It Keeps breaking!
 

I'm running a 10L/9918 with Gmaxx CF chassis and UE suspension, shocks, cvds etc. The speed of the truck is fantastic, especially on 16 cell GP3700's. Perhaps it's too quick for me or I'm a crap driver but I'm not even getting thru a set of batteries before someting else gets smashed up.
In one day I've destroyed 2 UE Ti turnbuckles (both just sheared in two) snapped a Gmaxx battery strap and snapped 2 Ti pivot balls. I'm only running the truck in a park, is this pretty standard or am I being too hard on it?
I seem to be spending way more time fixing it than running it.

My advise is, don't run it near trees or anything solid and don't be too trigger happy..

Titanium pivotballs do snap, that is a known thing..

On 16 cells it is one very fast ride! (a friend of mine threw his savage to 70.4 km/h (44mph) with his 10L on 15 cells (and that is a 6.5Kg (14.3lbs) heavy monster)

use a fast steeringservo, good transmittor/receiver and make the cg as low as possible (you allready got the gorillamaxx chassis right? And you could also use 40 serie bowties for ultimate corner stability..

I know, when i drive my mamba 8K mini-t, i break something.. I just respect that and accept the fact that you use things on such a truck.. ( i got some spareparts now..)

If you combine a enthousiastic finger and a fast truck, you must accept it, that you need spareparts.. Just be easy on her and she will be easy on your wallet.. (but you bought it to drive right?!)

wow how did you snap a UE turnbuckle? the rod end should have fail before that. you shouldnt be breaking that much stuff, what have you been hitting? lol. BTW, i run the same motor and ESC setup in my truck

I can't imagine those parts breaking as part of "normal" wear and tear.

If you're jumping a lot and/or hitting stuff you'll break things.

I thought I was safe at the track instead of driving around the neighborhood, boy was I wrong. Run it fast and hit a jump wrong...go end over end... you'll more than likely break stuff.


The key is to make sure that stuff you'll likely break is stock, plentiful, and cheap.

I snapped 2 of them in exactly the same place and I didn't hit anything. The truck just lost it's composure over some roughish ground and did some heavy duty cartwheeling.
The truck's an absolute blast to drive I think I probably just need to cool it a bit! BTW the 10L on 16 cells gives brilliant run times and even if I give the motor a hammering in top gear both it and the esc never get very hot, I'm glad I went for this over a 9L 14 cell set up.

That's why you need to go with Lipos. You'll be at 9 pounds so cartwheeling and stuff is easier on all the parts. FYI, a good steel is stronger than titanium (titanium is simply stronger per weight). 6Al4V titanium is 160 KPa, Beta Titaniums are around 190-200 KPa. Stainless steel is around 160, but maraging stainless steels and aermet are over 300 KPa!!! That's some strong metal. Most of the Titanium stuff for RC is 6Al4V if it's real good or the cheaper and weaker alloy. Pure titanium is used sometimes and that's real weak at less than 100KPa (these numbers are off the top of my head - not absolutely sure)

its good to hear that you like the 10L/9918 setup. i will be giving mine the first run tomarrow. what gearing are you running? i have done some heavy duty cartwheeling and all i have braken is a ofna rod end, and a couple ofna shock ends. good luck with the truck man

What wheels are you using? If they are plastic, you might be flexing the wheels so much that the rims are deforming and bending your turnbuckles.

Also, there was a mod on the UE forums a while back for the EXT suspension turnbuckles, made it almost invincible; If I remember correctly it was lunsford 5x100mm Ti turnbuckles and Ofna rod ends.

If you're having a problem with Ti pillowballs switch to steel (or at least steels as front lowers); they're much stronger

PS: I'm selling a set of steel UE pillowballs for $20.. http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif

sforsancho, are you zoom zoom on the UE forum?

What UE suspension are you running?

emaxx4190: Yes

im running widetrax, but soon to be racer-x:D

I'm using a 15 tooth mod1 pinion with an OFNA 51 tooth spur and strobe slipper. It's incredibly quick and the torque is fantastic.

I've been using standard Maxx wheels and tyres, Revo wheels and tyres and 40 series Velocity 6's with Big Joes. The front pivot balls sheared when I had a tumble with the Big Joe's. Trying to extract the remains has now meant that UE upper arm may also have to be scrapped, as it wasn't keen on coming out. I've also managed to destroy 3 diffs in the last 2 weeks, so I've now put an order in for the UE 8 spyder set to try and strengthen things up in that department.

You will be happy with those UE Diffs.

I bought 4 of the 8 spider diffs, 2 for my E-Maxx and 2 for a custom MT project.

Turnbuckle as in those shafts that attach to the knuckles right?? I always get that mixed up..LOL

Yeah, I think I might just buy a load of standard traxxas turnbuckles and then just bin them when they bend. At least that will create a cheap easily replaceable weakpoint.
Do you guys use thread lock on the pivot balls? I'm thinking of keeping these loose from now on so that if the get ripped up I can get the remains out easy. I don't want to be going through suspension arms:P:

I know I've thought about Lipos but for the time being I feel they are a step to far. When you told me they could have been the cause of your entire house burning down it kind of put me off!
Maybe something for the future.
I hear what you're saying about steel versus titanium, as I've also managed to bend 2 Ti CVD's although they are still useable, just.:C:
I'll be getting more steel stuff onboard as I'm not a racer and the 10L should haul the extra weight without any problems.

The set-screws should lock them in pretty well.. But you could try using the temporary Loctite.

Actually the question toward suspension choice was directed toward liborlad. What suspension are you running?

Actually I use Titanium Center Driveshafts and 8mm Hardened Steel CVDs and they been holding up fine.
I am a basher too, and I hope to do some crazy jumps later on and see how these parts hold..LOL

I rammed into stuff, flipped and cartwheels at 40+ Mph and it still holds but like some has already said, anything and everything has a breaking point.

@libordad; What brand titanium cvd's did you bend? UE's? And was it a twist or a real bend?

And about the lighter the truck theory;

They manage to reach 50mph on a 12 cell e-maxx! Now that's crazy fast on such a low cellcount if you ask me..

I'm running with UE widetrac, which I'm very happy with.

I bought some GPM Ti driveshafts on Ebay, I don't think it was the best purchase I ever made. I've got slight bends on 2 of them and the wear on the drive cups has been pretty rapid. I've just installed some RDlogics steel shafts and they seem to be fine. If they don't last the pace I'll be switching to UE.

Was it the cvd type, or the other one?

It is a type of CVD however, it was not the usual design followed by, MIP,RDLogics,UE etc.

I got me a set of these, just wanted to know what they are up to.. That is the cvd type i meant

It looks a bit different from the one you showed, the actual cvd bit of the shaft looked more like this:
http://www.rcxshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=707