ita47

My Feedback: (5)

I received a T-Maxx chassis, it is missing the transmitter, body and air filter. I am not sure which model T-Maxx this is, can anyone help me identify this truck? It has a Picco engine on it and I am not sure if there are any other modifications. I got it cleaned up some, but I was not able to get the engine to fire but it does turn over. What is this chassis worth $$ as is if I decide to sell it? Is this worth fixing up and buying the missing stuff? It has the original 27MHz receiver, should I look for an original Traxxas transmitter or go for an aftermarket? If I end up fixing this thing up I would like to keep it as inexpensive as possible. I fly rc glow powered airplanes but I have never messed with the trucks, so any help would be much appreciated. My son thinks this truck would be pretty cool, but I don't want to sink a bunch of money in it if it really isn't worth messing with.

Maxximize

This looks like an original T Maxx, pre TRX 2.5. It also still has reverse in it, so if you buy a new transmitter, youll need a 3 channel one unless you intend to convert it to forward only. I think the original 27 MHz Traxxas TQ 3 channel radios are available in new condition and are fairly cheap, last one I saw was like $45 new on Ebay. The pipe is an MIP Stinger pipe, they used to be available for the original side exhaust Maxx, but really aren't worth much nowadays. The engine is a Picco .12 RC Speed. I haven't seen one in quite awhile so if it needs parts, they could be hard to find. If you can find a manual for the engine, it should have factory tuning settings in it, which could help too. I'd try and find the baseline settings for that engine and set it there if it isn't already. Everything besides the engine and pipe appears to be stock, although the tires look like aftermarkets too. It's hard to say what it would be worth, that chassis is not sought after as it is the shortest one they made for the T Maxx, and it needs to be modified to accept a more modern slide carb engine.

If you wanted to get it running, I'd say replace the fuel lines and that fuel filter, or clean the filter if it will come apart as it is likely gummed up. Buy a new glow plug and a cheap air filter and the transmitter, and see if will run then. If it does you can try and get it cleaner and get a body for it. Bodies are pretty cheap too and usually run about $30 to $40. Even with the small engine, that truck will do over 30 MPH and would still be a blast to drive. I'd say fix it up and enjoy it!

ita47

My Feedback: (5)

It looks like I have the original TRX .15 engine also. It was in the Picco box and it is brand new, never run. I guess the original owner put the Picco engine on the truck as soon as he bought it. I guess if I can't get the Picco running I can put the TRX .15 back on it. The TRX is obviously a bigger engine .15 vs .12, but is the Picco a better engine? I don't know anything about these engines. So is it a bad thing to have reverse? Anything else I need to check out, or common issues with this truck?

Maxximize

In my limited experience with older Picco engines, they can be kind of finicky but very powerful for their size. The TRX Pro .15 tunes very easily but will probably be slightly slower on the top end. They're probably fairly close to each other overall I'd guess. I have an old Team Orion/Picco .18 laying around that used to be in my Maxx when it had it's original chassis. Some days it would run fine, others it needed a re tune. It seemed to be somewhat picky about drastic humidity changes, but it was very powerful to say the least! Yours could be better tuning than that one though. I'd try and run the Picco first, and maybe swap in the TRX later for comparison. Traxxas also has an engine replacement plan, If you wanted to trade the .15 up to a TRX 2.5R or 3.3 for a discount, you could also trade the Pro .15 for another one at half price if memory serves me correctly. The local LHS will allow you to do the swap through them, too.

And as for the reverse, it is a very convenient feature to have. It will not work if the truck is idling too high though. It relies on a shift lever that moves a clutch bell into the reverse gear, then when you throttle a centrifugal clutch contacts the bell and the truck goes backward. Traxxas did away with it some time after the TRX 2.5 Maxx came out. They did so due to the thinner gears in the reverse tranny, to beef them up properly for the added power they made the forward gears thicker and beefier. That required the reverse gears to be removed due to size restrictions of the tranny case. I ran mine with revers in it until I put 1/8 tscale tires on it with a TRX 2.5R, that combo finally shredded the gears and I had to do a forward only conversion. With a stock engine, or up to some .18's (My Orion engine didn't hurt mine) with stock sized tires it should hold just fine. Just be sure to set your slipper clutch and check its friction pegs for wear. I believe Traxxas has downloadable manuals on their site for such adjustments.

