Kraton Steering turnbuckle popping off

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bicketybam

Back from vacation!
Lifetime Premium!
Premium Member
Excellence Award
Build Thread Contributor
Messages
13,394
Reaction score
23,192
Location
New Milford, CT
Arrma RC's
  1. BigRock 4x4
  2. Granite
  3. Infraction
  4. Kraton 8S
  5. Kraton 6s
  6. Kraton 4s
  7. Mojave
  8. Notorious
  9. Talion
  10. Typhon 6s
On a few bad/hard landings I have had the steering turnbuckle pop off. Sometimes it pops off where it connects to the steering bellcrank and once down by the wheel. I can just snap it back in but I was wondering if this is common on a crappy front tire first landing. Should I order the composite ballcup set from Arrma for my parts bin? Does anyone make an upgraded ballcup?
 
When I made the new ballcups for my GPM turnbuckles I used ar330202 balls. They let me be able to use a washer on top. Never had one pop off yet. Not sure if they still fit the v3 stuff though. Just an idea.
 

Attachments

  • P_20180811_114241.jpg
    P_20180811_114241.jpg
    360.9 KB · Views: 168
When I made the new ballcups for my GPM turnbuckles I used ar330202 balls. They let me be able to use a washer on top. Never had one pop off yet. Not sure if they still fit the v3 stuff though. Just an idea.
Can't see your photo really.

I had the same thing happen on my outcast once last weekend when bashing. I only had the truck 10 days, it was a crappy landing. Probably the 20th set of packs through the truck. Was going to look at putting a washer on it like I do other RC's to keep it from coming all the way off and causing more damage due to extreme angle at the hub on a crappy cartwheel landing. I've busted CVD's because of that in the past on my heavily modified losi aftershock. With that truck though, the tie rods would snap. After I busted my second CVD, I went with lunsford and never had it happen again. With this, the ball end seems ok as it snaps on positively, but would still like to add something to capture it if it pops again.
 
Yea I didn't realize it was so hard to see. I can't remember everything I did but pretty much I used the balls (Ar330202) for the front turnbuckles. Instead of them being threaded they are hollow so you use a longer screw and nut allowing you to use a washer on the top.
 
Yea I didn't realize it was so hard to see. I can't remember everything I did but pretty much I used the balls (Ar330202) for the front turnbuckles. Instead of them being threaded they are hollow so you use a longer screw and nut allowing you to use a washer on the top.
It's funny, I didn't take a close look at how they tierods were attached, even though I had my outcast sitting on my workbench and I actually had one pop off. I didn't realize they had the ball be the nut as well. Might be worth the effort to just drill it out and put a proper nut on it with a washer to retain the rod end. Although, would be hard to drill it out without damaging the ball itself, which will then grind away at the ball end.

I don't like it when one off parts are tapped like that. If the screw snaps off due to a hard hit, then your stuck as it will more than likely shear off flush in the ball. I prefer the bolt/nut because then if it snaps the bolt, you can just replace it without much fuss.
 
Yea I didn't like it either. They have held up amazingly the way I used the hollow balls. Its really strange the way the v3 ends pop off like they do. I was doing a build and I ordered the newest outcast top plate and bell crank set from jennysrc and it came with the turnbuckles so I used them and they kept popping off. I took the older ones I had from a v2 Kraton and popped them on the build and I haven't had one come back off yet. I don't know what the difference is between the older ends and the new ends is but there must be something.
 
Besides having some spare turnbuckles from jennysrc, I also have a AR330230 (includes all the rod ends without the balls inserted), so I was able to easily measure the I.D. of each rod end using my digital calipers. However, I am not sure if these rod ends (AR330230) are the exact same for the V2 & V3? The longer rear turnbuckle ends I.D. measure approx 7.05mm, and the shorter rear turnbuckle ends I.D. measure approx 7.17mm. The curved front steering turnbuckle ends I.D. measure approx 7mm (varied 6.8-7.17mm) and the inside steering turnbuckle end I.D. which attaches to the steering ackerman measures approx 7.4mm. Although these measurements were not exact, the inside steering turnbuckle end I.D. is definitely larger and looks to be the reason this end starts to wear much quicker and causing the turnbuckle to pop off. It looks like Arrma's manufacturing for the I.D. of this turnbuckle end has been made too big compared to the I.D. of all their other turnbuckle ends.

The best solution would probably be using a slightly larger pivot ball if available, or to try another manufacturers 4mm turnbuckle end that has a slightly smaller I.D. (closer to a 7mm I.D.). However, another turnbuckle end would need to be the same length as the Arrma. Otherwards, may have to just change this turnbuckle end when it wears out or try using a washer or o-ring like other members have tried.
 
Last edited:
If I ever have the ends pop off again I will just use the hollow balls like I did for my Kraton and keep track of the parts I use.
 
When I made the new ballcups for my GPM turnbuckles I used ar330202 balls. They let me be able to use a washer on top. Never had one pop off yet. Not sure if they still fit the v3 stuff though. Just an idea.
That's an awesome idea, I've had mine pop off a few times, that would solve all of it.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 90 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top