Duratrax Thunder Quake User Manual

Warranty

• DuraTrax™will warranty this kit for 90 days after the purchase date from defects in materials or

workmanship. DuraTrax

will either repair or replace, at no charge, the incorrectly made part.

• Make sure you save the receipt or invoice you were given when you bought your model! It is your proof of purchase
and we must see it before we can honor the warranty.

• To return your Thunder Quake for repairs covered under warranty you should send your tr uck to:

Hobby Services

1610 Interstate Drive

Champaign, Illinois 61822

Attn: Service Department

Phone: [phone]:00 am - 5:00 pm Central Time M-F

E-mail:

[e-mail]

Before Building:

We want the building and operating of this vehicle to be a success, so BEFORE removing any parts from the parts bags
please read this manual thoroughly and watch the included video to familiarize yourself with the model. If for any reason
you think this model is not for you, return it to your dealer immediately.PLEASE NOTE:Your hobby dealer cannot accept
a return on any model after assembly has begun.

© Copyright 2001 DTXZ1093 For Kit DTXD74**

ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION MANUAL

TM

®

Patent Pending

TM

Introduction.......................................................................2

Safety Precautions...........................................................2

Helpful Hints.....................................................................2

Stress-Tech™Parts Guarantee ........................................2

Repair Service ..................................................................3

Specification & Description Changes............................3

Screw Information............................................................3

Required Items for Completion.......................................3

T ools Y ou Will Need..........................................................3

Thunder Quake Final Assembly .....................................4

Antenna Installation.........................................................4

Air Filter Installation ........................................................4

Radio Setup ......................................................................5

Body ..................................................................................6

Forward / Reverse Operation..........................................6

Carburetor Settings..........................................................6

Breaking in the Engine....................................................7

Running the Engine .........................................................7

Engine Maintenance.........................................................8

Performance Tuning.........................................................9

Maintenance Tips............................................................10

Engine T rouble Shooting ...............................................11

Thank you for purchasing the DuraTrax Thunder Quake.
This manual contains the instructions you need to build,
operate and maintain your new nitro R/C monster truck.
Read over this manual thoroughly before building or
operating the Thunder Quake.

When the safety precautions are followed, the Thunder
Quake will provide years of enjoyment. Use care and good
sense at all times when operating this radio controlled
monster truck. Failure to use this vehicle in a safe, sensible
manner can result in injury or damage to proper ty. You and
you alone must insure that the instructions are carefully
followed and all safety precautions are obeyed.

• Do not operate the Thunder Quake near people.
Spectators should be behind the driver or at a safe
distance away from the vehicle.

• The engine and exhaust produces quite a bit of noise. If
you are disturbed by the amount of noise this truck
produces, wear ear protection such as earplugs. Do not
run this vehicle when or where it can disturb others.

• The engine and exhaust can become very hot. Avoid
touching any of these parts during use and until they
have cooled down.

• Model engine fuel is poisonous.Make sure you read and
follow all of the precautions on the fuel container. Keep
fuel out of the reach of children.

• Model engine fuel is flammable and when ignited has a
flame that is difficult to see. Avoid sparks, flames,
smoking, or any other ignition source when fuel is near.

• The engine emits carbon dioxide just like real cars. Do
not operate this model indoors.

• Before turning on the transmitter, make sure that no one
else is on your frequency.

• A void w orking ov er a deep pile carpet.If y ou drop a small
part or screw, it will be difficult to find.

• Place a mat or towel o ver your w ork surface.This will prevent
parts from rolling off and will protect the work surface.

• Avoid running the tr uck in cold weather. The plastic and
metal parts can become brittle at low temperatures. In
addition, grease and oil become thick, causing premature
wear and poor performance.

• Test fit all parts before attaching them permanently.

We have engineered the Thunder Quake to take the rough
and tumble abuse that makes R/C monster trucks fun.We
are so confident of the quality and durability of the Stress­Tech™plastic parts that we will replace any Stress-Tech
plastic part you break during the first year you own the truck.
Just send in the part to us and we will send you a Free
replacement. Please see the Thunder Quake parts list for
the items covered under the Stress-Tech guarantee.

To receive your free replacement part please send the
following to the Hobby Ser vices address listed on the cover
of this manual:

• The broken part must be included.

