After running my Rustler 4×4 the first time, I had to upgrade my Traxxas Rustler Shocks. The Rustler 4×4 is an amazing off-road basher, however, Like most, the Traxxas RC Vehicles, the shocks are left needing much improvement. Right out of the box the Traxxas Rustler 4×4 VXL is built well. I have had a few runs on it and the only area needing help is the shocks. The stock shocks are fairly weak and let the car bottom out constantly, even over very small jumps.

Time For First Upgrade

On my second run with the Rustler, I had enough of the chassis bottoming out. The Traxxas Rustler Shocks had to go. I Purchased the INTEGY T6752BLUE XSR Shock SET to put on. This set is meant for the Nitro Rustler and Stampede. This XSR Shock Set Came with all 4 shocks and 3 sets of springs, Just need to add shock oil and they are set to be put on. The springs that come with this set are Red (lightest rate), Black (medium rate) and Orange (highest rate). The Black springs came already on them so I left them on. 

I used 30wt shock oil with the Black medium spring rate and this seems to be a good setup for me. 

Test Out Traxxas Rustler Shocks

Once I got the new XSR Shocks installed, I went out for a run with a few buddies. The Rustler 4×4 drove like a totally different car. Every time I punched the throttle the car would backflip whether on asphalt or grass. It never did that before with the stock shocks. 

Jumping the Rustler was amazing as well. It will now jump some mild jumps without bottoming out. When the car hits the ground you can see the shocks push it back up quickly, But not too quick that it makes it hard to handle. This seems to be a good setup for some mild off-road bashing and mild jumping. 

On-Road Rustler Running

With this shock set-up, I would recommend that if you are planning on running on asphalt to use the Red (low spring rate) springs. That will lighten the stiffness of the shocks and allow a little bit of body roll needed for cornering. The Black (medium) springs are a little bit too stiff for high-speed street use. The car does not roll when cornering and flips over every time.

Extreme Off-Road 

When you plan on doing some extreme off-road bashing with big jumps, I recommend using the Orange springs. These are a higher spring rate and make the suspension real stiff. This will only big a good choice for extreme off-road terrain. Trying to run these springs on the street is asking for trouble. Every bump or divot the car will bounce off the ground and just handle horribly. 

Remember for some real exciting bashing add a 3s lipo and watch the Rustler come alive. Be careful, be safe and have fun! Get the XSR shocks here!

That’s all the tips I have on Traxxas Rustler Shocks for now. Any questions or comments be sure to leave them below.