Granite Granite 3s BLX first impressions

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Notorious J

It's gonna break, so might as well send it!
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Arrma RC's
  1. Gorgon
  2. Granite
  3. Notorious
  4. Typhon 6s
Holy Sh!!!!t do I like this truck. It's first day was at an indoor, all jump set up. The ramps are made of steel with open mesh grates on all the flat areas, the area is narrow, and when you mess up, you're either hitting another steel ramp or the steel railing that encompasses the area. I literally kicked the living hell out of it today, and all it did was come back for more. Did things break? Sure they did, but that was because if you didn't hit the ramp straight, the truck was coming down on steel. The area is also encompassed by netting that goes up about 30 ft. I sent it into the netting numbers of times. It would then tumble down and either hit the railing, a ramp or the floor. What did I break? Two of the right front yolks, a rear camber turnbuckle and one shock shaft came apart. Fyi for any newbs, repairing this thing is a breeze. The stock 3s shocks come apart in 30 seconds, and the new shaft is attached to the shock end. Total reassembly was about five minutes or so. The yolks come out easily and maybe ten to fifteen minutes tops to replace. No broken arms, difs, bumpers or towers. Front bumper and wheelie bar are scraped, but no cracks. I don't think I would invest in T Bone for this truck, just stock replacements when needed.
Now as this was a practice session for the upcoming Toronto International Auto show, we had to send our trucks hard so we could see what we could get away with in the space we had. I was launching it high and far to see how many front and backflips were possible with the short run ups we had. Punch was set to 4. This thing takes off like a small rocket and loves to be twirled around in the air. When the driver missed, it would slam into something and just keep going. When we landed right, it would pound the ground with a huge thump and just keep going. Only issue is the lack of a quality rebound in the shocks. A perfect landing from 15 to 20 feet up would usually have the truck bounce hard and flip over. Still no complaints though. The body is on the flimsy side. I didn't tape it before the first outing, and the area around the top of the tail gate started to split open from slamming on the shock tower. Taped up now and ready for action. The only mods I made were to add the 15kg Arrma servo and the addition of my Flysky GT5 radio/receiver. This truck can boogie and turns on a dime. The throttle control is spot on, so managing flips is a cake walk. So much easier to correct in a small space. Stabbing the throttle or brake gives immediate results.
I love it. It's not as mean as my 6s Notorious, but it can handle itself just fine when messing around with the big boys. With a slightly better body, this thing will eat up a skate park, and spit it out when it's done. Whatever you dish out, it can take it. If it can't, it isn't going to punish you when you have to fix it. I don't even plan on doing any real upgrades to this thing. If I keep it dry and use it as a skate park basher only, just about everything on it should work without issue. I already have a complete extra set of stock bearings that I removed from my T3S, so when the originals start to go, I'll just slap those in.
So it's two big thumbs up from me, the destroyer of rc's. I'll be doing three days straight on the last weekend of the show. Bringing the Noto and the G3S. Pretty sure the Noto will just sit close and look pretty for pictures (maybe a couple of double backs just to get the crowd excited), but the Granite will get the lion's share of the time. Even if I break it, should be able to snap it back together with very little time lost. Wish me (and my trucks) luck. Rc carnage is inevitable.
 
So glad you picked one up. doesn't need mods to have a giant time and even my second hand one takes the hits like Rocky. Such a cool truck for the $. I always suggest the 3s Granite for anyone new. Even the tires are as good as it needs! Why change what works?
So cool you got one?? Fkin beat it up and it comes back, tongue hanging out.
 
So awesome! I may have to bring the family by... The kids would love it!
The show opens today. Yesterday was the exhibitor VIP day. Lots of big wigs from the automotive industry were in the buildings walking around before their gala last night. I was blown away by how many guys in suits stopped at our area to watch us practice. Cameras out taking pictures and videos. Evertime I sent the Granite into orbit and it came crashing down, but still rolled on, they were in awe. This went on for about five hours. I'm sure families with small children will get held up for a bit while the kids tug on their parents coats and start asking them to go inside our booth and get them one?
 
