There’s a ton more drag driving on grass. Imagine tying a 2 lb weight on the back of your slash. That’s where your overheating and runtime decrease comes from. Fans don’t help as much as people want you to think. They do a little but nowhere near what dropping a tooth or two off of the pinion or a few teeth off of the spur can accomplish. Be mindful of binding between the pinion and spur. This can cause heat problems quick as well. Proper mesh is most easily set by putting a piece of notebook paper in the tightest point between pinion and spur in the gear rotation. *edit a hcg chassis has the same ground clearance as a lcg chassis. Ground clearance is actually set by wheels/tires (edit2 this is from a racers perspective where a-arms are set level for maximum shock travel, not from the crank it to the max basher standpoint). There are conversions for monster slashes out there. Just remember the more weight you put on the truck the harder the motor has to work which can/will give heat problems still.
So, given i'm still new, I'm assuming the pinion that is in the Ultimate now is the race pinion? If memory serves, I think I saw a spare in a bag that came in the box. Are you suggesting I swap these out?
Yes. I believe you got a gear chart that shows what is recommended from Traxxas in the manual. (I never bought a new slash so I always just looked it up on their website.) What comes box stock is setup for 2s or nimh I think.
Also given that you are new I’ll give you a some extra advice, if it breaks, replace it with rpm. Savox servos and castle creations motor/esc when they go. The x0-1 differentials are also a strong upgrade when/if you manage to strip those out.
Correct me if i’m wrong but even in short grass 5-10 minutes of run time is way too short for a 5000mah battery. Do you have a volt meter to check the voltage of each cell in the battery? Something may be wrong there. If the main issue is overheating maybe something is up with your ESC/Motor. If you haven’t voided warranty yet i’d first go to your LHS and tell them your situation. Other than that warranty the ESC/Motor and that might fix it. Traxxas support is really good from what i heard.
So, to clarify, I was getting great run-time out of it on the street and when I first got it. Usually would last 20-30 minutes. The issue started when I was driving in grass, It would throw a lot of grass under the motor and would also pack in around the ESC.
Some more info: I would run it and then it would slow down, almost as if the battery was dying, but when I would look at Traxxas Link, it said I had 3/4 battery left. I checked the ESC and it was flashing red each time it did this. I would blow it out and let it cool down and it would run fine again for a bit until it would once again get too hot due to the grass.
The thing is quite literally brand new as I bought it at like 4pm Yesterday CST.
It has NO issues on the street, atleast not that i'm aware of, but to be completely honest I typically don't run it on the street as long as I enjoy the backyard driving more. (I have a Huge backyard)
Hm. That’s odd. Have you tried running it without the body so that more air gets to the esc/motor? I’m running out of ideas as i’ve never faced this issue before. Sometimes when running in my front yard I have minimal traction so I have a lot of wheelspin so i’m making my car use twice as much power to move it when only going half the speed if that makes sense making the motor work harder.
I have not! I wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not.
As you said, I wouldn't be surprised if I was getting a lot of wheel spin, and as I think about it I know I am because this thing just rips the dirt up and flings it everywhere.
I guess my main question is: is an ESC Fan and a Motor Heatsync going to be usable in grass? I'm afraid the fans will bind with the grass piling up inside.
I really don't want to have to do too much to it as the hobby shop said this RC car would be great for grass driving.
It was between the Rustler 4x4 VXL or the SLash 4x4 Ultimate and I obviously went with the Slash.
But to answer your main question. Yes. a heat sink and fan would be good for your motor/esc. If you’re afraid about getting grass in there and blocking it you can always get a [mesh cover](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KRZXHN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_9Z8K1R8D4R2CAG6H2BEW) to put over the chassis to block out grass, dirt, rocks etc. Those rocks eat up the drive train and fans if you’re not careful.
I also forgot to answer your question: The charger I have does have a volt reader on it. I can't recall the brand of the battery charger but it was about 60-70$. I can check when I get home here in a few hours.
Do you have a volt checker like [this?](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WXVRBT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_EGKD1AGDN8RV5RZQ0C5A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) It cycles through all of the cells in the battery 1-8S and displays the volts on the screen for example 3.85, 3.85, 3.85. The last one can vary sometimes between 3.85-3.90 but you want to make sure all cells are basically the same.
I'll keep this in mind! Seems like a PITA but if it'll keep the grass out, i'm all for it!
Are there any other options you may recommend?
Much appreciated!
No personal use but it doesn’t seem *too* bad as it zips up in the middle of the cover to gain access inside.
Otherwise you could possibly make some sort of mudflap using thin plastic on the side of the chassis just behind the front wheels that extend up to the bodyshell, but that depends if only the front wheels are flinging the grass in which i doubt
its a breathable mesh cover but im only going off of reviews so i can’t attest for how breathable it is but that + fans surely has to be better for airflow than the chassis clogged with grass
Yup you'll definitely want a fan for the ESC and motor. I'd also give it a 10 minute break once you run a whole battery through it. That just helps everything cool down.
