How to Build a Slash Dragster
Turn your 2WD Slash into a Classic Hot Rod Wheelie Machine
The Traxxas Slash is the most popular short course RC truck of all time. You’ve likely seen Slash trucks at your local RC racetrack, skate park, or in backyards across the country. The Slash is renowned for its rugged off-road capability, durability, and no-nonsense attitude.
The Slash moves easily from dirt to tarmac with hundreds of accessories available, but what happens when you push its versatility to the extreme? Watch what happens when a 2WD Slash transforms from off-road beast into a wheelie-popping dragster. Follow along with this step-by-step video to create your own pavement scorching Slagster.
| | |
| Parts Needed | |
| | |
|
|
| | |
| Required Tools | |
| | |
|
|
| | |
| | |
Don't worry if you missed a step, we've posted a full transcript of the video below so you can follow along. As always, if you encounter any problems, be sure to call the helpful Traxxas experts at 1-888-TRAXXAS for assistance and advice.
Step-By-Step Guide
The Slash is best known as a rugged off-road race truck, but with a few modifications we will convert it to a street-ready drag racer. In addition to wheelie-popping power, we will create a custom look to show the true versatility of the Slash platform. The Drag Slash, or Slagster, can take many forms. Today we will demonstrate one of our favorite custom builds.
These are the parts we’ll be using for the build. See the links in the description for the parts used and additional body options. We recommend using the 58076-21 Slash VXL model as a base for the build. This model has a VXL brushless power system, low-CG chassis, Traxxas Stability Management, and an on-board audio system which can be installed on the new body. The OBA system is not necessary for the build but it is the perfect touch for adding realism to a drag Slash. We do recommend using a low-CG chassis along with the VXL-3s power system.
Basic RC tools will be needed for the conversion, along with some additional tools and items. Always use caution, wear protective safety glasses, and have an adult supervise when working with these tools. We recommend working on a flat, open area to keep track of all hardware and components as we go. Now let’s get to the conversion.
First we will make sure the battery is disconnected, and remove the body and wheels. On the front end, we will remove the steel links, caster blocks, and steering blocks. We will re-attach the blocks after installing the new suspension arms and links.
Remove both front shocks. We will remove the front bumper for access to the bulkhead. Now remove the 3 screws behind the bulkhead.
Remove the 2 screws on top of the bulkhead to release the front assembly. Now we will remove the lower links from the back of the shock tower, and take out the two lower screws to release the bulkhead.
Now that the bulkhead is free from the shock tower, take the small flathead and very carefully pry the small E-clips off of the pins securing the suspension arms. We will re-use these clips and pins, but not the white tie-bar.
Since the Jato suspension arms we want to use will not fit directly onto the Slash bulkhead, we will just modify the bulkhead by removing a little bit of material from the rear side. Take off just enough for the suspension arms to fit.
Before installing the arms, we will cut and sand off the small bump on the inner front side of each arm to ensure clearance. Install the new arms with the original pins and clips. Use the needle nose pliers to carefully press the small e-clips back into place on the pins. The straight side on each arm will face the front of the vehicle. The arms should move up and down freely without sliding forward and back on the pins.
Now we will use the 2.5 mm drill bit on each arm to drill new holes to mount the shocks. The new hole will go in the front side of the arm, so we will go through the innermost hole on the rear side of the arm with the drill bit to line up the hole.
Now we can finish the hole by drilling from the front of the arm. This is where we will mount the bottoms of the shocks when re-assembling the front end. Remove the pins connecting the caster blocks and steering blocks, so that we can drill out the caster blocks to accommodate the larger pins from the 6834 pin set.
Use the 1/8-inch bit to drill out the hole on the bottom of each caster block, where it will connect to the suspension arm with the larger pin. Re-assemble the caster blocks with the steering blocks using the original pins. Connect each assembly to the outer suspension arm using the new larger pins.
Now we will connect the new #5539 links to the back of the shock tower, and re-attach the tower to the bulkhead using the original hardware. Connect the new upper link to the top of the caster block on each side.
