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Stock gearing for the Traxxas Bandit XL-5/VXL, with common pinions and their ratios.
| Pinion | Spur ÷ pinion | FDR |
|---|---|---|
| 18T | 4.22 | 11.48 |
| 19T | 4.00 | 10.88 |
| 20T | 3.80 | 10.34 |
| 21T | 3.62 | 9.84 |
| 22T | 3.45 | 9.40 |
| 23T | 3.30 | 8.99 |
| 24T | 3.17 | 8.61 |
| 25T | 3.04 | 8.27 |
| 26T | 2.92 | 7.95 |
| 27T | 2.81 | 7.66 |
| 28T | 2.71 | 7.38 |
| 29T | 2.62 | 7.13 |
| 30T | 2.53 | 6.89 |
| 31T | 2.45 | 6.67 |
| 32T | 2.38 | 6.46 |
Shaded rows are the pinions most 1/10 2WD buggy setups run on the stock spur.
What pinion should I run?
Tell us your motor and track and get a starting pinion for the Traxxas Bandit XL-5/VXL, with the range racers in the class run.
Get a recommendation →Shop pinion gears at AMain →It depends on your motor and the track. In the 1/10 2WD buggy class, racers gear by final drive ratio: 6T and below near 9.40, 7.5–8.5T near 9.22, 17.5T near 6.48. On the Bandit XL-5/VXL's stock 76T spur that is about 22T for 6T and below, 22T for 7.5–8.5T, 32T for 17.5T. Tight tracks gear down, open tracks gear up. For a starting pinion matched to your motor, use the So Dialed Pinion Recommender with the Bandit XL-5/VXL selected.
The Bandit XL-5/VXL has an internal ratio of 2.72:1. Final drive ratio = spur ÷ pinion × 2.72. With the stock 76T spur, a 18T pinion gives an FDR of 11.48 and a 32T gives 6.46.
76 teeth. Changing the spur moves every pinion's ratio at once; most racers leave the spur and tune with the pinion.
Kit shock setup (VXL). Part numbers link to AMain.
Out of the box the Bandit XL-5/VXL runs 30 wt front, 30 wt rear (Traxxas oil), on 2-hole front, 2-hole rear pistons. That is the kit setup; you will need to adjust it for your track conditions. The RC Setup App can help dial it in.
The kit springs are Kit (#2458) front, Black XX-Long (#2457) rear. Stiffer springs suit high grip and big jumps; softer springs add grip on slick or bumpy tracks.
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Your Traxxas Bandit XL-5/VXL is in the RC Setup App
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