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REVO 3.3 • 31

push rod comes installed in the inner hole of the lower suspension 
arm’s push rod mount. If the push rod is mounted in the outer hole, 
the ride height decreases.

The ride height can be finely 
tuned by adjusting the sag 
of the suspension. 

Do not 

attempt to make large 
changes to the ride height 
by adjusting the spring pre-
load on the shock bodies.

 If 

suspension sag is severe and 
requires a large increase of the spring pre-load to compensate, then a 
firmer spring should be used. The lowest ride height can be achieved 
by removing the blue spacers from the push rod and installing the 
push rod in the outermost hole of the lower suspension arm’s push 
rod mount. 

The optional included Long Travel rocker arms are designed to be 
used only with the push rods installed in the hole labeled “LT” (the 
middle hole of the lower suspension arm’s push rod mount). Any 
minor adjustments to the ride height are accomplished by adjusting 
the spring pre-load.

Adjusting the Pivot Ball Caps

The pivot ball caps should be 
adjusted so that the pivot balls 
operate freely in the axle carriers 
with no excess play. Use the 
provided four-way suspension 
multi-tool to tighten or loosen the 
pivot ball cap.

Shock Oil

The 4 oil-filled aluminum shocks (dampers) effectively control the 
suspension movement by preventing the wheels and tires from 
continuing to “bounce” after rebounding from a bump. Changing the 
oil in the shocks can vary the suspension damping effect. Changing the 
oil to a higher viscosity oil will increase damping. Lowering the viscosity 
of the oil will cause the suspension damping to be reduced. Damping 
should be increased (with higher viscosity oil) if the model is bottoming 
easily over jumps. Damping should be decreased (with thinner viscosity 
oil) if the model is hopping over small bumps and feels unstable. The 

viscosity of shock oil is affected by extremes in operating temperature; 
an oil of certain viscosity will become less viscous at higher 
temperatures and more viscous at lower temperatures. Operating in 
regions with cold temperatures may require lower viscosity oil. From 
the factory, the shocks are filled with SAE-30W silicone oil. Only use 
100% silicone oil in the shock.

Replacing Shock Oil

The shocks have to be 
removed from the vehicle and 
disassembled to change the oil. 

1. Remove the lower spring 

retainer and shock spring. 

2. Remove the upper shock cap 

using the shock wrench and  
the suspension multi-tool.

3. Empty the used shock oil from the shock body.

4.  Fill the shock with new silicone shock oil up to the top of the  

shock body. 

5. Slowly move the piston up and down (always keeping it submerged 

in oil) to release the air bubbles. Let the shock sit for a few minutes 
to allow any remaining air bubbles to surface.

6.  Slowly thread the upper cap with the installed shock bladder onto 

the shock body with the suspension multi-tool. The excess oil will 
bleed out of the small hole in the shock cap. 

7. Tighten the shock cap until snug. Use the included steel shock 

wrench to hold on to the shock body while tightening.

Important: 

The shocks are 

assembled at the factory 
with a center-to-center 
distance (between the rod 
end balls) of 87mm. Any time 
the shocks are removed and 
disassembled, this distance 
should be checked to ensure  
proper operation of the 
suspension.

87mm

Increases

Ride Height

Decreases

Ride Height

BASIC TUNING ADJUSTMENTS

Summary of Contents for 53097-3

Page 1: ...MODEL 53097 3 owner s manual ...

Page 2: ...ormance and adjustment potential that Traxxas engineers designed into Revo Even if you are an experienced R C enthusiast it s important to read and follow the procedures in this manual Revo contains new technologies in the engine suspension and transmission operation that you may not be familiar with Pay particular attention to the fuel and break in requirements for the engine The advanced design ...

Page 3: ...549 3000 Toll free 1 888 TRAXXAS Internet Traxxas com E mail support Traxxas com Entire contents 2016 Traxxas Traxxas Ready To Race Ready To Win Revo 3 3 and ProGraphix are trademarks or registered trademarks of Traxxas Other brand names and marks are the property of their respective holders and are used only for purposes of identification No part of this manual may be reproduced or distributed in...

Page 4: ...n crowds of people or busy pedestrian areas Revo is very fast and could cause injury to those unaware of its presence Keep small children at a safe distance away from the operating area Because Revo is controlled by radio it is subject to radio interference from many sources beyond your control Since radio interference can cause momentary loss of control always allow a safety margin in all directi...

