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purpleacky

Troubleshooting grasshopper will not go forwards

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Hi, please bear with me, I'm new to this. Bought by son a grasshopper re-release for Christmas. It came with a Carson reflex stick pro 3 controller/ reflex wheel pro 3 receiver and tamiya brushless esc 02S. After putting it together it worked fine for a few weeks, then the other day he turned it on, and it made a strange crackle noise. Since then the steering works, the reverse works, but it won't go forward at all.

I guess something has burnt out, but do you think it's likely to be the esc, of the controller, or receiver. I presume it's not the motor as it still reverses fine.

Much appreciated

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It may be the ESC, you could swap the motor wires around to the esc, you would have forward then and no reverse

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Crackles usually indicate blown FETs in the ESC. You can confirm this by giving it a sniff - it may still smell burnt - or by popping open the casing and looking for cracks or black deposits around the plastic parts of the FETs.

Back in the day I would have recommended replacing them, but these days with cheap and reliable replacement ESCs such as the Quikrun 1060 available, it is perhaps better to simply replace the whole ESC.

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Thanks for the feedback, thought it might be something like that. By the way, I've ordered a tamiya motor sport rs-540 motor as an upgrade to the smaller motor that came with it. My guess is the tamiya esc should have worked fine with it, but if I replace it should I get the same one, or another make such as the quickrun?

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The Quikrun is waterproof and capable of a lower turn count than the Tamiya one, making it a better buy if you are sticking with brushed motors.

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The Quicrun is an ideal upgrade. Easy to use, can handle most brushed motors, and is LiPo friendly, as well as being able to take NiMH and NiCad battery packs. Plenty of TC members use that ESC, myself included.

I've never tried a Sport Tuned motor on a Hornet/Grasshopper. I would imagine it to be a bit of a handful. Without wishing to teach you how to suck eggs, don't forget to use an 18 tooth, 0.8 module pinion gear and remove the 380 motor adapter when using a 540 sized motor. It might even be worth using the 10 tooth pinion from the Lunch Box/Midnight Pumpkin in order to moderate top end speed and allow the motor to rev more freely.

Larger diameter rear wheels and tires will allow better tyre choices and help bring speed back up a little if using the smaller pinion. And don't forget the ballraces. I'm assuming the car is box stock built throughout. But to assume is to make you know what out of you and me :P

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I use a Sport Tuned in one of my Hornets and a Dirt Tuned in the other. The power is at the upper end of what the chassis can handle, but I wouldn't call it excessive. I reckon you'll have fun with it.

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I agree a sport tuned is near it's limits but I had fun when one was in my hornet, anymore and it may be a bit crazy. I've since gone back to a standard silver can and it seems just right. Theibault has just done a great vid of his hornet with a standard silver can but on 2s and it goes really well.

Another vote for the quicrun 1060. Fantastic and inexpensive esc.

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I remember someone else have similar trouble on a different thread?

Did it not turn out to be a flat/bad battery?

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I would put a quicrun in it, best bang for buck esc around

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Hi, thanks for all the replies. I've given the batteries a full charge to no avail, so it looks like it's probably the ESC. I've emailed the supplier of the kit to see if there's a warranty on the Tamiya ESC, but assuming otherwise I'll get the Quicken 1060. Will update with progress.

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