Remove the original steering links and replace them with the #5538 links. Now we can re-attach the front assembly to the chassis, and secure everything with the original hardware.
Trim the front bumper to accommodate the new body. Just cut along the bottom of the bar, using the rotary tool and straight scissors to cut and clean up any debris. Now we can re-install the bumper.
Now we will attach the shocks, using the longer 3 x 20 mm screws from part number 2580. We will use these small spacers from the 6099 shock kit to keep the shocks in place on the suspension arms. Put the screw into the newly drilled hole, with the spacer on the inside of the arm. Fit the bottom of the shock behind the spacer and secure it with the screw. Now we will re-install the top screws to secure the shocks.
Now we can move to the rear end, first removing the clamp that secures the motor wires. We’ll go ahead and disconnect the wires. Remove the gear cover for access to the slipper clutch. Take out the two screws to remove the motor. Now we will take out these screws to remove the rear bumper.
Use the nut driver to remove the slipper clutch assembly. Keep the pieces in order so we can easily re-install them later. This will give us access to the rear links. Disconnect both links. Use the 1.5 mm driver to disconnect each driveshaft from the differential output.
Disconnect the tops of the rear shocks. Remove the suspension pins to disconnect the arms from the bulkhead. Remove the outer pins to disconnect the axle carriers from the arms, then remove the shocks.
Pry off the hex hub on each drive shaft and remove it, along with the small pin and washers. We will replace the original hexes with the aluminum 14 mm hexes when re-assembling. Disconnect the tie rod from each axle carrier. Now we will use our U-joint tool to disassemble the original driveshafts.
We will assemble the new 1651 shafts using the new stub axles from part number 2753X. Re-assemble the shafts with the axle carriers. We will demonstrate this with the stock wheel hubs, but make sure to use a compatible 14 mm wheel hex adapter if installing the #6973 Funny Car wheels.
Now we will add the 2750R rear arms. Attach the 2441A camber links with the 3642X shoulder screws. Connect the rear shocks and attach the components to the rear bulkhead.
Re-install the slipper clutch and motor. Set the slipper clutch at the proper tension and make sure the gear mesh is set. Tighten down the motor screws. Thread the motor wires through the rear shock tower and connect them to the ESC. Put the gear cover back in place.
Now we will assemble the wheelie bar. We will remove the stock wheels on the wheelie bar and replace them with the aluminum wheels from the 5186A set. Install the assembled wheelie bar in place of the rear bumper. We can set the wheelie bar to the desired height when fitting the body.
Now we can assemble the front wheels and tires. Glue the tires all the way around on both sides. A paper cut-out like this one can help when painting the wheels to avoid overspray on the tires. We will go with black for the wheels. This is a good time to go ahead and paint the body too.
Follow any instructions from the body and paint manufacturers when painting the body. Here are a few basic designs for the classic drag car look. When everything is fully dried, put on the wheels and test fit the body.
Trim out the wheel wells as needed. Continue to test the fit and make small cuts as needed. When fitting the body, make any other small adjustments needed, such as adding shock spacers to adjust the ride height, or adjusting height of the body mounts.
We will go ahead and remove the rear body mount, so we can lower it. This will require a little bit of trimming, using the side cutters. Cut off the bottom hole on each side and put the body mount in the lowest position. When the fit is just right, we can mount the body. Position the body over the body posts and use the magnets to mark the positions of the holes.
Use the body reamer to poke small holes, then ream out the holes to the proper size to fit over the body posts. With the body in place, we will install one of the OBA speakers from the original body. We will need to trim the OBA mount when fitting it in the new body. Peel off any remaining adhesive from the speaker. We will use a new piece of adhesive when mounting it on the new body.
