Introduction
After using the Overdose GALM chassis for more than 3 years, I wanted to share some information to help current owners and potential buyers level up and make informed decisions. In this first post I will cover the differences between the 2 GALM chassis kits and also my top 3 recommended upgrades that do not come with either kit but that I recommend to all drivers of GALM.
A little disclosure for clarity before we get started – I am a Team WELD x Overdose driver, and my shop has Overdose in stock. All opinions are my own, and some might surprise you! Ok, let’s cut to the chase!
Choosing your GALM
At the time of writing this guide, there are 2 versions of the GALM Version 2 available – The Overdose GALM Version 2 kit (OD2800) and the Overdose GALM kit with option parts (OD2801). I will rarely refer to any of the Version 1 kits, or the 10th Anniversary GALM kits here because they are no longer available new. I won’t mention prices, simply because they change over time but you can click the links in this post to be taken to the rcpace.com shop to see the current prices. It might get a bit confusing if I constantly refer to the full name of each of the two available variations of the Version 2 GALM, so I will mostly refer to the part numbers. Just remember OD2800 is the entry level kit, and OD2801 is the version that includes option parts.
So, what is the difference between the 2 versions available? OD2800 is considered the standard kit, and OD2801 is the same kit, but with 12 option parts included in the box. You can actually build OD2801 as a standard kit that is identical to OD2800, if you wanted to, because all standard parts are included. This is an interesting idea for someone who wants to add each option part one at a time to feel the benefit when it is installed. For reference, OD2801 is essentially the same as the limited edition 10th Anniversary GALM kits, which were available in red or purple, whereas OD2801 is only available in black.
OD2801 includes the following option parts:
OD2396 Aluminium Rocker Arm
OD2398 Aluminium Suspension Mount
OD2404 Aluminium Rear Upper Arm Mount
OD2423 Aluminium Push Rod Turn Buckle
OD2433 Aluminium Rear Brace
OD2488 Floating Motor Mount System
OD2545 Aluminium Inboard Shock Mount
OD2588 Multi Purpose Aluminium Rear Bulk Head
OD2590 Adjustable Aluminium Rear Shock Tower
OD2608 Aluminium Rear Brace Mount
OD2665 Aluminium Front Bulk Head Type-2
OD2711 Aluminium Curved Slide Rack Steering Set Type-2
Which chassis kit should you buy if you don’t already own one? There is one simple question I always ask potential owners to help make this decision… Do you plan to end up with a full-option chassis? If the answer is no, then generally, the standard kit (OD2800) is for you. You can pick and choose the option parts you want to install and the initial cost is lower. If you do plan to end up full-option, or close to it – or even if you know that you want several of the included options that are included with the GALM Version 2 with option parts kit, then you are far better off buying that version instead.
Another consideration is parts availability, which for critical parts is generally as good as any other brand but some option parts are not always available from Overdose. If you are not ok with waiting for upgrade parts that come with OD2801, then maybe factor that in with your decision making.
For me there are enough option parts that I want to use on all GALM builds that OD2801 is my preferred route. I know the initial outlay is more, but I think it is worth it and the saving versus buying all options later is a bonus! For the record, the only part I do not use that is included with OD2801 is OD2423 – the fancy turnbuckles for the IFS links – I find a regular turnbuckle a better choice because it uses the same wrench as all the other turnbuckles on the chassis so I don’t need to carry an extra tool with me.
Recommended Option Parts
I have run many different configurations of GALM over the years, from when GALM first launched and having to wait for new option parts to be released – to full-option and everything in-between. With the current trend of lightweight chassis and higher speeds, many will question the choice of running aluminium option parts over standard plastic (resin) parts. I have run full-option, and close to full-option specifications in high level competitions and have only ever felt the need to lower my overall chassis weight on 2 occasions so far. Right now my 10th Anniversary GALM is running mostly full-option with the exception of a handful of option parts. So, am I saying you should run full-option? No in fact, far from it.
I believe that an Overdose GALM Version 2 doesn’t need any upgrades to be a great chassis for 99% of the beginner and intermediate drivers out there. Advanced drivers may want some option parts to tailor the chassis to suit their needs. Having said that, some option parts just improve the overall experience with GALM so I do have some recommendations below.
One thing to remember with Overdose is that almost all option parts add something that wasn’t available without that part. There are a handful of dress-up parts that purely change the appearance of the part but most parts are beneficial to tuning.
Here are my first 3 option parts that I recommend to all drivers:
Overdose Adjustable Aluminium Knuckle Set Type-2
Available in black (OD2439), red (OD2438) and purple (OD2437) these are the very best knuckles on the market right now, in my honest opinion. Certainly the top choice when it comes to knuckle selection for a GALM!
Why are they so good? They have adjustable ackerman with 10 positions. They also have 4 KPI (King Pin Inclination) positions that allow 0, 3, 5 or 8 degrees of KPI by flipping the axle block upside down or switching sides. Trail can also be adjusted by changing the amount of spacers that hold the axle block into position. Lock stops are also included, along with axles and bearings (and all hardware shown in the image above). Whilst it may seem like a lot of adjustment in a front knuckle, I can tell you from experience that these knuckles, when combined with the curved slide rack, really let you dial in the steering on your GALM to suit your style and gives the GALM the best front end on the market!
Overdose Adjustable Aluminium Rear Upright
Again, 3 colours are available – black (OD2279), red (OD2278) and purple (OD2277). I love these uprights because they offer so many tuning options with a single part, a bit like the adjustable steering knuckles above. With these rear uprights you can adjust the rear toe (0, 1 or 2 degrees) without adjusting the suspension mounts or lower arms. Remember, inboard and outboard toe have different benefits, which is why sometimes you will see someone running adjustable suspension mounts alongside these uprights.
You can also adjust track width by increasing/decreasing the size of spacers between the inner and outer parts. They also increase the number of positions for the ball stud that connects to the rear camber link and, perhaps unexpectedly, you can change the rear axle position as shown in the image below. This has a huge impact on rear grip, particularly side grip.
One more thing is that these uprights come with a pair of inserts in the packet that allow you to use them on a YD-2 (due to the different outer hinge-pin size), which is good to know in case you ever choose to use them on another chassis. It is worth mentioning that some users will need to use shorter axles due to the new stub axles included with these uprights but it depends on suspension mounts and track width settings. Essentially, if you run super narrow then the axles might be too long and bottom out in the diff cups but if you widen things up they work fine. I use the stock axles (48mm) from my V1 GALM but I am not using the stock suspension mounts and run a fairly wide rear track width. GALM version 2 comes with 45.5mm axles but these can still be too long in certain situations.
Overdose Ball Diff for GALM
The standard kits include a heavy duty spool which works well and is very strong. My personal preference is always to run a ball diff because, as one of my mentors once told me – “Spool is for master level drivers, a diff is for everyone else”. The thinking behind this comment is simply, that for maximum traction and control with a spool, your throttle control has to be perfect all of the time. Since not many of us are super-human level drivers, I find a ball diff that is properly setup (not too tight, not too loose) will make all drivers have more control and be able to utilise more traction, more of the time. The Overdose GALM Ball diff is part number OD2440b, and also fits Vacula 2.
Part 2 of this GALM guide?
In part 2 of this GALM guide I will discuss the different drive train options available for your GALM. I’ve tried them all, and you may be surprised to learn which option is my favourite! I’ll update this post with a link once part 2 is live!