Outcast Bending Shock Towers

[tobyjoe]

I am pretty rough on my Outcast and while working on some new tricks like backslides, I slightly bent the rear shock tower (and tore off 3 body posts... heh)

While I have a spare on the way, I'm wondering if it's ever worth trying to straighten aluminum by hand or not. Opine?

 

[WoodiE]

@tobyjoe sure it's always worth trying to straighten it, just remember aluminum weaken when it bends so bending it, straightening it, and re-bending will only cause it to weaken and likely break.

 

[tobyjoe]

I've got a replacement on the way, but frankly, I want to bash today. Weather in NJ is amazing. Sadly, the slight bend to my rear tower seems to be pulling the rear out of alignment.

I just wasn't sure if bending aluminum by hand would even be reasonable, or if I should just be patient and wait for my delivery.

I'll give it a little torque with a wrench and see how it goes.

I'll be tearing it back down to replace it in the next few days no matter what... heh

 

[WoodiE]

Really all depends on how bent it is and where it's bent on weather you can do it by hand or not. Might need to use a hammer or even a bench vise if you have one. The tower will probably hold long enough for your new one to arrive.

 

[TwiZted SkullZ]

Try bending it back and maybe add a shock tower to shock tower support.
It'll make the chassis a little more rigid.

 

[Rich Duperbash]

I've got a replacement on the way, but frankly, I want to bash today. Weather in NJ is amazing. Sadly, the slight bend to my rear tower seems to be pulling the rear out of alignment.

I just wasn't sure if bending aluminum by hand would even be reasonable, or if I should just be patient and wait for my delivery.

I'll give it a little torque with a wrench and see how it goes.

I'll be tearing it back down to replace it in the next few days no matter what... heh

If you use a wrench while tower is mounted, I'd place a second wrench below to protect from torquing on diff case. May not need to, just a thought.

 

[muskito]

I bent my front ST slightly. I used a pair of vice grips, locked onto the middle of it and gently bent it back into place. It worked as a temporary solution.

 

[beeasy]

I straighten mine on a vice with some channel locks about 2 months ago. Still holding up so far.

 

[Rich Duperbash]

I straighten mine on a vice with some channel locks about 2 months ago. Still holding up so far.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's fine with just straightening tweaked stuff...Lol. These are bashers after all.

 

[Buck]

I have been contemplating the idea of adding a tower-to-tower brace...but struggling with this; given the torque on the towers applied by the shocks under high load - might this not effectively increase the likelihood of bending a tower given there is no flex because of the additional rigidity?
Running a middle-to-middle brace makes the towers more rigid down the middle sure...but what about the corners where the shocks mount?
Saw this pic by BigBird in another thread, and this would seem to make more sense in warding off the torsional physics that lead to bent towers...
Again, I am just throwing this out there as I have no experience with this and have never bent a tower...was just curious to get some opinions on which option would serve its purpose more effectively.

 

[Rich Duperbash]

I have been contemplating the idea of adding a tower-to-tower brace...but struggling with this; given the torque on the towers applied by the shocks under high load - might this not effectively increase the likelihood of bending a tower given there is no flex because of the additional rigidity?
Running a middle-to-middle brace makes the towers more rigid down the middle sure...but what about the corners where the shocks mount?
Saw this pic by BigBird in another thread, and this would seem to make more sense in warding off the torsional physics that lead to bent towers...
Again, I am just throwing this out there as I have no experience with this and have never bent a tower...was just curious to get some opinions on which option would serve its purpose more effectively.
View attachment 8161

You are probably right Buck. I've noticed my tower ears have bent forward just slightly, but doesn't seem to affect handling or shock action. My concern with running fixed dual braces would be knocking out too much lateral chassis flex and undermining overall handling and tire to ground contact. The center brace allows for lateral flex or side to side twist from front to back, but stops the dreaded taco effect. I like the center brace chiefly to protect from epic failures with hard tail landings. What I mean is where the wing mount system bolts through the rear chassis support. It effectively forms a hinge that relies on 3 anchor points. 2 rear screws on tower and 2 tiny screws on the front of the rear diff case below through bolts. The last anchor point being the chassis where rear support attaches. I had an epic failure recently and was going to do a thread on it, just hadn't made time. Had to fix bent chassis, replace diff case attachment piece, replace chassis support and wing mount. Center support atleast braces this same vulnerable area. This was from a huge, very bad tail landing at packed BMX track running my son's Outcast project with Typhon body and no tower brace. Fixed immediately, all good now.

 

[Buck]

Thanks Rich...makes sense when explained as you did and having come from first-hand experience!
I guess the knife cuts both ways...seems like there might some benefit to dual fixed, but at a cost in terms of handling.
Perhaps I will go one brace down the middle.
Would like to use a rigid plastic or something that has a little give to it?
BTW, what is the TACO effect, lol?
Makes me hungry for some Mexican cuisine...

