HPI Savage XS SS Build – Part 11 – Wheels, Tires and Body

The Build – Part 11
The final step in the HPI Savage XS SS build is the body, wheels and tires. HPI includes all three but you’ll need to glue the tires to the wheels and paint and mount the body.

Build Notes:
Gluing up the tires is a simple but sometimes messy step. I always recommend people picking up a set of the CompetitionX Gloo Toobs. These little glue tips allow you to precisely apply glue where you want it as well as actually SAVING the amount of glue you use.

If you’re a hero painter like me (NOT!), you can probably whip up something cool on the clear XS body. If not, there are plenty of painters on the web that can do a killer job for you.

You may notice that the end of this build there is nothing showing me mount the body on the truck. Well, that’s because the original XS body seems to have gone missing in the mail and a spare is on it’s way. To complete this build, I just left it out. Check out the review of HPI’s Savage XS SS for the paint that made the final cut.

The first step in the final step is to assemble and glue up the XS tires. Stuff the insert into the tire followed by the wheel. Make sure the bead of the tires is seated correctly in the wheel groove before gluing. Let each side dry for about 20 minutes before flipping over and gluing the opposite side.

Feed the body mounts into the top of the shock towers and lock in place with the body clips. The body height is adjustable but I installed them according to the instructions (2nd hole from the top).

Slide the wheel pin through the hole in the axle and capture it with the wheel hex adapter. Do this on all four corners of the XS.

Slide the freshly glued wheel and tire combo into place and secure with the locknut. Don’t forget to install the washer BEFORE the locknut. This washer helps distribute the pressure evenly so it won’t fatigue the center of the wheel.

Take your 2S (or 3S) battery and slide it into the battery compartment.Make sure the battery leads are towards the front.

The final step is to close the door to the battery compartment and lock it in place with the ‘flip’ locks. Make sure the battery leads feed out through the openings in the battery door.

And that’s it! You should know have a fully functional, rip-roaring HPI Savage XS SS! Word of caution: this truck is addicting! It is SO fast with a 3S that you may never want to lift!

I hope this build has helped you build yours. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions if you have them! Good luck.

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