There are so many wonderful aspects about RC cars that you just gotta love. From the thrill of racing to scaling mother nature’s terrain, the amount of fun is just endless and the companionship along the way…. priceless. In this project, we were presented with an opportunity to tackle another aspect of why we love RC cars. CUSTOM PROJECTS! By tapping into Fred’s creativity and building expertise, we focused on the fun of building something custom, unique, and what was to be the ultimate RC Christmas present!
After talking with Ryan Anderson, the famed Monster Jam driver of Son-uva Digger and son of monster truck legend Dennis Anderson, we were excited about his Christmas gift idea that he had for his 4-year-old son, Race Anderson. It was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up as Fred knew we had the perfect truck build that young Race would be totally excited about for Christmas. If you want all the info about how this project came about, check out the awesome video below to get caught up with ALL the details!
To get this build project going, we first needed to convert our trusty Traxxas Slash 4×4 into a more rugged and durable platform worthy for a good ‘ol Anderson Boyz thrashing. With the JConcepts Traxxas Slash 4×4 | Stampede 4×4 Suspension Conversion set, we’re able to add tons of durability especially with the aluminum machined caster blocks and 4mm front and rear carbon fiber towers to allow the larger shock upgrade. The MT Suspension Conversion kit is available as separate parts or as a kit made from quality parts that JConcepts is well known for.
Since this truck was going to be used and abused, we wanted to make sure that it could handle everything Race was going to throw at it and keep on going like the Energizer bunny. A careful selection of upgrades was made to ensure a truck that was tough and capable of a whole lot of fun. The next piece that we needed to customize was the chassis. Since Race wanted a Bog Hog for Christmas, we had to put a little handy work into narrowing the chassis so the JConcepts Bog Hog body could fit over the truck and still look proportional.
Fred had his buddy, Morris, cut down the chassis with a bandsaw. This removed enough material from the sides to allow the JConcepts Bog Hog body to fit over and look nice on the ride. Keep in mind though, there was a lot of clean up and sanding to do to make the chassis look as if it was never cut in the first place, but for those who like to get their hobby on will enjoy the attention to detail.
While the build project was going on, the JConcepts Bog Hog body was also getting prepped and painted in the classic Bog Hog orange. With steady hands and paying close attention to detail, the decals were applied giving the body a whole new look and really came to life! The unique shape and style of the Bog Hog made the build stand out with some aggressive style and flair that any RC enthusiast would love.
In the picture above, we gave Race’s Bog Hog project a prototype custom “narrowed” overtray to make sure all of the electronics stayed clean and functional when getting ragged in the mud. Remember, this is the Bog Hog and the mud is where this bad boy thrives! The benefits of having an overtray are huge as it will keep your electronics covered from the elements and the inside of your chassis looking super dialed.
One of the key components to the Mega truck life is the tires. No matter what it is, if you don’t have a set of Mega Truck tires on your ride, then you really can’t call it a mega truck. Luckily, the popular Fling King Mega Truck Tires have been well received for not only the awesome looks but for the killer performance as well. These things really shoot up the roost and makes driving an RC beast in the mud a whole lot of fun!
To get the Fling King tires to mount up, there’s no question but to go with the JConcepts 2.6″ Dragon Wheels for the mega trucks. These versatile beauties are purpose-built with 12mm hex adapters, but also included are 4 separate sets of hex adapters to adjust offset. It’s up to you to choose whether to run narrow or super wide stance depending on the type of build and look you’re after. The included offset hex adapters come in 11mm, 18mm, 25mm, and 32mm offsets for ground pounding width.
Also available for the Dragon Wheels are the Tracker Wheels Discs. The Wheel Discs add a nice custom touch and are available in 8 different colors to color match your scheme adding a whole new dimension to detail. Rest assured as the Tracker Wheels Discs are made from long-lasting, tough material to take a good beating and stand the test of time.
With the JConcepts MT Suspension Conversion Kit, it allows you to use longer, upgraded Traxxas shocks and Fred went ahead and tricked out the bump stops to help control the up travel stroke with a little custom touch. It’s the small details like these that separate your build from the next guy’s and adds a level of detail to your project.
One of the quiet, but awesome upgrades that Fred decided to use on this build is the JConcepts Monroe carbon fiber battery strap made specifically for the Traxxas Slash. There’s actually a Stampede Monroe battery strap as well for those Stampede owners looking for a better battery hold-down system. As of now, they’re in limited quantities and on sale from the JConcepts website! Get them while they last as they may not come back in stock once they’re gone.
From the photo above, you can clearly see the aluminum machined caster block (from the JConcepts Suspension Conversion kit) that’s adding a ton of strength to the front of the Bog Hog Stampede. Pair this with the MIP X-Duty CVD Drive Kit makes this ride virtually unstoppable. We’ve had so much good luck with these axles that they end up on almost every one of our builds as they’re heat treated and made from high-grade carbon steel for long lasting life and strength.
The power is delivered by Tekin’s tried and true RX4 ESC. The power, efficiency, and ruggedness of the RX4 is a perfect match for the Bog Hog and mated with Tekin’s own Redline Pro4 4600KV, makes one heck of a power system. With the Tekin RX4 being waterproof and built on their “hardbox” design, we can rest assured that Race is going to have no limits to his RC fun.
At the heart of the power is the Tekin Pro 4 4600kV sensored brushless motor. The Pro4 was designed for top-level 4×4 SCT racing trucks making this a perfect powerplant for the Race’s Bog Hog truck giving him bottom end control and top end speed. Guaranteed, when the trigger gets pulled, the tires get big!
The rear hubs were beefed up with the Traxxas aluminum stub axle carriers, but from the photo you can see the Dragon wheel offset hex adapter mounted and bolted to the truck.
If you watched the video above, it was amazing to see how excited Race was when he received his present. As he’s only 4 years old, his reaction was as pure as it gets and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of his unforgettable Christmas. Check out the radio skills as Race pilots the Bog Hog from the high tech Spektrum DX6R. Even with little hands, Race was able to grip the wheel and control the truck like a pro!
Right after getting his present, Race had to take it for a spin and just as you would have guessed it, he’s a true Anderson Boyz. Special thanks to Tekin Racing, Spektrum, MIP Online, and to the Race, Ryan, Dennis, and the Anderson family.
