Question:
Hey, Doc-
I’ve recently bought an RTR Ansmann Mad Monkey. Initially it seemed to go bloody fast. On day 3 it still goes really fast but seems to overheat after about 2 minutes. I let it cool for about ten then it goes for about another 2 and so on but the waiting for cooling is crazy.
The red light near the heat sink thingy (?ESC) is flashing and the heat sink itself is really hot (like you wouldn’t touch it). Any suggestions other than taking it back and looking for another RC car?
Cheers
Daniel
Answer:
Hey Daniel.
Heat is the ultimate killer of RC cars and trucks. It’s good that you are giving it a cool-down period before things go really bad.
I would suggest a few things to look at. First, make sure the gear mesh between the motor and spur gear is not to tight. When bashing around, any hard hits can cause the motor to shift, creating a tight fit between the pinion and spur. This tight fit can cause overheating as the motor (and ESC) have to work extra hard to overcome the binding between the two gears. Loosen the motor, back it off slightly and re-tighten.
Another thing to look for is anything binding in the drivetrain. A good way to check this is to remove the pinion from the motor (make sure the car is OFF and the battery uplugged) and spin the wheels. They should be no binding at all in the drivetrain. If there is, you might check for a blown bearing or any debris that might be caught up in the axles or wheels.
Those are the two mechanical things that could be wrong with your Mad Monkey. If that’s not it, there could be some electrical issues that would require a service tech. I would refrain from doing any of that type of work yourself since it could void your warranty.
The Doc
