Kraton Good video showing the Kraton’s biggest weak spot

[slick2500]

I think I have a small theory on how it can bend easily. Heat from the motor. There were many times where I picked up my kraton or outcast and it was pretty warm on the bottom of the chassis. I don't know if it gets warm enough to weaken the aluminum but it might be possible.

Almost thinking of putting some sort of insulation tape under the motor.

To be completely honest I think that the reasons for the chassis bending is that one it's a 3mm stamped t6 6065 aluminum chassis without enough support for the weight of the vehicle, two the stock plastic chassis braces are not near strong enough for the job that is demanded of them.
I added Hot Racing chassis braces to my Outcast after breaking a stock chassis brace and bending my chassis, on 4s mind you, and even with those the chassis has a lot of flex in it. With the tower to tower brace that flex is all but eliminated.
Currently there are a few options to fix those issues. Not really in any particular order.

• Custom tower to tower brace.
• Just bash it rc chassis. https://m.facebook.com/JBIRC/
• Markhor carbon fiber chassis brace. https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/chassis-brace.6030/
• Alza Racing aluminum chassis brace.
• https://shop.alza-racing.com/en/kraton/121-v1-v2-kraton-top-connection-brace-standard.html

Or Arrma could offer us a milled 7075 chassis as an upgrade part. Arrma is the only company that doesn't have any upgrades for any of their current products. Their old 1/10 2wd platform had quite a few optional upgrade parts. And do not say that it's because Arrma doesn't need any upgrades, because that is a bold face lie and if it weren't true we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

[bicketybam]

To be completely honest I think that the reasons for the chassis bending is that one it's a 3mm stamped t6 6065 aluminum chassis without enough support for the weight of the vehicle, two the stock plastic chassis braces are not near strong enough for the job that is demanded of them.
I added Hot Racing chassis braces to my Outcast after breaking a stock chassis brace and bending my chassis, on 4s mind you, and even with those the chassis has a lot of flex in it. With the tower to tower brace that flex is all but eliminated.
Currently there are a few options to fix those issues. Not really in any particular order.

• Custom tower to tower brace.
• Just bash it rc chassis. https://m.facebook.com/JBIRC/
• Markhor carbon fiber chassis brace. https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/chassis-brace.6030/
• Alza Racing aluminum chassis brace.
• https://shop.alza-racing.com/en/kraton/121-v1-v2-kraton-top-connection-brace-standard.html

Or Arrma could offer us a milled 7075 chassis as an upgrade part. Arrma is the only company that doesn't have any upgrades for any of their current products. Their old 1/10 2wd platform had quite a few optional upgrade parts. And do not say that it's because Arrma doesn't need any upgrades, because that is a bold face lie and if it weren't true we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Spot on. The Kraton is a pig. It's heavy. And once you add all the aluminum upgrades and big ass Trenchers like I did, it's a whale, lol. When I bring it to the BMX track and send it, it lands so damn hard that I cringe. Now imagine landing a "bad" landing with all they weight.

 

[-Dusty-]

You would think that Arrma would make a lot of money selling upgraded parts. Maybe they came up to a conclusion that its not worth it with manufacturing costs or something.

Either way, it would be nice if Arrma or someone else would come out with a reasonably priced chassis upgrade. Personally I think its a good thing that someone with a big youtube is pointing out this flaw. Arrma might respond

 

[slick2500]

Spot on. The Kraton is a pig. It's heavy. And once you add all the aluminum upgrades and big ass Trenchers like I did, it's a whale, lol. When I bring it to the BMX track and send it, it lands so damn hard that I cringe. Now imagine landing a "bad" landing with all they weight.

1/8ths scale monster trucks are known for bending the stock chassis. The Thunder Tiger Mt4 g3 has many companies that make tower to tower braces for it. The HPI Savage has companies that make aftermarket chassis. The Ofna/Hobao Hyper MT has an optional chassis brace, made by Hobao, for these, I think the latest revision comes with it pre-installed but I can't remember.
It's all about cost and Arrma had to cut the cost somewhere and I am a firm believer that it was all of the aluminum parts.

 

[slick2500]

You would think that Arrma would make a lot of money selling upgraded parts. Maybe they came up to a conclusion that its not worth it with manufacturing costs or something.

Either way, it would be nice if Arrma or someone else would come out with a reasonably priced chassis upgrade. Personally I think its a good thing that someone with a big youtube is pointing out this flaw. Arrma might respond

To be honest I think the Markhor or Alza Racing brace is the current best solution. The Markhor one is like $60-$70 US and the Alza is like $35 US before shipping.
The tower to tower brace is the cheapest but it is also the crudest and it puts a lot of stress on the wimpy aluminum shock towers.