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I want to stress one point again. The 3s shocks are fine. The overkill of the 6s Typhon shocks is totally unnecessary for these light little bashers. If you bend a shaft or break an end, just replace them. They're super cheap and the effort to change is minor. One thing you will find out quickly if you change to the 6s shocks, is the 3s plastics aren't built to hold them. The towers don't like to be twisted when the tire or arm takes the hit, and the little screw that holds the end into the arm was not designed to hold the force that the bigger aluminum shocks exert. At most, maybe a 4s shock in a 3s, but plastic and light is all the platform likes too handle. Yes you might have to replace o rings every once and a while, but the size and dampening that they offer is more than enough. You could always try different spring rates and oil weights as well, if you think the shocks are to soft/hard for your driving style. The fact that the new shaft comes with the end attached makes quick changes easy. If you manage to have a shaft get pulled out of an end (they are press fit, not screw in), glue them back until you can get replacements. My 2 cents, change available if anyone feels I charged too much.
Oh, and about the drive shafts. I bought two full sets of spares from Jennys when I got the Typhon 3s. Never opened the bag.
 
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@Notorious J I picked one up myself a couple weeks back and I have to say out of all my rigs this thing is my new favorite. Its everything you want it to be fast, agile, tough and just an all out blast to drive. Did I mention it is completely stock? and with the new 7600 mah 3s I just picked up I'm getting about 30 min+ of hard running it. I love that little beast.
 
Got a chance to run the Granite for a few hours yesterday (don't ask). As was the case for most drivers at the Auto show, the running conditions are horrid. Metal ramps and railings, and a thin turf floor over concrete that is very unforgiving. Damage tally for the day was a destroyed chassis, bent battery, toasted esc (wire separated from bottom of cap pack installed from factory), both front bearing carriers, body mounts, body and a shock tower. Good news - the amount of times the truck was slammed into steel obstructions for this damage to happen. The running area is too small, the ramps are too close together, and the area is surrounded by a metal railing and netting. Hit the netting, slam down on the railing, then bounce and hit one of the ramps. This is where the greatest amount of damage occurs and it happens frequently. If you manage to keep it straight and stick your landings, than the truck actually holds up very well. Never broke a shock or arm yesterday, All links were intact. Motor and module are fine, and difs are holding steady. After scouring our bin of spare parts, I got what I needed and did a full chassis swap. Soooooooo easy. Esc and servo module, 5 screws. Front and rear dif assemblies with bumpers, 4 screws each. Motor module just slides out. This truck is a cake walk to repair.
Now the damage might seem intense, but you need to know that we are launching these trucks with reckless abandon. It is a show after all, and the people want to see the trucks fly. The lhs and Horizon Hobby are doing there best to keep parts flowing down to us, but we're all a little worried that the supply chain might run thin before the end of the show. Here's a clip from one if my stints yesterday.
 
Got a chance to run the Granite for a few hours yesterday (don't ask). As was the case for most drivers at the Auto show, the running conditions are horrid. Metal ramps and railings, and a thin turf floor over concrete that is very unforgiving. Damage tally for the day was a destroyed chassis, bent battery, toasted esc (wire separated from bottom of cap pack installed from factory), both front bearing carriers, body mounts, body and a shock tower. Good news - the amount of times the truck was slammed into steel obstructions for this damage to happen. The running area is too small, the ramps are too close together, and the area is surrounded by a metal railing and netting. Hit the netting, slam down on the railing, then bounce and hit one of the ramps. This is where the greatest amount of damage occurs and it happens frequently. If you manage to keep it straight and stick your landings, than the truck actually holds up very well. Never broke a shock or arm yesterday, All links were intact. Motor and module are fine, and difs are holding steady. After scouring our bin of spare parts, I got what I needed and did a full chassis swap. Soooooooo easy. Esc and servo module, 5 screws. Front and rear dif assemblies with bumpers, 4 screws each. Motor module just slides out. This truck is a cake walk to repair.
Now the damage might seem intense, but you need to know that we are launching these trucks with reckless abandon. It is a show after all, and the people want to see the trucks fly. The lhs and Horizon Hobby are doing there best to keep parts flowing down to us, but we're all a little worried that the supply chain might run thin before the end of the show. Here's a clip from one if my stints yesterday.
Says account is private and unable to watch
 
