RC Parts That Break First — And Where to Buy Them Cheapest
Nobody talks about the parts tax when they sell you on the RC hobby. The truck is the headline — but tires, shocks, motor, ESC, and driveshaft components will cost you real money over time. The good news: you can reduce that cost significantly if you know where to shop and when to buy.
This is what breaks first, why it breaks, and where to buy cheapest across AMain Hobbies and Horizon Hobby.
What Breaks First (And Why)
1. Tires
Tires are the most consumed part in the hobby. If you bash on pavement, concrete, or rough surfaces, you will go through tires fast. Foam inserts also compress and die over time. Budget for a fresh set every few months if you drive regularly.
2. Shock Shafts and Bodies
Shock shafts bend on hard impacts. Once bent, the shock doesn’t extend smoothly and your suspension handling suffers immediately. They’re cheap to replace but you’ll do it often enough that the price adds up.
3. Spur Gear and Pinion Gear
The spur gear is the large plastic gear that meshes with your metal pinion gear. Heat, incorrect mesh, and aggressive driving all destroy it. If your truck is grinding or losing power, check this first — it’s usually the culprit.
4. Servo
Servos strip their internal gears on hard crashes or when the steering is forced at full lock. A stripped servo means no steering. Most stock servos are adequate but not rugged — an upgraded metal gear servo is worth the investment if you bash hard.
5. Motor and ESC (Brushed Trucks)
If you have a brushed motor truck, expect the motor to burn out eventually — especially if you run it hot. The ESC can go too. This is why many hobbyists upgrade to brushless early: brushless motors last years with minimal maintenance. (I learned this the hard way on my Arrma Gorgon.)
6. A-Arms and Suspension Links
The lower A-arms (front suspension arms) take the impact on every hard crash. They’re designed to break rather than transfer force to something more expensive — which is actually by design. Keep a spare set in the parts bin.
Where to Buy Replacement Parts
Two retailers cover almost everything you’ll need:
AMain Hobbies
The largest online RC retailer in the US. Carries parts for Traxxas, Arrma, Losi, Axial, Team Associated, and more. Stock is generally good and they ship fast. Prices vary — they run sales and promotions regularly, so there’s often a gap between their regular and sale price.
Horizon Hobby
The official US distributor for Arrma, Losi, and Axial. If you run any of those brands, Horizon is your primary source and usually has the best stock of brand-specific OEM parts. They also handle warranty claims directly — which matters when something fails early.
RC Superstore
Good for Traxxas parts specifically. Prices are competitive and they carry a solid selection. Less breadth than AMain for other brands.
The price gap is real. The same shock set can vary $5–15 across retailers on any given week. For consumables you replace often, that adds up. Buying at the wrong time costs money.
How to Stop Overpaying for Parts
Parts prices move. Sales happen without warning. The only way to catch them is to be watching — which nobody realistically does manually across multiple retailers.
That’s exactly why we built the parts tracking feature on RCStash. With a Premium subscription, you can Stash your truck and we’ll automatically track all compatible parts — motors, ESCs, shocks, servo, A-arms, gears — across AMain and Horizon Hobby. When a price drops, you get an email alert.
Instead of remembering to check, you just get notified when it’s time to buy.
For trucks like the Traxxas Slash, Arrma Granite, and Arrma Kraton, we’re already tracking ~20 parts per vehicle daily. The parts tax is real — but you don’t have to pay full price for it.