Mojave Is Spectrum Trash? New Arrma Mojave electronics failure!

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Drjt

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I used to love Arrma... now I'm having trouble with every model... I should say with the spectrum components in 3 new models... first the vorteks steering servo, then the outcast servo and radio, now the mojave servo and esc... all within a few packs of running...

It's getting so ridiculous that my gassers seem easier to keep running! And some cheap Chinese junk I bought is running fine with no problems! I wanted to trash all my Arrmas last night in a bonfire after this happened:

Last night running the 3rd pack through my mojave on 6s, at the end of the run, driving the car back to the house nice and slow, the wheels suddenly turned to the right and froze there... also the car suddenly stopped responding to the radio... I carried it in and undid the servo horn... the servo is locked up and can't be moved... steering linkages are all fine...

And the esc doesn't turn on anymore either... a slight smell emanates from it, the red "on" button lights up, but no beeping sounds or fan... esc is just dead...

It's so frustrating... and the very first run, it suffered my second ever runaway for an electric vehicle... it took off screaming and smashed into a curb... broke the front suspension hingepin and brace...

Same thing happened a few months ago with the Outcast 8s on the second run... ran away and hit a park garbage can (of course the plastics are so inferior that it shattered lower arm, upper arm, and steering links, unlike the mojave who's plastics are nearly invincible and the metal parts broke instead)...

So I've stopped using the spectrum radios... Now I'm feeling like the esc's and servos are trash as well... very disappointing... got back into the hobby last year... spent a bunch of money on some awesome vehicles... I'm thrilled to be back... but I'm really questioning buying any rtr's from Arrma anymore bc of the electronics failures I'm experiencing...

Anyone else having similar experiences? Am I just unlucky? Does a servo locking up like a brick and an esc simultaneously frying even make sense?

Thanks for any and all your help... I'm trying to decide if I should give up on spectrum and not even bother with the warranty replacement... if not, what esc is recommended?

Dr J
 
I used to love Arrma... now I'm having trouble with every model... I should say with the spectrum components in 3 new models... first the vorteks steering servo, then the outcast servo and radio, now the mojave servo and esc... all within a few packs of running...

It's getting so ridiculous that my gassers seem easier to keep running! And some cheap Chinese junk I bought is running fine with no problems! I wanted to trash all my Arrmas last night in a bonfire after this happened:

Last night running the 3rd pack through my mojave on 6s, at the end of the run, driving the car back to the house nice and slow, the wheels suddenly turned to the right and froze there... also the car suddenly stopped responding to the radio... I carried it in and undid the servo horn... the servo is locked up and can't be moved... steering linkages are all fine...

And the esc doesn't turn on anymore either... a slight smell emanates from it, the red "on" button lights up, but no beeping sounds or fan... esc is just dead...

It's so frustrating... and the very first run, it suffered my second ever runaway for an electric vehicle... it took off screaming and smashed into a curb... broke the front suspension hingepin and brace...

Same thing happened a few months ago with the Outcast 8s on the second run... ran away and hit a park garbage can (of course the plastics are so inferior that it shattered lower arm, upper arm, and steering links, unlike the mojave who's plastics are nearly invincible and the metal parts broke instead)...

So I've stopped using the spectrum radios... Now I'm feeling like the esc's and servos are trash as well... very disappointing... got back into the hobby last year... spent a bunch of money on some awesome vehicles... I'm thrilled to be back... but I'm really questioning buying any rtr's from Arrma anymore bc of the electronics failures I'm experiencing...

Anyone else having similar experiences? Am I just unlucky? Does a servo locking up like a brick and an esc simultaneously frying even make sense?

Thanks for any and all your help... I'm trying to decide if I should give up on spectrum and not even bother with the warranty replacement... if not, what esc is recommended?

Dr J

This seems to be an ongoing issue with Spektrum electronics lately. Arrma should just start offering all of their vehicles with a roller option like Hobao does.

This is what I would do, warranty all of the electronics, dump them on eBay and use that money to buy better electronics.
 
I know ‘Arrma tough’ is Arrma’s slogan, but a ’smash’ into a curb or garbage can obviously lead to breakage of some parts. As for your electronics issues, every brand has their defect rate, but it seems Spektrum has more dissatisfied customers than other brands. Maybe due to the fact that it is in so many RTR cars and therefore more users.
But, for me this is exactly why I won’t buy a Spektrum car.
And the stock servo’s, yes you are right it is a shame that almost all brands (Team Corally is one of the exceptions👍) use a stock servo that is underpowered, leading to a servo that is constantly working at its’ peak just for just an ‘OK-ish’ performance. There are many very cheap servo’s that are way better, so companies should be able to buy those for a few bucks more.

If I were you I’d try warranty and sell all the Spektrum stuff. Get a DS3225 or DS3235 servo (I like them👍), a DumboRC radio/receiver (like it as well👍) and a Hobbywing esc/motor: Quicrun/4274 will do nicely (compared to stock), Max8/4274 for a little more oomph, or a Max6/4985 for a lot more oomph. I ran the first combo in my Mojave without problems (still running in my buggy), currently running the Max6 combo.
 
This seems to be an ongoing issue with Spektrum electronics lately. Arrma should just start offering all of their vehicles with a roller option like Hobao does.

This is what I would do, warranty all of the electronics, dump them on eBay and use that money to buy better electronics.
And also would benefit Spektrum as it would stop their name from going bad.
They should get out of the RTR scene and stick to their better end stuff.
 
