Outcast Kraton vs Outcast for Brutality

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tobyjoe

tobyjoe

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Arrma RC's
two of my sons (6, 9) got Rustler XL-5s for Christmas and their amazing dad naturally followed up by grabbing a Rustler VXL. The car has been very fun. Ive done the wide-arm mod and I've broken and replaced just about every part of my VXL. Classic Traxxas story, right? But I do love it. It's fun and the availability of parts has made it very quick for me to become a mediocre field mechanic. Running Six Packs or Trenchers. Fun. Fun.

My policy when I take my Rustler out is to drive it until it dies or breaks. Sorta joking about the breaks, but even RPM parts tend to snap when I drive.

All that said - mostly, I'm bashing around local parks and ditches and some quiet roads for speeding around. I also have access to a concrete skatepark and some pretty fun trails and construction sites.

The Outcast seems like a great option for me, since I really like technical stunts AND big jumps.

The body and roll bar seems nice and tough for those upside down landings and wheelies-gone-wrong.

But, it's backordered everywhere and I'm not sure if the Kraton is a better option.

Is the Kraton as tough for bashing as the outcast?

Landing upside down?
Tech tricks (flips with pauses and twists, skatepark transitions...)?
 
Outcast is way better for the kind of crazy tricks bashing you seem to prefer. Kraton is more stable, though with 6s, different tires and some thicker oil it could backflip quite well. As for big jumps, I'd say Kraton is more stable when landing, so...

As for being tough, I believe the Kraton is still the benchmark here. Not that the Outcasts are worse per say, but being a bit trickier and crazier up in the air, it means more possibilities of a bad landing, thus a breakage might happen. None of this seem to worry you too much. Looks like you're more leaning towards the Outcast from the beginning so I'd say wait and go for it.
 
Yeah, I should probably end up with both, heh. Maybe kraton first and wait for the stock of outcasts... which kraton model and/or initial upgrades would make it tough enough for a newbie who likes bashing?
 
tobyjoe said:
Yeah, I should probably end up with both, heh. Maybe kraton first and wait for the stock of outcasts... which kraton model and/or initial upgrades would make it tough enough for a newbie who likes bashing?
Click to expand...
Just be sure it's a V2. As for upgrades, take a look here:

https://arrmaforum.com/threads/recommended-arrma-kraton-upgrades.819/

Also, shim the diffs, more about it here:

https://arrmaforum.com/threads/shimming-the-diffs.1769/

And maybe some good tires, probably something like Outcast's backflips. More traction = more speed = more fun and bigger jumps!
 
tobyjoe said:
Yeah, I should probably end up with both, heh. Maybe kraton first and wait for the stock of outcasts... which kraton model and/or initial upgrades would make it tough enough for a newbie who likes bashing?
Click to expand...

To upgrade for newbies - insert battery and run.

There are a few things you can do, like a servo mount, or chassis braces. but they are not needed... Well, chassis braces will help with big jumps.
 
tobyjoe said:
two of my sons (6, 9) got Rustler XL-5s for Christmas and their amazing dad naturally followed up by grabbing a Rustler VXL. The car has been very fun. Ive done the wide-arm mod and I've broken and replaced just about every part of my VXL. Classic Traxxas story, right? But I do love it. It's fun and the availability of parts has made it very quick for me to become a mediocre field mechanic. Running Six Packs or Trenchers. Fun. Fun.

My policy when I take my Rustler out is to drive it until it dies or breaks. Sorta joking about the breaks, but even RPM parts tend to snap when I drive.

All that said - mostly, I'm bashing around local parks and ditches and some quiet roads for speeding around. I also have access to a concrete skatepark and some pretty fun trails and construction sites.

The Outcast seems like a great option for me, since I really like technical stunts AND big jumps.

The body and roll bar seems nice and tough for those upside down landings and wheelies-gone-wrong.

But, it's backordered everywhere and I'm not sure if the Kraton is a better option.

Is the Kraton as tough for bashing as the outcast?

Landing upside down?
Tech tricks (flips with pauses and twists, skatepark transitions...)?
Click to expand...
Considering you are coming from a ruster, you will love either. I sold my rustler and bought the Kraton v2 and Outcast. The Kraton is good for almost any surface, where the Outcast is more of an off-road RC. (tires, short wheelbase) The only upgrades you really need are maybe stiffer tekno springs. The Kraton v2 and Outcast out of box are truly great RC's.
 
Long story short.....
Almost the same car, kraton has a long wheelbase. Outcast has a short wheelbase.
Kraton will be more stable and handle speed and balance better.
Outcast will wheelie and flip easier....short wheelbase!
I personally wouldn't trade my Kraton for a Outcast, just my preference. I don't want a vehicle that wants to lift the front end all the time!
 
ParkRacing said:
Long story short.....
Almost the same car, kraton has a long wheelbase. Outcast has a short wheelbase.
Kraton will be more stable and handle speed and balance better.
Outcast will wheelie and flip easier....short wheelbase!
I personally wouldn't trade my Kraton for a Outcast, just my preference. I don't want a vehicle that wants to lift the front end all the time!
Click to expand...
you could turn down the esc punch... or swap out tires. those backflips hook up a lot better than the kratons tires, making it wheelie.
 
yz125ryder said:
you could turn down the esc punch... or swap out tires. those backflips hook up a lot better than the kratons tires, making it wheelie.
Click to expand...
I have Backflips on my Kraton. Why would I want to turn the punch down? It is the nature of a short wheelbase to lift the front easier than a long wheelbase. If you greatly shortened the wheelbase on your YZ the front would come up a lot easier wouldn't it. No one would tell you to just not twist the throttle on your bike as much to keep the front end down.
Just telling TobyJoe one is a stunt machine and one is more of a performance machine, based on essential the second platform.
My personal preference is performance.

