BAJA FAQ

 Welcome to our FAQ area for LiteHawk BAJA. Tips and tricks, along with step by step User Guides are right here. Check our Overview video for even more info!

LiteHawk BAJA Features:

Fully loaded with all the usual features that you have come to expect from LiteHawk!

• Shaft Driven 4WD provides proven, solid traction!
• Oil Filled Shocks soak up the bumps...smooth and consistent!
• Fully Independent Suspension digs into the corners and keeps you tidy down the straights!
• Anodized Motor Heat Sink keeps things cool!
• Polycarbonate body shell (available in Red or Orange)
• 2.4Ghz Digital Pistol Grip Controller with soft steering wheel gives you fully proportional control.
• Includes Wall Mount Charger and Battery
• Soft All-Terrain Rubber Tires for superior grip and performance

LiteHawk R/C Car and Truck Terms 101
Transmitter: The hand-held radio unit that sends throttle and steering inputs to your model. Also known as the radio or controller.
Servo: Small motor unit in your model that operates the steering mechanism.
ESC: The Electronic Speed Control provides digital proportional throttle control to the model’s motor based upon your throttle input on the radio.

LiteHawk BAJA - NIMH Battery and Charger Instructions:

Your New LiteHawk comes with a rechargeable NIMH 7.2 Volt battery. This battery powers the vehicle.
Please read the following information before using your new LiteHawk.

STEP 1: Remove the wall plug charger from the package and plug it into the wall. When plugged in a green LED light will come on.

STEP 2: Connect the 7.2 Volt battery to the charger. The green LED light will turn to red.

STEP 3: When the LED indicator light on the charger turns back to green, the battery is fully charged.

Charge times are (3.5-4.5hrs) do not leave on charge overnight. Battery should be unplugged from the charger after a maximum 8 hours.
STEP 4: Unplug the battery from the charger and remove the charger from the wall plug.
STEP 5: Install battery into your vehicle.

During charging:
- It is normal for the battery to get warm during the charging process. Do not charge the battery on a surface that is flammable or can be damaged by heat.
- Do not leave the battery and charger unattended while charging.
- Do not store the battery plugged into the charger

LiteHawk BAJA - Battery Installation
Place your BAJA on a clean flat surface. Avoid areas where small parts may be lost. The battery is housed in the battery compartment located on the left side of the chassis.
- Remove the four body clips, lift off the body shell. You will see a velcro strip, this secures the battery in place.

- Place your fully charged battery in the battery slot, secure with velcro strip. Connect the battery to the ESC. Don’t force it, it only goes one way!

- Replace the body and secure the body clips.                                                                   

LiteHawk BAJA - How to Synchronize the Transmitter to the BAJA.

- after connecting your Battery to the BAJA, turn on your Transmitter. The power button should start blinking from green to red and back.

-now turn on the Baja, with the red switch, on the ESC. on the left hand side of the vehicle. The power light on the ESC should start blinking red. Initiating any movement of the vehicle ( steering.. throttle ) and the lights will both go solid red. The Baja is now synchronized! Just secure the body with the body clips and you are ready to go.

LiteHawk BAJA - Wheel Removal.

-With the wheel wrench that is supplied with your BAJA, or a 5.5mm socket wrench, remove the wheel nut and carefully pull off the wheel.

- Be careful not to dislodge the wheel hex nut that the wheel secures over, as the axle pins can easily fall out. The pins have to be centered in the axle to fit into a slot in the wheel hex nut.

- Just reverse this process, make sure that the wheel nuts are very snug, but not super tight, or the wheels won't turn. Always check your wheel nuts for tightness after or before every run.

-TIP.. If you find that the nuts are loosening up too much too often.. use a drop of automotive, Loc-tite, and that should work.

LiteHawk BAJA - Gear Case Cover 

- Fine Debris can accumulate under the Gear Case Cover and may cause binding of the gears, so an occasional cleaning is necessary. Begin by removing the body of the Baja.
- Clear all the electrical wiring away from the upper chassis. Two motor wires, wiring harness from the servo, and the antenna wire.
- With those out of the way, you can remove the six screws holding down the upper chassis, and the small screw holding the gear case cover down.

When you remove them and set them aside there is a small bearing race spacer that comes out as well.

- You can now clear any debris from the gears and make sure they turn freely.

- Now reassemble the pieces in the reverse order. First place the Gear Case Spacer on the Silver Bearing attached to the Center Drive Shaft. Next replace the Gear Case Cover.
- You can now replace the the Upper Chassis Cover and reinstall the six screws being careful not to knock the spacer from the Center Drive Shaft Bearing. Tighten all the screws snugly and slip the servo wire running to the On/Off switch back into its clip, reassemble the antenna, and reattach the motor wires.

