Buying guides
Axial Wraith upgrades.
The right mods, in the right order, at verified prices.
The original Axial Wraith still earns its garage space: a tube cage, AR60 axles, 2.2 tires, and enough speed to be a rock racer one minute and a crawler the next. The best axial wraith upgrades respect that split personality. Tighten and weight the front end first, make the links and transmission survive real power, then decide whether your truck is headed toward slow technical crawling or faster, flatter cornering. Every product below is a real card from our live catalog, shown with its exact catalog name, price, retailer, and link.
Stage 1: steering and front-axle weight
Most Wraiths feel vague before they feel slow. Slop in the AR60 steering lets big 2.2 tires wander, while the light front end unloads on climbs. Fix the steering path and put the first weight at the knuckles, not on the cage.
Axial AX31428 AR60 Steering Upgrade Kit (Aluminum) — $22.99
The first wrenching job: an aluminum steering upgrade for AR60 axles that replaces flex-prone stock pieces and gives the servo a cleaner path to the tires.
FLYXM Brass Steering Knuckle Weights for 1/10 Axial Wraith (2pcs) — $23.26
About 200g per pair at the front knuckles, with bearings in the newer design. This is the cheapest meaningful center-of-gravity fix on the truck.
Vanquish Wraith Stage 1 Kit (Orange, VPS06514) — $87.99
The bundled route: Vanquish's Stage 1 upgrade kit for owners who would rather replace the front-end hardware as a matched set than chase individual pieces.
After any steering work, re-center the servo, set endpoints, and check for binding at full lock before blaming a servo for weak steering.
Stage 2: links and a transmission that can take power
Once the tires bite and the front end weighs something, the next failures move inward: link flex, tired rod ends, and plastic transmission gears. Stainless links keep the axle located; steel gears make the drivetrain boring in the best way.
Incision Wraith 1/4in Stainless Steel Link Set (10) — $60.99
A ten-piece stainless link set from Incision, Vanquish's value line. Less flex than stock links and a better foundation for heavier axles and stronger power.
Axial AX30708 Locked Transmission Complete Metal Gear Set (Steel) — $51.99
CNC-machined hardened steel gears that replace the stock plastic set. Buy this before a hotter motor, not after the transmission has already stripped.
SSD RC 2-Speed Wraith Transmission Kit — $99.99
The advanced alternative: a two-speed conversion that gives the Wraith a true low range for rocks and a taller gear for the trail back. It is a project, not a bolt-on evening.
Stage 3: shocks, roll control, and beadlocks
The Wraith's long-travel brief cuts both ways. Good shocks keep 2.2 tires working over broken ground; a sway bar is a tuning tool for speed, not a universal crawler upgrade. Beadlocks finish the stage by clamping the tire instead of relying on glue.
Hot Racing 110mm Aluminum Double-Spring Pro Shocks (2) — SCX10 II / Wraith / Bomber — $26.88
CNC 6061-T6 aluminum shocks with double springs, 3.5mm shafts, and threaded preload. Sold as a pair, so budget for two pairs to do the whole truck.
Integy Anti-Roll Sway Bar Kit for Axial Wraith 2.2 (Silver, C31384SILVER) — $20.99
The budget roll-control test. Useful for a Spawn-style build that corners at speed; easy to remove if your local rocks reward maximum articulation instead.
Axial 2.2 VWS Beadlock Wheels (2) for Wraith (AX08061) — $40.99
Axial's own 2.2 beadlock wheels, sold as a pair. The factory-correct way to keep a soft 2.2 tire seated when the truck leans on a sidewall.
Stage 4: metal axles, when the stock housings are done
Complete axles are the glamour purchase, which is exactly why they come last. On a healthy truck, stages one through three return more per dollar. When housings are cracked, worn, or simply not up to a stronger build, these are the two catalog routes.
MEUS Racing Complete Metal Front & Rear Axle Set for 1/10 Axial Wraith — $129.99
A full metal front and rear axle set for the Wraith/RR10 platform. The catalog card also lists a front-only option at $79.99 if the rear housing is still healthy.
SSD Diamond Centered Rear Axle for Axial Wraith (Grey, SSD00037) — $149.59
The premium rear-only route: a CNC aluminum centered rear axle with steel shafts for a crawler-leaning build that does not need a full axle pair.
Wraith parts live across our axles and drivetrain, shocks, and brass and weights pages.
Sample build and lowest-cost route
The core build — $161.00 total
AX31428 steering kit ($22.99) + FLYXM knuckle weights ($23.26) + Incision link set ($60.99) + two pairs of Hot Racing 110mm shocks (2 × $26.88 = $53.76). Steering, weight, geometry, and damping — the four systems a Wraith actually feels.
Lowest-cost start — $46.25 total
Buy only the AX31428 steering kit ($22.99) and FLYXM knuckle weights ($23.26), keep the stock links and shocks, and drive it. If the truck still rolls too much at speed, add the $20.99 Integy sway bar next; if it strips gears, the steel gear set jumps the queue.
Axial Wraith upgrade FAQ
What is the first Axial Wraith upgrade I should buy?
Steering and front-axle weight. The aluminum AR60 steering upgrade ($22.99) tightens the front end, and the FLYXM brass knuckle weights ($23.26) add about 200g low and out at the wheels. Together they make a used or stock Wraith track straighter, resist roll, and steer with more authority before you spend real money on axles or a transmission.
Do Wraith 1.9 parts fit the original Wraith 2.2?
Not as a rule. The Wraith 1.9 is a different, smaller trail truck; the original Wraith and Wraith Spawn use 2.2 wheels and AR60 axles. Links, axle housings, wheels, and many cage and body parts are platform-specific. This guide focuses on the 2.2/AR60 trucks, and every pick below is cataloged for that fitment or the shared AR60 axle family.
Is a sway bar worth it on a Wraith?
If you drive it like a Spawn or rock racer, yes; if you only crawl slowly, it is optional. A sway bar limits body roll at speed and makes the truck feel planted in turns, but too much bar can keep a tire from dropping into a hole at crawl speed. Start with the Integy kit ($20.99), drive it back to back, and keep it only if your terrain rewards it.
Should I buy metal transmission gears or the SSD 2-speed first?
Metal gears first if you are keeping the stock transmission layout: the Axial steel gear set ($51.99) removes a known plastic weak point. The SSD 2-speed ($99.99) is a capability conversion — low range for crawling and a taller gear for trails — so buy it when you want the driving change, not just durability, and budget time for the install and radio setup.
Are complete metal axles worth it on a Wraith?
Only after the front end, links, and transmission are sorted, or when the stock housings are already worn. The MEUS front and rear set ($129.99) is the value route to full metal axles. If only the rear housing is the problem, SSD's centered rear axle ($149.59) is the premium single-axle fix. Neither is a first purchase on a healthy truck.
A quick note on links
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, the retailer may pay us a commission at no extra cost to you — it keeps the lights on and the deal verification going. Prices were verified from our live catalog on Oct 22, 2026; the live deal pages always show the current verified total. RC Crawlers Seek currently tracks 3,545 hand-verified deals.