Kraton Kraton 8s EXBad Build

[Matt05]

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

Southern MN so we have twoish months where it is balls hot and then mild to balls cold. Once I destroy another copperhead, I’m going to try to get away with running Backflips.

Hit those shafts with some emery cloth.

Screw kits are cheap @ jrc

I was thinking of just sanding it down lightly and oiling the crap out of them and hoping they look decent enough again.

 

[Armarookie43]

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.

But those temperatures were on road. Off road is a different story. I wouldn't personally run that gearing off road. I did 30/39 gearing and I was getting 500 amp voltage spikes with very big tires. Castle frowned at that gearing too.

 

[Matt05]

Getting it cleaned up and back together. I replaced as many crusty screws as I could with a screw kit from Jenny’s. The driveshafts clean up pretty nice with some real fine steel wool.

My brother has my soldering station, so once he returns that I will solder on new qs8 connectors and find out if everything still works. I’d like to get a few more runs out of it and then this winter I’ll probably break it down and do a deep clean and check over the diffs.

 

[RCbuzz]

Second set of batteries and first break.

View attachment 216168

No jumps yet, just getting used to the power, but I did have a few roll overs. I love my Xmaxx but this is a completely different handling experience. The Xmaxx definitely handles like a monster truck, while this just stays planted. Can’t wait to get it dialed in and keep running packs through it.

My bumper support broke in the same spot, looked to me like a casting defect in their design or the wrong type of plastic. I glued mine back with Lexan and shoe goo, holding for now but I bet It will fail again at some point.

Sorry about the fire with the XLX2, running a Max5 here with no issues. I stayed away from Castle on this round due to all the people reporting fires here... I would be sad if it was bad enough to take out the whole truck. :-(

 

[Matt05]

Well I got the new xlx2 all soldered up, and it appears my receiver is dead. Hated the dual antenna set up anyways so I ordered a R6FG to replace the R7FG. Hopefully I can carve out sometime this week to get it installed. I like the modular design of the esc, receiver box and servo all being in one, but man it is a pain when you need to get into the receiver box.

 

[trunkmonkey1]

@Matt05 - I'm probably going to start a K8 build. Though, I have a couple of questions for you.

1) What is the primary use of the r/c? bashing or speed....or a mixture of both?
2) Did you continue to use that Castle 1100kv?
3) What are the motor temps that you are getting?
4) Did you change the a-arms? Since I have heard that they are not the strongest.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Ty.

 

[Matt05]

@Matt05 - I'm probably going to start a K8 build. Though, I have a couple of questions for you.

1) What is the primary use of the r/c? bashing or speed....or a mixture of both?
2) Did you continue to use that Castle 1100kv?
3) What are the motor temps that you are getting?
4) Did you change the a-arms? Since I have heard that they are not the strongest.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Ty.

Mainly bashing, I don’t send them as hard as the YouTube guys, but I do run them pretty good.

The castle set up is still in there, although if I were to start over I’d just do a max5/1100 and forget about it.

Running 34/47 it needed motor fans, at least in the summer months in MN.

Arms are factory.

The biggest weak links I’ve found on the 8s Arrmas is the rtr shock shafts, bumper springs, and the plastic toe link ends.

 

[RCbuzz]

Mainly bashing, I don’t send them as hard as the YouTube guys, but I do run them pretty good.

The castle set up is still in there, although if I were to start over I’d just do a max5/1100 and forget about it.

Running 34/47 it needed motor fans, at least in the summer months in MN.

Arms are factory.

The biggest weak links I’ve found on the 8s Arrmas is the rtr shock shafts, bumper springs, and the plastic toe link ends.

By chance did you drill out the stock pistons? We did that and have not bent one yet... But we don't bash like a lot of others yet so I was curious.

 

[Matt05]

By chance did you drill out the stock pistons? We did that and have not bent one yet... But we don't bash like a lot of others yet so I was curious.

On this one I haven’t had an issue with the stock shafts. On my rtr outcast I think I bent 2 in one outing and then switched to the 7mm m2c shafts with no problems since. I really haven’t got to run the Kraton enough, and hard enough to wreck anything major, but I think the thicker shock shafts on the EXB models will hold up for my style of running.

 

[RCbuzz]

On this one I haven’t had an issue with the stock shafts. On my rtr outcast I think I bent 2 in one outing and then switched to the 7mm m2c shafts with no problems since. I really haven’t got to run the Kraton enough, and hard enough to wreck anything major, but I think the thicker shock shafts on the EXB models will hold up for my style of running.

