Kraton New person looking for advice...

[Cheapbastard]

There are some things you can try to get things working before you give up on it and return it. You basically start from scratch. Try a factory reset of the esc on page 16 of the manual. Turn TH DR all the way up, TH trim to center, TH rev sw to normal, then go through the throttle setup procedure for the esc on page 15 of the manual and try again. Highly unlikely but make sure the esc is still setup for forward/brake/reverse mode option number 4 for esc tuning also on page 16 of the manual.

 

[Kavik Kang]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was very upset as you could tell, I've been through a lot in the last year and this car is my therapy. THAT WORKED!!! I am new to RC cars but know online communities well, I thought that even though the manual said it could only be a fried ESC a community like this one might have a dozen other answers.

100% immediately made reverse work, switching it back to 50% it now also works in 50%! The car is perfect now, I have spent two days going over if before the batteries got here. Sorry about the insult Arrma, I LOVE YOU!!! It's actually perfect!

Thank you SO MUCH bickety, I am trapped in the middle of nowhere all summer with a big giant field and not much to do but play with this car.

 

[bicketybam]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was very upset as you could tell, I've been through a lot in the last year and this car is my therapy. THAT WORKED!!! I am new to RC cars but know online communities well, I thought that even though the manual said it could only be a fried ESC a community like this one might have a dozen other answers.

100% immediately made reverse work, switching it back to 50% it now also works in 50%! The car is perfect now, I have spent two days going over if before the batteries got here. Sorry about the insult Arrma, I LOVE YOU!!! It's actually perfect!

Thank you SO MUCH bickety, I am trapped in the middle of nowhere all summer with a big giant field and not much to do but play with this car.

Glad it worked ?? Stick to 100% and use your trigger finger to limit how fast you go. That 50% switch causes nothing but problems.

 

[Kavik Kang]

I might try that and see if it seems safe. Part of the issue if the car had been broken is that I am about 100 miles away from the nearest "city". So if the car breaks it will be out of commission until parts could be shipped here. I've been an RC plane "spectator" my whole life and always wanted to have a nice RC vehicle of some kind. I will be kind of trapped out here all summer so I am going to learn how to drive the car VERY CAREFULLY because I don't want to break it. I've watched your "old school training tips" videos... so tomorrow I am just going to slowly do circles and figure 8's until I don't have to think about the directional controls and it is all just memorized and natural.

So I actually plan on putting around like it is an old 20mph 80's RC car for a long time just becoming a good driver in terms of basic control without risking the car. Once I get back to civilization and am within driving range of a hobby store I'll start doing small jumps and stuff, but i'll never be a "basher". I don't want to break them if possible, or do 30th jumps... I just like how tanky they are for someone who will drive them as lightly as I will. I never see myself ever doing more than getting good at sliding around and doing short little 5-10 distance hop jumps.

 

[Kavik Kang]

I plan on being pretty safe with this car, and not really do jumps with it other than little hops. The whole point is that I can't afford planes and when I saw these modern monster trucks I thought "if I drive it on flat open spaces and don't roll it, that thing will almost never break"... so I look at it that way. But, from watching lots of car videos for the last month or so, if I really get into it next summer I want to get some type of 6S car that excels on BMX tracks and learn to do that. I know that involves some big jumps and breaking parts... but that's what would be worth the money too me. RC cars on BMX tracks looks like an amazing amount of fun.

That's why I got a Kraton... "flat open spaces and don't roll it"... it looked great for that, especially with the extra wide wheel base and low profile for not tipping over in turns.

 

[Kavik Kang]

That is one more question I have, now that I think about it, so I can know which cars they are and start watching videos of them and stuff. I'm sure there are a few different cars in the argument, but which 3-5 or so are generally though of as being the best BMX track type 6S cars?

 

[nino]

Any of the Arrmas are great for BMX tracks. Literally. 3s, 4s, 6s, buggy, truggy, MT... unfortunately the 4s line looks like the most problematic with some sensitive parts and no replacement parts available yet.

Also, for now, a 6s line truck on 4s would maybe be better for you but it is what it is.

Also also, relax, you're gonna get a heart attack

For videos, check out Rich Duperbash on youtube, I think he has about the best track for bashing and he kicks ass at it Also, bicketybam, RCdude81, Aussie RC playground for reviews and running videos (also on a bmx track, but not insane), I know I should mention someone else but forgot...

 

[Kavik Kang]

Any of the Arrmas are great for BMX tracks. Literally. 3s, 4s, 6s, buggy, truggy, MT... unfortunately the 4s line looks like the most problematic with some sensitive parts and no replacement parts available yet.

Also, for now, a 6s line truck on 4s would maybe be better for you but it is what it is.

Also also, relax, you're gonna get a heart attack

For videos, check out Rich Duperbash on youtube, I think he has about the best track for bashing and he kicks ass at it Also, bicketybam, RCdude81, Aussie RC playground for reviews and running videos (also on a bmx track, but not insane), I know I should mention someone else but forgot...

