Kraton Recommended Arrma Kraton & Talion Upgrades 2021

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lectron, hobbystar ... they are both cheap and good for bashing... smc are more for racing i believe...
 
Am I better off getting 2x 3s batteries or 1 6s battery?

What specific battery do you recommend?

Thanks!
That depends on a whole lot of other things.

1. Do you have any other RCs and what batteries do they take?
2. Do you have a good charger?
3. How many packs do you want? Is I charged pack and 20 minutes of drive time good? Or do you want enough batteries to go longer than that
4. Cost, cost and cost.

I greatly prefer hard case 4S and 6S packs. I have race vehicles that run on 2S, and then I have bashing vehicles that run on 4,5 and 6S.

If you want to be able to charge 6S packs reasonably quickly you will need a big boy charger. A 50W charger will only be able to push around 3 amps to a 6S pack. I would suggest a 2 channel charger capable of at least 200 watts a channel.
 
That depends on a whole lot of other things.

1. Do you have any other RCs and what batteries do they take?
2. Do you have a good charger?
3. How many packs do you want? Is I charged pack and 20 minutes of drive time good? Or do you want enough batteries to go longer than that
4. Cost, cost and cost.

I greatly prefer hard case 4S and 6S packs. I have race vehicles that run on 2S, and then I have bashing vehicles that run on 4,5 and 6S.

If you want to be able to charge 6S packs reasonably quickly you will need a big boy charger. A 50W charger will only be able to push around 3 amps to a 6S pack. I would suggest a 2 channel charger capable of at least 200 watts a channel.

) Kraton is my only RC.

2) I have a cheap charger

3) The more bashing time per battery, the better.

4) I'm willing to spend around $150 for one.

https://www.rcjuice.com/hobbystar-8000mah-22-2v-6s-100c-lipo-battery.html


Would something like this work?
 
) Kraton is my only RC.

2) I have a cheap charger

3) The more bashing time per battery, the better.

4) I'm willing to spend around $150 for one.

https://www.rcjuice.com/hobbystar-8000mah-22-2v-6s-100c-lipo-battery.html


Would something like this work?

Yes it would work. 8000 mah is a good sized 6s pack but will require an even larger charger to charge at any kind of reasonable rate.

1C charge rate is 8amps which for 6s is like 200 watts if my math is correct. 8 amps on a 8000mah pack would probably take about 60 minutes to complete a charge cycle.

2C doubles the requirements and cuts the time in half. 16 amps, 400 watts, and would take 30 minutes to charge.

Also check out SMC, I know alot of people here trust them, myself included.

https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/category&path=67_119&sort=p.price&order=ASC
 
If you live where it gets hot, then an 8000 mah battery will get your electronics very hot by the time it hits low voltage cutoff. VERY heavy also.
 
I would go 2x3s and go with a battery that simply exceeds the minimum spec in the manual (can't recal off the top of my head but I think it is 35c and 5000mah but double check that). More mill amps the longer the run time
 
Thanks for doing this , a treasure trove of info all in one spot :) I wish this was here when i started my project , would have saved me countless hours scouring !!!

That servo you suggest isn't waterproof ? Depending on the upgrade path you take (e.g. one piece at a time like me) you would need an external BEC with that servo if you are going to run the stock ESC . I 'm about to install an xpert 6601 on a few others recommendation , Some people are also running the xpert 7701 with good results . They have good speed , good torque , are high voltage and REALLY waterproof (IP67 rated). It's important to note that stock servo arm isn't exactly a direct fit . I guess it's an extremely tight fit . I'm waiting to see what others come up with for this .

I see some people are able to bash the crap out of their Kraton repeatedly with all stock electronics and some people can't make it through a battery pack without burning $%^& up . I'm just finishing up a complete rebuild fresh out of the box .

It's also a good idea to shim the diffs (part # TD310475) and not a bad idea to replace the diff pins with hardened steel while you're in there. I used McMaster-Carr part # 3009a262 http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/122/3758/=11k1ygt. I tried 2.25MM from the same place and it just wouldn't fit properly. I'm not sure why.

