Kraton Vs. Nero

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mauiboy

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I am trying to decide between the kraton and Nero. My top priorities are low maintenance, good versatility (I live near a soft sand beach and a lot of rocky trails- I want something that can do well on both) and durability. What are your suggestions? I am a new driver and on other forums I saw that people recommend the kraton for the less experienced but I don't want to spend a ton on one RC and then realize I should have bought another! Does anyone have any suggestions? Also are there any recommendations on wether or not to get bumpers? Thanks everybody!
 
I am trying to decide between the kraton and Nero. My top priorities are low maintenance, good versatility (I live near a soft sand beach and a lot of rocky trails- I want something that can do well on both) and durability. What are your suggestions? I am a new driver and on other forums I saw that people recommend the kraton for the less experienced but I don't want to spend a ton on one RC and then realize I should have bought another! Does anyone have any suggestions? Also are there any recommendations on wether or not to get bumpers? Thanks everybody!
I love my Nero. The bumper brace cracked in half and I reinforced it with an aluminum brace and that bent. Also two of the bumper screws bent
 
I am trying to decide between the kraton and Nero. My top priorities are low maintenance, good versatility (I live near a soft sand beach and a lot of rocky trails- I want something that can do well on both) and durability. What are your suggestions? I am a new driver and on other forums I saw that people recommend the kraton for the less experienced but I don't want to spend a ton on one RC and then realize I should have bought another! Does anyone have any suggestions? Also are there any recommendations on wether or not to get bumpers? Thanks everybody!


Kraton...but you should also look at an outcast...either one over a nero ....outcast would be my top choice...i love my nero...a beast ...but not suited for new drivers ....
 
I have the kraton and Nero. If I were going to choose to only keep one I'd choose kraton. I will also have the outcast on Thursday. I hear that's fun too.
 
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Kraton, Nero is too complicated design, a pain to work on, and breaks many small annoying things. Kraton is simple design and very tough and versatile. Outcast is just a short wheelbase Kraton, more for flips and stunts, but looks not as stable for general driving at higher speeds.
 
Definitely Kraton. It is much tougher, the setup is easy to access IF Maintenance is needed. It is a beast for bashing and does extremely well on the track. I started as a beginner with the Kraton 2 years ago and still have it today. I love it and I tried all the others. E-revo (not tough at all) Nero big rock (nice but heavy- breaks a lot and can't compete on the track- great for crawling with brain Diffs though) but for that you better buy a crawler. Outcast's only advantage is better agility on backflips, but less stable on straight lines, during accel. No use for the track. If you want to run Kraton on rocky grounds but a 100k Diff fluid in the middle and I you can bother little heavier ones front and back. It will go over everything just at a little higher speed;-) on the track I outrun buggies and other truggies with ease, although I recommend a stronger and faster steering Servo to get the competitive edge. In a nutshell Kraton forever!!!
 
If you plan to jump your truck and go crazy with stunts, the Kraton is probably your truck. If you want a fast, capable truck with bulletproof differentials that you can switch from the controller for the situation you're in, the Nero is your truck. I think the Nero stands out because you don't have to shim the diffs and you don't have to change the diff oil to set the truck up for different performance. You just turn the knob and the truck is set up for what you want it to do at the moment and it can be switched to another mode in seconds. I think that is a fantastic option. The Nero has a learning curve. It's not a beginner's RC car. If you drive it wrong, you will break it. Once you learn it, you won't break it more than any other rig. The people who complain about the Nero the most are the ones who try to drive it like a Kraton. It weighs almost 5 pounds more and goes just as fast. It's not going to survive the same type of jumps and tumbles as a much lighter car without breaking. Think about what you plan to do with the truck and then buy the one that suits your needs. Keep it in its area of expertise and you'll be happy and so will the truck.
 
The nero's diff servos are not bulletproof. The Nero is also heavy making it prone to break even in tumbles that the other arrmas would survive. Tumbles are common with the power in these trucks. The neros shock rod end is its weakest point. With a small search on what breaks on Nero this comes up the most. Very cheap part and easy to replace if you can find the part. Finding the part is another story. Can't drive the Nero with bulletproof diffs if the shock rod end breaks and you can't find the part. Maybe a month from now the parts issue isn't a issue anymore but that's not the current state. When I started the Nero up it gave me the biggest smile of any other rc I have ever owned. If you compare the Nero to traxxas then yes, Nero all the way. Extremely powerful and very cool new functions like diff brain. I really wish it was better than kraton/outcas. Having to choose only one the Nero wouldn't be my top two options. If you are going to use caution while using the Nero so it doesn't break then yes it will work fine. My opinion is there are other crawlers that do that just fine that will be way easier to control at low speeds.
 
