Frustrated with my E Revo

[Grim Reaper]

I have a E Revo Brushless Edition, and I must say so far I am totally disappointed with it. I have run it about 6 times and broke the rear wing, rear skid plate, center skid plate and front center drive shaft. It just seems like every time I run it, Something breaks. I run my Slash 4x4 (all stock) 10 times harder and nothing breaks.

I have never been one to upgrade to aluminum (aside from castor blocks & hub carriers) but feel it very necessary on the E Revo.

Right now its all Stock with an added wheelie bar and Big Joe's.

For my Skid Plates I'm replacing all of them with Golden Horizons Aluminum ones
The Drive shafts, I'm going to use TRA5650R metal shafts from Traxxas.

Until the Drive shafts get here, Can I completely remove the front one and run it as 2wd without harming it? I ran it a bit like that today after I noticed the problem and actually like it better in 2wd.

Is there any other upgrades I should do soon?

Thanks in advance.

[candy76man]

I have been running my erevo for three years and never once broken a skid plate...how do people do that except in a catastrophic crash?

The wing can break in crashes but I've been surprised at the impacts it has taken and not broken, I would just replace it with stock...it's cheap enough.

Drive shafts (and diffs) are one of the weak spots on the erevo for sure....keep spares on hand or upgrade to something stronger is all you can do...although the center shafts usually will outlast the four corners but it all depends on how you drive really. One thing a lot of people don't realize is the braking force that the 2200 motor can apply can do a lot of damage to the drivetrain so it's not just the acceleration power you have to be careful with....hitting the ground with brakes slammed back can do just as much damage as hitting the ground while on the throttle.

[fastdad4]

erbe is a fun pile of junk, great while it last which is not long

Unfortunately, some people attribute their own lack of control or other shortcomings to a product and couple that with unrealistic expectations. This can definitely lead to unhappiness.
-ksb51rl

[Imprez]

I broke the rear wing, rear skid plate, center skid plate and front center drive shaft.

I have dozens on runs on my ERBE and I crashed it more than once believe you me and I can't figure how you can brake the skid plates other than by hitting a rock or a curb at a very high rate of speed...

The wing has taken a beating on mine but it still holds up but the center driveshaft ( although it never happened to me ) is more "normal" as far as breakages go especially since you run Big Joes wich weigh a ton...

I've broken 2 axles and destroyed the 65 tooth spur gear but other than that...

[rcdude4051]

" I have been running my erevo for three years and never once broken a skid plate...how do people do that except in a catastrophic crash? "

dude i've been using the same one like 4-5 years and haven't broken it haha

[Brewers74]

Man as much as it pains me to say this...i agree ive not yet made it through two cycles of batteries with out something breaking. But thats just part of it I right? The only thing that keeps me fixing it is the fact I have so much money in it I can't bring myself to just get rid of it.

[Grim Reaper]

Candy76man: Thanks, The wing I didnt really care about breaking, i knew it wouldnt last. I have never had a major crash with it, but have been ramping it on large gravel hills. What you said about the braking force of the motor makes sense, that might be a possible cause.

Fastdad4: I wouldnt call it junk, its a fun machine. Just seemed fragile.

[87 GN]

have you done the rear brace mod.
http://traxxas.com/forums/showthread...ds-for-bracing

[j.f.s]

I've snapped the front skid securing the steering assembly four or five times but most of the times you wont notice it until you remove it. It brakes were the cut out for the a-arm is.

[n_gifford]

When I first got mine (And didn't know how to drive it) I broke things. A lot.... Front A-arm (Replaced with RPM and no problems), Rear A-arm (Replaced with RPM True Track), Rear bulk AND skid plate in a stupid crash with a wooden ramp in my front yard. I wasn't even jumping it. Front wheel went over the edge and back slammed into the side. I blame that one solely on careless driver. I broke the rear body mount (Braced the new one and have been fine for over a month). There are more I'm sure, but I can't remember at the moment. I like to jump it, BIG!! I stand in front of said ramp and jump it over my head. It clears me by 4-5 feet, flies a distance of over 40 feet and lands on flat grass. For me the biggest trick has been learning to keep the rubber down and the shiny side up on landings to keep it in one piece.

[bono983]

The only parts that I have broken are spur gears and tires.

OP: I think you are abusing your truck.

[rcdude4051]

I drive mine really hard, unless you are CRASHINg into things you sould be fine

[revomikey]

The big joes are your problem, get some normal sized wheels that dont put so much strain on the drive train.

[vxlrocket]

i loved my e-revo, but it did wear out quickliy when i was jumping it alot. i did alot of pavement jumping. medium sized skate ramps usually on 4 or 5S. I broke skids alot.. and that steering stopper under the front skid plate.

i would recommend the titanium skids if you can afford them. also, the rear chassis brace will do alot to help you out. i also replaced the rear mount with an aluminum one and used aluminum adjustable rockers as well. I replaced the stock shock caps with alumium shock caps for all 4 shocks. i also broke alot of rear turnbuckles so i replaced the rear with the rpm true track setup. after that, it was pretty close to bulletproof, but it's pricey do do all of that. i agree with you....the slash 4x4 is alot more durable.
hope that helps.

[Grim Reaper]

The only parts that I have broken are spur gears and tires.

OP: I think you are abusing your truck.

Absolutely not abusing the truck. I broke the rear skid plate because the suspension is too soft. It hit a small lip where pavement ends and a gravel road starts.... it bottomed out and broke.

The Center Skid plate I have no idea what broke it, but was driving and ramping in on gravel hills. Had few hard landing's but nothing that should have broke the center skid.

The front drive shaft, I have no idea what cause it, there was one landing what I landed on the front tires first, could be that, I dont remember where the throttle was.....

I don't think abuse fits this. Like I said, I drove my Slash 4x4 harder, faster and more reckless and yea I'll say I abused that.... but broke nothing. I dont drive me E Revo the same way I drive the slash.


Overall tho, I'm not ready to give up on the E Revo. Here is what I'm going upgrade it with:

Traxxas:
Steel Constant-Velocity Driveshafts (TRA5451R)
Steel Constant-Velocity Center Driveshafts (TRA5650R)

RPM:
Front A Arms (RPM80212 & RPM80222)
True-Track Rear A Arm Conversion (RPM80562)

Golden Horizons:
Front Skid plate (GHH2264)
Center Skid plate (GHH2266)
Rear Skid plate (GHH2268)


87 GN: No I havend done any mod's..... I will read up on that, Thanks.

[n_gifford]

The only thing I could think with the center skidplate might be a very well placed rock on that gravel hill. The last time I broke my rear skid plate was the same time I broke the rear a-arm. It took a couple hard landings that day, so I'm not 100% sure exactly what happened.

I'd say definitely yes on the RPM arms.

Shafts - You might want to look into Summit shafts. I will be switching to Summit shafts if/when I break mine.

As far as skid plates, the stock ones are cheap. If you beef up the suspension, it should help. I personally steer away from aluminum because it bends instead of breaking and never goes back the way it should. Not to mention to stress that it will inevitably add to other parts of the truck. I hate to say it, but you have to have weak points, hence the plastic spur gears. A trashed spur gear will save your transmission and only costs a few bucks. There are weak points like this engineered into all parts of the truck and they're there for a reason.

[Imprez]

Here is what I'm going upgrade it with:

Traxxas:
Steel Constant-Velocity Driveshafts (TRA5451R)

Personnally I'd go with Summit axles instead of the steel CVDs ... people complain about the steelies bending especially when you run RPM A-arms since they tend to flex a bit more than the stock A-arms...

[BL-Bob]

With those big joes you need some slippage. When jumping try to match your wheel speed to your air speed before landing. I practice this all the time by tossing my erevo by it's wing to land on it's tires rolling forward, while I adjust the throttle with other hand for a smooth landing.

[Grim Reaper]

n_gifford: As for the skid plates I have my doubts about those bending, I'm willing to take a gamble on trying aluminum ones. (At least im not buying integy right? LOL)

Imprez & n_gifford: I started looking at the Summit shafts (TRA5656) and they look a bit different, are they a direct install or is modification needed? Since the Steel CVD may bend easy are are very expensive, I might just opt to keep a few stock TRA5451X in my tool box.... They are only about $10-12 each.

BL-Bob: I can either practice that or just make sure the throttle is in neutral before landing.

[Grim Reaper]

I kept looking into the Summit Axles, and found these:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Traxxas-5607-...ht_3041wt_1037

Is there a difference in length for front / rear? They all look the same length. I looked up the Stock E Revo ones, and the metal ones, they are all the same length, so I am assuming these are the right ones and a direct install.

[candy76man]

I kept looking into the Summit Axles, and found these:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Traxxas-5607-...ht_3041wt_1037

Is there a difference in length for front / rear? They all look the same length. I looked up the Stock E Revo ones, and the metal ones, they are all the same length, so I am assuming these are the right ones and a direct install.

one pair will be a little a shorter, just use those on the front, the boot gets stretched a little but they work fine. The summit has locking diffs that stick out a bit more on one side than the other, hence the shorter axles for that side.

[Base]

I sorta agree with u about the erevo Grim but I'm not totally disappointed with it just disappointed Traxxas isn't fixing some issues slot of ppl bring up since it's been released.

I went and bought the T bone skid plate set and that seemed to have helped me alot in ending broken bulkheads. Skid plates sometimes would break with the bulkhead. I noticed the other day too that the rear cvd were getting ovalized by the pin on the end and later on one broke. I'll prob get the summit ones to replace it or maybe that hop up...

[bernomad]

I've broken a few things. I broke more when I first put in the Mamba system. I had to get used to it. Now and then I get a wild hair and push the truck beyond it's limits like last Friday getting huge air at a friend's farm with a crazy jump he made. He owns a skid-steer. I had a little damage on the body and bent a turnbuckle.

At the track on Sunday, three of us ran my ERBE all day long. At the end of the day I realized a rear wheel bearing had disintegrated. My nephew's Slash was out of commission on the first battery pack. Unsurvivable collision. Slash are tough as nails IMO.

I've run a variety of nitro and electric R/C in the last 10 years, mostly bashing. I think the ERBE is at the top of my list for sustained fun factor.

To the OP: I can relate with your frustration! I usually buy 2 of whatever I break so I have spares in my kit. I have the Traxxas CVDs. They work ok, but the drive cups are already showing wear. Not sure if they're more durable than stock shafts. They are more expensive. I'm getting Summit shafts next time. I'll be interested to know how the RPM true track works. I've been tempted to snag that.

Also, I have an Integy alum. skid plate that has worked pretty well. I took it off because it blocked access to the sway bars I just put on. The Integy plate is now on my son's Revo. Skid plate was clearance item for $1.99. I couldn't pass that up.