Talion 6s aluminum hubs, steering blocks are they really an upgrade?

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sumguy75

sumguy75

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Arrma RC's
  1. Notorious
  2. Talion
  3. Typhon 6s
Still running stockers on mine, but curious about the pros/cons. How much do the aluminum hubs/steering blocks weigh compared to stock? Do they help eliminate any slop? Are they "bulletproof" or do they sometimes bend?
 
I have a full set of Treal hubs on my K6 EXB. I was breaking a stock hub every ten runs or so since I drive this truck pretty hard.

The Treal hubs are very high quality. Perfect fitment. They're quite a bit heavier than stock but I'm not sure exactly how much. Totally bulletproof. I wouldn't say they had a big effect on steering slop.

I have maybe ten Arrma 6S cars and they all have plastic hubs except for the Kraton. And I see no reason to go aluminum on those other cars. The Kraton is just my best basher so it gets used a lot and gets launched the most.
 
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The biggest benefit, imo, is most of the aluminum hubs available use a considerably bigger inner bearing... this is great because the factory ones don't last long due to being way too small for the application... I've popped many a pillow ball out of the front hubs, which is inconvenient, but its a quick fix and leaves an easy week link instead of transferring that energy down the line to something else. I've never actually broke a hub, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time
I have noticed that after a pillow ball pops out once, it seems to be more susceptible to happening again... I'll usually throw a new one on if it happens on the same hub more than twice
 
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DLK83 said:
The biggest benefit, imo, is most of the aluminum hubs available use a considerably bigger inner bearing... this is great because the factory ones don't last long due to being way too small for the application... I've popped many a pillow ball out of the front hubs, which is inconvenient, but its a quick fix and leaves an easy week link instead of transferring that energy down the line to something else. I've never actually broke a hub, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time
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A bigger rear inner bearing would be nice, I find myself replacing the stock sized ones more than any other bearings I replace. Hmmm, might be worth it for that.
 
sumguy75 said:
A bigger rear inner bearing would be nice, I find myself replacing the stock sized ones more than any other bearings I replace. Hmmm, might be worth it for that.
Click to expand...
Yup, I don't even try to save them anymore, I used to pop out the seal, oil them up and try to bring them back to life... now, if they feel at all gritty, they get pitched. And the rears don't have the pillow ball issue to contend with so I agree, rear hubs are definitely worth it for the bigger bearings alone
 
DLK83 said:
The biggest benefit, imo, is most of the aluminum hubs available use a considerably bigger inner bearing... this is great because the factory ones don't last long due to being way too small for the application... I've popped many a pillow ball out of the front hubs, which is inconvenient, but its a quick fix and leaves an easy week link instead of transferring that energy down the line to something else. I've never actually broke a hub, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time
I have noticed that after a pillow ball pops out once, it seems to be more susceptible to happening again... I'll usually throw a new one on if it happens on the same hub more than twice
Click to expand...
This ^.

The stock inner hub bearings are too small. If they could make the stock ones with larger inner bearings I wouldn't even bother with any of the aluminum ones.
 
Only thing I'll add here is with aluminum hubs, a monster poor landing that doesn't break an arm or bend a tower/hinge pin will pull the pillow threads out of the composite instead of popping the ball through the pinch.

I have a $15 set of M6 helical inserts that come with a drill/tap/and installation tool to thread in with tang break for a reason. The arm won't require replacement until the next time because instead of pulling the steel threads out it'll for sure crack the A-arm or transfer to the other ball. IMO "EXB" arms should've had threaded steel inserts in there from the beginning molded right on the die set. Hell, they had enough room to reinforce around the hinge pin too.

Oh well, maybe someday I'll design my own top-down rig...
 
If you do decide to go aluminum and looking for something cheap that works I would give these a try.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0rCLDi

The inner bearing on them are 24x14x5.

I have been using these on my Outcast 6s and Kraton XL with no issues thus far. Fit is just as good as the HR ones that I have for the Talion.
 
PeighDay said:
If you do decide to go aluminum and looking for something cheap that works I would give these a try.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0rCLDi

The inner bearing on them are 24x14x5.

I have been using these on my Outcast 6s and Kraton XL with no issues thus far. Fit is just as good as the HR ones that I have for the Talion.
Click to expand...
Most of the knock off Hot Racing stuff appears to be on par with the real Hot Racing stuff.
KnowAir said:
+1. I don't really need the aluminium, but those skinny bearings do suck. I think I'd go Treal if I ever do.
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If you are damaging even the cheap Chinese hubs you are driving the car wrong way too hard.
 
I don't have enough trouble with the inner bearings to bother with ali hubs 😐
 
I would not recommend the Integy aluminum front hubs as I had a fitment issue with them on 6s Notorious.
 
Rcproponent said:
The pillow balls are 100% a WEAK point. If you don’t land just right on a jump, those plastic ones gonna be popping.

Maybe I misunderstood you?
Click to expand...
mine have been fine over the last 7 years jump 20ft high over and over. yes I have popped some and yes I have broke some but I would say there not a weak point at all. if I was to break them often yes there a weak point
 
hobo said:
mine have been fine over the last 7 years jump 20ft high over and over. yes I have popped some and yes I have broke some but I would say there not a weak point at all. if I was to break them often yes there a weak point
Click to expand...
I probably suck at driving 🤣🤣🤣 I’ve destroyed multiple
 
Rcproponent said:
The pillow balls are 100% a WEAK point. If you don’t land just right on a jump, those plastic ones gonna be popping.

Maybe I misunderstood you?
Click to expand...

I've only ever popped a pillow ball out once and if you look at the "What did you break today?" thread I destroy everything 🤣

Before I forget again one thing I noticed with the Hot Racing fronts is that the pillow balls can be a tight fit to get in.
hobo said:
I don't have enough trouble with the inner bearings to bother with ali hubs 😐
Click to expand...
The dirt here wreaks havoc on pretty much all of the bearings I've blown out the fronts in a couple of packs before, the rears is more of an issue with the design of the stub axles which is why I run cvds on the rear of all my 6s vehicles.

-edit- the oversized bearings really help the hub bearings last a little bit longer.
 
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