A few other things to check is the exhaust manifold gasket, those side exhaust engines had thinner paper gaskets that can wear out from being soaked in fuel over time. Also check to see if the fuel tank is air tight. if it leaks air, it is likely leaking from that primer button on top of the tank. That can be plugged with a coarse threaded screw and an o ring after removal of the primer mechanism. The o ring on the inside of the lid can be suspect too. That carb looks to be composite. If it is it could leak near the base. If it does, you'll see fuel squirting from it when the engine runs. That can be remedied with a tube of blue RTV silicone gasket material applied to the carb base and then reinstalling it. You can also check for air leaks on the engine with WD 40. Spray it around suspect areas while the engine runs, if it tries to stall, there's your leak I'd check the shocks for oil level, and possibly the diffs too. For diff lube I always just use automotive bearing grease, just don't pack it in too tightly or the diffs won't spin properly. Of course, it could be totally problem free too, it's always a gamble with a used truck. But if all else fails with the Picco, slap the .15 in her and enjoy!

Maj_Overdrive

My Feedback: (11)

Well you've figured out its a pro15 truck but I didn't see it mentioned that the suspension is the wide 2.5 style. Personally I'd throw the pro15 back on it, buy a transmitter and have some fun. The picco needs high rpm, the pro15 is better for the TMaxx. The pro15 is also easy to tune as it is a very tolerant engine.

You would be better served ditching the 27mhz and going with a new 2.4ghz radio system. There are cheap units available on sites like Hobbyking and Hobbypartz that aren't much more $ than buying a used 27mhz Traxxas radio. Although eBay has new takeoff 2.4ghz Traxxas units for around $50 as well so you do have multiple cheap options.

Edit: I just noticed the fuel tank has a primer built into it. These primers always end up leaking and causing headaches. New fuel tanks are about $10 and no longer have a primer built in. Get one.

ita47

My Feedback: (5)

Wow! Thanks guys for all the info. I was able to get the Picco running and it sounds and runs great. I need an air cleaner for it or the TRX if I use it. If I do decide to use the TRX .15 engine I will have to buy a exhaust header and muffler and a starter assembly either pull starter or the electric. The owner of my LHS gave me a used 50 chevy truck body that is in pretty good shape and looks pretty cool on the truck. I will also have to get a transmitter. I have found the Traxxas TQ3 27 Mhz on ebay for $40 new. I also found a new Traxxas 2.4 system on ebay for $50. I also found this one on Hobbypartz http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-gt3b-carradio-lcd.html Which setup would be the best? I am going to a big RC swap meet in Kansas City next weekend so maybe I can find some stuff for my Tmaxx. I'm pretty excited to get this thing going.

Thanks again for the input guys, keep the suggestions coming. I will try to keep you posted with my progress.

Maxximize

Nice catch on the wider arms Maj, I didn't notice that Awesome, glad to hear it runs well! And a free body, gotta love local stores huh? If you've got the Picco running, you may as well leave it in there and enjoy the truck. As Maj Overdirve said though, the TRX .15 has more lower end torque as that Picco engine is likely meant for buggy and stadium truck use and is smaller of course. But, even so either option will work fine. The Picco will probably get slightly better fuel economy too.

