HPI Savage Suspension Conversion

[frddyj]

HPI RSC # 87245​

​

This is a definate Bankrupter Mod and anyone who has talked to him about the RSC has heard him say "it turns the Savage from a brick into a race-able truck."

all 4 corners get adjustable upper control arms so that you can tune your camber angle.

both front and rear get a new aluminum upper arm brace which lower the roll center of the truck and reduce the amount of chassis roll.

plastic knuckles on the rear of the truck get replaced with aluminum hub carriers. they have the toe angle built in and eliminate the need for rear turn buckles.

on the front, plastic knuckes with aluminum c-hubs and carriers that have built in camber angle for improved turning.

here are some pics of it installed

RSC Stock Rear Toe Angle VVV

Quality - 10 - these are high quality hpi parts. Excellent fit & finish
Price - 8- $155.00 at LHS. Worth the price imo
Installation-8 you have to do a bit of filing on the shock tower & bulk head to fit the upper arm brace, not really a big deal.
Functionality-10i am amazed at how fast i can wail into corners and the rear tires do not lift & truck doesnt flip over.
Overall - 9

Conclusion

When the RSC comes up in conversation, most times i have heard people balk at the price. Since i have been running it, i am truly amazed at how much faster i can take a corner with all 4 tires on the ground. As i learn to "trust" it, i find myself going faster & faster through turns to see what it can do, it is like driving a totally different r/c. The tuning ability gained in caster, camber & toe angle is incredible.

basher or racer, give this mod a try, you will not be dissappointed.​

 

[Scott]

Nice job there frddy, this is on my long list of things to buy for my savy..+1:resp:

 

[Shaun]

great review!! i've been wanting to do something like that for a while!!!

 

[Crash]

well done review fred


stuck it

rated it

 

[frddyj]

thanks guys, 2 things worth mentioning:
1. because of design, you can only run a single shock/side up front so, for me, the big bores went hand in hand with the RSC.
2. you can get the rpm camber guage for cheap & its prob a whole lot more accurate than trying to set up camber with my rafter square. i will probably get one when the economy recovers & i recover from these upgrades http://www.hobbyfever.com/product_info.php?products_id=4693

 

[ryugaiden05]

I have but this kit on my truck and have enjoyed the increase in stability. I am also getting right to run offset wheels on my savage as well, so that should create a good level truck. I like the idea of the camper gauge, might pick one of those up. And the big bores are on the way so I will get those installed as well.

 

[Samrsnow]

Great review Frddy! Now i want one!

 

[Jon]

good job freddy, nice review. now to come up with 150 bones...

 

[Trixter]

great job on the review great upgrade for sure AAAAAA+++++

 

[Filabob1]

I like the hop up frddy. I want one, but do you know of anyone who makes it in something than purple?! LOL

 

[frddyj]

lol bob i wish. i just get my mills modded so you cant see any purple when they rip by you.....

 

[Visionary]

Nice review freddy.. I hope to get this EVENTUALLY.. You've gotten me to buy every other upgrade possible thus far.

 

[savagecole]

nice review frddy like everyone else i now want the upgrade lol

 

[Purenitro]

Sweet looking ride bud

 

[Bankrupter]

Nice wright up Fred! No mention of roll center changes though... That is what sets this kit apart from all the rest. Integy eliminators have nothing on this kit! I have it on both of my savages and have from day one. w/o it I am a savage hater... "Brick on wheels" as I am quoted in the first post... Yes, I say that and mean it!


Fred I can give you tie rod lengths and hole positions if you need them. All you need is calipers... If your axles are not shimmed the camber gage is worthless anyways. Plus they stink to use on tires. Better for just plain rims no rubber. On rubber the tire can read 0 to -3 in increments threw out the wheel diameter.

 

[frddyj]

Nice wright up Fred! No mention of roll center changes though... That is what sets this kit apart from all the rest. Integy eliminators have nothing on this kit! I have it on both of my savages and have from day one. w/o it I am a savage hater... "Brick on wheels" as I am quoted in the first post... Yes, I say that and mean it!


Fred I can give you tie rod lengths and hole positions if you need them. All you need is calipers... If your axles are not shimmed the camber gage is worthless anyways. Plus they stink to use on tires. Better for just plain rims no rubber. On rubber the tire can read 0 to -3 in increments threw out the wheel diameter.

Thanks for hittin this thread & adding parts that i left out. caliper numbers would work out great for me cuz thats how i originally set the upper control arms to the length recommended in the directions that gave me big time positive camber.

 

[what the FLUX]

Nice write up man. Got a couple of questions for ya. What's the toe angle on the rear carriers? and is the upper arm brace available separately? because $150 is a a bit steep for two braces. Cheers.

 

[Bankrupter]

Nice write up man. Got a couple of questions for ya. What's the toe angle on the rear carriers? and is the upper arm brace available separately? because $150 is a a bit steep for two braces. Cheers.

for the full kit you must buy the kit. only the rears and the outer part of the fronts can be purchased sep and the price for them outrageous. 45 per a side for the front outers alone....... kit is 12 parts in all. all parts in the top post are not broken down and showed. it comes with adjustable upper arms as well. Stock rtr and even the XSS adjustable are too long. Also don't go to the trucks diff any more too. It changes the full suspension geometry "roll center".

