Kraton New 6S EXB - build quality questions out of the box

[Xash]

So with the new 6S EXB out for a bit and about everyone praising it, just how good is it actually? I mean in detail.

• Shimming needed?
• Any screws needed tightening?
• How about oils and grease?
• Any blatant mistakes?
• Anyone NOT having the newest software installed?
• Anything else worth mentioning?

Curious if it's a step up for ArrmA.

 

[SrC]

The whole bundled package is where the value is.
That aside., I will bet my life....it's still the same old RTR built Poor QC. Not being pessimistic, just a Realist. having so many of these years past.
So with that list above. I would absolutely check over every single item before running it. Trust nothing, right down to checking the ST EPA and all. The New EXB K6's are still Made in China at the same factories.
Once you sort it all out first, on the bench, before running it, I know it will be winner. I don't know of any Recent complaints about the F/W.
Seems HH had to jump on the F/W update correction rather fast. Slowing down production and availability.. Or this new EXB would have been a fail.
Word travels fast about Crap QC issues. Especially with new models. I doubt you will find any outliars with the original Bad F/W. Perhaps one from the first batch sitting in a LHS somewhere . IDK.
If you buy from HH, Tower or Amain direct, I am sure you will get an updated one.
I didn't like how HH treated the first batch of Buyers. Not being honest at all. Not Admitting the error, yet telling them to buy the Smart programmer to update the ESC. Spektrum division Dropped the ball there.
HH lost $sales$ over the Holidays because of that. They missed the boat for sure.
I learned to never be an early first adopter of new Arrma models. Been there and burned one too many times. Best to let the dust settle first. Let others jump on them first. I didn't need to preorder one just to have it under my X-Mass Tree, for Dec 25th. Some of those guys got burned.
>>>I think the dust has settled somewhat by now.
And I am all in.


Edited.

 

[RCbuzz]

The whole bundled package is where the value is.
That aside., I will bet my life....it's still the same old RTR built Poor QC. Not being pessimistic, just a Realist. having so many of these years past.
So with that list above. I would absolutely check over every single item before running it. Trust nothing, right down to checking the ST EPA and all. The New EXB K6's are still Made in China at the same factories.
Once you sort it all out first, on the bench, before running it, I know it will be winner. I don't know of any Recent complaints about the F/W.
Seems HH had to jump on the F/W update correction rather fast. Slowing down production and availability.. Or this new EXB would have been a fail.
Word travels fast about Crap QC issues. Especially with new models. I doubt you will find any outliars with the original Bad F/W. Perhaps one from the first batch sitting in a LHS somewhere . IDK.
If you buy from HH, Tower or Amain direct, I am sure you will get an updated one.
I didn't like how HH treated the first batch of Buyers. Nit being honest at all. Not Admitting the error, yet telling them to buy the Smart programmer to update the ESC. Spektrum division Dropped the ball there.
HH lost $sales$ over the Holidays because of that. They missed the boat for sure.

Edited.

@SrC brave guy

 

[SrC]

Brave no more.
I'll let others tread the waters with a new model. Been there. Learned the hard way. Don't need the grief dealing with HH and their BS damage control scripted responses. treating me like I am some 10 yo noob without a clue. Their stuff costs a bunch. A little better customer respect matters to me. I know more about their 6s line than Cust Serv. does.
I try to avoid contact with them at all costs. HH customer service knows who I am already. On AF and all. I hold nothing back. I've spent almost $8k on their 6s line alone. Not including my 2 Axial's.

 

[jschlosser0405]

I just got shocks and diffs/bulkheads. Took them all apart last night. IN MY CASE, the shocks were literally perfect along with the diffs. They were all full of fluids and everything was clean and tight.

 

[Xash]

If you buy from HH, Tower or Amain direct, I am sure you will get an updated one.

Apart from HH in Germany, we don't have those shops here in Belgium or Europe for that matter.
There are however a great deal of RC shops around here, so it should pose no issue picking one with good service.

Sadly, they are ALL out of stock for now. And while ordering from the US would net about the same price, i do believe it's important as a newcomer to have a store you can actually go to, when needed.

IN MY CASE, the shocks were literally perfect along with the diffs.

Well, that's a +1 then. Tested the diff as well if they needed shimming or did you mean oil + test?

