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Authentic looking Monster Truck tires on a Tekno (Brainstorming)

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lampshade9909

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Tekno RC's
  1. EB48
  2. ET48
Driving Style
Racer
Would it be possible to put the shorter EB48.x suspension arms on an ET48 or MT410?

I'm tinkering with the idea of putting authentic looking Monster Truck tires (clickable) and wheels (clickable) on a Tekno. In order to pull this off, I need this 17mm hex adapter. These wheels + adapter will result in an incredibly wide truck, so I'm planning to install some Buggy suspension arms to compensate for the added width of these massive tires.

A.) My build method:
  • Start with an ET48 (Truggy)
  • Replace the following Truggy parts with Buggy parts:
    • Suspension arms
    • Driveshafts
    • Turnbuckles
    • Steering turnbuckles
    • Front sway bar
  • Install a Nitro Truggy body
    • NT48 bodies are wider than ET48 bodies so they'll probably look better aesthetically.
  • Monster truck wheels, tires, 17mm hex adapter
  • This build results in a longer wheelbase to help give it more of a rectangle shape as opposed to a square shape which the MT410 has.
  • Rough Dimensions:
    • ~24.5" long (with wing)
    • ~20" wide (from ends of tires)
    • With buggy suspension arms, the width from wheel hex to wheel hex be about 12". Each monster truck tire is about 4" wide. So that's a width of about 20". The MT tires are about ~6" in diameter. The wheelbase of the Truggy is about 15.1". So that's a total length of about 21.1". I'll probably keep the wing, so it's going to be about ~24.5" long.


B.) Alternative method:
  • Start with a EB48 (Buggy)
  • Replace Buggy shock towers with MT410 shock towers
  • Add the MT410 Body Mount Set
  • Install an MT410 body.
  • Add Monster truck wheels, tires, 17mm hex adapter.
  • This will result in a shorter wheelbase than the original method. But should still work. The MT410 is pretty square-shaped for doing crazy stunts. I feel like the heavy tires/wheels will take away from the stunt capabilities for this truck, but it's totally possible it can still do crazy stunts.


C.) Another Alternative method:
  • Start with a SCT410 (Short course truck).
  • Add Monster truck wheels, tires, 12mm hex adapter.
  • I'm not a fan of this approach because I feel like these wheels & tires are too big and heavy for this SCT which has smaller driveshafts/parts/etc. It's also not meant for 4s, so it would likely be limited to 2s which would hinder it as well. If going this route, I would recommend smaller/lighter wheels/tires.



0E86C85C-9315-4266-83EC-9EA736625D06.jpeg

This Monster Buggy post for good inspiration. So picture this, with larger tires, a longer chassis, and a Nitro Truggy body.



Z-W0147-7.jpg

As far as tires go, I'm thinking more authentic monster truck style tires rather than basher style tires. So something with a proper wheel with respect to tire ratio. These are the Rumble tires from RC4WD. These wheels and tires will go together well obviously because they are from the same manufacturer.


Z-W0147-6.jpg

A picture of the wheels and tires that will work (the incorrect adapter is pictured, but they have 17mm)




3169_800px.jpg

The JConcepts Firestorm tires would look great if I can get them to fit properly on these RC4WD wheels. I like the aspect ratio of these tires compared to the Rumble tires. These are more authentic looking monster truck tires where as the Rumbles are more square and flat looking and are made for racing performance. I doubt I could ever race this Monster truck since it would never fit into any racing classes.


Edit: Tekno support has been very helpful in explaining to me the compatibility of Tekno parts.

Edit: Progress videos


Edit: Build parts list:
  • This upgrade will cost you about ~$350-$400 on top of already having an ET48.3. I found some good deals over black Friday/Christmas and on Tekno facebook groups. So do shop around before you just buy everything brand new for full price.
  • ET48.3 - I chose to start this build from an ET48.3. So from here on, I'll assume you're doing the same thing. I bought a used one for this build from a reputable seller on the Tekno facebook group.
  • RC4WD wheels, universal beadlock V2 (Delrin)
  • RC4WD 17mm universal hex adapter (Revo/Summit)
  • RC4WD tool for universal hex adapter
  • TKR5116C - 17mm Splined wheel nuts
  • TKR5071C - 2mm offset wheel hubs
  • Blue threadlock (to thread lock the wheel nuts on after installing the adapter)
  • Monster truck tires
    • JConcepts Firestorms (My choice because they were the tallest and look awesome)
    • JConcepts Renegades
    • RC4WD Rumble
    • Whichever tire you choose, go with the hardest compound they have available. Harder compounds are less likely to balloon and since this build won't fit any racing classes you don't need the soft tires for best on course traction.
  • EB48.3 parts - Note, you can use EB48.4parts, but you'll have to swap out more. I chose to go with .3 parts for simplicity. Generally, this includes suspension arms, driveshafts, and links.
    • TKR5052A - pivot balls
    • TKR5056 - steering rod ends
    • TKR5123 - steering turnbuckles
    • 2x TKR5050 - camber turnbuckles
    • TKR5187 - camber rod ends
    • TKR5072 - Driveshafts
    • TKR5286 - Front arms
    • TKR5184 - Rear arms
    • TKR5174 - Mud guards
    • TKR5080-TKR5095 - Pick a front sway bar of your choice
    • (You won't need a rear sway bar, just use the ET48.3 rear sway bar that you already have)
  • Diff fluid - Still a work in progress, here are some things i'm going to try (F/C/R)
    • 100/100/50
    • 60/100/50
    • 100/500/50
    • ?/?/?
    • These tires/wheels are very heavy. You probably do not want one tire diffing out on full throttle. So thicker fluid is probably in order.
  • Small-ish pinion
  • Lower punch/acceleration in the ESC to help reduce heat and stress with heavy tires
  • Strong steering servo since tires are so heavy.
 
