Even if you have been in this hobby for a short amount of time, you have surely discovered that the majority of the vehicles that are out there are Ready-To-Runs (RTRs). One of the most popular RTR segments is the 1/10-scale 4WD monster trucks. These RTRs have made it possible for anyone to enter into this hobby so quickly and easily that they can be out bashing with their new rides in the amount of time it takes to juice up a battery pack. But driving your RC is just part of what makes this hobby so much fun. The other part is wrenching on your ride and transforming it into a personalized vehicle by adding aftermarket option parts. A great place to source all types of high-quality parts like bodies, wheels, tires, performance parts and accessories is through Pro-Line. Here we will highlight three popular 1/10-scale 4WD monster trucks; the Arrma Granite, ECX Ruckus and Traxxas Stampede and give you our suggestions on what you can do that will totally transform your truck. Not only will it look much different than when it did when it came out of the box, but in most cases it will perform better too.
Traxxas Stampede 4×4
For the Traxxas Stampede, we want to retain its monster truck looks and make it a bit menacing. We selected a body, body mounts, wheels and tires that keep the high-rise appearance and its go anywhere ability. First off is the Pro-Line Chevy Silverado 2500 HD clear body which is a faithful reproduction that has every curve, line and detail that you know and love from the full size truck. It offers a perfect fit for the Traxxas Stampede and is made with .060 crystal clear polycarbonate so whatever paint scheme you decide on will look pristine.
To give a bit more height for the body for that extreme monster truck look, we picked the Pro-Line Extended Body Mount Kit with Secure-Loc Caps for the Stampede 4×4. It is fully adjustable so you can fit not only the Chevy Silverado 2500, but any body on your truck perfectly! Also included instead of using the same old flimsy body clips that always get lost and bent up, the Pro-Line Extended Body Mount kit includes a revolutionary screw on body mounting system for a strong and secure mount every time. Just screw down the included setscrew into the body mount, place the O-Ring over the setscrew and mount your body as you normally would.
The last change is to replace the stock Traxxas chrome wheels and chevron tires with a pair of Pro-Line Trencher 2.8″ Tires pre-mounted on F-11 wheels which will significantly change the look of the Stampede. This upgrade is easier than ever with the Trenchers pre-mounted to the stone gray F-11 wheels thus eliminating the hassle of gluing them together yourself. Pro-Line’s development team spent several months of research, development and testing to ensure that the Trencher 2.8″ tire can handle everything from loose or hard-packed dirt, sand, snow, street or gravel as well as offer long-lasting durability. Each tire lug is shaped to dig into whatever surface you are running on and is ultra-thick so that it is extremely durable. The F-11 style wheel brings the tough and rugged look of full-size trucks straight to your vehicle. The stone gray finish of this super durable wheel will make your truck stand out. It features a molded-in bead-loc ring and lug nuts, 11 triangulated spokes and a scale P-L logo.
ECX Ruckus
Most RTR monster trucks come with pick-up truck style bodies and a surefire way to make your RTR stand out from the rest is to dump the ordinary stock body and replace it with something different. For the Ruckus, we went with the realistic looking Pro-Line Ambush body. It has a cool retro look and for scale realism it includes Pro-Line’s Ridge-Line Trail Cage along with a scale interior complete with seats and a separate dash, a rear gas tank and trunk space for installing even more scale accessories.
In keeping with the scale theme for the Ruckus, we picked the Pro-Line Overland Scale Roof Rack to top the Cage found on the Ambush body. The Overland Roof Rack is made from durable Black Nylon and is a two-piece tubular roof rack design that is perfect for adding scale accessories and scale detail to your rig. The included hemispherical roof rack mounts allow the Overland to be mounted on body and cage surfaces that are not completely flat for easy installation. The Overland Roof Rack measures 4.5”x4.5”x1” and features many cutouts covering the bottom that will allow scale straps and ties to be used anywhere you want to strap down any of your favorite scale accessories.
Our last suggestion for a completely transformed ECX Rucks monster truck is Pro-Line’s 4″ Super-Bright LED Light Bar Kit 6V-12V. This is not just a scale accessory but this light bar is fully functional with 20 working LED lights. It comes with a 12″ long cable that can plug directly into your receiver for power. The Lights are rated for 6V to 12V power, so you have the option to plug directly into a 3S lipo power source. The LED Lights are housed in a durable Black Nylon housing branded with a Pro-Line logo and includes the mounts and hardware you need for the install. You can custom mount it on virtually any vehicle and was designed to mount directly to the Overland Scale Roof Rack for an integrated scale appearance.
Arrma Granite 4×4
We went old school for the Arrma Granite 4×4 and chose the iconic Pro-Line 1966 Ford F-100 body. Its classic good looks are hard to resist and makes for a nice change over the stock Arrma body. The licensed 1966 Ford F-100 body comes with perfectly scaled details like the step-sides and huge fender flares that will bring you back to the good old days. In the package you will find a decal sheet, window masks and paint-then-peel overspray film to make painting and detailing the Ford pick-up a breeze.
We thought that some more scale touches would further dial-in this transformation and the Pro-Line Scale Modular Fuel Pack Accessory fit the bill. These fuel packs are modeled after the space saving modular fuel cans you would find a full-size truck. The packs include two Fuel (Red), one Kerosene (Blue) and one Water Pack (White) cans. Along with the cans is a dual can mounting rack with hardware as well as two single mounts for direct bolting to your Lexan or hard plastic body.
With an appearance change satisfied for the Arrma Granite, we decided to give a performance tweak on the chassis. Here is a pair of Pro-Line’s Front PowerStroke Shocks and Rear PowerStroke Shocks. They feature aluminum shock body and cap and beefy 3.5mm shafts which will help smooth out rough terrain and improve the trucks handling. If you want to fine tune your shocks, Pro-Line offers optional front (#6063-03) and rear (#6063-01) spring assortments. Whether you are looking for the best set up for your local track or bashing around your back yard, these Pro-Line PowerStroke Shocks will assure you have the best performance and a great time!
