Traxxas Monster Jam Replicas Suspension Tuning

Traxxas Monster Jam Replicas Suspension Tuning

The combination of the massive (pun intended) popularity of Monster Jam and Traxxas’ new lineup of replicas including Grave Digger, Monster Mutt, Grinder and Maximum Destruction has undoubtedly led to a big (there I go again) increase in the number Traxxas Stampedes out there banging around parking lots and backyards. The vast majority of the users of these trucks can leave the suspension alone and just drive the trucks stock as they are actually plenty fast and handle well right out of the box. There are a few tweaks, however, that will increase performance of these trucks without breaking the bank or cost anything at all.

After the suspension’s shock springs break in, the Monster Jam Replica trucks can sit slightly lower and also not sit completely level front to rear. Using the included spring pre-load spacers is pretty straightforward and old news to anyone who’s been around RC. What many people fail to realize is that slightly raising the rear end, for example, will actually increase rear traction.

The Monster Jam trucks come with fixed camber links. Adjusting camber is a big deal for a basher, but switching to Traxxas adjustable links can be a useful tuning tool. Being able to slightly dial in more camber (actually negative camber) by leaning the top of the tire in towards the chassis will help the truck be less likely to “catch” a rut when cornering through rough sections. Negative camber will also increase traction during cornering because it will keep the tire flat as the truck leans during hard cornering.

If you want to take one of these trucks to the next level, there are many options and ways to go as a large number of parts designed for the Traxxas Rustler, Stampede and Slash will all work on these trucks. You could install RPM’s trick -stage pistons, Pro-Line Power Stroke shocks and a whole host of aluminum parts built for increased performance and durability.

My Must-Have Option Parts:

> Ball bearings for hubs (8 total)

> Aluminum shock caps or aluminum shocks

> LiPo battery

> Traxxas VXL brushless system (it’s waterproof and plenty fast)

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Updated: July 21, 2015 — 4:38 PM
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