How-To: Slash 2wd MT Conversion

I have seen these builds in several places around the internet before and they are usually followed by the typical slew of questions about how it was done and what was involved. The common misconception is that it takes a lot of time and money to turn a Slash into a monster truck but the truth is, it is a fairly simple, straightforward conversion. I am starting with a Slash 2wd LCG, but it doesn’t really matter if you have the HCG version, the conversion is the same as it does not require any changes to the chassis itself. I have also compiled a list of parts needed to turn your short course truck into a big tire basher.

The first step for me was to remove the things that make a short course truck a short course truck: the body, the front and rear bumpers, the nerf bars and the body mounts.

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I replaced the body mounts with RPM adjustable units to allow the use of different body shells (I had initially planned to use the Axial Jeep Mighty FC but the wheelbase was too short) and these body mounts allow the use of extended posts both front and rear depending on the body you plan to run. Next to go were the nerf bars. These won’t allow the body to sit low enough and will look out of place on an MT body.

The final item to hit the shop floor were the bumpers. The Slash bumpers stick out from the chassis to match the SC bodies but when mounting a MT body you are left with a lot of real estate between the body and bumpers (The same goes for mounting a Slash 4×4 bumper to a Stampede 4×4, if you have ever seen that done). You can replace the front bumper with one from a Rustler, Bandit, or Stampede 2wd (they all use the same part) or use a wide front bumper from RPM. These will sit much closer to the body and look much more “scale”.

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Now that you have those few parts removed, it is time to decide what body, wheels, and tires you want to use on your truck. I am using RPM Revolver Crawler wheels for this project. They have enough offset to clear the caster block of the 2wd (as well as the 4×4. They are the only 2.2″ wheel that fits the 4×4’s that I have found so far) and have a nice scale look. I chose the black versions but they are also available in chrome. For tires I am using the Pro-line 2.2″ BFGoodrich KO2’s in their G8 compound. These are a taller, narrower tire that I have found to work really well as a basher tire (I have been using them for several months now on my Baja Bug). I am still using stock foams inside of the tire but I have plans to switch to a molded foam soon for some added sidewall support. Using these wheels and tires allows me to use the stock 12mm hexes (further reducing costs) but if additional strengh is needed, 17mm hexes and wheels can be fitted without much fuss (I am currently using 2.8″ Mashers on 3.2″ Revolver wheels on my Slash 4×4 MT). Using an off the shelf 2.8″ wheel designed for a Stampede also allows you to retain the same width front and rear utilizing different offsets (any wheel meant for the Stampede 2wd will work perfectly here). As it sits, my truck is slightly narrower at the front since the RPM wheels have the same offset front and rear (but they are a wide offset so the truck is a little wider than stock anyway).

For a body I am using the Pro-line Rat Rod for the Traxxas Summit. The wheelbase is a little long and due to the shape of the rear fenders, trimming won’t really help to center things up. This particular shell does not require the use of extended posts and looks better the lower you can mount it. Any body designed for the T-Maxx 3.3, Revo 3.3, MGT or Summit should work just fine. I have included below a short list of compatible bodies with links.

The final detail was the gearing. I swapped out the 20 tooth pinion that I had been using for a 16 tooth. This lowers the gearing enough to compensate for the taller tires and keep the motor from being over stresed and having heat issues.

How does this change how the truck drives? Not as much as you would think. The truck handles better than a Stampede 2wd thanks to the bellcrank steering. The direct link steering of the Stampede can get a little wonky when the terrain gets rough but the bellcrank setup of the Slash helps to keep the tires pointed in the right direction no matter what is in its path. The longer wheelbase makes the truck a lot more stable than a Stampede, both on acceleration and when cornering. I drove my converted Slash back to back with a freshly built widened Stampede 2wd and the Slash MT was much easier to drive. I didn’t have to walk over to flip the truck back onto its wheels nearly as much as the Stampede. The truck was able to hold its line while wheelying much better than the Stampede as well. The Stampede had a tendency to pitch onto one rear wheel and cartwheel when pulling the front up while the Slash MT stayed firmly on both its rear wheels and carried the wheelies much farther.

Compared to an Emaxx the Slash MT is a much more athletic monster. There is a significant weight difference between the two and this is very evident when driving the trucks at a spirited pace. The only point that the Slash MT gives up ground to the Emaxx is when the terrain is extremely rough. The Slash MT doesn’t have the super plush suspension that the Maxx trucks do nor does it have the weight to keep its tires on the ground. My Emaxx runs a 775 on 4s and is a great all around basher. The Slash MT is faster (even though it only runs 2s), handles better in 90% of driving conditions and is much more durable.

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Links:
RPM Body Mounts: Adjustable Rear Body Mounts – Slash 2wd, Nitro Slash, e-Stampede 2wd & Nitro Stampede | RPM R/C Products
Adjustable Front Body Mounts – Slash 2wd, Nitro Slash, e-Rustler & Nitro Rustler | RPM R/C Products
T-Maxx & E-Maxx Long Body Mounts – Black | RPM R/C Products

Pro-line Rat Rod Body: https://www.prolineracing.com/bodies…clear-body-mt/

Pro-line BFGoodrich KO2: https://www.prolineracing.com/tires/…n-truck-tires/

RPM Revolver 2.2″ Crawler Wheels: Black Revolver Rock Crawler Wheels – Wide Wheelbase | RPM R/C Products

Alternative body choices:
2017 Raptor: https://www.prolineracing.com/bodies…or-clear-body/
2014 Silverado: https://www.prolineracing.com/bodies…clear-body-mt/
Ram 1500: https://www.prolineracing.com/bodies…mt-clear-body/
Apocalypse: https://www.prolineracing.com/bodies…se-clear-body/
Jeep Rubicon: https://www.prolineracing.com/bodies…clear-body-mt/
GMC Topkick: https://www.prolineracing.com/bodies…rt-clear-body/
JConcepts 1988 Silverado: 1988 Chevy Silverado Extended Cab Body | JConcepts
Stock Emaxx Body: https://traxxas.com/products/parts/3912

This is just a partial list of shells that should fit the Slash when set up as an MT. Any body with a wheelbase of around 13″ and a width of around 7″ will work.

I just got this body painted up and wanted to take advantage of the nice weather. This is the Pro-line Silverado HD for the T-Maxx 3.3, Summit or Revo 3.3 (part #3430-00). It fits really well and even looks pretty good with SC sized tires. Here I am using the 2.2″ BFG’s but I have also used a set of 2.8″ Mashers which fit well also. I painted it with Createx Wicked Crimson backed with Pearl Black and the bed is painted on the outside with Satin Black. I had hoped for a darker color (like Chevy’s Crystal Red Tintocoat) but it came out more like Victory Red. It’s easy to see and the body looks great IMO so I’m not going to complain too much.

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I want to build another truck to keep as a MT. This is my LCG truck that is built with just about every blue RPM part made. It looks really good with a blue themed body but it stands out too much with any other color. The next chassis will be all black to match any color and look a little more scale in photos.