Page 5: ...age 10 Glow plug wrench Extra glow plug 17mm wheel wrench 1 5mm L wrench 2 0mm T wrench 2 5mm T wrench 8mm slipper clutch wrench Shock wrench 5mm turnbuckle wrench Suspension multi tool 4 way wrench Suspension tuning shims and hollow balls Long Travel rocker and spring set 2 5mm L wrench Extra oiled air filter set pre filter and primary filter Air filter oil Traxxas part 5263 4 AA alkaline batteri...

Page 6: ...Pressure Line Fuel Line EZ Start Motor EZ Start Plug Bulkhead under chassis Body Mount Post Chassis Slipper Clutch under roll hoop Spur Gear under roll hoop Driveshaft Half Shaft On Off Switch Shift Rod Antenna Access Plug for two speed adjustment 5 cell RX Power Pack inside box Pipe Hanger Receiver Box OptiDrive Electronic Shift Module Engine Shut off Clamp Roll Hoop Rocker Push Rod Pivot Ball He...

Page 7: ... transmitter sold separately Follow the break in instructions exactly to ensure the best performing longest lasting engine 5 Install the EZ Start battery See page 23 13 Tune your engine See page 26 Install and connect a charged 7 2 volt battery pack in the EZ Start controller Learn how to set the fuel mixture needles for optimum engine performance 6 Turn on the radio system See page 11 14 Drive yo...

Page 8: ...y pack NiCad batteries have very high current handling high capacity and can last up to 1000 charging cycles Good charging procedures are required to reduce the possibility of developing a memory effect and shortened run times NiMH Abbreviation for nickel metal hydride Rechargeable NiMH batteries offer high current handling and much greater resistance to the memory effect NiMH batteries generally ...

Page 9: ...h the OptiDrive Electronic Shift Module to monitor and control the input and output signals for the throttle and shifting servos channels The OptiDrive monitors the voltage of the on board RX Power Pack The Function LED will flash red if the battery voltage is too low If the transmitter status LED doesn t light green check the polarity of the batteries If you see any other flashing signal from the...

Page 10: ...included adapter into the charger Plug the charger into a 12 volt automotive auxiliary power socket The charger is compatible with 12 volt automotive auxiliary power sockets only The LED on the charger will glow red to indicate it is ready to charge a battery Do not charge batteries inside of an automobile Read the Safety Precautions section of this guide 2 Plug the black connector of the adapter ...

Page 11: ...itter or other source and running out of control Your model has electronic fail safes to prevent this type of malfunction but the first best defense against a runaway model is to always turn the transmitter on first and off last In order for the transmitter and receiver to bind to one another the receiver in the model must be turned on within 20 seconds of turning on the transmitter The transmitte...

Page 12: ...ground Make sure your hands are clear of the moving parts of the model 4 Turn the steering wheel on the transmitter back and forth and check for rapid operation of the steering servo Also check that the steering mechanism is not loose or binding If the steering operates slowly check for weak receiver batteries 5 When looking down at the model the front wheels should be pointing straight ahead If t...

Page 13: ...sh red slowly Release the SET button 2 Press and hold the receiver s LINK button as you switch on the model on Release the LINK button 3 When the transmitter and receiver s LEDs turn solid green the system is bound and ready for use Confirm that the steering and throttle operate properly before driving your model TRAXXAS STABILITY MANAGEMENT TSM Traxxas Stability Management or TSM allows you to ex...

Page 14: ...se the button immediately You are now in programming mode 4 Pull the transmitter throttle trigger to the full throttle position Hold it there until the Function LED flashes green three times Note The throttle servo will not move during programming even though it is connected to the controller 5 Release the transmitter throttle trigger allowing it to return to neutral The Function LED will turn sol...

Page 15: ... premature engine wear and failure is lack of care and maintenance BREAK IN The TRX 3 3 Racing Engine is manufactured to exacting tolerances and requires a specially designed break in procedure to accomplish the final precision fitting of the internal engine components It is very important that you follow the new break in procedure as closely as possible to achieve the best performance and longest...

Page 16: ...el Carburetor Air Intake Fuel Intake High Speed Needle Idle Speed Screw Clutch Bell Crankcase Two Stage Air Filter Glow Plug EZ Start Plug Positive Wire Negative Wire Fuel Line Fuel Tank Tuned Pipe Header Pressure Line Ground Wire Glow Plug Wire EZ Start Controller Engine Shut off Clamp Revo s fuel tank is equipped with a built in sintered bronze fuel filter THE TRX 3 3 RACING ENGINE ...

Page 17: ...engine s body that contains all of the running mechanical components Crankshaft The main shaft of the engine that holds the reciprocating assembly Cooling fins The cooling fins are milled into the cylinder head and crankcase and cause heat to be drawn away from the engine Heat is removed when it dissipates into the air passing across the cooling fins It is important to keep the fins clean of dirt ...

