Kraton Kraton Droop screws.

[CL-Audio]

Hello fellow bashers,

I'm in the process of putting my Kraton back together after replacing all the bearings with Avids, servicing all the diffs, new oil weights, shims, new esc and receiver to go with Futaba 4PV. Here is where I'm stuck. Somewhere in this process I messed with the droop screws. Probably tightened them thinking they were loose screws. At any rate, now I have no idea what is the appropriate setting for this. Without wheels the arms are now even with the ground, don't angle up or down. I've heard that too far one way or the other cases binding on the Kraton. How in the world do i accurately set these things? I just try and eyeball it to make it even on both sides. How are you guys adjusting the droop correctly? What is correct?

Thanks all.

 

[Corider]

Hello fellow bashers,

I'm in the process of putting my Kraton back together after replacing all the bearings with Avids, servicing all the diffs, new oil weights, shims, new esc and receiver to go with Futaba 4PV. Here is where I'm stuck. Somewhere in this process I messed with the droop screws. Probably tightened them thinking they were loose screws. At any rate, now I have no idea what is the appropriate setting for this. Without wheels the arms are now even with the ground, don't angle up or down. I've heard that too far one way or the other cases binding on the Kraton. How in the world do i accurately set these things? I just try and eyeball it to make it even on both sides. How are you guys adjusting the droop correctly? What is correct?

Thanks all.

CL-Audio,
I am attaching pictures of the droop screws from my Kraton. This is where they were set from the factory. From the top side there is about one thread visible on the grub screw going into the arm front and rear. The droop screws will ultimately limit how far you arms will drop down when your truck goes airborn or over bumps. It can be used to help tune the suspension when combined with ride hite, etc,etc, bunch of crap I don't care about anymore now that I don't race. I will tell you that on my truck with the factory settings I get no binding of anything through the range of travel that the droop screws allow downward. I am by no means an expert in this department but have fiddled around with it a fair bit. Hope the pics help

This is the underside of the arm between the arm and the ears of the chassis.

This is a picture of the screw from the top of the arm. It is almost flush, looks to be backed out maybe one full turn

Good Luck

 

[CL-Audio]

Thanks man. Good to see where they are from the factory for a good starting point. Appreciate the pics. I'm interested to see where mine are at currently in comparison.

 

[CL-Audio]

@Corider
Same setup on the rear end? Thanks. Looks like I was tightened down way to much in the front.

 

[Corider]

Exact same on both ends of mine

 

[CL-Audio]

Thanks Corider. I officially hate droop screws. Vile little creatures. Not intuitive at all. Hard to precisely dial in equally on both sides. Not to mention that doing it wrong causes binding. I spent way too long messing with them. Wish I never touched them at all from stock.

 

[ParkRacing]

I am going to add a little fuel line to to limit droop on mine! An old trick.

 

[GT1]

Set them up so they are just touching the chassis plus about a half turn. Same on all corners. For starters you want you droop to be set up so your shocks are just short of full extension. If the screws aren't out far enough you will break your shock pistons. If they are out farther you will only be limiting droop, and shortening your overall suspension travel. Droops is just another adjustment that can make your truck handle better in some situations. Sometimes full droop is best, sometimes it is not, depending on what one is looking for.

Easy to set up, actually, and a pleasure compared to the alternative. Cars that don't have droop screws use limiters inside the shocks, and changing those is a real pain.

I was going through shock pistons on my Typhon until I realized Arrma had not set the initial droop correctly from the factory.

 

[Vanning]

First set one side so you have to push the shock up a little to install the lower shock pin. Then, Put the Kraton on a box with the tires off the ground, put a level on the frame. Then put a tape measure from the table up to the shock pins. Measure the one you set previously, then adjust the other side to match it.

 

[CL-Audio]

Set them up so they are just touching the chassis plus about a half turn. Same on all corners. For starters you want you droop to be set up so your shocks are just short of full extension. If the screws aren't out far enough you will break your shock pistons. If they are out farther you will only be limiting droop, and shortening your overall suspension travel. Droops is just another adjustment that can make your truck handle better in some situations. Sometimes full droop is best, sometimes it is not, depending on what one is looking for.

Easy to set up, actually, and a pleasure compared to the alternative. Cars that don't have droop screws use limiters inside the shocks, and changing those is a real pain.

I was going through shock pistons on my Typhon until I realized Arrma had not set the initial droop correctly from the factory.

So tighten the down till they are just touching the chassis, then tighten down an extra half turn. Is this close to a stock setup?

First set one side so you have to push the shock up a little to install the lower shock pin. Then, Put the Kraton on a box with the tires off the ground, put a level on the frame. Then put a tape measure from the table up to the shock pins. Measure the one you set previously, then adjust the other side to match it.

I'm sure its not, but seems complicated. I don't need tactical precision as I'm a pure basher. I just don't want it setup to cause problems.

Thanks guys.

 

[Vanning]

Just set both sides so the shocks don't extend all the way.....don't use any tools...eyeball it. Bash on

The binding can be fixed also but it's a little hard to understand. Way too complicated for true bashers. It requires some precision shims. LOL

 

[CL-Audio]

The stock setting was what almost cost me a blown front diff and busted shock piston. But I'm a basher who likes to get stuff right so it lasts longer. Bash on

Would you say the way you are setup that you have the screws tightened down farther than stock or loosened up?