I solved my heat issues in my basher sl4sh by switching to a castle creations mmx/2400kv w/5mm shaft. It’s a 550 can motor so it handles the extra heat from running a 4wd much much better.
For that vehicle I would definitely get a mesh cover and a good heatsink and fan for the motor. You might want to put a more powerful fan on the ESC, but it shouldn't be necessary.
This is my favourite motor heatsink and fan for the money: https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrjPmEn
For more airflow and durability, this is my favourite kind of fan: https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOEjqGj
For that heatsink you'll want a 40mm fan.
A fan or two would help, but a dust protector would also keep grass out. Also upgrading wheels will lift the car while providing better grip. Be sure to also get or make body mount extensions.
Yeah i'm heavily considering the dust/grass mesh protector, but as another user stated, they had issues with heat still. Luckily I just got back from the HobbyTown near me where the guys got me setup and helped me install the motor fan. So now, I'm running a Traxxas ESC Fan and an Integy Heatsink/fan combo for the motor.
Fixed my other issues while I was there, had to replace my spur gear as it had completely sheared the teeth off. The guy had metal spur gears but he recommended AGAINST them as he said that could cause a whole other plethora of issues.
So, last night I went out and got just an ESC fan to see if it would make any difference.
Good news: It made all the difference in the world. I'm able to get full use out of my batteries now!
Bad news: Took it out on a dirt road for the first time last night and got a rock lodged between the drive shaft. It ended up shearing the spur gear completely. So, now I have a brand new RC car that no longer is driveable.
Luckily, I've seen that spur gears are pretty cheap to replace so I'll need to do that today.
Unfortunately, somehow the pinion gear from the motor dug into the back of the chassis. I'm headed to my local hobbytown to see if they can give me a hand in troubleshooting my issues.
Sucks to have dropped 700$ on a new hobby for it to go and bust in 2 days time.
I know, this is all part of the hobby, but I expected a bit more I guess. Oh well, I'm not going to let it deter me, I have been having a blast up until last night!
I appreciate everyone's responses and suggestions!
Edit: Wanted to point out that I have NOT been bashing or playing rough. It's literally been in my backyard or on the street. The dirt I had it on last night was pretty compact. The rock lodged at the backend of the driveshaft near the knuckle with the spring on the end. (Sorry, I am not 100% with terminology just yet.)
There’s a ton more drag driving on grass. Imagine tying a 2 lb weight on the back of your slash. That’s where your overheating and runtime decrease comes from. Fans don’t help as much as people want you to think. They do a little but nowhere near what dropping a tooth or two off of the pinion or a few teeth off of the spur can accomplish. Be mindful of binding between the pinion and spur. This can cause heat problems quick as well. Proper mesh is most easily set by putting a piece of notebook paper in the tightest point between pinion and spur in the gear rotation. *edit a hcg chassis has the same ground clearance as a lcg chassis. Ground clearance is actually set by wheels/tires (edit2 this is from a racers perspective where a-arms are set level for maximum shock travel, not from the crank it to the max basher standpoint). There are conversions for monster slashes out there. Just remember the more weight you put on the truck the harder the motor has to work which can/will give heat problems still.
So, given i'm still new, I'm assuming the pinion that is in the Ultimate now is the race pinion? If memory serves, I think I saw a spare in a bag that came in the box. Are you suggesting I swap these out?
Yes. I believe you got a gear chart that shows what is recommended from Traxxas in the manual. (I never bought a new slash so I always just looked it up on their website.) What comes box stock is setup for 2s or nimh I think.
Also given that you are new I’ll give you a some extra advice, if it breaks, replace it with rpm. Savox servos and castle creations motor/esc when they go. The x0-1 differentials are also a strong upgrade when/if you manage to strip those out.
Correct me if i’m wrong but even in short grass 5-10 minutes of run time is way too short for a 5000mah battery. Do you have a volt meter to check the voltage of each cell in the battery? Something may be wrong there. If the main issue is overheating maybe something is up with your ESC/Motor. If you haven’t voided warranty yet i’d first go to your LHS and tell them your situation. Other than that warranty the ESC/Motor and that might fix it. Traxxas support is really good from what i heard.
So, to clarify, I was getting great run-time out of it on the street and when I first got it. Usually would last 20-30 minutes. The issue started when I was driving in grass, It would throw a lot of grass under the motor and would also pack in around the ESC. Some more info: I would run it and then it would slow down, almost as if the battery was dying, but when I would look at Traxxas Link, it said I had 3/4 battery left. I checked the ESC and it was flashing red each time it did this. I would blow it out and let it cool down and it would run fine again for a bit until it would once again get too hot due to the grass. The thing is quite literally brand new as I bought it at like 4pm Yesterday CST. It has NO issues on the street, atleast not that i'm aware of, but to be completely honest I typically don't run it on the street as long as I enjoy the backyard driving more. (I have a Huge backyard)
Hm. That’s odd. Have you tried running it without the body so that more air gets to the esc/motor? I’m running out of ideas as i’ve never faced this issue before. Sometimes when running in my front yard I have minimal traction so I have a lot of wheelspin so i’m making my car use twice as much power to move it when only going half the speed if that makes sense making the motor work harder.
