New to the hobby! New truck! What to do??

[Jr_casteel1999]

Hi guys my name is jr. I'm just getting into the hobby and bought my first rc off Craigslist today. Bought a stampede 2wd xl5. I don't think it is waterproof and is in like new condition. Came with 2 batts and a charger. What should I do to it first?? Also where is the best place to get upgrade parts? Paid 80 bucks for it and it runs great. I also plan on buying a rustler vxl on Friday. Any info or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Rum Guy]

Best place to buy upgrades, your LHS (Local Hobby Shop) or online. Always check Ebay. your xl-5 should be somewhat waterproof unless it has had previous upgrades, that been said it is not a boat lol. As for what upgrades you should do first it all depends how you plan to use it. This forum is full of useful info & great people that are always willing to help. There is always someone on here who has tried it what you might want to do. No matter what you do to it I am sure you will enjoy it.

[Jampods_1]

Welcome to the forum jr. I am also pretty new. Like rum said, there is a lot of usefull information here. If your truck is stock I would recommend upgrading A-arms, steering blocks, bearing carriers, caster blocks, and a slash 2wd front bumper. Rpm is a good manufacturer for all of these parts and they aren't too expensive either. Replacing the bushing with bearings is a good idea too. Have fun with your truck!!!

[DiggerPede]

Welcome to the forum JR. Lots of good help around here. Your LHS is a good spot to start, but they don't always know everything or give the best advice. Some good brands to upgrade to are Traxxas, STRC, FLM, REM (alloy parts), and RPM for plastics. Have any questions on upgrades shoot us a Q.

Post a pic of your truck sometime.

[zippogeek]

Welcome to the forums. Everyone here is very helpful! +1 on going to your LHS, if you have one nearby. Mine is a full-service Traxxas dealer, so they pretty much have everything I need on-hand (even when I break something).

[theant]

What makes you think that its not waterproof? If it has the blue esc (xl5) and a titan motor it should be. As long as they didnt remove the blue gasket in the rx box. But as mentioned i wouldnt be using it as a boat as water can cause other issues with rust and seized bearings etc. Yeah RPM plastic is fantastic and very well priced. Alloy parts are flashy as well as durable (depending on the manufacturer) but also very pricey when you start throwing lots if it on your truck. The way i look at it is that rpm is much stronger than stock and when it is worn its not that much more expensive either. I started with rpm arms and bearing carriers for now.

And +1 for sure on upgrading to bearings if it doesnt already have them installed. Better run times and much smoother ride.


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[Newestmemberhere]

Lol I hope it's waterproof I have the same truck and I wash it in the bathtub 😀

[Newestmemberhere]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Newestmemberhere]

What you guys mean by change bushins to bearings? Which ones?

[DiggerPede]

The original and the newest XL-5 are waterproof. It was the old YELLOW XL-1's that weren't. The difference between the 2 XL-5's are the first model didnt have LVD.

[DiggerPede]

What you guys mean by change bushins to bearings? Which ones?

The stock XL-5 Stampede uses bushings in the wheels. A good upgrade is to replace those to Ball bearings 5x11x4 rubber sealsed 8 total (2ea @ all 4 corners). The only thing is you need to be careful about getting them wet. As that will cause them to seize (rust up).

[theant]

The stock XL-5 Stampede uses bushings in the wheels. A good upgrade is to replace those to Ball bearings 5x11x4 rubber sealsed 8 total (2ea @ all 4 corners). The only thing is you need to be careful about getting them wet. As that will cause them to seize (rust up).

Ya i learned that the hard way and ended up having to replace the fronts with 4 brand new ones. I also soaked mine in oil before installing them. Although these trucks are quite waterproof they are certainly not rust proof!!


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[theant]

Lol I hope it's waterproof I have the same truck and I wash it in the bathtub 😀

I rinse mine off with the garden hose but i never submerse it water


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[Newestmemberhere]

Seems like a hassle gotta avoid water. What bout dust?? What's the gain?

[theant]

Seems like a hassle gotta avoid water. What bout dust?? What's the gain?

No need to completely avoid water but rather just avoid complete submersion. Dust isnt an issue either. These things can take a real beating for sure.


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[DiggerPede]

Yeah nothing wrong with a little water. Just have to inspect them on a more frequent basis. I'm not a fan of water. I avoid it at all costs. I have made the ooops and land into the biggest puddle of water when it does happen. LOL The rubber shielded bearings do a very good job at keeping most of stuff on the outside and the lube on the inside.

RPM has a bearing blaster that helps keeping bearings clean and lasting longer. Its like $5 and worth it. I've saved bearings with this.

