Outcast Keep breaking shock rod ends?

[yz125ryder]

Is anyone else having this issue? I have broken my second rod end this week. Is there a stronger rod end I could use? They don't break on my Kraton, but they manage to keep breaking on the Outcast.

 

[Rich Duperbash]

Is anyone else having this issue? I have broken my second rod end this week. Is there a stronger rod end I could use? They don't break on my Kraton, but they manage to keep breaking on the Outcast.

I'd be curious about a good upgrade option, too. Couldn't tell you how many I've broken all total. Do you have your droop set so your shocks don't get yanked past full extension by the arms?

 

[yz125ryder]

I'd be curious about a good upgrade option, too. Couldn't tell you how many I've broken all total. Do you have your droop set so your shocks don't get yanked past full extension by the arms?

I have kept my droop screws stock. I know RPM makes some rod ends for some other companies.. but not arrma. im still running the tekno oranges and 60wt all around. I still have not bent a single 3.5mm shaft. but the pressure seems to be transferred to the rod ends! Going to upload a new video soon Rich!

 

[Vedak]

curious what kind of terrain are you driving on? I've only driven mines once so far, no issues. But I'm wondering if this is a common issue, where I should pick up some extras.

 

[Rich Duperbash]

I have kept my droop screws stock. I know RPM makes some rod ends for some other companies.. but not arrma. im still running the tekno oranges and 60wt all around. I still have not bent a single 3.5mm shaft. but the pressure seems to be transferred to the rod ends! Going to upload a new video soon Rich!

You can't trust the stock droop setting for at least 2 reasons. One reason is, you don't know who set it to begin with. The other is the droop can and will change. Your droop actually increases over time as the droop screws work impressions into the chassis plate, allowing the arms to tug on the rod ends at full extension. A arms are also known to bend and tweak a bit which can effectively alter the droop. I'd remove the lower shock pins, pull out the rod ends from the A arms and make certain they extend past the set holes. You should ultimately have to press upwards on your rod ends against resistance to set them back in the arms and get the set pins back in. The other thing to decrease impact stress would be to soften your set up. Go with a softer spring and/or lighter oil. I switched to Tekno yellows in back with 40 weight and saw a huge reduction in broken rod ends. Still running Orange front with 50 weight. Good luck and just stop bashing so damn hard!!! No more house jumps and crazy crap like that...Lol. Just messing, we're not talking about toy grade Traxxas stuff here. Ouch....

 

[yz125ryder]

You can't trust the stock droop setting for at least 2 reasons. One reason is, you don't know who set it to begin with. The other is the droop can and will change. Your droop actually increases over time as the droop screws work impressions into the chassis plate, allowing the arms to tug on the rod ends at full extension. A arms are also known to bend and tweak a bit which can effectively alter the droop. I'd remove the lower shock pins, pull out the rod ends from the A arms and make certain they extend past the set holes. You should ultimately have to press upwards on your rod ends against resistance to set them back in the arms and get the set pins back in. The other thing to decrease impact stress would be to soften your set up. Go with a softer spring and/or lighter oil. I switched to Tekno yellows in back with 40 weight and saw a huge reduction in broken rod ends. Still running Orange front with 50 weight. Good luck and just stop bashing so damn hard!!! No more house jumps and crazy crap like that...Lol. Just messing, we're not talking about toy grade Traxxas stuff here. Ouch....

Haha I'll definitely look into that Rich. And no promises and lighter bashing... I have been trying to master my front flips! Thats why they are breaking lol

curious what kind of terrain are you driving on? I've only driven mines once so far, no issues. But I'm wondering if this is a common issue, where I should pick up some extras.

I am not driving my truck easy at all. They are only breaking from full speed jumping 10+ feet high. With flips.

 

[Vedak]

Haha I'll definitely look into that Rich. And no promises and lighter bashing... I have been trying to master my front flips! Thats why they are breaking lol


I am not driving my truck easy at all. They are only breaking from full speed jumping 10+ feet high. With flips.

haha well that sure explains it.

 

[Rich Duperbash]

Haha I'll definitely look into that Rich. And no promises and lighter bashing... I have been trying to master my front flips! Thats why they are breaking lol


I am not driving my truck easy at all. They are only breaking from full speed jumping 10+ feet high. With flips.

Front flips can be nasty when they go wrong. I too have broken stuff from seemingly modest FFs that went bad...Lol. It's a humbling experience no doubt, but also illustrates how vulnerable an otherwise stout basher can be when it spikes terra firma. Upside down one wheel landings are the worse cuz they flex the A arm violently and either break your shaft or kill your rod end. I've done the same with my Tekno MT410 rod ends.

