Punishing the Pavement – Arrma’s 1/8th scale Mega Infraction 4WD Street Bashing RTR

Most of us live around the city these days, and though we may have plenty of parks and fields to play around in we are still mostly surrounded by the urban jungle. The urban landscape provides us with plenty of benefits but can sometimes be an awkward fit for the RC hobby. Paved roads aren’t always so fun with purely off-road kits, and all too often the pavement itself can be too rough to run any kind of dedicated on-road vehicle. Because of this we are always in need of more urban-friendly RC bashers, something that can take on the punishing pavement, rough industrial alleyways, and even manage some dirt in the process.

To answer this call Arrma has designed their latest All-Road basher, the Mega Infraction 1/8th scale 4×4 Resto-Mod truck. This seriously sweet street-basher answers the call of enthusiasts looking to take advantage of multiple styles of terrain with a single vehicle. Join us as we take the Mega Infraction out for a spin around the mean streets of the city.

BUILD TO BASH
Arrma designed the 1/8th scale Mega Infraction as a true all-road street bashing machine, ready to take on all kinds of urban terrain. Its sleek, low-slung chassis and aggressive body design evoke rebellious vibes and some serious performance. Like other models in the Arrma lineup, this truck is meant to not just bash, but blast.

Starting with the foundation, the low-slung, perfectly flat chassis limits the risk of snagging on hang-ups and slides nicely over bumps and obstacles.

The chassis and related core parts, along with the front and rear suspension towers, side pods, bumpers, and suspension arms are all constructed from a durable composite plastic material that is designed to take plenty of abuse. Arrma has also designed the truck for ease of maintenance with easily removable diff covers, along with easily removable electronics and drivetrain modules, all making regular maintenance smooth and simple.

The truck features fully independent, double wishbone suspension front and rear and rests on fully adjustable, threaded composite shocks. The shocks are sealed with silicone o-rings for smooth performance and include threaded top caps that act as the spring adjuster. High strength arms are installed at the bottom along with adjustable length upper links at the top of each corner of the truck. These suspension arms and links not only allow for great tuning potential but also provide robust strength.

The frontend suspension features heavy-duty c-hubs and steering blocks for extra durability. A large front bumper and foam element finish off the frontend and are profiled to fit perfectly inside the Infraction’s body shell. Finishing off the chassis and suspension package, Arrma includes front and rear sway bars that help keep the truck controlled.

The Mega Infraction features a full suite of Spektrum and Arrma Mega electronics. At the helm of the electronics package is the Arrma Mega brushed ESC. This 35A waterproof speed controller comes outfitted with a red anodized machined aluminum heatsink, and a slick looking red case for accent. The ESC is fitted with a Spektrum IC3 connector and is compatible with both 8.4V 7-cell NiMH and 7.4V 2S LiPo batteries. To power the truck, Arrma has installed a 9T 570 series brushed motor. This large, brushed motor outputs tons of torque and a healthy amount of power, rocketing the Mega Infraction to speeds up to 30mph.

A Spektrum S650 steering servo comes standard and provides a precise, digital signal so the Infraction remains on course the entire time you’re driving it. The S650 servo is waterproofed to ensure longevity and durability. To finish off the electronics package, Arrma includes a Spektrum SLT3 2.4GHz transmitter and SLR300 3-channel receiver that help to keep you in complete control while whipping the Infraction around the road. The receiver is housed in its own waterproofed compartment, making the entire electronics setup capable of dealing with bashing abuse in both the wet and the dry.

Withstanding the stresses and abuse of street bashing requires some stout drivetrain components, and because of this the Mega Infraction comes equipped with parts that are up to the task. Arrma outfitted the Mega Infraction with heavy-duty composite slip-joint axles front and rear, along with a heavy-duty composite slip-joint center driveshaft. The composite materials, along with the strong design make the axles and center driveshaft perfect to take on whatever can be thrown at them.

The center drivetrain power module holds the motor and clutch system and comes equipped with a steel pinon gear, composite spur gear, and a castellated slipper. The slipper unit can also be adjusted to optimize traction depending on the running surface. Metal geared, oil-filled differentials also come standard at the front and rear. These are the same, super strong differential units included in Arrma’s larger 4S capable bashers and are a perfect match for the Mega Infraction.

Moving on to the exterior, the Mega Infraction’s sleek Resto-Mod truck body comes pre-painted and is available in two different colorways. Our test model is the teal and copper version, which looks really unique and is a surefire head-turner. The aggressive lines of the Mega Infraction body are similar to its larger sibling with pronounced vents, side skirts and a design that falls somewhere between vintage and race inspired.

A precut, pre-installed polycarbonate rear spoiler adds extra downforce to the rear tires for improved traction and helps to add that little extra something to the overall look of the truck. The truck body is finished off with composite plastic skids on the roof for added protection and a composite roll bar to tie it all together. As a finishing touch, Arrma designed a lower rear diffuser that helps to further improve aero of the truck and adds some extra protection on the bottom side. The whole truck sits atop large diameter nylon racing wheels and 3.4” dBoots Katar All-Road tires that can crush all types of terrain.

ALL-ROADS MEANS EVERYWHERE
The Mega Infraction was designed as an All-Road Street Basher. What that means in real world terms is that you can drive it anywhere from smooth parking lots to rough alleyways, broken asphalt and baseball diamonds, dirt paths and even on dusty gravel roads. The Mega Infraction is right at home on any of these surfaces, making it a true multi-terrain vehicle.

As for the performance, we found the Mega Infraction to be quick, controlled, and easy to drive. The speed and torque from the 570 brushed motor make the truck a ton of fun to rocket around on the road, while keeping it more composed than an all-out brushless variant. This meant that we could reliably control the truck, even when sliding around in the gravel and dust of our local lots. The Mega electronics package provides plenty of power to the drivetrain to keep the truck lively and fun, and the Spektrum radio system and servo keep it under control.

The dBoots Katar All-Road tires do a great job of hooking up on both low and high traction surfaces. The lugged treads allow for just enough sliding in gravel and looser dirt, and then instantly connect back to the road, which allowed for plenty of opportunities to kick the back end of the truck out for some sweet slides and drifting action.

The Mega Infraction’s sleek and low to the ground suspension still has plenty of travel to cope with bumps and jumps. Whether you’re catching air off the side of a curb or finding the perfect break in the pavement to act as a ramp, the Mega Infraction lands smoothly while taking the jumps in stride. The adjustable ride height along with the included spring rates provide excellent suspension performance that works extremely well both on and off the road. The added sway bars help to keep the truck tidy, limiting any type of oversteer or lack of grip. All in all, it’s a super fun truck to drive and bash around.

A LiPo Amps Up The Fun!
The Mega Infraction RTR includes a 7-cell 8.4V NiMH battery in the box and while this battery is a great starting point, upgrading to a LiPo can help dial up the fun factor even more. Using a Spektrum 7.4V LiPo pack helped bring out more performance from the truck improving the speed, responsiveness, and the overall runtime. A simple upgrade to a LiPo battery can do a world of wonders.

FINAL THOUGHTS
What I love most about this truck is that you can take it just about anywhere without worrying about the details. Rather than trying to find the perfect place to run it, it simply conforms to whatever surface you put in on, making it a versatile and enjoyable kit to drive. These are the types of bashing kits that really come to life in the city as you can simply keep it in the back of your truck or car and take it out when you want to have some fun. The Mega Infraction brings its own take on street-bashing and provides plenty of enjoyment for beginning and advanced enthusiasts alike. If you’re looking for a kit that can be taken anywhere from parking lots to gravel roads, and everything in-between, I highly suggest you consider picking up an Arrma Mega Infraction, you won’t be disappointed. As always thank you for reading and I’ll catch you in the next one.

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Text and Images by Lauren Short
Source: Arrma arrma-rc.com