Nice! We just noticed the piston holes seemed way to small for a shock that size. If you grab a stock RTR shock and try to compress it fast the force seems like hitting a brick wall... I have a feeling they needed more fluid transfer from the start.

I plan to drill out all my RTR stock pistons from here on out.

https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/shock-bend-kraton-8s.19642/post-758402

 

[Hammer Down]

By chance did you drill out the stock pistons? We did that and have not bent one yet... But we don't bash like a lot of others yet so I was curious.

I run stock shocks on both my 8s rigs and once I dropped my viscosity down to 30-35wt oil, I haven’t bent a shaft since! I don’t hold back on the sendage either.

No drilling, no fancy shafts.. just lighter oil.

 

[RCbuzz]

I run stock shocks on both my 8s rigs and once I dropped my viscosity down to 30-35wt oil, I haven’t bent a shaft since! I don’t hold back on the sendage either.

No drilling, no fancy shafts.. just lighter oil.

Nice!!

 

[Matt05]

Nice! We just noticed the piston holes seemed way to small for a shock that size. If you grab a stock RTR shock and try to compress it fast the force seems like hitting a brick wall... I have a feeling they needed more fluid transfer from the start.

I plan to drill out all my RTR stock pistons from here on out.

https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/shock-bend-kraton-8s.19642/post-758402

I should probably drill mine, or switch to the m2c pistons. Rebuilding these 8s Arrma shocks has really been a pain for me, so I try not to mess with them too much. For some reason I’m having a real tough time getting the bladders to stay seated and seal. On this truck I actually switched the front two shocks to a diy bladderless set up, just haven’t got the chance to test them yet.

I run stock shocks on both my 8s rigs and once I dropped my viscosity down to 30-35wt oil, I haven’t bent a shaft since! I don’t hold back on the sendage either.

No drilling, no fancy shafts.. just lighter oil.

I dropped both of mine to 30 front, 35 rear before I ever ran them and I still managed to bend the RTR shock shafts.

 

[Matt05]

Well I decided to ditch the Castle set up completely. I don’t have enough time to be messing around with burning xlx2s, I want to enjoy this thing!

New set up:
Max5 with switch mount from radiocontrolpower.com
TP Power 5670 1270kv geared 30/47

Hopefully I can get a chance tomorrow or Sunday to go out and rip it a bit. It’s been far too long since I’ve gotten to run this rig.

 

[Moirae]

Really sweet build. I had that motor in my kraton for almost a year geared a bit more aggresively with server fans. Such a great motor, I had no problems with my kraton back then

 

[Matt05]

Really sweet build. I had that motor in my kraton for almost a year geared a bit more aggresively with server fans. Such a great motor, I had no problems with my kraton back then

Thanks brother! I’m pretty excited to get a decent warm day to go out and run it. I will probably gear it up, but figured 30/47 would be a good jumping off point. I have a 34t pinion I can swap on, or I could go to 30/39 but that might be a bit too aggressive.

On another note, does anyone know where to get a replacement plastic antenna deal for a radiolink rc6gs?

 

[RCbuzz]

Well I decided to ditch the Castle set up completely. I don’t have enough time to be messing around with burning xlx2s, I want to enjoy this thing!

New set up:
Max5 with switch mount from radiocontrolpower.com
TP Power 5670 1270kv geared 30/47

Hopefully I can get a chance tomorrow or Sunday to go out and rip it a bit. It’s been far too long since I’ve gotten to run this rig.

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They always look so good all freshly built and clean .

I think you will like the Max5, its what I run. No issues, seems to be built like a tank.

 

[Moirae]

Thanks brother! I’m pretty excited to get a decent warm day to go out and run it. I will probably gear it up, but figured 30/47 would be a good jumping off point. I have a 34t pinion I can swap on, or I could go to 30/39 but that might be a bit too aggressive.

On another note, does anyone know where to get a replacement plastic antenna deal for a radiolink rc6gs?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832811306779.html

 

[Matt05]

They always look so good all freshly built and clean .

I think you will like the Max5, its what I run. No issues, seems to be built like a tank.

I like it quite a bit in my Outcast, so I’m sure I’ll be pleased with it on this one as well. Once I get everything going and done I’ll actually have a Max5 in this one, my Outcast 8s, my Xmaxx and my XRT. Haha.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832811306779.html

What a guy! Now I just need to figure out how to take it apart.

 

[PeighDay]

Great looking build indeed. I will be doing something very similar to your setup with a TP motor and max 5 for my Outcast 8s.

Question for ya if you don’t mind

I noticed you have the rock / stone guards on there. Do you notice an increase in motor temps with those on vs off?