Glad I came across your video! I just bought a sledge and want to do some preventative maintenance before she gets a proper send.

I've had my sledge since early October. Stupid things have kept it down longer than its been up. Things not Traxxas' fault, like I just brought it to the beach the other day and my dog chewed up a tire on the way down (I covered it up with a canvas bag in the tote but he got to one). No local places have them so its down until my new tires come in. I did use it as an opportunity to pick up another set of wheels and paddle tires for sand on my beach trips and the snow this winter (only thing the local shop did have)! I have some wrong offset belted Duratrax that I do like on hard surfaces but are slicker than snot on anything loose or wet. I also spun a hub in one of them (dangit). They also rub the front upper control arm and tie rod so I picked up some extras of those and will run the notched ones till they break. Ultimately, I was really pleased to start watching reviews of the guys getting them right as they came out. Issues with underfilled diffs front to back, rear axles popping out. As I tore into mine for repairs and upgrades, I found every concern early owners had was addressed (I feel like there was more, but those were the ones I remember). It made me less sad when the XRT came out a month later and I was able to remind myself the list of things addressed on my Sledge because I didn't buy it when it first came out. The parts coverage from local shops is the hardest part of the sledge. They carry nothing. Happy to order it in and make me drive 40 minutes round trip to pick it up for the same cost I can have an online store deliver it to my house. I've been slowly buying extra parts that appear to take the biggest beating. Its been tons of fun... And money. Only real mods at this point are the GMP motor/center diff mount and some different wheels and tires. I did see the Vitavon diffs have some foam in the breather hole/slot underneath. Probably super worthwhile to do with the stockers too. That was my first big teardown and redo was just a big service of everything to clean out sand from the beach that first weekend. Cant imagine the ring and pinion lasting very long with all that sand getting in there.

Hello. Good tips as always. I really like your videos and enjoy your calm voice. Someone has issues with motor mount which moved and stripped pinion and spur gear. So i used medium strong blue glue for these 4 screews and tight them fully. Another thing before i run first time, was balancing wheels. Stock sledgehammers are very unbalanced. But also TRX Response pro was also. And also i switched really slow stock servo for faster. But extension cable causes me ghost turns when only accelerate, so i used shorter way for servo cable(faster servo has shorter cable than TRX original). Trim body behind the front bumper is clever, i thought about also. But i chosen the way give some foam material inside(i used air-condition foam isolation). Also i set endpoints of servo sides to 95%. We now rebuilding the only RC track which is in the Prague. Im fresh member now, because no much places to bash here so i want try some hobby racing a join local RC community. So i tried Sledge only few mins on street and some dirt and have Traxxas Responsive pro tires. I'm thinking about bigger pinion and have 15,16,18 bought, but it is not necessary for track. Which is more technical then racing. That was reason why i bought responsive pro tires and switched servo for faster immediately :-)

I've only bashed mine about 6 to 8 times love it did bend chassis didn't surprise me aluminum will do that only real problem I've had is the hing pins at the stub hubs and steering hubs brake cheap metal replace with aftermarket and no problems since

If you fully compress the suspension and look at the dog bone on the wheel side,one of the pins is all the way out of the drive cup without the oring installed.

Yer that’s a very big help Troy it’s will save money from the start if everyone gets a looking to buy a sladge thanks 👍👍

Do NOT trim the front of the body if you plan to install the light kit, unless you’re OK with not having the ground-level light. That light mounts through that section of the body. Traxxas included a firm foam block in the light kit that mounts between the light and the front of the chassis.

Thanks

I took my New sledge out, bought the T-ID5000 lipos), was standing in a field running it around me to get used to it, I had two fast turn tumbles, I hadn't even jumped it when it threw my batteries out, they ain't cheap batteries and the control unit they hang of ain't any cheaper so yea, I've added a cable tie to the tear of the hatch going around the chassis brace to save my batteries, I won't go velcro as I only have this system and thats mostly to fit other size batteries but yea securing that tray is a must I agree.....

This is very usefull for me because im planing on getting a sledge this summer and a few of these things im gonna do on my slash like tire holes

Great tip! Just ordered an orange sledge. Thank you

Had that exact problem with the dog bone! Also pinion gear came off of the motor shaft, (loose screw).

great video. How do I check to make sure the front diff is working correctly?