 

[SrC]

Mfr. QC is always a mixed bag. One guy will get a supposed "Good One', while others will not. Can't trust the last guy who said his was good. Maybe it was. IDK.
Need to bless these first with your own 2 eyes and hands first. Always. Govern yourself accordingly. Address everything first, or what you are capable of, and you will have a great basher experience. All because ultimately the design from Arrma UK is generally spot in. Unfortunately Arrma UK and HH has little control over Chinese QC. Sounds crazy, but Is what it is. As with most any China made goods.

 

[Xash]

Yeah, i plan to do that anyway. Probably a good way to get to know the machine.

So far my checklist includes:

• EPA
• controller programming full gas/breaks
• shock oil
• diff oil/grease (?)
• maybe diff shimming but for that i would need the shimming rings, not sure if they have that stocked though. plus might be a little over the top for starters?
• check all main screws and Loctide them if needed

 

[SrC]

Drop the ESC's Motor timing all the way down. Default is way too high IMO, and just creates more motor heat, with little if any performance gain.
Get used to accessing the ESC parameters. Read the manual well in regards. The manual is your bible, at least in the beginning. Maybe drop the ESC Punch setting down one notch or so. Will make it easier to drive in the beginning until you are very familiar with it.

Apart from HH in Germany, we don't have those shops here in Belgium or Europe for that matter.
There are however a great deal of RC shops around here, so it should pose no issue picking one with good service.

Sadly, they are ALL out of stock for now. And while ordering from the US would net about the same price, i do believe it's important as a newcomer to have a store you can actually go to, when needed.



Well, that's a +1 then. Tested the diff as well if they needed shimming or did you mean oil + test?

The basic idea of Hobby grade models is that you do the wrenching yourself. Because 80% of this hobby is the wrenching aspect. Driving is only the other 20%. A LHS can help, but becomes a crutch if they don't teach you and merely take your money for service. That just gets silly expensive. RC Parts alone cost enough as it is.
I don't pay someone else to do MY hobby for me.
These 6s Arrmas are quite easy to work on.
But if you don't jump in with hex hand drivers in hand, you won't learn and will always be dependent on your LHS for repairs. There is no magic knowledge needed. These are designed to be fixed easily by the hobbyist.

 

[jschlosser0405]

Apart from HH in Germany, we don't have those shops here in Belgium or Europe for that matter.
There are however a great deal of RC shops around here, so it should pose no issue picking one with good service.

Sadly, they are ALL out of stock for now. And while ordering from the US would net about the same price, i do believe it's important as a newcomer to have a store you can actually go to, when needed.



Well, that's a +1 then. Tested the diff as well if they needed shimming or did you mean oil + test?

Everything was good. Shimmed, filled, screws tight. Diff internals were also shimmed properly and well.

 

[SrC]

Great, you blessed it with your own two hands. Got a winner there.
I still say many are far and few, as good a yours.
I always found many over tightened stripped plastic parts. as One example. Every single model I've purchased, Some more than others, have stripped out plastics
I learned to call HH and ask for new part(s) as my rule. Why should I eat that part? Warranty clearly states that workmanship and defects are covered. Especially before you even run it, brand new right out the box.
I rebuild my whole chassis completely. Easy enough for me, down to the last screw in many cases. Every single screw. I don't expect everyone to do this. Just that The factory uses power drivers for fast production. Hence stripped plastics. Is what it is. One pet peeve of mine.

 

[Xash]

Drop the ESC's Motor timing all the way down

You mean the thing you can access via the transmitter right? The little knob that goes from 1 to 9, default 4? If yes, i intend to start slowly anyway. I'd be really pissed with myself if i broke something on my first run due to idiocracy!

accessing the ESC parameters.

Okay i read your text again and it seems it's something else. Handbook will be my guide

Question about the screws: I mean, if i turn each one of them to test if they're good, i end up moving them all, even if just a little. Wouldn't i want to Loctide them after that anyway?

And since i want to go the route of making it a street basher, i will most likely put on some slicks, maybe something that's also passable in moist conditions since Belgium isn't really the dryest country ^^
Later, in summer, i'll head to the beach, put on some mud guards and drive around in the sand - and yes, obviously cleaning afterwards!

Anyone has tested these in this model? They're just 2 mm too big from pure numbers, should it fit anyway? Why are people actually even considering smaller mAh packs? I mean, runtime and a good C value is all that counts, no? So why bother with 5000mAh, did i miss something?

A LHS can help, but becomes a crutch if they don't teach you and merely take your money for service. That just gets silly expensive. RC Parts alone cost enough as it is.
I don't pay someone else to do MY hobby for me.

