Replacing Traxxas TQi by Radiolink RC6GS

On my Traxxas TRX-4, the TQi radio system had developed a fault, where reverse could only be engaged intermittently. Here is what I did, to get rid of the issue:
Instead of messing around with warranty claims and such, I preferred to treat myself to an entirely new 6 channel radio system.
Find it here: greensmodels.c...
Guess what: this system is the dog's nuts! You can change so many parameters, and greatly improve the feel, over the original TQi system. It is a bit of a headache to set up, but once you get the hang of it, it is truly satisfying.
The greatest feature, in my opinion, is that you can lock front OR rear differentials, totally independently! Finally! It is so much better than the original system, and I am so glad that I forked out on it.
Bio: I am a professional mechanic, focused on classic cars and bikes. I also write classic car reviews for an automotive blog, and provide "how to" type videos, to help the mechanically minded DIY'ers take care of their cars and bikes.
Follow me on Instagram / mcevoy_motorcycles

[@lowrevsrc]

Would you mind sharing your tx settings please

[@gmcevoy]

Most certainly. Here it goes, starting from the top: 3. EPA: ST 120% 120% TH 100% 100% CH3 100% 100% CH4 79% 80% CH5 100% 92% CH6 100% 69% 4. STEXP: +60% 5. STSPD: Turn: 70% Return 70% 6.THEXP A. FWD-CRV: P1: 20% P2: 34% P3: 50% P4: 65% P5: 82% Mode: OFF B. FWD-VTR: Mode: OFF TG.P: 43 Rate -14 C. FWD-EXP: Mode: OFF Rate +50 D. BRK-EXP: Rate: -65 7. THSPD: Mode: OFF 8. A.B.S: Mode: ON ABP: 30 DLY: 100 CYC:30 TGP:100 DTY:+3 STM*E 10 9. ACCEL 0% 0% 10. IDLUP 0% 11. SUB-TRIM ST+2 the rest is 0 12. REVERSE: ST: NOR TH:REV CH3:NOR CH4:NOR CH5:REV CH6:NOR 13. D/R/ ST-RATE: 95% TH-RATE: 100% 14. ATL: RATE:60% 15. PMIX: OFF 16: AUX-CH: CH3: VR CH4: LK-A CH5:SwB CH6:SwC And that's all the relevant information. I hope it answers your question, writing that down was more tedious than I thought! :-) Enjoy!

[@lowrevsrc]

Awesome. Thanks mate

[@gmcevoy]

@@lowrevsrc You are most welcome, Dave.

[@lowrevsrc]

Geoffrey McEvoy what are you using in ch6? Please

[@lowrevsrc]

Geoffrey McEvoy Thankyou very much for taking the time to do so. Very much appreciated. If your of the mind to do it, I’d be very interested in a video of how it all works on your setup

[@caljader3388]

Nice vid! I think I'm gonna buy that for my TRX4 K5 Blazer. Thanks🤓👍🇺🇲

[@gmcevoy]

Great choice. You should not be disappointed. It is a bit of a handful to set it up just right, but patience and perseverance will yield awesome results. I love it! Thank you for stopping by!

[@pauldelazzer8722]

I only brought my trx4 defender 2 months ago and a week ago my TQI transmitter suddenly died. The batteries did need replacing but even with new batteries it has no power at all, no light will come on, so frustrating. The shop said they will replace it if they can't fix it but I think I'm still going to buy this remote anyway.

[@gmcevoy]

HI Paul! Two months is a really short lifespan indeed. In any case, this Radiolink replacement system makes a world of difference. You can make much finer adjustments than with the original TQi system, and in such an easier way too. I found setting up the original system a nightmare, with that blinking LED menu system. It drove me up the wall. This on the other hand is much more intuitive and straightforward. You won't be disappointed. Have fun out there! :-)

[@jackking5631]

Really helpful video. I am setting up this radio on my son's trx4 sport with 2 speed transmission. For that high/low gear servo, do I just use channel 3 and set EPA to 100% for both ends? That channel looks like a 3 way switch in manual, does that mean I will get a neutral position somewhere in between? Thanks.

