Bulkheads... HOW much of a problem?

[pavmentsurfer]

I bought an Emaxx here on the forum. The plan is to trade it for my 9 year old neighbours Stampede. He loves to run around our track with my buddy and I and our E-Revos but he can't keep up. So, I got a good enough deal on this truck that I can trade him straight up for his Stampede and he'll have a really nice Emaxx.

It will have either a dual titan or single 775 brushed setup, be running stock 7cell nimhs with stock tires and driveshafts. It has a pair of RPM shock towers, arms and bumpers.

Im wondering, just how bad are the bulkheads? This truck will be crashed but not SMASHED into oblivion. Cody is SUPER responsible with his stuff. Keep its ultra clean and doesnt really go TOO big on the jumps. Im just concerned that the bulks will break on him. How hard to you have to bash this thing before you start to have issues? Are there any helpful upgrades other than alluvium bulks (which he CANT afford for sure).

[johnny5c]

I've ran stock plastic bulks on my carbon fiber Gorillamaxx for years because I didn't want the added weight of aluminum and never had one break under normal race conditions. Both my T-Maxx's have aluminum bulks because I tend to bounce them off solid objects at 40+ MPH but honestly the stock ones aren't bad unless you're really pushing it. The RPM arms should help absorb the force of most impacts and it also helps to keep the bumper mount screws loose.

[cbark2305]

On my truck they seem pretty solid like they can take some abuse so if i was you i wouldnt be to worried about it unless your planning on smashing into a brick wall at 50mph they might do some damage

[M n M]

Hey Pave, I've had my E-Maxx since Oct last year. I've had a few hard head on hits between bad jumps and inanimate objects. Over the course of 5 months, running it at least once a weeks somehow or another; I've only broke one bulkhead. And I went to the LHS and pick up another set for $8.00.

I've snapped several Hinge Pins and A-arms (before I swapped to RPM). But only one bulkhead.

If he is as you say, and not real crazy with it he'll be fine.

[pavmentsurfer]

Awesome guys... thanks. Thats the only thing I was worried about with this truck. Everything else has either been upgraded or isnt known to be overly weak. So I'm pretty pleased. This sounds like it will be a solid truck for him.

[turbo_cat1]

It certainly will be. I too am a bit conservative in my running and am cognizant of the potentially fragile bulkheads, and although I've bent a shock shaft, one rear toe link, several hinge pins, and a few screws, the bulks have held up. It's a darn fine truck.

[cooleocool]

I've broken a handful over the years, but not too many at all (considering that I've owned the truck for 11 years). I've never seen the need to upgrade. I have bent titanium hinge pins, though...

[upbasher]

Today me and my bud were bashing...I was driving my savage and he was driving my emaxx...
For some reason he braked and I smashed right into the front of the emaxx.
Needless to say, the savage obliterated the emaxx. It broke both front bulkheads and the bottom skid plate.
It didn't take very long for me to break them...

[trax de max]

I've never damaged mine,bent the pins though.
But I still went with dace bulks that came up locally on fleebay for the extra power of the motor. Faster motor more rolls and hit them jumping out at you trees harder.I think rc's have built in tree magnets.
It's a a trade of price over reliability. $50 for the cool metal reliability or $5 for stock plastic.