The AVC receivers they put on the Infraction and such are garbage, burn in few packs (seen about 4 go already between my friends)
The 150a ESC is garbage, mine was killed on the 2nd run, again, saw about 4-5 died between my friends (the prev. 185BLX was very reliable)
Servos I cannot vouch for as I replace them immediately.

The lower end radio (which are not really Spektrum) are fine.

Yeah it used to be better before the Spektrum takeover
 
The AVC receivers they put on the Infraction and such are garbage, burn in few packs (seen about 4 go already between my friends)
The 150a ESC is garbage, mine was killed on the 2nd run, again, saw about 4-5 died between my friends (the prev. 185BLX was very reliable)
Servos I cannot vouch for as I replace them immediately.

The lower end radio (which are not really Spektrum) are fine.

Yeah it used to be better before the Spektrum takeover
The BLX185 and TTX300 combo needs to return. Hands down the best rtr electronics I have used. The Arrma servos were rather meh.
 
The BLX185 and TTX300 combo needs to return. Hands down the best rtr electronics I have used. The Arrma servos were rather meh.
I use hobby star an hobbywing. Battery, esc ,motors in my arrma rc's. And use the ttx300 still with all, ok range , like the feel an size of transmeter. Don't race,so don't need fancy digital over priced unit.
 
The Spektrum SLT radio and servo they put in the Arrma Kraton 6s RTR vehicles are garbage. I ordered a new Powerhobby 729MBL servo for my Kraton 6s before I even ran a pack through my Kraton, and I ordered a receiver the day after I got the Kraton so I could use my Radiolink RC6GS. Less than two months after buying the Kraton, and after reading the stories and seeing the pics concerning the 150A ESCs catching fire or failing, I replaced the stock Spektrum ESC and motor with a Castle MMX 8s and 1717 1650kv combo. I dislike Spektrum so much that I removed all the Spektrum electronics and I removed all the decals that said "Spektrum" on my two Kraton bodies.
 
The Spektrum SLT radio and servo they put in the Arrma Kraton 6s RTR vehicles are garbage. I ordered a new Powerhobby 729MBL servo for my Kraton 6s before I even ran a pack through my Kraton, and I ordered a receiver the day after I got the Kraton so I could use my Radiolink RC6GS. Less than two months after buying the Kraton, and after reading the stories and seeing the pics concerning the 150A ESCs catching fire or failing, I replaced the stock Spektrum ESC and motor with a Castle MMX 8s and 1717 1650kv combo. I dislike Spektrum so much that I removed all the Spektrum electronics and I removed all the decals that said "Spektrum" on my two Kraton bodies.
I remove the Spektrum stickers too 😂
 
This seems to be an ongoing issue with Spektrum electronics lately. Arrma should just start offering all of their vehicles with a roller option like Hobao does.

This is what I would do, warranty all of the electronics, dump them on eBay and use that money to buy better electronics.
Haha... great idea!
I know ‘Arrma tough’ is Arrma’s slogan, but a ’smash’ into a curb or garbage can obviously lead to breakage of some parts. As for your electronics issues, every brand has their defect rate, but it seems Spektrum has more dissatisfied customers than other brands. Maybe due to the fact that it is in so many RTR cars and therefore more users.
But, for me this is exactly why I won’t buy a Spektrum car.
And the stock servo’s, yes you are right it is a shame that almost all brands (Team Corally is one of the exceptions👍) use a stock servo that is underpowered, leading to a servo that is constantly working at its’ peak just for just an ‘OK-ish’ performance. There are many very cheap servo’s that are way better, so companies should be able to buy those for a few bucks more.

If I were you I’d try warranty and sell all the Spektrum stuff. Get a DS3225 or DS3235 servo (I like them👍), a DumboRC radio/receiver (like it as well👍) and a Hobbywing esc/motor: Quicrun/4274 will do nicely (compared to stock), Max8/4274 for a little more oomph, or a Max6/4985 for a lot more oomph. I ran the first combo in my Mojave without problems (still running in my buggy), currently running the Max6 combo.
Thank you very much... that's what I was looking for... It'll be first time putting a new system in a car... sounds exciting...
The AVC receivers they put on the Infraction and such are garbage, burn in few packs (seen about 4 go already between my friends)
The 150a ESC is garbage, mine was killed on the 2nd run, again, saw about 4-5 died between my friends (the prev. 185BLX was very reliable)
Servos I cannot vouch for as I replace them immediately.

The lower end radio (which are not really Spektrum) are fine.

Yeah it used to be better before the Spektrum takeover
That's ridiculous... but at least it's not me! Glad but sad to know... thank you!
The Spektrum SLT radio and servo they put in the Arrma Kraton 6s RTR vehicles are garbage. I ordered a new Powerhobby 729MBL servo for my Kraton 6s before I even ran a pack through my Kraton, and I ordered a receiver the day after I got the Kraton so I could use my Radiolink RC6GS. Less than two months after buying the Kraton, and after reading the stories and seeing the pics concerning the 150A ESCs catching fire or failing, I replaced the stock Spektrum ESC and motor with a Castle MMX 8s and 1717 1650kv combo. I dislike Spektrum so much that I removed all the Spektrum electronics and I removed all the decals that said "Spektrum" on my two Kraton bodies.
Haha... I'm about to do the same...
 
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Haha... great idea!

Thank you very much... that's what I was looking for... It'll be first time putting a new system in a car... sounds exciting...

That's ridiculous... but at least it's not me! Glad but sad to know... thank you!

Haha... I'm about to do the same...
I was going to buy an Outcast EXB and do that with the electronics in that. :ROFLMAO:
 
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