All things R/C

[Smitty335]

Buy once cry once; MIP or Hudy tools. Get a 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 5.5mm nut driver, 7mm nut driver and that should cover you for pretty much anything. The nut drivers you can get away with cheap stuff but buy MIP or Hudy on the small mm drivers.

This works in a pinch if you've got a harbor freight around. The tips wear pretty quickly but for the $5-$6 you pay for the whole thing it's not bad. This is what I have in my little trail bag with a few spare parts:

View attachment 251365

I have an allen set that goes from 1.5 to 10mm, 1.5 to 10mm in .5 mm increments, except for the weird 1.27. When checking gear mesh on the Night Crawler came across some fasteners that weren't 2 or 1.5 mm, may have been American? I used some wrenches that came with the Temper that fit. My axel extensions are supposed to be here tomorrow , we'll see? Mounted all the 2.2 tires on the wheels and the wheels aren't vented, you think I can just use a drill bit? It's going to be a pain to dismount the tires and use a leather punch.

 

[Admin]

 

[Adam490]

I have an allen set that goes from 1.5 to 10mm, 1.5 to 10mm in .5 mm increments, except for the weird 1.27. When checking gear mesh on the Night Crawler came across some fasteners that weren't 2 or 1.5 mm, may have been American? I used some wrenches that came with the Temper that fit. My axel extensions are supposed to be here tomorrow , we'll see? Mounted all the 2.2 tires on the wheels and the wheels aren't vented, you think I can just use a drill bit? It's going to be a pain to dismount the tires and use a leather punch.

Yes to the drill, or use a soldering iron for the tire vent. Just be careful when drilling you don't wad the foam up.

Losi and AE used to use SAE stuff so there might still be some stupid stuff left over from then still in the kits. It's not very common though so I wouldn't spend money on an MIP or Hudy for the one off SAE you will run into.

 

[Adam490]

Got shocks built and I'll finish up the truck tomorrow.

 

[Smitty335]

Got shocks built and I'll finish up the truck tomorrow.

View attachment 251403View attachment 251405

My wheel extensions and Venom PRO 4 came in today, checked batteries, good, installed the 20 mm extensions they cured the clearance issues with the 2.2 tires perfectly. I took the Night Crawler out to the rock pile and started playing, same thing happened as with the stock tires, quit turning the tires so I got it out of the rock pile and thought I would drive it back to the house on flat ground, about 20 feet smoke started boiling out. Motor hotter than hades, radio receiver flashing, transmission and battery cool, I can turn the drive shafts easily, you think I have a bad motor? I've got a couple pictures of the articulation clearance. Before the melt down.

 

[Fatsquatch]

My wheel extensions and Venom PRO 4 came in today, checked batteries, good, installed the 20 mm extensions they cured the clearance issues with the 2.2 tires perfectly. I took the Night Crawler out to the rock pile and started playing, same thing happened as with the stock tires, quit turning the tires so I got it out of the rock pile and thought I would drive it back to the house on flat ground, about 20 feet smoke started boiling out. Motor hotter than hades, radio receiver flashing, transmission and battery cool, I can turn the drive shafts easily, you think I have a bad motor? I've got a couple pictures of the articulation clearance. Before the melt down.View attachment 251491View attachment 251491View attachment 251492View attachment 251493

The magic smoke coming out is definitely not a good sign.

 

[Todd627]

The magic smoke coming out is definitely not a good sign.

x2 (no RMAX)

 

[TripleB]

My wheel extensions and Venom PRO 4 came in today, checked batteries, good, installed the 20 mm extensions they cured the clearance issues with the 2.2 tires perfectly. I took the Night Crawler out to the rock pile and started playing, same thing happened as with the stock tires, quit turning the tires so I got it out of the rock pile and thought I would drive it back to the house on flat ground, about 20 feet smoke started boiling out. Motor hotter than hades, radio receiver flashing, transmission and battery cool, I can turn the drive shafts easily, you think I have a bad motor? I've got a couple pictures of the articulation clearance. Before the melt down.View attachment 251491View attachment 251491View attachment 251492View attachment 251493

Don't you wish rooster could do that?

 

[Smitty335]

Don't you wish rooster could do that?

Dang right or any other S x S, I'd have one! This is stupid fun!

 

[Smitty335]

The magic smoke coming out is definitely not a good sign.

I've got a post into RC Tech.

 

[Mudwing]

My wheel extensions and Venom PRO 4 came in today, checked batteries, good, installed the 20 mm extensions they cured the clearance issues with the 2.2 tires perfectly. I took the Night Crawler out to the rock pile and started playing, same thing happened as with the stock tires, quit turning the tires so I got it out of the rock pile and thought I would drive it back to the house on flat ground, about 20 feet smoke started boiling out. Motor hotter than hades, radio receiver flashing, transmission and battery cool, I can turn the drive shafts easily, you think I have a bad motor? I've got a couple pictures of the articulation clearance. Before the melt down.View attachment 251491View attachment 251491View attachment 251492View attachment 251493

I would think it would have overheat protection but guess not. Did the receiver have a flash code? Was the gear lash too tight? Check the manual for more info on the motor.

