Need a little help with a Traxxas electronics issue...

[high plains drifter]

Running my TRX4 today and all of a sudden no throttle. Steering servo still working as it should but fwd/ reverse... no throttle at all. Battery is fine. So with all servo's still working as they should ( steering/ lockers/ 2 speed), does this sound like an ESC issue? Stock XL5 btw. The fins weren't excessively hot fwiw. I'm running a HH SHV 500 v2 direct from the 3S so I guess I'm surprised if it's the ESC. I'm also wondering if it could be an issue with the stock TQi radio as I recently had it pulled apart to replace the locker switch but after replacing the switch everything with the radio controls was working fine. I plan to pull the radio apart again just to make sure that everything's okay in there but how would I go about checking the ESC? Fwiw I have a wp1080 ready to go into this rig whenever but I'd like to at least know for a fact that this XL5 is toast before replacing it. Thanks for any assistance.

[MasteroFlego]

Gotta make sure it isn't the motor that's toast first. Unplug the motor and remove it from the truck, unless you feel brave enough to just keep the wheels off the ground, then carefully stick leads into either your battery terminals or a regular AA (I've never done it this way but it should work), if it works then that tells you your ESC is toast.

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[high plains drifter]

I'll check out the motor. I've been pretty easy on it so far imo and I've never submerged it but I guess it's possible. If the ESC was burned up would the servo's still be working perfectly normal yet absolutely no throttle response?

[MasteroFlego]

Could also be your rx, plug your servo into the throttle channel to test that. I'm no expert but I have had at least one esc that wouldn't respond to throttle input while the BEC still worked.

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[high plains drifter]

Okay well I just pulled the motor and hooked it directly to my almost fully charged lipo... nothing. So looks like I need to replace the motor.

[high plains drifter]

Prob not many ppl viewing this thread but wondering if I get a HH Trail-master Sport 550 27t, do I need anything else? I guess I ask since the Traxxas motor has capacitors soldered to the tabs. Just wanna make sure I don't need anything else to drop this in besides just the motor. I assume I can just de-solder the leads from the Traxxas motor and use those.

[MasteroFlego]

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

Prob not many ppl viewing this thread but wondering if I get a HH Trail-master Sport 550 27t, do I need anything else? I guess I ask since the Traxxas motor has capacitors soldered to the tabs. Just wanna make sure I don't need anything else to drop this in besides just the motor. I assume I can just de-solder the leads from the Traxxas motor and use those.

IIRC the stock motor is a 21t 550, I would get the 21t trail master 550, the 27t will be slower. As for motor leads just ask in the tech questions thread (the one with 900 replies) because I'm not sure what the options are for that. I'm pretty sure the caps aren't necessary on the holmes motor, otherwise they'd be included, right?

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[MasteroFlego]

Oh, and just to make sure, test the voltage coming through the esc by sticking volt meter prongs into the ESCs output while giving it throttle, should give you the battery voltage at full throttle

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[high plains drifter]

Sorry... meant 21t... not 27 my bad. Already ordered from RPP.



I'll test the ESC voltage too when I get home tonight. Thanks a ton for the help!

[svt923]

The caps aren't needed, they are a hold over from the pre-2.4ghz radio days meant to prevent the motor from interfering with the radio signal.

[cartronicshn]

I've have a 27t and 35t, love the 27t feels just right on the tactical, and the 35t feels the same on the bronco, can't go wrong with any of the motors HH has to offer imho.

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by high plains drifter

Sorry... meant 21t... not 27 my bad. Already ordered from RPP.

I'll test the ESC voltage too when I get home tonight. Thanks a ton for the help!

Originally Posted by svt923

The caps aren't needed, they are a hold over from the pre-2.4ghz radio days meant to prevent the motor from interfering with the radio signal.

[Inspector86]

Since you already have the HW1080 I would go ahead and install it now. You won't believe the improvement over the XL5.

[GForceSS]

Originally Posted by svt923

The caps aren't needed, they are a hold over from the pre-2.4ghz radio days meant to prevent the motor from interfering with the radio signal.

Traxxas installed these caps on my motor when they repaired my rig several months ago so they must still think their necessary. Holdover thinking I suppose.


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[high plains drifter]

Truck runs good and that factory motor is in the trash... Caps be damned! Gonna do some trailing tomorrow with the Defender rigs. Planning to get a little muddy!

I was so close to putting in the 1080 last night but just ran out of time and energy so I'll try to get it done in the next week or so. Busy busy atm.

Totally unrelated but wife said today that Santa might be bringing something with "Marlin" in the name! I almost peed myself right there in the Lowes parking lot! I also don't know if Santa's aware but I already had a CR-12 on the list. I guess if it comes down to it, I can request the CR-12 as a stocking stuffer to save appearances! We'll see how that all goes.