Kraton Swapping out the pinion on V2 Kraton disaster.

[CL-Audio]

OMG! Who knew this would be so time consuming and frustrating! I had no problem unscrewing the grub screw but pulling the pinion off was ridiculous. After over an hour i was finally able to pry it off with lots of brute force. Scratched up my motor mount in the process, grrrr! You could see all the caked on red loctite. It was like cement. ARRMA please stop with the red loctite.

Now I cannot get the motor mount screws loose to allow gear mesh adjustment. They will not budge. I have tried brute force and heat to try and loosen them, nothing is working. This should be a 15 minute process. Kraton has been on blocks for 2 days now just trying to change the pinion, not cool. Any suggestions guys???

 

[Ole Fart51]

OMG! Who knew this would be so time consuming and frustrating! I had no problem unscrewing the grub screw but pulling the pinion off was ridiculous. After over an hour i was finally able to pry it off with lots of brute force. Scratched up my motor mount in the process, grrrr! You could see all the caked on red loctite. It was like cement. ARRMA please stop with the red loctite.

View attachment 3243

Now I cannot get the motor mount screws loose to allow gear mesh adjustment. They will not budge. I have tried brute force and heat to try and loosen them, nothing is working. This should be a 15 minute process. Kraton has been on blocks for 2 days now just trying to change the pinion, not cool. Any suggestions guys???

OMG! Who knew this would be so time consuming and frustrating! I had no problem unscrewing the grub screw but pulling the pinion off was ridiculous. After over an hour i was finally able to pry it off with lots of brute force. Scratched up my motor mount in the process, grrrr! You could see all the caked on red loctite. It was like cement. ARRMA please stop with the red loctite.

View attachment 3243

Now I cannot get the motor mount screws loose to allow gear mesh adjustment. They will not budge. I have tried brute force and heat to try and loosen them, nothing is working. This should be a 15 minute process. Kraton has been on blocks for 2 days now just trying to change the pinion, not cool. Any suggestions guys???

I had same problem. Ended up using my soldering iron. Put tip on the screw for about a minute. Then loosen. Worked for me.

 

[CL-Audio]

I had same problem. Ended up using my soldering iron. Put tip on the screw for about a minute. Then loosen. Worked for me.

Damn, I did that and nothing. Maybe I need to turn the soldering iron up all the way and hold it on the screw longer......

 

[The German]

It was a hard work. And it took me also app. 30 min.

 

[AT06]

Also worth investing in a pinion puller perhaps.

 

[Kauaiguy]

Damn, I did that and nothing. Maybe I need to turn the soldering iron up all the way and hold it on the screw longer......

You need the pinion to get up over 500f,so it takes a few mintues on the highest setting of your soldering iron.All my screws came right off that way.

 

[CL-Audio]

You need the pinion to get up over 500f,so it takes a few mintues on the highest setting of your soldering iron.All my screws came right off that way.

Thanks I will try that. I did get the pinion off now need the motor mount screws to come off.

 

[Kauaiguy]

For the motor mount screws,also stick the end of the soldering iron into the hex head,might take a little longer on those.You want to use a good locktite on reassembly because bad stuff happens if either the pinion or mount bolts lossen under load.

 

[CL-Audio]

For the motor mount screws,also stick the end of the soldering iron into the hex head,might take a little longer on those.You want to use a good locktite on reassembly because bad stuff happens if either the pinion or mount bolts lossen under load.

Thanks. I hesitate to use to much loctite. I'm pretty sure the red loctite is why these things are borderline impossible to remove. I'm considering buying a mini butane torch.

 

[The German]

But it is worth it.
First test on the street - app. 90% throttle:



Still a bit afraid, the street gets so small with this speed.
And I am using my iPhone taped on the body - very risky.

 

[CL-Audio]

But it is worth it.
First test on the street - app. 90% throttle:

View attachment 3295

Still a bit afraid, the street gets so small with this speed.
And I am using my iPhone taped on the body - very risky.

View attachment 3296

Are you running 4S?

 

[Jerry-rigged]

I used a soldering iron, set to 788deg, for about 2 minutes on those screws. Pinion grub too. Use blue locktite going back together. Red is for stuff that you assume will never be removed.... LOL

 

[CL-Audio]

I used a soldering iron, set to 788deg, for about 2 minutes on those screws. Pinion grub too. Use blue locktite going back together. Red is for stuff that you assume will never be removed.... LOL

Thanks. Why in the world would Arrma assume a hobby grade rc truck would never be taken apart ? My motor is STILL on my workbench for a simple pinion swap. Ridiculous , lol.

 

[The German]

Are you running 4S?

Yes, until now only 4s.

 

[Kauaiguy]

Yes, until now only 4s.

I use red locktite on my pinion and motor mount screws and installed the Rcscrewz ss kit,so i have removed every fastner.Only had to use heat on the pinion and motor mount screws but i would rather use heat then have them slip under load.

 

[c10vortec]

Glad to know I wasn't the only one with factory loctite issues, I considered starting a similar thread when it happened. My issue was with the motor mount bolts in the chassis. The picture says enough, but there was powder build up underneath the heads of the countersunk screws...it looked like they filled the hole with loctite then put the screws in. I was able to remove 2 of the 3 at the cost of breaking the ratcheting mechanism of my driver, but I stripped the middle one even after heating it. so I had to drill it out then slot it with a die grinder and remove with a screw driver. It still wasn't easy, a 30 min diff service took about 2 hours... My soldering Iron didn't even touch the loctite and it's a decent iron, it was just too much aluminum for heat to build up. I bought the pencil torch kit at Lowe's for about $15 so I didn't have to aim a full sized butane torch at my rc. It did the trick after some thorough heating..

 

[Swerny]

Glad to know I wasn't the only one with factory loctite issues, I considered starting a similar thread when it happened. My issue was with the motor mount bolts in the chassis. The picture says enough, but there was powder build up underneath the heads of the countersunk screws...it looked like they filled the hole with loctite then put the screws in. I was able to remove 2 of the 3 at the cost of breaking the ratcheting mechanism of my driver, but I stripped the middle one even after heating it. so I had to drill it out then slot it with a die grinder and remove with a screw driver. It still wasn't easy, a 30 min diff service took about 2 hours....

I had the same issue with my new Kraton.

stripped one of the motor mount bolts. Had to drill it out now i can't get the broken stub out of the mount itself.

New mount is $30 too.

 

[CL-Audio]

I was finally able to remove the motor mount screws . I had to hold my soldering iron on the screw for about 10 minutes . Now to do some center diff maintenance and decide on the oil weight .

 

[Kauaiguy]

I had the same issue with my new Kraton.

stripped one of the motor mount bolts. Had to drill it out now i can't get the broken stub out of the mount itself.

New mount is $30 too.

Go on to the Ebay site and type in Arrma Kraton,there you will find the motor mount for around $7/8 bucks.Almost all parts are available much cheaper!!

 

[Swerny]

Go on to the Ebay site and type in Arrma Kraton,there you will find the motor mount for around $7/8 bucks.Almost all parts are available much cheaper!!

yup, thanks!