MN82 Upgrades – what’s good? This is a practical companion to my MN82S review and upgrade video. If you want to make good upgrade decisions around your MN82S without burning money, this is for you.

I’ve had the MNRC MN82S torn apart on the bench for a few days now. I tested it stock, chased a few red herrings, did continuity testing on the light system, swapped electronics, and tried a pile of common upgrades. Some are genuinely worthwhile. Some are not. A few actively make the truck worse.

Below is a step‑by‑step path I’d recommend if you want the MN82S to crawl better, trail more confidently, and look its best.

What the MN82 already does well

This matters, because it explains why some upgrades aren’t worth it.

• The chassis geometry is decent out of the box, despite the chassis being floppy when not braced by the body
• The stock light system is actually quite clever
• Weight distribution is reasonable for a 1/12 trail truck

This isn’t a “fix everything” crawler. Rather, it’s a simpler case of “refine the right things” – this will be rewarding!

Step 1: Drivetrain reliability (do this first if upgrading the motor)

Metal transmission gears – YES (with one exception)

If you do only one upgrade, do this.

The stock plastic gears will survive light use, but once you add weight, bigger tyres, or brushless power, they become a liability. Metal gears quiet the drivetrain slightly, reduce flex, and massively improve longevity.

This is a no‑brainer, and it’s pretty cheap.

The exception: if you’re going to get the recommended power system below, skip this, as it comes with a replacement transmission entirely.

Metal driveshafts – YES

The stock shafts are fine until they aren’t. Once torque goes up, they twist. Metal shafts remove that weak point entirely.

You don’t gain performance here, just reliability. That’s still a win.

Step 2: Wheels and tires

Metal wheels + slightly larger tires – YES

This is where the truck starts to look more like a crawler instead of a toy.

• Looks better
• A little more tire deformation
• Mainly an aesthetic upgrade because the wheels are so light!

This mod helps the MN82S look better on the trail. They’re still toy trucks and you want it looking its best, yeah? I know I do!

Step 3: Axles and suspension

Metal front & rear axles – YES

These add weight down low – very important on the MN82 family. They also improve steering throw by a few degrees.

They are not mandatory for a casual build, but they make sense once you’ve already committed to metal wheels and gears.

Rear aluminium shocks & mounts – MAYBE

The rear of the MN82S benefits noticeably from better damping. The MN82 alu shocks aren’t oil-filled so this is mainly for looks, like the featherweight wheels.

Leave the front largely alone unless you’re chasing a specific handling change.

Step 4: Electronics – where most people go wrong

This is the part I want to be very clear about.

The motor / ESC / receiver combo I recommend

I’m recommending a specific brushless system from AliExpress.

I would much rather link this from Banggood, but they don’t stock it. This article and video are Banggood‑sponsored, but I’m not going to recommend an inferior product just to stay within the BG ecosystem. IMO, the below system is simply the best option for the MN82S.

• What I like about it:
• Sensored‑like low‑speed control
• Sensible KV for crawling (2600kv)
• Compact size that actually fits (I had to grind to fit the Holmes 380)
• Clean integration with the MN light system
• Smooth crawl control without turning the truck into an uncontrollable missile.

If you want minimal fuss and guaranteed compatibility, this is easily the best choice.

Step 5: Aesthetics

I’m a fan of that metal roof rack and the spotties. If you can find some other 1/12-ish sized scale goodness, bolt it on. Weight isn’t your friend on crawlers, but the stock and upgraded springs are quite stiff and they’ll take the weight.

Electronics I would skip

Holmes Hobbies 380‑size 2600KV outrunner – NO

Too big. Doesn’t really fit without some grinding. You need to source your own pinion. And it’s LOUD!

Rhino 40A ESC – NO

On paper it looks fine. In practice it’s the wrong tool for this platform. Too big, too heavy, just unnecessary.

HotRC CT‑10B radio – GREAT, but unnecessary

It’s an excellent radio. I love it. But you probably don’t need it here.

Unless you’re running multiple vehicles or want model memory and tuning, skip this one. With the stock setup (or the brushless kit), the stock radio is perfectly adequate.

If you want to upgrade the radio on a few models, it’s very much worth a look – I love this radio, just not for this model!

A quick note on the light system (important)

The MN82S light system is common‑positive (red is V+). That’s why random light kits often behave strangely or fail.

The stock system (replacement set here) is well thought out, integrates with the receiver, and supports indicators, brake lights, and reverse.

If you blow the lights, replace them with original parts. Don’t over‑engineer this unless you enjoy chasing wiring diagrams at midnight. (Ask me how I know).

MN82 Upgrades – Final thoughts

The MN82S responds well to restraint.

Do the upgrades that add reliability, weight down low, and throttle control. Skip the ones that chase speed or spec‑sheet numbers.

Built this way, the MN82S becomes a genuinely capable little trail crawler that’s enjoyable to drive slowly. And that, at least for me, is the whole point.

Here’s the list:

MN82 RTR (Standard Pickup)
MN82S RTR (Overland Version)
MN82T RTR (Tow Version)

4x Alu Wheels & Tires
Metal trans gears
Metal roofrack
Metal F/R axle set
Alu rear shocks & mounts
Metal drive shafts
HotRC CT-10B Radio
Original lights (if you er, over-volt them during testing)
Original motor/gearbox
MN’s own 45A 2S/3S brushless upgrade
(With metal trans, & you can keep original radio and lights this way)

Follow the list above and you’ll end up with a truck that just works. Enjoy!

A note on affiliate links: we were provided with this car by the manufacturer for review purposes. The Amazon and AsiaTees links in the above article are affiliate links, which means we may be paid a small commission if you choose to click on them to make a purchase. As always, we make effort to ensure that no review is impacted by this – we still report on bugs and issues encountered during product testing, and our fixes or solutions if found. Thank you for reading and happy RC-ing!