Page 18: ...s the first level of air filtration for the engine The majority of dirt and debris will be stopped by this filter Clean re oil and replace this filter after every hour of run time Always use both the pre filter and primary filter Primary filter The inner air filter element in a two stage air filter This provides a second level of air filtration after the pre filter removes the majority of dirt and...

Page 19: ...l limitations Engines are designed to run best within a range of nitro percentages How the engine is ported the size of the combustion chamber and other factors determine how much nitro can be efficiently used in the engine The TRX 3 3 Racing Engine responds exceptionally well to a maximum of 33 nitro returning cooler temps more power and a smoother throttle response For those who want to run high...

Page 20: ...t pull straight up 2 Remove the pre filter element 3 Clean the pre filter element by thoroughly washing the foam element in hot soapy water dishwashing detergent works well Repeat twice 4 Thoroughly dry the pre filter element with a clean towel 5 Oil the foam element with air filter oil Use Traxxas filter oil part 5263 or a high quality special purpose foam filter oil like what is used for off roa...

Page 21: ...d low rpm part throttle engine speed The high speed needle is used to meter the fuel when the throttle is open from part throttle to wide open throttle WOT Two needles on the TRX 3 3 Racing Engine provide precise control of the air fuel ratio across the engine s entire rpm range The maximum possible fuel flow is always controlled by the high speed needle It works like the main water valve on a gar...

Page 22: ...used by engine kickback Smart Start protection circuitry prevents damage to the motor by cutting power if the load on the motor or other electronics exceeds safe limits Charging the EZ Start Battery The included charger can be used to charge the included EZ Start battery pack Do not charge batteries inside of an automobile Read the Safety Precautions section of this guide 1 Plug the charger into a...

Page 23: ...e that has not been fully charged may not deliver enough power to crank the engine over at the appropriate rpm to keep the piston from sticking at top dead center TDC A new engine will typically have a tight fit between the piston and the top of the sleeve This is a tapered fit and a tight piston sleeve fit on initial startup is desirable for those who want the best performing engine Make sure you...

Page 24: ... break in Follow the instructions exactly for each of the first 5 tanks of fuel Starting Your TRX 3 3 Racing Engine for the First Time Before you start your TRX 3 3 Racing Engine for the first time make sure you have read all instructions and precautions in this manual Pay close attention to the tank by tank break in instructions in the next section and make sure you have read and understood them ...

Page 25: ...e 3 When the fuel tank is nearly empty shut off the engine and refuel From here on you do not need to let the engine cool between tanks Tank 4 1 Driving procedure Gently pull the throttle trigger to full throttle over a 3 second count Then gently apply the brake to stop Count the three seconds out while accelerating one thousand one one thousand two one thousand three and then stop Repeat this sta...

Page 26: ... then it is likely that it is over 220 F and needs to cool down If the water takes a long time or does not evaporate at all then the engine is too cool We do not recommend that you operate your engine below 35 Fahrenheit If you insist on running your vehicle below 35 F be aware that nitro engines may be very difficult to start and tune at extremely cold temperatures Also at temperatures below free...

Page 27: ...ounterclockwise and retest This setting will extend engine component life Low Speed Fuel Mixture Adjustment The low speed mixture is always set after the high speed needle is correctly adjusted The low speed mixture is set using the pinch test 1 Once the engine is warm do several high speed runs to confirm that the high speed needle is set correctly 2 Bring the vehicle in and pinch closed the fuel...

Page 28: ...Link application available separately see page 42 Engine temperature can be used as an effective tuning aid when you understand the relationship between engine temperature and ambient temperature The engine operating temperature when tuned for maximum performance will vary according to atmospheric conditions engine load gauge accuracy and many other factors The atmospheric condition that has the m...

Page 29: ...ed by speed Towing creates a high load on the engine and at the same time limits cooling of the engine due to low vehicle speed If your Revo gets stuck stop driving immediately Move the vehicle and then continue driving Never turn off the radio system while the engine is running The truck could run out of control Driving Tips Monster trucks by design have a high center of gravity that requires a d...

Page 30: ...and rear springs on Revo have different spring rates The rear springs are about 10 stiffer than the front springs The spring s pre load tension can be adjusted by turning the spring pre load adjuster Adjusting the pre load changes the suspension sag Suspension sag basically defines how much the suspension compresses when the truck is at rest Adjust the pre load so that the suspension compresses ab...

