Traxxas 3906 emaxx worth upgrading?

[hemi38ram]

I’ve acquired a couple of 3906 emaxx trucks, one didn’t have a working ESC so I got a Evx-2 and put it in. Works great. One truck has a bad slipper clutch assembly and the plastic gear is almost worn through (the slipper clutch has worn a grove almost all the way through it).

Just curious if it’d be worth upgrading to a brushless LiPo setup and if so what would I need? I suspect it has all plastic internals in the diffs and I know the transmission is (I pulled it all apart figuring out why when I hit the throttle the motors spun but it didn’t go anywhere.. after discovering the transmission was fine I figured out the slipper clutch). I’m pretty good tinkering but not so much with fabrication. So something that’s fairly easily to retrofit would be best for me, even if it’s not a direct bolt on.

Or do I try to sell them and buy one RC to bash about? Thanks everyone.

 

[Greywolf74]

I’ve acquired a couple of 3906 emaxx trucks, one didn’t have a working ESC so I got a Evx-2 and put it in. Works great. One truck has a bad slipper clutch assembly and the plastic gear is almost worn through (the slipper clutch has worn a grove almost all the way through it).

Just curious if it’d be worth upgrading to a brushless LiPo setup and if so what would I need? I suspect it has all plastic internals in the diffs and I know the transmission is (I pulled it all apart figuring out why when I hit the throttle the motors spun but it didn’t go anywhere.. after discovering the transmission was fine I figured out the slipper clutch). I’m pretty good tinkering but not so much with fabrication. So something that’s fairly easily to retrofit would be best for me, even if it’s not a direct bolt on.

Or do I try to sell them and buy one RC to bash about? Thanks everyone.

I've seen people replace the twin brushed motors with a single brushless motor in the 2400-3300Kv range and run it on 3S Lipo. The plastic gears will probably hold up to that. Not sure what parts availability is like for those trucks and I'm not sure how much cross over there is in terms if retrofitting your old maxx with newer model maxx parts. If you're wanting to go big like 6S on 2200Kv then Id look at getting something new or at least more modern.

 

[hemi38ram]

I've seen people replace the twin brushed motors with a single brushless motor in the 2400-3300Kv range and run it on 3S Lipo. The plastic gears will probably hold up to that. Not sure what parts availability is like for those trucks and I'm not sure how much cross over there is in terms if retrofitting your old maxx with newer model maxx parts. If you're wanting to go big like 6S on 2200Kv then Id look at getting something new or at least more modern.

That’s just it. I don’t know what else I would need to replace the dual motor setup with a single motor setup? Do I need a different transmission? If not I may look into doing the single speed conversion. Or are trucks with single speed transmissions called center differentials?

 

[ferrebee88]

I've been down this road. I found a couple of these in a military container while deployed (one of them had a hydraulic dump bed and cameras on it). Honestly for the price of bringing it up to date and replacing parts to make it durable just isn't worth it in my opinion...unless you are doing it for nostalgia. Those things were meant to go about as fast as the modern brushed stampede. I added up the cost of all the parts needed a few years ago and it made more sense to just get something more modern.

 

[Greywolf74]

That’s just it. I don’t know what else I would need to replace the dual motor setup with a single motor setup? Do I need a different transmission? If not I may look into doing the single speed conversion. Or are trucks with single speed transmissions called center differentials?

If you're just looking at doing a mild 3S set up, All you need is a brushless motor, ESC, and a LiPo. That being said I've only seen it done, I havent done it myself so as far as the plastic gears holding up... YMMV

 

[hemi38ram]

I've been down this road. I found a couple of these in a military container while deployed (one of them had a hydraulic dump bed and cameras on it). Honestly for the price of bringing it up to date and replacing parts to make it durable just isn't worth it in my opinion...unless you are doing it for nostalgia. Those things were meant to go about as fast as the modern brushed stampede. I added up the cost of all the parts needed a few years ago and it made more sense to just get something more modern.

Yeah that’s kinda how I was leaning honestly. Get what I can for them and put that towards a new truck. Probably end up about the same out of pocket in the end

 

[Jimbobjr]

I had one of those for a long time, maybe 15years or so. It was the very first version before they made it wider which is what you have. I did convert it to a DeWalt 12 volt brushed drill motor which made it a little top heavy. I’d just replace that slipper, run it and have fun. Save the upgrade money and buy a modern basher down the road.

 

[hemi38ram]

I had one of those for a long time, maybe 15years or so. It was the very first version before they made it wider which is what you have. I did convert it to a DeWalt 12 volt brushed drill motor which made it a little top heavy. I’d just replace that slipper, run it and have fun. Save the upgrade money and buy a modern basher down the road.

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I would replace the slipper but that’s the problem no one sells it anymore

 

[Jimbobjr]

Pretty sure this is what you need, Traxxas # tra4615
https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxa...MIs_D38dXX_QIVCpbICh3Hcgu7EAQYAiABEgIM3_D_BwE

 

[hemi38ram]

Pretty sure this is what you need, Traxxas # tra4615
https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxa...MIs_D38dXX_QIVCpbICh3Hcgu7EAQYAiABEgIM3_D_BwE

Not the right tooth gear, but they have the 66T gear in stock for $3.. I’ll give it a try! Thanks!

 

[Jimbobjr]

I see, the pitch is different.

 

[Jamr]

I just upgraded my T-Maxx v1 to electric last year. It cost me over 700$ for everything new including controller and batteries.
My reasons for doing it was that it had low miles on the chassis, I owned it from way back then (nostalgia) and I had a bunch of extra parts for it.
I love it as a basher but it is a bit fragile compared to the newer comparable cars out there.
If I didn't own it from birth, I wouldn't have done it.