HB2010 potential trouble spot

[markbt73]

For those (twelve) people out there running the Holiday Buggy with its original 380 motor, I found a little problem today: after a run in the grass, when the motor got hot, I heard a funny gearbox noise. I picked up the car and noticed the motor was loose and flopping around. It turned out to be the little black screws holding the motor to the adapter plate (part number BA9 in the manual). One had backed out completely and was rattling around by the pinion gear. I think what happened was that the plastic mount got hot and soft and allowed the screws to loosen. I dabbed a little thread-lock onto each screw to keep it from happening again. The gears look OK, and sound fine now that everything is nice and tight again, but it could have easily stripped something. Just a quick heads-up...

[Champ85]

For those (twelve) people out there running the Holiday Buggy with its original 380 motor, I found a little problem today: after a run in the grass, when the motor got hot, I heard a funny gearbox noise. I picked up the car and noticed the motor was loose and flopping around. It turned out to be the little black screws holding the motor to the adapter plate (part number BA9 in the manual). One had backed out completely and was rattling around by the pinion gear. I think what happened was that the plastic mount got hot and soft and allowed the screws to loosen. I dabbed a little thread-lock onto each screw to keep it from happening again. The gears look OK, and sound fine now that everything is nice and tight again, but it could have easily stripped something. Just a quick heads-up...

Is there some sort of thin paper-like thermal barrier material between the motor and the plastic mount like many of the 540-based kits have? Sounds like it might be helpful.

[WillyChang]

threadlock releases with heat

if it still loosens try a dab of shoegoo instead

[Origineelreclamebord]

You could just get a 540 silver can 7GBP well spent I think? Though I must admit if you want to run it stock it's good to know about potential issues like this!

[markbt73]

The 380's top speed is just about right for my small bumpy back yard; anything more powerful is kinda pointless. I tried it with a 540 and all it did was drain the battery faster.

To be fair, I had been running for almost an hour straight when I noticed this (another reason to love the little 380) and the grass was awfully high. It was getting quite a workout.

I just wanted to warn folks about it, because I know a lot of guys on here get these cars for their kids and use the 380 to keep speeds under control, and I'd hate for a day of fun to be cut short by something stupid like a loose screw stripping a gear.

[mongoose1983]

Don't own of these, but I do have the older Grasshopper and I am nowadays testing a Brat with an original 380 motor. I am more than happy with how these little motors work. They run just fine for these cars and, like you said, runtimes are awesome.

There is a very interesting video about the 380 motor tested on a rather heavy F-350 High-Lift pick-up truck. Have a look at the video. The little 380 really kicks it real good!