Kraton Exb vs M2c vs Voltage parts

[jlatimore3]

Hey guys, got a Kraton v5 and I've bent my rear shock tower. Looking to upgrade both. Are the ExB parts as tough as M2C or Voltage?

 

[jkflow]

Hard to find a true objective comparison, they are all better than stock by far.
They will all break if doodoo happens but that is a very high threshold.

You want 7076 alu, I use M2C towers and not regretting the few $ extra and the sneaking suspicion that they are still better than EXB.
Voltage site is down, can't compare. I do use Voltage hobbies hinge pin holders in the back and they are great.

Edit: Make that 7075-t6 alu

 

[SrC]

I use JBI and M2C towers on some of my 6s rigs. Made of 7075 billet alloy (Cnc'ed from billet alloy)
I don's use any EXB towers also being 7075 alloy. Stock towers are 6061 alloy (softer metal)
Both EXB and stock are stamped alloy FWIW.
The EXB chassis is made of 7075 and are just stamped metal also and have been known to bend if that means anything.
Not familiar with Voltage. But have much of the M2C products. Never broke or bent any. Quality seems very good.

You can always bend your stock tower back into shape with a sledge hammer against a block of wood. Use a straight edge ruler to confirm it is flat.
I do this for some of my 6s rigs still using stock towers. Stock towers can also be had fairly cheap from JennysRC. One option if not upgrading.
User error/driving causes bent towers. As you get better, it may not be much of an issue. I use a mix of M2C towers and stock ones on my rigs, and have noticed this. Everyone drives different. Upgrade if you feel the need.

Hard to find a true objective comparison, they are all better than stock by far.
They will all break if doodoo happens but that is a very high threshold.

You want 7076 alu, I use M2C towers and not regretting the few $ extra and the sneaking suspicion that they are still better than EXB.
Voltage site is down, can't compare. I do use Voltage hobbies hinge pin holders in the back and they are great.

M2C uses 7076? IDNK.

 

[jondilly1974]

Never had JBI parts as I think the dog meme is dorky, but my M2C and Voltage parts are holding up way better than my EXB parts. The EXB chassis and chassis braces still bend almost as easy as RTR parts. I wouldn’t waste money on EXB parts for a basher.

 

[Yas]

M2C are renown for making the thickest, stoutest parts of the best 7075 grade aluminium. They're a massive 9.5mm at the thickest parts of the tower (I think they're 5mm at the narrower fixing areas)

Voltage Hobbies shock towers are also 7075 and up to 6mm thick and 5mm at the fixing areas, from what I've read

EXB 7075 towers are just 5mm all round. Apparently people have bent the chassis and has led to the belief that they're all a lower grade of 7075. I wasn't aware that they're stamped; they're all titled CNC on the Arrma website? @SrC

I've not had experience with any except the EXB ones my Mojave came with, but M2C would be my choice if it was me

 

[Engineer]

If I'm paying full retail, m2c without question. If I'm getting EXB parts at a discount from a kit breaker then I'll consider the use case. I'm not a huge basher so for the most part, EXB parts work for me. For example, ~$45 for a EXB 7075 chassis might be worth it versus ~$115 for an m2c chassis. But your specific driving/bashing style should dictate your decisions.

 

[jondilly1974]

M2C are renown for making the thickest, stoutest parts of the best 7075 grade aluminium. They're a massive 9.5mm at the thickest parts of the tower (I think they're 5mm at the narrower fixing areas)

Voltage Hobbies shock towers are also 7075 and up to 6mm thick and 5mm at the fixing areas, from what I've read

EXB 7075 towers are just 5mm all round. Apparently people have bent the chassis and has led to the belief that they're all a lower grade of 7075. I wasn't aware that they're stamped; they're all titled CNC on the Arrma website? @SrC

I've not had experience with any except the EXB ones my Mojave came with, but M2C would be my choice if it was me

The EXB parts are stamped first, then CNC’d to remove excess material. They aren’t completely cut from a forged piece of 7075.

 

[Jimbobjr]

Exb are lighter if that means anything. That is my only complaint about all the m2c upgrades, handling turns to , car is slower and electrics hotter. The m2c speed chassis are intriguing and may be a nice compromise along with some nice carbon towers for a lightweight speed basher.

