Giving these ZD Racing rod ends a try

[Edough13]

Hey guys just got some ZD Racing aluminum rod ends for my Granite. Definitely a loose fit on the rods so used some pipe tape to tighten them up. Definitely a lot less play than stock composite rod ends and balls so hopefully they hold up and perform well.

 

[NewSensei]

I got yelled at for thinking aluminum rod ends once...ONCE!

They look nice but you'd be better off sticking with plastic, it's better to break the ends than the shocks themselves...or something else up the stream. Makes sense to me why everyone says that, same reason I stick with plastic A arms...flexibility and with the rod ends and easy fix breaking point

 

[Edough13]

I got yelled at for thinking aluminum rod ends once...ONCE!

They look nice but you'd be better off sticking with plastic, it's better to break the ends than the shocks themselves...or something else up the stream. Makes sense to me why everyone says that, same reason I stick with plastic A arms...flexibility and with the rod ends and easy fix breaking point

The tierod ends/turnbuckle ends not the shock rod ends ?. The only clean bright blue things in the picture?

 

[NewSensei]

The tierod ends/turnbuckle ends not the shock rod ends ?. The only clean bright blue things in the picture?

My bad, the rod ends looked metal in the pictures and I'm color deficient do there's that Yeah, the one thing I'd aluminize is the turn buckle, those pillow balls are in a precarious place behind plastic...

 

[suchtragedy]

The headache with aluminum tie rod ends is you now have metal on metal so the turnbuckle spins itself out due to vibration which screws up your wheel geometry or even worse, a mid run failure.

I've tried aluminum tie rod ends before on non-arrma stuff and tried securing with loctite and loctite + retainer nut but even then it was a pain. Using pipe tape might keep them in check better, though.

 

[Edough13]

Ya have been thinking about trying aluminum shock rod ends also as I have broken several plastic ones on my Granite, just about every time I've bashed lately. Sucks being 5 mins in some good bashing and have an end break. Not sure what a good fix would be other than a stronger end?

 

[NewSensei]

Ya have been thinking about trying aluminum shock rod ends also as I have broken several plastic ones on my Granite, just about every time I've bashed lately. Sucks being 5 mins in some good bashing and have an end break. Not sure what a good fix would be other than a stronger end?

Nope, best fix is to carry spare rod ends when you go bashing

A break at the rod is not a break in the shock itself or somewhere else

This applies to rod ends of any knd I suppose, it boils down to what might break instead if you put metal in there...
but they look so nice!

 

[Edough13]

The headache with aluminum tie rod ends is you now have metal on metal so the turnbuckle spins itself themselve due to vibration which screws up your wheel geometry or even worse, a mid run failure.

I've tried aluminum tie rod ends before on non-arrma stuff and tried securing with loctite and loctite + retainer nut but even then it was a pain. Using pipe tape might keep them in check better, though.

Figured they were worth a try, picked them up for next to nothing and with all the play and how fast composite ends and balls wear out figure they would hold up better. Ya hoping the tape will hold them together for a bit anyways, and with the opposite threads they shouldn't be able to loosen up all that much if at all, in theory anyways.

 

[suchtragedy]

Figured they were worth a try, picked them up for next to nothing and with all the play and how fast composite ends and balls wear out figure they would hold up better. Ya hoping the tape will hold them together for a bit anyways, and with the opposite threads they shouldn't be able to loosen up all that much if at all, in theory anyways.

It's actually because the threads rotate opposite of eachother that it makes it a pain. When the turnbuckle is installed rotating the shaft one direction or the other looses or tightens both ends, so if the ends are not tight that's why they spin apart until they fall off. But I think the tape is definitely worth trying, loctite wasn't that's for sure lol

 

[Edough13]

Nope, best fix is to carry spare rod ends when you go bashing

A break at the rod is not a break in the shock itself or somewhere else

This applies to rod ends of any knd I suppose, it boils down to what might break instead if you put metal in there...
but they look so nice!

Gets a bit costy in my case as closest LHS is 70-100 miles away or order online which takes time to get here and who likes waiting on parts or should I say have the patience ?. Thanks for the input I appreciate it, definitely make me think before buying aluminum shock rod ends, but still may give them a go ?

