Kraton Chassis upgrades

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quiznatodd bidness

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Location
Northern Colorado
Arrma RC's
  1. Granite
Anybody know if the v2 chassis’s are tougher/better than the 3s chassis’s? I ask as I’m on the road to turning my blx granite into a 4s outcast/Kraton hybrid. The extra long wheel base is the new v2 kraton, but i don’t know if the medium wheel base on the v2 outcast is any higher quality or stouter than the long wheel base used on 3s models. Those are notably cheaper, but is there a reason other than the starting price of the 4s line vs 3s line?
 
Nope, they are all the same through and through, and just like for years the longer the chassis, the quicker it will snap.. They are cheap, snap em and swap to a new one....👍

You can get that bash bar thing for it if you want, that might hold it together longer..
 
Anybody know if the v2 chassis’s are tougher/better than the 3s chassis’s? I ask as I’m on the road to turning my blx granite into a 4s outcast/Kraton hybrid. The extra long wheel base is the new v2 kraton, but i don’t know if the medium wheel base on the v2 outcast is any higher quality or stouter than the long wheel base used on 3s models. Those are notably cheaper, but is there a reason other than the starting price of the 4s line vs 3s line?
I based both of my 4s builds off the SWB and LWB standard chassis. Easy to source and cheap to replace. I love how they both perform. The yellow one is a LWB full v2 parts conversion while the red vorteks is a SWB combo of v1/v2, 4s parts mixed with some 3s parts.

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How do you like those Kraton 4S tires?
They are pretty good! Excellent traction. But I want to compare them to the backflip LPs on the 4s vorteks I recently finished. I love how Thing drives, it’s just amazing. So I’ll switch tires in the near future to see if the difference is that, or just the way I built the car.
 
Nope, they are all the same through and through, and just like for years the longer the chassis, the quicker it will snap.. They are cheap, snap em and swap to a new one....👍

You can get that bash bar thing for it if you want, that might hold it together longer..
Yeah i made my own bar from a 1/8” thick aluminum plate from Home Depot. That works well, for the trade off of having to remove 10 screws to get it off.

Rcmadlabz also makes a very fancy bash plate on eBay.
 
I based both of my 4s builds off the SWB and LWB standard chassis. Easy to source and cheap to replace. I love how they both perform. The yellow one is a LWB full v2 parts conversion while the red vorteks is a SWB combo of v1/v2, 4s parts mixed with some 3s parts.

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Hi I am trying install the v2 outcast suspension arms on to kraton v1 chassis and notice that there fitting issues (suspension arms joint are a bit thicker than v1) just wondering how did you fit it on to your rig?
Thanks
 
Hi I am trying install the v2 outcast suspension arms on to kraton v1 chassis and notice that there fitting issues (suspension arms joint are a bit thicker than v1) just wondering how did you fit it on to your rig?
Thanks
basically, I made them fit. On my LWB chassis old Yeller I had to do some filing, a bit of sanding and xacto knife trimming since I used 4s, v2 arms. On the short wheel base, vorteks I used 4s, v1 RPM arms so I didn’t have to do much to get them to fit.

I hope that makes sense. I had to open up the pin slots on the arms using tightly rolled up sand paper. I had to sand away in general anywhere that it was… difficult with a thin file and folded up sand paper. I used a very sharp xacto blade to open up the interlocking parts where the didn’t quite fit. It took me probably an hour between all four corners. I played it slow and only took a little bit off at a time between testing the fit. I was extremely careful. It was a pain but worth it.

Here’s a thread where I mentioned a few other things regarding using 3S and 4s parts
Thread 'V2 Kraton/Outcast driveshafts fit the V1 arms'
https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/v2-kraton-outcast-driveshafts-fit-the-v1-arms.58498/ 11/
 
That’s exactly what I hope to do in the near future. I have the v2 arms and am waiting for the LWB now that you answered my question. I am restarting the budget for the long driveshafts, hubs, and links. Without seeing the v2 hubs/shafts, I assume the hot racing 17mm conversion I currently have will not work with that setup. Bigger threading on the v2 driveshafts than the 3s u-joint shafts?
 
Correct, the hot racing 17 mm hex will not fit on the 4s, V2 CVD’s. The CVD’s have a far sturdier axle and 17mm hex anyway, so they are all good.

Here is my 4S build Old Yeller build thread, using all 4S, v2 parts with a standard long wheel base chassis, like on the big rock. It may answer other questions that come up in with your build. Sounds like you’re trying to do basically the same thing. It is completely worth it.