I can't say one way or the other about that charger as i haven't used it but for less than $20 more you can get the HiTec X2 AC Plus http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFLVA which will do BOTH ac/dc with this adapter http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFUUR&P=ML

I wish there were more videos on repairing and upgrading, Like I'm about to rip apart the front end to try and replace the steering bushing with bearings . Hint Hint @Thomas P :)

Keep up the good work !

Where did you purchase the shims for the diffs? Thank you
 
A couple of weeks ago was looking at a set of RPM front A-arm/rear arm/mud guard combo for like 36 bucks. Now that I want to order them I'll be damned if I can find them again. Help me, help me
 
A couple of weeks ago was looking at a set of RPM front A-arm/rear arm/mud guard combo for like 36 bucks. Now that I want to order them I'll be damned if I can find them again. Help me, help me

I've not seen a combo before. I'd be interested to know if you find that deal again
 
The Arrma Kraton is a fine R/C out of the box and very capable to hold up to even the hardest of bashing sessions. There are a few things that can be done to further improve the Kraton making it stronger, faster, and more durable.

If you're just getting a Kraton there are a few things you'll need to get started.

Required items for a new Arrma Kraton



Batteries - You could run NiMH packs in the Kraton but you'll be doing yourself a dis-service as to really get the power, speed, and run time that the Kraton can really deliver you're going to need to run LiPo batteries. You can use the following LiPo setup:
  • 2x2S LiPo packs
  • 2x3S LiPo packs
  • 1x4S LiPo pack
  • 1x6S LiPo pack
There is a great "Budget LiPo of choice" ongoing thread if you are unsure what battery packs to buy.

Battery Charger - One of the best bang for your buck chargers would be the Dynamite Prophet Sport Duo. It will charge both NiMH and LiPo batteries and can charge two batteries at one time which is really a must have feature for the Kraton as many will be running dual batteries.

LiPo Sack - Just buy one! A LiPO sack is super cheap and offers a great deal of protection to charge and store your LiPo batteries.

4x AA Batteries - These are for the transmitter and I'm a big fan of Eneloop rechargeable batteries. Either the Panasonic Eneloop or Eneloop Pro (higher capacity, longer run time).

If you're new to the hobby, I would also strongly suggest checking out the Tools for getting started in RC thread.

Now on to the upgrades to make your Arrma Kraton even better! :)

Most Recommended Upgrades for the Arrma Kraton



Wing Mount - Without a doubt the most likely item to break first out of the box is the wing mount. If you don't like the wing then go ahead and remove it, but if you want the wing then buy the RPM Wing Mount. RPM products are guaranteed forever. If you break it, they will send you a free replacement.

Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) - I'm going to say it, the stock BLX 180 ESC is questionable at best or just out right bad at worse. There are plenty of threads here on the forum documenting the numerous issues with this ESC. To Arrma's credit they have been on the ball replacing any bad ESC's within the warranty period.

That said if you don't want to mess with replacing the ESC each time it burns up, has other issues, or chance damaging your other electronics (battery, servo) then adding a new ESC would be best. Tekin, Castle Creations, and even Hobbywing make great alternatives and buying one of their combo's (ESC and motor) could give the Kraton even more speed and/or power!

Note: The BLX 185 could potentially fix the issues with the BLX 180 ESC, but the 185 has yet to be released or tested.

Servo - You can go one of two ways to improve the servo issues on the Kraton, the best option would be to do both.
  1. Upgrade the servo to something like the Savox SW-1210SG (powerful, steel gears, and waterproof), Savox SW-0231MG (a bit weaker than the SW-1210SG) or Hitec HS-7955TG. It is recommended you get either a Glitch Buster or External BEC when running these servo's.
  2. Upgrade the servo mount, the stock plastic mount flexes a lot causing more strain on the servo. The DIY Kraton servo mount upgrade or the one piece aluminum servo mount will remove the flex issues.
Bearings - This isn't a surprise really as there aren't many RC's that are shipped with high quality bearings, or in some cases no bearings at all. In the case of the Arrma Kraton it's both, the bearings that are used aren't very good and there are even bushings used in areas (steering). A bearing set from Fast Eddy Bearings will be a massive upgrade over stock and what I would recommend!

