Well, I enjoyed my new 18mt for about 10 minutes before I lost a rear dogbone and spring. I replaced the dogbone and used a cut spring from a ballpoint pen. That lasted another 2 minutes then I lost the bone completely (can't find it in the yard).
So.. Do I get upgraded dogbones or cvd's???? Do i get the outdrive sleeves? Do they really work? I am not looking for lightweight, I just don't EVER want to lose a dogbone again.

I am also looking for aluminum steering linkage (bellcrank, etc). My goal is to get rid of steering slop. It appears that most of the slop is in the flexible plastic bellcrank area and the servo saver. I see a lot of aluminum servo savers/horns and hubs, but I cannot locate the bellcrank/ackerman bar. Suggestions?

this what you are looking for ? I just put the set on mine. It helped. But what really took a lot of the slop out of mine was I found a tube and cut a slot in it length ways ( so that the tube will fit in between the servo arm and under the saver spring). The slot will set in the notches like the servo saver. I was told that 5/16ths tubing was what was needed(don't quote me on that).

http://www.funnytoyz.com/catalog/ebay/rcmart/gpm_ar048_sv.jpg (http://www.funnytoyz.com/catalog/ebay/rcmart/gpm_ar048_sv.jpg)

Do I get upgraded dogbones or cvd's???? Do i get the outdrive sleeves? Do they really work?
Get the CVDs and the outdrive sleeves. The outdrive sleeves are especially helpful if you're running a fast motor, like the Mamba.

Thanks. I just got the cvd's from the local shop. They were out of the sleeves but should have em soon. That steering kit looks good.
Squeeker - what type of tubing (plastic, copper?). I think I know what you are describing but do you have a picture of the assembly?
Thanks again.

Go to a parts/hardware store and ask for to see their steel line. Take either part that the plastic servo saver part goes over and get a piece of line that is as close to that size as possible. Think of the letter "C". Cut the a slot in the line so that it looks like that. You may need to cut the opening little but more if the line is a little big and sqeeze the sides together to close the gap and make the fit tighter. Then cut the line to length. Put your new parts together. When you put the stock part over the one you just made you will have to force it a little mine was an extremely tight fit. I will try to get pics. Hope that this helps people out.

Now that I think about it I wonder if you could eliminate the stock "spring" with something... Ie a piece of plastic pipe or something as you wrote. the piece that I used I don't know how well it will work with out the stock piece over it. maybe a piece of pvc pipe will do beings that it has a thicker wall.

yea thats kinda ret@rded, maby stiffer springs to hold the bone in place? or maby get longer bones i'm not sure, i lost mine too in my A Main of off road but its only because i didnt have the spring, once i replace the spring it will be fine again, i tend to lose springs when i rebuild it to change the spur and to clean the car

man on the first rc 10 the dogbones would pop out all the time and i cant remember what we did but there was something we would do and it would stop them from poping out sorry i cant remember we are talking almost 20 years ago lol

Using the outdrive rings will keep the bones from popping out. I like to run CVD's up front since due to the steering they have to deflect alot.

For the steering slop find an O-Ring in the plumbing section in the hardware store that will go around the C part of the servo arm and that will take out all slop but still let the servo saver work. As for aluminum steering link nobody makes a better one than RC madness from Enfield CT. This link has brass inserts that allow you to tighten the screws down all the way without binding it. www.rcmadness.com (http://www.rcmadness.com) go to their website and get their phone number and call them.

Check out the Nationals setup and the tips and tricks. http://ebiz.netopia.com/competitionx/aerc18tsupport/

If your running stock bones and no sleeves try dipping the end of the spring in super glue and then puting it in the outdrive. If you loose a dog bone the spring should remain in outdrive. Also put some bright colored tape on the bone and it makes it easy to fined. To totally solve it get the CVD's and outdrive sleeves.
Don't forget the wide BRP bumper also :)

...I took the springs out..and stuffed a red silicone O ring in the hole...haven't lost a dog bone since...

i have a 18t not the mt but i kept losing a front left dog bone and finally i took the front diff out and found out that the out drives were opend enogh that the spring would fly out and then the dog bone could move enogh to come out