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16 • REVO PLATINUM EDITION

Tuning The Sealed Gear Differentials

Revo’s front and rear gear differentials allow the left and right wheels to 
spin at different speeds while turning so that the tires do not scuff or skid. 
This decreases the turning radius and increases steering performance.

The performance of the front and rear differentials can be tuned 
for different driving conditions and performance requirements. The 
differentials are filled with silicone differential fluid (oil) and are sealed 
to maintain consistent long-term performance. Changing the oil in 
the differentials with either lower or higher viscosity oil will vary the 
performance characteristics of the differentials.

Changing to a higher viscosity oil in the differential will reduce the 
tendency for engine power to be transferred to the wheel with the least 
traction. You may notice this when making sharp turns on slick surfaces. 
The unloaded wheels on the inside of the turn have the least traction and 
tend to spin up to extremely high rpms. Higher viscosity (thicker) oil causes 
the differential to act like a limited-slip differential, distributing more 
equal power to the left and right wheels. Revo will generally benefit from 
higher viscosity oil when climbing, rock crawling, or racing on low traction 
surfaces. 

Note: 

Heavier oil will allow power to be transferred even with one 

or more tires off the ground. This can make the vehicle more likely 
to overturn.

From the factory, the front differential is filled with SAE 50,000W oil and 
the rear differential is filled with 10,000W oil. The center differential is filled 
with SAE 500,000W oil. For the best center differential performance, only 
use the 500,000W diff fluid. This viscosity provides the best balance for 
acceleration and handling. Power will be more equally distributed to the 
front and rear differentials. Lighter viscosity center diff fluid may increase 
the tendency for the front tires to be over-driven (spin faster than the rear 
tires). Over-driving the front tires will reduce handling and acceleration 
authority. Only use silicone differential fluid (oil) in the differentials. Traxxas 
sells a range of oil viscosities (see your parts list). The differentials have to 
be removed from the vehicle and disassembled to change/replace oil.

DUAL SERVO STEERING SYSTEM

Revo uses dual-servo steering and a single heavy-duty servo saver for 
powerful, responsive steering. To prevent unnecessary receiver battery 
drain it is important to make sure that the servos are “at rest” when the 
steering is at neutral. If  one servo is out of adjustment, then both servos 
will work against each other, fighting to find center. 

Adjusting The Steering System

1.

 Remove the servo horns and steering links from the servos.  

Disconnect the steering links from the servo saver.

2.

 Adjust both the steering links to be the exact same length (41.8mm -  

use “Steering Servo Horn Link Length Template” below to set length).

3.

 Switch on the power to the receiver and the transmitter.

4.

 Adjust the steering trim on the transmitter to the neutral “0” position.

5.

 Connect one end of a steering link to the steering servo saver arm and 

the other end to the servo horn

6.

 Position the steering servo saver arm 

perpendicular to the centerline of the vehicle.

7.

 While holding the steering servo saver arm 

in the position mentioned in step 6, install 
the servo horn onto the servo such that the 
steering link is parallel with the centerline 
of the vehicle. This will automatically set the 
servo horn at the 7-degree offset shown in the 
illustration.

8.

 Install the second servo horn on the other side 

following the same procedure.

If necessary, fine-tune the length of the second steering link to eliminate 
any load on the steering system in the neutral position. 

If you are using aftermarket servos, it is important to use servo horns 
designed for Revo. Optional steering servo horns are sold separately for use 
with non-Traxxas servos.

Servo Saver Tuning

An optional stiffer spring is available for the servo saver when using servos 
with metal gear sets (see parts list for details). Do not use this spring with 
standard Traxxas high-torque servos.

BRAKE SETUP & ADJUSTMENT

Revo is equipped with front and rear disc brakes. The brakes are preset at 
the factory and should not require attention. As the brake material wears, 
future adjustments may be necessary.

Brake Shoulder Screw Adjustment

The two shoulder bolts that are 
used to secure the brake pads to the 
transmission housing may need to 
be adjusted periodically as the brake 
material wears down. They should be 
tightened so a 0.50mm (.020”) gap
exists between the disk and the brake pad (on the transmission side). 
Adjust in one of the following ways: 

1. 

Use a .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 bolts by 1 turn.

Brake Linkage Adjustment

When correctly adjusted, the brake linkage 
spring should barely touch the rod guide 
when the servo is in neutral position (closed 
throttle).  This will ensure no brake drag 
during operation of the vehicle.  The brake 
adjustment knob can be threaded away 
from the spring for less braking power 
if desired. Do not adjust knob to apply 
pressure against the spring while the 
servo is in the neutral position. This will 
induce brake drag and cause undesirable 
handling. 

The position of the z-bend from the 
factory is the middle position of the servo 
horn for the front brakes and in the rear 
position for the rear brakes. Changing this 
position will affect the way the brake force 
is applied. The brake adjustment knob will need to be readjusted if this 
position is changed.

Steering Link Length Template

41.8 mm

0.5mm

gap

Front of Truck

Less Brake

Brake

Linkage

Spring

TUNING ADJUSTMENTS

5304 Manual Work.indd   16

3/12/08   7:48:46 PM

Summary of Contents for Revo 5304 Platinum Edition 2008

Page 1: ...2 0 0 8 P l a t i n u m E d i t i o n MODEL 5304 ...

Page 2: ...st with your truck but also with the company that stands behind it We truly want you to enjoy your new Revo Thank you again for going with Traxxas BEFORE YOU PROCEED Carefullyreadandfollowallinstructionsinthisandanyaccompanying materials to prevent serious damage to your Revo Failure to follow these instructions will be considered abuse and or neglect Before running your Revo look over this entire...

