suggestions for re-powering a Flux

Welcome to RCTalk

Come join other RC enthusiasts! You'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bifft it

RCTalk Addict
Military Veteran
Messages
501
Reaction score
53
Location
Nort Deekoter
RC Driving Style
  1. Bashing
Bought my Flux off another Rc site a few years ago. it had quite a few upgrades to include a Tekin Rx8/T8 motor/ESC
have not ran it in a couple years and tried to do so a few weeks ago and it let out a sound like grinding gears.
took it out to test and it seems the motor is probably fried. when i hook it to batteries, it lets out small puffs of smoke here and there and makes a grinding sound. took it apart and DID NOT see anything amiss. maybe my issues are due to low-charge batteries
Anyway... i do believe i should just re-power the flux with something new
Any suggestions on a new motor for it?
 
Have you looked into rebuilding the tekin? I don't know if it's a cost effective option. I have always had a love for tekin products. They are a great company with great products. Thats the reason for the suggestion.
 
Have you looked into rebuilding the tekin? I don't know if it's a cost effective option. I have always had a love for tekin products. They are a great company with great products. Thats the reason for the suggestion.
I DO not know much about brushless. It ran fine the last time it was ran.
most i can figure, the sensor pcb went to poop or the esc is shitting out. there really isnt all that much to go wrong with a brushless motor.I had it completely apart again today. Bearings seem fine. see no burning of the windings on either the case or the rotor. can see some rust colored discoloration on the inside of the sensor pcb around a couple solder points. the case will suck the rotor inside when it gets close, so theres plenty of magnitism
when throttled, it acts like something is holding it back and it makes a loud hum sound and it gets real hot (at least to me) let off the throttle and re-throttle it will spin normal. goes back and forth.
PCB sensor is under $30. new esc/motor around $300 not alot, but hate to waste the money if thats not the problem.
would like to get more input on my issue as this truck will go with me on the road this summer if its running
 
Well, $30 to try and see may be the route I'd take. Just got my first brushless rig this Christmas, traxxas/castle. Not sure how good those are either, but on 4S, it's plenty in my e-revo.
 
Have you looked into rebuilding the tekin? I don't know if it's a cost effective option. I have always had a love for tekin products. They are a great company with great products. Thats the reason for the suggestion.
Found this!
https://www.teamtekin.com/assets/tws_service_request.pdf
apparently you can send your ESC and MOTOR in to tekin to have them service it and repair it. Prices dont seem too bad but a call will be in order before i send them in.
ALSO....they have a trade-in program like HPI used to have so that may benefit me also

Well, $30 to try and see may be the route I'd take. Just got my first brushless rig this Christmas, traxxas/castle. Not sure how good those are either, but on 4S, it's plenty in my e-revo.
I remember you from my days in 2012/2013 when i frequented RC forums (this one and savage central) you just now made the step to brushless?
lots can happen in a couple years of truancy. RCtruck forums are a ghost town these days. alot of people , it would seem, have gotten out of the hobby.
I was floored when i read about HPI being bought out. Purchasers are really dropping the ball by not making any HPI products. People are dropping them like the plague due to no products/service or support. SUX TO BE THEM! but sux to be us too. Epig(ebay) part supply have all but diminished.
had a guy the other day mail me asking if he could buy the XS slipper clutch pad set i had for sale in a XS truck ad. apparently things like that are hard to find nowadays
 
Last edited:
watched a tekin video today on motor maintenece
3rd time taking motor apart fully cleaned . shimmed it to remove a bit of slop on the rotor. motor seemed to work fine till i bolted it in truck. battery side wires of the esc got so hot they melted the soldier off the connectors. motor would hardly move truck. hmmmmm 1A and 1B battery set i believe is my culprit for my motor problems.
Installed batteries 2A and 2B truck ran like no other
now i will be purchasing a set of lipo's
 
Wow!!! So now I am really curious to know how everything works out! Def keep posting!!! Tekin has always been a killer company with killer product! Good luck!
 
Wow!!! So now I am really curious to know how everything works out! Def keep posting!!! Tekin has always been a killer company with killer product! Good luck!

I am really beginning to despise lipo's.
remember the wires getting so hot that the solder melted from the connectors on battery set 1?
well, for shitsngiggles, i decided to attemp to re-solder those connectors, and re-test the batteries. My soldering abilities really suck, and I now hate Deans connectors worse than politicians
I digress
so i get the 2 deans connectors soldered to the 2 batteries, put them in the truck yesterday, and it runs like no other.
the motor runs smooth no jumping and skipping, no noticeable intermittant loss of power. nothing is running hot.