 

[Ole Fart51]

Build a brace like this

 

[Rich Duperbash]

View attachment 8168 Build a brace like this

Mine is very similar, just notched front and rear to fit towers similar to how Thomas P does on front anyway. 2 zips ties up front and one in rear. Wanted to shoot better pic but wife is mopping floor and can't get in garage....Lol! This is my son's homemade Outcast. Using Kraton body support to help truck shell.

Thanks Rich...makes sense when explained as you did and having come from first-hand experience!
I guess the knife cuts both ways...seems like there might some benefit to dual fixed, but at a cost in terms of handling.
Perhaps I will go one brace down the middle.
Would like to use a rigid plastic or something that has a little give to it?
BTW, what is the TACO effect, lol?
Makes me hungry for some Mexican cuisine...

Buck you could pad one end of brace with rubber if you wanted a little give. I made a rubber plug on my Outcast. May do the same to my son's.

 

[Camo]

You are probably right Buck. I've noticed my tower ears have bent forward just slightly, but doesn't seem to affect handling or shock action. My concern with running fixed dual braces would be knocking out too much lateral chassis flex and undermining overall handling and tire to ground contact. The center brace allows for lateral flex or side to side twist from front to back, but stops the dreaded taco effect. I like the center brace chiefly to protect from epic failures with hard tail landings. What I mean is where the wing mount system bolts through the rear chassis support. It effectively forms a hinge that relies on 3 anchor points. 2 rear screws on tower and 2 tiny screws on the front of the rear diff case below through bolts. The last anchor point being the chassis where rear support attaches. I had an epic failure recently and was going to do a thread on it, just hadn't made time. Had to fix bent chassis, replace diff case attachment piece, replace chassis support and wing mount. Center support atleast braces this same vulnerable area. This was from a huge, very bad tail landing at packed BMX track running my son's Outcast project with Typhon body and no tower brace. Fixed immediately, all good now.


View attachment 8165 View attachment 8166 View attachment 8167[/QUOTE

You are probably right Buck. I've noticed my tower ears have bent forward just slightly, but doesn't seem to affect handling or shock action. My concern with running fixed dual braces would be knocking out too much lateral chassis flex and undermining overall handling and tire to ground contact. The center brace allows for lateral flex or side to side twist from front to back, but stops the dreaded taco effect. I like the center brace chiefly to protect from epic failures with hard tail landings. What I mean is where the wing mount system bolts through the rear chassis support. It effectively forms a hinge that relies on 3 anchor points. 2 rear screws on tower and 2 tiny screws on the front of the rear diff case below through bolts. The last anchor point being the chassis where rear support attaches. I had an epic failure recently and was going to do a thread on it, just hadn't made time. Had to fix bent chassis, replace diff case attachment piece, replace chassis support and wing mount. Center support atleast braces this same vulnerable area. This was from a huge, very bad tail landing at packed BMX track running my son's Outcast project with Typhon body and no tower brace. Fixed immediately, all good now.


View attachment 8165 View attachment 8166 View attachment 8167

Didn't know mine was cracked. Bent the chassi and chassis brace twice this weekend. So replaced and made a tower to tower brace like u boys on the forum. Have u bent the chassis since replacing and using the tower to tower ??
I haven't had a chance to take her out yet.
I wanted easy access to drop out the center diff without having to remove the T to T so I removed the two truss parts in the cage I wonder how it will hold up ??

 

[Outcaster]

Brace looks good @Camo, like it cam from the factory that way, nice work!

Did you use a solid or hollow aluminum rod and what are the details on the fasteners you used? I like the finish with them, blends into the shock tower nicely.

 

[mrfurious40k]

When I ran buggies and buggy-based monster trucks my first upgrades were always carbon fiber shock towers and any other pieces I could lay my hands on. You can't beat woven CF for rigidity and strength under the kinds of load a shock tower takes. I'm not sure if anyone makes them for ARRMA rigs but I would try to find some if you want to improve durability and performance as well as reduce weight.

 

[Buck]

I am surprised there have been no pre-fab 3rd party braces that have hit the market...I think there is enough demand that if someone were to release one, it would sell well.

When I ran buggies and buggy-based monster trucks my first upgrades were always carbon fiber shock towers and any other pieces I could lay my hands on. You can't beat woven CF for rigidity and strength under the kinds of load a shock tower takes. I'm not sure if anyone makes them for ARRMA rigs but I would try to find some if you want to improve durability and performance as well as reduce weight.

 

[Camo]

Brace looks good @Camo, like it cam from the factory that way, nice work!

Did you use a solid or hollow aluminum rod and what are the details on the fasteners you used? I like the finish with them, blends into the shock tower nicely.

Thanks bra !!
Yeah it's solid 10mm Aluminium bar. I had some M3 screws laying around drilled and taped the bar.
When I bought my typhon mini bumper it came in a pack with heaps of goodies that's where the extra washers came from.AR 330230 They are the same as the ones that hold the top of the shock on to the tower. I could have gone M4 screws but had the M3 ones already.

 

[CDC45]

Anyone else bending shocks mine keep bending