That exhaust you have should fit on the TRX .15, it was a system made by MIP called the Stinger pipe, and was designed to be a bolt on hop up for the stock T Maxx at the time. I used to have one of them when my Maxx ran a .15 and loved that combo. You may need longer bolts to hold it on though, if you do go to the hardware store with the engine and header and test fit some, it'll be cheaper than going to the LHS. If you want a side exit exhaust, go for a tuned pipe from Traxxas for the Pro .15, # TRA 4942. The Associated #7730 torque tuned pipe worked very well for the .12 to .18 engines in monster trucks in the old school days, and it is still made and can be found on Ebay for around $15. I think CEN Racing still makes a header for the Pro .15, as does Traxxas. For the filter, go with the Motor Saver #1060. That one is for the TRX .15 and fits up to 12mm diameter carbs if I remember correctly. Motor Saver makes the best filters available IMO and that one should fit both engines. Measure the carb venturi diameter to be sure though. The filter base will stretch a bit so no worries if the Picco is slightly bigger than the TRX carb is. If it is more than a few mm then just get a bigger filter from Motor Saver, they make all kinds of sizes.

For the radio, I second what Maj said above about the 2.4 GHz radio. I'm getting one soon for my Maxx to replace it's old stock 27 MHz system as well, they are supposed to eliminate virtually all chances of radio interference from outside sources and can transmit further too. The one you linked is technically a flying model radio I think, but it is 3 channel so it should be fine for your truck. Radios are mostly personal preference IMO unless you compare top end $300+ ones with stock Traxxas units, so that one is up to you. Myself, I usually use Traxxas radios, always had good experiences with them.

Also, Maj makes a good point about the primer on the tank, they leaked a lot of times and weren't as useful as they were supposed to be. If you don't want to buy a new one, pull the primer out with a pliers and drive a screw into the hole with an o ring around it for sealing. Make sure to get the little o ring out of the bottom of the tank, too and any washers that come off inside. I think you need a wire cutter to cut it too, but I can't quite remember exactly how it is done, but I do remember that it was easy. I did that right after getting my Maxx, and it worked like that for years. I'm not sure if they make them anymore, but I bought a Proline fuel tank for my Maxx years ago. it has a fuel filter in it attached to a pickup tube, giving it the ability to run upside down pretty much through a whole tank so you don't have to sprint to turn the truck back over for fear of it starving for fuel. It is also bigger than stock, 160cc over the stock 125cc if memory serves me correctly. It was called the Proline Runtime and was about $20 when I bought it.

Enjoy your "new" truck

Maj_Overdrive

My Feedback: (11)

@Maxximize yeah I noticed the arms but I actually just skimmed your posts. I wasn't in much of a detail reading mode at the time so I missed some of your points and repeated them like they were my own. Oops!

Edit: The Fly Sky GT3b is a ground radio, the company name "Fly Sky" is a bit misleading though. The GT3b is a cheap radio but has a loyal following because it does work and has quite a lot of features especially for the price. I've never used one just going by others reports.

Maxximize

Hahaha no problem Maj it happens On the radio subject, I was digging around for simpler but good radios for my ongoing project, and found the Futaba 3PRKA. My goal was to find one without any ABS or trac control functions (I'm a bit old school), just a good 3 channel 2.4GHz radio with all the servo trim knobs needed. I read a few reviews on it, and the reviewers loved it. One of them even dropped it from 10 feet high onto concrete, and it still worked somehow. Anyways, I found one on Ebay new in box for $70 shipped, so needing a more modern radio I bought it. It comes with the receiver too. After sifting through reviews of 2.4 GHZ systems from Spektrum, Traxxas, Fly Sky, Futaba, and Airtronics it seemed Futaba was the only one I could find no complaints about. The range on Futaba radios is supposedly ridiculously far too, further than pretty much anything else I could find. It does cost a bit more than most the others I looked at though.

Anyways, I've only ever owned one other Futaba radio that came with my old second hand HPI Rush, and it was old and that was long ago, but it worked very well. The one I got is basically a higher end RTR radio, no screen on it, no model memories, just basic functions. It appears to be the best option for RTR style radios. We'll see when I get all my parts together, but I think it will be a good system. Here's a link to the one I bought http://www.futaba-rc.com/systems/futk3100.html

Maj_Overdrive

My Feedback: (11)

I personally like Futaba as well. I have their 3pm-mx 2.4ghz FASST radio. Receivers are ridiculously expensive compared to other options out there but the FASST system is the most rock solid system I've ever used and it is ultra fast in its response. I've tried Spektrum DSM as well as DSM2 radios and they always had glitches or would just cut out. No amount of glitchbuster caps or wire routing would help so I stopped dicking around and got the FASST. The FHSS the 3PRKA uses is very good too, haven't heard anything bad about it and the recievers aren't as expensive as the FASST ones. I'm not sure what system the Traxxas radios use but the TQi I have that came with my Rally has been reliable. I'm really tempted to try out the telemetry for it.

