RCU Review: Traxxas 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD

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Randall Harper
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RCU Review: Traxxas 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD More On This Product Discussions on this Product Show user ratings Check for Retailers Contributed by: Matthew LeMay Published: December 2009 Views: 65515 Email

1 RCU Review: Traxxas 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD More On This Product Discussions on this Product Show user ratings Check for Retailers Contributed by: Matthew LeMay Published: December 2009 Views: this Article PDF Review by: Matt LeMay Action photos by: Starla LeMay Specifications At first glance Performance Conclusion Manufacturer & Distributor Info Traxxas Phone: Toll-free: 888-TRAXXAS Website: Short course racing has become extremely popular these days. Unfortunately, not everyone has a large track or area to run a 1/8 scale or even 1/10 scale truck. However, Traxxas has come up with a solution to that problem with the 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD. This new model isn't just a smaller version of the 1/10 Slash; the 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD is actually based on the innovative E-Revo, right down to its integrated battery compartments, shaft-driven 4WD system, and F1-inspired inboard suspension. The Velineon brushless system is waterproof, and a NiMh battery pack is included for speeds of over 30mph. According to Traxxas, a second battery pack can be installed to boost speed to over 50mph! In addition to Traxxas colors, the model is offered in "Race Replica" designs. My tester is the Scott Douglas/Mike Oberg Edition, with official Amsoil graphics. Let's drive!

oil filled shocks High quality Name: 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD Price: $264.99 varies with dealer Length: 14" Width: 7.3" Wheelbase: 8.

92" Motor: Velineon 380 Brushless Drive Train: Front and rear sealed differentials, single speed tranny with slipper clutch.

A second battery pack and connector are optional and are sold separately.

controller, and Traxxas 2080 mini steering servo.

2 See the 1/16 Slash VXL in action! Broadband Dialup 23 MB 15 MB Ready to run Includes tools Sealed electronics Brushless power Insane speed Very durable Tunable oil filled shocks High quality Name: 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD Price: $ varies with dealer Length: 14" Width: 7.3" Wheelbase: 8.1" Height (overall): 4.92" Motor: Velineon 380 Brushless Drive Train: Front and rear sealed differentials, single speed tranny with slipper clutch. Included Battery: Traxxas "Series 1" 6 cell battery pack and charger. A second battery pack and connector are optional and are sold separately. Radio equipment: (Included) Traxxas 27MHz TQ radio, Traxxas channel micro receiver, Traxxas VXL-3m Electronic speed controller, and Traxxas 2080 mini steering servo. Tie rods not adjustable Eight AA batteries for radio Oil, if running in water (to oil bearings) Left side Front view Right side First glance The packaging of the 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD was secured with no damage from shipping. As I removed the Slash from its box, I was impressed with the look and feel of the truck. The body was painted, trimmed, and the decals were already installed. The design of the body is one of the better short coarse truck designs I've seen. The lines are well rounded and it captures the look of a

3 full size race truck very nicely. The chassis is not a smaller version of the 1/10 scale Slash; instead, Traxxas used the E-Revo as the basis for the design, which adds 4WD and inboard suspension to the 1/16 Slash package. The overall quality of the truck looks to be top notch. The plastic parts are well formed and designed. Everything fits together very well. The 1/16 Slash VXL has both front and rear bumpers, which are not only functional but also add to the realistic look of the truck. Included with the truck: Full set of instructions Extra decals Extra body clips Extra pinion gear for use with dual batteries Tools Transmitter Battery & charger Left angle Included literature Right angle Front top angle Front top Front top angle Rear top angle Rear top Rear top angle Rear angle Rear Rear angle

Left Front Right Under side Rear Top side Extra decals Rear bumper

spoke wheels and tires are pre-glued at the factory and have the look

The scale tires have a directional off-road tread pattern and include

The 1/16 Slash VXL is four wheel drive and equipped with plastic

A total of 12 universal joints in the truck will provide smooth and

The two sealed differentials have metal bevel gears, and the diff

If you would like to tune the performance of the truck, a variety of

the truck handle more like a truggy or a buggy.

4 Left Front Right Under side Rear Top side Extra decals Rear bumper Optional battery set up Wheels, tires, and drivetrain The chrome five spoke wheels and tires are pre-glued at the factory and have the look of a bead-lock ring. The scale tires have a directional off-road tread pattern and include foam inserts. The 1/16 Slash VXL is four wheel drive and equipped with plastic telescoping drive shafts with universal joints at each end. A total of 12 universal joints in the truck will provide smooth and dependable operation. The two sealed differentials have metal bevel gears, and the diff pinion and drive gears are also metal construction. If you would like to tune the performance of the truck, a variety of differential fluid weights may be used to change the handling characteristics. A center differential may be purchased separately if you wish to make the truck handle more like a truggy or a buggy. The transmission contains both plastic and metal gears. The plastic gears are wide enough to accommodate the added stress of the brushless motor and the metal gear is a steel idler gear. To help further protect the drivetrain, a slipper clutch is mounted to the transmission's input shaft. The slipper clutch uses a plastic spur gear. Tires Center U-joint drive shaft Steering knuckle

Sealed differential Sealed bearings Inside differential Slipper clutch Transmission gears

servo reversing, steering and throttle trims, low battery indicator, and a throttle neutral

This gives you piece of mind hte receiver will stay dry while driving through a puddle, snow,

This single servo provides ample torque to swing the small tires.

vent Motor, slipper clutch, and battery Power is provided by a Velineon 380 brushless motor

This setup is intended for use with the included 6 cell NiMH battery pack.

