Re: motor issues

Alfred Pfaff · Post by **Alfred Pfaff** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 9:06 pm

I had just gotten the tracks fixed, thanks Adrian, and was out testing it. A rock got caught in the rear idler and I didn't see it there soI kept on trying to get it to move. In the process I think I may have jacked up the engine or something. The right engine is making a humming sound and of course it's not turning the sprocket. I checked the fuses and they all seem fine. Are the engines easy to take apart if necessary or could it be something else like the ESC. I better stop thinking this is a real tank or it will be my moneypit

. Any help is appreciated very very much. Any idea were to get a different engine if I need one???

VR

Alfred Pfaff

chris fry · Post by **chris fry** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 10:06 pm

hello Alfred,
sounds like you have a broken roll pin on the drive gear, you will have to remove the motor and you will see the roll pin that holds the drive gear on to the motor shaft, just tap the broken one out and hammer in a new one.
hope this helps,
Chris,

Adrian Harris · Post by **Adrian Harris** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:15 pm

I'm sorry this Firefly isn't playing ball

There are a number of stages between the motor and the sprocket, any of which may have failed.

First remove the sprocket end cap and see if the shaft is turning in the taper lock bush. If it is, then that is the easiest to fix.

If the sprocket is nice and tight on the main gear shaft, then you will need to remove it anyway, to be able to remove the final drive cover.

With the cover removed, you should be able to see if the small cog on the end of the motor shaft is still attached correctly.

If that is OK, then it's likely that the damage is within the motor+gearbox itself.

I would strip it down in stages and see where the fault lies, then contact Gill, as I'm sure she will be able to help with getting you going again.

Adrian.

Post by **Armortek** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:29 pm

Hi Guys

As far as we can tell from our records, this is not an Armortek Firefly from the new batch, but one of the original M4A3 shermans. Alfred has acquired this tank on the second hand market and is at least the third owner.

This being the case it probably has 4Qd speed controllers and Parvalux motors. It is most likely that the Parvalux gearbox has failed.

Alfred, your best best is to get the motor out and return it to us. There is nothing user servicable inside the gearbox, but we do have repair parts here at Armortek.

Mark

Doug Johansson · Post by **Doug Johansson** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:46 am

Hi Alfred, As Mark has suggested i bet it was the gearbox in the motor that failed as I had exactly the same issue with mine. The spur gear inside the gearbox looks like it is made of nylon which is pressed into a spline on the output shaft which was the point of failure in my case stripping out completely (refer to below pics)

as replacements are difficult to fine here in Aust. I decided to pin each side of the gear with a high tensile bolt which required drilling through the shaft and creating a slot in each side of the gear. Was supposed to be a 'quick and dirty' fix until I could source a replacement however it has held up fantastic with no issues whatsoever.

Left side

Right side

Alfred Pfaff · Post by **Alfred Pfaff** » Sun Jan 06, 2013 8:37 am

I appreciate all the help on the forums, you all are great. The tank is all working except for the smoke but I can live with that for now. I pulled out the fuses and reinstalled them, let it sit for a few hours and it fired up. Like Mark stated it is an older one and it had the old school paravalux motors and the ESC's. Me and the son are enjoying it even if there were some minor issues. Shipping from the UK will do that. I will try to get some pics on the forum.

VR

Alfred Pfaff