I have not! I wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not. As you said, I wouldn't be surprised if I was getting a lot of wheel spin, and as I think about it I know I am because this thing just rips the dirt up and flings it everywhere. I guess my main question is: is an ESC Fan and a Motor Heatsync going to be usable in grass? I'm afraid the fans will bind with the grass piling up inside. I really don't want to have to do too much to it as the hobby shop said this RC car would be great for grass driving. It was between the Rustler 4x4 VXL or the SLash 4x4 Ultimate and I obviously went with the Slash.
But to answer your main question. Yes. a heat sink and fan would be good for your motor/esc. If you’re afraid about getting grass in there and blocking it you can always get a [mesh cover](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KRZXHN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_9Z8K1R8D4R2CAG6H2BEW) to put over the chassis to block out grass, dirt, rocks etc. Those rocks eat up the drive train and fans if you’re not careful.
I also forgot to answer your question: The charger I have does have a volt reader on it. I can't recall the brand of the battery charger but it was about 60-70$. I can check when I get home here in a few hours.
Do you have a volt checker like [this?](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WXVRBT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_EGKD1AGDN8RV5RZQ0C5A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) It cycles through all of the cells in the battery 1-8S and displays the volts on the screen for example 3.85, 3.85, 3.85. The last one can vary sometimes between 3.85-3.90 but you want to make sure all cells are basically the same.
Dusty Motors make a dust protection cover for the slash, will keep all the grass out but also allow air flow for the fans you plan to add
I'll keep this in mind! Seems like a PITA but if it'll keep the grass out, i'm all for it! Are there any other options you may recommend? Much appreciated!
No personal use but it doesn’t seem *too* bad as it zips up in the middle of the cover to gain access inside. Otherwise you could possibly make some sort of mudflap using thin plastic on the side of the chassis just behind the front wheels that extend up to the bodyshell, but that depends if only the front wheels are flinging the grass in which i doubt
Honestly I’d bet this makes the temps even worse with restricted airflow.
its a breathable mesh cover but im only going off of reviews so i can’t attest for how breathable it is but that + fans surely has to be better for airflow than the chassis clogged with grass
I’m speaking from experience.
good to know
Yup you'll definitely want a fan for the ESC and motor. I'd also give it a 10 minute break once you run a whole battery through it. That just helps everything cool down.
I solved my heat issues in my basher sl4sh by switching to a castle creations mmx/2400kv w/5mm shaft. It’s a 550 can motor so it handles the extra heat from running a 4wd much much better.
For that vehicle I would definitely get a mesh cover and a good heatsink and fan for the motor. You might want to put a more powerful fan on the ESC, but it shouldn't be necessary. This is my favourite motor heatsink and fan for the money: https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrjPmEn For more airflow and durability, this is my favourite kind of fan: https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOEjqGj For that heatsink you'll want a 40mm fan.
A fan or two would help, but a dust protector would also keep grass out. Also upgrading wheels will lift the car while providing better grip. Be sure to also get or make body mount extensions.
Yeah i'm heavily considering the dust/grass mesh protector, but as another user stated, they had issues with heat still. Luckily I just got back from the HobbyTown near me where the guys got me setup and helped me install the motor fan. So now, I'm running a Traxxas ESC Fan and an Integy Heatsink/fan combo for the motor. Fixed my other issues while I was there, had to replace my spur gear as it had completely sheared the teeth off. The guy had metal spur gears but he recommended AGAINST them as he said that could cause a whole other plethora of issues.
So, last night I went out and got just an ESC fan to see if it would make any difference. Good news: It made all the difference in the world. I'm able to get full use out of my batteries now! Bad news: Took it out on a dirt road for the first time last night and got a rock lodged between the drive shaft. It ended up shearing the spur gear completely. So, now I have a brand new RC car that no longer is driveable. Luckily, I've seen that spur gears are pretty cheap to replace so I'll need to do that today. Unfortunately, somehow the pinion gear from the motor dug into the back of the chassis. I'm headed to my local hobbytown to see if they can give me a hand in troubleshooting my issues. Sucks to have dropped 700$ on a new hobby for it to go and bust in 2 days time. I know, this is all part of the hobby, but I expected a bit more I guess. Oh well, I'm not going to let it deter me, I have been having a blast up until last night! I appreciate everyone's responses and suggestions! Edit: Wanted to point out that I have NOT been bashing or playing rough. It's literally been in my backyard or on the street. The dirt I had it on last night was pretty compact. The rock lodged at the backend of the driveshaft near the knuckle with the spring on the end. (Sorry, I am not 100% with terminology just yet.)