Ever felt like just packing it all in? RC's that is.

Bit of a waffle this, be prepared...

I did Saturday. Second run with a new Max8 motor in the Kagama since the old one imploded after 2 years.

A pack and a half in lost traction to the addition of a nasty sounding clicky noise. Diff gone I think, which is unusual because in 5 years of running Corally 6S buggies/trucks I've never had a single issue with diffs.

Anyway, I get it home and start taking bits off to find the problem, I see the pinion has slipped backwards inside the motor mount completely hiding the damn grub screw. No amount of gently prying/not so gently prying will move it enough to get a hex key in there. Pinion puller! Yeah that will do it. Snap one of the motor mount bolts getting it off which was really good. Discover I can now get the grub screw out, apply a bit of heat and it comes out easy. Pinion will still not move. Pinion is almost touching the motor, I need 1mm more to allow the puller to slide in behind it. I get a punch and gently tap tap tap the motor shaft back out, I get that magic millimeter and get the pulled in there. I get the pinion to move 5mm before the puller decides fiddlestick this and breaks. I get a beefier gear puller and try that, I get another few mm until the conical end of the pull is up against the pinion. I go to plan Z and cut the pinion off. Result! After a long long time it's off! I feel a bit pleased with myself.

The I notice my tap tap tapping shunted the sensor board backwards and it's torn all 3 tiny screws out.

I had to get the gin out at that point and walk away.

I feel your pain plenty of times I’ve lost the rag with things just gotta leave them on the bench until the red mist clears. If it makes you feel any better the last time I had my buggy out in the wet & the motor went I didn’t bother cleaning my rig afterwards, I went to move it the other day to discover all 4 wheels are locked up, guessing the bearings have seized in the scorched hubs nobody to blame but myself.

Happens all the time. I recently got a Kyosho inferno nitro. Yesterday I lost drive to the rear wheels after only 3/4 gallon of fuel. The rear diff pinion is shredded. Once I found the problem, I loosely put the car back together and put it away. It will be there for when I get around to fixing it. Rc’s are not mandatory and they can sit indefinitely until I decide to fix them.

Short answer no, longer answer yes.
This is my last big hobby and I have sunk way to much money into it over the years, the thought of quitting has crossed my mind because of the costs, but hey, I know I’ll keep going for now..
I feel your pain with pinion issues etc, these things are just sent to try us, once you’re on the other side you’ll look back and laugh.. remember that day when I broke my motor etc etc

I've had many simular endeavours. Yet, at some point you learn all the tricks and it happens less often. Pinions just need a lot of heat, no need for pullers

As i am now building up the new rlaarlo DSK kit, i basicly got 1/8 buggy number 5 up and running, So even if 3 would break down i still have several to fall back on. The kit is very nice btw and if something annoying would happen with it, it would be my own fault as its fully self assembled.

The Asuga that i crash damaged a while ago is giving me a hard time right now.
I took the damaged right front apart and noticed that i couldn't get the lower steering ball out of the arm. The hex was stripped. After i received the new upper and lower arms, balls and steering hubs, i put the dang thing back together, only to find that i overlooked the bent Ackerman bar.
When the new Ackerman bar arrived, i put it all back together, after i felt like i was ready to give it another go, and now the bar is binding on the bulkhead, but only when steering right.
I was about to throw it in the trash yesterday, but this car is only a couple of months old.
I just got home from the night shift and that bloody thing is staring at me again. Maybe today, mate. I am getting some sleep first.

Goofy stuff happens from time to time - but much like Bashing Brian stated, I've invested too much of my time into this 'sport' - into this pastime - to allow stuff like this to sway me.

RC is like oxygen to me. It's part of who I am. I've always done it.

Is RC annoying? Sometimes, yes. Like when you're trying to insert circlips into vintage Cougar shocks. Or mounting up the next 8 pairs of tyres for a race. Again.

Or when your camera thermals in the middle of a run.

All minor annoyances on the grand scheme of things - definitely first world problems.

I'm just glad to have my garage up to 12 rigs. There's always stuff that needs doing plus all the stuff I end up changing or tinkering with.

On balance, my XTR has been pretty reliable. My 22X-4 Elite has been an absolute beast. Baja 5B - whilst requiring numerous upgrades in the early stages - it's been the gift which keeps giving.

The thought of selling them makes me feel sad.

I don't leave stuff waiting for repairs longer than it takes the postman to deliver stuff!