Aluminum Control Arms/Skid plates...worth it?

[twiskus]

I won't post the link since this is a Traxxas site, but here is the description:

Silver Aluminum Revo 3.3 Complete Aluminum Skid Plate, Suspension Arm, and Guard Set. This set includes a full set of eight suspension arms, the front, center, rear, and transmission skid plates, as well as the fuel tank guard. This package offers excellent protection, strength, and great looks! This set allows you to outfit your truck all at once for one affordable price!

Would a kit like this be worth it? Does anyone have experience with any of these types of kits? Thanks!

Trev

[badunit]

I have no experience with that kit. My thoughts on the arms is that I want them to have some give (i.e., ability to bend to absorb the shock of impact from a curb or whatever). If they don't give, something else will. But nothing else on the suspension has that give. Something else is likely to break instead and will be harder to replace. Also, if aluminum arms give that means they bent; they don't bounce back. For bashing I would rather have the plastic. For show, though, it is whatever you desire..

[twiskus]

I have no experience with that kit. My thoughts on the arms is that I want them to have some give (i.e., ability to bend to absorb the shock of impact from a curb or whatever). If they don't give, something else will. But nothing else on the suspension has that give. Something else is likely to break instead and will be harder to replace. Also, if aluminum arms give that means they bent; they don't bounce back. For bashing I would rather have the plastic. For show, though, it is whatever you desire..

How about the skid plates mentioned?

Trev

[NvDesertRat96]

+1 badunit Aluminum A Arms will also snap like glass when cold. RPM A Arms are the way to go

i use a full Integy skid plate set up and like it.

[revokinevo]

exactly what desert said, about a month ago i upgraded my arms to rpm and at the same time the transmitter to the TQi and it ran away on me, the complete front of the revo was destroyed and the only thing that survived were the rpm arms, it went straight into a brickwall at about 30 mph :/ also from what i have heard besides the skid plate, integy is cheap and there stuff breaks all the time, rpm is the way to go. -revokinevo

[NvDesertRat96]

I wouldn't say Integy is cheap i have a few Integy parts that hold up just fine and i like. The problem with aluminum and its the same for all makers is it has no give or elasticity. When its super cold outside aluminum gets really brittle and breaks like glass. So if you hit something it usually bends or snaps unlike a plastic part that would have a lil give. RPM A-arms, bumpers and mounts and tierod ends are a must for my RC's. Aluminum is great in some places and horrible in others.

[Kyleb]

I won't post the link since this is a Traxxas site, but here is the description:

Silver Aluminum Revo 3.3 Complete Aluminum Skid Plate, Suspension Arm, and Guard Set. This set includes a full set of eight suspension arms, the front, center, rear, and transmission skid plates, as well as the fuel tank guard. This package offers excellent protection, strength, and great looks! This set allows you to outfit your truck all at once for one affordable price!

Would a kit like this be worth it? Does anyone have experience with any of these types of kits? Thanks!

Trev

. That sounds like something integy would sell as a kit.

What kind of aluminum is it made from. I

[Double G]

The only Integy items I use are the Ti-nitride tools and they work very well. Other than that, I've learned through other's experiences to stay away from pretty much everything else.

RPM A-arms, bumpers and mounts and tierod ends are a must for my RC's. Aluminum is great in some places and horrible in others.

Agreed.


I'm guessing that you are looking at this kit: http://www.rcsuperstore.com/Integy_C.../intt3244b.htm . For the money, spend it on something better.

[KyLeader7]

Seems like everyone knows what's up these days..
Alumnium is a great material but for something that receives such great forces, choose wisely... Plastic that 'flexes' is the way to go... aka TRX or RPM

[badunit]

Twiskus,

I don't have as strong of an opinion on the skid plates. I think they'll look pretty until they get all scratched up, which will happen on your first time out. They might protect okay (I can't really say as I've not tried them) but the plastic also protects okay and doesn't show scratches and gouges as badly as anodized aluminum. My money is on functional upgrades. Well, repair parts and functional upgrades. It may seem counterintuitive that plastic can be better than aluminum but that's the case in some applications. And plastic is usually cheaper when the time comes to buy replacement parts.

There are some good videos on youtube about aluminum vs plastic. Here is one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kunVUT4yr8Q

[NITR0 newbie]

I bought my revo used and it had a bunch of integy crap on it, after replacing the front bulkhead twice without any major crashes I realized that between the alloy front skids and the alloy steering components there was NO flex and that was why my bulkhead kept breaking. In the end I took all the alloy stuff off except for the rear skid as that seemed to be the one piece that worked well and did not cause any other problems also considering that revos tend to squat alot in the rear it made even more sense to keep it.