Kraton Cover me, I'm going in!

[dpricenator]

So I have found the time to go in and do all the maintenance I have been wanting to do. The wife is going on a girl’s trip for Tuesday and Wednesday Nights. I am thinking that should be plenty of time to get through everything I need to do. It’s not a short list either, but it should be doable.

1. Full bearing replacement. I might not have cared for these as well as I could have. I’ll probably save the old ones, ad clean them proper.
   
   
2. Disassemble and check all 3 differentials for any undue wear or chipped teeth.
   
   
3. Install the new Voltage Hobbies Shock Towers
   
   
4. Replace all the rusted Dog bones
   
   
5. Replace all the out drive cups
   
   
6. See what the heck is squeeking up front.
   
   
7. Add the new rear mud guards.
   
   
8. Probably swap the front HUBs for new.
   
   
9. Swap to a 15 T Robinson Racing Pinion.
   
   
10. Swap out the pillow balls for shinny new pillow balls..
    
    
11. Re-Spray the Truck bed liner on the roof and hood of the body.
    
    
12. Copy @Rich Duperbash on his tower to tower Chassis Brace. I’m not drilling through these new shock towers except to widen the hole for the Teckno Shock Standoffs.
13. Try to mod the stock body support tower to extend all the way up to the new body

It's going to be a long couple of nights, but at the end there will be a monster basher.

 

[L3 RC]

Sounds like a great time! Think I'll pack my fam up for some quality time as well

 

[WoodiE]

Your Kraton is going to be a brand new truck once you're done @dpricenator! What ball bearing kit are you going to be using?

 

[dpricenator]

Your Kraton is going to be a brand new truck once you're done @dpricenator! What ball bearing kit are you going to be using?

I ordered a new set of Fast Eddies. It was the easiest one to find, and only run $20. Yeah I am really hoping I have everything I need, to make this thing awesome again. I've slacked on regular maintenance. I forgot to add that I am also swapping out the pillow balls too.

 

[dpricenator]

I forgot how many screws were on this thing. Thank goodness you guys talked me into a power screwdriver, and the MIP bits. Life Saver.

So I inspected the rear diff, looks as good as it did when I first shimmed it. Filled it with 80K. Replaced the rear diff bearings and input bearings. Replaced all the black screws, with my Stainless Cap Screws.

I decided against replacing the cups and dogbones, as they just have a tiny bit of surface rust, and are in good shape otherwise. I'll save those parts for when they actually break.

Replaced the bearings in both rear hubs.

Replaced Bearings in the front Hubs.

Added new rear Mud Guards.

And the topper for last night was that I got the new VOLTAGE HOBBIES Shock Towers installed.

DAAAYYYYYYUM! Those things are friggin awesome looking. And it turns out my stock rear tower had just a little bit of bend in it.

Just realized I never greased the gears in the rear gear box. I guess I'll do that first this evening, and then make that tower to tower Brace. After that I will test it, and if all sounds right, I am going to skip the Center Diff check and the center Bearing swap. My hand hurt from last night.

 

[Rchrdjrz]

I forgot how many screws were on this thing. Thank goodness you guys talked me into a power screwdriver, and the MIP bits. Life Saver.

So I inspected the rear diff, looks as good as it did when I first shimmed it. Filled it with 80K. Replaced the rear diff bearings and input bearings. Replaced all the black screws, with my Stainless Cap Screws.

I decided against replacing the cups and dogbones, as they just have a tiny bit of surface rust, and are in good shape otherwise. I'll save those parts for when they actually break.

Replaced the bearings in both rear hubs.

Replaced Bearings in the front Hubs.

Added new rear Mud Guards.

And the topper for last night was that I got the new VOLTAGE HOBBIES Shock Towers installed.

DAAAYYYYYYUM! Those things are friggin awesome looking. And it turns out my stock rear tower had just a little bit of bend in it.

Just realized I never greased the gears in the rear gear box. I guess I'll do that first this evening, and then make that tower to tower Brace. After that I will test it, and if all sounds right, I am going to skip the Center Diff check and the center Bearing swap. My hand hurt from last night.

That sounds like a good way to have some alone time away from the wife. Keep busy doing something you love. Can you post up pictures of the kraton afterwards? I am thinking of installing a tower to tower brace.

 

[dpricenator]

That sounds like a good way to have some alone time away from the wife. Keep busy doing something you love. Can you post up pictures of the kraton afterwards? I am thinking of installing a tower to tower brace.

Here it is.

Front Krat

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017

Love the peek-a-boo view of the Voltage Shock Tower.

Tower Brace Front

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017
• 4

Voltage Hobbies add functional Art to the Kraton.

Rear Tower Rear View

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017
• 3

Tower Brace 2

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017

Yep, copied @richduperbash on this design

Tower Brace

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017

 

[Rchrdjrz]

Here it is.

Front Krat

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017

Love the peek-a-boo view of the Voltage Shock Tower.

Tower Brace Front

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017
• 4

Voltage Hobbies add functional Art to the Kraton.

Rear Tower Rear View

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017
• 3

Tower Brace 2

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017

Yep, copied @richduperbash on this design

Tower Brace

• dpricenator
• Jun 8, 2017

Where did you find that metal bar you used for the tower brace?

 

[dpricenator]

Home Depot. $10 and it big enough to make 2

 

[Rchrdjrz]

Home Depot. $10 and it big enough to make 2

Awesome, I'll be headed there after work.

 

[dpricenator]

I'm the man! I only say that because I just went out to the trunk of my car and with a little elbow grease was able to get the stock pinion gear off the motor and swap it out for the Robinson Racing 15 tooth. I also found that the 4 screws on the center diff were coming loose. Once I got all those tightened down, and the mesh set, I was able to even do a couple test runs to see if I had done it right. There was a noise I couldn't place, during last night's runs. That noise is now gone! Woot Woot. Gonna tear some ish up this weekend.