axial RTR nightmare

[monstertruck500]

Christams 2013 - for me and son(12yrs) - got one wraith poison spyder and one wraith rock racer - (4) onyx 5000 NiMH and Prophet Sport 2 charger.
** after 2hrs of driving on flat concrete drive :
- rock racer streeing servo goes out ( one vehicle down)
- spyder goes into full throttle every time transmitter connects
tried differnat new 1x charged battery - no help
tried re-binding - now no throttle at all ( steering works) ( both vehicle down)
starting to think i got wrong product - though reviews good - including from this forum
** contact axial
sent : new steering servo - new ESC - new receiver
-- UPS holiday shipping issue - delayed order

-after 5 days, pulled steering servo from spyder and put in rock racer just to play - after 1 hr on driveway, steering servo goes out ( both vehicles down again )
** contact axial again
sent : new steering servo

January 8 2014 - first parts order arrives ( i make boy do monkey wrench work, he did great job ) - put all three (servo, ESC and receiver) on spyder
- rebind - no throttle, yes have steering
- try differant battery - rebind SAME RESULT - no throttle, yes steering
(should have not mounted all, just connect and test)
sons opion (junk) and discouraged now

today - read about "should only be using lipo"

any help will be greatly appriciated - did i get wrong product..... waiting for second steering servo at this time
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[Johnnysplits]

RTR = ready to replace and yes, switch over to lipo. Don't know why you're still having problems after rebinding. I'm sure you've checked all connections.

[Big Daddy]

Did you calibrate the ESC to Tx after binding? When doing so make sure all of your trims are at 0 before you start any calibration.

I ran my old RTR stuff for two years waiting for the ESC to die. It never did but I went to BRXL WP for my own reasons. Still have AE2 in my box for a spare though. Not sure about the newer servos, the one that came on my exo lasted one pack. But my other just got weak(er) after many many hours of trail work. Pick up a Hitec 7995 or something like that and you won't have worries anymore... at least you shouldn't.

Lipo is way better, but do your research there and learn before you buy. I have had very good luck with Sky Lipo from Hobbypartz.com, I'll never buy Nano-techs again. Nothing catastrophic, but they just don't seem to work as well.

Axial makes good rigs, there is always room for improvements but they are really good rigs. If you can't get things going good, go into your regional forum and see if one of the more experienced guys can meet up with you and give you a hand sorting it out.

[WValtakis2]

Is the ESC beeping on powerup? If its making the powerup beeps but not arming then you need to calibrate the ESC to the transmitter. Turn on TX and hold full throttle, then turn on ESC. Wait for the beeps then switch to holding full reverse. Wait for the beeps then let it return to neutral. Should make some more beeps then arm.

Concrete offers a lot of traction which can work the servo more, especially in a Wraith setup.

Edit- too slow...what he said

~Chip

[chattinfarms]

Sounds like you are not following directions and blaming the product. When you you bind to the receiver you must always calibrate esc to rx. Er calibrate and try again. The stock servos do not hold up well. Just buy a better servo and be done

[WHITE-TRASH]

If the trim on the speed control isn't set to zero in tune with the esc the esc won't initialize.

[Trubble]

Originally Posted by monstertruck500

- (4) onyx 5000 NiMH

I can't run 7 cell NiMhs on any of my crawlers because I have all my Low Voltage Cutoffs set at 3.5 volts per cell, or 10.5 volts (for a 3S LiPo). NiMh cells are 1.50-1.52 volts per cell fully charged, so on a 7 cell, total voltage is 10.5 volts. Soon as I plug in a 7 cell NiMh, it registers as a 3S LiPo, and trips the cutoff.

Now if I remember correctly, Axial's AE-2 comes with the low voltage cutoff set at 3.0 or 3.2 volts per cell, or 9.0-9.6 volts for a 3S LiPo. Fully charged voltage on a 6 cell NiMh pack should be around 9.0-9.12 (ish) for a 6 cell NiMh pack.

Is your NiMh pack registering as a 3S LiPo?
Could it just be that you need to turn off your Low Voltage Cutoff?



I'm too lazy to turn mine off, so I don't use NiMhs.


You mentioned you're re-binding the receiver to the transmitter.
Are you then re-calibrating the ESC?
Making sure the throttle trim is zero'd out BEFORE calibrating the ESC?


As far as blowing out servos,
Do you have your St D/R (steering dual rate) cranked all the way up?
When you start paying out of pocket for servos, I'd maybe look at backing off those dual rates until it's obvious your steering's been reduced, then turn your wheels back and forth turning the d/r's back up while looking for binding. Most likely, the knuckles will hit the c-hubs or axle housing. At that point, don't keep increasing your d/r! Stop there or maybe back off just a touch. Otherwise, all you're going to do is burn up another servo trying to turn after the steering's already bound.

[Ohioskills]

when i bought a kit i bought a new servo,esc,bats and replaced c's, knuckles, steering link, drag link and drive shafts

solar makes d772 for 20$ 7.4v at 408oz best servo iv ever had

[DeoreDX]

Locked differentials are really tough on the driveline/steering components if you are driving on high traction (i.e. concrete/asphalt). The farther the tire is from where the wheel pivots the more the tire has to roll when you turn the wheel. But because the differential is locked you are basically dragging the tires across the ground with the steering servo. You really don't want to drive locked differentials on high traction surfaces unless you get a way oversized servo so you don't kill it. I don't know a lot about the AR60 axels in the rock racer but (if they are available) getting spider gears to open the front differential is another option if you are planning on driving it on pavement a lot.

