Those of us high performance folks quickly found the weaknesses in this system. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the Traxxas design, it clearly does as it's intended to do.

Many aftermarket manufacturers addressed some of these problems by replicating the stock plastic system in stronger materials, these were heavy and still didn't address some of the underlying weaknesses.

Here at Unlimited Engineering we simply don't replicate plastic in metal. We always seek out to improve the design's function along with weight and strength. Many of you have noticed that we don't have a bulkhead. There's a reason for this.

I set out 2+ years ago to replace the system that connects the suspension to the chassis and holds the gears with something new. Something not only stronger, but with that actually was advantageous to the handling of the truck and light as possible.

Today we have finally succeeded and not without many hurdles along the way.

Goals:

• Improve handling
• House the differentials
• Strength
• Lightweight
• A better bumper design
• Get rid of the weak 3mm screws holding the skid which have always cause grief.
• Better support for the arms
• Attractive looking
• Easier access to the differential gears

All these have not only been met, but we exceeded even our own expectations.

Results:

• Radical geometry changes have allowed VBS equipped trucks handle far superior than previous trucks have. When combined with the radical RacerX suspension it's an unbeatable combination.
• Holds the ever popular 7.5 differentials and Stock Traxxas gears as well.
• Four Times stronger than the strongest competitor on the market today
• 50 grams lighter than the lightest competitor on the market today
• Spring bumper design reinforces the skid plate and works so well we can run Aluminum skids again
• 4mm Screws hold the VBS to the skid plates - no more stripped out hexes or sheared screws
• Lower arms are supported at four points (verses the 3 that every other Maxx bulkhead has.) Since testing of this style began 2 years ago with our first prototype we have not bent one lower hingepin or lower arm.
• Not a head doesn't turn when these beauties are around.
• Pop the skid plate off the VBS separates and you have instant access to the differential. You no longer need to disturb your suspension or detach it from the truck (T-Maxxes, you don't need to remove the engine to access the gears anymore.

There will be two versions of this.

The first one incorporates the bulkheads, the shock towers and the differential housings into a single lightweight strong unit. However incorporating the towers into this takes a tremendous amount of material and also machining time. So I made a derivation of the VBS that uses a conventional shock tower. You get all the advantages of the VBS except the tower and a significantly lower price. Shown above is a prototype of the front one.

The Victory Bulkless System is sure to bring home the prize. In recent races VBS equipped trucks have always lapped the competition.

Currently we are equipping the VBS with aluminum skids. These are far lighter in weight and less expensive than their Titanium counterparts. The biggest reason for Titanium in the past was that it had to behave like a spring in the front of the truck and the aluminum skids wouldn't hold up. With the VBS's spring bumper design this is no longer the case. True the Aluminum won't resist wear as well as the Ti will, but it's low cost & weight offsets this disadvantage. We will offer a Titanium skid as well, though I'll be running aluminum on my race trucks.

FAQ:

Q: Will the VBS attach to my Maxx? Will it work on the 2.5 Maxx?

A: Yes, the VBS is designed to work with any Maxx derivative that conforms to the Traxxas standards of mounting points.

Q: Do I have to run them both front and rear?

A: No, you may use only one, as long as you use the same gear type front and rear you'll be fine.

Q: What happens if I break one, pretty expensive to replace?

A: In the unlikely event that you do manage to damage one, yes, it's true it would be expensive to replace, though with the UE insurance policy this should take the sting out of it.

Q: I already have aftermarket skidplates, can I use them?

A: The answer to this is No, and Yes. No, they are not a direct fit. Yes, you can modify most aftermarket skidplates to work with the VBS if you have the ability to modify them. We will provide a hold template. I have personally done so during the prototype phase of this project using one of the popular aftermarket Titanium skids.

Q: Can stock like suspensions with rear turnbuckles be used?

A: Yes, there's a T-Bar that attaches to the rear bulkless for this purpose. Those running the RacerX which doesn't use a rear turnbuckle will leave this off - as shown in the pics.

Q: What will be included in the kits?

A: I will offer the VBS in a variety of ways, towered & towerless, from just one unit (front or rear) up to full blown kits with gears, setup kits, skid plates and bumpers. With the new site w/ shopping cart coming on-line very soon this will be a lot easier. One or three full kits and otherwise piece together what you want.