Yes, I was aware of the 4S being new and parts being scarce... but since Arrma is one of the major companies I assumed that situation would end in a few months. I also knew about the A Arm thing with Kraton 4Ss, but figured that should be expected with the exrea wide wheel base I was looking for. I think of this car as something to keep on the ground and in big open areas. If I get into this more next summer I'll get some kind of 6S and find a BMX track because that looks like too much fun. I have been watching Rich, and the Aussie RC guy. I like the way the Aussie RC guy drives on a BMX track... he doesn't "send it", it hops from hill to hill in a very controlled way... the car can take what he does, as long as you keep landing right

I'll have to look for RCdude and Bicketybam videos, I don't think haven't seen any of theirs yet.
Oh, and I couldn't afford a 6S. Between the car and batteries that's like $200 that I didn't have.
...and I'm trying to relax, that's part of what getting the car is about. The last 9 months or so have been like a movie I never thought I would live through anything like. The world is a different place too me now, and I just want to drive this car and think about things for a while.

 

[Kavik Kang]

It's taking about exactly 2.5 hours to charge the batteries, and I am going to wind up just barely getting in 4 runs today. I can definitely see why you want a 1000w charger

 

[bicketybam]

It's taking about exactly 2.5 hours to charge the batteries, and I am going to wind up just barely getting in 4 runs today. I can definitely see why you want a 1000w charger

Mine charge in about 20 minutes from storage. That's two 3s 5000mAh batteries.

 

[crimsonfancy]

I use this HOTA D6 Pro Smart Charger mostly. I don't have an external power supply DC but still no complaints on time it takes to charge even 2x 6s at 1c or 1.5c. It does allow for external DC to 650W which is why I bought it. I got it for $100 shipped when it came out and there are still places to find it close to that price.
https://www.amazon.com/Goolsky-Charger-Battery-Wireless-Charging/dp/B07FXN3Y9T

 

[Kavik Kang]

Wow, thanks for posting that. If I could find that for $100 I might get that. I think the controller will work for me for now, I'd rather be able to charge batteries fast. 2.5 hours hurts...

 

[crimsonfancy]

Wow, thanks for posting that. If I could find that for $100 I might get that. I think the controller will work for me for now, I'd rather be able to charge batteries fast. 2.5 hours hurts...

Here you go. Reputable seller all around. Black version
$80 on sale now.
Fast enough, upgradable with a power supply to be fastest but so far I don't need any faster.
https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=529

 

[Kavik Kang]

Here you go. Reputable seller all around. Black version
$80 on sale now.
Fast enough, upgradable with a power supply to be fastest but so far I don't need any faster.
https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=529

Wow... I could actually get that if it was only going to be $80. But wouldn't I also need different adapters and that thing for the white plug on the battery to plug into? If those little boards that the white plugs go into are all the same then I already have two of those with the wimpy charger I got. Then the batteries have the Kraton 4S plugs and the charger I got came with some adapters... what would I need with it to charge the 2S Dynamite 5000 batteries that I have?

This charger was the only mistake I made in buying the car, it is very expensive for how wimpy it is. I was confused by the chargers and batteries so just got the ones they sell with it.

 

[arrmadillo]

Wow... I could actually get that if it was only going to be $80. But wouldn't I also need different adapters and that thing for the white plug on the battery to plug into? If those little boards that the white plugs go into are all the same then I already have two of those with the wimpy charger I got. Then the batteries have the Kraton 4S plugs and the charger I got came with some adapters... what would I need with it to charge the 2S Dynamite 5000 batteries that I have?

This charger was the only mistake I made in buying the car, it is very expensive for how wimpy it is. I was confused by the chargers and batteries so just got the ones they sell with it.

You don't want that charger, get the same one with the balance boards and charge adapters. Will cost you more but a no brainer. Rember you get what u pay for!

 

[Kavik Kang]

It would be nice to have, but I'll probably just settle for only getting to use the car for 40 minutes every few hours for now. That's my own fault for not looking into that better before I got the car. I probably shouldn't spend any more money on the car for at least a month now that I think about it, haha!

If I could do it over now I would definitely get at least a 300w charger and a single 4S battery instead of two 2S. Then I could just get a second 4S later and be able to charge two of those at once on a much faster charger. Even just one 4S and a fast charger would have been better.

 

[crimsonfancy]

You don't want that charger, get the same one with the balance boards and charge adapters. Will cost you more but a no brainer. Rember you get what u pay for!

No way. That charger is excellent and serves me well. Xt-60 standard plus ac. Balance boards are a mess. How many packs do you need for one day? Practical and in this case we get way more than we paid for.

 

[Kavik Kang]

On this natural field terrain I am actually driving what I am sure is way under half throttle all the time. It seems fast too me, but once I got the car going straight I put it at the top of the gravel driveway that comes down into the field. I wanted to see how fast it was at top speed on a fairly level surface. It's VERY fast too me. I tried it three times. There isn't enough room for it to get to top speed, it is still fully accelerating when I have to let off and slow down before it goes into the field. It's like a rocket too me. I think it gets up to about 30mph... which makes me think I'm normally going around 15 or so out in the field.

When I get back too the city I will take it too a football field and get it too top speed on grass.

 

[arrmadillo]

No way. That charger is excellent and serves me well. Xt-60 standard plus ac. Balance boards are a mess. How many packs do you need for one day? Practical and in this case we get way more than we paid for.

I have the D6+, just suggestion to OP which is new if he was to buy this charger to get the one with the boards and adapters if he didn't already have them.

 

[Kavik Kang]

I won't do this until next summer, but after looking at it all night and watching videos... I think I like Arrma a lot, and a Typhon 6S for BMX tracks (and just general awesomeness) if I get into that.