I love both of my 4S upgraded cars. They are what the 3s line should be to begin with. I tend to run them mostly on my CNHL 3s, 6200mah, 120c lipos anyway. They are so light with a 3s battery and really fun to drive. They are a blast on 4s as well, but after driving them for a while with heavier 4s lipos I do think light weight 4s batteries are best for handling and durability, so I picked up a couple of 4500 mah, 80c 4s batteries to try.
Thread '4s Velo scratch build, LWB chassis (Old Yeller)'
https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/4s-velo-scratch-build-lwb-chassis-old-yeller.56168/
 
I’m using the M2C racing chassis bar. Highly recommended.
 
basically, I made them fit. On my LWB chassis old Yeller I had to do some filing, a bit of sanding and xacto knife trimming since I used 4s, v2 arms. On the short wheel base, vorteks I used 4s, v1 RPM arms so I didn’t have to do much to get them to fit.

I hope that makes sense. I had to open up the pin slots on the arms using tightly rolled up sand paper. I had to sand away in general anywhere that it was… difficult with a thin file and folded up sand paper. I used a very sharp xacto blade to open up the interlocking parts where the didn’t quite fit. It took me probably an hour between all four corners. I played it slow and only took a little bit off at a time between testing the fit. I was extremely careful. It was a pain but worth it.

Here’s a thread where I mentioned a few other things regarding using 3S and 4s parts
Thread 'V2 Kraton/Outcast driveshafts fit the V1 arms'
https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/v2-kraton-outcast-driveshafts-fit-the-v1-arms.58498/ 11/
Thanks for all the info on this build. My goal is trying to make the k4 v1 stronger. Do you have any recommendations as to what type of shocks are best suited for the v1 to v2 suspension arms conversion?
 
I have k6 shocks in the rear and Mojave 6s in the front. I also got some softer springs, as my 3s granite is lighter than the 6s vehicles they were intended for. The shocks themselves are awesome. Huge improvement. I don’t know how the 4s v2 shocks compare, but it might be very good also
 
Thanks for all the info on this build. My goal is trying to make the k4 v1 stronger. Do you have any recommendations as to what type of shocks are best suited for the v1 to v2 suspension arms conversion?
Yup. 6S shocks. I am running 6s Kraton shocks on my 4s, V2 build. I’ve heard really good things about the V2, 4S shocks though. I already had a set of 6S kraton shocks, otherwise I might’ve tried those. They are around 50 bucks on Jenny‘s if I remember right.

I did have to get different springs for the 6s kraton shocks. I forget exactly which ones. All the details are in the build thread for old yeller.
https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/4s-velo-scratch-build-lwb-chassis-old-yeller.56168/
I have k6 shocks in the rear and Mojave 6s in the front.
I did the same on my 4S vorteks build because it has regular 3S shock towers. Old yeller has 4s, v2 shock towers which is why the full 6s Kraton shocks worked. I think your V1, 4s car has standard 3S shock towers so the combo of 6S Kraton front shocks in the rear and Mojave 6s front shocks up front would work better. That’s what I did on my vorteks Thing build since it has granite towers.

But if you did drop the 18 bucks on the v2, 4S shock towers, I would suggest the full 6s Kraton shocks. You really don’t need to though. The shock towers that it has will work fine and the body will still fit correctly. The new shock towers are taller so the body on mine, which originally fit 3S shock towers, fits a little goofy now.
 
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I did the same on my 4S vorteks build because it has regular 3S shock towers. Old yeller has 4s, v2 shock towers which is why the full 6s Kraton shocks worked. I think your V1, 4s car has standard 3S shock towers so the combo of 6S Kraton front shocks in the rear and Mojave 6s front shocks up front would work better. That’s what I did on my vorteks Thing build since it has granite towers.
6S Kraton fronts will be a bit short in the rear on the 4s v1. Stock is 120 and that's a bit short too if you want to run offroad. Something like 125mm would make it run much better. Mojave 6s front should work in the front.
 
6S Kraton fronts will be a bit short in the rear on the 4s v1. Stock is 120 and that's a bit short too if you want to run offroad. Something like 125mm would make it run much better. Mojave 6s front should work in the front.
On my 4s vorteks Thing I’m running stock granite towers, 6s mojave front shocks up front and 6s Kraton front shocks on the rear with v1, 4s RPM arms based on a swb chassis. It’s a total mutt and fast becoming my favorite car, it drives and jumps so well.
 
On my 4s vorteks Thing I’m running stock granite towers, 6s mojave front shocks up front and 6s Kraton front shocks on the rear with v1, 4s RPM arms based on a swb chassis. It’s a total mutt and fast becoming my favorite car, it drives and jumps so well.
Doesn't the rear sit a bit low with those shocks?
My Kraton 4s v1 was higher in the front end than the rear with the stock 120mm rear shocks. Didn't work good for me so I put some 6s shafts in the rear shocks them too make them longer. I couldn't get enough droop in the rear end with the stock setup. It ran much better after I did that.
 
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I don’t think I noticed the serious bumper you have on there before. Is that another leftover from the out-of-business company that makes the full exterior cage for arrma’s?
 
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