ParkRacing said:
I have Backflips on my Kraton. Why would I want to turn the punch down? It is the nature of a short wheelbase to lift the front easier than a long wheelbase. If you greatly shortened the wheelbase on your YZ the front would come up a lot easier wouldn't it. No one would tell you to just not twist the throttle on your bike as much to keep the front end down.
Just telling TobyJoe one is a stunt machine and one is more of a performance machine, based on essential the second platform.
My personal preference is performance.
Click to expand...
I meant to say "based on essentially the same platform".
 

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ParkRacing said:
I have Backflips on my Kraton. Why would I want to turn the punch down? It is the nature of a short wheelbase to lift the front easier than a long wheelbase. If you greatly shortened the wheelbase on your YZ the front would come up a lot easier wouldn't it. No one would tell you to just not twist the throttle on your bike as much to keep the front end down.
Just telling TobyJoe one is a stunt machine and one is more of a performance machine, based on essential the second platform.
My personal preference is performance.


I meant to say "based on essentially the same platform".
Click to expand...
some people don't like their trucks popping constant wheelies. like myself. you can also gear down motocross bikes and add fly wheel weights so they the front end doesn't come up as well. its all personal preference
 
If they are equally-tough for bashing and crashing, I might start leaning toward a Kraton. Longer history, used market... Wait a while for an Outcast... Or I'll just bite off way too much and buy a Tekno MT410 kit :P
 
tobyjoe said:
Yeah, I should probably end up with both, heh. Maybe kraton first and wait for the stock of outcasts... which kraton model and/or initial upgrades would make it tough enough for a newbie who likes bashing?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I'd call you a noob. Sounds like you can take apart your Traxxas no probs.
Upgrades: Front bumper, replace those metal bearing with rubber shielded and shim diffs. Good to go.
Extras: Stronger servo, servo brace, chassis brace.
 
CL-Audio said:
I'm not sure I'd call you a noob. Sounds like you can take apart your Traxxas no probs.
Upgrades: Front bumper, replace those metal bearing with rubber shielded and shim diffs. Good to go.
Extras: Stronger servo, servo brace, chassis brace.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I shimmed my diffs, and replaced pins under sun gears with hpi pins and filled with proper fluid and I have never blown a diff. I bash the $hit out of mine and it just won't break. My toughest truck by far.

Watch this, first landing is brutal, nothing broke. Some of those jumps should have broke something, but they didn't, Kraton is the best.

Mods neede to be bullet proof. Aluminum servo brace and savox 450oz. Servo. GKA brace, mamba monster 2 and proper diffs. Tekno orange springs. Diffs at 100cst, 250cst and 60cst and your golden.
 

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Have both and love both, too. I switch hit between the two and, like my kids, don't have a favorite. They are both a blast and Beasts in their own right, tough as nails. Doesn't matter which one you get first, they each provide unique and awesome bashing experiences. Can't go wrong with either one, can probably have more fun with both!
 
ParkRacing said:
I have Backflips on my Kraton. Why would I want to turn the punch down? It is the nature of a short wheelbase to lift the front easier than a long wheelbase. If you greatly shortened the wheelbase on your YZ the front would come up a lot easier wouldn't it. No one would tell you to just not twist the throttle on your bike as much to keep the front end down.
Just telling TobyJoe one is a stunt machine and one is more of a performance machine, based on essential the second platform.
My personal preference is performance.


I meant to say "based on essentially the same platform".
Click to expand...


Your kraton looks awesome with those wheels!
 
Kro said:
I only have the Outcast but it is a beast. Tekno springs and a T-bone bumper.... You can't go wrong!!! Had alot of Traxxas sh*t in the past and none of it comes anywhere close to the ARRMA RC's.

Check out my vid
Click to expand...

Looks like the Talion TBone front bumper is it?
 
tobyjoe said:
Your kraton looks awesome with those wheels!
Click to expand...
They work so much better than stock kraton tires and the wheels may be my favorite rc wheels ever!

Kro said:
I only have the Outcast but it is a beast. Tekno springs and a T-bone bumper.... You can't go wrong!!! Had alot of Traxxas sh*t in the past and none of it comes anywhere close to the ARRMA RC's.

Check out my vid
Click to expand...
That bone bumper looks good on there. And yes traxxas for the most part is garbage but I still own a rustler and slash 2wd that I love but I have nearly modded the traxxas right out of them!
 
I bought a Kraton chassis, with intention of possibly converting to Outcast, the necessary parts are minimal. The Backflip tires are awesome, much better hook-up than other Arrma tires. The chassis I have appears to be beaten thoroughly. The rear shock tower was all bent up, and one front axle bent. All the stock bearings are junk metal shielded and are mostly toast, so I bought a full set of rubber-sealed Fast Eddie bearings. Arrma chassis are pretty tough compared to Traxxas which need about 50% or more upgraded almost immediately. The Traxxas electronics are better though, many reports of Arrma servos blowing out constantly and the ESCs burning up, which can be sent in for warranty, but why replace junk with new junk and wait for that. I would suggest to buy a Kraton "roller" and add a good programmable ESC like Castle, good Servo, and Backflip tires. If you wan to convert to Outcast later you can buy the parts from Ebay chop shops pretty cheap.
 

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