Outcast Screw of motor mount stripped - what to do?

[Zerthar]

Hello

I´ve been driving my Outcast only once since I bought it and that was in Spring time. After the first run I noticed the center diff is leaking - it looks like a the diff fluid ran out. It´s a mess in the chassis.
I did find the time to disassemble until today. After removing the rear of the car I tried to unscrew the motor mount screws that go into the chassis. Both were incredibly tight. I was able to unscrew one but the second was impossible and I stripped the Allen key opening (where you put the screw driver in /sorry, English is not my mother tounge).


I´m super frustrated because I don´t know what to do. I can´t remove the motor mount now. And without removing this I can´t seem to remove the center diff. Even if I managed, at some point I need to remove the motor mount!
The car is still under warranty but here in Switzerland I can´t find a local Arrma support. I would have to contact the vendor where I bought it but it´s an online shop. Before you start blaming me for not going to a local hobby shop I have to say it´s not like in the US where you have local hobby shops around almost every street corner. There is no local hobby shop nearby where I live. Getting parts is always a nightmare.

Any tips what I can do? Do you think I need to send in the car?

 

[-Dusty-]

You could either use a screw extractor to get that out, or use a dremel to cut a slot and use a flathead screw driver to get it out. Both were unsuccessful for me and in the end I had to drill the screw out and ordered a new motor mount

 

[bicketybam]

You could either use a screw extractor to get that out, or use a dremel to cut a slot and use a flathead screw driver to get it out. Both were unsuccessful for me and in the end I had to drill the screw out and ordered a new motor mount

What Dusty said. Use a dremmel with a cutting wheel and cut a slot across the middle of the screw head. You will cut a little bit into the bottom the the chassis, but that's unavoidable. Before you try to remove the screw with a flat head, use a heat gun to heat it up and loosen the thread lock that's on the screw. Do this in the future with other screws that screw into metal. It will make removal much easier.

 

[Paultro84]

Hello

I´ve been driving my Outcast only once since I bought it and that was in Spring time. After the first run I noticed the center diff is leaking - it looks like a the diff fluid ran out. It´s a mess in the chassis.
I did find the time to disassemble until today. After removing the rear of the car I tried to unscrew the motor mount screws that go into the chassis. Both were incredibly tight. I was able to unscrew one but the second was impossible and I stripped the Allen key opening (where you put the screw driver in /sorry, English is not my mother tounge).
View attachment 21569 View attachment 21570

I´m super frustrated because I don´t know what to do. I can´t remove the motor mount now. And without removing this I can´t seem to remove the center diff. Even if I managed, at some point I need to remove the motor mount!
The car is still under warranty but here in Switzerland I can´t find a local Arrma support. I would have to contact the vendor where I bought it but it´s an online shop. Before you start blaming me for not going to a local hobby shop I have to say it´s not like in the US where you have local hobby shops around almost every street corner. There is no local hobby shop nearby where I live. Getting parts is always a nightmare.

Any tips what I can do? Do you think I need to send in the car?

I had the exact same thing happen to me and I was extremely PISSED about it. I didn't have a screw extractor, but I've purchased a kit since then, and ended up drilling the screw out. But if you do it that way you will definitely need a new motor mount like I had to. I strongly recommend buying a MIP hand driver set. They're kind of expensive but they fit perfectly in the screw. I ordered a set when I purchased the new motor mount and I'm really glad I did. They're very much worth the $30.

 

[Zerthar]

Thank you for all the replies!
I tried the Dremel method but was unsucessful. I ended up drilling the screw out, somewhat damaging the chassis plate (not too bad). My motor mount is now useless and I need a new one. It´s a bummer for something that was broken from the start. Thank you for the tip with the heat gun. I will definitely do this in the future and hopefully can prevent this from happening again.
Regarding tools, I do have some good quality tools. But this screw was so stuck, it almost twisted the tool.

 

[Paultro84]

Thank you for all the replies!
I tried the Dremel method but was unsucessful. I ended up drilling the screw out, somewhat damaging the chassis plate (not too bad). My motor mount is now useless and I need a new one. It´s a bummer for something that was broken from the start. Thank you for the tip with the heat gun. I will definitely do this in the future and hopefully can prevent this from happening again.
Regarding tools, I do have some good quality tools. But this screw was so stuck, it almost twisted the tool.

Someone also recommend to me to use a soldering iron on the tip of the screw to loosen the loctite. Haven't tried that method yet but it makes sense.

 

[Zerthar]

That could be a good solution since it´s very focused heat. Better than a heat gun.

 

[Zerthar]

By the way. I now refilled the center diff with 100k diff oil. When I try to turn it by hand, it´s hard to turn. Normal? Does this not impede the motor? Sorry...noob question.

 

[Paultro84]

By the way. I now refilled the center diff with 100k diff oil. When I try to turn it by hand, it´s hard to turn. Normal? Does this not impede the motor? Sorry...noob question.

I run 1 million in the center diff of my Outcast so I'm not sure how hard it should turn with 100k. I run mine in the woods a lot and need more 4x4 action so 1 million pretty much locks it up.

 

[dwblue00]

I've used the soldering iron method and it does work. Got to let the screw get hot! The it will break free.

 

[olds97_lss]

By the way. I now refilled the center diff with 100k diff oil. When I try to turn it by hand, it´s hard to turn. Normal? Does this not impede the motor? Sorry...noob question.

It will feel that way by hand, but you have to remember, the entire diff rotates. The purpose of the oil is to limit how much power goes to the wheels with the least grip. With light oil, most of the power will go to the front tires and spin them in the air while the rear wheels catch up. WIth heavier oil, the rear wheels will get more of the lost power. Too stiff and it will wheelie all the time and be harsher on the drive line when you land jumps.

Part of the job of center diff is also protection for the drive train. Without it, when you land, the shock transmits through all diffs, wheels, axles and the motor. With a center diff, some of the impact is absorbed by the diff spinning while the spur catches up. Granted, this doesn't do as much when you land flat on all 4 wheels, but it helps to absorb the immediate shock when your front or rear wheels touch first. That's why pretty much every RC either has a center diff or a slipper clutch.