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Pro-Line has been around for nearly 40-years and have earned a reputation of being a top innovator and manufacturer of high-quality aftermarket parts and accessories as well as creating their very own vehicles. Performance is one of the big driving force for the crew at Pro-Line and your RC car or truck can benefit from all their efforts. Here we decided to share a Traxxas Bandit performance boost with Pro-Line gear article as a small example of what is possible utilizing their products. Pro-Line offers loads of parts and accessories that can be used to enhance the performance of your vehicle, thus giving you the edge over your buddies or just the pleasure of making your RC ride better than its stock form.
We selected six Pro-Line products that can be used to improve the performance on a Traxxas Bandit. The idea was to select products that will make the Bandit more capable of racing on a track. If you don’t own a Bandit, you can still apply the same approach to your vehicle. Along with upgrading the stock tires to ones that are purpose made for on-track duty, we also picked super smooth aluminum shocks, a racing rear wing and last but not least a complete transmission that Pro-Line designed for racing along with the ability to handle today’s extreme motor systems.
HOLE SHOT 2.2” BUGGY TIRES
When you buy a ready-to-run vehicle, like the Traxxas Bandit, the manufacturer will spec a tire package that will offer the best traction and durability on a multitude of surfaces. Since the goal is to go racing with the Bandit, you should select tires that have proven to work the best on the type of track you will be running on. The handling and performance increase is instantly noticeable once you make this upgrade.
Here we picked the Pro-Line Hole Shot 2.2” 2WD M3 fronts and the Hole Shot 2.0 2.2” M4 rear buggy tires which has a design that just works everywhere. They can handle all types of track conditions while still giving you that 
edge to keep you at the front of the pack. The Pro-Line development team gave the Hole Shot 2.0s more pins and a wider contact patch for incredible amounts of traction. The unique mini-pin design can give your buggy the optimum level of traction in dusty, hard-packed and grooved track conditions.
It is also a departure from the norm to not use ribbed tires up front. Pro-Line Hole Shot M3 front tires are super smooth while still preserving the steering you need with consistent handling characteristics. Ribbed front tires are known for ‘grabbing’ traction at the inopportune time while the Hole Shots remedy this unwanted condition. The Hole Shots are perfect for outdoor track conditions, from super loose to hard-packed.
Since the stock wheels and tires on the Bandit are great all around bash tires, it makes sense to keep the intact for when the Bandit is not racing. What you can do to run the Pro-Line Hot Shot tires is to get yourself the Traxxas Optional White Dish Wheels (front #2475/rear #2474). These wheels a perfect for the track and provide the performance you need to utilize the Pro-Line Hole Shot buggy tires.
PRO-SPEC SHOCKS
Out on the track you want the smoothest operating shocks possible and the Pro-Line Pre-Assembled Pro-Spec Shocks are the ideal choice. You just need to fill them with the oil and install them onto the chassis. Pro-Line is 
always working to make their products better and these shocks are a great example of that endeavor. These shocks are the latest of the new generation of shocks from Pro-Line and feature a 12mm big bore design with a single low friction X-Ring seal. A 3.5mm thick shock shaft is spec’d and has been hard chrome coated just like full-scale racing shocks while the shaft guides and pistons are molded from super smooth white Delrin for low stiction. And to make these shocks work with a wider range of vehicles, Pro-Line gave the shocks upper and lower pivot balls.
When the time comes for a shock rebuild, Pro-Line equipped the Pro-Spec shocks with easy access bleeder cap screws. You are also given the option of three different pistons (1.4, 1.6 & 1.8) along with a blank piston that you can drill to a custom size. How is that for shock tuning options? Also in the box are optional shock limiters as well as shock tightening tools to ensure a precise build.
PRO-SPEC SHOCKS SPECS
Front Shock Lengths (no limiters)
- Extended: 88mm
- Collapsed: 62.5mm
Rear Shock Lengths (no limiters)
- Extended: 100mm
- Collapsed: 62.5mm
AIR FORCE 2 HD WING
Something that can get easily overlooked is the rear wing on an off-road buggy which plays an important aero role when hitting the track. Swap out the stock Traxxas Bandit rear wing in favor of the Pro-Line Pre-Cut Air Force 2 HD rear wing. As the name implies, it comes out of the packaging already cut for you to make install a cinch so you can hit the track quicker. What makes this Pro-Line wing different is the use of the latest CAD technology so that it meets extreme durability and performance specifications. You will notice that the corners have giant radiuses that allow airflow to move easily over the surface of the wing and it will help prevent cracks from starting in the corners. The upswept sides gives extra tire clearance to reduce tires rub as much as possible during racing. Lastly, Pro-Line selected a medium thickness polycarbonate that nicely splits the difference between maximum strength and being lightweight.
Pre-Cut Air Force 2 HD 6.5” Clear Rear Wing—#6320-17
PRO-SERIES 32P TRANSMISSION
The Pro-Line PRO-Series 32P transmission is our favorite upgrade in this group of aftermarket parts for the Traxxas Bandit. Although it requires the most time and energy to get it installed, the payoff is well worth the effort. This unit is actually an updated version of the original Pro-Line tranny. The engineers at Pro-Line made this transmission stronger and ever more capable so that it can handle the extreme motor systems that are currently available. At the same time, they made sure to carry over all the elements of the previous tranny that made it so well-loved. As an added benefit, the Pro-Line PRO-Series 32P transmission comes pre-built to make the install easier.
FEATURES
Pre-Built — ready to install and go.- Transforms your vehicle into a true racing/bashing machine.
- Strong 32p spur gear.
- Fully tunable oil-filled gear differential.
- Racing style slipper system.
- 3mm thick aluminum motor mount.
- Ball bearings used throughout.
- All steel internal gears for maximum durability.
- Updated transmission case with solid bumper mount.
- Replacement part packs available separately direct from Pro-Line’s website.
Inside of the PRO-Series 32P transmission is a sealed differential that comes pre-filled with grease. If you need to change the type of oil used, it can be swapped with optional diff oil so that you can tune the transmission to your specific application. Along with tuning the diff, you can also tune the racing-style slipper system. So if you want to dial in your initial take off traction just adjust the slipper. This is easily accomplished by removing the plug in the plastic gear cover and then you can adjust the nut on the slipper system using a hex nut wrench.
One of the big changes on the PRO-Series 32P tranny is the switch to a 32P 56-tooth spur gear which will help make stripped spur gears a thing of the past. You have the option of picking a 32P pinion gear between 10- and 18-tooth pinion gears for normal 540 sized motors. Diving further into the transmission housing, you will find all hardened steel internal gears. It is another welcome feature that will give you the peace of mind that the tranny will be handle serious power. Each of the gears spin on high quality ball bearings including the differential that is supported by huge 10x16x5 bearings for outstanding load capability. The hardened steel outdrive shafts that exit on either side of the transmission are purpose designed to work with stock axles as well as any aftermarket CVD’s or driveshafts that you might already have your Bandit.
Pro-Line engineers did not stop with upgrading just the inside of the transmission and made sure they examined the design of the case. Now the case is built to be stronger to handle more abuse and the aluminum motor mount is attached to the case with three screws. The motor plate is new with blue anodizing, a laser-etched PL logo and at 3mm thick it acts as a giant motor heat sink to help keep temps in check. At the rear is a solid bumper with mounting holes that are in the same locations as the stock Traxxas ones so that you have near endless bumper and wheelie bar attachment options. Now the toe block is molded into the case halves for added strength.
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