Granite Voltage 2WD brushless conversion, Velo’s learning curve build.

[Velodromed]

I have 3 of these brushed, lightweight two wheel drive critters. My wife drove hers into the lake recently and the esc/servo have died. While looking for a new brushed esc I realized converting it to brushless would be a good learning experience since, I plan on doing my granite 4x4 before long.
I’m going cheap lol and ordered this simple esc/motor combo. Decent motor, prob crap esc but easy to replace. Since I’ll be running the huge stock main gear I’ll go down in pinion from 16t to 14t.
Spent the afternoon disassembling the voltage and it’s not as nice to work on as say…any other Arrma. But I got it laid out like a splayed chicken ready to bbq, all cleaned up with bearings mostly replaced.

How do you keep track of all the bits and pieces? I use a trick from when I was working on mountain bikes/track bikes etc constantly…it’s okay to poke fun, it works well for me

 

[Cheez]

Whenever possible after disassembling I replace screws,nuts,and bolts Into their respective parts. And I and probably many others lay out parts like a “dissected frog”.

 

[Velodromed]

I have 3 of these brushed, lightweight two wheel drive critters. My wife drove hers into the lake recently and the esc/servo have died. While looking for a new brushed esc I realized converting it to brushless would be a good learning experience since, I plan on doing my granite 4x4 before long.
I’m going cheap lol and ordered this simple esc/motor combo. Decent motor, prob crap esc but easy to replace. Since I’ll be running the huge stock main gear I’ll go down in pinion from 16t to 14t.
Spent the afternoon disassembling the voltage and it’s not as nice to work on as say…any other Arrma. But I got it laid out like a splayed chicken ready to bbq, all cleaned up with bearings mostly replaced.

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How do you keep track of all the bits and pieces? I use a trick from when I was working on mountain bikes/track bikes etc constantly…it’s okay to poke fun, it works well for me

I’d been thinking on a motor heat sink/fan thing but with no mounts available, and I don’t have a 3D printer…but I do have a small hack saw, and couple of side mount aluminum heat sinks…and it worked! Just need to order some thermal glue.
Man it fits perfect, like it’s made for the space. Think I’ll get a rocket fan as I like the aluminum frame and air movement. Will definitely need to screen the fan.

 

[Velodromed]

I want the antenna sticking out of the receiver box, so I jacked the tube from the SRS, grabbed my drill and…
(damn Arrma plastic is densely flexibly hard! I like that!!)
Pulled out a new drill bit…

I want the antenna sticking out of the receiver box, so I jacked the tube from the SRS, grabbed my drill and…
(damn Arrma plastic is densely flexibly hard! I like that!!)
Pulled out a new drill bit…

Needs a little sumpin sumpin here…

I want the antenna sticking out of the receiver box, so I jacked the tube from the SRS, grabbed my drill and…
(damn Arrma plastic is densely flexibly hard! I like that!!)
Pulled out a new drill bit…

Needs a little sumpin sumpin here…

A little antenna support inside an out. Think I’ll seal the tube in the box to keep it waterproof.

 

[Velodromed]

Decided I don’t want to seal the Antenna tube in the receiver box cap. So using the rubber cap that came with the tube (from the old srs unit) I cut two pieces off to seal top and bottom… and it fits out perfect. Should be mostly water tight and I can adjust the tube if needed.
Thank God I have stuff like this to do on days where I really nead stuff like this to do

 

[Velodromed]

Well…my brushless motor/esc won’t be here till mid June. So I’m gonna upgrade this Voltage brushed since most the parts are here to do so or on the way. I’ll do the new (free warranty) Voltage I just got to brushless when the parts come in.

 

[Velodromed]

New brushed 550 is in. Brushless set up is somewhere in Vegas making it’s way by turtle .

I locktited everything that needed it (learned a lot here on the forum) and installed with the stock 16t pinion. Used a new grease I picked up…
Slapped these tires on that I really like (washers help strengthen with the cheap plastic rims). Now just need to clean up the wires and test come morning.
Before this year I couldn’t have done step one on this super basic build. I love this hobby! I’m learning things that I never thought possible.
Once the brushless system arrives I’ll convert one of my other voltages then will do my Granite mega 4x4. I managed to snag a 3s motor off Jenny’s yesterday and thats the last part I need for converting it.
Hmmm…one thing I think forgot to mention is I got a new 3s remote/receiver from Jenny’s. No more crappy SRS lol.

 

[dure16]

It might be a little slower than you expect with the 16T pinion. 19T seems to be the sweet spot on these with a 550.

 

[Velodromed]

It might be a little slower than you expect with the 16T pinion. 19T seems to be the sweet spot on these with a 550.

Yup,I was thinking that since 16 is just the stock pinion, it won’t be much faster than it was with the stock 540. I have a set of pinions coming To experiment with 17 through 20. I’ve got three of these. One is my wifes, one I am turning into a pink jeep for my stepdaughter (Got a clear jeep gladiator body coming from eBay) the other I’m converting to brushless as soon as the motor arrives.