Holy Sh!!!!t do I like this truck. It's first day was at an indoor, all jump set up. The ramps are made of steel with open mesh grates on all the flat areas, the area is narrow, and when you mess up, you're either hitting another steel ramp or the steel railing that encompasses the area. I literally kicked the living hell out of it today, and all it did was come back for more. Did things break? Sure they did, but that was because if you didn't hit the ramp straight, the truck was coming down on steel. The area is also encompassed by netting that goes up about 30 ft. I sent it into the netting numbers of times. It would then tumble down and either hit the railing, a ramp or the floor. What did I break? Two of the right front yolks, a rear camber turnbuckle and one shock shaft came apart. Fyi for any newbs, repairing this thing is a breeze. The stock 3s shocks come apart in 30 seconds, and the new shaft is attached to the shock end. Total reassembly was about five minutes or so. The yolks come out easily and maybe ten to fifteen minutes tops to replace. No broken arms, difs, bumpers or towers. Front bumper and wheelie bar are scraped, but no cracks. I don't think I would invest in T Bone for this truck, just stock replacements when needed.
Now as this was a practice session for the upcoming Toronto International Auto show, we had to send our trucks hard so we could see what we could get away with in the space we had. I was launching it high and far to see how many front and backflips were possible with the short run ups we had. Punch was set to 4. This thing takes off like a small rocket and loves to be twirled around in the air. When the driver missed, it would slam into something and just keep going. When we landed right, it would pound the ground with a huge thump and just keep going. Only issue is the lack of a quality rebound in the shocks. A perfect landing from 15 to 20 feet up would usually have the truck bounce hard and flip over. Still no complaints though. The body is on the flimsy side. I didn't tape it before the first outing, and the area around the top of the tail gate started to split open from slamming on the shock tower. Taped up now and ready for action. The only mods I made were to add the 15kg Arrma servo and the addition of my Flysky GT5 radio/receiver. This truck can boogie and turns on a dime. The throttle control is spot on, so managing flips is a cake walk. So much easier to correct in a small space. Stabbing the throttle or brake gives immediate results.
I love it. It's not as mean as my 6s Notorious, but it can handle itself just fine when messing around with the big boys. With a slightly better body, this thing will eat up a skate park, and spit it out when it's done. Whatever you dish out, it can take it. If it can't, it isn't going to punish you when you have to fix it. I don't even plan on doing any real upgrades to this thing. If I keep it dry and use it as a skate park basher only, just about everything on it should work without issue. I already have a complete extra set of stock bearings that I removed from my T3S, so when the originals start to go, I'll just slap those in.
So it's two big thumbs up from me, the destroyer of rc's. I'll be doing three days straight on the last weekend of the show. Bringing the Noto and the G3S. Pretty sure the Noto will just sit close and look pretty for pictures (maybe a couple of double backs just to get the crowd excited), but the Granite will get the lion's share of the time. Even if I break it, should be able to snap it back together with very little time lost. Wish me (and my trucks) luck. Rc carnage is inevitable.

I do agree with what you said regarding the shocks, the stock shock dampening is really good actually and the leaking o-rings really aren’t that big of deal but where the upgrade does warrant the extra money in my opinion is the stronger perches. They would break with the lightest of hits and it was more aggrevating than anything especially when I was trying to get my daughter into it and to have fun but would have to stop 5 minutes into a bash. It caused her to lose interest really fast and she felt bad because she broke it. Once I upgraded the shocks it was good to go.
 
The servo is terrible. It's way too slow for track. Granted it's not a race car but on the race track i feel is a real test of it's capabilities as opposed to bashing. I replaced the servo and the difference is night and day. It's fast and responsive and actually goes where I expect it to go. It's a far more enjoyable experience now. I think the servo upgrade is a must. I also replaced the reciever and controller with a Flysky GT5 and BS6.
IMO new servo and transmitter is a must.
 
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