Put the speaker in place in the new body, center it, and mark the spots where we will trim it to fit. Use the side cutters and carefully trim the mount. Now we will mark and ream small holes to mount the speaker with the 3 x 25 mm screws and lock nuts. Make small holes in the body using the reamer, just big enough for the 3 mm screws. Apply the new adhesive to the speaker and mount it to the body, using the 3 x 25 mm screws and 3 mm lock nuts. For a finishing touch, add some decals to customize the look.
Plug in a battery and the model is ready to go. We will go with a 3S LiPo for maximum power and speed. Crank up the OBA and your drag Slash is ready to hit the road. Let’s make a few speed runs to check out the performance. For more tips, tricks, and custom builds, hit subscribe and visit us at Traxxas.com
These are the parts we’ll be using for the build. See the links in the description for the parts used and additional body options. We recommend using the 58076-21 Slash VXL model as a base for the build. This model has a VXL brushless power system, low-CG chassis, Traxxas Stability Management, and an on-board audio system which can be installed on the new body. The OBA system is not necessary for the build but it is the perfect touch for adding realism to a drag Slash. We do recommend using a low-CG chassis along with the VXL-3s power system.
Basic RC tools will be needed for the conversion, along with some additional tools and items. Always use caution, wear protective safety glasses, and have an adult supervise when working with these tools. We recommend working on a flat, open area to keep track of all hardware and components as we go. Now let’s get to the conversion.
First we will make sure the battery is disconnected, and remove the body and wheels. On the front end, we will remove the steel links, caster blocks, and steering blocks. We will re-attach the blocks after installing the new suspension arms and links.
Remove both front shocks. We will remove the front bumper for access to the bulkhead. Now remove the 3 screws behind the bulkhead.
Remove the 2 screws on top of the bulkhead to release the front assembly. Now we will remove the lower links from the back of the shock tower, and take out the two lower screws to release the bulkhead.
Now that the bulkhead is free from the shock tower, take the small flathead and very carefully pry the small E-clips off of the pins securing the suspension arms. We will re-use these clips and pins, but not the white tie-bar.
Since the Jato suspension arms we want to use will not fit directly onto the Slash bulkhead, we will just modify the bulkhead by removing a little bit of material from the rear side. Take off just enough for the suspension arms to fit.
Before installing the arms, we will cut and sand off the small bump on the inner front side of each arm to ensure clearance. Install the new arms with the original pins and clips. Use the needle nose pliers to carefully press the small e-clips back into place on the pins. The straight side on each arm will face the front of the vehicle. The arms should move up and down freely without sliding forward and back on the pins.
Now we will use the 2.5 mm drill bit on each arm to drill new holes to mount the shocks. The new hole will go in the front side of the arm, so we will go through the innermost hole on the rear side of the arm with the drill bit to line up the hole.
Now we can finish the hole by drilling from the front of the arm. This is where we will mount the bottoms of the shocks when re-assembling the front end. Remove the pins connecting the caster blocks and steering blocks, so that we can drill out the caster blocks to accommodate the larger pins from the 6834 pin set.
Use the 1/8-inch bit to drill out the hole on the bottom of each caster block, where it will connect to the suspension arm with the larger pin. Re-assemble the caster blocks with the steering blocks using the original pins. Connect each assembly to the outer suspension arm using the new larger pins.
Now we will connect the new #5539 links to the back of the shock tower, and re-attach the tower to the bulkhead using the original hardware. Connect the new upper link to the top of the caster block on each side.
Remove the original steering links and replace them with the #5538 links. Now we can re-attach the front assembly to the chassis, and secure everything with the original hardware.
Trim the front bumper to accommodate the new body. Just cut along the bottom of the bar, using the rotary tool and straight scissors to cut and clean up any debris. Now we can re-install the bumper.
Now we will attach the shocks, using the longer 3 x 20 mm screws from part number 2580. We will use these small spacers from the 6099 shock kit to keep the shocks in place on the suspension arms. Put the screw into the newly drilled hole, with the spacer on the inside of the arm. Fit the bottom of the shock behind the spacer and secure it with the screw. Now we will re-install the top screws to secure the shocks.