 

[dure16]

With the stock 16T, I’d bet it’s actually slower than stock.

 

[Velodromed]

With the stock 16T, I’d bet it’s actually slower than stock.

Speed is not the goal… but I am curious on your figuring on this.

 

[Velodromed]

After breaking in the brushed motor…I am happy. It runs solid and is a good bit faster then stock, even with the 16t stock pinion. Mrs. Velo is also happy.

Meanwhile, I’m still waiting for the brushless kit from China to get here so I can do my originally intended ‘intro to converting to brushless’ on one of the other voltages. Then I will tackle the Granite 4x4. Got everything in cept the motor and it’s on its way from Jenny’s.

 

[Velodromed]

I found a problem with using a kimbrough 124 on the voltage. The rain cleared so I took it out to test and realized it was pigeon toed about 5mm each side
So I found these in my parts, adjustable with 1mm nylon washers, and made each side 4mm shorter then stock.

 

[Velodromed]

Took the balls off the kimbrough and steering knuckles with one of those handy silver things that comes with Amazon rc cars and bolted all with 16mm m3 screws. Dealing with the servo on these cars sucks. No room and can’t see, do it just by feel. I put a shim under the servo saver to stop it from rubbbng, little locktite (love the gel stuff just got) and bolted it on with a 12mm(?) m3.

I think this will work well and will try it out tomorrow.
the Amazon guy just tossed me the little brushless setup I’ve been waiting on. The esc is basic but the motor was the main thing. Those wires have to exit straight back off the motor to mount it in a voltage.
I got this voltage for free. I had a after market warranty on one that I used (it didn’t run out of the box) and they sent me a new one and let me keep the other one. Best thing is it has a different body from all the others I’ve seen.

 

[Velodromed]

Ugh. I don’t get it
They are all black. What plugs into what?

 

[Gato]

brushless is a 3 phase A/C setup. it doesn't really matter how you connect them. just hook them up and give it a little test run. if the motor is spinning backwards, pick any two wires and switch them. Simple as that

 

[Velodromed]

brushless is a 3 phase A/C setup. it doesn't really matter how you connect them. just hook them up and give it a little test run. if the motor is spinning backwards, pick any two wires and switch them. Simple as that

Yep, that’s what they’ve been telling me. Same as a brushed motor just one extra wire (Unless it is a sensored motor.)
Thank you very much and also everyone else thats helping guide me!

 

[Velodromed]

I’d been thinking on a motor heat sink/fan thing but with no mounts available, and I don’t have a 3D printer…but I do have a small hack saw, and couple of side mount aluminum heat sinks…and it worked!

That idea won’t work. Those stupid little heat sinks have bout a centimeters space for the air to get through the mount. I gotta figure me out a mount, or buy one off someone who already has designed with a 3-D printer or something. Or wrap the fcker with tape and shove it in there.
So I learned the cheap wheel lesson. $26 bucks on Amazon got good rubber but crappo plastics and spun out on a rear tire. I made sure I got the same size rims as stock, because the stock rims are that good nylon plastic stuff. It’s the stock rubber that sucks.

Now I get to learn how to swap tires…which I’ve heard involves an oven and bad smell and I’m sure I can’t do that without dire consequences in my house. Off to research

 

[dure16]

That idea won’t work. Those stupid little heat sinks have bout a centimeters space for the air to get through the mount. I gotta figure me out a mount, or buy one off someone who already has designed with a 3-D printer or something. Or wrap the fcker with tape and shove it in there.
So I learned the cheap wheel lesson. $26 bucks on Amazon got good rubber but crappo plastics and spun out on a rear tire. I made sure I got the same size rims as stock, because the stock rims are that good nylon plastic stuff. It’s the stock rubber that sucks.

Now I get to learn how to swap tires…which I’ve heard involves an oven and bad smell and I’m sure I can’t do that without dire consequences in my house. Off to research

Oven. 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Tires will pull right off the rims.

 

[Velodromed]

Even though removing tires was interesting (wheels & tires) and I ruined the body a little (paint & body) the car turned out very well! I’m just waiting for one last cosmetic thing (1/8 red blk PET) to arrive and clear weather to test. But I’m happy with My first experience with brushless.

Got to work on learning how to reinforce the body now (shoe goo/wall tape). The last picture is of earliers screw up. Won’t be using a hairdryer to remove stickers again hell nope.

ugh, looked at the pictures and realized I got toe in up front. Just finished ordering a couple 94 mm Traxxas connecting rods/ends I will fix it next week. That should work. I used some thing similar from my box of tricks to fix my last voltage when I put a kimbrough on it.

That’s the only thing about a Kimbrough 124 on the voltage, it works great but you have to shorten the steering rods about three or 4 mm each side. At least the way I put it in you do

Honestly this is a needed improvement anyway over the plastic nonadjustable rods that it comes with.