Bandit Heavy-Duty Axle Upgrade
How to Upgrade Your Bandit with Heavy-Duty Drag Slash Axles
The Bandit VXL is a founding member of Traxxas’ 70+ mph club, a feat it achieves with a huge power-to-weight ratio courtesy of its Velineon brushless power system. The Bandit VXL is a wild ride in the dirt and a ballistic street machine, especially with a 3-cell Power Cell LiPo aboard. All that torque and horsepower puts driveshaft strength to the test, and now there’s an even-stronger driveshaft option for the hot buggy. The new 9450 Heavy Duty shafts that outfit the Drag Slash are a direct fit for the Bandit and Bandit VXL, and they’re engineered for high-traction, high-power action that really gives driveshafts a workout. Adding the new Heavy Duty shafts to your Bandit is easy—here’s how.
You can’t miss the extra beefiness of the Drag Slash’s 9450 Heavy Duty driveshafts compared to the Bandit’s stock shafts.
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Metric Hex and Nut Driver Essentials Set
If you haven’t already upgraded your RC tools to include hex drivers and nut drivers, Traxxas has plenty of options for you. The 3415 tool kit is a great value choice, and the 8712 7-Piece Essentials kit is a popular premium option. Ready to go pro? Get the 8710 Speed Bit Master Set.
Step 1: Remove the Rear Wheels
Use the 4-way wrench included with your Bandit or a 7 mm nut driver to remove the axle nuts and wheels. After you slide the wheels of the axles, remove the cross pin and PTFE washer from each axle. These parts will be reused with the new driveshafts.
Use the 4-way wrench included with your Bandit or a 7 mm nut driver to remove the axle nuts and wheels. After you slide the wheels of the axles, remove the cross pin and PTFE washer from each axle. These parts will be reused with the new driveshafts.
Pretty much every RC maintenance or upgrade task begins with removing the wheels, which makes a 7 mm nut driver a must-have for wrenching comfort and convenience.
The Bandit’s wheels fit directly onto the cross pins instead of using a drive hex. The pin and the PTFE washer can easily slip off when the wheel isn’t capturing them, so be sure to grab them and set them aside as soon as you remove the wheels. Our Bandit VXL is wearing the optional 3652A aluminum axle carriers.
Step 2: Remove the Rear Shock Tower
Remove the upper shock mounting screws and the four screws that secure the shock tower, then lift the tower up for easier access to the camber link screws. Remove the camber link screws to free the tower.
Remove the upper shock mounting screws and the four screws that secure the shock tower, then lift the tower up for easier access to the camber link screws. Remove the camber link screws to free the tower.
Remove these six screws first.
Lift the tower up to remove the camber link screws.
Step 3: Trim the Shock Tower for Camber Link Clearance
When we reassemble the Bandit, we’re going to move the rear camber links to the shock tower’s upper mounting positions to prevent them from rubbing on the new driveshafts. To use the upper holes without reducing suspension up-travel, we need to create extra room for the rod ends. It’s an easy job: just use a file to remove the small amount of material shown in red. Do not cut into the camber mounts themselves.
When we reassemble the Bandit, we’re going to move the rear camber links to the shock tower’s upper mounting positions to prevent them from rubbing on the new driveshafts. To use the upper holes without reducing suspension up-travel, we need to create extra room for the rod ends. It’s an easy job: just use a file to remove the small amount of material shown in red. Do not cut into the camber mounts themselves.
File down only the portion shown in red to allow full suspension travel.
A file is slower than a rotary tool but more precise (and much cheaper than a rotary tool, if you don’t have one).
Step 4: Remove the Female Driveshaft Halves
Push the stub axle through the carrier, then slide the female driveshaft away from the male half. You’ll find another PTFE washer behind the carrier on each axle. Set these aside to reuse with the new shafts.
Push the stub axle through the carrier, then slide the female driveshaft away from the male half. You’ll find another PTFE washer behind the carrier on each axle. Set these aside to reuse with the new shafts.
Set the PTFE washer aside to reuse.
Step 5: Remove the Male Driveshaft Halves
Each of the male shafts is held in place by a screw pin. Use a 1.5 mm driver to unthread it fully, and see if it lifts out on the tip of the wrench—it probably won’t. No problem, a needle-nose plier makes it easy to pluck the pins. After you remove the pins, the male half-shafts will slide right off of the differential outputs.
Each of the male shafts is held in place by a screw pin. Use a 1.5 mm driver to unthread it fully, and see if it lifts out on the tip of the wrench—it probably won’t. No problem, a needle-nose plier makes it easy to pluck the pins. After you remove the pins, the male half-shafts will slide right off of the differential outputs.
Remove the screw pin, then slide the shaft half off the transmission.
Step 6: Install the Heavy Duty Driveshafts
The Heavy Duty shafts install just like the original shafts. Slide the male shaft onto the transmission and install its screw pin. Slip the female half-shaft over the male half (if it doesn’t slide right on, just rotate it until the splines align). Install a PTFE washer over the stub axle, then slide the stub axle through the carrier.
The Heavy Duty shafts install just like the original shafts. Slide the male shaft onto the transmission and install its screw pin. Slip the female half-shaft over the male half (if it doesn’t slide right on, just rotate it until the splines align). Install a PTFE washer over the stub axle, then slide the stub axle through the carrier.
Fully compressing the driveshaft will allow you to slip the stub axle through the carrier. Remember to reinstall the PTFE washer.
Step 7: Reinstall the Shock Tower
The tower reinstalls the same way it came off, but make sure to install it in the right direction as shown—it appears symmetrical at a glance, but there is a front and back side. Install the camber link screws first using the upper holes, then attach the tower to the chassis and transmission. Install the shock-mounting screws last.
The tower reinstalls the same way it came off, but make sure to install it in the right direction as shown—it appears symmetrical at a glance, but there is a front and back side. Install the camber link screws first using the upper holes, then attach the tower to the chassis and transmission. Install the shock-mounting screws last.
Before putting any screws in, orient the tower so the shock-mounting bosses face the front of the buggy.
Install the camber links in the upper holes before attaching the tower to the chassis.
Step 8: Reinstall the Cross Pins and Wheels
Slide a PTFE washer over each stub axle and slip the cross pin through the axle to capture it. Slide the wheel onto the axle, making sure the wheel’s slot fits over the cross pin. If the wheel doesn’t find the pin right away, just turn the wheel until it lines up—you’ll feel it drop onto the pin when it aligns. Install the axle nuts and the Bandit driveshaft upgrade is complete!
Slide a PTFE washer over each stub axle and slip the cross pin through the axle to capture it. Slide the wheel onto the axle, making sure the wheel’s slot fits over the cross pin. If the wheel doesn’t find the pin right away, just turn the wheel until it lines up—you’ll feel it drop onto the pin when it aligns. Install the axle nuts and the Bandit driveshaft upgrade is complete!
Reinstall the PTFE washer and cross pin you removed in Step 1.
Just put the wheels back on and your even-tougher Bandit will be ready for action.
That’s a wrap on this upgrade How-To, stay tuned for more soon! Be sure to bookmark Traxxas News, follow our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feeds for the latest article and product announcements, and subscribe to the Traxxas and Traxxas Support YouTube channels to keep informed of all things Traxxas.
