Traxxas E Maxx Brushless Upgrade: Major Improvements

Introduction

The Traxxas E Maxx is a fine little piece. But this thing can’t live up to its full potential if you’re not willing to make certain changes.

Don’t get me wrong. The RC vehicle is a pleasure to control. But RC modifications have only ever made things better. Maybe they do come with certain compromises. But I fully agree that the compromises are worth it.

You have to go through a lot of details before making decisions to pick an upgrade. So we’re going to help you out. We’ll pick a Traxxas E Maxx brushless upgrade for your E Maxx. 

It’s perfectly normal if you end up using all the tricks in the book too. But we’ll be speaking in terms of performance upgrades. And, we’ll do it just for the sake of keeping it simple.

Product Overview

First up, we have a motor combo from Castle Creations. This motor combo is a must for Traxxas model RC upgrades. For example, this can used to upgrade Traxxas Slash 4×4 motors. So, I think this is the best upgrade you can provide to your Traxxas E Maxx. A motor combo like this can uplift your performance in a jiffy. So let’s get into the details-

This isn’t like any other motor, though. But we’ll be real. This is the most expensive upgrade on the list. I think it comes with enough technologies to make this a good upgrade.

Again, I’m not vouching for this. But, we tested out around five motor combos. And this one hit all the boxes.

We only had this for around three months and tested it throughout. This one did not disappoint.

Although you might need a new motor mount for some vehicles, I don’t think it’s much of a hassle. 

Installing this motor combo felt easy. We didn’t have to tinker too much with this one. But, you might need prior experience. If you lack it, try grabbing a fresh pair of hands to help.

We were impressed by the heat management capabilities of this motor combo. It stood out among all the motor combos that we tested. And, the overall efficiency of the motor combo was pretty decent too.

It did get hot at times under load. But it didn’t last. The device cools down quickly too. 

Our other gripe with this one includes the awkward design. I mean, it fits almost all the vehicles that we had. But some of them needed a motor mount. So that’s just another way to increase costs. Not fair! 

Pros

• Boosts the performance of the vehicle
• Offers multiple modes
• Great heat management
• Decent efficiency

Cons

• On the pricier side
• It might require a motor mount with specific vehicles

Product Overview

Up next, we have this battery from Venom Power. Now, there’s nothing wrong with the stock battery. But batteries degrade over time. And so will yours. That’s why we’re suggesting this one.

It’s a big guy. That’s right! The 5000mAh cell isn’t something you get to see on normal RC vehicles. Even higher-end smartphones come with batteries this big. 

But how is the performance? Well, we tried this out for our Traxxas E Maxx. Installing this was a breeze, honestly. We were able to get the battery in place after swapping the old one out.

We used up the battery around one hundred times during the course of two months. And the backup didn’t degrade too much.

It was only after two months that we started noticing the degradation. And since we pushed the battery to its limits, I think this is a fair evaluation.

We used to get around forty minutes, at first. While we did get better backup on some other brands, those only lasted a couple of weeks.

For this one, we even saw thirty-minute backup periods after two months. That seemed to be pretty impressive. 

Pros

• Decent backup
• Quick charge time
• Has a stronger build
• Comes with a decent longevity

Cons

• Only supports UNI plug system
• Expensive for batteries

Product Overview

Coming in at third place, we have a set of shocks from Traxxas. Again, we tried other shocks, but Traxxas took the crown. This particular one is a set of 8. So you can guess that they are expensive.

But I think this is a decent upgrade if you want longevity. I mean, if your shocks get damaged, you can immediately switch to a newer set.

As for durability, we tried them out for around a month. And they lasted just fine. I mean, they did take some time to set. But they showed decent performance once they were set.

We were able to install the shocks with our novice hands. So, I don’t see any reason as to why you won’t be able to do the same. But if you’re worried that you’ll break them, grab a friend.

The Traxxas E Maxx truck is a big guy. And you need good shocks for it. Since other brands don’t come close, Traxxas’ own shocks had to step up. 

These shocks are capable of keeping the oil and air separated. That’s something unique even for the higher-end shocks. 

Our overall verdict about this one is positive. But the whole set is on the expensive side. I wish there were a way to pick just a set of four, though. that would have made more sense.

Pros

• Decent build quality
• Comes with all pieces assembled
• Easy to install
• Keeps oil and air separated

Cons

• A bit on the expensive side

Product Overview

A new set of wheels might give you immediate results. That’s why we chose this set of Traxxas wheels up next. It’s further down the list, but it will move up depending on your urgency.

Let’s get the good things out of the way first. This one comes with Talon tires. You might have heard a lot of good things about them. Let’s get into the details-

Replacing the stock Traxxas tires with another set of Traxxas tires is something we don’t usually recommend. But after comparing all the wheels that we had around, I think this set takes the cake.

Now let’s talk about the only gripe about this one. You can only buy two at a time. So if you need one tire, you can’t get that. In that case, you probably need to opt for a different option. 

Listen up! These tires seem a lot like direct replacements. And they might be. But the good thing about them is that they work well.

