TRA93034-4 4-Tec 3.0 Factory Five '35 Hot Rod Truck Manual
4 
•
 TRAXXAS
This model is not intended 
for use by children under 
14 years of age without the 
supervision of a responsible 
and knowledgeable adult.
All instructions and 
precautions outlined in this 
manual should be strictly 
followed to ensure safe 
operation of your model.
No previous experience 
with radio controlled 
models is required. 
Models require a minimum 
of setup, maintenance, or 
support equipment. 
All of us at Traxxas want you to safely enjoy your new model. Operate 
your model sensibly and with care, and it will be exciting, safe, and 
fun for you and those around you. Failure to operate your model in 
a safe and responsible manner may result in property damage and 
serious injury. The precautions outlined in this manual should be 
strictly followed to help ensure safe operation. You alone must see 
that the instructions are followed and the precautions are adhered to. 
Important Points to Remember
• Your model is not intended for use on public roads or congested areas 
where its operation can conflict with or disrupt pedestrian or vehicular 
traffic.
• Never, under any circumstances, operate the model in crowds of people. 
Your model is very fast and could cause injury if allowed to collide with 
anyone.
• Because your model is controlled by radio, it is subject to radio 
interference from many sources that are beyond your control. Since 
radio interference can cause momentary losses of radio control, always 
allow a safety margin in all directions around the model in order to 
prevent collisions. 
• The motor, battery, and speed control can become hot during use. Be 
careful to avoid getting burned. 
• Don’t operate your model at night, or anytime your line of sight to the 
model may be obstructed or impaired in any way.
• Most importantly, use good common sense at all times.
Speed Control
Your XL-5 is an extremely powerful electronic device capable of delivering 
high current. Please closely follow these precautions to prevent damage 
to the speed control or other components.
• 15-Turn Motor Limit: The XL-5 has a 15-turn modified motor limit for 
540 size motors and a 12-turn modified motor limit for 550 size motors 
with 0 timing when the motor is properly geared. If the motor or speed 
control is overheating, try a smaller pinion gear. Do not attempt to use 
a more powerful motor (fewer turns) than the above-mentioned motor 
limits or you could experience frequent thermal shutdown.
  •  Insulate the Wires: Always insulate exposed wiring with heat shrink 
tubing to prevent short circuits.
• Transmitter on First: Switch on your transmitter first before switching  
on the speed control to prevent runaways and erratic performance.
• Use Neutrally Timed Motors: For reverse use, the motors must have 
0° timing.  Modified motors (with adjustable end bells) timed to 0° or 
Johnson/ Mabuchi (closed end bell) motors are recommended. Using 
motors with other than 0° timing will draw excess current in reverse, and 
can result in the speed control overheating and premature motor wear.
•
 4-7 NiMH cells or 2 LiPo cells (2s) Only: The XL-5 can only accept a 
maximum input voltage of 8.4 volts (NiMH), 7.4 volts (2s LiPo). Always 
adhere to the minimum and maximum limitations of the XL-5 as stated in 
the specifications table. 
• Use the Factory Installed Connectors: If you decide to change the 
battery or motor connectors, only change one battery or motor 
connector at a time. This will prevent accidentally mis-wiring the speed 
control. If the XL-5 is not wired exactly as shown in the diagram, it can 
be damaged! Please note that modified speed controls can be subject 
to a rewiring fee when returned for service.
• No Reverse Voltage: The speed control is not protected against  
reverse polarity voltage. When changing the battery and/or motor, be 
sure to install the same type of connectors to avoid reverse polarity 
damage to the speed control. Removing the battery connectors on 
the speed control or using the same-gender connectors on the speed 
control will void the product’s warranty.
• Motor Capacitors Required: Three 0.1µF (50V) ceramic capacitors 
should be properly installed on every motor to prevent radio 
interference. Capacitors have been provided with the XL-5.
• No Schottky Diodes: External schottky diodes are not compatible with 
reversing speed controls. Using a schottky diode with the XL-5 will 
damage the ESC and void the 30-day warranty.
Recycling Traxxas Power Cell NiMH Batteries
Traxxas strongly encourages you to recycle your Power Cell NiMH 
battery when it has reached the end of its useful life. Do not throw your 
battery in the trash. All Power Cell NiMH battery packs display the RBRC 
(Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation) icon, indicating they are 
recyclable. To find a recycling center near you, ask your local hobby dealer 
or visit www.call2recycle.org.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS










