Granite Granite Mega overheating

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evolutioner27

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So I just got back into the hobby with my sons now that they are old enough. We bought 3 Arrma Granite Mega models (one for each of us). We are running NiMH batteries and are only getting about 10 min of run time before we don’t have any throttle. The ESC is flashing and everything is very hot. I put a heat sink and fan on my motor as well as a fan on my ESC although it does not seem to make much of a difference. Any ideas what is going on or how to get some more drive time out of them? The guy at our local hobby store said that a brushless setup on LiPo batteries might be better but that will cost hundreds more than I’ve already spent.
 
Have they always overheated? Is everything stock in the gears? Check the gear mesh is not too tight and that there’s nothing bent or binding the drivetrain.
Completely stock. Just got them less than a week ago. They have always done this. Nothing bent or binding that I can see. It’s also on all 3 of them. The hobby store guys said it’s because we are running them in grass. Never had that issue with my 30yr old Tamiya Blackfoot.
 
Grass, especially tall grass, actually does cause the trucks to heat up faster due to the extra resistance and the motor has to work harder. I know a brushless system is more money but it is a whole lot better than the brushed systems. Also the brushed motors don't last very long so don't be surprised if one or more of them burn up and stop working soon. But if they do stop working, Arrma and Horizon Hobby offer a 2 year warranty so they would be covered under the warranty. You would have to contact Horizon Hobby for a warranty claim.
 
Grass, especially tall grass, actually does cause the trucks to heat up faster due to the extra resistance and the motor has to work harder. I know a brushless system is more money but it is a whole lot better than the brushed systems. Also the brushed motors don't last very long so don't be surprised if one or more of them burn up and stop working soon. But if they do stop working, Arrma and Horizon Hobby offer a 2 year warranty so they would be covered under the warranty. You would have to contact Horizon Hobby for a warranty claim.
I am thinking about going brushless on mine first to see how it goes. I was looking at this one. Anything else I’ll have to swap other than the ESC and motor? Also would this provide more power than the existing setup?

8F350BAD-7E2D-4511-A829-30D6C870BA6A.jpeg
 
you can always remove the upper guards. they are supposed to be there to block out rocks and debris but if you're just running them on street and grass then there is little risk of getting anything in there. even if you're on gravel and some get in there it isn't necessarily going to cause an issue. anyways, that will allow the air to blow over the electronics and will drastically cut the temp under the body. they are held on by 3 screws on each side.
 
I am thinking about going brushless on mine first to see how it goes. I was looking at this one. Anything else I’ll have to swap other than the ESC and motor? Also would this provide more power than the existing setup?

View attachment 158730
That is only a 85amp ESC and a 3652 motor and is only rated for 2s. It will be better than the brushed system but in my opinion I'd get at least a 100amp ESC and a 3660 size motor that can run a 3s battery. Look at JennysRc and get a take off setup from one of the 3s vehicles. Jenny’s buys brand new RCs and takes them apart and sells the brand new take off parts.

https://jennysrc.com/collections/arrma-big-rock-crew-cab-3s-ar102711

They might be out of stock at the moment but they restock often. Check often and set up a email reminder for when they are in stock and buy it fast when they email you cause they are so cheap that they sell out fast.

Any Esc and motor combo from any one of the 3s rigs will work. You can get a ESC from a Big Rock and a motor from a Granite or any combo. It don't matter, they are all the same except the Vorteks which is a Spektrum Firma brand instead of the Arrma BLX brand, but still basically the same.


Here is a Big Rock ESC for $47 and a motor for $45, in stock right now at JennysRc.

https://jennysrc.com/products/arrma...ess-blx100-esc-speed-control-granite-ar102711

https://jennysrc.com/products/arrma...brushless-3200kv-3660-4-pole-granite-ar102711

Or you can buy the ESC from Jenny’s for $47 and get a 3s 3660/3200kv motor from Amazon for $25. You can go cheap on the motor, like a Surpass Hobby motor, but don't go cheap on the ESC.
 
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That is only a 85amp ESC and a 3652 motor and is only rated for 2s. It will be better than the brushed system but in my opinion I'd get at least a 100amp ESC and a 3660 size motor that can run a 3s battery. Look at JennysRc and get a take off setup from one of the 3s vehicles. Jenny’s buys brand new RCs and takes them apart and sells the brand new take off parts.

....Any Esc and motor combo from any one of the 3s rigs will work. You can get a ESC from a Big Rock and a motor from a Granite or any combo. It don't matter, they are all the same except the Vorteks which is a Spektrum Firma brand instead of the Arrma BLX brand, but still basically the same.