Putting the tires onto the vehicle was easy. It was an easy swapping process. So how long can you rock these till they get scuffed?

Well, we had the pair for around four months. We were able to test this out on various surfaces. So it would be quite obvious to us if there were any scuff marks.

Thankfully, we didn’t notice any scuff marks at all. But that’s not to say that you will have the exact same experience. I think you can get around 8-10 months with this set.

Pros

• Decently build pair of tires
• Good longevity
• Decent traction
• Improves the grip 
• Works well on different surfaces

Cons

• Only sold as a set of two
• Might seem expensive

Product Overview

Finally, we have this driveshaft from Traxxas. Don’t be surprised to see this here. We tried other driveshafts. But this one from Traxxas seemed to check all the boxes. And we’re about to tell you about it.

It’s a box of four pieces, and it comes assembled. You will also get the boots assembled straight out of the box. 

We were able to spend around two months with this set. And I think that was enough to evaluate the performance boost. 

You don’t always need a driveshaft upgrade. And, the stock driveshaft is already built solidly. That’s why this is one of those upgrades that you will forget about most of the time.

But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.

We’ll be complaining about these first. I think they’re just a wee bit overpriced. But I think you would be willing to pay the amount just because they’re for a Traxxas truck from Traxxas. 

I have another gripe about this one. one of the pieces didn’t have a nice finish to it. So this seemed like a bummer.  

But overall, I think this one does quite well. The durability seemed to be decent since we didn’t notice anything breaking during our testing.

We also pushed this to the limits. Well, this one was able to handle the pressure well. There wasn’t any smoke coming out of the vehicle, at least. 

Pros

• Decent steel build
• Works well under load
• Well protected during crazy conditions

Cons

• One or two units might be flawed

Which Upgrades Should You Opt for?

Since we’re talking about upgrades, you’re probably thinking about changing everything. 

Don’t do that. There’s a certain priority. But there’s no harm if you don’t follow the sequence that we’re recommending. Check out the different possible upgrade options before you head out to buy something.

Upgrade Method #1: A New Motor Combo

The first thing that we’d suggest is a new motor combo. This will make a huge difference for your RC vehicle.

But, the sad fact is that most motor combos don’t come cheap. You have to spend quite a lot if you want a decent performance improvement.

I know. There are a lot of companies who try to bring cheaper motor combos. But we tried those too. And we didn’t notice any difference when we put them up against the stock one. So the expensive one is better in this case. 

Upgrade Method #2: Better Battery

Get a better battery. This is essential in the case of Vaterra V100 upgrades too. This is going to fix a lot of things for your E Maxx. Now, I’m not saying that the battery that comes in the box is bad. It’s actually pretty decent. 

But if you’re looking for longer hours of racing, I think getting a better battery should do the trick. If you can get past one hour of driving, I’ll call that an exceptional battery.

Upgrade Method #3: New Shock Set

Shock absorbers and springs make a big difference. We tried to replace the stock shocks with new sets. And, the new sets fared better almost every time. 

Now, this only means that there are certain shocks that aren’t good. And the only possible reason to get any of those is if you end up breaking a stock shock.

Otherwise, stick to the more renowned brands. In this way, you at least know that you’ll get an upgrade in performance.

Upgrade Method #4: Changing The Wheels

Wheels always improve performance. Alright, maybe not always. But it depends on the set of wheels that you get. 

Most RC wheels come in a set of four with their tires already attached. And, if you’re replacing stock wheels, you can probably see better performance from your vehicle.

The main highlight of new wheels is better traction and grip. If you’re competitively racing with the E Maxx, I suggest that you replace your wheelset every time they get scuffed. This allows your vehicle to stay in a competitive shape and form.

Upgrade Method #5: Driveshaft Upgrade

Lastly, it’s the driveshaft upgrade. This can be seen as optional in many cases. But if you think that your old driveshaft has had enough, you can always look for an upgrade. 

We listed the best driveshaft on the list after testing out a few of them. If you’re in need of a new driveshaft, you should probably get it replaced. Otherwise, your riding experience is going to be awful. 

FAQs

Question: How fast can my Traxxas E Maxx go?

Answer: The speed varies depending on the kit you have attached. A different motor combo might offer you better speeds overall. So there’s that. But you can expect around 35 m/h if you’re using a 7 cell battery.

Question: Should I change the wheels of my Traxxas?

Answer: Changing the stock wheels and swapping them out for a new set might surprise you. You will see an immediate response from the vehicle with a better set of wheels. 

Question: Can I submerge my Traxxas E Maxx underwater?

Answer: Well, I’m not sure as to why you would want to do that. But as the company claims, it can survive a short while underwater. So you shouldn’t have to worry about those normal splashes. 

Conclusion

That’s it from us. We tried to include all the possible upgrades on this list. And you might not know it, but we tried to review them critically. 

All the parts here can improve the performance of your Traxxas E Maxx somewhat. So pick out the best Traxxas E Maxx Brushless upgrade from the list.

And if you’re confused, look at the tips and the most asked questions. You’re sure to get some information there. Till then, good luck and stay safe!