Senton Senton 3S Questions from someone who hasn’t driven RC in 15 years

[igroves23]

Hi everyone,

So happy this forum exists. I hope it doesn’t break the rules to just put all of the questions I have into one post! Got a Senton 3S and 2 Spektrum 5000MAH 100c 3S lipos and an S150 charger today.

Most fun I’ve had in months taking it out for the first time. Brought back fond memories of childhood(including the terrifying feeling of nearly chopping my ankles off).

I do have some questions and I would be eternally grateful if anyone knows their answers! I’ll do my research in addition but I’m more interested in individuals experiences.


-How long can I store fully charged batteries? After use, do people typically recharge them fully?

-What’s the best way to clean the Senton after each use? I took compressed air to get the debris out of it, but can I wash this thing down if it gets super dirty? is it waterproof?

-What kind of general maintenance is required for the Senton? Do I need to lubricate anything?

-How do I know when the motor is too hot? what is too hot?

-I’m very concerned with getting pebbles/dust in the motor and components. Does anyone have a dust cover they would recommend?


-Is there anything that I need to lubricate?

-What are some of the most commonly broken parts that would be good to upgrade out of the gate?

thank you all in advance! Looking forward to hearing everyone’s experiences/answers, whether you answer one or all of them it’s greatly appreciated!

 

[LightningMcQueen]

Hey!
Here are some answers, I hope they are enough for you

1. Its the best when you charge your Lipo to 3.82V per cell after using them. Many charger have a "storage-modus" which charges the battery. With this voltage you can store them for a long time but its the best to check them every 3 oder 4 weeks. When the battery is fully charged don't let it lie around for to long. I try to use a full one in the next one or 2 hours.
When the battery lies around for to long with low voltage like 3.3V per cell it can damage the battery.

2. compressed air is a good method to clean it. If you don't want rust on your senton then never let it stay wet after use. Personally i strip the whole rc down after some runs in the mud and clean all parts with water too.
I also do wash away the mud with water and dry it after that with compressed air.
Theoretically the whole car is waterproof but i would not get to much near the electricity. Also bolts, bearings and screws can roast.

3. for general maintenance there are some good videos on youtube or some posts in this forum. additionally i like to spray all parts (also plastic) with wd40. This keeps rust away lubricates the bearings and some say in winter the plastics are more shatterproof.

4. Normaly the motor will not get too hot. I drove my 3s for 15min on full throttle and the only thing that failed was the deans-connector which melted away... So its better to use IC5 or EC5
But if you have more batteries and you want to be safe, just wait a couple of minutes when changing the batteries so the motor can cool down.

5. I personally use a dust cover from dusty motors and some shocksocks. the cover is great and keeps mud, dirt, snow and water from the inside of your senton.
https://www.dustymotors.com/de/shop-page/arrma-senton-3s-4x4-protection-cover/
This fitts perfectly for the senton 3s and comes with some shocksocks. Unfortunally this one is from europe, so just search for it on ebay or google.

6. Keep the bearings smooth with some oil or wd40. Also after some time, you have to change the oil in the shocks and the grease in the diffs.

7. After my first runs i lost a pin (AR713028) for the wheel hex so maybe you buy some of them. It also helps to use some locktide for the screws on the wheel hex.
My front bumer broke a few times but this does not stop you from driving. You can also get an aftermaket for this. In the forum are some good recommendations like this one:
https://tboneracing.net/collections...79-tbr-xv4-front-bumper-arrma-senton-4x4-mega
Additionally you could get some Suspension arms and locks nuts for the wheels (AR708008) if you loose some of them.
Many members also upgrade their servo and suspension. I think they are fine for the beginning.

Heres a exploded view for the senton:
https://www.arrma-rc.com/interactive-exploded-view/ARA4303V3T1

If i forgot something or wrote something wrong please correct me

 

[jondilly1974]

-How long can I store fully charged batteries? After use, do people typically recharge them fully?