[@gmcevoy]

Hi Jack! Kudos on getting this set up for your son. I personally set the gear change on channel 4, as it is on-off (the round button most rearwards of the hand set). Press once, it goes into high range, press again and you are back in low. Just set the EPA as required so as not to force on the servo motor, once it is in either position. The other two switches indeed have three positions. I use one channel per locker, so they can independently be switched on or off. Much better that the original TQi solution, if you ask me. Best of luck, and let me know if you need any more help! :-)

[@jackking5631]

@@gmcevoy thx a lot for your reply. I am to start the build tomorrow and this really helps. I don't have front/rear lock diff, so probably will use one of those 3 position switch for a mytrickrc light kit.

[@gmcevoy]

@@jackking5631 My pleasure, Jack. Always cool to have radio controlled lights! I have to decide if I want them on or off when I put the body on. I sometimes wish I had a couple more channels to mess round with. Have fun with the build! No better way to get to know your rig than to tackle it that way. :-) All the best.

[@MrZuzutai]

Great video, I have ordered and will receive soon the Radiolink RC6GS. But what about the speed controller, is it totally compatible with the Radiolink receiver? Normally the car is started by the traxxas speed controller, how does it work after having replaced the receiver? Thanks :)

[@gmcevoy]

Hello! Congrats on your purchase. Once you set it up right, you will be very happy I am sure. Just plug your ESC in the dedicated port and off you go. Channel 2 if I remember correctly, but I may be wrong. It will be in the instructions, anyhow. Otherwise 4:13 gives some more insight on plugging it all in. Have fun!

[@MrZuzutai]

@@gmcevoy Thank you for your answer. It must be channel 2 indeed. So after having replaced all the elements, should I simply start the transmitter first and than the Traxxas ESC just like before ? Cheers

[@gmcevoy]

@@MrZuzutai Yes, that's exactly it. As you would normally. You will have to spend an hour or so setting end points of all servos, maybe reversing some controls as well, and just setting it up as you find convenient. You will see how versatile it is, as you can set up literally everything. I particularly like the ability to make acceleration a progressive curve. Makes controlling a crawl so much smoother! :-)

[@MrZuzutai]

@@gmcevoy It is great if this transmitter offers more possibilities than the orignal Tqi. Actually it still works well but i bought the RC6GS for the head tracking capabilities so it will take more than an hour to set up everything ;). Thank you for your precious help

[@gmcevoy]

@@MrZuzutai You are most welcome. Feel free to get in touch whenever. You know where to find me. :-)

[@RBAERO]

One is the down things about the Tqi is the short travel of the steering wheel, on crawlers os not a problem but for fast car is very bad for cornering. The radiolink has steering wheel with longer travel?

[@gmcevoy]

You can adjust steering end point with the TQi menu system, but it is complicated and confusing. The Radio Link system makes it much easier to make adjustments, mainly thanks to the screen on the transmitter. And there are many more adjustments that can be made! Like applying throttle progressively, how much brakes you want, and servo reaction speed. This one has 6 channels, and you can configure them all individually, just the way you want it. Also, it has a gyro function which helps to stay on course, with fast cars. Truly, a fantastic piece of kit. Easy to install, and relatively affordable. Let me know if you have other questions. I will be glad to help. :)

[@antoniofajardophotography]

thank you for this useful video!

[@gmcevoy]

Much appreciated! Thank you!

[@gonzodetroitify]

💎 For the 6:12 tip, for the back pocket, most grateful my man👍🏿

[@gmcevoy]

A little trick of the trade, as it were. Glad you appreciate it! Have fun on the trails!

[@WhatAboutRC]

Are the 2 switches 3 way so you can use one for a winch and the other for the default TRX locker setup?

[@gmcevoy]

You actually could do that, yes. Both switches are indeed three way.

[@jeffsrcchannel2191]

Ok, I've ordered a RadioLink RC6GS V2, now how do I rain proof/water proof this? Thanks.

[@gmcevoy]

Hi Jeff. If you proceed to install the receiver in the original receiver's location, you should be good. I have had no issues whatsoever with the way I installed it, and I have forded pretty deep water since then. Check it out around 5:50 into this video. Have fun out there!

[@khairulrizwan8834]

Hye i have a questi0n .. can rc6gs control the high and low gear ?? Like tqi function ?