It uses two battery packs (second pack and adapter sold separately) and must be used with the

The VXL-3m electronic speed control can handle a 3s Lipo or two 6-cell NiMH battery packs.

These include Sport Mode, Racing Mode, and Training Mode.

5 Sealed differential Sealed bearings Inside differential Slipper clutch Transmission gears Slipper clutch Radio The included radio is a two channel 27MHz AM transmitter which includes servo reversing, steering and throttle trims, low battery indicator, and a throttle neutral position switch. A Traxxas 4-channel micro receiver is kept in a sealed receiver box. This gives you piece of mind hte receiver will stay dry while driving through a puddle, snow, or mud. A waterproof Traxxas 2080 mini servo is used for steering the 1/16 Slash VXL. This single servo provides ample torque to swing the small tires. Steering servo TQ transmitter Steering servo Battery tray latches Micro receiver Battery tray vent Motor, slipper clutch, and battery Power is provided by a Velineon 380 brushless motor with a stock 31 tooth pinion gear. This setup is intended for use with the included 6 cell NiMH battery pack. A 28 tooth pinion gear also comes with the truck for use with the 50+mph setup. It uses two battery packs (second pack and adapter sold separately) and must be used with the 28 tooth pinion gear. The VXL-3m electronic speed control can handle a 3s Lipo or two 6-cell NiMH battery packs. The ESC can be used in three configurations. These include Sport Mode, Racing Mode, and Training Mode. Sport mode: 100% Forward, 100% Brakes, and 100% Reverse Race mode: 100% Forward, 100% Brakes, and No Reverse Training mode: 50% Forward, 100% Brakes, and 50% Reverse The electronic speed controller also includes Lipo low voltage detection and radio calibration. The instruction manual goes over all the ESC settings and setup in great detail. Traxxas includes a Series 1 6-cell NiMH Power cell and wall charger.

Included battery pack Brushless motor Electronic speed control Suspension The

In addition, the shocks' inboard position shields them from debris and crash

the cantilever suspension design allows the shocks to be mounted horizontally

The Progressive travel allows the suspension to feel softer at the beginning of

6 Included battery pack Brushless motor Electronic speed control Suspension The Slash glides on the same cantilever suspension as the Slayer. In addition, the shocks' inboard position shields them from debris and crash damage.the cantilever suspension design allows the shocks to be mounted horizontally for a lower center of gravity and progressive travel rate. The Progressive travel allows the suspension to feel softer at the beginning of its compression and gets progressively stiffer as the suspension nears full compression. This is similar to having a stiffer spring stacked on top of a weaker spring as seen on some different race vehicles. The smaller bumps are soaked up easily while the more aggressive stuff is taken care of with a little more resistance. The GTR oil-filled shocks have threaded plastic bodies for easily fine tuning the ride height. The shocks are also oil-tunable and include pressure bladders under the cap for air/oil separation. The upper and lower suspension A-arms have pillow balls mounted to the ends. The pillow balls are what secures the steering knuckles to the A-arms. This design requires less pivot points and offers a smoother operating suspension. The servo saver is in line and is mounted behind the front suspension. This will help protect your steering servo from damage during crashes. Front rockers Rear suspension Rear rockers Rear suspension arms Shocks Front suspension arms

7 Performance & Handling The first place I took the 1/16 Slash VXL RTR was to the skate park. I wanted to test the truck with the supplied battery pack and stock pinion gear. I drove the truck up and down the ramps and over the jumps. The 1/16 Slash VXL handled everything I threw at it very well. The truck was loads of fun jumping off the ramps. The in air characteristics were fairly predictable. Occasionally the vehicle nose dived while in the air. This happened more when I hit the jumps hard, so I learned to control it with my launch speed. There was plenty of power on hand and the truck handled it well. The Velineon brushless system operates smoothly from stop all the way to full throttle. There was no jarring or skipping from the ESC. The differentials were a little tight to start off but they loosened up nicely after several hours of driving.

