Modding my TRX-6 *Progression*

[Got0wned]

Hi, all. New to the forum and my first r/c. I wanted to share the progression of my TRX-6 build.

How my TRX-6 sits as of 12/31/2020:

https://youtu.be/isH_lY_Gsvo

List of upgrades/mods since I got it as a birthday present from my wife in November of 2020:

Protek RC 370TBL “Black Label” waterproof steering servo
Castle Creations waterproof BEC 2.0
Reefs V2 servo horn
Magnetic post mounts (front)
Samix brass steering knuckles, c-hub, portal housing, & brake rotor set (Front)
Samix brass shock spring cups
Hot Racing steel offset steering tie rod
AJRC skid plates (center and differentials)
GRC huntsman truck bed kit
RC4WD Warn 9.5ct winch
RC4WD Warn premium winch hook
RC4WD Warn wireless controller
RC4WD front bumper
RC4WD TRX-4 front bumper conversion
Custom fab aluminum bumper adapter
RC4WD Warn fairlead
RC4WD Warn shackles
Dedicated 9v battery connection for winch
9v battery holder (Amazon)
Waterproof case for the wireless winch controller
Waterproof on/off switch for the winch controller
CChand TRX-6 roof light housing
Team Associated XP roof lights
GPM aluminum rear bumper with hitch receiver
Boom Racing beadlock TE37 wheels
RC4WD Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires
Bowhouse low center-of-gravity battery tray
CNC adjustable upper shock mounts
Yeah Racing brass lower shock mounts
Yeah Racing aluminum front axle housing
Hot Racing helical overdrive ring and pinion (all axles)
Traxxas Ti-nitride GTS shock shafts
CNC rear c-hubs (lower adjustable shock mount)
Samix brass front differential cover
Yeah Racing aluminum intermediate axle housing
Yeah Racing brass intermediate diff cover
Samix brass portal covers with brake rotor kit (middle and rear)
Traxxas rock lights (front)

Additional parts:
Traxxas Traxx, front only (for snow)
Traxxas Deep Terrain Treads
Vaterra beadlock wheels (for mud)
RC4WD Interco Ground Hawg II 1.9 M/T tires
RC4WD Warn switchblock
RC4WD ground anchor

Parts awaiting install:
GRC TRX-6 interior
Samix front shock plates
Traxxas TQI Link
Traxxas transmitter phone mount
Yeah Racing motion steering wheel
Holmes Hobbies Puller Pro V2 2200kv motor
Mamba-X ESC
Castle B-Link
GRC TRX-6 Huntsman toolbox


Starting from the beginning...

Installation of the brass components were a breeze. Used some Mobil 1 synthetic grease during the install. The Hot Racing offset tie rod was a necessity and I’m glad I got it. Eliminated the rubbing of the factory tie rod on the differential cover at full lock. The truck bed I bought from eBay fits perfect. No complaints on it whatsoever. It fits like the bed came from the Traxxas factory. Highly recommended to turn make the TRX-6 more of a scale appearance.

Next up: winch bumper and winch setup from RC4WD. This is turning into quite a challenge.

 

[smog]

Excellent start. The X6 looks like a fun platform.


The bed modification is a detail that really helps the look of that body.

 

[Got0wned]

Next: winch/bumper mod

RC4WD Warn 9.5ct winch
RC4WD Warn wireless controller
RC4WD front bumper
RC4WD Warn fairlead
RC4WD Warn shackles

Scavenged a 9v battery connector from an old smoke detector for a dedicated power source for the winch.

 

[Got0wned]

Continuing my winch/bumper mod...

I singled out a 9v battery holder from a row that holds four I had bought from Amazon. Also bought a cheap "scale storage box" to waterproof/dustproof the wireless winch controller with some silicone gasket maker. Here's how they look like:

I carefully cut away the front bumper. Making the cut at the front of the fender flares on both sides to match was not easy, but I think I did a pretty good job

Soldered on a waterproof on/off switch externally for the battery. This way, I don't have to remove the body to plug/unplug the battery every time. The switch will be hidden on the undercarriage right behind the front bumper.

 

[Got0wned]

Mounted up the roof lights. Also added some LEDs into them.

 

[Got0wned]

The mounting posts on the RC4WD front bumper made it sit too high or too low to the body. My friend with fabrication skills made me an adapter out of a solid aluminum block:

Fitment is PERFECT and ROCK SOLID! Used the winch to pull my office chair. No flex on the winch or bumper. Form and function like it was made at the Traxxas factory! :thumbup:

 

[Phildirt]

Damn that looks good. Great job, changed the whole look of the truck.

 

[Got0wned]

Damn that looks good. Great job, changed the whole look of the truck.

Thanks, Phildirt! I’m more than satisfied to how everything turned out for this truck. I didn’t expect to go this deep into upgrading it from when i first got it as a birthday gift. My first r/c truck, may not be my last, though

 

[Phildirt]

Thanks, Phildirt! I’m more than satisfied to how everything turned out for this truck. I didn’t expect to go this deep into upgrading it from when i first got it as a birthday gift. My first r/c truck, may not be my last, though

I'm always envious of someone that has a vision and executes it/ends up with something so clean it looks like it came that way out of the box. My 'builds' always end up looking like I changed my mind halfway through lol.

 

[hnoroian]

Mounted up the roof lights. Also added some LEDs into them.

Where did you find the center lights?

 

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

That bumper made the body look 100x better, kind of likening the body lol. Great work! [emoji106]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Got0wned]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. I just ordered more stuff to upgrade..

Phildirt: Thanks, haha. I usually don’t see myself through a project that’s too big.. I just figured I would tackle this one thing at a time. Just had to keep my motivation up along the way to get it done.

Hnoroian: The lights I used for the roof lights are Team Associated XP rock lights 150mm. I connected it to a Y-harness via the receiver box.

Scalelifenewbie: Thank you! Yeah, I couldn’t stand the look of the factory front bumper.. I had to be brave to cut it out. I’m glad I did it. Looks good in pictures, but even better in person!

 

[Got0wned]

The roof lights were too dim when I wired it to the Traxxas LED power supply. I re-connected it to a Y-harness to the receiver box for a 6v power supply and now it is where the brightness should be. I also used a liquid chrome marker to plate the four individual light bezels to enhance the output. Success!

Before:

After:

 

[hnoroian]

Thank you, now I need to go spend more $$$ �� it looks great!

How about the housing? I have yet to find any like that.

 

[Got0wned]

Thank you, now I need to go spend more $$$ �� it looks great!

How about the housing? I have yet to find any like that.

Here you go:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Roof-Spotl...175468&hash=item1f11b27f00:g:z80AAOSwlZNe6bgr

I used Team Associated XP rock lights 150mm with these. Fitment is like they were meant for each other.

 

[hnoroian]

Here you go:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Roof-Spotl...175468&hash=item1f11b27f00:g:z80AAOSwlZNe6bgr

I used Team Associated XP rock lights 150mm with these. Fitment is like they were meant for each other.

Thank you again, that makes me happy!

 

[Got0wned]

Played in the snow today by Lake Arrowhead with the Deep Terrain Traxx installed. I was surprised how well it crawled through thick snow.

 

[OnTheTrail]

Doesn’t the final gear ratio between the tires and tracks end up being dramatically different, or did you mod the diffs somehow to adjust for this?

 

[Got0wned]

Doesn’t the final gear ratio between the tires and tracks end up being dramatically different, or did you mod the diffs somehow to adjust for this?

I had a set of overdrive gear for the front, but I didn’t get a chance to install it in time for this trip. You are right, that the gear ratio being noticeably off between the traxx in the front and the rear wheels. It pushed the vehicle forward more than I wanted to when steering. However, in the snow, the rear wheels barely had enough traction enough to notice much of that difference. The overdrive gear will be getting installed this week. But the traxx will be coming off since I’m no longer in the snow.

 

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

Looks mean with Traxx up front and tires out back. Keep moddin' lol.