Bumpers - If you're really bashing your Kraton then you'll probably want a good durable bumper. T-Bone Racing make a very durable front and rear bumper for the Kraton. TBR bumpers are also guaranteed forever. If you break it, they will send you a free replacement.


If you have other suggested upgrades, please share below! Let us know how your Arrma Kraton is holding up.
I really like the Eco power WP120t servo. It is a coreless ,water proof high torque servo with all metal gears and works great as an upgrade for the stock kraton servo and the price is awesome for the quality that you get with it. Here is a link
https://www.amainhobbies.com/ecopow...00hgA62QX8IsHRjb6cGPdYwjhjPlqSDMaAhcDEALw_wcB
The Arrma Kraton is a fine R/C out of the box and very capable to hold up to even the hardest of bashing sessions. There are a few things that can be done to further improve the Kraton making it stronger, faster, and more durable.

If you're just getting a Kraton there are a few things you'll need to get started.

Required items for a new Arrma Kraton



Batteries - You could run NiMH packs in the Kraton but you'll be doing yourself a dis-service as to really get the power, speed, and run time that the Kraton can really deliver you're going to need to run LiPo batteries. You can use the following LiPo setup:
  • 2x2S LiPo packs
  • 2x3S LiPo packs
  • 1x4S LiPo pack
  • 1x6S LiPo pack
There is a great "Budget LiPo of choice" ongoing thread if you are unsure what battery packs to buy.

Battery Charger - One of the best bang for your buck chargers would be the Dynamite Prophet Sport Duo. It will charge both NiMH and LiPo batteries and can charge two batteries at one time which is really a must have feature for the Kraton as many will be running dual batteries.

LiPo Sack - Just buy one! A LiPO sack is super cheap and offers a great deal of protection to charge and store your LiPo batteries.

4x AA Batteries - These are for the transmitter and I'm a big fan of Eneloop rechargeable batteries. Either the Panasonic Eneloop or Eneloop Pro (higher capacity, longer run time).

If you're new to the hobby, I would also strongly suggest checking out the Tools for getting started in RC thread.

Now on to the upgrades to make your Arrma Kraton even better! :)

Most Recommended Upgrades for the Arrma Kraton



Wing Mount - Without a doubt the most likely item to break first out of the box is the wing mount. If you don't like the wing then go ahead and remove it, but if you want the wing then buy the RPM Wing Mount. RPM products are guaranteed forever. If you break it, they will send you a free replacement.

Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) - I'm going to say it, the stock BLX 180 ESC is questionable at best or just out right bad at worse. There are plenty of threads here on the forum documenting the numerous issues with this ESC. To Arrma's credit they have been on the ball replacing any bad ESC's within the warranty period.

That said if you don't want to mess with replacing the ESC each time it burns up, has other issues, or chance damaging your other electronics (battery, servo) then adding a new ESC would be best. Tekin, Castle Creations, and even Hobbywing make great alternatives and buying one of their combo's (ESC and motor) could give the Kraton even more speed and/or power!

Note: The BLX 185 could potentially fix the issues with the BLX 180 ESC, but the 185 has yet to be released or tested.

Servo - You can go one of two ways to improve the servo issues on the Kraton, the best option would be to do both.
  1. Upgrade the servo to something like the Savox SW-1210SG (powerful, steel gears, and waterproof), Savox SW-0231MG (a bit weaker than the SW-1210SG) or Hitec HS-7955TG. It is recommended you get either a Glitch Buster or External BEC when running these servo's.
  2. Upgrade the servo mount, the stock plastic mount flexes a lot causing more strain on the servo. The DIY Kraton servo mount upgrade or the one piece aluminum servo mount will remove the flex issues.
Bearings - This isn't a surprise really as there aren't many RC's that are shipped with high quality bearings, or in some cases no bearings at all. In the case of the Arrma Kraton it's both, the bearings that are used aren't very good and there are even bushings used in areas (steering). A bearing set from Fast Eddy Bearings will be a massive upgrade over stock and what I would recommend!

Bumpers - If you're really bashing your Kraton then you'll probably want a good durable bumper. T-Bone Racing make a very durable front and rear bumper for the Kraton. TBR bumpers are also guaranteed forever. If you break it, they will send you a free replacement.