 

[bicketybam]

1/8ths scale monster trucks are known for bending the stock chassis. The Thunder Tiger Mt4 g3 has many companies that make tower to tower braces for it. The HPI Savage has companies that make aftermarket chassis. The Ofna/Hobao Hyper MT has an optional chassis brace, made by Hobao, for these, I think the latest revision comes with it pre-installed but I can't remember.
It's all about cost and Arrma had to cut the cost somewhere and I am a firm believer that it was all of the aluminum parts.

I have a Savage and I've never bent the TVP's, lol. I figured they would be really hard to bend.

 

[slick2500]

I have a Savage and I've never bent the TVP's, lol. I figured they would be really hard to bend.

Oh so those chassis must be for bling, I've never owned a Savage and never really had much interest in one so I just assumed that's why they made those.

 

[bicketybam]

First attempt. I used 1" which doesn't fit through the motor cage. I also did not go across the top in the back. I went in between which I know will not protect against an outward flex. But I wasn't sure I would be able to for the body with it on top.

My measurements could have been better but all in all I think it came out alright.

 

[-Dusty-]

I have mine notched out on the back so it hooks on the bottom of the shock tower. Im hoping it works with the outward flex.

 

[bicketybam]

I have mine notched out on the back so it hooks on the bottom of the shock tower. Im hoping it works with the outward flex.

View attachment 22722View attachment 22721

Nice. I'm going l to do that

 

[WTF MIKE]

I have mine notched out on the back so it hooks on the bottom of the shock tower. Im hoping it works with the outward flex.

View attachment 22722View attachment 22721

Put a bolt and nut behind the shock tower where you notched it it will help with the outward flex

 

[bicketybam]

Put a bolt and nut behind the shock tower where you notched it it will help with the outward flex

I am not following you. Do you have a picture you can provide?

 

[WTF MIKE]

I am not following you. Do you have a picture you can provide?

You see how he notched around the centre piece of the tower? That will stop the inward flex now if you put a bolt and through the t2t brace behind the centre piece of the tower it will help with the outward flex

 

[-Dusty-]

I got it notched on the bottom part as well so it hooks on to the bottom part of the tower. Who knows if it will hold up like a bolt and washer would but I really don't want to drill a hole into my voltage hobbies tower

 

[WTF MIKE]

I got it notched on the bottom part as well so it hooks on to the bottom part of the tower. Who knows if it will hold up like a bolt and washer would but I really don't want to drill a hole into my voltage hobbies tower

I wouldn’t drill into the tower either your drilling through your brace on the back side of the tower. Basically if you bolt it it will prevent the brace from sliding out unless you remove the bolt

 

[-Dusty-]

Oh I get it now ahahha. I was thinking you meant a bolt running length wise down the tubing

 

[bicketybam]

I wouldn’t drill into the tower either your drilling through your brace on the back side of the tower. Basically if you bolt it it will prevent the brace from sliding out unless you remove the bolt

I follow now. If I do that then I don't have the slot the rear bottom like @-Dusty- did. Less cutting = win for Bickety!

 

[WTF MIKE]

I follow now. If I do that then I don't have the slot the rear bottom like @-Dusty- did. Less cutting = win for Bickety!

Oh wow I didn’t even notice dusty notched the bottom that’s a great idea also

 

[olds97_lss]

I have a Savage and I've never bent the TVP's, lol. I figured they would be really hard to bend.

I did, a couple times. Both nitro. One was a really awful lawn dart landing I couldn't get out of from about 15 feet up onto the front bumper. It bowed them a bit in the middle. The other was hitting a concrete curb at WOT in second gear just after installing my new LRP28 and getting it fully broken in. The curb was about 6 inches tall hiding in the weeds. Sent my truck straight up like a rocket and tweaked the TVP's a bit.

So, do they bend, yes. But it takes a pretty big "whoops". Or at least it did for me.

My outcast on the other hand, 5 foot high landing going forward at a good speed, overrotated and landed on the roof/rear of the body pretty hard. Mangled the tower, broke the chassis brace, tweaked the chassis deck.

If you send it and land it on the wheels, it holds up pretty well. But it's not the most forgiving when you land off kilter at all. The bonus of the outcast is it's nearly square dimensions, so it carthwheels and dissipates the energy if you land on one corner going forward. I noticed the extra length of my buddies talion tends to not cartwheel and he ends up with a lot more damage/bent stuff than I do.

 

[VerticalChallenge]

I sent my Typhon down a parking lot around 35-40 mph and inadvertently clobbered a walkway curb that looked like a distant shadow. It was startling to see it fold up and jump about 10' vertical from the collision. @olds97_lss, your comment about the cartwheeling Talion got me thinking about longer Kraton arms, driveshafts, and steering linage to square my ride. Does anybody know if i could I get away with that w/o taller shock towers and shocks, if not running anything larger than truggy tires?