24 hours maximum. Never store lipos with anything other than a storage charge. 3.8-3.85v per cell is ideal storage charge

-What’s the best way to clean the Senton after each use? I took compressed air to get the debris out of it, but can I wash this thing down if it gets super dirty? is it waterproof?

Best way is clean off quickly with air to remove the loose stuff, then hit it with Simple Green cleaner, then blow it off again. Use an old toothbrush to agitate stuck on gunk. Make sure to spray it with WD40 or some other water displacing spray after to keep bearings and other metals from rusting. Wipe excess off with a towel.

-What kind of general maintenance is required for the Senton? Do I need to lubricate anything?

Lots of things. Bearings need checked, cleaned, lubed. Oil levels in shocks. Diff fluid changed. But most importantly you want to check all screws and nuts each run. They will back out over time.

-How do I know when the motor is too hot? what is too hot?

Get an Ir temp gun. Never run above 180F.

-I’m very concerned with getting pebbles/dust in the motor and components. Does anyone have a dust cover they would recommend?

Dusty Motors makes a dust cover.

-Is there anything that I need to lubricate?

Bearings will need checked often, but depending if you use oil or grease, they may not need added lube often.

-What are some of the most commonly broken parts that would be good to upgrade out of the gate?

If you haven’t vented your tires, now is the time. Senton tires like to rip quickly when dirt gets inside the rim holes. After that, a set of diffs and a-arms is a good thing to have. Then just worry about what if anything breaks down the line.

thank you all in advance! Looking forward to hearing everyone’s experiences/answers, whether you answer one or all of them it’s greatly appreciated!

Welcome to the Arrma Fam

 

[igroves23]

Hey!
Here are some answers, I hope they are enough for you

1. Its the best when you charge your Lipo to 3.82V per cell after using them. Many charger have a "storage-modus" which charges the battery. With this voltage you can store them for a long time but its the best to check them every 3 oder 4 weeks. When the battery is fully charged don't let it lie around for to long. I try to use a full one in the next one or 2 hours.
When the battery lies around for to long with low voltage like 3.3V per cell it can damage the battery.

2. compressed air is a good method to clean it. If you don't want rust on your senton then never let it stay wet after use. Personally i strip the whole rc down after some runs in the mud and clean all parts with water too.
I also do wash away the mud with water and dry it after that with compressed air.
Theoretically the whole car is waterproof but i would not get to much near the electricity. Also bolts, bearings and screws can roast.

3. for general maintenance there are some good videos on youtube or some posts in this forum. additionally i like to spray all parts (also plastic) with wd40. This keeps rust away lubricates the bearings and some say in winter the plastics are more shatterproof.

4. Normaly the motor will not get too hot. I drove my 3s for 15min on full throttle and the only thing that failed was the deans-connector which melted away... So its better to use IC5 or EC5
But if you have more batteries and you want to be safe, just wait a couple of minutes when changing the batteries so the motor can cool down.

5. I personally use a dust cover from dusty motors and some shocksocks. the cover is great and keeps mud, dirt, snow and water from the inside of your senton.
https://www.dustymotors.com/de/shop-page/arrma-senton-3s-4x4-protection-cover/
This fitts perfectly for the senton 3s and comes with some shocksocks. Unfortunally this one is from europe, so just search for it on ebay or google.

6. Keep the bearings smooth with some oil or wd40. Also after some time, you have to change the oil in the shocks and the grease in the diffs.

7. After my first runs i lost a pin (AR713028) for the wheel hex so maybe you buy some of them. It also helps to use some locktide for the screws on the wheel hex.
My front bumer broke a few times but this does not stop you from driving. You can also get an aftermaket for this. In the forum are some good recommendations like this one:
https://tboneracing.net/collections...79-tbr-xv4-front-bumper-arrma-senton-4x4-mega
Additionally you could get some Suspension arms and locks nuts for the wheels (AR708008) if you loose some of them.
Many members also upgrade their servo and suspension. I think they are fine for the beginning.