That's what i'm actually hoping for. Learning in the process, maybe just a guy that looks over my shoulder and guides me if i do something wrong.

Guess i'll need to visit the Dutch driver forums that i found here, probably someone not too far away. After all, always driving solo is okay but in the end, more people is more fun!

@SrC
Appreciate your information and help!

 

[SrC]

The motor "Timing" Parameter is actually a setting within the ESC itself. Done per the ESC's manual. Drop it down all the way.
It has nothing to do with the radio settings at all.
I agree sometimes we need an eye over our shoulder next to you to show you the ropes.
Best of luck.
In time you will get this easily. Baby steps. That's all.


>>> 10800 mah is a very heavy lipo. Adding a pound+ more in some cases. Heavy tight fitting lipos can also rip out the lipo tray with hard hits. And that one is 2mm too wide IMO. 48mm is the max width on the K6. Hard to squeeze it into the lipo tray. A very tight fit, if at all. Generally all you need is 5-7k or 8k mah lipo packs. Getting 15 min run times is about average for most with these capacities. Better to have 2 smaller capacity packs than one very large one. Just swap out packs when they are discharged, better than expecting more run time with one heavy large pack.

 

[Xash]

The motor "Timing" Parameter is actually a setting within the ESC itself. Done per the ESC's manual. Drop it down all the way.
It has nothing to do with the radio settings at all.
I agree sometimes we need an eye over our shoulder next to you to show you the ropes.
Best of luck.
In time you will get this easily. Baby steps. That's all.


>>> 10800 mah is a very heavy lipo. Adding a pound+ more in some cases. Heavy tight fitting lipos can also rip out the lipo tray with hard hits. And that one is 2mm too wide IMO. 48mm is the max width on the K6. Hard to squeeze it into the lipo tray. A very tight fit, if at all. Generally all you need is 5-7k or 8k mah lipo packs. Getting 15 min run times is about average for most with these capacities. Better to have 2 smaller capacity packs than one very large one. Just swap out packs when they are discharged, better than expecting more run time with one heavy large pack.

The runtime really puts me off from what i read.
I don't wanna buy packs for twice the money of the RC just to be able to drive around a day.
Really not sure if RC will make me happy long time.

 

[Saladshooter]

The runtime really puts me off from what i read.
I don't wanna buy packs for twice the money of the RC just to be able to drive around a day.
Really not sure if RC will make me happy long time.

They run plenty long to keep me happy..... the biggest battery packs are the most expensive. I would rather have two medium sized packs in rotation than one big battery. It saves money when they need to be replaced and most of the time the smaller pack provides enough time. When it's not I have the second one waiting.

 

[RCbuzz]

The runtime really puts me off from what i read.
I don't wanna buy packs for twice the money of the RC just to be able to drive around a day.
Really not sure if RC will make me happy long time.

I was just thinking with the larger packs the run time is too long. I like to break up the sessions, switch rigs

 

[Xash]

They run plenty long to keep me happy..... the biggest battery packs are the most expensive. I would rather have two medium sized packs in rotation than one big battery. It saves money when they need to be replaced and most of the time the smaller pack provides enough time. When it's not I have the second one waiting.

Well i cannot load them while i'm out at the beach, so i would need about 6-10 packs for a day. Which equals up to around 1400€ just for batteries. That's twice the price of the RC!

 

[Saladshooter]

Well i cannot load them while i'm out at the beach, so i would need about 6-10 packs for a day. Which equals up to around 1400€ just for batteries. That's twice the price of the RC

I think you would find yourself bored, long before you ran 4 packs through an RC. Your experience may vary.... but I mix my day up when spending time at the beach. I also can charge from my automobile when absolutely necessary.... which isn't often.

Buy an RC that suits you, get a couple of battery packs, and build from there. You will learn quickly if this hobby is for you and whether you need more batteries. The price won't matter much if you find your enjoyment in it.

 

[razorrc]

So with the new 6S EXB out for a bit and about everyone praising it, just how good is it actually? I mean in detail.

• Shimming needed?
• Any screws needed tightening?
• How about oils and grease?
• Any blatant mistakes?
• Anyone NOT having the newest software installed?
• Anything else worth mentioning?

Curious if it's a step up for ArrmA.

Just send it.

 

[overload]

What about older Kraton 6s bodies will they fit on the new Kraton 6s? What about a wheelie bar?