 

[jlatimore3]

Thanks! Gonna go m2c. I'm a basher and terrible jumper so the stronger the better

 

[SrC]

If I'm paying full retail, m2c without question. If I'm getting EXB parts at a discount from a kit breaker then I'll consider the use case. I'm not a huge basher so for the most part, EXB parts work for me. For example, ~$45 for a EXB 7075 chassis might be worth it versus ~$115 for an m2c chassis. But your specific driving/bashing style should dictate your decisions.

^^^ This.
Absolutely. Great point.

 

[SrC]

Exb are lighter if that means anything. That is my only complaint about all the m2c upgrades, handling turns to , car is slower and electrics hotter. The m2c speed chassis are intriguing and may be a nice compromise along with some nice carbon towers for a lightweight speed basher.

Are you a weight weenie???

You do have a good point however.

 

[Jimbobjr]

Are you a weight weenie???

You do have a good point however

Not particularly, but do notice the lighter talion I built can be more enjoyable and break less than my heavier Kraton.

 

[gangstafish]

Hey guys, got a Kraton v5 and I've bent my rear shock tower. Looking to upgrade both. Are the ExB parts as tough as M2C or Voltage?

M2C all the way. The shock towers are the same for Kraton and Notorious.

 

[calebgilmore]

Exb are lighter if that means anything. That is my only complaint about all the m2c upgrades, handling turns to , car is slower and electrics hotter. The m2c speed chassis are intriguing and may be a nice compromise along with some nice carbon towers for a lightweight speed basher.

I have an m2c'd out talion and it is heavy but still runs strong, but i max6/hobbystar 4092 all of my rigs. I am building a lightweight one now with a m2c speed chassis and carbon fiber where i can from basherqueen. I'm waiting on my crcu hinge pin blocks to come in and to send the shock bodies and aluminum braces/servo mount to be anodized black. The stock talion with hot racing hinge pin blocks and a 40mm fan on the motor weigh in at about 9.5 pounds by the way, so we'll see what one weighs with the lightened parts on it. I am throwing a max6/hobbystar 4092 on it as well so it may end up weighing more or about the same hahahahaha. If i think about it after work i'll weigh the m2c'd rig and see what it weighs. i do run it on 4s outcast tires too so there is a little more weight there.

 

[Sargent_Horse]

My Kraton has M2C towers, chassis braces, rear tower braces, and M4 shock mounts. That thing is a tank. Jumps that snapped shcok mounts and bent towers it just yawns at.

EXB is good stuff if the price is better for you. Tougher aluminum, but it's not beefed up designs like M2C.

Voltage seems to have ok designs and material, but they've been plagued by bad shipping times according to people on this forum. Evidently it's supposed to be improving, but I'd prefer M2C for the quality or EXB for the price.

 

[calebgilmore]

My Kraton has M2C towers, chassis braces, rear tower braces, and M4 shock mounts. That thing is a tank. Jumps that snapped shcok mounts and bent towers it just yawns at.

EXB is good stuff if the price is better for you. Tougher aluminum, but it's not beefed up designs like M2C.

Voltage seems to have ok designs and material, but they've been plagued by bad shipping times according to people on this forum. Evidently it's supposed to be improving, but I'd prefer M2C for the quality or EXB for the price.

I did get my voltage center braces this week so it took about a week even with the crapshoot of the usps system.

 

[nyev]

My Kraton EXB with the M2C chassis and shock towers, and rear hinge pin kit, and rear tower braces weighs in at 14.1 lbs including the lipo. I think that is about 2 pounds heavier than stock.

With the sturdier chassis, most seem to run it without the tower-to-tower brace (which I do as well). So that saves you 72 grams. Not huge but its something.

 

[SrC]

The wrong set of of tires can add 2+ pounds. Very Large capacity Lipo's will also add considerable weight. With added weight does come more carnage.
Especially rotating weight mass. ( tires) It takes weight and mass to creat stronger alloy parts. There will always be a trade off however.
Too heavy a rig makes for a poor driving and more breakage. But we all drive differently and have different expectations of our rigs. Purely subjective when it comes to splitting hairs on weight of upgrade parts. I know that in stock form most rigs drive best. (lightest configuration). Adding 8s gear to a 6s rig adds much weight also.

 

[arrmaracing]

Anyone know the weight of the stock v3 or v4 talion chassis. I've got the custom markhor carbon fiber 5mm chassis. I forgot to weight it before I put it all together. I'm guessing it would be roughly 300grams.

 

[jkflow]

Talion 350g with a bottom cover sticker on it.
Kraton 332g
Both V3 chassis with a layer of dust