Granite Granite 4X4 BLX steering "slop"

[jhamm]

I have been bashing this truck for about 3 months and the tie rod ends and pillow bushings and comletely worn out. There is over a 3/4" play in the steering.

Any suggestions on upgrades to correct this situation?

Thanks!

 

[Yonic]

Replace these.
https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGVGH&P=ML

There are some after market aluminum ones, but i think they'll just wear your tie rod ends. instead i just replace these every few months

 

[sadlerbw]

Nothing to report yet, but I have ordered some stuff to try out and see if it helps. I’ve got the GPM aluminum steering rack, and I’ve ordered some aluminum-and-brass rod ends to see if I can make a tighter tie rod than the stock plastic ones. Unfortunately those rod ends are on the slow boat from China, so I don’t know when they will show up!

I tried just replacing the plastic bushings with ball bearings, but that didn’t do much. The GPM rack might help all by its self, but I think the tie rods are the biggest source of slop, so I haven’t been in a hurry to replace the steering rack on its own.

 

[Alex206]

I have the GPM bellcrank it does take away some of the slop. But the endlinks wear out. I replaced mine same time installed bellcrank. Nice and tight now.

 

[jhamm]

Nothing to report yet, but I have ordered some stuff to try out and see if it helps. I’ve got the GPM aluminum steering rack, and I’ve ordered some aluminum-and-brass rod ends to see if I can make a tighter tie rod than the stock plastic ones. Unfortunately those rod ends are on the slow boat from China, so I don’t know when they will show up!

I tried just replacing the plastic bushings with ball bearings, but that didn’t do much. The GPM rack might help all by its self, but I think the tie rods are the biggest source of slop, so I haven’t been in a hurry to replace the steering rack on its own.

I ordered the exact items from GPM but like you I have no idea when they will arrive!

 

[Jerry-rigged]

Someone must have spilled a bottle of ForeverTuff(tm) into the plastic mix when they made my Granite. It is a Mega from way before the BLX, probably 2nd production run. Never broke a shock end, bumper, hub, arm, all ball ends are still tight, all I have done to the steering is a bearing swap.

(Waait, I did swap BLX links in a few months back... and indo have a shock tower that is currently cracked)

Oh well, carry on.

 

[jhamm]

I was wondering if there was a production issue..... I don't think I should have such excessive wear in such a short period of time.

 

[Adamj804]

When you take the pillow balls out, you will see that they are almost paper thin. Most disintegrated when I removed them. I switched to the Hot Racing aluminum bell crank and Hot Racing pillow ball set. Made a HUGE difference. Those parts will run you about $55 shipped off of Ebay. Those upgrades with the Typhon 6s shocks, metal Arrma shock caps and Typhon 3S Tbone Racing wheelie bar, make the Granite 4x4 BLX as durable as it will get.