4 link or CKRC stage 2 kit?

[cr250mxer]

I'm new to rock crawling and I had a couple questions? I recently bought an axial AX-10 and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the CKRC stage 2 kit and the TCS boomerang 4 link mount? I was going to do the CKRC stage 2 kit but the I stumbled along the TCS upgraded skid plate and the TCS Boomerang. What can anyone tell me about either of the two? My other question is about the front 4 link. I bought the axial battery plate for the front axle so I am guessing I could just use the boomerang as a template and drill wholes in the axial battery plate.

[O.C.D.]

Not worth it.

[wheelspeed]

I have the stage 2 kit and LOVE it! to me spending the 40$ was an easy decision, because like 99% of the people out there i dont have a one stop shop for all the parts....so i would have wasted waaaayy more time ,gas and money rounding up all the parts, plus the time to make the the links ect..ect.
with the stage 2 installed i have ZERO torque twist and zero binding...i couldnt be happier with 7 ounces of weight in each front wheel and a ''super secret ''amount out back ...my rig is just over 5lbs . im doing lines that nobody in our 14+ member crew would even think about trying....and 4 of those guys have at least $1,500.00 in to there ax-10 based rigs...just my 2 cents. i just dont understand why people bash on the kit?

and about the 4 link thing having more travel....uhhhh the stock scorp will twist almost 90 degrees.....the stage 2 gives you at least 90 degrees unless you limit it ...why would you ever need more?

[PapaGeno21]

Originally Posted by wheelspeed

and about the 4 link thing having more travel....uhhhh the stock scorp will twist almost 90 degrees.....the stage 2 gives you at least 90 degrees unless you limit it ...why would you ever need more?

Whats it matter? Having 90 degrees only gets you into flexed out messes, you need to limit that hardcore.

My rig has like 45 degrees maybe 40 on each axle. Your better off to pick a good line, and carry a tire vs just flex out over everything..

And if you want an example, if your goiung through a crevace with a lot of flex the tire can drop down into there and bind you up, where as if your truck cant go that far it wont be a problme.

Took me a couple weeks to realize it, but it holds true. Too much flex isnt a good thing.

Also, Wheelspeed that wasnt a direct comment to you saying you want more, that is just waht made me think of what I just said. For all I know, your personal truck may have no flex.

[dub599]

i have the stage 2 and am going to a 4 link. it works a lot better. if you buy the right nuts and bolts you can do the stage 2 for a lot cheaper. just buy the bent links. i have sets of the hr bent links and they work flawlessly. they have aluminum ball ends that are very nice.

[brokeass4runner]

Originally Posted by dub599

i have sets of the hr bent links and they work flawlessly. they have aluminum ball ends that are very nice.

All 8 of my HR rod ends fell apart on my first trip out. The race came right out of the rod end on all of them. IDK. Might just be a bad set. Hot Racing has not responded to my email yet.

[mtnyote]

Originally Posted by Doc J33P

The rear is a no brainer as a 4-links is better that 3. Having one pivot point for two links is not beneficial to articulation. If they are independent the suspension can cycle batter. It also allows you to install one link above and one below the mount to control torque steer on the rear axle.

Using the axial plate will provide the same idea if you modify it. Seems like an easy job if you are up to the task.

Edit: I bought the tcs skid as well. Sure you can make your own, but for people like me who have to live in an apartment it sucks to create stuff. It will bring you chassis links into the frame instead of outside. Will help with hangups as well as give you a nice slider for getting over obstacles.

that is some of the most meaningless garbage ive heard on here. if you dont even have an ax10, you should get your facts straight and not give any advise. you can make a delrin skidplate for 3 bucks in your living room using just a hacksaw and a drill.

[mtnyote]

Originally Posted by Doc J33P

The stage 2 appears to be mostly unnecessary from what I have seen here. I almost bought it but learned that it will increase your wheelbase as well as make you spend too much for parts you can get on your own for a few bucks. It seems to cause binding as well for a lot of people
.

thats also pretty bad that you base your opinions off of what you heard in a chat room and not personal experience

[PipeDreams]

Not only that but the way the 3 link mounts it actually gives you more flex then a 4 link!
But as stated already most comp guys restrisct their flex because it only gets you into trouble. I built my own stage 2 and and now slowly am restricting and changing it to stuff that is more relavent in my 1:1 rig. Works WAY better. Don't waste your money on the stage 2!
Getting a rear 4 link does not control torque steer it helps "preload" the one side with a little more anitsquat thus reducing the torque twist or "body roll", when it comes into contact with an obstical that the motor really needs to torque over.
I would buy the skid If you don't wanna make it but I would make it for the 5 minutes it would take with a hack saw and file to make it pretty lol. Buy a rear 4 link bracket or go here BinaryTerror 4 Link/Battery Plate Template and print off the blueprints and trace it onto some material and make it your self.
IMHO the stock ax-10 to be a VERY good rig only needs a few things
-Move the lowers in-side the chassis to help with triangulation (flex steer) and get them out of the way from getting hung up!
-Get a rear 4-link to help reduce the body roll once you start messing with spring rates!
-Lower the suspension to keep the COG LOW for side hilling and every other thing it will benifit!
The rest is tuning, spring rates, wheel weights, tires, and weight ditribution according to your driving style and terrain. You can do a little more like some bent links and stuff.
I would say if I did it all over again I would
-Move lowers inside frame
-Rear 4-link
-Mess with spring rates according to your terrain
-Mess with wheel weights " " " "
-And one set of bent links should keep you in the 12.5" Rule.. For messing around run 2 sets!
I personally made my own lower skid and made a double triandualted setup and am making my 4-link brakets this week. I run Pede coils up front, one WK coil out back and one White axial.... I do this right now to help combat body roll but once the 4-link is setup I will be removing the mismatch and putting something in that works???? we'll see after I tune what that is. Keep in mind this is just my rig for messin around... I'm either getting a tube comp rig built or I will be building one that will be full droop.. But for the ax-10 I belive that would be a killer setup! It's all in the tuning for your terrain! Spend time tunning things and I promise you won't be disapointed! Just think about things and try stuff. Don't change more then one thing at a time and keep track of what works the best! Happy tunning and enjoy your new ax-10!
Pipes

