Kraton Kraton 8s EXBad Build

[Matt05]

PPS mount and 34/47 gearing installed! I still need to wire up a fan for the motor, but I’d like to take it out once and see how hot it gets with this gearing. Hopefully tomorrow night after work I can do that. Very impressed with the quality and fitment of the PPS parts. I also need to learn that neat zip tie trick for motor wire management.

 

[Matt05]

Got the chance to take it out and abuse it a little more last weekend. The gearing change and 40mm fan addition seemed to cure the temp issues. Unfortunately I shredded a rear tire and forgot to bring spares which cut the day short. I have a set of trenchers coming that I will alternate with a set of backflips. Forgot to mention, the stock front bumper brace thing is trash and broke I think on the first run, so I grabbed one for this and one for my Outcast from @3d-rc.myshopify.com

 

[Matt05]

Was skeptical about buying one of these at first, but after getting it installed, the @3d-rc.myshopify.com bumper spring is crazy beefy!

 

[3d-rc.myshopify.com]

Glad you think so lol

 

[Matt05]

Dun dun dun…

Unfortunately my xlx2 is no longer in running condition. I didn’t have a ton of time to look it over but it seems the main damage is the xlx2, the batteries, and the wiring for my motor fan. When I get home this weekend I will box up the xlx2 and probably the B-Link to be safe and ship them off to Castle.

In the mean time I’m debating picking up a max5 to use as a spare or just buying another xlx2.

Ordered a 30t pinion from saga to gear it down and hopefully remedy some of whatever the problem is.

 

[Matt05]

Had a bit of a shipping delay but Castle should have the xlx2 on Monday. The 30t pinion showed up so I’m sure when I get bored I will swap that on. Still haven’t really gone over the rig to check for damages, probably because a) I know I have time to fix
It before Castle sends me a new xlx2 and 2) pure frustration

 

[Matt05]

Castle has the esc, now it’s just the waiting game.

 

[Matt05]

Got lucky and Castle looked at it pretty quick. Blamed the 34/47 gearing, but they are going to send out a replacement. They suggested the 30/47 like @Armarookie43.

 

[Armarookie43]

Got lucky and Castle looked at it pretty quick. Blamed the 34/47 gearing, but they are going to send out a replacement. They suggested the 30/47 like @Armarookie43.

Yeah, they partial blamed my 35/47 gearing and shoddy soldering. But I ran that set up for months. And not to mention crazy crashes. But I think that when it started getting hotter and hotter, that kind of threw things out the window (in my case, de soldered esc bullets on the battery side of the XLX2. Two of them). And I also started using those huge 4.3 trenchers too. That's why when I change something now, or when I'm new to a set up, I take it easy like you are supposed to.

 

[Matt05]

Still no tracking number from Castle for my replacement. Debating selling the new xlx2 and my lightly used 1100kv and B Link and just putting a Hobbywing set up in this.

 

[Matt05]

New xlx2 was delivered today. Need to order a new qs8 harness and hopefully I can get it out back together next weekend.

 

[Bullet]

Any update on running the 30/47 gearing with the XLX2 and 1100kv motor?

I noticed the castle’s website suggests to start at 32/47 with this setup. Has anyone ran this setup and pulled data logs?

I’m curious since I built my K8 EXB with these and motor combo , but I put 32/39 gears in. The motor ran 130 degrees as I drove it on road. I turned my fans on and the motor was 115 degrees.

 

[Bullet]

Since my last post I've gone ahead and tested some things out for myself.
I've purchased the M2C motor mount to allow me to run a 32t pinion since the stock motor mount allows you to run a pinion up to 31t. The past two days I've ran my K8 with this setup and I've gathered some good information for everyone to use. Castle recomends to use this gearing with the XLX2 1100kv motor.

Results:
1. Motor temp 115
2. ESC temp 123
3. Battery temp 105
4. Battery connector (QS8) 102

Please see the results from todays data log. This was one of the races I ran that was four big laps with a couple jumps.

 

[Matt05]

I honestly haven’t had a chance to put this thing back together. I swapped the 34t pinion out to a 30t but haven’t soldered new connectors onto the esc or really gone over anything to see if there is any more damage. Wife blessed me with our first born at the end of July and the hobby has kind of taken a back seat.

 

[Bullet]

I honestly haven’t had a chance to put this thing back together. I swapped the 34t pinion out to a 30t but haven’t soldered new connectors onto the esc or really gone over anything to see if there is any more damage. Wife blessed me with our first born at the end of July and the hobby has kind of taken a back seat.

Congratulations on welcoming your first child into the world. No worries on rushing to finish your rc. I noticed you hadn’t been back yet, so I added to it everyone. Enjoy spending time with your newborn. Try to take as many photos as possible because the time goes fast.

 

[Matt05]

Finally getting around to working on this again. Visual damage doesn’t really appear to be anything besides surface rust caused by the electrical fire. I’m considering ordering a screw kit to just go through the whole thing and replace what is corroded.

The rust really drives me nuts, but I’m not sure if it’s nuts enough to replace the center drive shafts.

M2C plate should clean up fine.

Tough to tell in the pic, but there is a little soot/burn on the servo, I’ll plug it into another truck this week to confirm it’s condition.

Besides the light charring, the body took it fine, can’t remember if I used shoo goo on this body or Lexel, but it is definitely still plyable. That’s all for now, working on one mod, but otherwise it will go back together the same as before but with 30/47 gearing.

 

[Armarookie43]

Finally getting around to working on this again. Visual damage doesn’t really appear to be anything besides surface rust caused by the electrical fire. I’m considering ordering a screw kit to just go through the whole thing and replace what is corroded.

View attachment 249184

View attachment 249185

The rust really drives me nuts, but I’m not sure if it’s nuts enough to replace the center drive shafts.

View attachment 249186

M2C plate should clean up fine.

View attachment 249187

Tough to tell in the pic, but there is a little soot/burn on the servo, I’ll plug it into another truck this week to confirm it’s condition.

View attachment 249188

Besides the light charring, the body took it fine, can’t remember if I used shoo goo on this body or Lexel, but it is definitely still plyable. That’s all for now, working on one mod, but otherwise it will go back together the same as before but with 30/47 gearing.

Nice. I've found that 30/47 for my Outcast 8s and EXB K8S with the XLX2 and 1100kv motor are a good match. Plenty of speed and all the other good stuff, without crazy amp spikes (the most I've seen so far is 300 amps).

 

[Matt05]

Nice. I've found that 30/47 for my Outcast 8s and EXB K8S with the XLX2 and 1100kv motor are a good match. Plenty of speed and all the other good stuff, without crazy amp spikes (the most I've seen so far is 300 amps).

Added bonus, maybe it won’t need a motor fan.

 

[Armarookie43]

Added bonus, maybe it won’t need a motor fan.

I think it depends on your ambient temperature. It's been crazy hot in South Texas where I live, so I would probably hit around 165F even with fans. But I use the 4.3 Trenchers, so that's a factor too. It all depends on so many variables, that you have to try it out yourself and see where your temps are at

 

[Hammer Down]

The rust really drives me nuts, but I’m not sure if it’s nuts enough to replace the center drive shafts.

Hit those shafts with some emery cloth.

Screw kits are cheap @ jrc