 

[Adam490]

My wheel extensions and Venom PRO 4 came in today, checked batteries, good, installed the 20 mm extensions they cured the clearance issues with the 2.2 tires perfectly. I took the Night Crawler out to the rock pile and started playing, same thing happened as with the stock tires, quit turning the tires so I got it out of the rock pile and thought I would drive it back to the house on flat ground, about 20 feet smoke started boiling out. Motor hotter than hades, radio receiver flashing, transmission and battery cool, I can turn the drive shafts easily, you think I have a bad motor? I've got a couple pictures of the articulation clearance. Before the melt down.View attachment 251491View attachment 251491View attachment 251492View attachment 251493

Sounds like you torched the ESC. It's pretty hard to kill a 540 brushed motor unless you bind it up somehow and get it scorching hot. Even then they are pretty resilient. Has it always only ran for 15 minutes or so?

Wheels look really good on there. How did it do before it went to Valhalla?

 

[Adam490]

It almost sounds like your gear mesh was too tight. It would still be easy to turn the drivetrain if you have the wheels on and use them to spin it. If the motor got that hot there's something bound up.

 

[Smitty335]

Sounds like you torched the ESC. It's pretty hard to kill a 540 brushed motor unless you bind it up somehow and get it scorching hot. Even then they are pretty resilient. Has it always only ran for 15 minutes or so?

Wheels look really good on there. How did it do before it went to Valhalla?

Lately about 5 minutes, When I first got it easy 30 minutes and that was with the 5000 mHa 35C 1C Charge rate (5A) 2S 7.4 V battery charged at 3 amps with the original charger. But I might go to extremes crawling?

 

[Adam490]

If you want to stick with a brushed motor setup, these are pretty much the gold standard for affordable/reliable ESC for crawlers. You could be in a new motor and ESC for less than the cost of a stock replacement:

Amazon.com: Hobbywing Funshobby QuicRun 1080 Brushed Waterproof 80A ESC Speed Controller RC Crawler with Program Box LED BEC XT60-Plug RC Car 1:10 30112750: Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Hobbywing Funshobby QuicRun 1080 Brushed Waterproof 80A ESC Speed Controller RC Crawler with Program Box LED BEC XT60-Plug RC Car 1:10 30112750: Toys & Games

www.amazon.com

540 35T motor:

https://www.amazon.com/INJORA-540-Brushed-Motor-35T/dp/B08CSJXYWY/?tag=sxsweb24-20

If you want to bite the bullet and go brushless, I'd recommend one of these Fusion FOC systems like I've been running. More expensive for sure than sticking with a brushed setup:

https://www.amazon.com/QUICRUN-Fusion-System-Motor-1800KV/dp/B08BX86255/?tag=sxsweb24-20

 

[Smitty335]

It almost sounds like your gear mesh was too tight. It would still be easy to turn the drivetrain if you have the wheels on and use them to spin it. If the motor got that hot there's something bound up.

Thats the deal, you can turn the drive train with everything but the wheels? And that was when I had the stock wheels/tires on it? I did the paper check on the gear mesh and seemed fine?

 

[Adam490]

Thats the deal, you can turn the drive train with everything but the wheels? And that was when I had the stock wheels/tires on it? I did the paper check on the gear mesh and seemed fine?

If you got a piece of paper through it then it wasn't the gear mesh. Pull the motor and see if it feels funky or has a lot of play in it when you turn it with the pinion on. The motor may have been crapping out on you from the get go if your run time has been that bad.

 

[Smitty335]

If you got a piece of paper through it then it wasn't the gear mesh. Pull the motor and see if it feels funky or has a lot of play in it when you turn it with the pinion on. The motor may have been crapping out on you from the get go if your run time has been that bad.

I'm thinking put it back to stock and send it in for warranty, which is only extenders, wheels and tires. I've watched a lot of Rock Crawling videos and that's not how I do it, I carry my buggy to the rock pile and start climbing, is that not the way to do it?

 

[Adam490]

I'm thinking put it back to stock and send it in for warranty, which is only extenders, wheels and tires. I've watched a lot of Rock Crawling videos and that's not how I do it, I carry my buggy to the rock pile and start climbing, is that not the way to do it?

I drive mine out of the house, about 300 yards to the culvert, and then drive it around in the rocks for an hour or so. Then I drive it back. Your electronics are all stock, pull them and see what they tell you about a warranty. I've never warrantied anything R/C related so I'd be curious what they tell you. Those tires and extenders didn't kill it if you have only been getting 15 minutes or less if run time even when stock.

 

[CMB]

@Adam490 Hey what is a good 540 brushed motor for a crawler ?

 

[Smitty335]

I drive mine out of the house, about 300 yards to the culvert, and then drive it around in the rocks for an hour or so. Then I drive it back. Your electronics are all stock, pull them and see what they tell you about a warranty. I've never warrantied anything R/C related so I'd be curious what they tell you. Those tires and extenders didn't kill it if you have only been getting 15 minutes or less if run time even when stock.

Called Horizon and talked to a warranty rep that knew about RC, told him the whole story, he said you have a bad motor, what's your address, we will be sending you a replacement motor, outstanding! Sure beats the heck outa boxing it up and shipping it. Thanks @Adam490 and the rest of you guys for your help. Think this is going to be bad A! Track width is 11 inches and tread length is 17 3/8 and 9 1/4 tall, I can still roll it though! HA! The tires need holes to make them softer. Got a back up until the motor comes in, the Temper ECX, It's a fast little Rock Crawler!