[theant]

Yeah nothing wrong with a little water. Just have to inspect them on a more frequent basis. I'm not a fan of water. I avoid it at all costs. I have made the ooops and land into the biggest puddle of water when it does happen. LOL The rubber shielded bearings do a very good job at keeping most of stuff on the outside and the lube on the inside.

RPM has a bearing blaster that helps keeping bearings clean and lasting longer. Its like $5 and worth it. I've saved bearings with this.

And if you just splash through a puddle here and there that is almost not necessary. I still would like to get one though. Bearings are not overly expensive but why not try to keep them for as long as possible.


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[DiggerPede]

And if you just splash through a puddle here and there that is almost not necessary. I still would like to get one though. Bearings are not overly expensive but why not try to keep them for as long as possible.

Splashing through a puddle its not really needed. If you do run through water for a while I'd take a look at them though. You will know when they do start to sieze though. LOL Bearings are a fairly cheap item. I keep tubes of them on hand just in case. Heck I keep my old ones if they are still in good shape. Never know when you could use one out in the field or a friend in need. When I change mine I change them all at the same time so I know which ones have been done. But that's just me.

[theant]

Ya for the cost of bearings why not right?


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[Newestmemberhere]

Makes sense thanks.

[Jr_casteel1999]

yea its not the waterproof version. it has a yellow xl-5 what all would i replace to get this thing waterproof? ran it through a puddle yesterday and it started acting funny. i put it on my register overnight to dry it up and its fine this morning. ill get some pics up soon.

[theant]

Blue xl5 or better yet if you can afford it the vxl brushless system. Plus the waterproof rx box. And upgrade to the metal trans gears since im pretty sure you will have the plastic gears in your trans right now.


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[DiggerPede]

If you are satisfied with the current setup i'd run it till the end of its life or want more power. If you want to upgrade and be waterproof you have some options out there. First off you will need the new Magnum 272 Tranny with upgraded Slipper. Once you have this you can upgrade to a brushless setup. The Traxxas VXL-3S 3500kv 2-pole combo is waterproof and a nice little setup. Want to move up to something a little more power and run cooler the Castle Creations Sidewinder v.3 3800kv 4-pole is another good choice. This is waterproof also. They will both cost you close to the same. The ESC for the VXL is a direct bolt on, the ESC for the SV3 can be mounted with servo tape, velcro, or mount. There are other options to, but these are the most popular. If you do any of these upgrades you will want to add a Slash or RPM Slash front bumper to save the front of your truck from impacts. I'd also change the bushings in the wheels to bearings 8 5x11x4 ball bearings. With brushless power the bushings won't last long. You might need the Speed Control mounting plate to. This should be anough to get you going. Below are links to the tranny and combos i mentioned.

<< Magnum 272 Tranny >>

<< VXL3S 3500 >> You can also do the Traxxas power up on this for a decent price if you are interested.

<< Sidewinder SV2 3800kv >> This one is just water resistant. Only handles a splash of water.

<< Sidewinder v3 3800kv Waterproof >> This one is fully waterproof. Can't find in stock anywhere.

Hopefully this enough to get you going.

[Jr_casteel1999]

im prob planning to do the whole truck in integy and velineon parts

[DiggerPede]

im prob planning to do the whole truck in integy

Integy is a big NO NO, their stuff is JUNK!! Unless you plan on making it a SQ (shelf queen). Their parts are not made for bashing or daily use. They are only good to build a truck and sit it on the shelf to look at and be shiny and pretty. Buy good parts like RPM for upgrades (come in various color plastic). And alloy for like your castors, carriers, & bulk, preferably from Traxxas, STRC, REM, & FLM.

[Jr_casteel1999]

anybody have a link to this bearing upgrade on ebay or something?

[DiggerPede]

The first 2 links are Traxxas ball bearings which are very good. Bearings from AVID RC have been my favorite.

<< 5116 Traxxas 5x11x4 BB's >>

<< eBay 5x11x4 Traxxas Rubber BB's >>

<< AVID RC 5x11x4 Rubber BB's >> These guys are good. Been using their bearings for a couple years now.

[Jr_casteel1999]

ok here is what im having trouble finding. a waterproof receiver box for the 2wd stampede. the receiver mounts toward the front of the truck and i cant find a waterproof box that looks like it would fit there.

[Fr8cture]

The only reciver box I know of that is waterproof is the traxxas one. It might fit up front but I don't see a real need to move it there but here is a link. CLICK HERE

[DiggerPede]

Tra3628. Just what fr8cture linked you to.

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[Jr_casteel1999]

but thats for the 4wd stampede which its mounted in a different location on the 4wd model

[Fr8cture]

I believe the rustler and stampede use the same exact box but if it puts you at ease here is another

[DiggerPede]

but thats for the 4wd stampede which its mounted in a different location on the 4wd model

Same one for the 2wd. You may need the tra3626 mounting plate for the new receiver box.

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