The folks over at Traxxas know everyone that owns an RC vehicle is going to have to work on it at some point. To get the job done you are going to need tools, so they might as well be Traxxas Premium Tools. Want to know our thoughts on them? Keep reading…
We have been working with the new Traxxas Premium Tools for about two weeks now, and they have been a serious life saver. They could not have shown up at a better time, as we are all in crunch mode getting our vehicles ready for a big event coming up. As always, before a big event there is a ton of time spent wrenching on some vehicles!
Some of the features of these new kits:
* Precision-ground, hardened steel metric hex drivers
* Machined, hardened steel nut drivers
* Rubber overmolded handle for superior grip and comfort
* Precise fit magnetic insert holds the speed bit in the handle
* Standard 1/4 inch hex shank for use with power drill drivers
* Heavy-duty pouch holds tools securely
* Custom embroidered Traxxas logo
* Clearly marked with laser etched sizes
We have been using all 3 kits, as well as the separate individual speed bits.
#8712 7-Piece Metric Hex and Nut Driver Essentials Set
#8711 7-Piece Metric Hex Bit Master Set
#8719 6-Piece Metric Nut Driver Master Set
#8715 3-Piece Straight Hex Speed Bit Set Straight hex drivers (1.5, 2.0, 2.5 mm)
#8716 2-Piece Ball-End Hex Speed Bit Set ball-end hex drivers (2.0, 2.5 mm)
#8716X 3-Piece Ball-End Hex Speed Bit Set ball-end hex drivers (2.0, 2.5, 3.0 mm)
We have basically been torture testing these, as vehicle after vehicle end up on the work bench for repair and they have held up very well. None of the bits are showing any signs of stress or much wear and tear at all.
The kit pouches are holding up well, and we haven’t had any issues with bits falling out or getting lost. Speaking of the kits, they also come with a very nice driver handle, it’s super comfortable to hold and locks the bits in tight. The handle is a little larger than average, which makes those long wrenching sessions a bit easier on the hands and muscles.
Everybody has their own place for tools, but since Traxxas is creating a pretty complete set of things you need, we would love to see a bigger ‘Traxxas Pouch’ that could hold all the sets. Right now when the pouches are sealed up, we have to open them each and see what set is in which. An easy fix is some duct tape and a label, but we need to be picky about something. One last thing we would have like to have seen, maybe for a future release (Hint hint Traxxas) would be color coded bits. When There is a pile of hex and ball drivers on the table, I’d like to just be able to pick out the 2.0 at a glance (the red base, or whatever) without having to look for the print, or pay closer attention to the tip.
In the Ryobi, the tips work great, and make short work of those chassis that have 20+ fasteners holding everything on that I need to fix. In some cases we have applied probably a little too much torque, but have had no issues at all with any of the tools.
The price range on the kits with the pouches run from $59-$79 (6-7 bits), and the sets with 2-4 bits in them run $21-$39 depending on the set and how many bits are in them. These prices are about average for the industry, maybe even a little cheaper, and you are getting some really good quality bits.
Overall the Traxxas Premium Tools have been awesome, and again a life saver. Our tool box has more than a few tools with broken tips on them, and now it’s time to replace and upgrade! We will be looking forward to some of their other upcoming tool releases. If you are in the market for some quality tools, you need to add the Traxxas Premium Tools to your shopping list!
Need more details? Head over to the Traxxas tool page. You can click right here to read more Traxxas News on BigSquidRC.
Other Traxxas tools and part numbers that are available soon:
#8711 SPEED BIT MASTER SET, HEX DRIVER, 7-PIECE STRAIGHT AND BALL END, INCLUDES PREMIUM HANDLE (MEDIUM), TRAVEL POUCH, HEX DRIVERS (STRAIGHT: 1.5MM, 2.0MM, 2.5MM, 3.0MM) (BALL END: 2.0MM, 2.5MM, 3.0MM) 1/4″ DRIVE
#8712 SPEED BIT ESSENTIALS SET, HEX AND NUT DRIVER, 7-PIECE, INCLUDES PREMIUM HANDLE (MEDIUM), TRAVEL POUCH, HEX DRIVERS (STRAIGHT: 1.5MM, 2.0MM, 2.5M) AND NUT DRIVERS (5.0MM, 5.5MM, 7.0MM, AND 8.0MM) 1/4” DRIVE
#8719 SPEED BIT MASTER SET, NUT DRIVER, 6-PIECE, INCLUDES PREMIUM HANDLE (MEDIUM), TRAVEL POUCH, AND NUT DRIVERS (4.0MM, 4.5MM, 5.0MM, 5.5MM, 7.0MM, 8.0MM) 1/4″ DRIVE
#8715 SPEED BIT SET, HEX DRIVER, 3-PIECE STRAIGHT (1.5MM, 2.0MM, 2.5MM) 1/4″ DRIVE
#8715X SPEED BIT SET, HEX DRIVER, 4-PIECE STRAIGHT (1.5MM, 2.0MM, 2.5MM, 3.0MM) 1/4″ DRIVE
#8716 SPEED BIT SET, HEX DRIVER, 2-PIECE BALL-END (2.0MM, 2.5MM) 1/4″ DRIVE
#8716X SPEED BIT SET, HEX DRIVER, 3-PIECE BALL-END (2.0MM, 2.5MM, 3.0MM) 1/4″ DRIVE
#8715-15 SPEED BIT, HEX DRIVER, STRAIGHT, 1.5MM (90MM LENGTH)
#8715-20 SPEED BIT, HEX DRIVER, STRAIGHT, 2.0MM (110MM LENGTH)
#8715-25 SPEED BIT, HEX DRIVER, STRAIGHT, 2.5MM (110MM LENGTH)
#8715-30 SPEED BIT, HEX DRIVER, STRAIGHT, 3.0MM (120MM LENGTH)
#8716-20 SPEED BIT, HEX DRIVER, BALL END, 2.0MM (110MM LENGTH)
#8716-25 SPEED BIT, HEX DRIVER, BALL END, 2.5MM (110MM LENGTH)
#8716-30 SPEED BIT, HEX DRIVER, BALL END, 3.0MM (120MM LENGTH)
#8719-40 SPEED BIT, NUT DRIVER, 4.0MM
#8719-45 SPEED BIT, NUT DRIVER, 4.5MM
#8719-50 SPEED BIT, NUT DRIVER, 5.0MM
#8719-55 SPEED BIT, NUT DRIVER, 5.5MM
#8719-70 SPEED BIT, NUT DRIVER, 7.0MM
#8719-80 SPEED BIT, NUT DRIVER, 8.0MM (GLOW PLUG WRENCH)
#8720 SPEED BIT HANDLE, LARGE (PREMIUM, OVERMOLDED)
#8722 SPEED BIT HANDLE, MEDIUM (PREMIUM, OVERMOLDED)