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Edit 2: I've found someone who claims the Body Mount Set(TKR5791) that comes with the MT410 does not fit the EB48.x shock tower! That could be problematic if I want to run a truck body.

Edit 3: I found someone who converted an MT410 to an EB48.3. He claims that all he needed to buy were the buggy suspension arms, drive shafts, and links. This is an interesting option because it would achieve the same goal, but I would get to keep the MT410's shock tower & Body Mount Set(TKR5791) so i can use a truck body instead of a buggy body.

The MT410 has the shock towers of the EB48.2; the .3 and .4 both have wider towers. I learned that the hard way when I played with the idea of turning my EB48.4 into an SCT or a GT.

So your best buggy to start from would be the EB48.2.

Going the MT410 -> EB48.2 -> extended EB48.2 sounds a bit complicated (and expensive) but feasible.
 
The MT410 has the shock towers of the EB48.2; the .3 and .4 both have wider towers. I learned that the hard way when I played with the idea of turning my EB48.4 into an SCT or a GT.

So your best buggy to start from would be the EB48.2.

Going the MT410 -> EB48.2 -> extended EB48.2 sounds a bit complicated (and expensive) but feasible.

Yeah, that's a good point. I noticed that as well when comparing the manuals. I'm going to have to nail down an exact direction, but i'll probably find a used car to start with to keep this build on the cheaper end of the spectrum. I have gone over a TON of possibilities for this in more detail. I will post an update soon.
 
I’m myself contemplating the idea of buying used parts to downgrade an EB48.3 or EB48.4 (different chassis though...) into an EB48.2...

Waiting for the EB48 2.0 to show up and buy some used stuff.
 
I’m myself contemplating the idea of buying used parts to downgrade an EB48.3 or EB48.4 (different chassis though...) into an EB48.2...

Waiting for the EB48 2.0 to show up and buy some used stuff.
Do the .2 parts have some good perks?
 
I've updated the OP with refined details. There are a lot of ways to make this build, so I've cleaned up the post and listed 3 possible ways to do this.
 
Do the .2 parts have some good perks?

It is mainly about the tower / shocks/ arms. I would keep them as a whole in order to keep the right suspension geometry.
But I haven’t dug in details yet, I know tower and arms are different from later models. Shocks could be same length.

I just don’t want to mix and match and end up messing up the balance of the car.

And of course, the towers have the right size for the mt410 body posts.

The alternative way of doing things would be to find body posts that fit on .3 or .4 towers.
 
I've updated the OP with refined details. There are a lot of ways to make this build, so I've cleaned up the post and listed 3 possible ways to do this.

B.1. Could be what you described

B.2. Could be to keep the EB48 .3 or .4 towers (a lot cheaper) and find body posts that fit on it. I will dig into that option.

Edit: Arrma Outcast body mounts and posts seem to be a good solution. That’s a $15 experimentation, probably worth trying
 
Last edited:
B.2. Could be to keep the EB48 .3 or .4 towers (a lot cheaper) and find body posts that fit on it. I will dig into that option.

Edit: Arrma Outcast body mounts and posts seem to be a good solution. That’s a $15 experimentation, probably worth trying

It seems that each of the 4 body posts has two screws that go vertically. Here's the best picture I could find:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/V4-V3-Arrm...uminum-Shock-Towers-Body-Mounts-/122924628260
 
I just noticed that the weight of the tires + wheels is pushing the boundaries here. Does anyone know if this will cause too much stress on the motor drivetrain?