• The part number and description of the broken part.

• Dated copy of your invoice or purchase receipt.

• Your name, phone number and shipping address.

STRESS-TECH™PARTS GUARANTEE

HELPFUL HINTS

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

Repair service is available anytime.

• After the 90 day w arranty, you can still hav e your Thunder
Quake repaired for a small charge by the experts at
DuraTrax’s authorized repair facility, Hobby Ser vices, at
the address listed on the front page of this manual.

To speed up the repair process, please follow the
instructions listed below.

1. Under most circumstances return the ENTIRE system: truck

and radio.The exception would be sending in a Stress-Tech
part. See the instructions under Stress-Tech Guarantee.

2. Make sure the transmitter is turned off, all batteries are

removed and fuel is drained from the tank.

3. Send written instructions which include: a list of all items

returned, a THOROUGH explanation of the problem, the
service needed and your phone number during the day. If
you expect the repair to be covered under warranty, be
sure to include a proof of date of purchase (your store
receipt or purchase invoice).

4. Also be sure to include your full return address.

All pictures, descriptions and specifications found in this
instruction manual are subject to change without notice.
DuraTrax maintains no responsibility for inadvertent errors
in this manual.

Do not use too much force when tightening self-tapping
screws into plastic. Overtightening will cause the threads in
the plastic to strip. We recommend that you stop turning a
self-tapping screw when you feel some resistance as the
head of the screw comes in contact with the plastic. Avoid
using powered screwdrivers when assembling this kit. They
tend to overtighten the screws. Do not use thread locking
compound on any self-tapping screws. The thread locking
compound may damage the plastic. IMPORTANT: Use
thread lock on any fastener that is threaded into metal or
fastened with a nut.Vibration from the engine will cause the
screws to loosen if thread locking compound is not used.

To operate the Thunder Quake these items are required:

• Fuel (DuraTrax Red Alert fuel - DTXP0520)

• Air Filter Oil (DTXC2465)

• It is also helpful to have a couple of extra glow plugs

on hand (Duratrax Silver Sport - DTXG3001)

(All of these items are available in a Nitro Starter Pack
from DuraTrax - DTXP0200).

• Phillips head screwdriver (DTXR0122)

• Needle-nose pliers (DTXR0300)

• Wire cutters or diagonal cutters (DTXR0302)

TOOLS Y OU WILL NEED

REQUIRED ITEMS FOR COMPLETION

SCREW INFORMATION

SPECIFICATION & DESCRIPTION CHANGES

REPAIR SERVICE

3

M3x14

M3x14 Screw

3mm

14mm

Self-Tapping

Screw

3mm

14mm

❏ 1. Remove the Thunder Quake, transmitter and parts

from the box.

❏2.Remov e the twist-tie from the receiv er antenna wire.The

receiver antenna wire is a bundled thin wire that is attached
to the receiver. Run the length of the antenna wire through
your fingers to help straighten the wire out, this will make it
easier to get the wire through the tube. Remove the antenna
tube from the decal bag. Slide the antenna wire through the
antenna tube. Do not coil or cut the antenna. Cut two
pieces of fuel tubing 1/8" wide and slide them over the outside
of the antenna tube and wire.This is to help hold the antenna
tube on and avoid getting the antenna wire cut in a roll over.
Note the placement of the tubing on the antenna tube.

❏ 3. Remove the air filter parts from the parts pack.

Remove the flat head self-tapping screw from the top of the

air filter and remove the plastic top. Remove the air filter
element and thoroughly soak it in air filter oil, light machine
oil, or (in a pinch) shock oil. Reinstall the air filter element,
plastic top and flat head self-tapping screw.

❏4.Press the “L”shaped boot onto the bottom housing of the

air filter. Using one of the included tie-straps, tightly secure
the boot onto the bottom housing. Cut off the excess portion
of the tie-strap.

❏ 5. Place the air filter onto the carburetor. Using the

remaining included tie-strap, tightly secure the air filter to
the carburetor. Cut the excess portion of the tie-strap off to
avoid interference.

AIR FILTER INSTALLATION

ANTENNA INSTALLATION

4

THUNDER QUAKE FINAL ASSEMBLY