Kraton Titanium pillow balls in aluminum hubs

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332_RC

332_RC

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Arrma RC's
  1. Gorgon
  2. Infraction
  3. Kraton 6s
  4. Notorious
  5. Senton 3s
  6. Infraction 4x4
I read titanium reacts with aluminum causing aluminum to oxidize. Anyone run titanium pillow balls with aluminum front hubs? Save weight with titanium & add it back with aluminum but curious if anyone has experience
 
Corrode not oxidize

Screenshot_20240106_191354_Google.jpg
 
I’ve heard that it does depend on some extend to the grade of titanium and/or aluminum. I will say that I think @MrTitanium probably has a wealth of knowledge on this subject, and maybe he could weigh in.
As for the pillow balls, if you’re talking about something akin to the Scorched units, the titanium balls ride on delrin inserts, so they’re not actually in contact with the hub. If you have upper a-arms in aluminum, then the titanium balls would thread into them, but I don’t know how much galvanic action would take place, or how long it would take to be an issue. Some thread coatings help to prevent it, but I haven’t really heard of their use in RC. Interesting question.
 
332_rc said:
I read titanium reacts with aluminum causing aluminum to oxidize. Anyone run titanium pillow balls with aluminum front hubs? Save weight with titanium & add it back with aluminum but curious if anyone has experience
Click to expand...
All I know is that many use the Ti PB's in whatever. Alloy or Composite hubs just fine. Serious Racers use Ti PB's. They even use fine Powdered Graphite (for Locks) as a dry lube. It's more about cleaning, adjusting and maintaining them. I never tried them before, nor have I seen anyone else with any significant Galvanic Corrosion issues, or binding. All different metals react to each others to some extent. The stocker PB's are Chromium plated. Never any issiues with Alloy Hubs. And they are disimilar metals.
If you maintain them, you are good. I've used Dry wax lube( Chain Saver) on my PB's/Plastic hubs once in a while. There won't be any Corrosion if they are kept clean and adjusted well. Not even needing any Lube. Just racers are known to Use the Powdered Graphite if anything.or just nothing at all. I tried Graphite, I saw no real difference over Dry wax lube or nothing at all. As long as they were just clean and adjusted well.
If yours start to squeak, they are trashed IMHO. They were long overdue. Been there. They will squeak bad whether with alu. or plastic hubs.
 
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Dan B. said:
What are the advantages? Just the lighter weight? Always good to know of other options, thanks for sharing this.
Click to expand...
Much lighter! It made my infraction a little more nimble with the reduced unsprung weight. The threaded part is hardened steel, so they wont bend or break.

Then they have a teflon coating that seems to be very durable, I run them in aluminum knuckles with no problems. My aluminum knuckles/PBs are about the same weight as the stock steel/plastic combo.
 
Dan B. said:
What are the advantages? Just the lighter weight? Always good to know of other options, thanks for sharing this.
Click to expand...
Yes Weight. And PB type chassis are heavier at the nose for this reason. Its the 4 PB's. Ti PB weight savings means alot IMHO. A good upgrade. Ti is not cheap.
I never felt the stocker PB's were precision enough. Spherically. They tend to bind up at extreme ST angles no matter what you do. Having to make adjustments looser than you want. You just end up adding ST slop.
 
SrC said:
Yes Weight. And PB type chassis are heavier at the nose for this reason. Its the 4 PB's. Ti PB weight savings means alot IMHO. A good upgrade. Ti is not cheap.
I never felt the stocker PB's were precision enough. Spherically. They tend to bind up at extreme ST angles no matter what you do. Having to make adjustments looser than you want. You just end up adding ST slop.
Click to expand...
You’re right. Most of mine have been fine, but I had to swap the upper pair in my Notorious because they were deformed. I messed with the darned things for too long, but to get rid of slop I had to tighten them down too much and then the arms got sticky and notchy. I have some Scorched Ti balls for an upcoming build, but I’ve never used them before. Looking forward to seeing how they are.
 
Dan B. said:
I can’t wait. You got the knuckles too, I see. Those are so freaking beautiful. Porn for gearheads.
Here’s a good portion of my next build! 😂
View attachment 341272
Click to expand...
Looks like a nice array of parts for your build. Keep us posted
Gordo said:
I put the scorched PB,S in my limitless but never had them on the road yet. Sorry about pics, kinda hard to see the PB.

