Review: Injora Aluminum Universal LCG Chassis Frame Kit for the Traxxas TRX-4M

By: Tim Gluth

The Traxxas TRX-4M is a model that I’ve grown quite fond of over the years. Since its introduction, I’ve added several of these rigs to my R/C collection, giving each its own unique style and personality. After adding a TRX-4M High Trail Chevy K10 to my lineup a while back, I made a few minor adjustments to it, but I wanted to take it to the next level with its transformation. Thankfully, Injora offered up an opportunity to try out their Aluminum Universal LCG Chassis Frame Kit for the TRX-4M, which set my overhaul plans in motion.

I appreciate Injora providing me with their Aluminum Universal LCG Chassis Kit to build and test out. If you’ve been considering adding this chassis to your TRX-4M, this review is for you.

What’s Included in the Injora Aluminum LCG Chassis Kit:

2 aluminum frame rails
2 chassis extension arms
1 carbon fiber battery tray
Various pieces of installation hardware

Installation:

Truth be told, this project took longer to complete than it should have. Several “life” projects popped up just as I started working on this chassis kit, so it was shuffled to the back burner on more than one occasion. That said, the amount of time (and effort) spent to put this chassis together is minimal at best. You could easily knock this out in an afternoon and be up and running before the sun sets.

Injora’s instructions do a nice job of outlining the various parts and pieces included with this LCG chassis, although some of the hardware required some guessing to determine the correct size. It’s worth mentioning that the included hardware is plentiful, and you shouldn’t need to worry about running out, especially if a piece were to go missing during your build.

Since my chassis swap involved the TRX-4M High Trail, which required the installation of the chassis extension arms, I used a bit more of the included parts and pieces than what would be needed if you were installing this chassis kit on a TRX-4M Ford Bronco or TRX-4M Land Rover Defender. After those additional components were installed, the remaining assembly was straightforward.

As I mentioned earlier, my assembly time was not typical; however, if I counted the hours and minutes spent at my workbench, the “at work” time for this project was well within 1–2 hours, which included time for sorting hardware by size and laying out all the parts.

Appearance:

The chassis kit itself is well-designed and features a black finish, allowing it to work with any body color. Post assembly and installation, I couldn’t be happier with how it transformed the TRX-4M High Trail into a “normal height” small-scale crawler. It was a visual look that I had been hoping to achieve for quite some time, and I was thrilled that I didn’t need to cut into the body’s bed to achieve a lowered look.

The multiple shock mounting options make this an excellent chassis for anyone who wants to lower their High Trail or build a more aggressive crawler. Whether you’re a fan of scale visuals or hardcore performance, this chassis kit will satisfy both crowds with ease.

Performance:

Compared to the stock TRX-4M chassis, a low-center-of-gravity chassis offers instant benefits in vehicle stability and crawling performance. While I didn’t encounter too many situations where my High Trail would topple over during inclines or declines, side-hilling was always something that I needed to pay extra attention to. Post chassis swap, I still had to keep an eye on my lines, but I felt more confident in the TRX-4M’s ability to remain planted.

It’s worth noting that, along with the Aluminum Universal LCG Chassis Frame Kit, my TRX-4M High Trail also received a handful of updates, including a Traxxas Ford F-150 High Trail Body, Injora’s Stainless Steel Chassis, Suspension, and Steering Links, Injora Oil-Filled Shocks, a set of Injora’s Brass Beadlock Wheels, Injora Hardened Steel Driveshafts, Injora’s Aluminum Front and Rear Bumper Set for the TRX-4M Ford F-150, and Little Guy Racing Parts 57mm Black Label Tires. Those details are important to note, as they all impact the vehicle's weight and help improve crawling performance and overall stability.

Having said that, the Aluminum Universal LCG Chassis Frame Kit didn’t counteract any of that added weight. The variety of shock mounting positions allowed me to test out several setups, where I ultimately settled on the one that looked the most “stock” for a normal-height pickup truck.

What’s the Verdict?

Even though Injora supplied me with this chassis kit, I would gladly pay the money to use it as the foundation for another of my TRX-4M models. Its lightweight design and plethora of adjustment options make it a fantastic performer. At the same time, the lowered center of gravity serves as an advantage to an upgraded rig’s visual appearance and crawling prowess.

For most small-scale trail driving and crawling conditions, the stock TRX-4M chassis is more than adequate. However, suppose you want to raise the performance possibilities while lowering the stance of your 1/18-scale rig. In that case, Injora’s Aluminum Universal LCG Chassis Frame Kit offers additional benefits that are hard to match with a stock setup.

Where to Buy the Universal LCG Chassis Kit for the Traxxas TRX-4M

As far as upgrades for the Traxxas TRX-4M are concerned, this sub-$30 chassis kit might be one of the best investments you can make to help unlock its full crawling potential.

Injora.com - $26.99 Save 5% at injora.com with one-time-use coupon SMALLSCALERC5
Amazon.com - $25.99