My 3PM-MX has ABS but I never set it up. The most advanced thing I use is subtrim when during initial setup. My previous bad experiences with Spektrum and the 3PM-MX's mixing abilities for future builds (not yet materialized) were my main reasons for purchasing it.

Maxximize

Funny that's actually the one I was looking at before I bought the 3PRKA, I almost pulled the trigger on that but figured I would save some money due to needing a lot of other parts. Glad to hear the 3PRKA is a solid choice too! Your experience with Spektrum seems to be exactly the same as all the others I found, glitching and cutting out. Especially at the track with a lot of 2.4 GHZ systems running at once. I've also heard nothing but good about the Traxxas TQi systems. My brother recently bought a T Maxx 3.3 with one of those, and it works flawlessly. His came with all the telemetry stuff hooked up too! It's pretty cool to see the RPM and speed of the truck, it also saves any settings he changes in the ipod, which is also pretty cool. It would be more hassle than anything of course to hook all that up on a rig without all the places for it like mine, but if I had a newer Traxxas rig I'd use it for sure! Hell I'd be happy with just the speed and engine temp displays on the remote. The older TQ non i 2.4 GHz radios also seem to be just as great as the newest ones, and are very cheap!

ita47

My Feedback: (5)

More food for thought on the radio's, thanks again guys. I don't know which way I will go on the radio. I am going to a big RC swap meet in KC on Sat. so I will see what I can find there. If I don't come up with anything I many just try to find a Traxxas TQ setup, from what you guys have said they sound like they are pretty good. The Futaba would be nice, I will keep it in mind. Tower Hobbies has it for $70 also, I just don't know if I want to spend that much money on this truck right now. Like I mentioned before I fly RC airplanes and Futaba is top of the line in my opinion, you never hear of any glitches with their stuff but it is the most expensive too. I use a Hitec Aurora 9 Tx and it has been rock solid. Most of the guys at my field use Spektrum and I have seen a lot of planes go down for no apparent reason, common denominator Spektrum radios. Maybe that has nothing to do with it, but it seems suspicious to me.

Maj_Overdrive

My Feedback: (11)

As far as Spektrum glitching, I found them to be very succeptable to interference even in front of my house (no high tension lines or other obvious sources) where FASST and FHSS were rock solid. Another issue with Spektrum (particularly older ground recievers) is they are very sensitive to voltage. Drop below a certain voltage and they reset themselves, often called browning out. Combine an esc with a weak internal Bec and amp hungry servo(s) like Savox and your day is not going to be fun. This is probably the issue you're seeing at the track but DSM(1 and 2) may be weakened when there's lots of the same radios running at the same time. I haven't looked into whether brownouts happen with air recievers but it is an issue with ground recievers. Glitchbuster caps and more powerful internal and external Bec's do solve/prevent the issue though.

Maxximize

Yea I've never had issues with Traxxas radios. Excellent function for what they cost and easily the best all around included RTR radio I've ever used. It looks like the 3 channel 2.4 GHz TQ radios are between $50 and $60 from online stores. The older 27MHz ones are as low as $30 from what I've found. You could get one of those if you wanted to save a bit over the newer ones, but keep in mind that the old 27 MHz radios use 8 AA batteries as opposed to the 2.4 GHz ones only using 4. The power draw seems to be less on the newer ones too so you will have less recharge sessions. Not to mention having to buy those frequency crystals for the 27 MHz radios too. I'm glad I got a 2.4 GHz one just to do away with those things! Those old radios did work great though. I used one from the day I got my Maxx in 2002 or 2003, to now and it still works just fine.