Summit identification????

[Piranha-z]

Is there any way I can tell what year my Summit is?? The guy I bought it from said he bought it new in 2011. The manual actually has print date of 2011, but I'm not sure. The body is a solid red color. I have noticed the 2012's have designs over the top coat, and the 2013's are different from those. I do have the TQ 2.4GHz transmitter, but it does not have the LVD. When did they start using that. Are there any other tell tale signs to point to the year made??

[snowslider]

It's definitely pre-2012(solid color), other than that I don't know any other way to identify it.

[Piranha-z]

It's definitely pre-2012(solid color), other than that I don't know any other way to identify it.

I have noticed that some Summits have the antenna come up through the body. I'm guessing those are earlier ones as well. Mine does not have that.

[ksb51rl]

2013's have redesigned graphics?

[snowslider]

2013's have redesigned graphics?

They do? I think I've missed something.

[JimmyNeutron]

I didn't know of any difference in the 2013's either.

There are only a few differences from the release of the Summit.
The first ones came with solid colors, a remote with a long eye-poking antenna, and no LVD.
The second version came with solid colors, a remote with a short antenna, and no LVD.
The third version came with graphics, a remote with a short antenna, and no LVD.
The forth (and current) version came with graphics, a remote with no antenna, and LVD.

There is a mechanical difference in there with the long antenna version, but that was only with the very first batch of Summits as they had defective parts -- that Traxxas remedied and fixed for free.

I also think (and could be wrong) that there was a version with "high output" controllers after the second version.

The exact date of manufacturer is not of real importance in any case...

[ksb51rl]

I didn't know of any difference in the 2013's either.

There are only a few differences from the release of the Summit.
The first ones came with solid colors, a remote with a long eye-poking antenna, and no LVD.
There was also a gray, 1st-gen, non-MF knob, 4-ch 2.4GHz remote, but whether that came with a vehicle, IDK.
-ksb51rl
The second version came with solid colors, a remote with a short antenna, and no LVD.
The third version came with graphics, a remote with a short antenna, and no LVD.
The forth (and current) version came with graphics, a remote with no antenna, and LVD.

There is a mechanical difference in there with the long antenna version, but that was only with the very first batch of Summits as they had defective parts -- that Traxxas remedied and fixed for free.

I also think (and could be wrong) that there was a version with "high output" controllers after the second version.

The exact date of manufacturer is not of real importance in any case...

The non-HO, non-Link 2.4GHz radios (Gen2a, we'll call them) have satin-finish silver Tx wheels. The HO, Link versions have black chrome Tx wheels.

[Piranha-z]

2013's have redesigned graphics?

They do? I think I've missed something.

Maybe not. Just getting into this and going off pictures I have seen. Maybe the graphics were the same and I didn't notice. You guys would know more than I do

[ksb51rl]

The non-HO, non-Link 2.4GHz radios (Gen2a, we'll call them) have satin-finish silver Tx wheels. The HO, Link versions have black chrome Tx wheels.

See: Difference-in-Link-radios for more on the pre-TQi 2.4GHz Traxxas radios.

[Piranha-z]

See: Difference-in-Link-radios for more on the pre-TQi 2.4GHz Traxxas radios.

Very cool post there!!! Thanks!

[Piranha-z]

I sent an e-mail to Traxxas support and asked if there was a way to tell what year the truck was and they said "Unfortunately there is no way to tell the actual build date."

[JimmyNeutron]

Why does it matter so much to you?

[Piranha-z]

Why does it matter so much to you?

HAHA, it doesn't really matter. I like knowledge and like to know what I have. Not life or death, but I like to keep records of my stuff.

[pavmentsurfer]

You wont get an exact date of manufacture. But following the general guidelines listed above will give you a general idea of the year your truck was built. Generally, all the trucks build in a specific generation are exactly the same. So if you got one built on the first day of production and the last are the same so it doesnt matter.

Oddly enough, the LVD and non LVD models had the exact same part number. There was a time when you could place an order at an online retailer and not know what you would get. That makes it even harder to determine exactly when your truck was BUILT because it could have been SOLD brand new AFTER the newer model went into production.

[Piranha-z]

You wont get an exact date of manufacture. But following the general guidelines listed above will give you a general idea of the year your truck was built. Generally, all the trucks build in a specific generation are exactly the same. So if you got one built on the first day of production and the last are the same so it doesnt matter.

Oddly enough, the LVD and non LVD models had the exact same part number. There was a time when you could place an order at an online retailer and not know what you would get. That makes it even harder to determine exactly when your truck was BUILT because it could have been SOLD brand new AFTER the newer model went into production.

I was curious because the guy I bought from said he bought it new in 2011 (it was super clean too) but in reality, I think it's a 2010 that was probably still on the shelf. Either way, I think I have it narrowed down. Just nice to know.