skt07
Active Member
I got my BRCC at the beginning of May and have been having a blast driving it and making changes to it with my daughter. Below is a list of what we’ve done so far and my assessment of the change.
Note that I’m in Canada, so parts availability is not great, especially right now during COVID, and usually involves ordering online and waiting quite a while for it to arrive. So that has definitely affected some of my part choices.
In the end, it probably would have been cheaper to buy a 4S or 6S truck to begin with, but I liked the style and size of the Big Rock (and it was all that was in stock locally at the time). It’s also been fun researching parts and making the upgrades.
Transmitter and Receiver – Flysky GT5 and BS6 receiver
- Purchased from Amazon
- 5/5 MUST DO
The STX2 is not good. Whether it’s with the Flysky or another transmitter, the stock STX2 should be replaced. The car is so much more responsive and I feel in control. The SVC (gyro) does work, but still trying to figure out the settings. Only thing I miss with the Flysky is the 50/75/100 switch on the STX2 for my daughter. I can set the throttle end point lower, but it’s not as easy. The Flysky is a bit fiddly with the dial.
Servo – DS3225MG
- Purchased from Amazon
- 4/5 WORTHWHILE UPGRADE
Steering seems a bit more precise with the new servo, even before I upgraded the transmitter. Wheels return to centre and turn more quickly. Also a digital servo is recommended (required?) to use the SVC function of the Flysky BS6 receiver.
Installation notes: I originally kept the stock servo saver and installed it on the DS3225MG. The stock servo saver was pretty stuck on the servo and I had to use a hair dryer to heat it up to remove it. Maybe there was some Loctite or something keeping it on.
Servo Saver – Kimborough 124
- Purchased from Amazon
- 3/5 MAYBE IT’S DOING SOMETHING?
I guess I’m not really sure what I’m looking for in terms of change, but it seems about the same vs. the stock servo saver.
Installation notes: I reused the stock screw to attach the Kimborough to the servo. Used some garden snips to trim the “ears” down and a 1/8” drill bit (I think) to widen the hole enough to attach the servo link. I used a slightly longer M3 screw and a 3mm nut to attach the servo link.
Front and Rear A Arms – Stock Typhon 3S Arms and Turnbuckles
- Purchased from Jennys RC
- 4.5/5 VERY WORTHWHILE UPGRADE
If you’re looking to reduce rollovers and want to be able to take turns faster, this is a great upgrade. Also nice that it retains the stock 14mm wheel hexes, so I’m still able to use the stock wheels if I want. The longer arms might lead to more breakage when jumping etc.
Tires and Rims – Pro-Line Badlands MX28 with Raid 6x30 wheels and 6x30 14mm hex adapters
- Purchased from Zone Hobbies
- 4/5 WORTHWHILE UPGRADE
Great tires. Seem to be about 25% wider than the stock Ragnaroks (maybe more, I haven’t measured). They grip well and add additional stability. These tires plus the Typhon arms has greatly reduced rollovers and increased the speed at which I can take turns. They are definitely heavier than the stock tires, so the extra length of the Typhon arms plus the heavier wheels, could lead to more breakage, especially when jumping. The extra weight does seem to add additional on the ground stability, so it’s a tradeoff.
Shocks – Hot Racing Shock Bodies (ATF155AF08)
- Purchased from Zone Hobbies
- 4/5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (if the stock shocks are leaking, which they probably are)
Whether you replace with these Hot Racing bodies or something else, the leaky stock shocks should be replaced. When I took the stock shocks apart they were less than a quarter full with fluid and most of that fluid did not look like silicone shock oil (very runny and dirty). These Hot Racing shock bodies seem well made and have not leaked so far, but if the stock shocks did not leak, I can’t say that these Hot Racing shocks actually perform any better. So really this is just fixing something that was poorly designed vs. an upgrade in performance.
Installation notes: You need to reuse the springs and metal rod and lower A arm connector from the stock shocks. Putting them together is a little finicky. Pay close attention to the installation picture when assembling to save some grief. I upped the weight of oil from the stock 42.5 to 50. It’s hard to compare, as I think the stock shocks leaked very early on, so I don’t really know how the stock fluid weight performs. 50 weight was all I had. I feel like I'm bouncing more on landings now, not sure if it's related. Will try out a lower weight when it arrives.
Bumpers and Skid Plate – T-Bone Wheelie Bar, XV6 Front Bumper and Chassis Skid Plate
- Purchased directly from T-Bone
- 2.5/5 MEH
My stock wheelie bar cracked, so I ordered up a full set from T-Bone. This is really a tale of opposites. I like the design of the front bumper and it works better than stock and seems really tough, but something is off a bit in the design and it’s very hard to install. I had to heat and stretch the skid plate quite a bit to make it fit. The wheelie bar was easy to install and fit was great, but it kind of sucks as a wheelie bar. Whereas the stock wheelie bar never really allowed the Big Rock to wheelie so far that it would flip over, if I give full throttle off the line, the T-Bone allows the truck to flip over every time. I actually kind of hate the T-Bone wheelie bar, and much prefer the stock one, but the stock one is broken. Chassis skid plate is annoying AF to put on and adds an extra step when taking things apart. It seems to offer decent protection, but the added weight plus the annoyance probably means I’m not going to reinstall it the next time I remove it. Plus dirt gets trapped between the skid plate and the chassis.
