StuBevis

Bits for the Kraton, important item to get me back on the road being the hinge pin after I bent one on a bash a couple of days ago.

Installed the 15t pinion that came with my Kraton 6S. Yesterday on its maiden bash over some bicycle jumps I was running the stock 12t and while it was ok for getting the hang of the new truck it wasn't exactly blistering speed on 4S. Anyway today's run on the 15t with 4S was an excellent improvement, really made it a whole lot more fun. Ended up bringing the bash to a close when after the 2nd time of popping a pivot ball I noticed the lower hinge pin on the front-right was bent. Wife done better with the e-firestorm, managed to survive dozens of tumbles including some cringe-worthy tail landings on her first go at jumps, with nowt worse than keep popping out dogbones. To be fair though I was getting big air in comparison lol, but great fun and love the Kraton Cheers, Stu

Ok thanks. I had hoped to get a new charger capable of charging a 6S brick at a rate of 1C comfortably but, an unexpected large repair bill for my real car put the kybosh on that idea, so will just go 2x3S, and at least the money I've not spent on a new charger can buy me more batteries instead! Cheers

Is that a single 6S or 2x3S, please? I'll be going for 2x3S because my charger won't let me do a single 6S, probably going to get a couple of Turnigy HD 3S (all my batteries so far have been Turnigy and might just have been lucky but they've all performed well for me) from Hobbyking but always interested to hear what others are running. Also considering the HRB lipos which I've seen on Amazon, as a few here and on the Arrma forum appear to do well with them Cheers

If the 4pv Guns recommended is out of reach then the 3pv is worth a look especially if you've got a shop that has one you can try for feel. Some have issues with the 3pv and the rake of the handle such that full braking in particular can feel a bit of a stretch for one's trigger finger unless the Tx is gripped right up the top of the handle; also some find the top of their trigger finger catching the underside of the top part of the tx when braking. However, I've found the design very close to the HPI Tx on my firestorm which has never been a bother for me so it's not an issue with the 3pv. But, given you'll be spending a lot of time with it, sounds like the 4pv could be a winner if affordable to you. Cheers, Stu

I second the above, if/when you can, assuming you haven't already, swap the radio out, I did straight away. I put in a Futaba 3PV courtesy of Guns but, I appreciate it's not a cheap radio to buy new and can't comment on cheaper options which are available. And I also removed the tower brace until I can get aluminium chassis braces, there was an interesting snippet about it in Aussie RC Playground's unboxing video. I'm impressed you went straight for 6S! It is a corker of a truck, I got the blue one. Cheers, Stu

Great to hear. I'll be doing the same; barring the RPM front bumper I've fitted, everything else will get upgraded as and when needed, main priority for me now is to get a second battery, will give 6S a try. Are you running 4S or 6S? Cheers, Stu

Enjoy! I got my v4 Kraton 6S last week and love it, only on 4S at the moment but still impressed at the speed for a big and heavy truck, can’t wait to try 6S! Cheers, Stu

Thanks, I admit that I hadn't expected it so soon so it was a lovely surprise when not long after the car had arrived, I saw the postman stood at the door with the new TX! Just wish ParcelForce 48 had taken pity on me and delivered my battery for the Kraton a day early instead of tomorrow 😁 Cheers

Decided to not even bother trying out the Spektrum that came with my new Kraton so bought this Futaba 3pv courtesy of @Guns. Haven't been able to try it in the Kraton as I'm waiting for a battery for it but, just gave it a test run in my e-Firestorm and wow, what an upgrade over the HPI that came with the firestorm, so I feel confident that it'll work great in the Kraton. Thanks Guns! Cheers, Stu

Been dreaming about owning one of these for months, it finally came true an hour ago...

Although a Kraton is imminent, I'm keen to keep my e-Firestorm running for my boy and wife to use, and simply because it's a fun car that I'd like to keep running, its certainly taken a beating yet keeps going. It was my first after a break of nearly 20 years, so I'm pleased HPI got a reprieve.

Haha, I've got a spare set on order from France but hats off to you for venturing out as far as Australia! ?

Fitted longer 70mm blue springs to my e-firestorm, which arrived from Estonia yesterday! Only gave it a quick blast round the back garden to test it out, but having been using the car there the last two days it was noticeably more stable than the stock rear springs, certainly was able to control it better at higher speed on tight turns etc.

Thought I'd give some longer 70mm springs a go on my e Firestorm as recommended by some in the e Firestorm thread. Discontinued now, and had no luck finding any UK stocks so had these sent from Estonia!

