Granite Well that didn't last long.

[Griz]

At least it was nice for Christmas!

Got the kid a Granite Voltage for christmas. The day after, we did charged up the 2s batteries, changed the jumper to Lipo, bound the Tx/Rx and got to it. Bigtime fun!

A couple of days later, we had put probably 4 packs total through it, and it just died. We took off the body to see if it had come unplugged or anything, and the ESC was blinking red. I thought maybe we had overheated it (even though it is pretty cool outside and we had only been running it a few minutes) so we shut it down to let it cool off.

Turned it on about half an hour later, and same thing, blinking red light. I read the manual back to front, and the only reference I could find to blinking lights of any type was when it was overheating, and when I was binding the Tx. So, naturally, I tried to re-bind the Tx.

At that point, we had a runaway.

Fortunately the car was being held by the chassis so it didn't actually run away, but it did start going full-bore until I turned it off. When I tried turning it back on, it was back to just a blinking red light, and now that is all it will do. I've changed batteries, changed Tx batteries, tried to bind again, and nothing happens.

Is there anything I can do or is it time to start calling CS?

 

[RackwitzG]

Looks like an ESC issue. ARRMA trucks seem to be full of problems with them. I'm sorting one out myself. Yes, I would recommend to call CS. It is said that ARRMA/Hobbywing is generous with replacements.

 

[Griz]

Looks like an ESC issue. ARRMA trucks seem to be full of problems with them. I'm sorting one out myself. Yes, I would recommend to call CS. It is said that ARRMA/Hobbywing is generous with replacements.

Good to know, thanks for the help! I'll be in touch with them shortly!!

 

[RackwitzG]

Let us know what you achieved. Good Luck.

 

[Silverado86]

Just Sounds like the throttle trim dial on the remote needs to be adjusted
Just adjust Channel 2 on remote until the car stops moving but will still go in reverse
Just adjust Channel 2 on remote until the car stops moving but will still go in reverse

 

[RackwitzG]

At that point, we had a runaway.

That is interesting. I tested what happens when there is a signal loss between TX and RX and shut the TX off while the truck was running at low speed. It stopped imediately, just like I think I remember reading in the manual. A runaway may have to do with the throttle trim like Silverado says. But, it doesn't seem likely unless you unintentionally turned the throttle trim knob. I have btw.

 

[Griz]

Just Sounds like the throttle trim dial on the remote needs to be adjusted
Just adjust Channel 2 on remote until the car stops moving but will still go in reverse
Just adjust Channel 2 on remote until the car stops moving but will still go in reverse

The car no longer moves in reverse or forward. After the "runaway" I switched the power off and now it will do nothing at all except blink a red light, even when I try to bind the Tx again.

 

[L3phturn]

The car no longer moves in reverse or forward. After the "runaway" I switched the power off and now it will do nothing at all except blink a red light, even when I try to bind the Tx again.

Reset your ESC and calibrate your throttle end points. Be sure you have your throttle trim in the middle and throttle on 100% when you do it.

You must do your throttle end point calibration after EVERY TIME you enter the ESC menu or reset it.

 

[Griz]

Reset your ESC and calibrate your throttle end points. Be sure you have your throttle trim in the middle and throttle on 100% when you do it.

You must do your throttle end point calibration after EVERY TIME you enter the ESC menu or reset it.

I don't have that ESC. Once I get a free minute I'll call Arrma and have them send a replacement. I haven't found anything on how to reset or calibrate much of anything on the Voltage trucks.

 

[Adamj804]

I don't have that ESC. Once I get a free minute I'll call Arrma and have them send a replacement. I haven't found anything on how to reset or calibrate much of anything on the Voltage trucks.

You can find live chat on their website at times. Emailing may be easier in these times than calling.

 

[yoitsrcme]

I've personally broken 3 different Voltage Trucks in 3 weeks since Christmas.
Once was a servo and twice (known) issues with the transmissions.
I got 2 of them at Christmas for $69.00 for the kids. I bought a 3rd one at $99 for myself after the sale was over.
Parts from warrantee claims have been a PITA to get and slow to receive.
In a very short time I have found that repair part$ are frequently needed to have true Bashing fun and it gets to be a PITA!
As an engineer, I suspect this truck's extremely poorly made plastic nylon gears (as frequently mentioned in other posts here are a KNOWN fault) are over powered by raw power of LIPO batteries. (Cant handle the stress)
This truck is flawed in its production design and (other posts support) that ARRMA has absolutely no intentions of providing better metal gears.
I am now in an cyclical pattern of break/buy more parts/fix/play with 3 Voltage's and I am pissed.
It's a very fun ENTRY LEVEL truck at first and it great for kids 6+, but would recommend using NIMH batteries exclusively.
Pass on it if your inclined to quickly fall in love with RC cars and spend at least $300-$400 on a much better build initially.
You do get what you pay for!

