Granite BLX Slipper - A few Questions Pretty Please

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ridgehead44

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Arrma RC's
  1. Granite
Hey All,

I reinstalled my HR Hub Extenders and Prolines and too the rig out for a quick after work bash. I noticed the motor had a high pitched whine and didn't seem to wheelie well. I suspected the slipper needed adjustment so I quit the run right away.

I opened up the power module and inspected it. Everything seems in good working order. Even with a chassis dust shield and a 3-D printed drive shaft cover, there was some dirt and gunk in there. So I sprayed it down with a Simple Green solution to clean up whatever got past the dust shield/driveshaft cover.

Questions:
Does my assessment of the high pitched whine and loss of torque sound indicative of a slipper gone loose?

Do certain factors (bashing/heat/etc.) contribute to a slipper going loose? I've never bashed that hard, though it's pretty warm in Texas, though nowhere near where we could be <knock on wood>

I adjusted my slipper last time by putting the hex driver in the nut and pulling the car across the carpet until the wheels locked. I applied blue thread lock. I had great results till yesterday. That was only about 6-8 packs ago. Will the slipper inevitably come loose through normal running after enough time and torque?

I saw someone mention to NEVER use thread lock on the slipper clutch. Is this a better practice? Or is blue thread lock recommended?

The other method I've read to adjust the slipper is to fully tighten it then back it out 1.5 turns. I tried this previously, but I don't think I got it right. How tight is "fully tightened?" Snug? Snug and then some? I'd like to try this method again but don't want to break anything or end up right back where I was with a maladjusted slipper.

I know this is kinda long, so I want to thank everyone in advance so much for any help you can provide!
 
i believe the slipper clutches are finicky and problematic in these trucks but most will recommend 1-1.5 turns out from snug will be a good starting point. Some of my trucks have clutches in them that are so worn out they have to be less than 1 turn out
 
The whining sound and loss of acceleration are clear signs of a loose slipper. What model Granite do you have? The newer V3 models use a plastic nut in the rear hub that holds the screw. The V3 models no longer use loc-tite.

I'm using the V3 plastic nut, but recently after making some slipper adjustments, the plastic nut got stripped and would no longer hold. If you have a V3 model, there's a chance the plastic slipper nut is stripped. The solution is a new one https://www.arrma-rc.com/part/ARA311033

If you have a V2 or earlier model, you should clean your slipper screw and loc-tite it again. Tightening it, then applying loc-tite is not ideal. You should barely start the screw, then drop loc-tite in the rear so it fills the screw hole, then continue to turn the screw so the loc-tite covers it as you tighten it.
 
If you have a V2 or earlier model, you should clean your slipper screw and loc-tite it again. Tightening it, then applying loc-tite is not ideal. You should barely start the screw, then drop loc-tite in the rear so it fills the screw hole, then continue to turn the screw so the loc-tite covers it as you tighten it.

Yes, I have the V2--one of the very last, in fact. I bought it las August when almost everyone was out of stock and before V3 was available. I saw it in stock at Horizon Hobby; I guess they must've found it somewhere in the back, or maybe it was a display model. Anyway, I've removed the screw and am soaking it for a few in Natural Green. I clean it off, dry it, and use the loc-tite as you described.

i believe the slipper clutches are finicky and problematic in these trucks but most will recommend 1-1.5 turns out from snug will be a good starting point. Some of my trucks have clutches in them that are so worn out they have to be less than 1 turn out

Hmmm, maybe so. I did chew up my last slipper. I think it's because debris got in there and mucked up the stock bearings. I've since replaced the bearings with sealed. The new slipper looks fine upon inspection.

I'll go with the 1.5 turns as a starting point. Is there any easy way to test, other than to drive the rig around a few times? I've seen some drivers do a trick where they would press down on the rear wheels, give the vehicle throttle, and see how high the front of the car rises. Is this still a viable trick, or is it better practice to rip the rig back and forth a few times to see how it handles with the newly adjusted slipper?
 
Yes, I have the V2--one of the very last, in fact. I bought it las August when almost everyone was out of stock and before V3 was available. I saw it in stock at Horizon Hobby; I guess they must've found it somewhere in the back, or maybe it was a display model. Anyway, I've removed the screw and am soaking it for a few in Natural Green. I clean it off, dry it, and use the loc-tite as you described.



Hmmm, maybe so. I did chew up my last slipper. I think it's because debris got in there and mucked up the stock bearings. I've since replaced the bearings with sealed. The new slipper looks fine upon inspection.

I'll go with the 1.5 turns as a starting point. Is there any easy way to test, other than to drive the rig around a few times? I've seen some drivers do a trick where they would press down on the rear wheels, give the vehicle throttle, and see how high the front of the car rises. Is this still a viable trick, or is it better practice to rip the rig back and forth a few times to see how it handles with the newly adjusted slipper?
The tighter the slipper is, the easier wheelies will be. If you can do a wheelie TOO easily, then back it off just a tad and go from there.

Also, make sure your motor mount isn't bent. If it is, you will keep chewing up spur gears lol

I also found that the technique of holding the nut and sliding on carpet resulted in a too loose slipper. You really should do it on something a little more slick like concrete.
 
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