Stripped down, cleaned and rebuilt the diff in my e Firestorm, and replaced the slipper pads. Gave it a good run afterwards and it's running nicely!

Blitz ESE white ball ends to replace the stock blacks on my e Firestorm. Also some spare driveshafts after I briefly lost one while bashing on Monday when one of the black balls ends popped off! luckily found it after a 5 mins search but decided best to have some spares and also have wrapped them in red electrical tape for easier spotting. Got two sets of royal blue wheel nuts after I lost one right at the end of Monday's bash (was only doing a small jump on way back to car when it landed funny and I saw the wheel roll off into the grass!). Also some Trenchers for the rear, new work bench mat, some Turnigy hex drivers, rotating car stand, and some spare pinions and spurs.

Fitted new RPM steering blocks on my e-firestorm to replace the stock HPIs because the threads on one of them had stripped. Also fitted RPM rear bearing carriers to replace the stock carriers which I'll keep as spares. Pleased I'd ordered them last week as spares because only a few days later, last Sunday, was when one of the steering blocks finally gave out with the threads completely stripped. No stock of the HPI blocks is to be found, so as luck would have it I've only been off the road for 5days.

Got my replacement RPM front steeing blocks and rear hub carriers for my e-firestorm, taken week and half to arrive from rcMart. So glad I ordered when I did as one of the original blocks finally gave up when the threads stripped completely while bashing at the weekend, so only been a few days with no car. Even more glad I went for the RPMs given that stocks of the HPI blocks have now dried up here, just hope nothing else breaks in the meantime while the HPI spares situation is so dire.

thanks for the update, I was starting to get a bit annoyed about it. I need a new steering knuckle and HPI replacement is out of stock, although Modelsport website claims they got more at end of this month, but luckily I've been able to upgrade to the RPM version bought from rcMart, hopefully should arrive soon and I can have the car back up and running.

Took the e-Firestorm for a run on the grass dunes on Hayling Island, though only lasted 15 mins before one of the front knuckles finally gave up the ghost, threads are completely gone. Hopefully this week my replacement RPMs arrive from rcMart, and with care on my part not to overtighten the screws, they'll last a lot longer. Also managed to prove that my first attempt at gluing tyres wasn't quite up to scratch when the foam insert appeared on the outside edge on one of the rear Dirt Hawgs. However, was good fun, and before the knuckle gave up (which was no great surprise, it's hung in there for the last 4/5 bashes) the car took some real big tumbles and otherwise survived intact.

thanks for the info I'll be careful about over-tightening, must be what caused this issue in the first place. Also thanks for the advice about the rods and studs, I've got one spare turnbuckle left and soon as that's called into service I will look for the titanium versions and stronger rod ends. Something I have found frustrating with the HPI parts is that there are thick plastic washers/spacers which go between the knuckles and uprights and they seem easy to lose if the screw should come out. Seems the only way to buy replacement spacers is by purchasing the whole uprights parts set which contains the uprights, knuckles and washers/spacers at around 11/12 quid delivered. When I first lost one of the plastic spacers I just used a couple of metal washers in its place which luckily came to about the same thickness. This time round I only needed a new steering knuckle, not the upright too, and buying from rcMart I was able to buy both the front and rear RPMs delivered for less than what it would cost to buy either the rear RPMs or front upright set individually from the UK.

5x11x4 rubber-sealed bearings from RCBearings ready to go into the RPM rear hub carriers and front steering blocks I've ordered from rcMart to replace the stock HPI ones on my e Firestorm. Hoping the front RPMs will be able to hold onto the screws better, twice I've had a screw holding the steering blocks in the upright get ripped clean out. The bottom screw on one side is loose where the thread on the block is completely gone and only held in by electrical tape. Ironically, whilst having a blast two days ago in the local woods covered in damp leaves on the ground I hit some brambles; the screw held by tape was fine but the top screw which seemed to be nicely in the block thread was gone leaving me with a front wheel flopped over to one side!

replacement turmbuckle, ball studs and ball ends for the one that got ripped clean off my e Firestorm when the front got caught in some tough undergrowth the other day

Last night I fitted my new front rims and Dirt Hawgs to match the rears, then took it for a spin up the local nature reserve. had a great 15 mins and was enjoying practicing controlling the rwd of my e-firestorm at speed on some gravel pathway when the nose went into some undergrowth at side of pathway. Was able to reverse back out only to find the front right wheel over at an angle, and found the top turmbuckle missing along with the ball stud which had come cleanly out of the upper brace! Only had a couple of mins to look for it as I had to go and collect my boy from nursery, so just ordered replacement parts last night.