Just set both sides so the shocks don't extend all the way.....don't use any tools...eyeball it. Bash on

The binding can be fixed also but it's a little hard to understand. Way too complicated for true bashers. It requires some precision shims. LOL

On the rear tires freely spin. In the front they do not. Seems like I have to screw the droop screws in so far that the arms are pretty much parallel with the ground to stop the binding. This seems ridiculous. I can't believe how much time I'm spending on droop screws. Getting frustrated as each time I have to remove the arms to access the screws.

 

[Vanning]

Idk... I've been beating on RC's before the internet or the term basher started. I have no idea what true bashers do. Kidding with you.

I set that droop so the shocks don't extend all the way. Nothing is right from the factory. Don't go by that. I try to get the most down travel without allowing the shock piston to bottom. Pull the lower shock pins... look through the hole. If the arm is even with the shock, crank down on the grub screw to lift the control arm up... then push the shock up a little to get the pin back in. If you feel the front diff binding while you spin one tire.... that can be corrected by lifting the control arms more...however, you will see you have almost no more droop.

The factory changed the front end of a these Kratons early in production. Some were binding out of the box. You can check to see if your dog bone pins are jamming into the outdrive cups on full down travel. If they are, it can be fixed with some shims. Or... just get rid of all the droop until it spins smooth. I rather have full down travel.

You can mess with the shims at the tips of the control arms to stop the dog bone from jamming into the outdrives and busting spider gears.

 

[Corider]

Would you say the way you are setup that you have the screws tightened down farther than stock or loosened up?


On the rear tires freely spin. In the front they do not. Seems like I have to screw the droop screws in so far that the arms are pretty much parallel with the ground to stop the binding. This seems ridiculous. I can't believe how much time I'm spending on droop screws. Getting frustrated as each time I have to remove the arms to access the screws.

CL-Audio
My droop screws were set up correctly from the factory. I still have some length left in the shock so my Pistons won't blow out and no binding. Having said that the droop screws can start to dig into the ears of the chassis after a while and may require being screwed in as the chassis wears.

Having to be almost parallel to stop binding isn't right. Did you just re-shim the diff or something? Is the diff smooth on its own when out of the case. I have longer Allen wrenches if you would like to borrow them. It fits right in without having to remove the arms for adjustment.

 

[CL-Audio]

Idk... I've been beating on RC's before the internet or the term basher started. I have no idea what true bashers do. Kidding with you.

I set that droop so the shocks don't extend all the way. Nothing is right from the factory. Don't go by that. I try to get the most down travel without allowing the shock piston to bottom. Pull the lower shock pins... look through the hole. If the arm is even with the shock, crank down on the grub screw to lift the control arm up... then push the shock up a little to get the pin back in. If you feel the front diff binding while you spin one tire.... that can be corrected by lifting the control arms more...however, you will see you have almost no more droop.

The factory changed the front end of a these Kratons early in production. Some were binding out of the box. You can check to see if your dog bone pins are jamming into the outdrive cups on full down travel. If they are, it can be fixed with some shims. Or... just get rid of all the droop until it spins smooth. I rather have full down travel.

You can mess with the shims at the tips of the control arms to stop the dog bone from jamming into the outdrives and busting spider gears.

CL-Audio
My droop screws were set up correctly from the factory. I still have some length left in the shock so my Pistons won't blow out and no binding. Having said that the droop screws can start to dig into the ears of the chassis after a while and may require being screwed in as the chassis wears.

Having to be almost parallel to stop binding isn't right. Did you just re-shim the diff or something? Is the diff smooth on its own when out of the case. I have longer Allen wrenches if you would like to borrow them. It fits right in without having to remove the arms for adjustment.

Thanks guys. I did remove the diff, heavier fluid, shimmed. It was smooth out of the case. Who knows. I just need to get this thing back together. It's a 500 dollar paper weight right now. @Corider, when we meet maybe you can take a peek, tell me what you think. For now I just tightened the droop screws to the point there is no binding. When I drop the Kraton down to the floor arms sit almost parallel.
Thanks.

 

[Vanning]

I have full possible droop and smooth diff. No binding is felt. I'm good with tools.... have over $20,000 in a tool box. No... you can't borrow any. Lol. Seriously....

If you are binding or the diff feels rough and you don't think you have much droop, you can shim out the ball jounts a little more. I think I used 6mm inner diameter washers. It moves the dog bone pins out a little. You move the pins out a little, you can get more droop if needed. From the factory, those pins may be too far in. And yes.... over time, you will have to readjust things... that's common sense... I don't keep that in my tool box.

 

[Patrick]

It took me a couple broken shock ends to realise my droop screws we out of adjustment. Guess my shocks were getting fully extended and caused my ends to really get overstressed. A little tightening and no more broken ends so far.

 

[Success LiPo]

Do you guys recomend stiffer springs for the Kraton V2? I've only had 2 runs with it so far

 

[CL-Audio]

Do you guys recomend stiffer springs for the Kraton V2? I've only had 2 runs with it so far

Most common response to this is Tekno orange springs across the board.

 

[CL-Audio]

Resurrecting an old post here guys so as not to create a new thread. I just noticed how god awful it is to adjust the droop on the front of the Kraton and probably why I just saw that mine are stripped, lol. Any tips on easy access to the front droops or is disassemble necessary?

Nevermind, I just realized how easy it is to get at them, one screw. Kind of wish the arm design had a hole in that spot though, lol. 1st World problems I know! OMG the droop screws are demolished, gap wider than what you would find in the adult entertainment industry!!! No way I'm getting these screws backed out. Guess only option is new Arms and screw huh.