-
Welcome to RCTalk! 🚀
Join the #1 RC community where hobbyists connect, share, and get expert advice on RC cars, trucks, boats, drones, and more!
- ✓ Friendly & passionate RC enthusiasts
- ✓ RC tips & troubleshooting
- ✓ Buy, sell & trade RC gear
- ✓ Share builds & upgrades
buying a tmaxx 3.3
- Thread starter koolkat01
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
CharliesTheMan
Gone - bye bye.
I had a savage and a T-Maxx at the same time a few years ago. Now back then I wasn't into customization and upgrades that much, I was just looking to burn some money and enjoyed them in their stock form. I liked both trucks, the T-Maxx I bought RTR and I built the savage SS from a kit.
Now to the point, I got out of RC's for a few years, and recently got back in but now I'm into bashing more and not building shelf queens (yet) as I did before. So when I got back in, I bought a T-Maxx. I think that says a lot. Many people may disagree, but I like the way the T-Maxx handles and drives (especially since you're getting the 3.3, I'm sure that you'll love it) I also like the aftermaket support that the T-Maxx has, but the savage has a lot of support as well.
I hope this helps a lil bit, but I'm not a veteran with the trucks like many people on here, so they can tell you better. I do know however that the 3.3 offers a whole lot more power and torque than the stock 2.5, almost like 2 differnent trucks.
Now to the point, I got out of RC's for a few years, and recently got back in but now I'm into bashing more and not building shelf queens (yet) as I did before. So when I got back in, I bought a T-Maxx. I think that says a lot. Many people may disagree, but I like the way the T-Maxx handles and drives (especially since you're getting the 3.3, I'm sure that you'll love it) I also like the aftermaket support that the T-Maxx has, but the savage has a lot of support as well.
I hope this helps a lil bit, but I'm not a veteran with the trucks like many people on here, so they can tell you better. I do know however that the 3.3 offers a whole lot more power and torque than the stock 2.5, almost like 2 differnent trucks.
traxxas t-maxx
RCTalk Addict
Go with the t-maxx I just recently bought the 2.5 and I can't hurt it I have flipped over snow banks with the body off ran it in to the curb tuning it and dove the front end into the ground and I have read on so many threads it is a great bashing vehicle and it is. The two speed trans is awesome to I hit second on the snow road and i'm doing donuts. The only bad thing for me so far is shifting to reverse it has to idle down so far before it will go into reverse but other than that I give this truck and A++++++++.
Last edited by a moderator:
Cupooterluvr
Hardcore RCTalk User
I personally have never driven the Savage, but I have a TMaxx 3.3. I like it alot. I've put a new engine in it though--a Picco .26-- and it flies. Even with higher gearing the front end is up with a tap of the throttle. It was like that with the 3.3 too, but not quite as blatantly obvious.
So far the only things I have broken in my 4 months of ownership are the front and rear skid plates. (not the main brace in the middle just the plastic parts that stick up at an angle) I also cut the antenna wire but I fixed that with some electrical tape.
My body is beginning to fall apart because I've flipped it so many times. It flips if you're going too fast in a turn onroad, and I haven't been able to keep the wheels down on jumps. Mine also tends to turn one way or the other when braking but it could just be me.
Overall a good truck and I'm surprised by the durability. If you want an indestructible truck you can go with the Savage, which is around the same price as the maxx, but the TMaxx is pretty darned durable as well.
So far the only things I have broken in my 4 months of ownership are the front and rear skid plates. (not the main brace in the middle just the plastic parts that stick up at an angle) I also cut the antenna wire but I fixed that with some electrical tape.
My body is beginning to fall apart because I've flipped it so many times. It flips if you're going too fast in a turn onroad, and I haven't been able to keep the wheels down on jumps. Mine also tends to turn one way or the other when braking but it could just be me.
Overall a good truck and I'm surprised by the durability. If you want an indestructible truck you can go with the Savage, which is around the same price as the maxx, but the TMaxx is pretty darned durable as well.
grgbulldog
Hardcore RCTalk User
we have a lot of tmaxx supporters here. i personally love the savage. the savage is built like a tank, and it handles like a tank. the tmaxx on the otherhand seems to need more hop ups to make it undestructable. all i hear from my friends that have the tmaxx is complaints about how they break it everytime the take it out for a bash. so seems like the maxx would take more money.