Now we can move to the rear end, first removing the clamp that secures the motor wires. We’ll go ahead and disconnect the wires. Remove the gear cover for access to the slipper clutch. Take out the two screws to remove the motor. Now we will take out these screws to remove the rear bumper.
Use the nut driver to remove the slipper clutch assembly. Keep the pieces in order so we can easily re-install them later. This will give us access to the rear links. Disconnect both links. Use the 1.5 mm driver to disconnect each driveshaft from the differential output.
Disconnect the tops of the rear shocks. Remove the suspension pins to disconnect the arms from the bulkhead. Remove the outer pins to disconnect the axle carriers from the arms, then remove the shocks.
Pry off the hex hub on each drive shaft and remove it, along with the small pin and washers. We will replace the original hexes with the aluminum 14 mm hexes when re-assembling. Disconnect the tie rod from each axle carrier. Now we will use our U-joint tool to disassemble the original driveshafts.
We will assemble the new 1651 shafts using the new stub axles from part number 2753X. Re-assemble the shafts with the axle carriers. We will demonstrate this with the stock wheel hubs, but make sure to use a compatible 14 mm wheel hex adapter if installing the #6973 Funny Car wheels.
Now we will add the 2750R rear arms. Attach the 2441A camber links with the 3642X shoulder screws. Connect the rear shocks and attach the components to the rear bulkhead.
Re-install the slipper clutch and motor. Set the slipper clutch at the proper tension and make sure the gear mesh is set. Tighten down the motor screws. Thread the motor wires through the rear shock tower and connect them to the ESC. Put the gear cover back in place.
Now we will assemble the wheelie bar. We will remove the stock wheels on the wheelie bar and replace them with the aluminum wheels from the 5186A set. Install the assembled wheelie bar in place of the rear bumper. We can set the wheelie bar to the desired height when fitting the body.
Now we can assemble the front wheels and tires. Glue the tires all the way around on both sides. A paper cut-out like this one can help when painting the wheels to avoid overspray on the tires. We will go with black for the wheels. This is a good time to go ahead and paint the body too.
Follow any instructions from the body and paint manufacturers when painting the body. Here are a few basic designs for the classic drag car look. When everything is fully dried, put on the wheels and test fit the body.
Trim out the wheel wells as needed. Continue to test the fit and make small cuts as needed. When fitting the body, make any other small adjustments needed, such as adding shock spacers to adjust the ride height, or adjusting height of the body mounts.
We will go ahead and remove the rear body mount, so we can lower it. This will require a little bit of trimming, using the side cutters. Cut off the bottom hole on each side and put the body mount in the lowest position. When the fit is just right, we can mount the body. Position the body over the body posts and use the magnets to mark the positions of the holes.
Use the body reamer to poke small holes, then ream out the holes to the proper size to fit over the body posts. With the body in place, we will install one of the OBA speakers from the original body. We will need to trim the OBA mount when fitting it in the new body. Peel off any remaining adhesive from the speaker. We will use a new piece of adhesive when mounting it on the new body.
Put the speaker in place in the new body, center it, and mark the spots where we will trim it to fit. Use the side cutters and carefully trim the mount. Now we will mark and ream small holes to mount the speaker with the 3 x 25 mm screws and lock nuts. Make small holes in the body using the reamer, just big enough for the 3 mm screws. Apply the new adhesive to the speaker and mount it to the body, using the 3 x 25 mm screws and 3 mm lock nuts. For a finishing touch, add some decals to customize the look.
Plug in a battery and the model is ready to go. We will go with a 3S LiPo for maximum power and speed. Crank up the OBA and your drag Slash is ready to hit the road. Let’s make a few speed runs to check out the performance. For more tips, tricks, and custom builds, hit subscribe and visit us at Traxxas.com
This model is not intended for use by children under 14 years of age without the supervision of a responsible and knowledgeable adult. Wear proper safety goggles and use caution when working with rotary tools or general hobby tools. This project build should only be performed with the supervision of a responsible and knowledgeable adult.
