ARRMA Quake GROM 4X4 review

What earns the 8.1.

Research-led buying scores for documented equipment and ownership fit. The overall score is the arithmetic mean of five equal categories; it is not a physical driving test or Amazon customer rating.

Scored for: A beginner choosing a small outdoor monster truck and an included 2S power package.

A small monster truck with a defined job

The Quake GROM makes a useful case for the driver who wants an assembled little truck for dirt, gravel and a clear patch of hard ground. Its appeal is not that it is a shrunk-down substitute for every larger ARRMA. It combines a compact footprint, four-wheel drive and a supplied battery ecosystem into a package with fewer first-purchase decisions. That is worthwhile if your intended driving area suits the size.

This review covers the green ARA2137T2, with the MEGA 380 brushed motor and included 2S pack. It is a different vehicle from the larger Quake 223S 2WD, and it should not inherit that truck’s brushless specifications or speed discussion. The GROM measures 275mm long and 215mm wide. Those are more useful planning numbers than the monster-truck name when checking transport, storage and the route you intend to use.

RC Team’s 28 July 2026 article discusses the Quake GROM’s compact format and supplied equipment. It is retailer-authored coverage, not an independent failure-rate study, and we do not adopt its durability or driving impressions as our own. Our recommendation comes from the exact manufacturer configuration, the operating manual and the purchase requirements. The question is whether this documented small-truck package matches your use.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Retailer-authored outside coverage; impressions are not our testing ↗

The box supplies a battery and charger, but check the wall input

ARRMA lists the assembled truck, 380 motor, SLT2 transmitter, combined 25A ESC/receiver and SX110 servo. The included drive pack is a Spektrum 1400mAh 2S 30C hardcase LiPo with IC2 connector, and the charger is the S10 Smart G2 USB-C model. Four AA transmitter batteries and a hex wrench are also supplied. You are buying a complete bodied vehicle, not a roller that still needs a radio installation.

There is an important inconsistency in the completion information. The page’s “needed to complete” text says nothing else is required, but its official A93 image explicitly marks a USB power supply as not included and specifies QC 2.0/3.0 at 18W or higher. Treat the image as a real shopping requirement and check the actual package before purchase. A USB-C charging cable and a USB wall supply are different items.

The supplied S10 is part of the appeal because it gives this pack a documented charging partner. It is not permission to connect any battery with a superficially similar plug. Keep the S10 and battery instructions with the vehicle manual. The startup budget below includes a referenced USB supply and a separate battery-care allowance so the first drive is not delayed by an overlooked power input.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

A 380 brushed motor and enclosed four-wheel drive

The manual identifies the motor as ARRMA’s MEGA 380 28T brushed unit, ARA390305. It drives through enclosed metal gearing to all four wheels. A brushed motor is a distinct choice here: it keeps the stock package focused on the supplied 2S equipment rather than an adjustable high-voltage brushless installation. ARRMA’s material places the truck around the 20mph category, but that is a manufacturer statement, not a speed we have measured.

Oil-filled differentials are already included according to the current feature list. A differential lets the wheels on an axle turn at different rates during a corner; the fluid influences its behavior. That gives the Quake a more developed drivetrain specification than a bare promise of “4WD.” It does not make the axles locked crawler units or prove how much grip the stock truck will generate on your particular surface.

The published gearing is a 13T pinion and 61T spur at module 0.5. Those figures identify the stock gear pair, not the complete final drive ratio or a reliable speed calculation. The current ESC page in the vehicle manual specifies 2S LiPo input. A larger GROM-family name or a battery that physically enters the tray does not extend that limit. I would choose a different complete vehicle rather than buy this one around an assumed 3S conversion.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Use the limiter without confusing it with steering assistance

The SLT2 gives the driver a 50/75/100% throttle limiter. Reducing the available throttle can make the first controls practice more manageable, but the switch does not establish a safe speed for a room or an area shared with people. It changes the throttle command range; it is not a speedometer, obstacle detector or automatic braking system. Select the operating area with the same care as the setting.

Steering trim and steering dual rate have separate roles. Trim centers the straight-ahead command, while dual rate changes the amount of steering travel available. The Quake’s manual illustrates both. Do not copy the DSC settings from a Vorteks review onto this truck: this stock SPMXSE2625RX package is identified as a combined SLT controller and receiver, without a claimed DSC steering-control system in its equipment list.

For initial operation, follow the Quake manual’s startup and function-check sequence using the included radio. In particular, its ESC automatically establishes throttle neutral when switched on, so the instructions say not to move the trigger during startup. Unexplained motion or incorrect steering direction is a reason to stop and resolve the documented setup. It is not a cue to continue driving while changing several radio settings at once.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗

The tall stance is part of the choice

The supplied SX110 is a metal-geared steering servo. That is useful equipment at this price, but metal gears do not make the entire steering linkage immune to impact or binding. Inspect the actual mechanism if steering changes after a hit. The 215mm overall width and monster-truck stance describe a vehicle designed around a different balance from a low little buggy, even before considering spring or tire changes.

Independent suspension and oil-filled coil-over shocks are standard. The springs support the truck while damping controls suspension movement. Ride-height adjustment can help establish an appropriate stock stance, but winding in preload is not a universal answer to a car rolling over or dragging through unsuitable terrain. The underlying chassis size, tire envelope and center-of-gravity arrangement still define what you are starting with.