The closest in toughness to the savage would be the LST2 or the revo. The maxx 3.3 is still weak in certain areas. Primarily the bulk/hingpin setup... you know, the parts that take a lot of front/rear end abuse?
The diffs, axles, spur, slipper, trans have all been made better, but the bulks are still a weak point. Replacing them with a good set of aluminums, the hinge-pins with a nice set of lunsfords and the arms/towers with RPM will make it much better.
The diffs, axles, spur, slipper, trans have all been made better, but the bulks are still a weak point. Replacing them with a good set of aluminums, the hinge-pins with a nice set of lunsfords and the arms/towers with RPM will make it much better.
Cupooterluvr
Hardcore RCTalk User
Olds it's landed on its lid quite a few times from some big jumps and like I said all that broke are the front and rear skid plates.
Eventually I'm still going to upgrade to RPM stuff though.
Eventually I'm still going to upgrade to RPM stuff though.
I know maxx's... I've had 2 myself and I've bashed with 3 or 4 others... I know what they can and can't take in stock form. For me, they aren't tough enough to bother with buying again.
CharliesTheMan
Gone - bye bye.
well congratulations on your new maxx. I'm sure you would be happy with either truck, and I hope you will really be able to enjoy the T-Maxx. If you should happen to break any parts and you need a stock replacement like A-arms, shocks, stuff like that, just let me know. I've been upgrading my maxx and I have a lot of stock parts that were good when I took them off, I just wanted something custom, and if you're in a bind I can help you out with a stock part, maybe you will want to upgrade but I can send you a stock part to get it going again until you save up for the new parts, decide what you want etc...
First thing I would get would be full RPM arms and shock towers. Having those will save money/aggravation in the long run. They absorb impacts better than stock which puts less of a load on the bulkheads which have a tendency to break.
CharliesTheMan
Gone - bye bye.
Rpm
I ran my Maxx for a lil while without the A-Arms but then one broke so I changed them all. All I can say is WOW, the RPM A-Arms made such a huge difference. They're much stronger than the stock parts and like Olds said, they will be good for many other parts on your truck as well. I upgraded the RPM arms and put on integy piggyback shocks (I would reccomend doing a lot of research to find a good brand of shock, many people on here have had bad experiences with Integy) at the same time, and when I took it out for the first time I thought I was driving a different truck. It no longer had the tendency to roll over due to my inexpeienced driving, and it responded to my controls so much better! If I had to guess now I would say the RPM arms will be one of my best investments ever on the T-Maxx. If I wanted I could go with flex-tek arms. They're like $300 and they're titanium, but I wouldn't trade the RPM's for them in a million years unless I could run them and see a differnence, but I can't imagine the Maxx getting any sweeter than it did with RPM. Definitely worth $40.
I ran my Maxx for a lil while without the A-Arms but then one broke so I changed them all. All I can say is WOW, the RPM A-Arms made such a huge difference. They're much stronger than the stock parts and like Olds said, they will be good for many other parts on your truck as well. I upgraded the RPM arms and put on integy piggyback shocks (I would reccomend doing a lot of research to find a good brand of shock, many people on here have had bad experiences with Integy) at the same time, and when I took it out for the first time I thought I was driving a different truck. It no longer had the tendency to roll over due to my inexpeienced driving, and it responded to my controls so much better! If I had to guess now I would say the RPM arms will be one of my best investments ever on the T-Maxx. If I wanted I could go with flex-tek arms. They're like $300 and they're titanium, but I wouldn't trade the RPM's for them in a million years unless I could run them and see a differnence, but I can't imagine the Maxx getting any sweeter than it did with RPM. Definitely worth $40.
my buddy had a savage and could never keep the thing going my first tmaxx was a hunk off trash (beat up por. 15) but i recently bought a 2.5 truck with the 3.3 mill and am slowly converting it to the 3.3 maxx these trucks are fast tough and the 3.3 mill has awesome power and runs forever