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For the front end, we went with RPM’s front skid plate and bumper. For kicks and some scale looks, we also went ahead and got their front lights for both the bumper and the roof. Not only will these add some scale looks to the truck, but they'll also distract other drivers as we get near their trucks or when they try to pass us. Hey, even racing in scale is a mental thing and I’m going to be as mental as possible. Ok so I will be a little crazy too.
We should also note that RPM has sent us additional lights as on our first attempt we used Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue to install the guards which they do not recommend. This hazed up the clear lenses and we had to ask for replacements. RPM kindly sent us chrome buckets and new lenses as replacements. This is actually a good thing as these will help illuminate the truck far better than the black housings would have done. Under their recommendations we won't use CA glue and will use RC Canopy Glue or Shoe Goo instead. We will also leave off the guards as they reduce the light output when used. We now have enough spares, but we're not worried about breaking them. Even if we were to break a light we now have more thanks to RPM.
We changed out three additional pieces with RPM equipment for the sake of improved durability which were the nerf-bars, the body posts, and the addition of shock shaft guards. The nerf-bars come in blue while the body posts come only in black. The nerf-bars are a pretty obvious choice for a change as they are not only stiffer, but will take the abuse short course trucks go through when racing wheel to wheel. The body posts, though, probably don’t make much sense until you roll the truck over once. The OEM parts flex and wobble, which leads to them eventually breaking or breaking the body. The RPM parts are more rigid while still allowing some flex so that the body won’t break. They also offer positions to raise or lower the body on the posts, where the OEM parts didn’t.
The shock shaft guards work in the same way shock shaft protectors do on full scale trucks. They deflect dirt, debris, and even truck parts away from the shock shafts to prevent them from getting scratched and causing shock shaft leaks. Plus, they come in blue!
Next on the agenda were some suspension changes and we started by sourcing some parts from Proline Racing. After reading about them and looking at upgrades to the suspension arms, Proline’s ProTrack system made sense. Not only are the arms optimized for better handling, they are also longer and allow for more travel. This means that you also must now use wheels that are designed with higher offsets or the wheels and tires will stick out beyond the body.
