highgranger Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Hi all. very recently my son was given a thunder tiger mta4 by my brother. Something he used to use regularly but did no servicing on. after a long period of it not being used, we got it going and today we took it out so it could stretch its legs. we had run 2 tanks through it and all was working well after a few tweaks. Literally as we were about to pack up and leave, the car lost drive. The car was revving but it would barely drive forward. A little better in reverse. If I lifted car up and rev, all wheels spin. When on ground, it won’t move. if I spin a wheel, the opposite wheel spins so guessing driveshafts ok? All grub screws and nuts are tight. Any ideas what I can check to diagnose problem? Remember, we are new to this so not too technical please. thanks steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PraetoR Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Worn clutch, perhaps? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highgranger Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 (edited) 16 minutes ago, PraetoR said: Worn clutch, perhaps? Is there a way to check this? Should I be able to see the clutch? I believe mine has a slipper clutch. How do I check if this is ok? thanks Edited January 22, 2022 by highgranger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yrkoon Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 as far as i recall only electric powered ones have a slipper clutch, nitros have a normal clutch 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turok007 Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 (edited) yup chech the slipper as some/all had them looks like they have a nut so worth trying Edited January 22, 2022 by turok007 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormbringer Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 The clutch is usually just behind the gear on the end of the engine under the metal shroud (clutch bell) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highgranger Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 I’ve checked the slipper strainer nut and it’s tight as it suggests in instructions. Is there anything or anyway I can check it? All teeth look intact. Is there another clutch which maybe I should look at? Can it be seen in photos attached? And how do I check it? sorry about all the questions. Just trying to get it sorted for son. He was really enjoying today until it lost power Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersavage Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 If you can remove the plastic cover that covers those two gears you should be able to see the clutch bell/pinion (the smaller of the two gears) which is in front of the flywheel (the silver wheel in those pictures). If you remove the screw holding the clutch bell/pinion (the screw in center of the small gear in those pictures) you should be able to see the clutch for the engine. Chances are that either the clutch shoes are worn out or a clutch spring has broken. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highgranger Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 5 hours ago, supersavage said: If you can remove the plastic cover that covers those two gears you should be able to see the clutch bell/pinion (the smaller of the two gears) which is in front of the flywheel (the silver wheel in those pictures). If you remove the screw holding the clutch bell/pinion (the screw in center of the small gear in those pictures) you should be able to see the clutch for the engine. Chances are that either the clutch shoes are worn out or a clutch spring has broken. Thanks I’ll have a look. The only way to take the plastic cover off is to remove nut with spring on, on slipper clutch. Is that ok to do? Guessing parts aren’t going to go flying when I undo it? where is a good place to buy clutch parts? Especially as the car is quite old and no longer produced. Maybe the engine is still in production? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kpowell911 Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 I think it could be clutch (engine not slipper) related. Take the engine out and pull the clutchbell off and have a look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninetiesbeard Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Sounds like you are getting drive to all four wheels, so its not anything with the outer driveshafts or centre shafts. Sounds like a clutch issue as people have stated above. A good way to test if its the slipper would be to crank the night right down so that it has no chance of slipping, and then set it back to factory settings when youve confirmed that it is okay. I believe youve got to investigate the clutch next, which involves either taking the spur gear off, or removing the engine from the car. The MTA4 has a nut and bolt engine mount design, so you may find it easier to take the engine mount off using the bolts going through the slotted holes, but you will have to re set the mesh with the clutch bell and spur gear. Probably a clutch issue, clutches are super cheap to replace and fairly simple too. Looks like the original clutch shoes arent available anymore, these would do it, and also cover you in the case of a broken spring as mentioned above;https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/fastrax-heavy-duty-purple-aluminium-1-8th-clutch-shoe-and-springs-18138 The mta4 also uses slipper pegs as a friction material in the spur slipper system, these are available here;https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/traxxas-friction-pegs-slipper-12--15043 Dont mind the traxxas part number, the t maxx ones are identical to the mta4 ones. Id probably do the lot, new clutch and new slipper pegs, clean the slipper plates that live either side of the spur gear, and clean the inside of the clutch bell out too. You can rough up the inside of the bell for better engagement, with an abrasive. They form a glossy coating over time due to the heat. Hope this helps dude, Mta4's are super fun trucks 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highgranger Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 1 hour ago, Ninetiesbeard said: Sounds like you are getting drive to all four wheels, so its not anything with the outer driveshafts or centre shafts. Sounds like a clutch issue as people have stated above. A good way to test if its the slipper would be to crank the night right down so that it has no chance of slipping, and then set it back to factory settings when youve confirmed that it is okay. I believe youve got to investigate the clutch next, which involves either taking the spur gear off, or removing the engine from the car. The MTA4 has a nut and bolt engine mount design, so you may find it easier to take the engine mount off using the bolts going through the slotted holes, but you will have to re set the mesh with the clutch bell and spur gear. Probably a clutch issue, clutches are super cheap to replace and fairly simple too. Looks like the original clutch shoes arent available anymore, these would do it, and also cover you in the case of a broken spring as mentioned above;https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/fastrax-heavy-duty-purple-aluminium-1-8th-clutch-shoe-and-springs-18138 The mta4 also uses slipper pegs as a friction material in the spur slipper system, these are available here;https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/traxxas-friction-pegs-slipper-12--15043 Dont mind the traxxas part number, the t maxx ones are identical to the mta4 ones. Id probably do the lot, new clutch and new slipper pegs, clean the slipper plates that live either side of the spur gear, and clean the inside of the clutch bell out too. You can rough up the inside of the bell for better engagement, with an abrasive. They form a glossy coating over time due to the heat. Hope this helps dude, Mta4's are super fun trucks 🙂 Cheers pal. Very helpful. When you mention about resetting the mesh with clutch bell and gear, is that easy or does it sound more complicated than it is.? really appreciate the links for parts too. Was finding it difficult to find parts for car. 