Heres a exploded view for the senton:
https://www.arrma-rc.com/interactive-exploded-view/ARA4303V3T1

If i forgot something or wrote something wrong please correct me

Thank you so much!!! Really really appreciate it. I’ll search for that dust cover and order it ASAP, as well as the servo and suspension at some point soon.
In terms of the lubrication and grease in the diffs, what kind of grease do people use? Do I take apart the diffs and just grease them up or is there a certain way to do it?

 

[igroves23]

-How long can I store fully charged batteries? After use, do people typically recharge them fully?

24 hours maximum. Never store lipos with anything other than a storage charge. 3.8-3.85v per cell is ideal storage charge

-What’s the best way to clean the Senton after each use? I took compressed air to get the debris out of it, but can I wash this thing down if it gets super dirty? is it waterproof?

Best way is clean off quickly with air to remove the loose stuff, then hit it with Simple Green cleaner, then blow it off again. Use an old toothbrush to agitate stuck on gunk. Make sure to spray it with WD40 or some other water displacing spray after to keep bearings and other metals from rusting. Wipe excess off with a towel.

-What kind of general maintenance is required for the Senton? Do I need to lubricate anything?

Lots of things. Bearings need checked, cleaned, lubed. Oil levels in shocks. Diff fluid changed. But most importantly you want to check all screws and nuts each run. They will back out over time.

-How do I know when the motor is too hot? what is too hot?

Get an Ir temp gun. Never run above 180F.

-I’m very concerned with getting pebbles/dust in the motor and components. Does anyone have a dust cover they would recommend?

Dusty Motors makes a dust cover.

-Is there anything that I need to lubricate?

Bearings will need checked often, but depending if you use oil or grease, they may not need added lube often.

-What are some of the most commonly broken parts that would be good to upgrade out of the gate?

If you haven’t vented your tires, now is the time. Senton tires like to rip quickly when dirt gets inside the rim holes. After that, a set of diffs and a-arms is a good thing to have. Then just worry about what if anything breaks down the line.

thank you all in advance! Looking forward to hearing everyone’s experiences/answers, whether you answer one or all of them it’s greatly appreciated!

Welcome to the Arrma Fam

Thank you very much!! All extremely helpful info.
I’m going to take it apart today and figure out where all of the bearings and stuff are, lube them. as well as checking all of the nuts and bolts to make sure they’re not backed out.
When you say “vented my tires” what does that mean? I’m thinking about just getting entirely new tires because I’ve heard bad things about the stocks. Do you have a recommendation? Can I just yank the old ones off the wheels and glue the new ones on?
Thanks again!!

 

[jondilly1974]

Thank you very much!! All extremely helpful info.
I’m going to take it apart today and figure out where all of the bearings and stuff are, lube them. as well as checking all of the nuts and bolts to make sure they’re not backed out.
When you say “vented my tires” what does that mean? I’m thinking about just getting entirely new tires because I’ve heard bad things about the stocks. Do you have a recommendation? Can I just yank the old ones off the wheels and glue the new ones on?
Thanks again!!

Venting the tires means putting 2-4 holes around the center of the tire treads to allow water/dirt/air to escape under heavy centripetal forces. Without the ability for these to escape, they will simply tear the tire instead. Also locking debris inside the tire will create imbalance and the added weight will cause many types of damage. Make sure you then tape the holes in the rims to prevent dirt and water from entering to begin with.

As far as reusing old rims, I’m not a fan as they take abuse as well. The time and effort cleaning and gluing new tires seems like a wasted effort to me. I would buy a set of Duratrax tires on wheels and move on.

 

[igroves23]

Venting the tires means putting 2-4 holes around the center of the tire treads to allow water/dirt/air to escape under heavy centripetal forces. Without the ability for these to escape, they will simply tear the tire instead. Also locking debris inside the tire will create imbalance and the added weight will cause many types of damage. Make sure you then tape the holes in the rims to prevent dirt and water from entering to begin with.

