Kraton The Dreadful factory pinion removel

[Sparkyd31]

Hi guys, Doing some work on my V2 tonight...I'm changing my factory 12t pinion out with the 14t that came with the kit. As all of you know the fine men @ Arrma love to attach the motor mount to the chassis and motor pinion using red Loctite UGH. I'm sure that these tips were already shared but I thought I'd help someone out in need. I heated the screws that hold the motor mount to the chassis with my soldering iron for a few minutes. Dropped in my M.I.P hex wrench and out it came. BOOYAH . Now for that dreadful pinion. I removed the motor mount/motor and heated the pinion using a stick lighter that you use for candles or camping. I'd say at most 2 minutes heating the pinion with the stick lighter it melted the red loctite quick and it slid right off with ease. No damaged motor mount from prying on it or anything. I learned this from watching YouTube from guys that fly planes and heli's. Most of them have to red Loctite their pinions on cause there is no flat on their motor shafts...Hope this helps a few out before tools get thrown LOL and advil is taken. Take care and always rubber side down. Sparkyd31 (Dave)

 

[Vanning]

Some micro helis have no set screw on the pinions....the pinion is just held on with Loctite retaining compound. It's green. Amazing how strong it is.
With the Kraton....the three screws that hold the motor mount to the chassis...you don't need to install them back with Loctite. You are better off with anti seize. Just make them snug with a MIP driver. They will jam in there and be stuck even without Loctite on them. If they do ever get stripped....heat it up with a soldering station and then use a left hand drill bit to back it out. I never had to do that. lol
For a pinion install tip. I clean the motor shaft with Acetone, put one tiny drop of red on the motor shaft and slide the pinion on. Then just use blue Loctite on the grub screw. Make sure it's all fresh and it dries over night. I've had good luck with pinions not coming off this way. I've ran my Kraton from about a 12 to a 22 tooth pinion so I figured out what holds over time. (Different motors of course)

 

[Sparkyd31]

Thanks Vanning. I'll be honest with yea as I'm not a huge fan of using red on anything rc as blue is more then enough it seems BUT it's hard to disagree with guys with years of experience like yourself that have tried many different ways and have found out what and doesn't work. I will try a tiny dab of red on the shaft and blue on the grub as now I know heat melts it quickly !! Thanks again Vanning.

 

[Vanning]

A very small drop of red is fine on the motor shaft. I use heat and a flat tipped pliar that opens when you squeeze it. I hook it right under the pinion and against the mount and just squeeze. I just so happened to have it. I use to rebuild automatic transmission. Needed weird pliars for snap rings etc.

It's funny to say but I have one RC that I could not get enough red loctite on it. This thing here needs red all day long. It was the only way to hold the pinion and other parts also. This pos is fast and insane on 8S. It has no center diff....its the reason why everything loosens. Killer to drive but it needs much more work that I don't feel like doing. The power of this thing is crazy. I rode it for a while, got it working well but it really needs a center diff. Can be done but Abort mission, don't feel like it.

 

[Sparkyd31]

She looks like a beast, and on 8s......... Whaaaat..... Hope you have a keg in that basement for your wrenching nights as I'm sure you tear things up running huge power in that rig LMAO

 

[Vanning]

Bad picture but it destroys the grass fast The motor is the size of a beer can fun but I went back to 1/8th and loving it

 

[Sparkyd31]

Holy Balls Vanning........Time for some grass seed LMAO

 

[yz125ryder]

Holy Balls Vanning........Time for some grass seed LMAO

cute boxer!

 

[Canadiantech]

my Talion i had to heat the pinion to get it off, but my senton had a self ejecting pinion installed from the factory.

 

[Sparkyd31]

Thanks yzryder. His name is Jackson and he is 2.5 yrs old now. Boxers are an amazing breed in sooooo many ways. I will have this breed till the day I'm in the ground LOL

 

[yz125ryder]

Thanks yzryder. His name is Jackson and he is 2.5 yrs old now. Boxers are an amazing breed in sooooo many ways. I will have this breed till the day I'm in the ground LOL

ditto. i am on my second. she turns 7 next week!

 

[dbdynsty25]

I’ve been fighting with my pinion all night. Gonna have to try the heating part.

Unbelievably I broke two teeth on the stock pinion today doing some normal bashing. No idea how you break teeth on a mod1 pinion. Thought they were supposed to be tougher.

 

[Sparkyd31]

dbdynsty25...... I feel your pain and I as well didn't realize red loctite was used and I struggled too BUT was NOT going to pry against the motor mount damaging it. I had great luck with just removing the motor/mount and heating the pinion up nice and hot. Slid right off after the red was burnt off. Just be careful when that pinion flies off lol

 

[Vanning]

The stock pinions are soft steel. Without red on them, they will usually come off. The trick is to use such a small drop when installing. Or just use very fresh blue but use a little more. Clean the shaft well with Acetone before putting it on . The Robinson Racing pinions are way more reliable. If you take a file to the side of the pinions....you can see they are harder. A file cuts right into a stock pinion...not so much on a RObinson Racing pinion.

Special care and procedures have to be taken around the motor mount and pinion. If you are going to have issues with hardware....it will be in that area. I just ruined my Tekno motor mount. One of the screws stripped and that was all it took. I'll probably switch to M4 cap screws rather than tapered heads in my application. Things have to be tight yet you still need to get it apart. It's a tricky situation sometimes.

 

[dbdynsty25]

Well turns out the heat worked fine on the broken pinion. Left it under flame for about 30 seconds instead of the 10 I tried previously. Slid right off after that.

Got some Robinson Mod1s that I'll throw on. Probably go from the 12 to a 13 instead of the speed pinion.

Thanks guys for the tips.

 

[Sparkyd31]

Glad all went well for you bdynsty25,,Life is good again and the dogs are called off lol