Traxxas Revo 3.3

[gachar001]

Hello,
I am new to this forum. I plan to buy Traxxas Revo 3.3 truck and this is going to be my first nitro vehicle.

I live in India and would like to buy whatever spares I would need in the short term as nothing is available in India and I would need to keep a stock of things that break often. I don't intend to race or do any major off roading but being new I may break something due to inexperience.

After reading through some forums I have made a list of things I may require. Here is a list of what I plan to buy based on what I read. I would really appreciate it if the experts here could let me know if I missed something or if something I am buying would be rarely required and I am wasting my money.

• TRA5462 - Traxxas GTR Shock Rebuild Kit– 2 sets
• TRA5459 - Traxxas Revo Driveshaft Boots (2)
• TRA5378X - Traxxas Revo Pivot Ball Caps
• TRA2362 - Traxxas Shock Rebuild Kit - 2 sets
• TRA1942 - Traxxas Long and Short Rod and Ball Ends
• TRA3953 - Traxxas Revo 36 tooth Spur Gear (1.0 metric pitch) - 2 numbers
• Traxxas tool kit with pouch
• Traxxas AC To DC Power Supply Adapter, 2976
• Traxxas 2 Steel Pushrods, 5318 - 2 sets
• Traxxas 2 GTR Shock Shafts - Tin-coated, 5463T - 2 sets
• Traxxas 6 GTR Shock Rod Ends, 5469
• Traxxas 1/10 Revo 2 Medium Heat Range Long Glow Plugs (set of 2)
• Traxxas EZ-Start Connector Wiring Harness, 4579X
• Traxxas Pipe Coupler, Exhaust Deflector & Ties, 5245X
• Traxxas 3 Air Filters & Foam Inserts, 5262
• Traxxas Fuel Line - 2ft, 3147X
• Traxxas White Lithium Grease, 5148
• Traxxas H/D Slipper Rebuild Kit, 5352R
• Traxxas Clutch Shoes & Spring, 4146X
• Traxxas 12 Body Clips, 1834
• Traxxas 10 Body Clips - 90 Degree Angled, 3935

Thank you in advance for your help and advice

 

[D3MON]

that does look like to be everything that i am aware of that are problem areas, though i would probably recommend buying an extra set or two of driveshafts, and one set of RPM A-Arms, and swap them out as they break. (RPM for a lack of a better term doesn't break). i would try to find a bearing kit, and maybe a screw kit or just stock up on the respective screws.
i know @olds97_lss has at least a BB Revo, he might be able to direct further to weak points hes found.

Good Luck!

 

[marauder]

Extra hump pack for receiver if you aren’t running regular betteries

 

[D3MON]

Extra hump pack for receiver if you aren’t running regular betteries

+1 to this!
also would not be a bad idea to get a few glow igniters, I've heard more troubles than not with the Ez start system blue wire.

 

[olds97_lss]

1) Personally, I don't care for the ez-start. If your new, it will help you get over the starting/tuning hurdles a bit, but I much prefer a pull-start, so that's typically something I replace right away. A pull start lets you feel what the engine is doing. If it's flooded, or compression is low, or the owb is slipping, etc. A properly tuned engine usually starts in under 4-5 pulls once it's primed. Also, removing it removes some weight and complexity. It does require you to use an external glow warmer though. I use a cheap AA sized heater and keep a couple LSD AA's charged in my pit bag. Usually though, even for a break-in, I've never had a 2100mah AA run out in a bash day.
https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxas-pull-starter-complete-trx-2.5-2.5r-3.3-revo-tra5170/p19078
https://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Rechargeable-Battery-Recharge-Batteries/dp/B00IM3P8GS
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/glow-plug-igniter-aa-size-battery.html

2) I'd suggest getting some rear push-rod ends. They can be used on the front or rear, but the ones specific to the rear are a bit stronger. I always keep a few packs of these on hand to replace them as they get slop:
https://www.amazon.com/Traxxas-5348-Large-Ends-Revo/dp/B000BOR0K8

3) I never had great results running stock arms/axle carriers, so after replacing the pullstart, I replace the front arms/carriers with RPM and I get the tru-track RPM setup for the rear, which eliminates the rear turnbuckles. Then I keep the stock carriers/arms for backup. I have run with stock arms/carriers, but I can honestly say I've never made it through a bash day without breaking at least one carrier and one set of arms, which usually takes out an axle/slider as well when the arm/carrier breaks.
Carriers for the front:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/rpm-axle-carriers-oversized-bearings-blue-revo-slayer-2-rpm80585/p40008

Arms for the front (side specific)
https://www.amainhobbies.com/rpm-traxxas-revo-summit-front-right-aarms-blue-rpm80215/p7500
https://www.amainhobbies.com/rpm-traxxas-revo-summit-front-left-aarms-blue-rpm70375/p273709

True track system for the rear:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/rpm-revo-truetrack-rear-aarm-conversion-kit-blue-rpm80565/p31658