 

[PTM PETE]

I use these now, I race my outcast with a bunch of 1/5th cars and it gets quite messy, plus huge jumps and huge crashes, they still break but no where near as often, I keep a few spares, I'd rather kill shock rod ends than anything else.

TKR6140B – Locking Shock Rod End and Tall Spring Perch Set (revised, 16mm shocks

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

I'd be curious about a good upgrade option, too. Couldn't tell you how many I've broken all total. Do you have your droop set so your shocks don't get yanked past full extension by the arms?

Rich just wanna say deff a fan and subscribed to your YouTube channel I came up with a solution to the eyelet problem we all have havnt told any1 about it but willing to share it with some1 like you because your videos were the reason I bought my outcast if u like the idea let me kno and i can give u part numbers and I do on how I do it takes all the slop pot of the eyelets and I have really sent this thing flying and havnt lost a eyelet yet and before I went thro so many I ordered them by sets of 10 packs at a time

 

[vitamindimo]

Looks like a helpful mod, why not share it with everyone?

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

Ok what I've come up with to stop eyelet slop and to stop the blowout issue we have all encountered. I ordered the arrma eyelet and cups the part number is AR330409 the cups are different then the outcast cups that came on my outcast. They do fit snug so it took a little bit of effort to snap around the shock shaft. Now the eyelets that come in the shock rod end set pack from arrma don't come with any pillow ball for the eyelets and the one from the stock end is to small. So I have a dew different rcs like we all do kinda addictive hobby lol. So I had a bunch of traxxas parts for other rigs I opened up traxxas #5529 shim set there will be two thick shims per pack. I install the eyelet using my tlr shock shaft pliers as to not mar up the shaft which can cause o- ring damage and shock leakage. Then I will take the thickest shim in the traxxas pack it does take two shims per eyelet. When you go to install the first one from the top you will notce it is slightly larger then the eyelet. I press the shim into the eyelet the shim is so close in size the eyelet plastic stretches right around it. Flup the eyelet over and repeat that step and you will notice that it just happens to be the exact size hole for the shock retaining pin. This was a weak point from the factory due to the fact they were relying on a plastic pillow ball and plastic eyelet over a metal shaft. Any one that knows anything about transfer of energy knows downward angular force with a harden what through the center of to weaker materials there is gonna be failure. This stops this h havnt seen this done anywhere yet so that' why I was kinda reluctant to share it with the community. I bash alot like rich does so I figured I'd share it with him let him test it and come up with is own conclusions about the mod. His voice is larger on here then mine and he has his other voice which is his YouTube channel. That is the main reason I reached out to him it wasn' trying to be selfish because this hobby is about innoation and support from lhs, and communities such as this one. I work with a machinist and I'm designing some parts now that I think are weak links on the arrma. My backgound is computer drafting and design and chemistry. I will b starting a thread for the new build as soon as my vxp racing esc and talon bec arrive project 12s outcast complete yesterday what do you guys think?

 

[vitamindimo]

Thanks for putting this together, I always appreciate the innovative ideas people have around these cars. I'm using one of those same eyelets right now since it came with the new shock rod and set and it's a little beef beefier than the stock one. The problem as you said is the stock pillow ball doesn't fit, but I am using the stock pillow ball and I've gone through three pack so far without any issues. That's said I'll look into this, I don't have that shims set but I'm wondering if I can just get a couple of washers from the hardware store. I'm also a little hesitant about having metal on metal, I don't mind beating up a plastic pillow ball but I definitely don't want to snap that shock retaining pin. I'll put this on my to try list. Thanks again.

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

Not a problem but when u think of transfer of energy if the material absorbing the impact is softer then the shock shaft then the other material absorb it before transferrng it to the eyelet. The traxxas shims I mentioned have less of tensile and shear strength then the shock retaining pin. So the shims will deform over time I'm sure but the shock pin should be fine I really air my outcast out and after every putting I do a complete tear down and cleaning and rebuild and I havnt seen any change in the shims or the retaining pin.

 

[bennyly]

I use these now, I race my outcast with a bunch of 1/5th cars and it gets quite messy, plus huge jumps and huge crashes, they still break but no where near as often, I keep a few spares, I'd rather kill shock rod ends than anything else.

TKR6140B – Locking Shock Rod End and Tall Spring Perch Set (revised, 16mm shocks

do you use the perches too or just the rod ends? does the stock pivot ball fit into these ok? TIA

 

[Iamtheoutcast]

I use them on the shock rod ends without any modifications they fit perfect and have the right size hole for the shock pin. I use them on the perches but because the shaft comming out of the tower is thicker then the shock pin I put them clamped in the drill press and bore the hole out to fit the perches.