The nero's diff servos are not bulletproof. The Nero is also heavy making it prone to break even in tumbles that the other arrmas would survive. Tumbles are common with the power in these trucks. The neros shock rod end is its weakest point. With a small search on what breaks on Nero this comes up the most. Very cheap part and easy to replace if you can find the part. Finding the part is another story. Can't drive the Nero with bulletproof diffs if the shock rod end breaks and you can't find the part. Maybe a month from now the parts issue isn't a issue anymore but that's not the current state. When I started the Nero up it gave me the biggest smile of any other rc I have ever owned. If you compare the Nero to traxxas then yes, Nero all the way. Extremely powerful and very cool new functions like diff brain. I really wish it was better than kraton/outcas. Having to choose only one the Nero wouldn't be my top two options. If you are going to use caution while using the Nero so it doesn't break then yes it will work fine. My opinion is there are other crawlers that do that just fine that will be way easier to control at low speeds.

I've only ever pulled a shock rod end off twice. Glued the threads and put it back on the first time and replaced it the second time. I still have two bags minus one rod end in my spares box. The diff servos last a lot longer if you follow a simple procedure before reinstalling them after a teardown or when installing them the first time. I had one get noisy and eventually fail and ARRMA replaced it without any hassle. Since I started using the procedure the tech told me to use prior to installing them, I haven't had an issue. A lot of diff brain issues occur because drivers switch modes while the truck is rolling. I never switch unless I'm completely stopped and I don't have problems. It's not a perfect truck but neither is the Kraton. The Kraton thread has lots of posts about broken stuff too. There are parts on that truck prone to wear and failure from simple use, not abuse. Hobby grade RC should come with the expectation of wrenching and part replacement. That's why it's a hobby. I've owned many (too many) RC cars and trucks and I've never met one that didn't have it's quirks and weaknesses.
 
I've only ever pulled a shock rod end off twice. Glued the threads and put it back on the first time and replaced it the second time. I still have two bags minus one rod end in my spares box. The diff servos last a lot longer if you follow a simple procedure before reinstalling them after a teardown or when installing them the first time. I had one get noisy and eventually fail and ARRMA replaced it without any hassle. Since I started using the procedure the tech told me to use prior to installing them, I haven't had an issue. A lot of diff brain issues occur because drivers switch modes while the truck is rolling. I never switch unless I'm completely stopped and I don't have problems. It's not a perfect truck but neither is the Kraton. The Kraton thread has lots of posts about broken stuff too. There are parts on that truck prone to wear and failure from simple use, not abuse. Hobby grade RC should come with the expectation of wrenching and part replacement. That's why it's a hobby. I've owned many (too many) RC cars and trucks and I've never met one that didn't have it's quirks and weaknesses.

I see you have a personal attachment to your Nero. Noted
 
I'm pretty sure we found a solution to almost every problem on the Nero anyway. I like my Nero a lot too and that's because it's a blast to drive and work on. We don't buy Rcs to be efficient. We buy them to be fun. And to me, the Nero does a great job on that. Forgive me for my speech but I'm just sick of the constant bashing on the Nero thread.
 
I see you only accept views and personal experiences that align with your own. Noted.
you made a claim that if you drive a Nero like a kraton that it will break. I agreed with you. Kraton is better than Nero. You win

I'm pretty sure we found a solution to almost every problem on the Nero anyway. I like my Nero a lot too and that's because it's a blast to drive and work on. We don't buy Rcs to be efficient. We buy them to be fun. And to me, the Nero does a great job on that. Forgive me for my speech but I'm just sick of the constant bashing on the Nero thread.
i guess I'm flawed in pointing out which is better. Kraton or Nero? Is it bashing to point out one is a better buy than the other? I owned both and posted my experience. The nero's diff servos got loud on second battery packs. I paid a lot for the Nero so I made sure I was stopped before engaging them. This will be my last post on this thread no matter what fallows. Just wanted to make it clear that the tittle is kraton or Nero. That means one will be preferred over the other.
 
I don't see the problem with the nero. When the shocks are in the most inner hole i.e. staight the shock ends never broke.

The rocker posts need to be changed and the rod ends. That's it. If it still breakes, it is brute force.

The transmission is bullet proof. (Forget the pins.)

I prefer the Nero because it is a monster truck. The Kraton is a truggy. So in the end it is taste that we argue about. Everybody fights for their favorite rc. Outcast, Kraton, Xmaxx ... whatever
 
I had my Nero out today for 3 6s runs. Rock climbing, jumps off a dirt birm, speed runs, wheelies for the kids at the park, laps around a grassy field with lots of undulating terrain and two head on collisions with swing set uprights. I was not gentle on the truck at all. I ran it hard for nearly two hours.

Here's the list of broken parts:









Maybe next time.....
 
Wow if you think driving a nero for 2 hours without it breaking is an accomplishment then I guess he should buy the Kraton!
 
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