I am all sorts of confused now
 
BTW. a few pics of my flux
tekin Rx/T8 1700kv., big joes, integy rear turnuckle elinimators, integy front hubs,Hpi savage upper control arm ends as steering turnbuckles,savox steering servo. XL drivetrain. vorza Diff cup mod, mobile1 20/50 diff oil, custom motor fan mount ,traxxas Jato top shock springs, robinson racing spurgear (48tooth)with savage 21 style double sided slipper clutch, robinson racing motor gear(16tooth) they were changed after picture was taken. may go back to the 44/20 that was on it in these pictures
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1372.JPG
    IMG_1372.JPG
    268.8 KB · Views: 169
  • IMG_1373.JPG
    IMG_1373.JPG
    265.5 KB · Views: 173
  • IMG_1374.JPG
    IMG_1374.JPG
    282.9 KB · Views: 171
  • IMG_1375.JPG
    IMG_1375.JPG
    352.2 KB · Views: 161
I can't speak for your soldering abilities but I will say for 100%sure that a bad solder joint will work like a giant resistor which can cause ALL sorts of problems... The problems you've been having would actually make some sense as related to bad or weak joints. There are good articles avail all over about how to solder, videos etc... If you are unsure or could maybe just use a refresher, Def check them out.
A good solder joint is shiny and nicely rounded. If it looks gray and or dull, you've likely got an issue. Pre-tinning the wires and the connectors will help you to get a good, clean joint. Be sure that the solder is a good quality ROSIN CORE solder. Rosin is IMPERATIVE for wiring. Be sure that it isn't too thick to do the job (it should melt easily when it is applied). Also be sure that the soldering iron tip is clean and has been tinned correctly. Tips need to be cleaned on a regular basis as part of maintenance. Also be sure the tip is the right shape and size. Most quality irons have a number of tips available and are easy to swap. The iron itself also needs to be withing a proper operating size (wattage). If the iron is too big or too small, you are much more likely to have difficulty. I know it seems like a lot, but when these things click, soldering is actually rather easy. As with all other things, practice makes perfect. If you aren't 100% sure of your solder joints. I recommend you STOP where you are RIGHT NOW. The reason I say this is... I know I personally don't have the money to gamble on a Tekin esc and motor like that, nor the battery, nor the chance of damage to the whole rig.
Either ask a friend who can solder or check over your equipment, be sure its all in proper order and get some practice under your belt. It won't take long once you get going and you'll have it down.
With all that said, I can't stress enough... Soldering can be DANGEROUS!!! So be sure to observe any and all safety precautions while working with solder and the equipment. Also, be sure to observe any special precautions that apply to soldering with batteries!!!
All that said, good luck!
I don't know that there is much I can do for you to help other than what I wrote, but ask away if there is!
 
I can't speak for your soldering abilities but I will say for 100%sure that a bad solder joint will work like a giant resistor which can cause ALL sorts of problems... The problems you've been having would actually make some sense as related to bad or weak joints. There are good articles avail all over about how to solder, videos etc... If you are unsure or could maybe just use a refresher, Def check them out.
A good solder joint is shiny and nicely rounded. If it looks gray and or dull, you've likely got an issue. Pre-tinning the wires and the connectors will help you to get a good, clean joint. Be sure that the solder is a good quality ROSIN CORE solder. Rosin is IMPERATIVE for wiring. Be sure that it isn't too thick to do the job (it should melt easily when it is applied). Also be sure that the soldering iron tip is clean and has been tinned correctly. Tips need to be cleaned on a regular basis as part of maintenance. Also be sure the tip is the right shape and size. Most quality irons have a number of tips available and are easy to swap. The iron itself also needs to be withing a proper operating size (wattage). If the iron is too big or too small, you are much more likely to have difficulty. I know it seems like a lot, but when these things click, soldering is actually rather easy. As with all other things, practice makes perfect. If you aren't 100% sure of your solder joints. I recommend you STOP where you are RIGHT NOW. The reason I say this is... I know I personally don't have the money to gamble on a Tekin esc and motor like that, nor the battery, nor the chance of damage to the whole rig.
Either ask a friend who can solder or check over your equipment, be sure its all in proper order and get some practice under your belt. It won't take long once you get going and you'll have it down.
With all that said, I can't stress enough... Soldering can be DANGEROUS!!! So be sure to observe any and all safety precautions while working with solder and the equipment. Also, be sure to observe any special precautions that apply to soldering with batteries!!!
All that said, good luck!
I don't know that there is much I can do for you to help other than what I wrote, but ask away if there is!

thanks for the advice. If they put bigger soldering ears on those rotten deans connectors, life may have been better. at one point, i was going to break out the Miller and try to spot-weld them....lol
 
I'm pretty sure soldering is the way to go here! :hehe:
Curious to know how you've made out. Any progress?
 
I'm pretty sure soldering is the way to go here! :hehe:
Curious to know how you've made out. Any progress?
hehehehehehe

I did not fire up the miller, if thats what you wondering.......
curse, scrape solder, curse some more, scrape, throw soldering iron across yard into snowbank, curse some more. stomp through snowbank to retrieve solder iron, curse while stomping through snow back to shed
solder, curse...walk away

theres gotta be a better way

hehehehehehe

I did not fire up the miller, if thats what you wondering.......
curse, scrape solder, curse some more, scrape, throw soldering iron across yard into snowbank, curse some more. stomp through snowbank to retrieve solder iron, curse while stomping through snow back to shed
solder, curse...walk away

theres gotta be a better way
I did eventually get the second battery done. tested them and there were no issues
 
Yeasss! Hold onto the end of the cord so when you throw it, it can't go too far!
 
Yeasss! Hold onto the end of the cord so when you throw it, it can't go too far!
No no no no! All that does is send a scorching hot soldering iron back at you! lol

That reminds me... I should pick up something besides this old radio shack 25watt iron I have...
 
No no no no! All that does is send a scorching hot soldering iron back at you! lol

That reminds me... I should pick up something besides this old radio shack 25watt iron I have...
the radio snack went out of business here a couple years ago so i made sure i picked up a good iron before they closed their doors
 
As long as you remember not to grab the iron by the pointy end, you'll be okay. Radio Shack is sort of alive and is owned by Sprint (they bought the name and over half the stores). Unfortunately, they use half the store for Sprint products and don't care some of the more useful hobbyist oriented stuff. But we have several great electronics places (Altex) here locally so it's not quite as bad.
 
Omg! Way back when, while rocks were being invented.... I was in metal shop (required course for everyone) and this poor girl picked up the soldering iron like a pencil... Right at the tip!!! I walked her up to the nurses office so we didn't have to worry about her passing out or anything... She got burned BADLY!!! (kind of smelled like bacon!)
 
you know I have one of those 8th scale Tekin combos kicking around somewhere on my hobby table, it used to power my axial rr10 bomber. I even have a NIP black tekin RX8 G2.
 
Back
Top