Kraton 4s line if you have 6s already...

[2015GTRBE]

After having this 4s Kraton in the flesh for a few days now I can honestly say that If you own the big brothers, pass on this one. I’m not saying it is bad per se, I am saying it’s bad for Arrma. The plastics are not the nice nylon blends and if they are it does not look or feel like it. That is my issue I guess, it feels extremely cheap and I skipped on a 6s outcast from A main ($398) for this because I didn’t want to pump another $4-$500 in mods for the 6s. I am regretting that decision now.

To do it all again I say hard pass. Might make a few people here mad but even Traxxas Cars feel more quality than this, and that isn’t saying a whole lot. Stick with your 6s line, and maybe next year they will update these so they don’t feel like toy grade RC with a few nice touches.

 

[ddq5auce]

Ok I'm trolling in the morning with my fresh coffee but I agree! I looked at the 4S Kraton last week and was a bit thrown off, wasn't sure why exactly but I ended up not buying it / Of course I read many reviews, videos, what others had to about it and was somewhat excited. It wasn't until I saw it it in person.

 

[Adamj804]

I wouldn’t get into the 4S line due to spending another $90 to replace the crappy shocks that leak puts you right at $500 and at that point, may as well go 6S assuming to currently own batteries and a charger.

 

[2fast4u]

Unfortunately, For us. Traxxas won. ARRMA (The brand that brought us here). Has perished. Even though they survived as a company, (good for them). The writing was on the wall when Hobbico went under. That writing was published when the big new name was emblazoned on the box. Our cherished brand now has a noose around it's neck. They may be designing it but Horizon determines (by the profit margin) the quality of materials that go into it. The 6s line has suffered just the same. A new 10 cent radio and receiver, soft chassis that are bending right and left, plastics breaking at a higher rate, (at least that is how it appears from the number of complaints). And pretty much confirmed (in a very nice way) in a very recent V4 Kraton review by someone who has allways been honest and reliable.
R.I.P. (ARRMA) ?

I can feel the heat allready.

 

[2015GTRBE]

Ok I'm trolling in the morning with my fresh coffee but I agree! I looked at the 4S Kraton last week and was a bit thrown off, wasn't sure why exactly but I ended up not buying it / Of course I read many reviews, videos, what others had to about it and was somewhat excited. It wasn't until I saw it it in person.

Yeah I’m really not trying to troll here, I surprised a few people here by buying one, but now that I have it face to face it’s really way way way over priced. It’s the lack of quality plastics that kill it for me. Example, you can see the mold “flash” on all of the parts, it’s like dark grey plastic that reminds me of 1990s GM cars. It’s just plain cheap, can’t say it any better than that. Sucks but true.

 

[E-fanatic]

I currently have a losi 8 3.0 , losi 8te 3.0, traxxas rustler 4x4, arrma talion, and the arrma kraton 4x4 4s.
The kraton is big for a 1/10th scale. Reminds me of my old emaxx and erevo.
The first thing I noticed is that it needs more steering. I trimmed the hub a little and it helped a little. Second the servo saver is not very strong plus i haven't been able to find a good replacement. Third the arms could use to be a bit thicker where the hinge pin goes through them(split one on a small landing that wasn't perfect) Forth the slipper could be a better design(it allows the front to slip way before the rear). Fifth the driveshafts could be stronger (already broke them) Sixth l had the rear shocks blow out on the first large jump at the skate park. Last thing the radio sucks and it really needs a center diff(especially on 4s)

With all that the spring rate and fluid is perfect for this truck. It's the first rtr that I didnt have to change. The body is really thick. It handles well(even better with some 1/8 truggy tires on it). Its geared well and doesn't have any heat issues.

Over all I like the truck. Just need to find a way to fix the issues that l have. I do like it way more than my fully upgraded rustler 4x4. Cant wait for some upgrades to make it a beast.

It's going to take a lot of money to get it on par with a rtr 1/8th scale. So yeah going 6s is really the better option

 

[Megasty]

I also looked over the Outcast & Kraton demos my LHS finally got in. The Outcast had 2 bent tie rods on the battery side like it had been poorly drop tested. The Kraton tires are the same junk tread but the foams are pathetic, I'm glad the Backflips have decent foams but they're still not great. I wanted to convert my Granite & Senton since the parts are cheap on Jenny's but the arms & sliders are deal breakers. They made those parts to fail so you'll be constantly replacing them (stares @ busted Stampede 4x4)

I'll just be happy with the bodies, wings, & smaller Backflip tires. At Least I can make my Typhon & Siren look like the 4s w/o being yard waste in seconds. Note that the 4s Kraton is nearly the same size as the 6s Outcast, same length, 2" wider, & +3 lbs for the Outcast. I bought the $400 Outcast this year & last. When I look at freshly wrapped orange beast, I see something that I can reduce to parts after a 30 min bash but the upgrades exist for it, if I choose to buy them - which I usually don't. But at least I have that choice. Next to nothing exists for the 4s ATM & who knows how long upgrades will take to play out, I.E. RPM arms & shafts - & not the useless HR junk that cause more problems than solve most of the time. Then if you upgrade the shafts, the diffs probably won't handle the extra load. You'll be into it $7-800 just to get it to the durability of the stock 6s cars. IF I want a big-wheeled 1/10, I'll put them on my Typhon & call it a day.

 

[bicketybam]

I have the 6s and the 3s trucks. There's no place for these 4s trucks in my stable. I've been bashing the crap out of my Granite and BRCC the last few days. Even though I snap a wheel driveshaft on occasion, I love those two trucks. I'm really good at driving them too because that is what I started on. For $300 they are a steal.

 

[E-fanatic]

I also looked over the Outcast & Kraton demos my LHS finally got in. The Outcast had 2 bent tie rods on the battery side like it had been poorly drop tested. The Kraton tires are the same junk tread but the foams are pathetic, I'm glad the Backflips have decent foams but they're still not great. I wanted to convert my Granite & Senton since the parts are cheap on Jenny's but the arms & sliders are deal breakers. They made those parts to fail so you'll be constantly replacing them (stares @ busted Stampede 4x4)

I'll just be happy with the bodies, wings, & smaller Backflip tires. At Least I can make my Typhon & Siren look like the 4s w/o being yard waste in seconds. Note that the 4s Kraton is nearly the same size as the 6s Outcast, same length, 2" wider, & +3 lbs for the Outcast. I bought the $400 Outcast this year & last. When I look at freshly wrapped orange beast, I see something that I can reduce to parts after a 30 min bash but the upgrades exist for it, if I choose to buy them - which I usually don't. But at least I have that choice. Next to nothing exists for the 4s ATM & who knows how long upgrades will take to play out, I.E. RPM arms & shafts - & not the useless HR junk that cause more problems than solve most of the time. Then if you upgrade the shafts, the diffs probably won't handle the extra load. You'll be into it $7-800 just to get it to the durability of the stock 6s cars. IF I want a big-wheeled 1/10, I'll put them on my Typhon & call it a day.

Forgot to add that I also have bent the tierods. Sad thing is l haven't been that hard on this truck. I'm not easy but I have been far from hard.

 

[Lazy Bushman]

I don’t get the 4s line either. The 6s line is top shelf and the 3s line brings a nice, cheaper and durable platform to the line-up that is a bit different. 4s just seems to try and awkwardly in the middle. The challenge I think is that it just sits too close to the others from a price/performance perspective to make sense.....at least to me.