VXL vs XL

[4.whoa]

Is there a difference between the gearbox/trans on a bandit xl vs a vxl? my son has a xl, and i've been thinking about getting him a brushless setup for it.
Thanks in advance

[harry697]

You would really have to open the trans and take a look. The newer XL-5 models come with all the same steel gears and Rev-spec slipper as the VXL, but I wouldn't count on it because there have been various small changes to those transmissions over the years.

[85Edinger]

The Traxxas Rustler/Bandit/Stampede/Slash, XL-5 and VXL, all have exactly the same transmission.

[4.whoa]

he's only had his a couple months,so then it should be good to go ? Thanks for the help

[dldiaz]

The newer XL-5 models come with all the same steel gears and Rev-spec slipper as the VXL...

I agree, the newer ones have the "brushless ready" (all metal gear) transmission.
Older ones have non-metal gears;
I have stripped several of those and had to rebuild with metal gears.

If it was a new model as of a few months ago, it should be "brushless ready".

[klavy69]

agree with the others about it should be brushless ready if its only 5 months old. The biggest point is that even if its not you can pick up a complete new take off vxl tranny for about $35 shipped to get the gears....now what to do with all the old gear cases

Todd

[4.whoa]

agree with the others about it should be brushless ready if its only 5 months old. The biggest point is that even if its not you can pick up a complete new take off vxl tranny for about $35 shipped to get the gears....now what to do with all the old gear cases

Todd

I just saw 1 for sale ,that's exactly why I was asking

[angus]

It is just the idler and the diff gear that are different.

[Lonestar]

to add a bit of perspective... all the current top-of-the-line racers have plastic gears (but the top shaft gear) and afaik everyone uses BL now...

Savvy marketing again from traxxas (or poor plastic quality )

Paul

PS: Sorry - had to

[angus]

I don't know about the savvy part, I don't even know if you can buy the plastic ones anymore - I mean the plastic stuff is really old (dates back tot he 90's).

I think for the few dollars it takes to upgrade the idler and diff gear it is worth it - I specifically did not buy the proline tranny because it has plastic gears.

[klavy69]

There is nothing wrong with plastic gears and are still available. They won't hold up as long as the metal gears and the original plastic idlers are the built in weak spot. A newbie that goes skyward and keeps the finger on the trigger is only gonna strip the $2 idler vs any other part of the tranny.

For my favorite trans upgrades I use the delrin top gear and the hardened idler and as long as the dif gear is good it will last a long time. The VXL tranny is all metal geared IIRC. I usually only pull the planetary setup and leave the rest so I can use the gears I mentioned above.

Todd

[angus]

I have run a 5900 brushless on 3S in both my 2WD slash LCG and my 2WD LWB LCG stampede and never once have I stripped a gear in over a year of running - I have broken almost every other part, jumped off the roof of my house and garage - zero problems with the gears other than the occasional stripped spur - and the lower arm mounts which means replace the trans case - but the gears are still intact.

I cannot see the point of adding any "built in" weak spot - the metal gear tranny is bulletproof IMO.

[cunawarit]

to add a bit of perspective... all the current top-of-the-line racers have plastic gears (but the top shaft gear) and afaik everyone uses BL now...

True. I've run a Traxxas 2WD tranny with plastic gears and a brushless + lipo setup with no problems whatsoever. Yes, the wear out faster than the metal gears but you won't break anything unless you are going for totally crazy power levels.

[angus]

Well I have stripped the plastic gears using a 12T titan brushed motor on 2S lipo.

[klavy69]

I cannot see the point of adding any "built in" weak spot .

Yes, the metal gear trans is pretty good at durability. I mentioned the plastic idler in the older models as the 'built in' weak spot. If you have a trans with a $45 diff. + $9 top shaft + $2 idler what would you like to replace when you strip a gear out after a bad cartwheel or fat trigger finger jump . Traxxas engineers know that if you make the weakspot the expensive idler gear and you blow out 3-4 a night of racing that they lost a customer. I speak from experience of the 3-4 a night idlers stripped. Most anyone that ran Nitrohawks locally had a spare transmission (or two) ready to swap out when the inevitable happened. The locals that ran the rustlers pretty much did the same. When the delrin top gears and hardened idlers came out we pretty much did away with carrying extra trannys .

Todd

p.s. since the metal gear sets came out several planetary sets have failed locally also...not something to expect outta that setup