The first thing to do take that esc an servo an throw them in the nearest river . Put a firma esc 3- 8 6s. An put a strong servo in. Also put a wheelie bar. On.

Hi! It's really usefull video! P.S I have a remo hobby mmax, but so interesting watch video about such models.

Thank you! Good tips

I see you have a carbon fiber tower who’s making those already

Sweet truck sir , thanks for the video !

I have a issue with mine. 1 week old. Only way to turn it off is by unplugging the batteries. Assuming I have a esc issue.

hello, I have a TRAXXAS sledge for exactly a week and I have a problem with the fact that when driving on the rear wheels, the car makes an unpleasant whistle, please help, I don't know what to do with it

Thanks ran min to times running great so far

Great tips for everyone to learn from

I'm still on the fence as to whether or not I will go ahead and get one of these. The more I research, the more I see and hear that I should upgrade this, upgrade that, upgrade, upgrade, upgrade. Well with a price exceeding $1200 (CDN funds) to start with, that's quite an investment. I wish I had Kevin Talbot's unlimited sponsorship, then it would be a go for sure. But for now, still fence sitting.

Don't forget to add droop screws

#11: add blue Loctite to all steering/suspension bolts, even though they are steel on steel. I’ve had many of those small nuts walk off. #12: using orange Loctite is the only thing that’s kept my front caster block screws in place. I’ve lost more of those, than previous mentioned nuts.

Good vid. Thanks.

hello as first just as Martin S say's good calm voice..... And now my not expert thinking😁...are those more holes in your tires not creating that they are balloon more easy and faster because when under high rpm and so centrifugal force there can now be more air get suckt in.??????But i am no expert😁 But what you will win with those holes is that the water that's in your tires will come out by those same forces!!! 👍 enjoy the hobby you all and hello from the sunny Netherlands🖐🖐

what motor fan do you use mine gets really hot and i got a traxxas fan and it’s to weak

I've only had the Traxxas for a couple weeks and it just seems like the front end is not pulling anywhere near like the back does so I don't really know if there's a problem

After a couple runs I had oil start coming out my front dif, behind the dogbone you referred to, is this related to the o-ring situation? I’ll watch your differential video next.

Awesome break down man thanks for the tips. Can i ask where you got that power screw driver ?

Have you made the video about the diffs yet? I can't seem to find it. Thanks.

Waiting for mine to be delivered

I just got my Sledge last week. First nice RC car I have owned. The pinion gear came loose on the second use (very minor skate park jumps) and basically self-destructed both the pinion and the spur gear. Busted 2 teeth off the pinion and ground half the teeth off the spur gear. Granted, since I'm new to this, I didn't know what that awful sound was and drove it 20-30 seconds after I started to hear the grinding noise. The pinion gear fell out on the ground when I picked up the truck to look at it, that's how loose it got. The motor mount screws all seem to be very tight and where they should be, so I don't think that was the issue. Do you have a video on how to replace the spur gear? Not sure what to do once I get the center diff cover off. I'm sticking to the 13/52 stock gearing for now. Any other feedback to keep this from happening again would be great. Thanks!

cool video? How's your MT8? I finally soldered IC5 connectors on mine along w 4s PowerHobby batters. Man what a difference. Happy Easter

A question, as a motor sports mechanic I look at the geometry and the settings available and believe it can be set up for rear wheel drive on tarmac tyres maybe even a drift setup, is that something people do with it am I right in my presumptions?

I'm curious about the sledge 2.0

Only thing wrong w mine was the main diff literally nothing in it besides that it rips

Tire glue is better than super glue it stays stretchy.

What’s going on buddy on my first run my ping gear came off

Just curious where you picked the fan up? Thanks

great mate the king of all upgrade tips *fully watching🥸Au👍thumbs up too👍*

Haha, the diff issue cracked me up. Traxxas can't even assemble an overpriced car like the sledge properly 🤣😂

If ur jumping these things sky high ur bound to have issues.

2 things to do. first is don't get a sledge 2nd spend a few extra bucks and get a xmaxx lol

1st tip dont buy traxxas 2nd tip put that piece of chit up for sale

The number one thing to do just get a XMAXX 👍😁

Shouldn't half to do 10 things to a 1000$ rc car