If you have other suggested upgrades, please share below! Let us know how your Arrma Kraton is holding up.
I recommend going with the eco power wp120t servo. Its waterproof, Metal gears, dual bearing, high torque and is coreless. It is definantly an upgrade when replacing your stock kraton servo. When running at 6v you get 337 oz.-in. Of torque and .11 transit speed wich is awesome but even better is at 7.4v you get 400 oz.-in. Of torque and .09 transit speed. And for the price it is an amazing value. I love using this servo for my v4 kraton. Heres the link.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/ecopow...00hgA62QX8IsHRjb6cGPdYwjhjPlqSDMaAhcDEALw_wcB
 
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Hello!
Pretty new to the Arrma family and i have a Kraton V4 and i freaking loooove it!! But i have a "small" problem, (and excuse my bad english here) but my front drive-thing keeps popping out of the "outdrives" (says the parts shop in Sweden at least) and i need to get new ones, but i want to get upgrades so i don't need to change them so often if thats possible (havn't changed them yet but you see my point i hope). Any suggestions?
 

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Hello!
Pretty new to the Arrma family and i have a Kraton V4 and i freaking loooove it!! But i have a "small" problem, (and excuse my bad english here) but my front drive-thing keeps popping out of the "outdrives" (says the parts shop in Sweden at least) and i need to get new ones, but i want to get upgrades so i don't need to change them so often if thats possible (havn't changed them yet but you see my point i hope). Any suggestions?
Remove these spacers and that should get rid of the problem without having to worry about buying or upgrading anything.
20190718_131923.jpg
 
Both of them?
Yes if you don't remove both it throws off the camber, if you remove just the top you get to much negative camber, ie the tire will lean in on top and stick out on the bottom. If you remove just the bottom you have too much positive camber, ie the bottom of the tire leans in and the top will stick out. Those spacers are actually a carryover from the Team Durango and that was how you adjust the camber on a pillow ball suspension. That's why if you buy the clip set it comes with different thicknesses.
Positive-Negative-Camber.jpg
 
Both of them?
@slick2500 has the right idea, but if you want to keep just a little negative camber, you can take the spacer from the top and use it to replace the one on the bottom. This will give you very slight negative camber, but help to eliminate the shafts popping out. If they do pop out again, just take that one out too. Most bashers will never notice the difference in handling, but it all depends on what type of driving you like to do.
 
Just bought a Kraton... Very excited. Got my daughter a Granite for Christmas for her to play with, something we could do outside. Find myself enjoying it as much (maybe more...) than she does. So now we can enjoy it together.

Love this thread... answered a lot of my questions. But now for some rather stupid, njuubi questions... I have a bit of money to spend, on both cars, and am looking to get the most bang for my buck. I've already ordered front/rear bumpers for both, from Tbone racing.

So, bearings. How do these affect the performance of my RC? What will upgraded ones, such as FastEddy's, do for me?

The new Kraton comes with an updated ESC, which is the primary reason I went with it over a Talion. Other than that, it was essentially a coin toss... But I have read a motor mount is a good upgrade to consider, while some seem to think it's not necessary. Since this is a Kraton thread I thought I would ask here. Should I buy the pretty red aluminum motor mount from ARRMA? Should my $21 be spent elsewhere?

Servo... I know I need to upgrade both, but spending $80 on each is a bit out of my price range for the moment. So, is there a huge difference between the fancy $80 servos mentioned, and the not-as-fancy $38 servo from Savox? I'm assuming either would be a substantial upgrade over the stock, both metal geared, etc...

Then pinion/gear sets... These weren't really discussed much from what I seen. And frankly, I don't know what they do. Remember... I'm new... and I don't know jack about cars/electronics to begin with. I did fix a toaster once. So, what would changing to a lower or higher gear set do for me? And are there any recommendations on which ones to get?

I'm hoping maybe answers to these questions will potentially help others not familiar with the hobby. I'm willing to take a bit of a beating, given my stupidity, but please don't be too mean.

I do appreciate anyone and everyone's help. Thank you so much. Really, really looking forward to getting in to the hobby and learning as much as I can. Maybe someday I can answer some questions.. in the meantime, if anyone needs help with a toaster....

-J
Not sure what u mean the Talion also comes with the updated esc
 
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