. You can get that with wheel hubs extensions. With the size of the X it won't do much. But that my opinion. Maybe if your running stock motor and drive like grandma it might help. But 200 not worth it get wheel extensions for 25 -40$ get same result

I'm still learning about the hobby, but the problem with hub extensions (essentially wheel spacers) is the added strain to the bearings and hub carriers. You're pushing the "leverage point" out much further. Like when the yeeyee kids put stupid offset wheels on their trucks and massive spacers. It destroyes ball joints and wheel bearings. It also changes tracking characteristics of the vehicle. Also when you push the wheel out that far from the pivot point, I imagine you're losing some mechanical advantage for the servo.

Granted most of my knowledge comes from full size vehicles, I imagine the physics aren't drastically different. I could be completely wrong and off base but I think there's definitely similarities.

 

[Demonwolf14]

Hope your recovering is going well bud. Had my hips replaced yrs ago sitting around sucks. But as for the wide kit. For $200 the kit imo doesn't do much for the X it only adds a 1.2" to each side. You can get that with wheel hubs extensions. With the size of the X it won't do much. But that my opinion. Maybe if your running stock motor and drive like grandma it might help. But 200 not worth it get wheel extensions for 25 -40$ get same result

Thanks for the well wishes, sitting around does suck a lot.. been 4 months and i am still kinda in pain and discomfort.. but this is my 6th surgery on my knee and the most in depth so.. i guess it is to be expected.

My wide kit should be here Tuesday hopefully. I'm definitely curious how it'll perform.



I'm still learning about the hobby, but the problem with hub extensions (essentially wheel spacers) is the added strain to the bearings and hub carriers. You're pushing the "leverage point" out much further. Like when the yeeyee kids put stupid offset wheels on their trucks and massive spacers. It destroyes ball joints and wheel bearings. It also changes tracking characteristics of the vehicle. Also when you push the wheel out that far from the pivot point, I imagine you're losing some mechanical advantage for the servo.

Granted most of my knowledge comes from full size vehicles, I imagine the physics aren't drastically different. I could be completely wrong and off base but I think there's definitely similarities.

Awesome.. let me know how the widekit works.. I am severely interested.