For a first owner, I would keep the supplied setup intact long enough to understand it on a repeatable clear route. The Quake offers enough controls to identify whether a problem is excessive steering travel, an incorrect neutral or a physical restriction without immediately buying more parts. That is an ownership judgment about learning from the stock package, not a claim that we have optimized its handling.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Match the obstacles to a 275mm-long truck

The dBoots Chevron tires and four-wheel-drive layout make dirt and gravel sensible starting surfaces within the manufacturer’s stated use. A clear hard surface can also make controls practice easier to observe. “All terrain” should still be read in the context of a 1/16 vehicle: a stone, grass clump or gap that a much larger truck ignores can dominate this truck’s path. Look closely at the actual route rather than judge it from across the yard.

The short 174mm wheelbase and tall body give the Quake a particular compact monster-truck identity. They do not establish a maximum climb, a turning circle or a landing height. The official airborne photograph is manufacturer promotional photography, not evidence of a jump we performed or a repeatable crash test. The buying case is stronger when you want varied modest terrain than when a ramp specification is your main requirement.

The page describes water-resistant or waterproof individual components, with qualifications referred to the instructions. That does not turn the vehicle into a maintenance-free wet-running package. For this recommendation I would start with dry use and the manual’s inspection routine. If the intended outing centers on water, review every applicable vehicle, battery and radio limitation before purchase rather than treat the servo’s wording as approval for the whole truck.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Clipless access helps the routine you will repeat most

The body uses a press-and-release clipless attachment, and the battery tray uses two catches. These are valuable convenience features on a small truck, where tiny body clips can otherwise become a recurring nuisance. Learn how both catches engage and check lead routing before closing the car. The useful feature is repeatable access to the supplied pack, not a promise that an incompletely latched body or battery can never come loose.

The deep composite chassis and enclosed drive layout help organize the power system and moving parts, but they do not remove the need to look for debris. The manual should guide inspection of the tires, steering and drive area after running. The most relevant ownership question is whether you can reach and identify those areas comfortably at this scale. A mini that fits a bag still needs a workable surface for service.

The combined ESC/receiver is another tradeoff worth understanding before an upgrade plan. One compact unit performs both functions. A later fault or change involving one side can therefore affect the replacement route for both, and a brushless motor is not a standalone drop-in purchase for a brushed controller. The Quake is best assessed as the supplied system; detailed service drawings and exact replacement identities matter more than broad GROM compatibility assumptions.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Budget USD 214.98 if you need the charging input and care equipment

The green truck’s manufacturer reference was USD 169.99 on 2 November 2026. That includes the drive battery, S10 charger and four radio cells. For a complete planning example, add the Spektrum SPMX-1027 USB-C supply shown in the manufacturer’s excluded-equipment image, currently referenced at USD 24.99, and a USD 20 editorial allowance for suitable battery-care equipment and a charging arrangement meeting the instructions. That produces USD 214.98 before tax or delivery.

The USD 20 line is a planning allowance, not a quoted safety kit or a guarantee that every owner can meet all requirements at that price. If you already have an appropriate input supply and battery-care setup, you may not need both additions. Check the supply against the S10 requirements rather than assume an unused phone adapter supports the required protocol. No current Amazon price, discount or inventory claim is used in this total.

Spares, extra packs and cosmetic changes are deliberately outside that first-operating basket. The included 1400mAh rating cannot tell us an exact driving time, and buying several packs before understanding cooling, charging and the intended route can add cost without resolving the main fit question. Start with the supported stock system, then decide what limits a normal outing in your own documented use.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Choose between small monsters, desert trucks and a larger rear-drive package

The Losi Mini LMT Grave Digger is a useful alternative when the solid-axle licensed monster-truck format is the attraction. It presents a different chassis and suspension proposition from the Quake’s independent suspension. Read its full package and input-power requirements rather than choose solely because both trucks are small monsters. We have not conducted a head-to-head landing or traction comparison between them.

ARRMA’s Mojave GROM offers a compact desert-truck direction instead of the Quake’s tall monster shape. Its body, proportions and route suitability deserve their own assessment; shared branding does not make its battery access or exact drivetrain parts identical. For a buyer moving beyond compact vehicles, the larger Vorteks 223S 2WD offers brushless rear drive and different power-equipment requirements. Its separate battery purchase changes the budget substantially.

Those alternatives clarify the Quake’s position. Select it for a self-contained small 2S vehicle system with four-wheel drive, then account for the wall input. Select another format when the actual target is scale solid-axle motion, desert-truck proportions or larger brushless running. Keeping that decision about the complete car is more useful than buying the Quake and immediately planning to replace its defining equipment.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗

Buy the configuration that already does the job

The green Quake GROM’s strongest argument is how much of a documented first-operating system comes with the vehicle. The pack, charger, transmitter and radio cells remove several compatibility decisions, while the clipless body and battery catches make ordinary access approachable. Its oil-filled differential equipment and enclosed four-wheel drive add substance to that package beyond the bright body and wheels.

The limitations belong beside those strengths. This is a 2S brushed mini, its controller and receiver are integrated, and the wall-input requirement is easy to miss if you read only the completion headline. Our buying score favors a beginner with suitable modest outdoor terrain and a plan for charging. It does not score speed, crash resistance or long-term reliability. If that is your use, the Quake deserves consideration in its stock form.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗ · Manufacturer documentation ↗

Know exactly what you’re ordering.

Published manufacturer specifications for model ARA2137T2. Conflicting figures are flagged rather than silently corrected.

Sources: Manufacturer documentation ↗