[Mortimer Snerd]

I've got my homebrew (much nicer for the same money) stage 2 setup, and have been really happy with it. The articulation is really good, which works well for the areas I crawl in. If I were buying again, I'd seriously consider the TCS plates. My brother in law has them on his AX-10, and it works well with an otherwise almost identical setup. Mostly, it is up to you as to how you like your rig set up. I plan to make some TCS style plates just to play around with to be able to run both setups.

[Skeeno]

Two things about the CKRC Stage 2:

1. It doesn't extend your wheelbase if you change the ball ends from the long to short ones.
2. Lengthening the upper links reduces the axle steer.

[wheelspeed]

Originally Posted by Skeeno

Two things about the CKRC Stage 2:

1. It doesn't extend your wheelbase if you change the ball ends from the long to short ones.
2. Lengthening the upper links reduces the axle steer.

sooo from the source ''ckrc''...whould i get better performance by adding a four link setup to the rear of my stage 2 setup????????????

[O.C.D.]

Not worth it.

[wheelspeed]

WHEELSPEED throughs some popcorn in the microwave sits back to watch

[PipeDreams]

Doc J33P Gear down man... I build 1:1 stuff too but just because ppl do that doesn't mean they know what they are talking about. Have you seen some of the shit out there? I think it was more the way you explained stuff.....
(The tcs 4-link plates are the way to go IMO. I am waiting for them to get back instock. The rear is a no brainer as a 4-links is better that 3. Having one pivot point for two links is not beneficial to articulation. If they are independent the suspension can cycle batter. It also allows you to install one link above and one below the mount to control torque steer on the rear axle.)
That made you come across as not knowing wut your doing..... Take your lowers off the diff and your ds, with a stock upper y link still attached you can turn your diff 360* now tell me that it's not as flexy! But now replace the y link with 2 independant uppers and see what happens...... NO WHERE NEAR 360*. Also what is torque steer? Do you mean torque twist (body roll), or flex steer? Because they are both very different and the 4 link will affect one more then the other! That statement right there proves that just because you build 1:1 rigs doesn't mean you know everything. Don't get me wrong I agree with some of your first post but other parts I do not. Have a nice day

[O.C.D.]

Not worth it.

[maro69camaro]

my god what a poor kid, all he did was ask a question and now you guys are going at it like lil school girls. will you guys please grow up, i know we play with toys but we don't got to act like kids. anyways i have a ax10 with a stage 2 on it. i am very happy with it and you should limit flex but i am going to a 4 link in the rear cuz i do still have torque twist in the rear. i have tried to preload the left rear but still have some twist. so i do recommend doing the links inside the frame, but i will update in a few days when i get some time to cut up some .090 for my rear 4 link.

[EeePee]

Funny thread. And mostly worthless...

I've got experience with the stuff. I use the TCS skid, but not the spacers included to move your links inboard. I don't like it that way, and have made posts with pictures with why I don't like it. The CKRC kit makes things even worse as they have the links mounted even further inboard.

The skidplate is great, it's slick delrin and moves the links inside of the chassis which helps get them out of the way, and also adds triangulation to the lower links if you don't move them away from where Axial puts them, and that's on the outside of the shock on the axle.

The Boomerang is good, an the idea of the one link on top, and one link underneath was something I stole from Jaguar. It's not a huge difference, but a noticeable difference fo sho.

The holes to do a 4 link in front are too far in to be drilled in the Axial battery mount. You can make longer links though and there ya go. I went back to the stock 3 link in front, which works fine. Though later went back to the TCS 4 link but only because I wanted everything under the body, and not sticking out like the Axial battery mount does. The 4 link does get rid of the little bit of play in the ball on the 3 link.

[PipeDreams]

True dat the 4 link does help rid the loose ball on the 3 link.
I'm done arguing I was just stating fact for some one. when he asks for answers they want right one's not misleading one's. That's all I was after with the one paragraph. I gave some good info for the guy and I hope he enjoys.
With that said mtnyote should have posted more valuble info then just bashing one guy.... If you bash have info to back it up! I was merly correcting your statement!
Sorry if you took it wrong no harm intended just wanted some clarification!

[O.C.D.]

Not worth it.