Traxxas Rustler & Stampede XL-5

by The JANG | July 2006

Field Testing

Speed Tests:

Traxxas' bold speed claims of "35+ mph" with the new Rustler and "30+ mph" with the Stampede really have people talking. Of course, the first thing to note is the fine print that admits these speeds were attained with 7-cell battery packs (and probably some nice-quality ones at that). Unfortunately, having received my test trucks on short notice, I didn't have time to locate or order any nice-quality 7-cell batteries, but I did have a pile of bulk Elite brand 3600 cells from CheapBatteryPacks.com, so I hastily assembled a 6x1 hump pack and managed to squeeze in just one full cycle on the Duratrax ICE before testing time. Here are my speed trap results:

What's this? The numbers are lower than claimed! Has Traxxas lied to us? No, I seriously doubt it. Again, I was using unmatched, unzapped cells that had only been cycled one single time. In addition, I only had approx. 75 feet of run-up to my speed trap and the trucks may have had just a hair more wind-out left in them. Given that under these circumstances, my observed speed readings averaged just 7% under the expected values, I'd say Traxxas is in the clear with their ads. If you have any doubt, turn to page 85 of the September 2006 issue of RC Car Action magazine -- they got 35.3 mph out of the Rustler and 31.2 mph from the 'Pede. Good luck finding better speed out of other entry-level off-road electric RTRs.

Driving Impressions - Rustler:

I left in the 28T pinion and switched to a matched 3300 6-cell to do some random rollin' around on tarmac. Driving a Rustler RTR around cones in a parking lot was how I got started in hobby-level RC'ing, but the experience this time out was very, very different. The speeds of the old 20T Stinger-equipped model were sufficient for a newbie, but the new power combo is nearly 50% faster and has significantly more torque. (Granted, the Titan, with its 0-degree fixed timing, hard brushes and soft springs, is not to be compared with a tuned 12-turn 540-sized mod motor; I would say it feels more on par with a 17x3 with slow wind-up, but good top end.) I'm also pleased to report that even after running a full pack on a warm day with 28/86 gearing, the motor still passed the 5-second touch test for heat; it seems the new ventillation scheme really works.

In the handling department, the softer springs give the updated truck much more of an offroad feel with more weight transfer. The new tires are stickier, but their rounded carcass shape makes the rears ride on just a couple rows of pins (as evidenced by the wear pattern), and as a result it's easy to lock up the tires under braking and you also have to watch out for breaking traction under power in slower turns. In contrast, at speed there is a very pronounced on-power push, accentuated by the fact that "at speed" now means "a lot more speed" than it used to.

Rustler on Asphalt:

The topmost part of the stepped pins of the rear tires wore out in less than one battery pack, just in time to try some dirt. On a completely dry surface with 1/8" to 1/4" of loose powder & very fine gravel, the Rustler hooked up much better than expected. Here the new springs really shined and weight transfer was predictable and repeatable. With the limited contact patch and so much power on tap, I still found myself largely initiating turns with the front wheels but then steering through them with the throttle. The fact that it could behave this way says a lot for the balance of the truck. I later moved the rear lower shock mounts out to the last holes on the arms and this had exactly the expected effect of further flattening and stabilizing the rear end. I didn't really get any jumping on camera, but off the ramps I tried later, I found the Rustler to have a nose-high flight tendency that required full brakes to correct in the air to avoid slapping the front end down upon landing.

Rustler on Dirt:

Driving Impressions - Stampede:

In on-road tests, the Stampede drove very differently than the Rustler. The big tires have a much wider contact patch and a tread that's better-suited for street driving. The stiffer springs really keep weight transfer in check, and the rear end doesn't kick out unless you dive into a turn hard on the brakes, after which it squares up as quickly as you'll let it. Again there was an on-power push, but the Pede responds better to letting off the throttle. All in all, the driving dynamics are really dominated by the tires -- what they can do, the truck will do. Oh, and even with the unnecessarily high ride height, it never traction rolled, no matter how hard I pushed it.

Stampede on asphalt:

Off-road performance was classic Stampede bumped up a notch by -- you guessed it -- the new tires. The bigger meats provide better stability and improve obstacle negotiation, and there's no comparing traction between the new tread pattern and the old. This truck jumps with about the same attitude as the Rustler, but it is far more sensitive to mid-air throttle inputs thanks to, again, the big tires.

Rather than bringing back a video of high-speed runs, donuts and boring set-up jumps that we all know any off-road truck can do, I thought I'd put together a more natural sequence across the average type of terrain a 'Pede owner will cover. Well alright, I added in one small staged jump for good measure.

Durability:

Well, this one is simple -- after a half-day of driving, I didn't break anything. Granted, I didn't try to break them, but then again, really the only difference in the new trucks that would affect durability is the switch to the 2055 servo for steering. Both trucks have been notoriously durable for bashing, and they will continue to be so in their new incarnations.