Page 31: ...on damping to be reduced Damping should be increased with higher viscosity oil if the model is bottoming easily over jumps Damping should be decreased with thinner viscosity oil if the model is hopping over small bumps and feels unstable The viscosity of shock oil is affected by extremes in operating temperature an oil of certain viscosity will become less viscous at higher temperatures and more v...

Page 32: ...r see illustration below The camber angle changes as the wheel moves up and down through its range of travel Static camber is the camber angle at the wheel when the vehicle is set at its normal stationary ride height The suspension pivot balls located in the axle carriers adjust the static camber The pivot balls are protected by blue dust plugs To adjust your static camber insert the supplied 2 5 ...

Page 33: ...o the hole in the end of the slipper shaft This locks the shaft for adjustments Turn the adjustment nut clockwise to tighten less slippage and counter clockwise to loosen more slippage The slipper clutch has two functions 1 Limiting the engine s torque output to the wheels to prevent wheelspin on low traction surfaces and help to prevent damage to the gears in the transmission during on throttle l...

Page 34: ...Adjusting the Spur Gear Clutch Bell Gear Mesh The ideal spur gear clutch bell gear mesh for Revo is 0 1mm To set the gear mesh place a strip of standard letter A4 size copy or printer paper about 0 1mm thick between the mating teeth Loosen the two horizontal engine mount screws and slide the engine mount up to push the clutch bell gear against the spur gear so that the that the paper is not too ti...

Page 35: ...of the following ways 1 Use a 0 50mm feeler gauge between the brake pad insert and brake disk 2 Push the outer brake pad firmly against the inner pad with your finger sandwiching the brake disk between the brake calipers Tighten the brake shoulder bolts until they just barely touch the brake pads Do not over tighten these fasteners or you could damage the brake calipers Loosen each of the shoulder...

Page 36: ...e piston and sleeve should be replaced when they no longer seal effectively loss of compression Symptoms include the engine being difficult to start when warm stalling when warm and stalling when throttle is suddenly closed to idle Replace the wrist pin and G clip whenever the piston and sleeve are replaced After run Procedure You must perform after run maintenance on your Traxxas engine whenever ...

Page 37: ...e blue glow plug wire to the glow plug 7 Reconnect the EZ Start controller 8 Do not prime the engine Pull the throttle to 1 2 throttle and push the EZ Start button The engine should start immediately Piston stuck at top dead center TDC Top dead center is the position where the piston is at the very top of the tapered sleeve Occasionally an engine can get stuck at this position This is most likely ...

Page 38: ... to the opposite end For example increasing roll resistance in the rear by installing the upper arms in the lower holes will provide more traction for the front wheels and potentially more steering Installing the upper arms in the lower holes on the front and rear will increase overall roll resistance without changing the handling balance The arms are installed in the upper position in the front a...

Page 39: ... of the various rocker arms on wheel force as the suspension is compressed On the progressive rate wheel force is light at first and increases as the suspension is compressed Bump Steer Elimination Chart The illustrations and the following table detail the position of the outer toe link end for various caster and roll center settings to eliminate bump steer The shims and the hollow balls used to a...

Page 40: ...ton up and down always keeping it submerged in oil to release the air bubbles Let the shock sit for a few minutes to allow any remaining air bubbles to surface 10 Slowly thread the upper cap with the installed shock bladder onto the shock body with the suspension multi tool A The excess oil will bleed out of the small hole in the shock cap Tighten the shock cap until snug Use the included steel sh...

Page 41: ...nts and to the rocker arms 2 Install Long Travel shock springs Replace all four of the 90mm travel shock springs with the four 120mm Long Travel shock springs The front shock springs are indicated by a silver dot and the rear shock springs are indicated by a blue dot 3 Install Long Travel rockers Replace the 90mm travel rockers with the Long Travel rockers by removing the four 4x6 buttonhead cap s...

Page 42: ... profiles and lock them into memory Simply choose a model and any previously bound transmitter power them up and start having fun Pairing the TQi transmitter with the Traxxas Link Wireless Module and the Traxxas Link App for the first time 1 Turn the transmitter switch on 2 Open the Traxxas Link App on your mobile device Touch the Garage button and then touch the Wireless Module button A 3 Press t...

Page 43: ...dium red 0 25 sec on 0 25 sec off Low Battery Alarm Put new batteries in the transmitter See page 10 for more information Flashing fast red 0 125 sec on 0 125 sec off Link Failure Error Transmitter and receiver are no longer bound Turn the system off and then back on to resume normal operation Find source of the link failure ie out of range low batteries damaged antenna Programming Patterns Counts...