Page 3: ... directions around your model to prevent collisions The engine can be loud If the noise makes you uncomfortable wear ear protection Be considerate of your neighbors by not running your model early in the morning or late in the evening Most importantly use good common sense at all times Children under 16 years of age and inexperienced drivers should not operate the Revo without the supervision of a...

Page 4: ...e truck Revo has a charging jack located inside the receiver box so you do not have to remove the battery pack from the model To charge the battery remove the receiver box cover and plug the charger output cord into the charging jack The on off switch must be in the off position to charge the receiver pack Caution Never charge batteries in an enclosed car interior or while driving Never leave char...

Page 5: ...sk the windows Mask off any stripes or custom effects with either masking tape or special tape made for striping This special tape is available from automotive paint supply stores and will provide sharper edges than masking tape For easy custom colored striping automotive pin striping tape can be applied to the inside of the body and painted over Be sure that all of your tape and masks are fully p...

Page 6: ...details about your new engine THE FUEL Use the Right Fuel It s imperative that you use the correct fuel in your TRX 3 3 Racing Engine for maximum performance and engine life Traxxas Top Fuel should be used to ensure correct engine lubrication performance and ease of tuning Traxxas Top Fuel has been proven in thousands of engines so you can count on it every day for great performance Top Fuel is th...

Page 7: ... and replace the glow plug with a new one after the engine break in procedure Engine Break in Procedure The focus during break in is to vary and limit the engine speed This will be accomplished by accelerating and stopping at different rates for the first 5 tanks of fuel As the engine begins to break in the duration and intensity of the acceleration will gradually increase Sustained high speed run...

Page 8: ...to stop Count the two seconds out while accelerating one thousand one one thousand two and then stop Repeat this starting and stopping procedure until the second tank of fuel is nearly empty 3 When the fuel tank is nearly empty shut off the engine and let it cool for 15 minutes Tank 3 1 Driving procedure Gently pull the throttle trigger to 1 2 throttle over a 3 second count Then gently apply the b...

Page 9: ...NG ENGINE The engine s performance depends on the fuel mixture Turn the mixture needles clockwise to lean the fuel mixture and counterclockwise to richen it Leaning the fuel mixture will increase engine power up to the engine s mechanical limits Never run the engine too lean not enough fuel flow Never lean the engine until it begins to cut out or stall Leaning the engine beyond the safe allowable ...

Page 10: ...ning 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 most influence on engine temperature is air temperature Expect the engine temperature to vary almost...

Page 11: ...ow balls provided with the vehicle Refer to the Bump Steer Elimination chart and look up your caster angle setting to find the correct position for the outer toe links Positioning the toe links correctly will maintain the original factory geometry and eliminate the unwanted steering angle changes caused by bump steer Bump Steer Elimination Chart The illustrations and the following table detail the...

Page 12: ...er spring should be used The lowest ride height can be achieved by installing the optional adjustable push rod in the outermost hole of the lower suspension arm s push rod mount Turn the rod ends all the way in until they stop shortening the length The optional Long Travel rocker arms are designed to be used only with the standard non adjustable push rods installed in the hole labeled LT the middl...

Page 13: ...sag reduce body lean control brake dive and provide a firmer more responsive overall feel If Revo is lightened significantly softer springs will be necessary to allow the suspension to sag properly Heavier configurations will require stiffer springs Ride height is adjusted by changing the length or position of the push rods in the lower suspension arms See Ride Height Adjustments on page 12 The su...

Page 14: ...aining 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 shock wrench to hold onto shock body while tightening 11 Reinstall the spring and lower retainer TRANSMISSION AND DIFFERENTIAL TUNIN...

Page 15: ... inset 3 Carefully remove the engine and exhaust system from the spur gear area to allow enough room to remove the spur gear 4 Remove the three screws on the slipper clutch assembly using a 2 5mm hex wrench Slide the spur gear off of the slipper shaft If the spur gear is too tight on the shaft gently pry on the back of the gear with a flat screw driver to loosen it Repeat the above steps in revers...

Page 16: ... Template below to set length 3 Switch on the power to the receiver and the transmitter 4 Adjust the steering trim on the transmitter to the neutral 0 position 5 Connect one end of a steering link to the steering servo saver arm and the other end to the servo horn 6 Position the steering servo saver arm perpendicular to the centerline of the vehicle 7 While holding the steering servo saver arm in ...

Page 17: ... in both unloaded and loaded suspension conditions Always adjust the left and right sway bar links equally to prevent suspension tweak The Adjustable hollow balls can be raised or lowered closer to or further from the sway bar mount pivot point to increase torsion response and fine tune the sway bar s response for different track conditions Closer to the pivot point results in a stiffer setup furt...

Page 18: ...e Speed Adjustment 10 Low Speed Fuel Mixture Adjustment 10 Painting 5 Receiver 3 4 antenna 4 battery See RX Power Pack RX Power Pack 4 care 4 Safety 3 Servos steering 4 16 throttle 4 Shocks 13 assembly 14 disassembly 14 pistons 13 Slipper clutch 14 Springs 13 Spur gear changing 15 mesh 15 Starter box 3 6 8 Steering 16 Supplies 3 Support 2 Suspension and Alignment 11 12 bump steer 11 elimination 11...

Page 19: ...REVO PLATINUM EDITION 19 NOTES ...

Page 20: ...080312 KC1126 1100 Klein Road Plano Texas 75074 1 888 TRAXXAS ...

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