Arrma 4X2 Boost Trucks, the perfect first RC Car

Paul Onorato September 30, 2022 Stories

WHAT MAKES THE 4X2 BOOST TRUCKS SPECIAL?

These great performing, extremely durable and affordable Arrma 4X2 Boost 550 Mega brushed 2WD trucks come ready-to-run and have the distinct advantage of easily being upgraded with option parts that will completely transform their performance. On the surface this may not sound like a big deal since most RTR vehicles are capable of being upgraded. However, the Arrma 4X2 Boost trucks are designed to be quickly and easily converted from 2WD brushed motor trucks to impressive 4WD 3S brushless powered, high speed, dirt throwing machines.

The chassis is based on the proven Arrma 4X4 platform so you can rest assured that these trucks are built to handle the jump from the stock brushed motor 2WD setup to a 4WD 3S brushless powered arrangement. A strong composite chassis mated to a drivetrain composed of 1.35 module input and main diff gear teeth along with a metal internal geared differential and a complete set of ball bearings makes this all possible. You have to hand it to Arrma for offering such a clever concept where a first time RC owner can get their hands on a great vehicle that will grow with them as their skills grow.

Each of the Arrma 4X2 Boost vehicles are available in two colors and shown below.

Arrma 4X2 Boost Trucks, the perfect first RC Car

Granite 4X2 Boost Mega 550 Brushed Monster Truck — #ARA4102V4

Vorteks 4X2 Boost Mega 550 Brushed Stadium Truck — #ARA4105V4

Senton 4X2 Boost Mega 550 Brushed Short Course Truck — #ARA4103V4

OVERVIEW

Out of the box and before adding any upgrades, the Granite, Vorteks and Senton trucks are quite great. They are capable of reaching speeds in the 30mph range with the proper gearing, can stand up to abuse and handle well on all types of terrain. When it comes to tackling rough off-road terrain, the strong composite chassis, tough suspension arms and oil-filled shocks keep the fun going and the handling dialed-in.

Mounted around the chassis tub are high chassis guards to help limit eh amount of dirt and debris that can find its way into the chassis. Additionally, the steering is built with more clearance so that stones won’t get stuck. Located at the front and rear are shock absorbing loops that are secured between the chassis and the front and rear bumpers. These plastic loops will soak up the energy from seriously hard impacts to keep parts from breaking.

Once it is time to pack it in after a day of hard off-road bashing, you will find that routine maintenance is quick and simple. Arrma engineers gave these 4X2 Boost vehicles a chassis that is modular which makes it possible to easily access the power system, electronics and differential components.

Speaking of electronics, each of the Arrma 4X2 Boost trucks come equipped with a Spektrum SLT2 pistol grip transmitter along with the SLT 2-in-1 40A speed control and receiver. It comes with your basic settings along with throttle limits at 50- or 75-percent until you are ready to tap into the full speed of these vehicles.

COMBO PACKAGE OPTION

Each of the Arrma 4X2 Boost Mega 550 vehicles are available either as a standard RTR where you would use your own battery pack and charger or as a combo package which gives you completely everything you need to get these trucks up and running. The combo versions only cost an additional $40 and gives you a Spektrum 8.4V battery pack and Spektrum Smart charger.

Combo package includes:

Spektrum Smart 8.4V 3300mAh 7-Cell Hump NiMH Battery Pack
Spektrum S120 USB-C Smart Charger

QUICK AND EASY BOLT-ON UPGRADE TO CONVERT TO 4WD

Two big thumbs up to Arrma for creating the 4X2 Boost vehicles which are designed to be quickly and easily upgradable from 2WD up to 4WD. Just purchase this Arrma 4X4 Boost Transmission Upgrade Set and your truck will have all four wheels driven by the motor to achieve optimum traction in just a few quick, simple steps and it only costs $40.

Once you open the box of the 4X4 Boost Transmission Upgrade Set, you will find that it includes everything you need to convert any of the three 4X2 Boost vehicles to all-wheel-drive. Following is a list of the contents:

(1) Arrma 4×4 Decal Sheet
(2) Universal Joint front slider drive shafts
(1) Assembled composite differential
(1) Differential Yoke
(1) Hybrid Aluminum and Composite Input Gear
(1) Short Center Driveshaft to suit Granite & Vorteks 4×2 Boost Models
(1) Long Center Driveshaft to suit Senton 4×2 Boost Models
(1) Instruction Manual

The genius of having the ability to swap over from 2WD to 4WD was Arrma’s use of their proven 4X4 platform. All they had to do was remove the front differential, front drive shafts and center driveshaft and then create a blank for the inside of the front gearbox and create front 2WD axles. The rest of the chassis was left as-is thus making it trouble-free to switch it to 4WD.

In under 15 minutes, you are able to transform either the Granite, Vorteks or Senton 2WD trucks into 4WD. You start off by removing the front tires, the upper outer camber links screws and the lower shock mounting screws. Pop out the 2WD front axles and replace them with the 4WD axles. Next you need to remove the blanking plate from the inside of the gearbox so that you can install the composite differential in its place. All you need to do is unscrew four fasteners from the underside of the chassis and then the top section of the gearbox can be moved. Now install the differential while connecting the drive shafts to the axles. Button up the assembly by replacing the four screws on the underside of the chassis and the screws that secure the camber links and shocks.

Next is adding the center 2-piece drive shaft. Arrma includes two center drive shafts in the 4X4 Boost Transmission Upgrade Set. One that works with the Granite and Vorteks as well as a longer drive shaft that works on the Senton short course truck. The drive shaft is spring loaded to make it near effortless to install. Finishing off this upgrade is to install the front wheels and tires and now your 4X2 Boost vehicle is ready for some 4X4 off-road action.

READY FOR MORE POWER?

All three of the 4X2 Boost vehicles are based on the proven Arrma 4X4 platform which means you can jump up to a 3S brushless motor system and know that the drivetrain can handle the big increase in performance.

If you are curious what brushless motor system to use, here is one recommended by the crew at Horizon Hobby. It is the Onyx ESC/brushless motor combo, part number ONXS0501. The 4000Kv brushless motor has a 4-pole design for increased torque and improved overall efficiency and is sensorless. A waterproof speed control comes with this combo and boasts 70A capability and can handle 4-9 cell NiMH or 2S-3S LiPo batteries.