I keep a short set of notes for the Rlaarlo Omni-Terminator Metal, a mini 1/10 4WD brushless truck. These ones aren't about getting started. They cover what I look at when a run goes wrong, the limits I hold to, and how the truck and its battery get put away afterwards.
When nothing responds
Sequence is the first thing I suspect. The 2.4 GHz transmitter has to be on before the ESC power button is pressed, so if the wheels and steering do nothing, I switch the truck off, start again with the transmitter, and only then wake the ESC. If that doesn't help, I lift the 1.2 mm PVC body and check that the pack is seated in its tray and that its plug is fully home in the ESC. A pack that hasn't been on my LiPo charger since the last outing is the next suspect.
When it feels wrong on the ground
- Steering sluggish or uneven: the servo is an 11 kg unit with 7075 aluminium gears, so I look for grit around the linkage before blaming the electronics.
- Losing grip on tarmac: the 104 mm tyres suit loose ground. On smooth surfaces I ease off rather than chase traction.
- Slower than expected: the published 60–80 km/h is a range, and the top of it is quoted on the included 3S pack. Grass and dirt pull it down.
- Patchy control at a distance: the transmitter's stated range is about 150 m. If response gets uncertain, I walk closer first.
The limits I hold to
Water is the firm one. I don't drive through standing water and I never submerge the truck, whatever the rain has left on the field. The ESC is a 45A unit with a cooling fan and accepts a 2S or 3S LiPo, so nothing outside that goes on it.
Battery size has a hard edge as well. The bigger bay takes a 3S pack up to 140 × 30 × 45 mm, while the smaller one is 110 × 36 × 30 mm and suits the pack supplied. Anything larger won't go in, so a tape measure comes out before any new pack does.
I also remind myself that the 2852 3100KV motor is quick on 3S. Short bursts on open ground suit it far better than a cramped garden.
Care and storage checklist
After a session I run through the same list before the truck goes on the shelf:
- Switch off the ESC, then the transmitter.
- Unplug the LiPo and take it out of the tray.
- Brush dirt off the chassis, the oil-filled shocks and the nylon suspension arms.
- Look over the 2.5 mm aluminium chassis and the upper deck for anything loose.
- Keep the LiPo stored apart from the truck.
- Put the truck away whole. At 410 × 288 × 172 mm with a 251 mm wheelbase, it doesn't need the body off.
If you'd like to see the truck these notes are about, it's on rtrbrush.co.uk.
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