Installation notes: As mentioned, front bumper is hard to install. Dimensions are off slightly. The annoyance/benefit ratio of the chassis skid plate is skewing towards annoyance.
Motor Fan – Yeah Racing Tornado 30mm Fan
- Purchased from Amazon
- 3/5 MAYBE IT’S DOING SOMETHING?
I didn’t have any motor overheating issues prior to getting the fan, but I think it will be useful with the 4S motor.
Installation notes: I added some little rubber o-rings I had laying around on the screws, as there was a lot of vibration noise with the metal-on-metal when the fan was installed directly on top of the heat sink.
Body – Clear Gorilla Tape and Foam
- 3/5 I THINK IT’S HELPING
I read lots of posts about the shock tower punching holes through the corners of the truck bed, so I put some foam in that area. The foam is all torn up, which means it's doing the job of protecting the body I guess. I also added some clear Gorilla tape all around the body to provide some reinforcement. So far, the body is holding up well. No cracks or punctures. Just road rash from flipping over and skidding along the road (which is happening much more often ever since the T-Bone “wheelie” bar was installed).
What’s Next
Currently, the Big Rock is on the shelf awaiting a replacement steering block that broke after one too many backyard backflips. I wonder if it's related to the longer Typhon arms and heavier Badlands. I have ordered the stock part, as well as the aluminum Hot Racing steering block. Will install whatever arrives first and see how long it takes to break again. I also just picked up the Hot Racing Aluminum Steering Bellcrank (ATF4801). Also waiting for a bearing kit and the Hot Racing aluminum pivot ball set to arrive.
Bigger projects for the summer are painting a clear body and upgrading to 4S. My daughter picked the paint colors and theme so it’s going to be a unique look for sure.
For the 4S upgrade, I ordered the motor and slipper clutch assembly from a 4S Outcast/Kraton from Jennys RC. Also ordered a 20t 0.8Mod pinion to see what happens in combination with the 4S motor.
Still need to get an upgraded ESC and not sure whether to cheap out with a BLX120 or get something like a Hobby Wing Max 8, which would allow another motor upgrade down the road (6S???). I’ll also probably order the CVD slider set (#AR310870) to handle the extra power.
Will keep this thread updated as more parts arrive and changes are made!
Note that I’m in Canada, so parts availability is not great, especially right now during COVID, and usually involves ordering online and waiting quite a while for it to arrive. So that has definitely affected some of my part choices.
In the end, it probably would have been cheaper to buy a 4S or 6S truck to begin with, but I liked the style and size of the Big Rock (and it was all that was in stock locally at the time). It’s also been fun researching parts and making the upgrades.
Transmitter and Receiver – Flysky GT5 and BS6 receiver
- Purchased from Amazon
- 5/5 MUST DO
The STX2 is not good. Whether it’s with the Flysky or another transmitter, the stock STX2 should be replaced. The car is so much more responsive and I feel in control. The SVC (gyro) does work, but still trying to figure out the settings. Only thing I miss with the Flysky is the 50/75/100 switch on the STX2 for my daughter. I can set the throttle end point lower, but it’s not as easy. The Flysky is a bit fiddly with the dial.
Servo – DS3225MG
- Purchased from Amazon
- 4/5 WORTHWHILE UPGRADE
Steering seems a bit more precise with the new servo, even before I upgraded the transmitter. Wheels return to centre and turn more quickly. Also a digital servo is recommended (required?) to use the SVC function of the Flysky BS6 receiver.
Installation notes: I originally kept the stock servo saver and installed it on the DS3225MG. The stock servo saver was pretty stuck on the servo and I had to use a hair dryer to heat it up to remove it. Maybe there was some Loctite or something keeping it on.
Servo Saver – Kimborough 124
- Purchased from Amazon
- 3/5 MAYBE IT’S DOING SOMETHING?
I guess I’m not really sure what I’m looking for in terms of change, but it seems about the same vs. the stock servo saver.
Installation notes: I reused the stock screw to attach the Kimborough to the servo. Used some garden snips to trim the “ears” down and a 1/8” drill bit (I think) to widen the hole enough to attach the servo link. I used a slightly longer M3 screw and a 3mm nut to attach the servo link.
Front and Rear A Arms – Stock Typhon 3S Arms and Turnbuckles
- Purchased from Jennys RC
- 4.5/5 VERY WORTHWHILE UPGRADE
If you’re looking to reduce rollovers and want to be able to take turns faster, this is a great upgrade. Also nice that it retains the stock 14mm wheel hexes, so I’m still able to use the stock wheels if I want. The longer arms might lead to more breakage when jumping etc.