8 For speed testing, I installed the supplied 28T pinion and the optional, second Power Cell Series 1 battery and Series adapter. As its name implies, the adapter joins the two packs "in series," effectively turning the two 7.2-volt packs into one 14.4 volt pack. I'm almost speechless about this setup; picture something with 1.6" tires going 50+mph. Handling this vehicle at full throttle is not for a beginner. It requires a smooth, experienced driver, who is fully aware of the surroundings and able to keep the Slash under complete control. I reinstalled the stock pinion gear and a single battery pack into the truck so I could take it off road. The instructions warn against using the 50+mph setup while performing many start and stop actions. That setup was designed for flat out top speed. The small Slash VXL handled well off road, and I was able to have fun in the mud since the electronics are water proof. Despite taking plenty of tumbles, the Slash VXL took it all in stride and kept on performing. The last place I took the 1/16 Slash VXL to was a 1/8 scale off road track. Some said it couldn't be done, but the 1/16 Slash VXL was running laps pretty well. I admit the truck did tumble when it ran over a decent size rock or rut, however it handled most of the jumps quite well. All but the largest of them. The in-air controllability was as good as the bigger vehicles because of the small tires. There is not much of a gyroscope effect so the truck isn't as sensitive to throttle inputs. A little tweaking to the the suspension though, and the truck would land the big jump. While on the track or anywhere else for that matter, the stock setup provides plenty of power. The only thing I could see using the insane speed setup for would be to impress my friends, and believe me I will. The 1/16 Slash VXL is incredibly durable. I rolled, flipped, tumbled, crashed, and nose-dived this truck and it held up amazingly well. I am very impressed it is so sturdy. I didn't do any wet-conditions testing with the 1/16 Slash, but previous Traxxas models with waterproof electronics have proven to be as waterproof as Traxxas claims. I expect the same for the 1/16 Slash. Just remember that wet-conditions running requires more maintenance for the mechanical parts of the car. Be sure to follow all the "after running in wet conditions" steps in the manual if you decide to get wet. See the 1/16 Slash VXL in action! Download and Watch in Windows Media Player here! Broadband Dialup 23 MB 15 MB The 1/16 Slash VXL VXL is a well made and an incredibly fun short course truck. I just can't get over how tough it is in all sorts of conditions. It makes me want to build a small track specifically for 1/16 vehicles. The 1/16 Slash is not as inexpensive as most other "minis," but at 1/16 scale and over a foot long, it's also larger than most mini-class models. And, it's got a brushless system, sealed silicone-filled diffs, waterproof electronics, and includes a battery. You do get a lot for the money. I know once the other guys see me racing it, they'll want one too. If you're looking for a high quality RC truck but don't have much room to run, or just want something different, the 1/16 Slash VXL RTR is for you. Traxxas 1100 Klein Rd Plano, Texas Phone: Toll-free: TRAXXAS support@traxxas.com

9 Website: Comments on RCU Review: Traxxas 1/16 Slash VXL 4WD Posted by: webdr on 12/20/2009 good Job Matt, pictures look real good. Posted by: sputnikwood on 12/23/2009 i really like the video (especially that it doesnt have any music). that 5th Action shot photo is just tooooo nice. Posted by: tariayatchs on 02/13/2010 you should do a review of the traxxas rustler xl-5 Posted by: tymtofly2 on 03/15/2010 Thank you all for your kind words...matt Posted by: turok007 on 07/02/2010 just tried mine out with 2 packs on road it is just to fast. Profile Profile Profile Profile Profile The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review. Page: 1 THIS ARTICLE OR CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT REVIEWS! Photo Manufacturer Product Summary Reviewed MOTIV M-Code Brushless RC Moto Ok, enough about Paul because this article is about the MOTIV line of M-Code line of motors. The M-Code motors come in ma... 12/06/2015 Trinity D4 1S In late June, 2014, Trinity released the D4 motor to replace the D3.5. Since that time, the D4 has powered cars to 8 ROAR Nat... 12/06/2015 Matt Lemay Airbrushing Take Your Painting To I ve decided to create a series of articles dedicated to helping the average hobbyist get into, or at least consider whether... 12/06/2015 Tamiya Amarok Custom Lift As an official vehicle of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Volkswagen built specialized polar edition custom lifted Amarok vehicles u... 11/24/2015 Tower Hobbies J-3 Cub With its distinctive looks, it is probably safe to say that the J-3 Cub is one of the most recognized and known airplanes in... 11/23/2015 RCGF 21cc Twin Cylinder Gasoline Engine RCGF, a Chinese manufacturer of gasoline engines, designs and manufactures engines specifically for 'the RC aircraft market /23/2015 RCGF 120cc Twin Cylinder Gasoline Engine RCGF, a Chinese manufacturer of gasoline engines, designs and manufactures engines specifically for the RC aircraft market. T... 11/23/2015 Traxxas In June, I tested and wrote about the Slash VXL Traxxas Slash w/ OBA and how much I Brushless with OBA enjoyed what the Slash offers. It's been a goto veh... 11/23/2015

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