[KanchiX]

Originally Posted by DeoreDX

Locked differentials are really tough on the driveline/steering components if you are driving on high traction (i.e. concrete/asphalt). The farther the tire is from where the wheel pivots the more the tire has to roll when you turn the wheel. But because the differential is locked you are basically dragging the tires across the ground with the steering servo. You really don't want to drive locked differentials on high traction surfaces unless you get a way oversized servo so you don't kill it. I don't know a lot about the AR60 axels in the rock racer but (if they are available) getting spider gears to open the front differential is another option if you are planning on driving it on pavement a lot.

I've read on another site that people are having luck with the spider gears from the exo, they drop right in in place of a locker but you need to grease the heck outta em since the diff doesn't hold oil.

[KanchiX]

Originally Posted by monstertruck500

Christams 2013 - for me and son(12yrs) - got one wraith poison spyder and one wraith rock racer - (4) onyx 5000 NiMH and Prophet Sport 2 charger.
** after 2hrs of driving on flat concrete drive :
- rock racer streeing servo goes out ( one vehicle down)
- spyder goes into full throttle every time transmitter connects
tried differnat new 1x charged battery - no help
tried re-binding - now no throttle at all ( steering works) ( both vehicle down)
starting to think i got wrong product - though reviews good - including from this forum
** contact axial
sent : new steering servo - new ESC - new receiver
-- UPS holiday shipping issue - delayed order

-after 5 days, pulled steering servo from spyder and put in rock racer just to play - after 1 hr on driveway, steering servo goes out ( both vehicles down again )
** contact axial again
sent : new steering servo

January 8 2014 - first parts order arrives ( i make boy do monkey wrench work, he did great job ) - put all three (servo, ESC and receiver) on spyder
- rebind - no throttle, yes have steering
- try differant battery - rebind SAME RESULT - no throttle, yes steering
(should have not mounted all, just connect and test)
sons opion (junk) and discouraged now

today - read about "should only be using lipo"

any help will be greatly appriciated - did i get wrong product..... waiting for second steering servo at this time
------------------------------------------------------------ end string

Definitely want to take those NiMH batteries back or sell them on ebay and get yourself a 2s (2 cell) lipo. or two if you like.
Savox makes an amazing waterproofed servo which I haven't heard any RCC guy bring up. (not that I've looked for it) It's a Savox SW-0231MG, it's pretty high torque @ 208 oz-inch, it's metal geared so it won't burn out if you don't want to unlock your front diff, and it's waterproofed. best of all, you can get one for under $50.

I've got to be flat out honest though, if you or your son don't enjoy tinkering around with highly intricate rc cars, this is probably NOT the crawler for you. If you're going to be playing in the driveway and on the lawn, save yourself the hassle I put a friend through and get yourself a Traxxas Stampede 4x4 VXL or a Traxxas Slash 4x4 VXL. Much more straightforward, run and gun, fast, highly enjoyable basher. You won't break this thing UNLESS you try. (at least not for a few weeks I'd hope!)
You're having a calibration issue. Center your trim, throttle, and servo strength pots

[jeepscx10]

Originally Posted by Ohioskills

solar makes d772 for 20$ 7.4v at 408oz best servo iv ever had

i have had the same servo in my wraith and my scx10 (not at the same time of course) its a Traxxas 2075 best plastic geared waterproofed servo out there(migt be the only out there that i knowof lol) anyways until recently i have had i now i have to upgrade and i plan on upgrading to the same one cant beat the price for a servo with that much torque and its kinda scary to think that there are people out there is some one on here that pushes 9V through it and it still runs perfectly

[monstertruck500]

wow, lots of respnses in a very short time
i did mean to state that the ESC is an AR-3 - neither product book speak of "throttle calibrate" with full on and off - read of that for an AR-2
local retail store where bought - hooked his reciever /transmitter to the spyder
--- worked perfectly
swaped out again with axial stock - same no throt issue
store called axial - "new radio system" is on way
-- i knew it was a good company standing behind the product
the new steering servo is a futaba S3305 - hopefully it has more metal in it ( gear, bushing, bearing, etc. )
-----------------------
canabilized the spyder for the steering servo today
strpped the stock plastic horn ...new metal horn will be the first non-warranty upgarde
-------------------
will seriously look into going lipo
and a brand servo - was not to be (mo money) "upgrade" time till june when we can hit the local gravel pit

[WHITE-TRASH]

Everyone has had great luck with the lipo's from both hobbypartz.com and hobbyking.com they are priced extremely well and just flat work. The solar servo mentioned above is a wicked piece for the price too. I have 3 of them, a bit slow but very strong.

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by WHITE-TRASH

Everyone has had great luck with the lipo's from both hobbypartz.com and hobbyking.com they are priced extremely well and just flat work. The solar servo mentioned above is a wicked piece for the price too. I have 3 of them, a bit slow but very strong.

I approve of this message ^ The hv solar's are plenty strong at rated voltage and a tad higher, but are slow.