Tires and Rims – Pro-Line Badlands MX28 with Raid 6x30 wheels and 6x30 14mm hex adapters
- Purchased from Zone Hobbies
- 4/5 WORTHWHILE UPGRADE
Great tires. Seem to be about 25% wider than the stock Ragnaroks (maybe more, I haven’t measured). They grip well and add additional stability. These tires plus the Typhon arms has greatly reduced rollovers and increased the speed at which I can take turns. They are definitely heavier than the stock tires, so the extra length of the Typhon arms plus the heavier wheels, could lead to more breakage, especially when jumping. The extra weight does seem to add additional on the ground stability, so it’s a tradeoff.
Shocks – Hot Racing Shock Bodies (ATF155AF08)
- Purchased from Zone Hobbies
- 4/5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (if the stock shocks are leaking, which they probably are)
Whether you replace with these Hot Racing bodies or something else, the leaky stock shocks should be replaced. When I took the stock shocks apart they were less than a quarter full with fluid and most of that fluid did not look like silicone shock oil (very runny and dirty). These Hot Racing shock bodies seem well made and have not leaked so far, but if the stock shocks did not leak, I can’t say that these Hot Racing shocks actually perform any better. So really this is just fixing something that was poorly designed vs. an upgrade in performance.
Installation notes: You need to reuse the springs and metal rod and lower A arm connector from the stock shocks. Putting them together is a little finicky. Pay close attention to the installation picture when assembling to save some grief. I upped the weight of oil from the stock 42.5 to 50. It’s hard to compare, as I think the stock shocks leaked very early on, so I don’t really know how the stock fluid weight performs. 50 weight was all I had. I feel like I'm bouncing more on landings now, not sure if it's related. Will try out a lower weight when it arrives.
Bumpers and Skid Plate – T-Bone Wheelie Bar, XV6 Front Bumper and Chassis Skid Plate
- Purchased directly from T-Bone
- 2.5/5 MEH
My stock wheelie bar cracked, so I ordered up a full set from T-Bone. This is really a tale of opposites. I like the design of the front bumper and it works better than stock and seems really tough, but something is off a bit in the design and it’s very hard to install. I had to heat and stretch the skid plate quite a bit to make it fit. The wheelie bar was easy to install and fit was great, but it kind of sucks as a wheelie bar. Whereas the stock wheelie bar never really allowed the Big Rock to wheelie so far that it would flip over, if I give full throttle off the line, the T-Bone allows the truck to flip over every time. I actually kind of hate the T-Bone wheelie bar, and much prefer the stock one, but the stock one is broken. Chassis skid plate is annoying AF to put on and adds an extra step when taking things apart. It seems to offer decent protection, but the added weight plus the annoyance probably means I’m not going to reinstall it the next time I remove it. Plus dirt gets trapped between the skid plate and the chassis.
Installation notes: As mentioned, front bumper is hard to install. Dimensions are off slightly. The annoyance/benefit ratio of the chassis skid plate is skewing towards annoyance.
Motor Fan – Yeah Racing Tornado 30mm Fan
- Purchased from Amazon
- 3/5 MAYBE IT’S DOING SOMETHING?
I didn’t have any motor overheating issues prior to getting the fan, but I think it will be useful with the 4S motor.
Installation notes: I added some little rubber o-rings I had laying around on the screws, as there was a lot of vibration noise with the metal-on-metal when the fan was installed directly on top of the heat sink.
Body – Clear Gorilla Tape and Foam
- 3/5 I THINK IT’S HELPING
I read lots of posts about the shock tower punching holes through the corners of the truck bed, so I put some foam in that area. The foam is all torn up, which means it's doing the job of protecting the body I guess. I also added some clear Gorilla tape all around the body to provide some reinforcement. So far, the body is holding up well. No cracks or punctures. Just road rash from flipping over and skidding along the road (which is happening much more often ever since the T-Bone “wheelie” bar was installed).
What’s Next
Currently, the Big Rock is on the shelf awaiting a replacement steering block that broke after one too many backyard backflips. I wonder if it's related to the longer Typhon arms and heavier Badlands. I have ordered the stock part, as well as the aluminum Hot Racing steering block. Will install whatever arrives first and see how long it takes to break again. I also just picked up the Hot Racing Aluminum Steering Bellcrank (ATF4801). Also waiting for a bearing kit and the Hot Racing aluminum pivot ball set to arrive.
Bigger projects for the summer are painting a clear body and upgrading to 4S. My daughter picked the paint colors and theme so it’s going to be a unique look for sure.
For the 4S upgrade, I ordered the motor and slipper clutch assembly from a 4S Outcast/Kraton from Jennys RC. Also ordered a 20t 0.8Mod pinion to see what happens in combination with the 4S motor.
Still need to get an upgraded ESC and not sure whether to cheap out with a BLX120 or get something like a Hobby Wing Max 8, which would allow another motor upgrade down the road (6S???). I’ll also probably order the CVD slider set (#AR310870) to handle the extra power.
Will keep this thread updated as more parts arrive and changes are made!
