Stock Composite parts vs aluminum, carbon & graphite,etc.
01-16-2012, 08:04 AM
#1
Stock Composite parts vs aluminum, carbon & graphite,etc.
I wanted to discuss part replacement on Road cars. Using stock plastic/composite parts vs aluminum, carbon fiber and graphite..
I have an Nitro RS4 2.
N E Ways -
I havent broken anything on the car in atleast a year. Aside from the chassis being scraped badly, the car is in great shape. But its getting pretty old and parts are harder to come by. So I was looking into replacing the arms with aluminum arms and a few other misc parts , while they are still available.
Heres the deal, I can get all arms, rear brake block & trans block, an bearing blocks. (In aluminum) But I cant find the front bulk head/arm mount or either diff housing in aluminum.
Once i replace the arms with aluminum, there will only be flex in the rear diff housing and front arm mount. Wont these easily breaK??
For the upper deck, I made one out of thick Lexan (same stuff we use in my buds real Baja truck). Its got some flex, pretty sturdy and looks cool.. I may make another from aluminum carbon fiber or graphite.. I made a Y brace out of aluminum. I need to make a front shock tower so might as well make one for the rear too. I have some aluminum I can make the shock towers from or I could order a small sheet of Carbon fiber or Graphite and make these. But I am not sure if they will be any better than aluminum? They may weigh less but how about withstanding a high speed crash without shattering? The aluminum could bend..
I have never broken carbon fiber or graphite RC cars or parts. I have seen people break their carbon fiber stuff, but it looks like thin pieces that break(under 2mm)..
A know a few guys that wont use anything but factory replacement parts, mostly because they flex and they supposedly break less.. I thinks its a price factor.
For the longest time I thought, just replace the broken plastic with aluminum and no more breakage. But most of the time it would just break the next part it is connected to.
So is Carbon Fiber or graphite better than aluminum? Or are the composite plastic pieces that most of these rc's come with just fine?
I have an Nitro RS4 2.
N E Ways -
I havent broken anything on the car in atleast a year. Aside from the chassis being scraped badly, the car is in great shape. But its getting pretty old and parts are harder to come by. So I was looking into replacing the arms with aluminum arms and a few other misc parts , while they are still available.
Heres the deal, I can get all arms, rear brake block & trans block, an bearing blocks. (In aluminum) But I cant find the front bulk head/arm mount or either diff housing in aluminum.
Once i replace the arms with aluminum, there will only be flex in the rear diff housing and front arm mount. Wont these easily breaK??
For the upper deck, I made one out of thick Lexan (same stuff we use in my buds real Baja truck). Its got some flex, pretty sturdy and looks cool.. I may make another from aluminum carbon fiber or graphite.. I made a Y brace out of aluminum. I need to make a front shock tower so might as well make one for the rear too. I have some aluminum I can make the shock towers from or I could order a small sheet of Carbon fiber or Graphite and make these. But I am not sure if they will be any better than aluminum? They may weigh less but how about withstanding a high speed crash without shattering? The aluminum could bend..
I have never broken carbon fiber or graphite RC cars or parts. I have seen people break their carbon fiber stuff, but it looks like thin pieces that break(under 2mm)..
A know a few guys that wont use anything but factory replacement parts, mostly because they flex and they supposedly break less.. I thinks its a price factor.
For the longest time I thought, just replace the broken plastic with aluminum and no more breakage. But most of the time it would just break the next part it is connected to.
So is Carbon Fiber or graphite better than aluminum? Or are the composite plastic pieces that most of these rc's come with just fine?
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
