Anyone else have a Traxxas Rustler?

[Zoodles95]

So... I am fairly new to this crazy hobby. Bought a Stampede 4X4 VXL used locally with some nice upgrades on it. Promptly smashed it up within 5 minutes of its first drive. Bought the parts I needed to fix it and found I enjoyed repairing the thing. Decided to buy another 2 RCs used. One was this Rustler which I ended up totally taking apart and rebuilding. Before:




The transmission needed some work and once I got into it I also found that the front bulkhead was messed up. Replaced with a nice STRC aluminum bulkhead.


Lots of STRC and RPM parts added to the mix. Oh... And some blue as well...






It is almost done now that the DirtHawgs are on it.






There may well be a motor/ESC swap in the future. The next upgrades include an ESC fan which is coming in the mail. I also have a full set of GTR shocks that I am still playing around with which will likely end up on the Rustler (they were originally going to be used on my second Stampede). I am still playing around with springs etc.



Of the 3 RCs I presently own this is kind of my favourite. I have a bit of a passion for it. Perhaps it is because it had been a very abused RC that needed some TLC to bring it back (new front bulkhead and transmission rebuild and new case). Unlike my nice Stampede that came to me with some upgrades on it already I chose which parts to add to this Rustler; I chose the blue theme etc. It is almost like a reverse kit in that I disassembled it and rebuilt it onto a new chassis replacing things as I went. Was a fun process.

Just to prove that any RC can be broken here is a picture of it today when I had brought it to the LHS so that I could see how the Badlands and Dirthawgs would look with it before I committed to a set. That is a Losi 1/5 Desert Buggy waiting for repair. So... Even the stoutest RCs can be broken.



At any rate I am here to learn about Arrma as I am looking for something around 1/8 scale for my next RC and the Kraton is high on my radar right now. Oddly enough they have a used Outcast for sale for $200 less than a new one. Would make an interesting addition to the

 

[WoodiE]

Looks good @Zoodles95. Nice choice going with a bunch of RPM parts.

 

[Zoodles95]

Thanks!

Not all RPM parts though.

Upgraded Traxxas Parts are:
-Steel driveshafts
-Upgraded wheelie bar wheels
-GTR Shocks (waiting for different rear springs before mounting them).

STRC Parts:
-Caster blocks
-Front knuckles
-Rear hub carriers
-Front Bulkhead
-Front hinge pin brace kit
-Front body posts
-Steering bellcrank set

RPM Parts:
-Front and Rear shock towers
-Front and Rear A Arms
-Front And Rear Bumpers
-Transmission case
-Bumper/Wheelie Bar Mount
-Motor guard

Proline Parts
-Desperado Wheels
-DirtHawg Tires

I have an ESC fan coming in the mail and based on experience with my Stampede I am going to research motor fans/heat sinks for one of them. I am open to a motor/esc upgrade in either my main Stampede or the Rustler at some point. Not necessarily to get that much extra speed but to be able to run cooler.

The Rustler is a great RC but for how much I have into it I could easily have gotten a Kraton or Outcast and been able to do the required or recommended upgrades it needed. However, I have learned a lot from tearing down and completely rebuilding this Rustler. It is my favorite of my 3 RCs presently.

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

I've got a couple rustler vxls one of which I'm in the process of building moved up the esc to fit the huge 6400mah 3s I'm running in it. Also gearing is a 32/76 little damaged from the last time I took her out for a speed run

But I'm deff a arrma guy but I had a few traxxas rigs before I came across arrma I got tired of breaking parts on the rustler but 80+ mph is always fun. I have my outcast kraton and typhon so the rustler have been kinda pushed back but it' a fun little car for sure

 

[Zoodles95]

How do you find those aluminum turnbuckles? Are they holding up okay? I was thinking of trying those in my Rustler (but in blue obviously). The upgraded Traxxas caster blocks you have look nice too.

Nice variety in your collection. 2WD Rustler, Legendary Basher Kraton, and then a really cool Buddy; the Typhon.

Very cool. Nice variety...

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

Those are a couple of the rcs my prized 1 is my outcast tho honestly. I love my other arrmas but the outcast is like the crazy step brother you only bring with you if there are gonna b problems lmao. It' in the .mddle of the 12s conversion right now. The aluminum turnbickle hold up really good as long as you don' pull out in front of a kraton doing 30+ like my son did the other day. The kraton walked away without a scratch but the rustler broke both upper turnbuckles and the rear bearing carrier also aluminum snapped the ear right off the carrier. Also snapped the axle on the same side right at the u joint.

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

I'l get you the part number I have both the blue and red.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000...L65&keywords=blue+turnbuckle+for+rustler+vxl#

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000...QL65&keywords=blue+turnbuckle+for+rustler+vxl

And yes that is a brushless blx 2050 kv motor bought a max 6 esc but I'm gonna destroy the car working in a way to shorten a set of xo1 axles and then trying to figure out the tranny any ideas I want to use a 50t spur and diff out of outcast sense I have extra ones it' deff a work in progress but it has a 17t on the blx 2050kv if I can make it work should b really a good time

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

And of course the anaconds lol hardly balloon it all great for speed runs but I'm doing a 17mm hex conversion so I can put the sand scorpions of the kraton on it. What do u think am I crazy or just creative lol.

 

[Daddy-O]

I am also new to the hobby. Started out with the arrma granite voltage, after stripping the out drive and waiting forever for replacements I have moved to Traxxas. Recently I purchased a box of rc parts. In it came a hpi rs4 belt drive and two rustler chassis and parts... I'm curious if i can put a arrma 770 motor on it in replace of the 550 Traxxas motor.. I am trying to get more speed???

 

[olds97_lss]

I also have a full set of GTR shocks that I am still playing around with which will likely end up on the Rustler (they were originally going to be used on my second Stampede). I am still playing around with springs etc.

I wanted to get a set of those GTR's for my stampede 4x4. I'm currently running some old Unlimited Engineering supermax shocks with OFNA front shafts in them on it. Does pretty good, but I'd like to get the GTR's, then put the vdk in it so it can take the big air better without running such heavy oil, but still rebound ok.

I also have a jato 2.5 that I converted to brushless. I used the esc/motor out of my vxl stampede and I put a castle sct sv3/3800kv in my stampede. I run 2S in both. Wish they were a bit quicker, but I run 2S in everything currently (or pairs of 2S for 4S). They are still fast enough to get busted up at the skate parks.

I tried those tires a long time ago that you put on the rustler. Back when my jato was nitro. It did not drive well on anything but grass. On dirt or pavement, it was just spin out all the time. I run 2.8" trenchers on it now as well as my stampede. I really like those tires. They hold up well on concrete, but get good forward bite on almost any surface. Plus, they look kind of mean.

I beat both of those little trucks like they owe me money.

I have 3.8" trenchers on my savage flux hp as well. I had them on my outcast, but it keeps overheating, so I'm going to try something else tomorrow, depending on what the LHS has. The stock tires just won't last long at the skate park, so I haven't even run them.

 

[Krathead]

Yes, I have one just like yours. It has a Dynamite Fuze 4800 in it. It is a little high strung but lot of fun.