Control Arm Woes / rant

[JasonJones]

So I broke a rod end the other day. I noticed that the end I broke the long set screw connecting the track rod to the end was shorter than the other side (Screwed too far into the rod) I decided to remove it and set it properly.

And thats when the fun started...

Whatever the factory that is assembling these things is using for thread lock should be bottled and sold to the military. Its bar-none the strongest holding thread locker I've ever encountered. Its resiliant to heat, cold and a pair of vise grips. It took me over an hour of working at it to get the end out of the rod. Destroyed the screw in the process, but that wasn't my big concern (new ones come with the new ends on the way). First the screw was put in backwards into the rod, the allen side was in the rod, not out so they can be tightened/loosened/adjusted/removed etc...

The rods are tapped about 1/2" in and the rod ends can take over 1/2" of threads so why Losi decided to go with 5/8" screws is beyond me. 7/8" or 1" would have just been much better, and held up in the long run. I'm going to attempt to pull all of mine and replace them with 1" 5-40 set screws, but I'm not hopeful I can get them all out... Might have to buy new rods to get it done right.

Good times

[h8z2luze]

ahh the joys of the hobby.

[jeepcj776]

how hot did you get it?

green loctite is like 1200F to boil it out,

The other problem is stainless and aluminum Gals when it is used in thread
that is probley the reason

[JasonJones]

I got it quite hot, plenty enough to soften other locktites I've dealt with.

Unfortunately the Ace hardware near me does not have 5-40, so I'm going to have to buy them online.. suck

[Steve.]

I work on equipment that often has threadlock and I have good luck with acetone, unfortunately acetone likes to eat some plastics so you have to be careful where and on what you use it.

[Failedabortion]

did you roll down a hill like i do all the time?

[JasonJones]

Originally Posted by Failedabortion

did you roll down a hill like i do all the time?

Yeah, good fall on one of the rear wheels.

I'm going to order some delrin and 5-40 rod from McMaster Carr today, make some slippery lowers I think... Also going to try making a new skid plate out of delrin, the stock one just hangs up on our rocks so much.

[Failedabortion]

Downtown quoted me $18 shipped for a pair of bent and straight links.

I always use the rod end to measure how far the set screw goes in now after having the same thing happen on my mini with aftermarket links.

[ripper7777777]

Agreed 100% with a big WTF! LOSI. Seriously Rich look into this, my Wheel Lock Nuts were glued on with this stupid loctite, I had to take a torch to the chassis stand-offs.

I just dumped the aluminum links and remade them with 6/32 screws and 5/16 delrin.

[abadk9420]

So they went from not loctiting stuff to over loctiting every thing, that sucks, I just made some lower links out of natural 5/16" delrin rod and 8/32 set screws with Large Revo rod ends.

[Tydl]

I wish this had been sold as a kit. Its one of those things I like knowing how mine is put together. There are very few screws left with the original loc tite on mine.

[killswitch]

Originally Posted by Tydl

I wish this had been sold as a kit. Its one of those things I like knowing how mine is put together. There are very few screws left with the original loc tite on mine.

same here. I ended up using acetone and an ultrasonic cleaner to get rid of the factory loctite. I understand why they built it as a race roller to appeal to more people, but i would have much rather built it as a kit rather than have to take it apart first before I built it my way.