Kraton Servo / BEC / WP

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Kalani938

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Lufkin, Tx
Arrma RC's
Hey guys, I'm getting close to purchasing a Kraton and have been doing a lot of research online and on these boards. I plan on ordering a new servo when I order the Kraton. I've read a ton of threads about different servo's and I guess I'm kinda lost b/c while I'm not new to RC's, I've never purchased a separate servo and installed one. I read the recommended upgrade post and got some ideas, but there's just so many options.

My price range is between $60-$90 and I would like a waterproof servo that fits without mods. Is there one in that price range that fits that description that doesn't need a BEC or do most of them need one? One I looked at was the Hitec D845WP. Does this one require a BEC and is it a good fit? Also, do most of these need a glitch saver or just the Savox? Is there one that fits my needs for less than the D845WP that will work? Thanks again and sorry for a repeated post on servos. Just excited to finally get my Kraton and want to get it right the first time :)
 
Hi there,

question, is there any reason for ordering a new servo together with the new Kraton?
The ADS-15M that comes with it is actually one of the best RTR servos I've come across plus it already is waterproof.

The Servo you've posted is a 1/5 scale servo and way too big. Apart from that I find it way too slow and way too powerful.

Standard size servo is 41x20x38mm (1,6x0,8x1,5") ... the one you've posted is 66x32x62mm (2.60x1.26x2.44")

Specs of the stock Servo are:
Speed @ 6V: 0.14 seconds
Torque @ 6V: 15kg/cm (208oz/inch)

The servo you posted:
Speed @ 6V: 0.21 seconds
Torque @ 6V: 40.5kg/cm (562oz/inch)

For the BEC:

Servos are mostly powered by the receiver ... most, if not all, modern receivers have a built in BEC, which is almost always 6V, so you want to look at the specs for 6V if you decide to get a new servo. There are some high-voltage servos, which are powered differently, but I would go for a 6V servo in all honesty. :)

If you really want to upgrade, I would look for a digital servo, torque somewhere between 20 and 25 kg/cm (275 to 350 oz/in) and speed somewhere between 0.12 and 0.15s.

The only reason I would see in upgrading is to go from analog to digital, as digital servos usually have a better holding torque and are a bit more precise if you buy a good one...but as said, in my opinion the stock servo is very good.

Glitch buster (glitch saver): It does not only depend on the servo if you need one, but also on the ESC ... the important value here is the BEC-amperage the ESC can deliver. You use a glitch buster to prevent brownouts (more ampere being drawn than BEC can deliver), Savox servos are notorious, better said infamous, for having a high amp draw. This is often forgiven, because they are damn good servos. However, the BLX185 comes with a 3A BEC, which should be enough to power even a Savox. If it's still not enough, a glitch buster is very cheap (just a few dollars) and even cheaper when soldered yourself ... mine was completely free since I had some capacitors around ... if you need to buy the materials, you basically just need a good servo/ESC cable and a capacitor with the correct specs, plus some solder skills and shrink tubes ... material price is below 2$. A glitch buster which is already assembled is about 8$ I guess...not really expensive.

But beware, a lot of people don't know this:

A glitch buster is nothing more than an electrolytic capacitor, soldered to a cable. What is does is storing energy to release it when needed (and preventing brownouts this way)
Now here is the dangerous part: If you pull the battery, it still has said energy stored. It is important that you make sure the battery cable which comes from the ESC does NOT touch metal! If it does, the stored energy will be released in a short burst, because you are actually creating a short circuit. This could destroy your electronics! Especially since the Arrma models use a metal chassis, you need to be very careful.

If you need something explained further, let us know. :)
 
Wow, thanks for all the info! So why are there so many posts about replacing the servos on these? Are they replacing the ones in the V1 models? Only reason I mentioned the one I did was bc I read a few people on here were using them. If the one that comes in the V2 is good then I won't worry about it and will spend that money on something else :)
 
No problem at all!

Are you sure they are using exactly this one? I honestly can't see it fit without some very serious modifications ... I'm not sure it would fit even with serious modifications to be honest (but would be very interested in seeing those!)
As far as I know the V1 also used the ADS-15M...there are people, like me, who always want to get the maximum out of their RCs and also strive for "the best" or at least "better" ... for us (and probably soon for you, too, as soon as you start modifying ... and you show the first signs! :D), this is reason enough.
But I've been so impressed by the RTR servo, that I will leave it in until it breaks (or if I feel like modifying something and can't think of something else) and then swap it for something even better.

If you want to spend the money, maybe you want to think about some good diff and shock oils, plus some Team Durango springs ... maybe a wheelie bar, too, if you want to have some additional speed/acceleration fun without too much wheelies :)
 
Which diff and shock oil do you recommend and what weight? Also, which Team Durango springs do you recommend?

No problem at all!

Are you sure they are using exactly this one? I honestly can't see it fit without some very serious modifications ... I'm not sure it would fit even with serious modifications to be honest (but would be very interested in seeing those!)
As far as I know the V1 also used the ADS-15M...there are people, like me, who always want to get the maximum out of their RCs and also strive for "the best" or at least "better" ... for us (and probably soon for you, too, as soon as you start modifying ... and you show the first signs! :D), this is reason enough.
But I've been so impressed by the RTR servo, that I will leave it in until it breaks (or if I feel like modifying something and can't think of something else) and then swap it for something even better.

If you want to spend the money, maybe you want to think about some good diff and shock oils, plus some Team Durango springs ... maybe a wheelie bar, too, if you want to have some additional speed/acceleration fun without too much wheelies :)

In regards to replacing the servo, I've read on multiple threads about that being the first thing to replace or upgrade on these Kratons. Read that they are underpowered and strip out a lot. Hope you're right though. LOL
 
All personal preference, I'm afraid this is not something anyone can tell you 100%. :)

As a starting point, what are you planning on doing with the Kraton, where do you want to run it?
On-Road, Off-Road? Light jumps or heavy jumps? Maybe even on a track? Grass, gravel, sand or tarmac? 4S or 6S? Slow or fast corners?

Your setup will depend on a lot or variables. But it sounds a lot more complicated than it really is, it's all about finding what feels good for you :)

For the shock oils I would recommend getting the following ... this gives you a wide variety of oils to try and should give you an option for any situation:

Click me!

For the springs I have to correct myself ... I meant Tekno springs, not Team Durango ... I think the Kraton already uses the stiffest TD springs ... If I recall correctly most people use the Tekno Orange. But if I were you I would run the car for a couple charges first to see how it feels and then decide if you want to go softer or stiffer.
 
Mainly just around parks and maybe some dirt pits. Don't plan on beating it to death with huge jumps, but I've never owned a big high performance RC capable of what this one is so that will remain to be seen. With that being said I would say small to medium jumps. Don't really plan on using it on-road. Mainly offroad and a mixture of grass and dirt. Might find some gravel here and there. I will be running it on both 4S and 6S. Ok, yeah I've looked at those Tekno orange springs, but Tower is currently out of them. Was hoping to buy everything from them to get a bigger discount, but I can order those on ebay or amazon.
 
Now it seems like the old Kraton uses a 7.4V BEC, while the new one uses a 6V BEC ... can anyone who is reading this and owns a new Kraton V2 confirm?
If the old one powers the servo with 7.4V and the new with 6V, this could explain the fast stripping ... a lot more stress on the servo.

If I were you I would keep a bit of money on the side, in case the servo breaks ... I've read a lot about servo stripping in the Kraton, but all those posts seem to be from V1 model.

For the diff oil and your driving I wouldn't go too heavy for a start ... something along the line of 15k front, 30k center and 10k rear.
 
Now it seems like the old Kraton uses a 7.4V BEC, while the new one uses a 6V BEC ... can anyone who is reading this and owns a new Kraton V2 confirm?
If the old one powers the servo with 7.4V and the new with 6V, this could explain the fast stripping ... a lot more stress on the servo.

If I were you I would keep a bit of money on the side, in case the servo breaks ... I've read a lot about servo stripping in the Kraton, but all those posts seem to be from V1 model.

For the diff oil and your driving I wouldn't go too heavy for a start ... something along the line of 15k front, 30k center and 10k rear.

Any idea which weight comes in it?
 
Thanks! I'm going to order my Kraton tonight! I guess I will hold off on the servo for now and if I feel it needs replacing later I will order it then. So you haven't had any issues with your servo and it turns good? Thanks again for all the info. Is it pretty easy to change out the oil in the diffs? I took the diffs apart in my Slash 4x4 earlier this week and cleaned them and refilled them with oil.
 
I run the Senton, which is not very different from the Kraton, and never had problems with the servo so far. :)

The Kraton/Senton/etc. feature an easy access system for the diffs, it's really amazing. Just a few screws and you got the diff in your hand.
Swapping the diff oil is easy as pie, just clean the diffs and refill them. Just watch out for the gaskets so you don't damage them by accident.
I like to fill them until the middle of the crosspin is well covered by about 1mm.
 
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image.jpeg
Now it seems like the old Kraton uses a 7.4V BEC, while the new one uses a 6V BEC ... can anyone who is reading this and owns a new Kraton V2 confirm?
If the old one powers the servo with 7.4V and the new with 6V, this could explain the fast stripping ... a lot more stress on the servo.

If I were you I would keep a bit of money on the side, in case the servo breaks ... I've read a lot about servo stripping in the Kraton, but all those posts seem to be from V1 model.

For the diff oil and your driving I wouldn't go too heavy for a start ... something along the line of 15k front, 30k center and 10k rear.
The V2 Kraton bec is set to 6v,with the flexy servo mount and servo saver you get steering that could be improved.On the other hand stock can take some punishment because of the above mentioned parts.
Heres my Kraton:Leopard 1730kv motor ,HWmax8 esc,Savox 1270 servo,cvd's in back,aluminum back brace,center diff metal mount ,Proline Mx38's.None of this stuff was needed,but it did help when a car ran over it twice( only broke a diff/tranny case $9,burst 2 front tires& squashed body).
 
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Nice!

Did the alu brace improve the driving in any way?
I was thinking about building one to add some stiffness for onroad bashing.
 
image.jpeg
Nice!

Did the alu brace improve the driving in any way?
I was thinking about building one to add some stiffness for onroad bashing.
Stock,even with the factory plastic braces the chasiss is pretty flexible and i think it makes the front end behave better.Wouldn't say its very noticeable.But over time the factory chasiss bends,mostly where the bends are and that can cause some problems..I also installed a second frame cut down to prevent this.
 
How do you like your Proline Badlands MX tires? I ordered those to put on my Kraton when it comes in this week :)
 
How do you like your Proline Badlands MX tires? I ordered those to put on my Kraton when it comes in this week :)
The mx38's are taller than stock so use the 12t pinion,the 14t pinion will make the stock motor and esc to over heat.I like them,maybe to much traction while cornering.
 
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