Typhon Buyers beware!

[Warby]

Note: This is not buyers remorse and I'm not angry at the past owners. This is just a warning to would be bargain hunters like me. Buying used/second hand/pre-loved RC's is not always a better deal over new.

I bought a used 3s Typhon from eBay Australia. I don't see many used 3s Arrma's sold locally so I jumped on this one. It looked good on the ad so contacted the seller and bought it. He was the second owner so I'm the third.
Received it no problem and it was every well packaged. At first glance it looked good and run ok. It came with 2 lipos, spare parts, spare worn tyres, manual and OE tools.

But the more I looked, the more issues I found. So I looked deeper.

Here's the list:
one lipo fully charged (remember its been through the mail)
one lipo overly discharged
ESC set on Nimh
all pivot balls completely flogged
steering flogged
lots of movement in wheel bearings
ESC fan barely working and noisy
leaking shocks (I know, no surprise there)
broken wing (this was shown in the ad photos)
broken bumper

This is where it gets interesting:
the slipper clutch had been greased. why????
the motor was secured to the mount with gutter bolts, which were the wrong diameter and thread (wish I had taken a photo)
the motor end plate has been butchered
the motor shaft has been butchered
the inner motor shaft has had a bearing spin on it
and the nail in the coffin: the chassis is broken


checkout the carnage on the motor

Once again I'm not angry and this is not a dig at the previous owners. I don't mind working on these rigs. The thing is I could have bought a new Typhon for the overall cost of this used RC.
I've ordered a pivot ball kit and a plastics kit from Jennys. Bearing kit, motor bearings and ESC fan. I'm yet to order a wing and I already have a spare chassis.

Unless its dirt cheap it may be worth just buying a new one. Sometimes your buying someones problems.


On another note, how many of you have fitted the motor back onto the motor mount then realized you've forgotten to put the heatsink on first? Think I've done this about 3 times now

 

[Woodentop]

Sometimes your buying someones problems.

Is exactly right,either through their ignorance or inability to wrench on these rigs this is the result. My last 4 rigs either new or built by me. Bought a losi 8 t like that, unseen and got bitten. Never again. Hope it works out relatively inexpensive for you and your taking it better than I did.

 

[Engineer]

Damn - that’s not just someone’s problems, that’s someone’s hatchet job. Good luck getting her back in shape.

 

[Harriot10]

Yeah, it's risky buying a used rig on eBay. You're better off getting one on the Forum classifieds. Hope you getter back up and running, luckily 3s parts aren't too expensive. Good luck!

 

[Warby]

Is exactly right,either through their ignorance or inability to wrench on these rigs this is the result. My last 4 rigs either new or built by me. Bought a losi 8 t like that, unseen and got bitten. Never again. Hope it works out relatively inexpensive for you and your taking it better than I did.

As long as the motor shaft doesn't fail it won't break the bank but definitely no bargain. In hindsight should have bought new.

Damn - that’s not just someone’s problems, that’s someone’s hatchet job. Good luck getting her back in shape.

Yep a bit rough hey. I will be stripping the whole thing down and rebuilding it with new bearings, oil, grease, chassis, bumper etc etc. I have already upgraded the servo, motor fans, replaced motor bearings, pinion, ESC fan. Waiting for the orders from Jenny's to arrive. I'll have it ship shape before long.

Yeah, it's risky buying a used rig on eBay. You're better off getting one on the Forum classifieds. Hope you getter back up and running, luckily 3s parts aren't too expensive. Good luck!

True I would trust AF members but I'm on the other side of the globe. Shipping would be as much as the RC itself.

 

[Be Ready]

I to bought someone else’s problem once sight unseen... Nothing as serious as your’s... But, on the other hand I’ve bought a few used rigs with great success. I was able to see those in person though.

 

[Warby]

I to bought someone else’s problem once sight unseen... Nothing as serious as your’s... But, on the other hand I’ve bought a few used rigs with great success. I was able to see those in person though.

Even if I had of seen it in person first, I probably would have bought it anyways. At first glance it looked OK. Except for the cracked chassis (which I didn't notice till today) and the worn pivot balls, all the main damage was internal.

 

[#ARRMArcfanboy4life]

Wow that sucks! I bought the nero used bc that was the only option.
servo only turned one way
center diff locker was broken (no diff brain was listed but it had one anyway)
left battery box was missing (seller never gave refund or fixed problem)
most of the screws were stripped
one of the front hinge pins was replaced with a hinge pin that was way too small

 

[Warby]

Wow that sucks! I bought the nero used bc that was the only option.
servo only turned one way
center diff locker was broken (no diff brain was listed but it had one anyway)
left battery box was missing (seller never gave refund or fixed problem)
most of the screws were stripped
one of the front hinge pins was replaced with a hinge pin that was way too small

yep buying used is a gamble. Some times you win and sometimes you get screwed.

 

[Ruzty1311]

You are pretty much 100% guaranteed to find stripped screws in any used rig due to the plastics just being crap in certain places (some metal too like the motor end cap with 3 little screws lol)

 

[Warby]

You are pretty much 100% guaranteed to find stripped screws in any used rig due to the plastics just being crap in certain places (some metal too like the motor end cap with 3 little screws lol)

Lucky those 3 screws aren't stripped for me as that would have been the final straw and the motor would be in the bin. But like you said some screws in plastic are stripped.

 

[Ruzty1311]

Lucky those 3 screws aren't stripped for me as that would have been the final straw and the motor would be in the bin. But like you said some screws in plastic are stripped.

Oh I wouldn't run that motor regardless lol That slot in the pinion gear side that's pictured where the big bearing goes will most likely reduce the integrity of that area and you are more likely to blow a bearing now. As it is that inner motor rotor looks chopped up? You said you replaced the bearings? Does it turn smoothly?

 

[Warby]

Oh I wouldn't run that motor regardless lol That slot in the pinion gear side that's pictured where the big bearing goes will most likely reduce the integrity of that area and you are more likely to blow a bearing now. As it is that inner motor rotor looks chopped up? You said you replaced the bearings? Does it turn smoothly?

Yes turns smoothly with new bearings. The motor is already scrap as far as I'm concerned. If the motor grenades it would not be a surprise. I fitted new bearings so it wouldn't seize but I expect the shaft the shear eventually.

 

[GraniteFox]

People selling their used junk and trying to stick it to people is just wrong. I can understand a stripped screw here or there but a full on mess is not right. Every rc I own was purchased used. Couple quick tips…make sure the pics are good and complete, needs to be relatively clean or dirt hides the damage, and look for any indicators of systemic damage (leaking diffs, busted or missing bumpers, cracked chassis). If you see one bad sign there are usually a bunch more under the covers.

 

[#ARRMArcfanboy4life]

I plan on telling the buyer any problems I know of when (if) I sell one of my cars.

 

[BulletRCs_NZ]

I got lucky with my 2nd hand Big Rock. Was 3rd hand like yours but the original owner did some nice upgrades which the guy I bought it off didn't know about. Was a steal.

 

[Surchaufeur]

What the fiddlestick?

 

[Warby]

And the more I look, the more I find damaged

 

[Warby]

Are typhon arms supposed to be bent? Are they like that new?

 

[arrmadillo]

That's why I never buy used stuff, period.