 

[NewSensei]

I keep a small stock of the most commonly broken parts. Always keep things link spare nuts, ends, screw kit, tools and velcro strapping...among other things. Basically, buy ahead of time on those basics

 

[Grimbles]

+1, keep us up to date on how they perform after sending it a few times

 

[Edough13]

+1, keep us up to date on how they perform after sending it a few times

So definitely didn't hold up bashing?. The steering ends held up but think tie rods( ones on top) didn't last they came loose and popped off rods first big air. So for your steering rods they will work great but not tie rods the threads are too loose and pop off

 

[NewSensei]

So definitely didn't hold up bashing?. The steering ends held up but think tie rods( ones on top) didn't last they came loose and popped off rods first big air. So for your steering rods they will work great but not tie rods the threads are too loose and pop off

Maybe if you used some shoe goo or epoxy it'd hold? Would require you to find it's setting first but it would also make it stay on

 

[olds97_lss]

Nope, best fix is to carry spare rod ends when you go bashing

A break at the rod is not a break in the shock itself or somewhere else

This applies to rod ends of any knd I suppose, it boils down to what might break instead if you put metal in there...
but they look so nice!

Tried aluminum ones on my nitro revo many years ago on the shocks... first bash, snapped the shaft ends off 2 shocks. A lot easier replacing a mangled plastic end regardless what it's for vs replacing the shock shaft or turnbuckle. With a turnbuckle, you run the risk of snapping the bolt off in the bulkhead as well. Nut a fun thing to fix if it's threaded into the tower/bulkhead.

 

[GRC]

Ya have been thinking about trying aluminum shock rod ends also as I have broken several plastic ones on my Granite, just about every time I've bashed lately. Sucks being 5 mins in some good bashing and have an end break. Not sure what a good fix would be other than a stronger end?

Put them in boiling hot water for a few minutes, then soak them in WD-40 or Armor All. I do this for all plastics. Through all my hard bashes and breaks I've broken only one rod end. It's one of the only plastic parts I've broken. I've bent and broken lots of metal.

 

[Edough13]

Maybe if you used some shoe goo or epoxy it'd hold? Would require you to find it's setting first but it would also make it stay on

Don't think it would work, maybe if I used the longer Typhon rods but Granite are just too short not enough gets threaded into the ends.

Put them in boiling hot water for a few minutes, then soak them in WD-40 or Armor All. I do this for all plastics. Through all my hard bashes and breaks I've broken only one rod end. It's one of the only plastic parts I've broken. I've bent and broken lots of metal.

Stock rod ends have held up fine besides all the play in them. I tried some ZD racing aluminum ends and they won't stay connected to the tie rod because they are shorter than Granite stock set so not enough of the rod screws in to hold them well. The steering rods are holding up great though and took a bunch of play out of the steering. The other top rods would need longer rods like the Typhons to hold up well and thread deep enough into the ends.

 

[Grimbles]

So definitely didn't hold up bashing?. The steering ends held up but think tie rods( ones on top) didn't last they came loose and popped off rods first big air. So for your steering rods they will work great but not tie rods the threads are too loose and pop off

Thanks for the update chap.

 

[GRC]

Stock rod ends have held up fine besides all the play in them. I tried some ZD racing aluminum ends and they won't stay connected to the tie rod because they are shorter than Granite stock set so not enough of the rod screws in to hold them well. The steering rods are holding up great though and took a bunch of play out of the steering. The other top rods would need longer rods like the Typhons to hold up well and thread deep enough into the ends.

Does it actually steer more precisely? I have a Granite and I've found most attempts to remove slop make little difference in actual performance. I recently replaced my worn out Hot Racing pivot balls and stock rod ends. They were super loose. Less wiggle now, but it actually drives the same. I think 90% of the functional slop comes from the servo saver. If you want a tighter fit on the rod ends, you may want to try the Team Associated pivot balls. Too tight for me, I felt like they increased the chance of breakage.
https://www.amazon.com/Team-Associated-Turnbuckle-Balls-Shouldered/dp/B071H3QY4X

 

[murphy0987]

I've had success using Traxxas 5525 rods ends. Been using them for a while now on my granite and they are still nice and tight.