....You can go cheap on the motor, like a Surpass Hobby motor, but don't go cheap on the ESC.
This is all good advice, especially about buying a good ESC. I replaced the stock Spektrum motor on my Typhon 3s with an inexpensive (around $40) Surpass 3670/2850 motor from Amazon, and I also replaced the stock BLX100 ESC with a Firma 130A 4s capable ESC. The ESC, which was removed from a new Axial Ryft, cost me over twice what the motor cost. Had it been new in box, it would have cost me over three times the cost of the motor.
 
So I just got back into the hobby with my sons now that they are old enough. We bought 3 Arrma Granite Mega models (one for each of us). We are running NiMH batteries and are only getting about 10 min of run time before we don’t have any throttle. The ESC is flashing and everything is very hot. I put a heat sink and fan on my motor as well as a fan on my ESC although it does not seem to make much of a difference. Any ideas what is going on or how to get some more drive time out of them? The guy at our local hobby store said that a brushless setup on LiPo batteries might be better but that will cost hundreds more than I’ve already spent.
I started with a mega granite. They are good cars but I have their issues because they’re brushed. Primary one is they overheat so you have to have specific driving habits to make these last…ie. drive 5 min let rest 5 min, avoid driving on grass much and you do need to put fans on both the ESC and the motor.

It is a good idea to upgrade one to brushless. There’s no better way to get to know RC cars than to go this route and would be a very cool project with your kids. You will end up spending at least 100 bucks more than you would if you had bought it brushless to begin with, but the experience is worth it. After upgrading one you may decide to do the other two, or you may decide to leave them or sell them and get brushless ones. Another nice thing about upgrading the car is is you can customize them however you want. Make them ‘yours’.

G’luck man! You found the perfect place for advice so enjoy!
 
if you don’t want to go higher than 3s you could always do the hobbywing max10 3300kv combo, about $105 or the 4s version hobbywing max10 sct 3300kv combo at around $150. All depends on your future plans 😂
That sounds like some great options. I’ll look the better one for mine and then maybe the lower end for the boys cars. Anything else I’d need to keep them reliable with the upgrades? Just worried about blowing through gears and so on.
That is only a 85amp ESC and a 3652 motor and is only rated for 2s. It will be better than the brushed system but in my opinion I'd get at least a 100amp ESC and a 3660 size motor that can run a 3s battery. Look at JennysRc and get a take off setup from one of the 3s vehicles. Jenny’s buys brand new RCs and takes them apart and sells the brand new take off parts.

https://jennysrc.com/collections/arrma-big-rock-crew-cab-3s-ar102711

They might be out of stock at the moment but they restock often. Check often and set up a email reminder for when they are in stock and buy it fast when they email you cause they are so cheap that they sell out fast.

Any Esc and motor combo from any one of the 3s rigs will work. You can get a ESC from a Big Rock and a motor from a Granite or any combo. It don't matter, they are all the same except the Vorteks which is a Spektrum Firma brand instead of the Arrma BLX brand, but still basically the same.


Here is a Big Rock ESC for $47 and a motor for $45, in stock right now at JennysRc.

https://jennysrc.com/products/arrma...ess-blx100-esc-speed-control-granite-ar102711

https://jennysrc.com/products/arrma...brushless-3200kv-3660-4-pole-granite-ar102711

Or you can buy the ESC from Jenny’s for $47 and get a 3s 3660/3200kv motor from Amazon for $25. You can go cheap on the motor, like a Surpass Hobby motor, but don't go cheap on the ESC.
That’s an awesome idea. Really inexpensive compared to buying at the shop.
 
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I am thinking about going brushless on mine first to see how it goes. I was looking at this one. Anything else I’ll have to swap other than the ESC and motor? Also would this provide more power than the existing setup?

View attachment 158730
I have this same setup in my car..the motor is not the best...It gets super hot (like even if you put your finger on it for 1 second it will burn you). Also, I have had to replace the motor too many times... It is smaller and smaller motors mean more heat ( And because the motor is demanding so much power for its size.. it also makes the ESC warm too.). I would go with the ESC in that combo but go with this motor: https://www.ebay.com/itm/392942943751?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28. Yes, they will work fine together. Also with that motor, you can not fit a heatsink on it...It's too short. I got one, but I had to trim several inches off it. Also on the side of the motor, it has a heatsink built into it which makes it even smaller...I guess it would last about 2-4 months if you are only running 2s lipo. I'm not trying to say it's a bad motor, but that you should go with the spectrum ESC and the stock granite motor. YES, IT WOULD PROVIDE WAYYYY MORE POWER. And no you would not need anything else, but I would REALLY recommend a metal gear steering servo.(That's just my opinion though)
if you don’t want to go higher than 3s you could always do the hobbywing max10 3300kv combo, about $105 or the 4s version hobbywing max10 sct 3300kv combo at around $150. All depends on your future plans 😂

Hobbywing max10's are also a good choise. 4s will require all-metal gears even metal diffs...Unless if you wanna strip gears out every 5 minutes LOL
 
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