[@gmcevoy]

Yes, it certainly can. You can choose on which channel you want it, and adjust the servo's end points, so that it shifts perfectly, every time.

[@Mr_Dia-Tribe]

nice transmitter now i want 1 can you set the end points of the 3 servos for high/low range and the diff locks with this transmitter and the steering servo

[@gmcevoy]

You can set end points independently on all 6 channels. And so much more! You can shift smoothly in between gears without it jerking anymore, you can adjust steering speed, accelerator progression, and so many more things that I had no idea existed. For example, it can simulate an ABS system for the brakes! I am truly baffled, although I am still trying to figure out how to set the drag brake... Another cool feature, is the gyroscopic correction. When set up properly, it senses a situation when the car would start a roll, and corrects the steering angle and acts on the brakes, so that it stays on its wheels. It works like a real car's ESP system. It's insane! There is bang for your buck, right there... The link is in the description, towards where I bought it.

[@Mr_Dia-Tribe]

@@gmcevoy that's fantastic what a great upgrade it does way more than i expected and at a good price point thank you Geoff

[@gmcevoy]

@@Mr_Dia-Tribe I was also pleasantly surprised. It makes the car feel so much better, I had no idea it would be so pleasant. And now, you know how to go about installing it, too. :)

[@KTMcaptain]

@@gmcevoy How does this make shifting smoother? Drag brake should be a setting on your esc... back in my nitro days we'd turn on "drag brake" by switching to a 70/30 throttle.... that way it would naturally rest on the brakes. But with electrics that will just go into reverse. Btw, I noticed that you said you have to double tap to reverse... you should try out crawler mode where you have instant reverse... It also gives stronger drag brake on the trax-ass esc if you still are unlucky enough to have it.

[@need4drift]

Awesome. Just bought the V2 :)

[@gmcevoy]

How do you like it, so far?

[@need4drift]

@@gmcevoy Waiting for it in the mail from china.. It's gonna take a wile.. 🙂

[@gmcevoy]

Haha. You never know, sometimes it can come through rather quickly. Let me know how it turns out, when you do get it. Take care! :-)

[@need4drift]

@@gmcevoy Ok brother. I hope i don't forget.. 🙂

[@ShivamSingh-ud5ik]

I have a TRX6 and planning to upgrade the radio after seeing this video I have stock traxxas light kit installed on my TRX6, do you think I can control the light kit with this radio ?

[@gmcevoy]

That depends how many channels you are currently using. Do you know how many there are, on the stock fitment? Take a look at 4:05, and compare my setup with what you have. If it appears to be the same number of channels, then it will work. If you have more on your TRX-6, then you will need a radio system which has more channels available. I hope this helps!

[@ShivamSingh-ud5ik]

@@gmcevoy the TRX6 is same as TRX4

[@ShivamSingh-ud5ik]

I saw that you also have traxxas led kit with power supply on your rig. Are you controlling yours via remote control

[@gmcevoy]

If you are 100% sure that your receiver is the same as the TRX-4, then this 6 channel radio system should be okay for your TRX-6 as well. I don't control the lights remotely, no. If I want them to be on, I have to plug them into a 3 in 1 splitter cable, before putting the body on. I can choose to have main lights, light bar and rock lights on all at once, or in any desired combination. I don't really care about using a channel to turn them on or off with the remote, as you have to plug them in when placing the body anyway. How do you like the TRX-6, so far?

[@ShivamSingh-ud5ik]

@@gmcevoy the TRX6 is amazing.

[@deltazero3796]

Hownyou bind it with default traxxas esc, it keeps blinking on me in green =_=

[@gmcevoy]

I am not certain that I understand what you mean. You just plug the ESC into the receiver, wire up everything else, and follow the binding procedure in the instruction manual. Maybe you have to check that you have plugged the ESC into the right port of the receiver.

[@deltazero3796]

@@gmcevoy followed manual, doesn't work, both are flashing on green

[@syahmihobby8963]

Rc6gs can have the cruise control?

[@gmcevoy]

It is a function that I never used, but I suppose you could program one of the switches to hold the throttle at a certain value. It wouldn't hold your actual speed however, so it would not function the same way as the TQi system. If cruise control is a feature that you absolutely want to keep, I would play it safe, and keep the original TQi system.