-Tip.. to help prevent debris under the gear case cover, you can put a small line of grease around the gear case cover, where it meets the chassis.

The grease will seal the gap and will attract the dust and debris to it, and not penetrate underneath. This will require occasional cleaning, but will save wear on the gears.

LiteHawk BAJA - Motor Removal

Follow the instructions for the gear case removal.

When completed turn the vehical over and remove the four screws that hold the Motor mount to the chassis.. don't lose the metal spacer/washer.

The Motor and mount will now lift out. To remove the Motor from the mount, you first have to remove the pinion gear, by loosening a set screw with an allen wrench, and pulling the gear from the shaft. It is probably a tight fit.. so use a flat headed screw driver to pry it off. Notice the flat spot on the motor shaft, the set screw has to be tightened on this spot, when rebuilding, to work.

Now you have to remove the two screws from the front of the motor mount.

Reassemble in reverse order... making sure that the Motor to mount screws and the mount to the chassis screws are very tight. A small touch of Loc- Tite on the Motor mount to chassis screws, might be a good Idea. Putting Loc-Tite on the two screws holding the motor to the mount.. you can, but be very careful that none of it drips into the motor itself.. use very sparingly!

LiteHawk BAJA - Removing Steering Linkage

- Follow the instructions to Remove and Replace The Baja Gear Case Cover.. only up to removing the upper chassis. Don't remove the small screw holding the Gear Case Cover on. With the upper chassis set aside you can take one of the screws and replace it into the Gear Case Spacer, just to hold it on.. don't screw the screw down tight leave it very loose.
- Now you can take a pair of needle nose plyers and remove the Steering and upper links from the 3 ball heads, that connect the steering servo to the wheels. Removing the wheels first will help.

- Now you can lift off the Steering Linkage.. carefully leaving the Steering Pivot Pins in place.

 
- If you are replacing the Linkage with a new one... remove the hardware and place on the new Linkage
- Re-install Linkage by reversing the procedure carefully

 LiteHawk BAJA - Accessing Differential, Reduction Gear, Drive Shaft.

-Follow the above directions to remove the gear case cover, and the steering linkage.

-Now you can remove the upper suspension links and the shocks from the front and rear shock towers.

-Remove the remaining four screws, holding the front and rear differential housings on, and carefully lift off the two housings with the shock towers and set them aside.

-You now have access to the two differentials, they just lift out. make sure that you replace them exactly as you take them out.. they can easily be put back in, backwards... and if you do, the Baja will run... backwards.

-You can now remove the Drive shaft with the reduction gear attached. There is a screw in the center of the small gear on the end of the Drive shaft, remove this and you can get at the reduction gear.

Carefully follow the procedure backwards to reassemble.

LiteHawk BAJA - Front Suspension

-To access the front suspension parts after the wheel has been removed, take the shock off of the lower suspension arm and remove the upper suspension link, and the steering link from the wheel steering knuckle assembly. Then remove and set the dog bone aside.

-If all you need to access is the wheel axle or bearings, then just remove the hex nut and the axle pin, turn the steering knuckle assembly 90 degrees, and slide out the axle.

-You can also access the wheel bearings at this point.

-The axle assembly can remain in the steering knuckle if you are only concerned with the knuckle upright or the lower suspension arm.

-Remove these two screws and the whole steering Knuckle assembly will slide right out.

-Remove these two screws and you can remove the steering knuckle and axle.

-To remove the lower suspension arm, turn over the chassis and remove the two screws holding the bumper on. Remove the bumper and set it aside, being careful not to lose the small washer between the chassis and the lower arm on the back of the suspension arm hinge pin.

-Pull the lower suspension arm hinge pin out, again, being careful not to lose the small washer.

- Make sure that both of the small washers are on the backs of both the hinge pins before putting the bumper back on.

-Follow the procedure in reverse to reassemble.

 LiteHawk BAJA - Rear Suspension 

-Accessing the rear suspension parts is the same as the front suspension.. start with removing the shock from the rear lower suspension arm, and removing the upper suspension link from the rear suspension wheel knuckle.

-If all you need is access to the wheel axle or wheel bearings.. just remove the wheel hex and axle pin, remove the dog bone and set aside.

-To access the rear lower suspension arm, remove the rear suspension wheel knuckle, by removing the suspension knuckle swivel pin.

-Next, turn the chassis upside down, and remove the two screws that hold the rear bumper on.

-Remove the rear bumper carefully... don't lose the small washer on the back of the suspension arm hinge pins, between the suspension arms and the chassis. Now slide out the suspension arm hinge pin.. again.. being careful of the small washer, and the lower suspension arm will be free. Reassemble carefully in reverse order, making sure that both small washers are in place before reinstalling the rear bumper.