Page 44: ...select will represent what you wish to be the servo s maximum travel the Steering Percentage or Braking Percentage functions will not override the End Point settings Steering and Throttle Sub Trim The Sub Trim function is used to precisely set the neutral point of the steering or throttle servo in the event that simply setting the trim knob to zero does not completely center the servo When selecte...

Page 45: ...any model from a list of model memory entries The transmitter and receiver do it all for you automatically To activate Model Lock 1 Switch on the transmitter and receiver you wish to lock 2 Press and hold MENU Release when the status LED blinks green 3 Press MENU three times The status LED will blink green four times repeatedly 4 Press SET The status LED will blink green in single flash intervals ...

Page 46: ...vigate through the menu and select options MENU When you enter a menu you always start at the top Press MENU to move down the menu tree When you reach the bottom of the tree pressing MENU again will return you to the top SET Press SET to move across the menu tree and select options When an option is committed to the transmitter s memory the status LED will rapidly blink green BACK Press both MENU ...

Page 47: ... to save each position Turn steering wheel to test settings IF END POINTS ARE OK Press hold MENU returns to driving mode IF END POINTS NEED TO BE CHANGED Press SET and repeat steps 6 8 To reset the END POINTS of STEERING servo to defaults Press hold MENU green LED blinks x2 Press MENU red LED blinks x2 Press SET green LED blinks Press SET red LED blinks x4 Press MENU 3 times red LED blinks x4 x8 P...

Page 48: ...6250 Traxxas Way McKinney Texas 75070 1 888 TRAXXAS 160307 KC2392 R00 MODEL 53097 3 owner s manual ...

Page 49: ...connector 1 3x12 SS hex drive 4 5473 Wheelie bar mount 1 fits 1 10 scale Revo trucks 5472 Wheelie bar assembled fits all 1 10th scale Revo trucks 4976 Wheels 4 axles 2 for Maxx wheelie bar 5186A Wheels aluminum blue anodized 2 5x8mm ball bearings 4 axles 2 rubber tires 2 5186 Wheels aluminum red anodized 2 5x8mm ball bearings 4 axles 2 rubber tires 2 Chassis Attachments 5314 Body mounts front rear...

Page 50: ...TRX 3 3 head protector 1 3x6mm CCS 5 5270R EZ Start 2 complete system with controller drive unit wiring harness 3980 Glow plug wrench universal wrench 3232X Glow plug super duty long medium gasket 5228 Head protector cooling head 1 3x6mm CCS 5 TRX 3 3 5290 Piston sleeve matched set wrist pin clips 2 TRX 3 3 5211R Roller clutch 6x8x0 5 TW 1 also called one way bearing TRX 2 5 2 5R 3 3 5277 Shaft st...

Page 51: ...rews 3x10mm cap head machine 6 no washer 3159 Screws 3x10mm caphead machine hex drive 6 lockwashers 6 hex wrench 2551 Screws 3x10mm countersunk machine 6 hex drive 5282 Screws 3x12mm button head machine 6 starter attachment screws with Threadlock 2578 Screws 3x12mm button head machine hex drive 6 2552 Screws 3x12mm countersunk machine 6 hex drive 2579 Screws 3x15mm button head machine hex drive 6 ...

Page 52: ...o Tubes red anodized 7075 T6 aluminum stronger than titanium 128mm fits front or rear 2 rod ends rear 4 rod ends front 4 aluminum wrench 1 Recoil Starter 5277 Shaft starter TRX 2 5 2 5R 3 3 5170 Starter recoil complete with screws TRX 2 5 2 5R 3 3 Shocks GTR 5466R Bodies GTR shock hard anodized PTFE coated aluminum 4 with TiN shafts 4 bodies and shafts only 5466 Body GTR shock aluminum 1 5467A Bod...

Page 53: ...heels 5667 Sidewall protector beadlock style red 2 2 5x8mm CS 24 for use with Geode wheels 5665 Sidewall protector beadlock style yellow 2 2 5x8mm CS 24 for use with Geode wheels 5374X Tires wheels assembled glued Gemini black chrome wheels Talon tires foam inserts 2 use with 17mm splined wheel hubs nuts part 5353X TSM rated 5374 Tires wheels assembled glued Gemini chrome wheels Talon tires foam i...

Page 54: ...ub micro servo 5389X Shift fork shaft Turnbuckles Threaded Rods 5477 Flat wrench 5mm blue anodized aluminum 5339 Insert threaded steel replacement inserts for Tubes includes 1 left and 1 right threaded insert 5341 Linkage steering Revo 3 3 3x50mm Turnbuckle 2 rod ends short 4 hollow balls 4 5319X Push rod aluminum assembled with rod ends 2 red use with 5359 progressive 3 rockers 5318X Push rod alu...

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