View attachment 341264

View attachment 341267
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Amazing looking build. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks guys for your input & knowledge. Helps me going forward.
 
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Dan B. said:
You’re right. Most of mine have been fine, but I had to swap the upper pair in my Notorious because they were deformed. I messed with the darned things for too long, but to get rid of slop I had to tighten them down too much and then the arms got sticky and notchy. I have some Scorched Ti balls for an upcoming build, but I’ve never used them before. Looking forward to seeing how they are.
Click to expand...
TBH totally honest here, I feel the Ti balls are def. a great substitute, I just can't justify using them in an Arrma product. I have many here, and if I used Ti PB's for instance, on one of them I would be compelled to do all of them.
Not putting Arrma down, just that overall, there are too many upgrades needed to reign in the slop all over this platform. One by one it all adds up. I refuse to drop that much coin into them. It just becomes an endless $rabbit hole$. These are bashers. Not poo pooing bashers, just that they have their limits of precision for their price point. I just learn t accept what they are, how they are.
 
SrC said:
TBH totally honest here, I feel the Ti balls are def. a great substitute, I just can't justify using them in an Arrma product. I have many here, and if I used Ti PB's for instance, on one of them I would be compelled to do all of them.
Not putting Arrma down, just that overall, there are too many upgrades needed to reign in the slop all over this platform. One by one it all adds up. I refuse to drop that much coin into them. It just becomes an endless $rabbit hole$. These are bashers. Not poo pooing bashers, just that they have their limits of precision for their price point. I just learn t accept what they are, how they are.
Click to expand...
Dude, no joke. Those Scorched balls (!!) are indeed pricey. I’m totally checking out the aluminum Mugen balls he linked to.

Dr.: Well, I’m sorry to say that you’ve progressed from a bad case of scorched balls to an official diagnosis of Mugen balls.
Me: Well sh’t doc, I was just tryin’ to get home…
 
Ti is hands down best.
I would consider Alu. alloy if they are much cheaper, and those Mugens look like the ticket for sure at 1/2 the OE weight.
An Alloy PB will be weaker, if I had to guess. IDK. It's a high stress part. Are they 7075 T6 is the question. If they work on a Mugen must be good I guess.
I noticed Mugen's specifically have Upper and Lower Pillow Balls as a matched pair. If that matters.
OE Arrma's are universal for both Upper and Lower locations..
 
Last edited:
SrC said:
Ti is hands down best.
I would consider Alu. alloy if they are much cheaper, and those Mugens look like the ticket for sure at 1/2 the OE weight.
An Alloy PB will be weaker, if I had to guess. IDK. It's a high stress part. Are they 7075 T6 is the question. If they work on a Mugen must be good I guess.
I noticed Mugen's specifically have Upper and Lower Pillow Balls as a matched pair. If that matters.
OE Arrma's are universal for both Upper and Lower locations..
Click to expand...

I might have an older version from two years ago, but the all four of the Mugen PBs are identical to Arrma. I'm seeing that Xray is using aluminum on the uppers and steel on the lowers now, so Mugen may be doing something similar.

Only the ball part is aluminum, if that breaks then you probably have bigger issues. :LOL:
 
Yes I did notice they are a 2 piece design.(y)
 
SrC said:
All I know is that many use the Ti PB's in whatever. Alloy or Composite hubs just fine. Serious Racers use Ti PB's. They even use fine Powdered Graphite (for Locks) as a dry lube. It's more about cleaning, adjusting and maintaining them. I never tried them before, nor have I seen anyone else with any significant Galvanic Corrosion issues, or binding. All different metals react to each others to some extent. The stocker PB's are Chromium plated. Never any issiues with Alloy Hubs. And they are disimilar metals.
If you maintain them, you are good. I've used Dry wax lube( Chain Saver) on my PB's/Plastic hubs once in a while. There won't be any Corrosion if they are kept clean and adjusted well. Not even needing any Lube. Just racers are known to Use the Powdered Graphite if anything.or just nothing at all. I tried Graphite, I saw no real difference over Dry wax lube or nothing at all. As long as they were just clean and adjusted well.
If yours start to squeak, they are trashed IMHO. They were long overdue. Been there. They will squeak bad whether with alu. or plastic hubs.
Click to expand...
I also use graphite on pivot points that are exposed to dirt idk if it helps, more of a mechanical habbit.I am extremely ocd with my rigs. I've been known to spend an entire day just adjusting and re-adjusting suspension, camber and toe angles
 

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