In stock-spec racing, the factory Titan® 12T motor and XL-5 speed offer excellent performance for exciting and reliable racing action. However, for open-class racing and insane power capabilities, I installed the Traxxas Velineon® power system into the Slash. The Velineon system is a proven winner when it comes to speed, power and reliability. This is the same system that propels the Traxxas VXL line of vehicles to speeds up to 70mph.
The VXL-3S speed control offers incredibly smooth throttle response while the Velineon brushless motor provides plenty of power for clearing the biggest jump sets and ripping down the straightaway at insane speeds. The speed control is LiPo (Lithium Polymer)-ready with low-voltage detection to automatically cuts power before over-discharging the pack. One of the biggest attributes of going to the Velineon power system is the virtual maintenance-free operation of the brushless motor. The Velineon brushless motor is fully enclosed, and has no commutator or brushes to wear out. This setup offers hours of high-performance operation without the extra heat and wear of a traditional brushed motor.
Gearing the Velineon motor isn't much different from the stock setup. As opposed to modified brushed motors, brushless motors can handle stock gear ratios much better. The Velineon system works great in the Slash using the stock 86T spur gear along with pinion gear sizes between 18T and 22T. For most tracks, 18T to 20T pinions will work best.
To better handle the increased power of the Velineon brushless system, I replaced the stock plastic output yokes on the Slash with Traxxas hardened steel output yokes. These yokes operate very smoothly and are constructed of high quality steel for bullet-proof durability.


Motor/Drivetrain Accessories:

• Traxxas Velineon Brushless Motor System
(3350, includes VXL-3S speed control and motor)
• Steel output yokes (4628X)


There many battery options available for electric racing. NiMH batteries are the most common cells available and the best choice for affordable, durable, reliable power. NiMH batteries are less vulnerable to internal damage and are easily charged with most battery chargers. They're relatively inexpensive and can be discharged all the way down without problems. Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) batteries are increasingly becoming the battery of choice for most racers because of their increased capacity, higher voltage, and flat discharge curve. However, LiPos are more expensive, require LiPo-specific chargers and will be permanently damaged if over-discharged. The Traxxas VXL-3S speed control has built-in Low Voltage Detection circuitry that reduces power when the LiPo pack is near its maximum save-discharge voltage, letting you know it's time to recharge. If you stay on the track, the speed control will shut power down completely to protect your LiPo.
For Slash racing, a Traxxas Power Cell Series 3 (7-cell) battery is an excellent choice. It gives you more voltage than a 2S LiPo (8.4 volts for the NiMH pack, versus 7.4 for the LiPo), and the extra weight of the NiMH pack helps “plant” the truck.

For insane power, a 3S LiPo setup offers a whopping 11.1v of power. For most practical off-road racing applications, 11.1v is way too much for consistent and controllable lap times. If you want to race with LiPo power, a 2S pack is a much better choice. The runtime is incredibly long and the performance is more than enough for any size track. Check your local hobby shop for which battery is right for you and make sure you find the appropriate charger for the particular battery to decide to use.


The Slash comes with a foam battery spacer for positioning the battery toward the front or the back of the battery compartment on the chassis. This is a simple adjustment. If you're looking for more rear traction, place the battery toward the rear of the compartment and put the spacer in front of the battery. If you need more steering, then slide the battery toward the front and place the spacer at the rear of the battery pack. I recommend placing the battery toward the rear for most racing applications as rear traction is generally more preferred. Plus, it helps with keeping a good flight attitude off of jumps.


For stock-spec racing, the factory Slash wheels and tires are mandatory. They work great in most conditions and offer excellent tread wear. Traxxas offers an accessory red-bead wheel to enhance the look of the Slash. The red color is molded-in, so scratches don't show.
For open-class racing, I mounted a set of Pro-Line Switch tires on Pro-Line Epic Bead-Loc wheels designed for the Slash. The Epic wheels look amazing and do not require glue for assembly as they are a true bead-lock design.
Wheels/Tires Accessories:

• TRX red bead wheels (front 5874A, rear 5872A)
• Pro-Line Switch tires & Epic Bead-Loc wheels pre-mount, pair
(front 1076-11, rear 1076-12)



Finally, I topped off my ultimate Slash with a Pro-Line Hardcore body. It's a direct fit, and includes window masks and decals. Traxxas also offers incredible-looking officially-licensed Race Replica bodies for the Slash. You can get the Team AMSOIL® graphics of Scott Douglas and Mike Oberg, Jerry Whelchel's Chet Huffman Motorsports body, or Rick Huseman's Fabtech® colors. These officially-licensed bodies are only available from Traxxas.
Accessory Bodies:

• Traxxas Optional bodies
(Douglas/Oberg 5817, Jerry Whelchel 5821, Huseman 5816)
• Pro-Line Hardcore body (3283-00)

Racing the Traxxas® Slash is just plain awesome. Need I say more? The smiles that the Slash brings to the track say it all. All around the country, Slash racing has single-handedly changed the attitude of racing. I've even seen all-nitro events add the electric Slash class to the program purely for the incredible fun-factor of racing these cool trucks. Racers of all ages and levels have jumped on the bandwagon and are having a great time. Whether you race stock or dig into the mods as I have with this build, Slash's low cost, low maintenance and the ability to bump and rub on the track make this tough, affordable machine a blast for racing.




COMPLETE ACCESSORY LISTING:
Traxxas Machined Aluminum Suspension & Steering:

• Aluminum hard-anodized Teflon-coated Big Bore shocks (item no. 5862)
• Aluminum camber links (blue 3737A, red 3737)
• Aluminum steering links, pair (blue 3139A, red 3139X)
• Aluminum steering blocks, pair (blue 3636A, red 3636X)
• Aluminum caster blocks, pair (blue 3632A, red 3632X)
• Aluminum rear hub carriers, pair (blue 3652A, red 3652X)
• Aluminum bell cranks (blue 3743A, red 3743X)
Motor/Drivetrain:

• Traxxas Velineon Brushless Motor System
(3350, includes VXL-3S speed control and motor)
• Steel output yokes (4628X)
Wheels/Tires:

• TRX red bead wheels (front 5874A, rear 5872A)
• Pro-Line Switch tires & Epic Bead-Loc wheels pre-mount, pair
(front 1076-11, rear 1076-12)
Accessory Bodies:

• Traxxas Optional bodies (Huseman 5816, Douglas/Oberg 5817)
• Pro-Line Hardcore body (3283-00)

Here's my Slash racing setup:






My Open Corr setup:

*cough* *gag* *pant* *drool*...

It's funny that the Traxxas article is basically just an ad for a bunch of hopup parts. Doesn't tell you how to make the thing handle better at all (other than moving the battery forward/back).

and also the alum camber and steering links suck thy brake all the time and bend

I know this is a fairly old thread but I'm curious about that roll cage. I haven't seen that one. Who makes it?

I really like the no paint "X-ray" body look with the roll cage.

Joe

It's a Team Associated SC8 roll cage. LOL! I liked the X-Ray body too! For some reason I just wanna see the awsome roll cage.

Ooops! I should have looked at the picture closer. I had Slash on the brain and didn't even notice that was a completely different car......

Joe

There are a few roll cages available for the Slash. I'll give you a link:
http://www.hbzusa.com/slash.htm