What Is Traxxas’ Stability Management?

If you have owned a Traxxas RC car, then you know that they have built in stability management systems. Many people wonder what this means, and if it is a good thing or not. Traxxas is a very popular RC car brand, and if they have this on their RC car then it must be good right? Well that is exactly what we will go over in this article. 

The Traxxas stability management system is known as TSM. Having this on your Traxxas RC car will make you have better control and be able to have more fun without intruding on your driving skills. Basically it works to make your RC more controllable on different types of surfaces without you having to change how you drive.

If you are looking for a Traxxas RC car with stability management, you can find them by clicking here. 

The Traxxas Stability Management (TSM) also lets you use all the power and speed of your Traxxas model by making it controllable on slippery surfaces such as on smooth concrete, ice, snow, and on the loose dirt. If you are punching it to get it off the line, the TSM senses the direction to which the vehicle is moving, making the steering correction to provide acceleration without fishtailing, spinning out, and losing control.

Traxxas Stability Management also operates while turning corners and making corrections to the steering to maintain on your line. When your RC car has this, it will let you hammer the throttle earlier while turning and have a much faster exit speed. Braking is also drastically surpassed as TSM works to maintain your speed until you are finished with your race. 

Traxxas TSM stocks electronic stability without interfering with your driving fun or initiating unexpected side effects that could be found on other systems like drastically reduced turning radius. Overall , you will not have a disconnected driving feel, throttle restriction, and braking assistance that times out. 

The Traxxas technicians advanced the tuning algorithms that run at high speed to produce a system that works invisibly in the background without limiting your throttle. For a different surface, the TSM can be fine-tuned by adjusting the multi-function knob on the TQi transmitter or changing the slider in the Traxxas link application. 

The result of having the TSM system on your Traxxas RC car is that you are able to drive fast, with ease, and have more fun. If you want to test your driving skill and see just exactly how good of a driver you are, all you need to do is turn off the TSM. If you turn this off, you will quickly realize how much it was helping you drive. 

Are Traxxas cars with TSM ready to race in the box

One of the best things about Traxxas cars is the fact that when you take them out of the box, there is nothing that needs done or any additional setup or configuration needed for TSM. The TSM of the RC car goes to work as long as the vehicle is turned on. The only time you can turn off the TSM is while you are adjusting the steering trim from the TQI transmitter.

What wears on the RC cars the fastest?

The Traxxas mission is to build its vehicles strong to withstand anything breaking and wear. If you like to pull the throttle trigger hard and often, the one thing that you can expect to replace first is the tires. Normally, with TSM, it’s ok to hold full throttle for extended lengths of time, specifically when the vehicle has to be configured with brushless power and 3S LiPo batteries.

Drivers will tend to back off the throttle to keep control, which decreases tire wear. However, TSM opens the door for full-throttle acceleration on practically any surface. 

If you wish to lay down the rubber, the tires don’t stand a chance. If you are driving in particular asphalt and concrete, you may want to get a new replacement tire package from Traxxas to carry around. 

Benefits of TSM

• TSM works to stabilize vehicles over rough surfaces as the gyro effect of spinning front tires continues to “steer” when the car is in the air.
  
• TSM permits faster cornering speeds as well.
  
• TSM doesn’t restrict fun.
  
• TSM allows the driver to accelerate harder while exiting a turn.
  
• TSM works in the background.
  
• TSM makes Traxxas vehicles more comfortable to drive, particularly on the loose surfaces.
  
• TSM permits the driver to accelerate harder and drive faster with much greater control making driving more fun.
  
• TSM drastically improves braking performance, preventing the vehicle from spinning out.
  
• The driver maintains their strong feel with the car.
  
• The amount of TSM assistance is entirely changeable. 
  
• TSM can be turned off or changed from the TQI transmitter.
  
• TSM is fully compatible with Traxxas Link.
  
• TSM does not require any complicated setup or instructions.
  

How it works

TSM lives in the receiver of the model. The TQI TSM receiver has a recent part number 6533. TSM operates with the TQI transmitters installed with a multi-function knob.

The multi-function knob changes the amount of assistance provided by the TSM. More support tightens the control, virtually eliminating fishtailing and sliding. Less assistance allows the vehicle to be looser for controlled power slides and steering with the throttle. 

TSM does not restrict throttle input though. The driver is in charge of control of the power.

The TSM can be turned off by simply turning the multi-function knob counterclockwise until it is moved to the stop position. The TSM can also be changed in the link application.

The control icon is in the garage in the Traxxas link and also the drive effects screen. Each model has a specific software load, custom tuned to each model. Traxxas Link recalls TSM setting when the driver uses the same transmitter and switches between numerous models equipped with TSM.  

Installation of TSM on the Traxxas model

When installing TSM into the Traxxas model, it needs a Traxxas TQi radio system with the multi-function knob. Connectivity to the Traxxas link is necessary to update the receiver firmware with a TSM profile for some particular models.

Depending on the radio system, it’s essential to buy the TQi Traxxas link wireless module to connect a smartphone via Bluetooth. For the TQi radio system, you may want to consider powering up to the TQi radio system to have the complete feature set.

TSM will keep your ride straight when you are taking off from a stop

Stability control in RC is a topic that has been actively debated, and it shall continue to be discussed for a long time in the future. Some people love it while other people hate it! It really is something that you either love to have on your RC car and you use all the time, or you do not want it as you think of it as something cheaters use. 

Club racers will scoff at it, and Bobby Purists may not embrace the idea of a self-correcting stability system. Those that are running hard and for fun though, getting a little bit of boost while your machine is getting out of control will always welcome the help.

Using a new receiver combined with a TQi transmitter that features a multi-function knob, the stability control unit can offer more help or less depending on the amount that is dialed into the wire. Not only does this assist with the vehicle tracking straight, but it will also let the driver run their machine harder, brake harder, and push the limit as far as they can.