The wheels I listed above in my OP are the only ones I can find that will even fit a 17mm hex like this. They are pretty heavy. Wheels + Tires + the hex adapter ends up weighing 23.18 ounces per wheel. So that’s 92.72 ounces for all four wheels! That's 5.795 lbs of weight! I was googling around bashing wheels/tires, and the heaviest basher tiers I found that people are putting on an ET48.3 or MT410 are the Pro-line Trencher 3.8 belted, and all 4 tires combine for about 4.56 lbs of weight which is still 1.2 lbs less than what I'm considering doing here.

I was thinking of only running 4s with this build. Any thoughts on whether or not this much weight is safe to run? Or should I expect to break a lot of drivetrain parts or burn out the motor?

I'll also need to think about what motor/ESC to run here.
 
I just noticed that the weight of the tires + wheels is pushing the boundaries here. Does anyone know if this will cause too much stress on the motor drivetrain?

The wheels I listed above in my OP are the only ones I can find that will even fit a 17mm hex like this. They are pretty heavy. Wheels + Tires + the hex adapter ends up weighing 23.18 ounces per wheel. So that’s 92.72 ounces for all four wheels! That's 5.795 lbs of weight! I was googling around bashing wheels/tires, and the heaviest basher tiers I found that people are putting on an ET48.3 or MT410 are the Pro-line Trencher 3.8 belted, and all 4 tires combine for about 4.56 lbs of weight which is still 1.2 lbs less than what I'm considering doing here.

I was thinking of only running 4s with this build. Any thoughts on whether or not this much weight is safe to run? Or should I expect to break a lot of drivetrain parts or burn out the motor?

I'll also need to think about what motor/ESC to run here.
It seems that each of the 4 body posts has two screws that go vertically. Here's the best picture I could find:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/V4-V3-Arrm...uminum-Shock-Towers-Body-Mounts-/122924628260


I updated my post on my SWB conversion with some part numbers but it's possible it got missed. These parts worked perfectly. Finally taking my truck out for a run tomorrow. Can't wait :)

Shock Towers - TKR5029 and TKR5028
SCT410 Body Mounts TKR5791
SCT410 Upper Shock Standoffs TKR5527
 
Also check try and find Kyosho Mad Force or Twin Force wheels. They are 1/8th sized MT wheels which use a 17mm hex (offset is pretty friendly too). Dollar Hobbyz has the Mad Crusher wheels/tires for cheap and they use a 17mm hex but I don't think it's what you are looking for. Original Twin Force wheels were a bigger rim and lower profile rubber (but still MT style) than the Mad Force wheels/tires which were the same rubber as the Nitro USA1 they used to make (Also 17mm hex). These are old models so the parts may be unicorn parts at this point and who knows if the plastics are truly up to modern brushless power. I do think the after blipping mine briefly that with 'real' MT tires the truck is going to have a hard time not twisting/snapping shafts and out drives but I could be totally wrong. It sounded like one of my diffs may have been skipping although it's possible it was just the wheels breaking loose on the pavement. Doesn't look like anyone makes aluminum diff housings (not the cases, the housings) I would swap out in a heartbeat if they were available. The Mad Crusher body looks pretty cool though for a true 'MT'. I bet it's long enough to work with an ET chassis. (But I don't know).
 
I just noticed that the weight of the tires + wheels is pushing the boundaries here. Does anyone know if this will cause too much stress on the motor drivetrain?

The wheels I listed above in my OP are the only ones I can find that will even fit a 17mm hex like this. They are pretty heavy. Wheels + Tires + the hex adapter ends up weighing 23.18 ounces per wheel. So that’s 92.72 ounces for all four wheels! That's 5.795 lbs of weight! I was googling around bashing wheels/tires, and the heaviest basher tiers I found that people are putting on an ET48.3 or MT410 are the Pro-line Trencher 3.8 belted, and all 4 tires combine for about 4.56 lbs of weight which is still 1.2 lbs less than what I'm considering doing here.

I was thinking of only running 4s with this build. Any thoughts on whether or not this much weight is safe to run? Or should I expect to break a lot of drivetrain parts or burn out the motor?

I'll also need to think about what motor/ESC to run here.

i run Backflips LP, that’s the 4s version because of the reasonable size and weight. you are right to be concerned by weight it will hinder handling.
 
Also check try and find Kyosho Mad Force or Twin Force wheels. They are 1/8th sized MT wheels which use a 17mm hex (offset is pretty friendly too). Dollar Hobbyz has the Mad Crusher wheels/tires for cheap and they use a 17mm hex but I don't think it's what you are looking for. Original Twin Force wheels were a bigger rim and lower profile rubber (but still MT style) than the Mad Force wheels/tires which were the same rubber as the Nitro USA1 they used to make (Also 17mm hex). These are old models so the parts may be unicorn parts at this point and who knows if the plastics are truly up to modern brushless power. I do think the after blipping mine briefly that with 'real' MT tires the truck is going to have a hard time not twisting/snapping shafts and out drives but I could be totally wrong. It sounded like one of my diffs may have been skipping although it's possible it was just the wheels breaking loose on the pavement. Doesn't look like anyone makes aluminum diff housings (not the cases, the housings) I would swap out in a heartbeat if they were available. The Mad Crusher body looks pretty cool though for a true 'MT'. I bet it's long enough to work with an ET chassis. (But I don't know).

