Going Brushless

[Griffin]

I decided that I wanted to throw in a brushless motor in my Granite Mega. When I first ordered the motor, I really wasn't sure if it was going to go in my Ruckus or the Granite, but decided on the Granite. Unfortunately, I've run into a few problems.

Problem 1: I could not get the screws on the motor out to save my life. I tried heating them with my soldering iron to hopefully melt the thread lock, but that didn't work. They eventually stripped out, so I took out the Dremmel and cut a slot in them so that I could use a regular screwdriver to get them out. Problem solved.

Problem 2: I can not figure out how to adjust the gear mesh. Maybe I messed up the gearbox casing when I was using my Dremmel, but from what I can tell, I just have two round holes for my motor screws. I'm used to having slots on the motor plate that allow the motor to move so you can adjust the gear mesh. And looking at replacement parts (AR310601), you can clearly see that it has slots, not just round holes. Mine does not look like this. When they made all the changes for the new Granite Mega, did they change this thinking people just getting into RCs wouldn't/shouldn't mess with mesh? I'm hoping I don't need to order that part and have to tear down the whole truck to install it. I'm at a loss.

Problem 3: I stripped out my spur gear. It was late and I thought I had a good gear mesh (read it was late and I had a few cold adult beverages) and I took it out to try it, heard a bad noise and that was all she wrote. Should have know better than to drink and wrench, but I was excited. Going to order a new spur gear.

 

[mrbelloso]

Hi Griffin, you should have slots for your motor plate like the ones on this photo:

That is the original mega gear box.

 

[Griffin]

That's what I thought, but mine looks like this. I ordered one like the one you showed this morning so we'll see

 

[mrbelloso]

That is strange. I will look at mine when i get home and post the photo. I have a Fury mega 2014.

 

[mrbelloso]

Hi Griffin, I checked mine and it has the slots as the photo that I posted before.

 

[Jaded Marxist]

When I bought my granite mega it was used and my motor mount also did not have the slots. I just took my sod ring iron and put my own slots in. I'm running a 3800kv castle sct combo with little mods but also keep a few spur gears sitting around.

 

[Griffin]

Had a few days off and was able to get it torn down while my son was napping. Let me tell you that was not fun. Getting into that gear box is a pain. There are so many screws. And the screws themselves...could they have used softer metal? More than a few of them started stripping out. Turns out, mine did have the slots. When I put heat to the motor mount screws in an attempt to soften the thread lock, the plastic melted and it just looked like there were no slots. Put a new motor plate on using some Traxxas hardware so I won't have any issues with stripping screws in the future. Put on a new spur gear and pinion gear as well. But then, I tried to attach the motor using replacement Arrma screws that I had ordered since the originals had stripped. Trying to get a good gear mesh and tighten down the motor and what do you think happened? Stripped the screws again. Those have to be the crapppiest screws I have ever seen. Got some more screws ordered and on the way. Not Arrma ones though.

I don't know what to think. Between the quality of the screws, and the shocks (don't get me started there), the horrible tires and the design of that gear box....how this won basher of the year two years running? I have no clue. It's spent more time broken down than it has running. And yet my Ruckus that is over six months old hasn't given me near the same amount of problems. Besides burning out a couple brushed motors.

I'll give it a bit more time but I'm about ready throw the towel in on this one...

 

[Griffin]

Got the new screws for mounting the motor in over the weekend and got it all set up.

Threw in a 4000 miAmp LiPo. Didn't even get a full run in and the steering servo crapped out on me and I blew another shock (third time that has happened already).

That's ok, I had ordered a new servo awhile back that I was planning to throw in it at some time. Power HD 1501, same servo that I run in some other trucks that is cheap and works pretty well. Don't think they are waterproof, but I don't really run in water anyway. Anyway, got that thrown in yesterday.

On order, I'm waiting on some STRC shock bodies and shock caps to replace the stock ones. Had to get my order up to a certain $ to use a coupon, so I also picked up STRC front skid plate as well.

Way things are going, I'm really hesitant to ever throwing in a brushless setup on this one. At this point, I just want to get it running reliably well and then start saving up for something in the 1/8 scale 4wd category.