4) You may want to look into getting a stronger roll bar as the stock one flexes a lot, which destroys the body in a short time. I have a new era one on my BB revo and an integy one on my secondary revo. New era can't be found really anymore, but the integy one isn't awful. I did raise mine up a bit, about 3/4" so it would contact the body before it flexed too much:
https://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=7098&p_catid=73#.XG13srh7lHY

5) The wing from the brushless revo v1. Helps protect the rear of the body and acts as a wheely bar. It's deceptively strong and holds up well. Requires the wing, wing mount, wing support and mounts into the rear body mount:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxas-revo-wing-mount-includes-hardware-tra5411/p20970
https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxas-revo-wing-black-tra5446/p22591

6) One last thing, the spring mounted header instead of the one that screws to the engine. The hard mounted one breaks off at the exhaust port on bad landings and just over time it cracks/breaks off. For the cost of it, it gets annoying pretty fast. I replaced 3 or 4 before the spring mount one existed, then that was all I ran and never broke another one (requires these two part #'s):
https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxas-aluminum-tubular-exhaust-header-tra5340x/p25828
https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxas-header-spring-gasket-spring-set-tra5254/p25822

I also don't use reverse and when I had stock transmissions, I ran the forward only conversion. Removes a decent amount of rotating mass from inside the transmission and uses a wider gear that's stronger than the stock gear if I remember right. Also removes the reverse linkage/servo which simplifies things.

Pillow ball caps probably aren't necessary, but I guess if you lack parts support, having extra stuff on hand is good. If you run RPM arms I suggested, they aren't needed.

There are other things, but those are most of the things I'd change right out of the box before firing it up the first time if I were to buy one again.

One thing with the RPM arms is you can't run the long travel suspension rockers/arms as it causes the pillow balls to pop out. I run the P2 rockers/rods and I make sure to connect the pushrod to the middle hole on the RPM arms. Using the holes that raises the truck the highest causes the front pillow balls to pop through the back of the RPM carriers on a frequent basis due to the extreme angle it puts on them.

I also run the traxxas VDK shock system in all 3 of my revos, #2 vdk pistons with 50w oil and RC Raven springs works well. I run a bit stiffer oil/springs, but that can cause issues with durability.

If you have any questions, let me know. I still run my revos quite frequently, but usually run my brushless revo these days.

 

[gachar001]

Thank you so much for your detailed explanation. Appreciate it.

 

[gachar001]

As I am still undecided which way to go, and I am now looking at gasoline powered RC. I really liked the Losi 5ive-T 2.0. I know it is like comparing a private jet to a 747 but can anyone of you advise me on what the cons are of a 1/5 RC for a newbie? I will mostly be running on the beach.

 

[D3MON]

main thing i can think of is cost of repairs, seems like every part is at least 5x as much as a 1/8 or 1/10 scale. that and size, but if you are running on a beach room shouldnt be an issue, invest in alot of cleaners though, and bearings, sand is hell on bearings and any drivetrain.
if they werent so much and if i had room id probably want a large scale.
id also check out the large scale forums to see what are the weaknesses etc for them.

Good luck to ya!

 

[olds97_lss]

I tried 1/5th scale because I wanted something to run in the winter... but I didn't think it through and ended up spending $600+ on a lesson. I got the baja 5B SS. My stupid brain didn't think about it being so low to the ground, 2wd and heavy... may not be so great in the snow. lol!

I had the thing for a couple years and I think I ran in 6 or 7 times. Put quite a few upgrades on it to make it suit my driving style a bit better, but still never drove the thing. Also didn't think about the smell of pump gas in my house. Even after hitting it with a hose after every run, it would stink up my apartment with gas smell for 3-4 days.

If I did it again, I'd definitely go 4wd and try finding something with more ground clearance. One thing I didn't care about was the single speed gearing. You really had to compromise off the line torque or top end speed. I know there were a few aftermarket 2-speeds you could get, but they were a small fortune and in the end, I just lost interest in it.

If you want to run balls out in the sand, it's probably not a bad way to go, as long as you get the proper air filter screen and crank case screen so it's not sucking sand in places you don't want.

 

[D3MON]

one nice thing with smaller cars to is that the tires will be wider in comparison to the vehicle adding to flotation, as opposed to thinner wheels of the larger scale acting as pizza cutters into the sand and sinking. as well as what he said them being single speed, so larger tires would be a large factor in acceleration and gearing.
my thoughts anyways.

 

[Kcarlson924]

that does look like to be everything that i am aware of that are problem areas, though i would probably recommend buying an extra set or two of driveshafts, and one set of RPM A-Arms, and swap them out as they break. (RPM for a lack of a better term doesn't break). i would try to find a bearing kit, and maybe a screw kit or just stock up on the respective screws.
i know @olds97_lss has at least a BB Revo, he might be able to direct further to weak points hes found.

Good Luck!

Have had a Revo 2.5 for around 15 yrs. Sat idle for a while most seals have had to be replaced as Iam reviving now. No major repairs shock rebuild being most till now. Added progressive springs to shocks and absolutely love them. Just added a 3.3 motor to revival and working on that right now. Good luck Amazon has almost all of the parts you’ll need.