Upgrade Set #5:
Most of my "daily driving" is done on asphalt. While working, I can take a break and just rip the 4x4 right outside the front door of the Hobby Shop for a little while. Testing changes and just getting a little wheel time. The parking lot gets busy, so dodging cars sometimes raises the adrenaline level and not always on purpose!
I decided not to wear out the stock tires (scale BF Goodrich) that comes with the 4x4 and opted for a set of Pro-Line's Street Fighters. These offer a nice street style tread pattern, grippy (yet long wear) compound and just look cool. A set of Pro-Line Renegade black rims looks great with the flatted out paint job.
Anyone who knows me, knows I hate gluing tires. You would think after all these years in the hobby business, I would enjoy it ... Wrong! I can get the job done, but I do not like it. The Pro-Line Street Fighters and Renegade wheels fit together nicely, so gluing wasn't "that" bad.
Hints: Take your time with gluing the tires. You'll want to wipe down the rim and tire to remove any mold release agent, I use Denatured Alcohol, so the glue sticks really well.
Trying to get the 4x4 to handle really well on street can be more of a challenge than it seems. Out of the box, the truck wants to slide around and lift the inside front tire on high speed turns. The Street Fighters will increase traction, but this can cause the 4x4 to bicycle up in the turns, or just traction roll. Stiffening up the suspension helps get some slide back into the rig. The real key, as it often is, is driving style. It's important to know what a car needs, in the way of steering and throttle inputs, to drive smooth and fast.... Practice, practice, practice!
I opted to install a set of Traxxas Sway Bars, #TRA6898, and a set of Pro-Line's awesome Power Stroke shocks. #PRO606300 fronts and #PRO606301 rears. These shocks look great, build easy, and make a great tuning option for the 4x4. I wanted this set-up to be a little dual purpose, so I left the oils lighter than if it would only see pavement driving (would have used 80 / 70). Both the shocks and the Sway Bars are an easy bolt on. The shock do need to be filled with oil.
First attempt at a street set-up:
Traxxas sway-bars: Black front, Black rear
Thicker shock oil: 60wt front and 50wt rear (Pro-Line springs front and rear)
Running with the stock tires, this set-up REALLY helped the truck on asphalt. It surprised me how much better the 4x4 handled. Even with the truck sitting a little higher with the Pro-Line shocks, it turn much better and low and high speeds, much more predictable.
Bolting on the Pro-Line Street Fighters really brought the truck alive. Much more traction all the way around, forward bite and side bite. But, the two wheeled action started, if I used too much wheel going into a high speed turn (put the first scratches on the body after traction rolling). So, driving style had to be changed to fit this set-up. Much faster around the parking lot, but it feels like I'm tip-toeing on the wheel, but less predictable at times.
That's it for this round, the upgrades are making a difference! Stay tuned for more soon.
Photos Show:
Shocks and Sway Bars
Sway Bar Set
Empty Shock, ready to be filled with oil
One Pro-Line shock and one stock shock
Front end, with Pro-Line shocks and Traxxas sway-bars
Rear Pro-Line shocks
Rear end, with Pro-Line shocks and Traxxas sway-bars
Pro-Line Street Fighter tires and Renegade rims
Tires and rims all mounted up
New look with the black rims .... Like it!
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