The diff housing is the housing that contains the diff spider gears right? Would aluminum help that because it would prevent any flexing? I was thinking I would just put thicker diff fluid in there and that would help prevent unloading heavier tires. Is that not enough? I didn't know diff housing could break!

Yes I'm concerned about driveshafts and outdrives as well.

Nice body! I dig that style. I wonder how i'd mount that on truggy shock towers.
 
i run Backflips LP, that’s the 4s version because of the reasonable size and weight. you are right to be concerned by weight it will hinder handling.

I did some weight research. Looks like Backflips LP weight about 0.62 lbs each, Proline belted 3.8 trenchers weight about 1.07 lbs each, and my custom build about including MT tires and RC4WD wheels weigh about 1.3 lbs each.

People seem to bash just fine on the Proline belted 3.8” trencher tires. So I know I can make the jump from 0.62 lbs to 1.07 lbs per tire. I’ll need to adjust diff fluid. So it’s just a question of the jump from 1.07 lbs to 1.3 lbs.
 
The diff housing is the housing that contains the diff spider gears right? Would aluminum help that because it would prevent any flexing? I was thinking I would just put thicker diff fluid in there and that would help prevent unloading heavier tires. Is that not enough? I didn't know diff housing could break!

Yes I'm concerned about driveshafts and outdrives as well.

Nice body! I dig that style. I wonder how i'd mount that on truggy shock towers.

no. That’s the diff case. The diff housings are what the shock towers bolt too. I did find them for sale on aliexpress from all racing. Pricey tho... 140 bucks for both on Black Friday sale... diffs are definitely skipping tho. Thing is stupid fast lol. Shattered the rear wing too...
 
Also check try and find Kyosho Mad Force or Twin Force wheels. They are 1/8th sized MT wheels which use a 17mm hex (offset is pretty friendly too). Dollar Hobbyz has the Mad Crusher wheels/tires for cheap and they use a 17mm hex but I don't think it's what you are looking for. Original Twin Force wheels were a bigger rim and lower profile rubber (but still MT style) than the Mad Force wheels/tires which were the same rubber as the Nitro USA1 they used to make (Also 17mm hex). These are old models so the parts may be unicorn parts at this point and who knows if the plastics are truly up to modern brushless power. I do think the after blipping mine briefly that with 'real' MT tires the truck is going to have a hard time not twisting/snapping shafts and out drives but I could be totally wrong. It sounded like one of my diffs may have been skipping although it's possible it was just the wheels breaking loose on the pavement. Doesn't look like anyone makes aluminum diff housings (not the cases, the housings) I would swap out in a heartbeat if they were available. The Mad Crusher body looks pretty cool though for a true 'MT'. I bet it's long enough to work with an ET chassis. (But I don't know).

Did some research on those older wheels. Yeah as you mentioned, the biggest problems there are 1.) finding them since they aren’t produced anymore, and 2.) will they strip out or even mount the tire well.
 
no. That’s the diff case. The diff housings are what the shock towers bolt too. I did find them for sale on aliexpress from all racing. Pricey tho... 140 bucks for both on Black Friday sale... diffs are definitely skipping tho. Thing is stupid fast lol. Shattered the rear wing too...

You're running on 6s right? Yeah, form what I've seen 6s is abusive. So is it JUST the 6s that's causing you breakage or did you add heavier tires to yours as well? Or are you still running the Arrma 6s Dboots?
 
You're running on 6s right? Yeah, form what I've seen 6s is abusive. So is it JUST the 6s that's causing you breakage or did you add heavier tires to yours as well? Or are you still running the Arrma 6s Dboots?

I've got the Arrma 6s Dboots - my buddy has Notorious tires and they are the same height but a little narrower. I wouldn't mind grabbing some of them but don't want to drop the 70 bucks now Besides I have these other ones! :) I'm switching over the ET chassis. Means I'm going to need to figure out a new body mount for he rear. I must have screwed up looking at wheelbases as I'm basically notorious wheel base which WAY too short for anything other than wheelies, he swapped his to a Kraton chassis and the ET one will put in the same ball park. I'll have to build another ESC/Rear Brace lol. He and I were doing a straight line race today and I thought I was going fast and hit the throttle and it flipped right over... I broke down and ordered the aluminum diff housings but they won't be in until late December. I'm hoping I didn't kill any of my ring and pinions...I grabbed a couple shim kits too. Hopefully I can bulletproof these diffs.
 

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