👍 my son was loving driving it. Glad this issue happened just as we were ready for leaving. It’s got some speed and maybe even more if clutch was slipping anyway. would you happen to know what tyres would fit the mta4. Again, struggling to find any online that say are suitable but we are new and don’t know all the models. His tyres are starting to crack and split. thanks again steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninetiesbeard Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 3 minutes ago, highgranger said: Cheers pal. Very helpful. When you mention about resetting the mesh with clutch bell and gear, is that easy or does it sound more complicated than it is.? really appreciate the links for parts too. Was finding it difficult to find parts for car. 👍 my son was loving driving it. Glad this issue happened just as we were ready for leaving. It’s got some speed and maybe even more if clutch was slipping anyway. would you happen to know what tyres would fit the mta4. Again, struggling to find any online that say are suitable but we are new and don’t know all the models. His tyres are starting to crack and split. thanks again steve To set mesh, loosely fit the engine in the car with the slotted bolts from underneath and do them up loosely so that the engine still slides around. Next i find it helps to grab a bit of paper and shove it between the spur and clutch bell and push the engine toward the transmission in a parallel way; to get a uniform engagement. Then just do the bolts up, pull the paper out and check that the spur/clutch bell turn freely. The paper will make sure you get a little gap between the two to stop them binding/getting hot and melting anything. Then take the bolts out one at a time, threadlock them and put them back in at torque. Tyres are a fun thing, really thats down to personal preference more than anything, but they are separated into a few categories. Theres 2.2, 2.8, 3.8, 1/8th buggy and many more. You need a 3.8 wheelset, so that the inside of the wheels clears the hubs/knuckles and so that the outside diameter matches roughly what you had originally. Proline make brilliant wheels and tyres, i fully recommend them. These are nice; https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/pro-line-badlands-mx38-3.8in-all-terrain-tires-mounted-on-8x32-removable-hex-for-17mm-mt-2--442741 Those would add a bit of weight, some width and a ton of grip to the truck. But they wont “just” fit your car. First you need to convert it to 17mm hex. The hexes are the drive mechanism lurking behind the wheel that locates in the wheel and on a pin on the driveshaft. Ive only once seen an mta4 converted to 17mm hex, and it involves a bit of fabrication. BUT, i believe these; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313840560751?epid=765440856&hash=item49125aea6f:g:pr4AAOSwCMRcZsyA Will solve that. I stress that i have never personally used those hexes on that truck, so i cant guarantee itll work; but see no reason why it wouldnt. Otherwise, youll be looking for 14mm hex wheels, which come in many sizes. And seem to be pretty difficult to find just from a quick look on ebay. No need to worry about that until the stock ones blow off the truck 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highgranger Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 2 hours ago, Ninetiesbeard said: To set mesh, loosely fit the engine in the car with the slotted bolts from underneath and do them up loosely so that the engine still slides around. Next i find it helps to grab a bit of paper and shove it between the spur and clutch bell and push the engine toward the transmission in a parallel way; to get a uniform engagement. Then just do the bolts up, pull the paper out and check that the spur/clutch bell turn freely. The paper will make sure you get a little gap between the two to stop them binding/getting hot and melting anything. Then take the bolts out one at a time, threadlock them and put them back in at torque. Tyres are a fun thing, really thats down to personal preference more than anything, but they are separated into a few categories. Theres 2.2, 2.8, 3.8, 1/8th buggy and many more. You need a 3.8 wheelset, so that the inside of the wheels clears the hubs/knuckles and so that the outside diameter matches roughly what you had originally. Proline make brilliant wheels and tyres, i fully recommend them. These are nice; https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/pro-line-badlands-mx38-3.8in-all-terrain-tires-mounted-on-8x32-removable-hex-for-17mm-mt-2--442741 Those would add a bit of weight, some width and a ton of grip to the truck. But they wont “just” fit your car. First you need to convert it to 17mm hex. The hexes are the drive mechanism lurking behind the wheel that locates in the wheel and on a pin on the driveshaft. Ive only once seen an mta4 converted to 17mm hex, and it involves a bit of fabrication. BUT, i believe these; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313840560751?epid=765440856&hash=item49125aea6f:g:pr4AAOSwCMRcZsyA Will solve that. I stress that i have never personally used those hexes on that truck, so i cant guarantee itll work; but see no reason why it wouldnt. Otherwise, youll be looking for 14mm hex wheels, which come in many sizes. And seem to be pretty difficult to find just from a quick look on ebay. No need to worry about that until the stock ones blow off the truck 🙂 Many thanks again. great advice. yes think we will wait for tyres. Didn’t realise how expensive they were! They do look good tho. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highgranger Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 Well I ordered the parts listed above and they arrived today. the old clutch did look worn and there were no bits left in the slipper clutch! Just holes where the clutch bits should’ve been. all fitted tonight but I haven’t tried yet cos it was too late. Hopefully give a quick try tomorrow. pictures of old and new clutch below 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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