 

[Griz]

I've personally broken 3 different Voltage Trucks in 3 weeks since Christmas.
Once was a servo and twice (known) issues with the transmissions.
I got 2 of them at Christmas for $69.00 for the kids. I bought a 3rd one at $99 for myself after the sale was over.
Parts from warrantee claims have been a PITA to get and slow to receive.
In a very short time I have found that repair part$ are frequently needed to have true Bashing fun and it gets to be a PITA!
As an engineer, I suspect this truck's extremely poorly made plastic nylon gears (as frequently mentioned in other posts here are a KNOWN fault) are over powered by raw power of LIPO batteries. (Cant handle the stress)
This truck is flawed in its production design and (other posts support) that ARRMA has absolutely no intentions of providing better metal gears.
I am now in an cyclical pattern of break/buy more parts/fix/play with 3 Voltage's and I am pissed.
It's a very fun ENTRY LEVEL truck at first and it great for kids 6+, but would recommend using NIMH batteries exclusively.
Pass on it if your inclined to quickly fall in love with RC cars and spend at least $300-$400 on a much better build initially.
You do get what you pay for!

Yeah, this was meant for the kid, I wound up getting a traxxas. I'll do warranty parts on this one (if they will ever respond, I've called and e-mailed for weeks now with no response) and likely just get him a better car next time. I do gotta say this has soured me on the brand.

 

[L3phturn]

Yeah, this was meant for the kid, I wound up getting a traxxas. I'll do warranty parts on this one (if they will ever respond, I've called and e-mailed for weeks now with no response) and likely just get him a better car next time. I do gotta say this has soured me on the brand.

WHere are you in the world, and what number/email are you using? This doesn't line up with the experiences others report getting support.

 

[Griz]

WHere are you in the world, and what number/email are you using? This doesn't line up with the experiences others report getting support.

USA. Called the phone number that I found on this forum: (217) 398-6300 but I don't think that number works anymore.


E-mailed the address on Arrma's "contact us" page [email protected] repeatedly and gotten no replies so far. Fortunately I bought it on Amazon, and for a few bucks extra got the "accident protection program" and they told me that for the issues I describe, they would try to get me in touch with the manufacturer, but if "something else was to happen and that part was actually broken by an accident, then we would cover that" so if I don't hear back from Arrma pretty soon the ESC combo is going to have an "accident" and I'll just use the Amazon protection program.

 

[Griz]

So I wound up going directly to Horizon Hobby's main page and contacting someone through that, and got an immediate reply. I guess the e-mail from the Arrma-rc.com page isn't the correct one. Just got a reply from Chris that he has the new ESC ordered and it will be shipped as soon as they are back in stock.


So, lesson learned. The page that led me here is not the page that leads to the warranty support. Go to the Horizon Hobby main site for that.

 

[dure16]

So I wound up going directly to Horizon Hobby's main page and contacting someone through that, and got an immediate reply. I guess the e-mail from the Arrma-rc.com page isn't the correct one. Just got a reply from Chris that he has the new ESC ordered and it will be shipped as soon as they are back in stock.


So, lesson learned. The page that led me here is not the page that leads to the warranty support. Go to the Horizon Hobby main site for that.

Might be a while for that new ESC. I’ve been waiting more than two months.

 

[Griz]

Might be a while for that new ESC. I’ve been waiting more than two months.

Yikes. I might wind up changing it over to standard parts by then. Does anyone have a link to a thread that shows what parts I'll need to swap it out to a more reliable ESC/Servo/etc.?

 

[Griz]

This is what I'm looking at so far, can anyone tell me if I'm on the right track?

ESC Replacement:
Amazon.com: Hobbywing QUICRUN WP 1080 brushed (2-3S) Electronic Speed Controller Waterproof ESC With Program Box LED BEC XT60-Plug RC Car 1:10 30112750: Toys & Games

Servo:
Amazon.com: Spektrum SS6020 Torque Digital Surface Servo: Toys & Games

Tx/Rx:
Amazon.com: DUMBORC X4 4CH RC Radio System Transmitter and Receiver X6F 2.4ghz Remote Controller for RC Car Boat Tanks(Distance 400m-500m) Controller Transmitter: Toys & Games

 

[dure16]

This is what I'm looking at so far, can anyone tell me if I'm on the right track?

ESC Replacement:
Amazon.com: Hobbywing QUICRUN WP 1080 brushed (2-3S) Electronic Speed Controller Waterproof ESC With Program Box LED BEC XT60-Plug RC Car 1:10 30112750: Toys & Games

Servo:
Amazon.com: Spektrum SS6020 Torque Digital Surface Servo: Toys & Games

Tx/Rx:
Amazon.com: DUMBORC X4 4CH RC Radio System Transmitter and Receiver X6F 2.4ghz Remote Controller for RC Car Boat Tanks(Distance 400m-500m) Controller Transmitter: Toys & Games

If you’re willing to spend that much on parts, I’d just buy a nicer RC that comes with them all.

Otherwise what you have listed might be a little overkill. Quicrun 1060 ESC. DS3218 servo. MT-305 receiver works with the stock transmitter.

 

[Griz]

If you’re willing to spend that much on parts, I’d just buy a nicer RC that comes with them all.

Otherwise what you have listed might be a little overkill. Quicrun 1060 ESC. DS3218 servo. MT-305 receiver works with the stock transmitter.

yeah that's kinda the jist of where I was going with that post.... it would cost what I spent on the car to get the parts I have listed. Let me look at the parts you are talking about, this is just going to be something for the kid to learn on, then let his friends play with when I get him a "real" Arrma.

*ETA*
oh heck yeah that's more like it, thanks dure0016