I caved and bought a TRX4M Defender

[Chicken Man]

After many weeks of staying completely away from this "new" small scale RC
I accidentally bought one that was discounted on ebay.

Came in blue. The stock shocks were actual crap so I used an old set of
Mini T 2.0 TLR shocks. I had to use the ballends from the traxxas plastic shocks but with a little thread tape it all worked well enough.
I did have to limit the travel a lot with rubber bands because the rear
especially had way too much flex (keep that in mind if that's your goal - Mini-t rear shocks, cheap on ali-express).
I have plenty of wheels and tyres from SCX24 obsession so I chucked on the
57x22 newer Injora hyrax clones with small foams in them, super squishy.
Of course, I then got my old sticker folder down and stuck a few on.


So, like any experienced money waster I had already ordered some crap off
Ali express and ebay - firstly got slightly better shocks (a circlip actually disintegrated in one of them, first time for everything I guess)
and managed to get out for quite a bit of trailing and "crawling"
although I had already decided to go more towards "scale" as the SCX24(s) I run are super capable and I didn't want to just build the same thing,
only bigger.

I did install the 40.3 to one low range gears though.


I also hacked up the interior from a Gelande II Black Rock I used to run and shoved that in.


I took it to our "in progress" (long story) build and had a heap of fun running around in the sand and over other lumpy things.



I then received a couple of extra bits and pieces and this is where it is at currently. New links, driveshafts, bumpers and a little treadplate.

I also shoved oversized foams in some wrangler mt/r and these puppies feel
like they have 40psi in them, kinda interested to run a non optimal tyre setup on the trails etc,
usually go for the squish >.>





Next up will be mudflaps and other external accoutrement until I blow up the servo/motor etc.

Thanks for reading

 

[2xDeadbolt]

Looks awesome

 

[JimK]

That's a good looking Defender for sure!! "thumbsup"

I like the interior you put in there. It looks really good. I was looking at that same front bumper for mine but went with one that looks just like the stock bumper. Looks pretty good up front. Happy trails.

 

[Chicken Man]

That's a good looking Defender for sure!! "thumbsup"

I like the interior you put in there. It looks really good. I was looking at that same front bumper for mine but went with one that looks just like the stock bumper. Looks pretty good up front. Happy trails.

It slightly impacts approach angle and it could do with modification to bring it in and up 1mm, I will get to that at some point but I am more interested in getting out to run it this weekend.

you can still buy the D90 interior and I think it should work the same:
https://store.rc4wd.com/Interior-for-118-Mini-D90_p_6855.html

I need to find a dude to drive it but i have never looked at the scale side of things really.

Cheers

 

[Natedog]

Great looking TRX4m, love that shade of blue! Both set of wheels and tires looks good, but the second set looks even better...nice 6x6 hauler too looks like CrossRC UC-6. Good find on the interior, thanks for the link, might work in my Bronco with a little trimming!

 

[Ynad]

Looks good in blue with the white roof. About the mudflaps. They look great but will get stuck between tire and an obstacle as truck backs up. I removed mine, the only option as it seems is to screw them on the rear bumper. Front didn't work at all unfortunately.

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[Chicken Man]

Looks good in blue with the white roof. About the mudflaps. They look great but will get stuck between tire and an obstacle as truck backs up. I removed mine, the only option as it seems is to screw them on the rear bumper. Front didn't work at all unfortunately.

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Thanks Ynad, I am a tinkerer so I will reference IRL photos and work to match those setups for the mudflaps - I have the wheel well pieces coming too and I understand that it gets tricky to have all the things.
Running smaller tyres will help for sure... but I just got the Proline BPX and will be running those this weekend. I do need to decide which beadlocks to put them on though.



I hate excessive torque twist, so I added a rear sway bar and it's great. Much less melodramatic. I do need to move the pivot point up to fix the balljoint angles but... To be honest, running it as is, creates slightly more limit on the rear articulation which covers for the fact I am using a bobby pin as a sway bar >.>

 

[Chicken Man]

Great looking TRX4m, love that shade of blue! Both set of wheels and tires looks good, but the second set looks even better...nice 6x6 hauler too looks like CrossRC UC-6. Good find on the interior, thanks for the link, might work in my Bronco with a little trimming!

The 6x6 is just a WPL, with the two speed trans it can haul fine though.

 

[Ynad]

Nice solution on a sway bar. Check out my thread on for sway bars, no articulation limit. With those links you've got it would be easy.

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[B-MOW71]

I really like the looks and the stance of this Defender!

Nice solution for the interior! Look like it fits well and it looks great!

Looking forward to seeing more!

 

[Chicken Man]

I really like the looks and the stance of this Defender!

Nice solution for the interior! Look like it fits well and it looks great!

Looking forward to seeing more!

As the best Karen once sung, we've only just begun


I do need to make a parcel tray for the back and repaint the interior before I am satisfied, doesn't "pop" with black and metallic blue. I think I will change all the glass out to thinner/clearer plastic so any effort I put into the interior is more visible. Realllllly want to put a soundkit in with the speaker in the back lol. I have the Orlandoo RxTx soundkit etc in the 1/32 defender and it's super satisfying.

 

[Chicken Man]

Nice solution on a sway bar. Check out my thread on for sway bars, no articulation limit. With those links you've got it would be easy.

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Redrilling the hole and moving the pivot point up will address that, I have been looking around for a suitable sway bar kit but thinking I will just have to buy a few and experiment.

I have read your thread but will go back and find it for refresh.

 

[Ynad]

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...&share_fid=19420&share_type=t&link_source=app


Ynad's TRX4M + mods. Updated 5/03 winch, lift, bumper, hitch, sway bsrs

Sway bars was my last post.

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[Chicken Man]

Found a dusty bit of land and had a great crawl today, I think I might do a snow foam/pressure wash on the driveway tomorrow for a laugh.

 

[Chicken Man]

Considering putting the window mesh on, added some other little bits as well. Have some brass to install but in no rush. (imgbb getting smashed, images not loading very fast.)

 

[Chicken Man]

Installed the inner guards which gave me more space so I changed over to a 1080 and GT5 receiver.
Heaps quieter, no more whining.
Also added the brass diff covers and c-hubs then completed the bearing upgrade so no more mud (I hate stripping and cleaning after).

 

[Ynad]

Great pictures! Can you post a pic of 1080 fitted? I've got one laying around ...

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[Chicken Man]

I haven't changed the plug on the traxxas battery yet, I did make an adapter but yesterday I just ran a 300mah.
I used a bit of styrene like material to create a flush surface for some doublesided tape for the ESC.
Most won't need to do this as you can just stand the ESC on it's side closer to the front wheel but the interior interferes with that in my case

I am not yet finished, likely will make a small platform between the frame rails that holds the esc centered and run two smaller batteries if I need run time (I hardly ever get more than an hour each day to go and crawl).

 

[Ynad]

Thank you

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