As far as reusing old rims, I’m not a fan as they take abuse as well. The time and effort cleaning and gluing new tires seems like a wasted effort to me. I would buy a set of Duratrax tires on wheels and move on.

Got it! I'll get the duratrax wheels. Thank you! Is there a need to vent those as well?

Also, heres some parts ive found. Are these compatible? I've been told suspension arms are good to replace with aluminum ones. Pivot balls too. Even though im not sure what the benefit is of the upgraded ones.


-suspension arms
https://hot-racing.com/?partnumber=ATF5501;c=1346
https://hot-racing.com/?partnumber=ATF5601;c=1346


Alum pivot ball set
https://hot-racing.com/?partnumber=ATF160B02;c=1346

 

[OleManTan]

Check out these great prices if you get bored with the spektrum: $22 for two 50c batteries, two 5200mah https://www.amazon.com/GOLDBAT-5200mAh-Battery-Evader-Truggy/dp/B086P6Q5GW and if you want 100c https://www.amazon.com/GOLDBAT-5200mAh-Battery-Connector-Traxxas/dp/B08B5XFQX8?th=1 and for 3s hardcase: https://www.amazon.com/GOLDBAT-5200mAh-Battery-Connector-Traxxas/dp/B08B5WVM35?th=1 and my current personal favorite: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CK6FK2L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
When the rc tire spins up it creates suction through the little hole in the rim and it actually sucks in dirt and water. A lot of it. The punched holes in the tires allow that to escape when you rip it. I would recommend putting a strip of duct tape/gorilla tape on the inside of the tire and then punching it. I use a harbor freight leather puncher. The tape stops the tire from ballooning. It creates a belted tire. Some people put fishing line on their tires or some buy actual belted tires. You can try without and see what works for you. ENjoy!

 

[igroves23]

Check out these great prices if you get bored with the spektrum: $22 for two 50c batteries, two 5200mah https://www.amazon.com/GOLDBAT-5200mAh-Battery-Evader-Truggy/dp/B086P6Q5GW and if you want 100c https://www.amazon.com/GOLDBAT-5200mAh-Battery-Connector-Traxxas/dp/B08B5XFQX8?th=1 and for 3s hardcase: https://www.amazon.com/GOLDBAT-5200mAh-Battery-Connector-Traxxas/dp/B08B5WVM35?th=1 and my current personal favorite: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CK6FK2L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
When the rc tire spins up it creates suction through the little hole in the rim and it actually sucks in dirt and water. A lot of it. The punched holes in the tires allow that to escape when you rip it. I would recommend putting a strip of duct tape/gorilla tape on the inside of the tire and then punching it. I use a harbor freight leather puncher. The tape stops the tire from ballooning. It creates a belted tire. Some people put fishing line on their tires or some buy actual belted tires. You can try without and see what works for you. ENjoy!

Thanks for the links! Would I be able to charge these batteries on the spektrum s150?

And i'm likely going to just get new wheels and tires for it. No clue which ones are compatable, cant seem to find a clear answer anywhere on the internet.

 

[jondilly1974]

Got it! I'll get the duratrax wheels. Thank you! Is there a need to vent those as well?

Also, heres some parts ive found. Are these compatible? I've been told suspension arms are good to replace with aluminum ones. Pivot balls too. Even though im not sure what the benefit is of the upgraded ones.


-suspension arms
https://hot-racing.com/?partnumber=ATF5501;c=1346
https://hot-racing.com/?partnumber=ATF5601;c=1346


Alum pivot ball set
https://hot-racing.com/?partnumber=ATF160B02;c=1346

I vent all tires. I also balance them too. Look for any 14mm hex wheels.

 

[OleManTan]

Thanks for the links! Would I be able to charge these batteries on the spektrum s150?

And i'm likely going to just get new wheels and tires for it. No clue which ones are compatable, cant seem to find a clear answer anywhere on the internet.

It can but you'll need adapters or leads since the spektrum chargers don't come with anything. The LGD240 came with everything. My buddy has a s2100 so... I'm not biased. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DU78UDS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F75GBO6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1