T-Maxx 3.5

Old 01-09-2008, 09:58 PM
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Questions?? T-Maxx 3.5

So I have a question?? What is the frist step to hopping up my truck for the track? I'm looking for a all around good fast truck???
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Old 01-09-2008, 10:22 PM
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First, learn about what you have before putting money into it. You have a 3.3, not a 3.5.

Learn how to tune. A fast engine is only fast if it is tuned right.

Learn patience. Squeezing the throttle is not the fastest way around the track if you crash all the time. Start slow, and speed up gradually. If you can make it through a race without crashing, you will probably win.

Get some RPM parts. I had RPM arms and the 3 piece skid plate set and never broke anything. If I would have kept the t maxx, the rpm bulk head ties would have been next.

Tires make a big difference, especially at the track.

Get a good radio. Never understood why people spend a few hundred on an rc car, then more money on hop up parts, only to use the cheapest radio available. There is one thing keeping your car from smashing into a tree, or letting you swerve to avoid a pole, Why would you want to go cheap there? If you can't afford a good radio right now, at least get a failsafe.

Get some decent servos.

Racing is about getting around the track the fastest, and you can't do that with a really fast car/truck that is out of control half the time lol.
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Old 01-10-2008, 12:10 AM
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Default thanks???

I really meant 3.3, ten things going on at one time here. Ok so radio and servos, than what??? bearings, pipies, body parts???
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Old 01-10-2008, 12:36 AM
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You already have more power than your truck can handle for racing. A car or truck that pulls the front wheels off the ground every time you hit the throttle on high traction surfaces, or just goes nuts spinning the tires on a loose or slick track is worthless as a racer. It will take some serious suspension, clutch, and gearing work to get that much power under control on a t-maxx. The basic problem is lack of suspension down travel and wheelbase. The revo has down travel to spare and the 3.3 revo was lengthened to make it a better racer which is why it can run an .18 (3.3) and still be in control. You can get there with the maxx, but the simplest way to get everything out of what you have is to get a good .15 and lighten your truck up as much as you can. You can get away with an os 18 CV-R, but it's still going to take some good shocks and the ability to make them work for your truck before you will do more than get frustrated trying to race a t-maxx. You will also need to redo the steering. ProLine and Supermaxx used to make good steering racks for the maxx and you can still find them on ebay from time to time, or you can get a rack assembly out of the new E-Maxx, but the stock steering assembly on the maxx is just not going to cut it for racing even if you put a high torque servo and HD saver on it. Forget the RPM arms if you want to race a maxx, they are way to flexi to work on your truck. They won't break, but you truck will handle like a pig on the track. The best way to stop breakage on a maxx is to replace the stock bulk braces with RPM sold braces. You will need to cross drill and through bolt them which means you have to lose the bumpers, but it's the only way to keep from breaking bulkheads. You will also need to replace the lower braces with a set of good aluminum units. There is a huge difference between most aftermarket aluminum braces and a good set of aluminum braces and it has to do with the trans and skid mounting holes more than anything else. Most aftermarket lower braces don't line up right so you build in tweak by using them. The only aluminum braces I know of that will work right are made by KB Rockhounds and traxxas. I'm sure there are others that will work, but I've seen too many that didn't to chance spending the money for a set of braces that might when I can get braces I know work. Along with the braces you will need to put threaded brass inserts in your transmission bottom mounts so you can tighten them enough. In addition to the transmission, these bolts also hold the chassis in place and you can't tighten them enough in the stock plastic trans cases to keep the chassis from moving when you race it. You will also need to get some titanium skids, or run a ti skid in the front and an aluminum in the rear. Aluminum in the front will bend too bad while the ti skid will act like a shock absorber which will save your truck in a high speed frontal crash since you don't have any bumpers. Plan on replacing your stock motor mount with a machined mount as well. The stock 3.3 mount is beefier than the 2.5 mount, but it's still cheap cast pot metal and will flex enough to eat spurs, or just break, or both.

After you do all that, plan on some real shocks, the stock shocks will do with some work, but they are a constant maintenance problem due to leaking seals. The only shocks that really work for racing a maxx are the AE FT shock set and you will still need to use the stock traxxas red springs. This will require you to use the AE upper spring retainer followed by the traxxas upper retainer, the stock red spring, and the traxxas lower spring retainer. You will also need to replace the stock traxxas upper shock mounts with AE upper mounts for the shocks to work right.

Once you get all that done, you can work on your diffs so they will last more than a race day or two and also get your truck run straight over bumpy ground, a FOC so you have engine brake, and a good set of tires.

The stock drive shafts work fine, provided you put 12 pucks in your slipper and learn how to adjust it properly to avoid twisting shafts on jump landings. CV drives don't twist like the stockers, they just destroy your diffs and transmission gears.

If you are serious about racing a monster truck, sell the maxx and get a revo. You still have to do some work on it, but not near as much, and you will have a better racer.

If on the other hand you don't mind paying race fees to just mess around on the track, get a set of bowties for your maxx and go for it.
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Old 01-10-2008, 04:48 AM
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well, you asked for some info....you got it nice work FHM
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Old 01-10-2008, 01:53 PM
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You can also get shock off of the ofna buggies, you could probably get away with 4 of those for weight savings. Get some ofna full offset rims and some bowties or crimefighters, I would recommend truggy tires not 40 series. And get some 17mm hubs off of an hpi savage and let her rip.
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Old 01-10-2008, 10:27 PM
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While you can run 4 shocks on the maxx, it's not as simple as just taking 4 shocks off. The problem with doing that is the flexi shock tower. With just 4 shocks the tower will flex rather than the shocks working like they should so you will need to add additional bracing. If you decide to run 4 shocks, the best option is GS medium length pro shocks. They are large enough to handle the weight and are almost the same length as the stock traxxas shocks so you don't have to deal with limiters or cracked pistons from running shocks that are too long. Here's a pic of one of my old maxx race trucks with a 4 shock setup.
Attached Thumbnails T-Maxx 3.5-rm24.jpg.jpg  
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Old 01-10-2008, 10:41 PM
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Default what next???

So I just when out and got tires bow ties 4, body kit tit, and a new radio with metal geared servos. what is next???
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Old 01-11-2008, 07:06 AM
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What kind of rims did you get the bowties on?
What kind of "body kit" did you get?
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