Hobbywing is giving me 3 warranty options

[sumguy75]

Decided to try the warranty process with Hobbywing. From the sounds of their replies, they are confident its not their fault (shocking ) and that bad gear mesh probably caused my motor bearing to explode. This is from a Stampede 2wd, I'm no RC expert, but gear mesh is pretty easy to set right. Leave a small amount of space between the gears so that it will give a slight tick when turned. I also have plastic spur gears and when I was a newb bad gear mesh would chew them up easily. hard to believe it would explode a quality bearing in a quality motor, could it have?

When I inspected my truck after it failed, the gear mesh seemed tighter than I set it, but the shaft seemed to be coming out of the can at a slight angle so I assumed that was why since the spur and pinion looked perfectly fine. I've used Lunsford titanium motor screws with blue loctite for months now and haven't had it ever loosen up before.

My options:

Option 1: Send it in to be inspected, if they decide it is not my fault, a free replacement. If they think it is my fault, $5 off a replacement. Based on what I've seen about their customer service and some of the condescending remarks in their email, they will most likely say its my fault.

Option 2: Send motor in and pay $40 for a replacement after they receive it regardless of what their inspection finds.

Option 3: No need to send in motor, pay $50 for a replacement.

Since I have to pay to ship it in for option 2, it will cost about the same as option 3.

Feels like a game of Lets Make a Deal and somehow I'm going to be stuck with the donkey behind the curtain instead of the new car.

Should I just suck it up and pay for the replacement or gamble that they will conclude it had a bad bearing? Kinda feel burned since this motor hasn't been run more than 20 packs and don't really want to give HW my business by paying for a replacement, even if they are offering $25 off.

Thoughts?

 

[Moirae]

People don't say hobbywing warranty is trash for nothing. Ig it's A good thing it's cheap.

 

[MambaSenton]

I’d go option 3, keep the motor that blew a bearing n replace the bearing, n take New one for 50 bucks. Even if you don’t keep it you have one to sell.

 

[Moirae]

I’d go option 3, keep the motor that blew a bearing n replace the bearing, n take New one for 50 bucks. Even if you don’t keep it you have one to sell.

This is de way.

 

[slick2500]

Can't you get motor bearings for a couple of bucks off eBay? To me that makes the most sense as it costs less than shipping the motor off.

 

[sumguy75]

I would do that, but the one of the bearing shields that broke apart tore into the copper wiring, pretty sure it wouldn't work even with a new bearing.

 

[slick2500]

I would do that, but the one of the bearing shields that broke apart tore into the copper wiring, pretty sure it wouldn't work even with a new bearing.

View attachment 222742

Oh. What size and what kv was that motor?

 

[sumguy75]

3660 can and 3200kv. Starting to consider just writing it off as a loss. I have a spare Spektrum 3200kv I'm throwing in it for this weekend, sealed the front of it so hopefully it doesn't have the bearing issue those motors are known for. Just sucks taking a loss because I paid a good bit more for the HW instead of getting a Hobbystar.

 

[Roadkill69]

Option 4 buy a castle creations set up and be done with it

 

[a2lowvw]

I would say it's worth the shipping to potentially get a motor out of it.

 

[SrC]

Can't you get motor bearings for a couple of bucks off eBay? To me that makes the most sense as it costs less than shipping the motor off.

+1.
While you are at it, just get a set of Hybrid Ceramic BB's.
Did you open up the motor at all?
What I would do.
To actually evaluate the condition of the BB's and the Armature shaft in there? The Issue should become apparent.
Always maintain your Motor. When New, I bench test them on my motor analyzer, open it and add a drop of oil to each BB
I find that with many upgrde brands, Motors are always a grey area, and Mfr's don't like to warranty them.
Motors are way different from ESC's by comparison.
BB's are cheap gumball items, sometimes with poor QC, and they can end up causing a Motor's demise.

 

[419RC]

I had the same happen to a spektrum motor on a newer car. I sent them some pictures and a receipt, I had a new one on the doorstep within days. If I wasn't willing to eat the cost of the motor, I'd probably go with another company with better warranty claim center. In this case, youre better off just buying a new one and putting better bearings in from the get go.

 

[Moirae]

I have like 8 tp motors and never had a single problem with any of them except the one I crashed with and that was my fault

 

[jkflow]

You've taken the motor apart, no way they will warranty it.
Just bite the bullet. This was a bad bearing from the get go, and it failed in the worst possible way.

 

[Cereal_killer]

I can't stand hobbywing service.. but your better off buying the replacement one. Imo. Less emails. Bearings can be bought cheap and have a second motor.

 

[Infraction666]

What hobbywing warranty? Is there anything like that

 

[sumguy75]

Option 4 buy a castle creations set up and be done with it

Wish that was an option but we just paid about $4k in medical bills so the fun money is running short for a little while.

I would say it's worth the shipping to potentially get a motor out of it.

Thinking of just doing the cheapest USPS option, should be around $5, so a reasonable gamble I think. I have a spare motor to get by on until they decide, think if they deny it I'd rather get a 4s capable 3670 can from Hobbystar than spend what they want for the replacement.

Did you open up the motor at all?

Look about 5 post above yours for the pic, copper wiring was damaged

You've taken the motor apart, no way they will warranty it.
Just bite the bullet. This was a bad bearing from the get go, and it failed in the worst possible way.

They saw pictures of it opened before they gave me the options, so I hope they wouldn't backtrack on that. Not a lot of confidence given their condescending response telling me how much quality control they have and its unlikely it was anything on their end, before even looking at it.

I can't stand hobbywing service.. but your better off buying the replacement one. Imo. Less emails. Bearings can be bought cheap and have a second motor.

I saw your post about them so I know they are a pain to deal with.

 

[Cereal_killer]

Wish that was an option but we just paid about $4k in medical bills so the fun money is running short for a little while.


Thinking of just doing the cheapest USPS option, should be around $5, so a reasonable gamble I think. I have a spare motor to get by on until they decide, think if they deny it I'd rather get a 4s capable 3670 can from Hobbystar than spend what they want for the replacement.

Look about 5 post above yours for the pic, copper wiring was damaged

They saw pictures of it opened before they gave me the options, so I hope they wouldn't backtrack on that. Not a lot of confidence given their condescending response telling me how much quality control they have and its unlikely it was anything on their end, before even looking at it.

I saw your post about them so I know they are a pain to deal with.

My vote is also with castle. Once you get caught up again!

 

[SrC]

I see the Motor Can (Stator winds) and thus most likely the Armature is bricked. Looks like it was a BB failure that caused this. Still a defect, what ever the case, IMHO, only IF the motor was fairly new.
Motors will fail no matter the brand, like I stated above. When it comes to motors failing, warranty is a Grey area. And MFR's are not quick to warranty it, claiming abuse/ misuse all the time. CC included.
A Mfr. can even just say you neglected maintaining the motor. Been there.
ESC's have no real maintenance to do. So the Mfr usually will honor the ESC type warrant more easily.
Stay on top of your motor BB maintenance. Buy quality BB's out the gate. With my 2 New HW sensored motors, I swapped in Ceramics out the gate. And a drop of oil on each new BB for insurance.

 

[sumguy75]

Got it the last week of April and only had about 15 battery packs run through it when this happened. Not sure how often a brushless motor needs to be cleaned, I was thinking around 25 battery packs or so but I don't know. Hobbywing does not give any specifics in the manual for it:

From manual:
For prolonging the motor life and raising its efficiency, we recommend checking and cleaning the motor regularly. About the frequency, it depends on the times you use the motor and the track condition. Please refer to the following diagrams to assemble your motor and dismantle it in the reverse order if necessary