[@syahmihobby8963]

@@gmcevoy thanks man for the advise.. actually my tqi remote had a problem.. 😔

[@gmcevoy]

@@syahmihobby8963 You are most welcome. They do wear out I suppose. Have fun out there! :-)

[@gmcevoy]

@@syahmihobby8963 Hi there! Quick update: I have just found out that the RC6GS V2 has the cruise-control feature. Check the review out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6S9hKGDarxsi9U I hope this helps! :-)

[@Lokithefeline]

It's not the transmitter it's the ESC had the same problem with a different transmitter all together

[@gmcevoy]

That is interesting. I didn't change the ESC, as the new radio solved the issue. You might have ran into a different problem, with similar symptoms. Anyhow, the issue is highly annoying. Thank you for your input!

[@edmundjohnson1198]

but didn't change the ESC,lol.

[@djoule5293]

Can you slow down the transfer line, Sir

[@djoule5293]

What number to esc, Sir? thankyou

[@gmcevoy]

@@djoule5293 Hi. Not exactly sure that I fully understand your question. You can adjust many parameters indeed, to slow down steering speed, or apply a progressive curve to the throttle, adjust drag brake etc etc... A great upgrade from the original TQi system. I hope I have answered your question. If not, please reformulate, or just ask in your native language and I will figure it out. :-) Speak soon! Thank you for watching!

[@djoule5293]

@@gmcevoy Oke baiklah. Saya belum memahami cara pemimdahan kabel dari Receiver Traxxas ke receiver Radiolink. Terimakasih

[@djoule5293]

@@gmcevoy Saya lihat video bapak terlalu cepat untuk pemindahan kabelnya😊 Terimakasih Banyak sudah membalas chat saya. Saya harap bapak senang berkenalan dengan saya

[@gmcevoy]

@@djoule5293 Oke, maaf soal itu. Lihat 4:13, dan jeda videonya. Ini adalah pengaturan TRX-4 asli dari pabrik. Buat label untuk setiap kabel, catat fungsinya, lalu lihat petunjuk sistem Radiolink. Yang harus Anda lakukan adalah mencolokkan kabel berlabel ke tempat tujuan, dan Anda harus melakukannya dengan baik. Yang terpenting adalah kabel untuk ESC. Sisanya hanyalah saluran yang terkait dengan tombol di kontrol. Anda dapat memindahkannya sesuai keinginan, agar sesuai dengan gaya pilihan Anda. Saya harap ini membantu! Bersenang-senanglah dengan TRX-4 Anda!

[@tobydyes]

Why would you need a gyro in a crawler

[@gmcevoy]

Hi Toby, good question. You would be right in saying that you don't when crawling. It's a nuisance in that case. However, It does come in useful to avoid rolling over when driving fast, going from one crawling area to another at walking pace, for example. I tuned it in on the variable channel, so the gyro feature can be finely tweaked, or entirely switched off during crawling. Otherwise, I suppose it would greatly help on track cars or short course trucks. Anything which has to negotiate sharp turns at a fast pace. I didn't choose this radio system for this function per-Se, it's just what happened to be available at a competitive price at my favourite model shop. Thanks for sticking around! :-)

[@edmundjohnson1198]

cool

[@gmcevoy]

Definitely worth looking into, indeed. :) Thanks for watching!

[@RCVOODOO]

my servo only lasted 1 day traxxas should be ashamed lol

[@gmcevoy]

I know, right!? Mine too! :) A well known weakness, so it seems.

[@paulbragdon573]

its a piece of crap i am not happy with it at all do not wast your time with this radio

[@gmcevoy]

You are entitled to your opinion, Paul. I don't sell this system, so it matters little to me. Personnaly, I am quite happy with it. It works well, it is highly versatile, and much easier to tune that the original TQi system. Maybe you are having trouble with figuring out how the system works? I will admit that it is kind of a pain to get familiar with. May I ask what you don't like about it? If I can help you set it up properly, I will!

[@paulbragdon573]

@@gmcevoy its not a opinion if it don't work right or do what its suppose to do

[@P_double_H]

@@paulbragdon573 your attitude is terrible. I pray for your family members every day. It would totally suck to be involved in your life.