Its worth ever penny. also don't forget to add BBs price into it. +80 and still worth it


FRED: #'s are
Front upper arm: Outer hole position .4835-in
Front tie rod: GH Bell crank mind you 1.4555
Rear upper arm: Inner position .6605
You know my shock set up. it all works together.

 

[what the FLUX]

also don't forget to add BBs price into it. +80 and still worth it.

What's BBs? Bearings? I hope that's for the whole truck.

So only the carriers are available separately... yeah that would be right! It's the roll centre adjustment that transforms the handling and we have buy all this other stuff that really does bugger all to get them. HPI's got us by the short and curlies. Will it work on the flux? If so I guess I'm spending another couple 100 aussie dollars to get it. I'm starting to think I should have just converted my nitro. :lmao3:
Thanks Bank.

 

[Bankrupter]

yep savage is savage X XL XSS Flux all the same parts just different guts BB's = big bores you have the plastics on the flux your good to go kit only...

 

[f1n3sse]

Good write up fred you forgot to mention it's an awsome purple color too lol

 

[xsavage3148]

Would you guys recommend this setup for a bashing as well?

 

[frddyj]

Would you guys recommend this setup for a bashing as well?

i only bash. and after running it i will never run a savage again without it! i will shoot some vid soon at how fast you can bomb thru turns without flipping & all 4 tires stay on the ground. like the bank said, it lowers your body-roll center tremendously.

 

[]-[0pa]0ng]

It is a fantastic hopup. It should be a standard for the Savage. It's the only purple part I have on both truck. If I knew how to anodize I would like to change the color. Worth the time and energy to do.

 

[what the FLUX]

yep savage is savage X XL XSS Flux all the same parts just different guts BB's = big bores you have the plastics on the flux your good to go kit only...

Sweet thanks Bank. Big bores :duh: of course.

i only bash. and after running it i will never run a savage again without it! i will shoot some vid soon at how fast you can bomb thru turns without flipping & all 4 tires stay on the ground. like the bank said, it lowers your body-roll center tremendously.

Great write up Fred. If you've got footage of your savage before you up-graded the suspension, how about before and after comparison vid. Just a suggestion. :dunno:

It is a fantastic hopup. It should be a standard for the Savage. It's the only purple part I have on both truck. If I knew how to anodize I would like to change the color. Worth the time and energy to do.

Compared to the cost of some hop-ups like the suspension conversion, paying someone to reanodize your alloy parts is relatively cheap.

 

[frddyj]

Update

here's a pic after this weekend's bash. savage took a landing on rt front tire & it stripped out the right spindle carrier


bent the right spindle (part # 86373) & stripped the threads out of the spindle carrier (part # 86373) bank told me how to fix it.

i will take before and after pics so if you bash your truck like we do & you have the same problem then you will know how to fix it.


"Muhhuahahahahahaha!!!"

this is how we bash our savages & Hellfires. VVV

[URL=http://s657.photobucket.com/albums/uu295/frddyj/?action=view&current=20090418163625.flv][/URL]

[URL=http://s657.photobucket.com/albums/uu295/frddyj/?action=view&current=20090418165259.flv][/URL]

 

[Crash]

good stuff freddy





:sniper2: bank

 

[Bankrupter]

yes that is how I drive but thats my truck and its not broke is it...

Your savage I was babying! 2 feet of air tops as the front end falls apart... I'm getting a bad rap here 8(... lol Also for the record add the part that the hellfire had a bad hinge pin holder and although I did land that on one wheel the 2 foot jump didn't do it!

I'm thinking it is the builder! Mine 15 feet of air, Fine. Your's two, broke... Hmmmm :ban8: :buttshaker: :stickpoke:

 

[ryugaiden05]

I have enjoyed this kit since I installed it. The truck handles extremely well just as everyone else says. The big bore shocks are definately a great part to install with this. Also, I am running the LCG plates and engine mount so I really have taken away a lot of my roll over with the truck.

 

[frddyj]

yep, that damage on my RSC happened when i landed a jump & right wheel hit first. was a pretty big jump too which caused the bend in the spindle & the screwz to strip on the carrier. As stated, bank told me how to 'retool' the spindle carrier & not only repair the damage, but increase/improve the overall strength. & i will take before and after photos of the fix so if this happens to someone else, they will know how to handle it.

Bank makes a good point here: his trucks have RSC & can with stand the massive jumps & air. mine took a massive jump with bad landing & although it tweaked, its easily repairable with the some basic tools & a little time.

IMO- the fact that the parts are repairable and not destroyed after the punishment we put them through, it doesnt decrease the durability factor, rather i am more impressed than ever !!!

Your savage I was babying! 2 feet of air tops as the front end falls apart... I'm getting a bad rap here 8(... lol :

you? bad rap? never! lol :stickspank: