Vorteks Pre-Flight Check for Brand New 3S BLX

[Arise0185]

Hi everyone,

I've loved being a part of this forum for the short time I've been here. Tons of useful info already here and so many helpful individuals willing to chime in with all sorts of tips.

One thing I that I thought might be helpful to someone just starting out with their first Arrma 3S rig is a "pre-flight" check list of sorts. It seems that these 3S rigs need a few mods right out of the box before they are driven, otherwise you are just asking for trouble down the road. I see a "recommended upgrades" sticky at the top of this forum, but didn't see anything with regards to the cheap/free preventative mods.

• Roadside RC 6 things to check (video)
  • Check stub axle screws
  • Check wheel nuts
  • Check spur/pinion mesh
  • Set throttle end points
  • Set steering end points
  • Check for loose screws
• Front and rear differentials (video)
  • Check fluid level
  • Check diff shimming
• Adjust slipper clutch (video)
• Seal power module w/ soft velcro or other (thread)
• Reinforce slipper hub shaft (thread) with bearing inner race or Arrma 4S part (PN ARA311157)
• Add support to motor to prevent bending motor mount plate (can't find a good how-to thread but it seems pretty self-explanatory)
  • The motor is cantilevered off the motor mounting plate, meaning any forces in the vertical and lateral directions can cause the motor to move slightly and bend the motor mounting plate.
  • Adding some kind of shim between the motor and the chassis tub helps prevent excessive vertical motion of the motor on hard landings. Of course this does nothing to prevent motion in the upward or lateral directions, but better than nothing I suppose.
  • It sounds like some people place an O-ring around the end of the motor can (opposite of the pinion gear). I've also seen people use multiple layers of duct tape, felt furniture pads, etc.
• As an alternative (or in addition) to the above bullet point would be to replace the motor mounting plate with the 4S version (PN ARA311106) that is slightly thicker. Some people report needing to shim the slipper clutch pack as the 4S plate allows a little more axial movement inside the power module.

That's everything I can think of at the moment. Of course there's more expensive upgrades one can do, like aftermarket shocks, metal gears, etc. I'm trying to compile a list of free or cheap mods that can help lengthen the run time before the first major repair or maintenance is required, to lessen the "sticker shock" of someone just getting into the hobby.

Please comment with anything else you might recommend! If people feel this kind of thread would be useful, maybe it can become another sticky? Otherwise, we can let it age gracefully and die within the depths of the Arrma Forum...

 

[Dan B.]

Good tips.

 

[Arise0185]

Just added another item to reinforce the slipper hub shaft using a bearing inner race or the proper Arrma PN

 

[razorrc]

Honestly, I just set the end points, tighten the wheel nuts and send it.

 

[Arise0185]

Honestly, I just set the end points, tighten the wheel nuts and send it.

That's basically what I did with my Vorteks, but then I ended up with a bent motor plate and stripped spur gear. Also discovered a seized bearing in the power module.

Maybe some of these preventative mods would have helped? Or maybe I need to be a better driver

 

[razorrc]

That's basically what I did with my Vorteks, but then I ended up with a bent motor plate and stripped spur gear. Also discovered a seized bearing in the power module.

Maybe some of these preventative mods would have helped? Or maybe I need to be a better driver

These sound like they’re related — a bad crash bent the motor plate and then destroyed the spur and bearing since now the motor is angled instead of straight.

 

[Arise0185]

These sound like they’re related — a bad crash bent the motor plate and then destroyed the spur and bearing since now the motor is angled instead of straight.

Interesting, that's a good point. I figured the bent motor plate caused the stripped spur gear, but hadn't really thought about the bearing. For reference it was the forward-most bearing on the slipper assembly, i.e. the one that is visible through the motor plate. I was originally thinking it was just exposed to dirt/dust. But as someone else stated, wheel bearings are also exposed to the elements and none of those have seized up yet.

 

[razorrc]

I mean, who knows. Velcro on the power module is recommended (I “invented” it), a thicker motor plate from the 4S line is also a good idea.

 

[Arise0185]

I mean, who knows. Velcro on the power module is recommended (I “invented” it), a thicker motor plate from the 4S line is also a good idea.

Thanks for bringing up the 4S motor plate. Added to the list and just performed the upgrade myself. Also did the velcro mod - thanks for your contributions