erratic steering

[Starkweather]

Ok I'm having a problem. The steering on my car has always pulled left, so I saw that one thread for turning the POT that controls the steering. The problem is, I turned it until it was almost centered, then kept turning and quickly flicked left again. Kept turning, kept happening. I turned off the car and centered the trim, tired again, and agian, and eventually something changed and I got it fixed.

Now the problem is the steering is totally all over the chart. If I turn left and let go, it won't toally center itself. Same if I turn right. And that steering POT never goes past around dead center before going left again. Am I doing something wrong here?

[Reaperman93010]

sounds like a bad or damaged pot. does it work better when you're doing something like applying pressure to it?

you'll likely have to replace it or the control board. whichever's easiest. I've heard of some ghetto-fixes, like glue, but I've never tried them, and they all sound just plain wrong.

since I have no idea where to get a pot, I'd just replace the board. As far as soldering goes, epoch board replacements are a breeze.

[Starkweather]

Really? I was hoping it was just the transmitter. I always thought it was a piece of crap even though it does work. My other RC gear is at my parents house over an hour away, so I won't be able to try another TX for awhile. I ordered another car from here last night so I guess I'll be able to tell which is the culprit when it arrives. If it is a damaged POT, HOW could I have damaged it? It's basically a screw right?

[arch2b]

there is the remote possibility it's just a faulty unit. it happens... :( if you feel that is the case, please email the shop

[Starkweather]

Let me preface this by saying I have a very limited understanding of the electronics of R/C cars. I just like building them and driving them.

What does POT stand for?

Oh, and it probably would have helped if I had replaced the battery in my TX before getting all worried...

About that steering POT... Id it like a screw? Did I turn it too far and I just need to messwith it more? I'll probably know tomorrow when my new Skyline gets here and I can compare notes.

Oh, and this may be a REALLY stupid question, but can WiFi signals interfere with reception? I replaced the battery in my TX and the cars seems to drive a lot better. I messed with the POT some more, and it still doesn't seem to go right very far, but I only messed with it for like 30 seconds.

[Reaperman93010]

transmitter and car batteries are a good thing to check first--actually, I bet you'll find that with some very gentle messing around that your car is fine. Just try recentering the TX and very gently trying to center the wheels from the pot on the board. If it won't center and turn properly, you'll need to look at repair or replacement, which is a whole other mess. Wifi signals should not come close to interfering. You're running in the 27mhz range and wifi is in the 2.4ghz range.

anyway 'pot' is short for Potentiometer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer). It's a term you should become very familiar with in the RC world, since everything that uses digital proportional control uses a LOT of them. Don't think of it as a screw--the picture in that link is pretty helpful.

It's a variable resistor and will generally be a knob or slider of some kind. you'll see them all over now that you're looking. Think volume knob. Anyway, you have a couple more on your epoch transmitter for adjusting trims and a final one attached to three wires in the very front of your car.

Always touch the pots on micro cars very gently and avoid turning them too far. Poorly designed ones really don't like that at all. Every time I've turned one too far (exactly once) it got loose and only worked properly when light pressure was applied. But that was on an iwaver--a car known to have the cheapest pot in the universe.

[Starkweather]

Reaper--

Thanks for the reply. However, I believe the pot is F'd up. I recieved my skyline in the mail today. Threw some softies on the rims, double charged it and turned it on. The steering was off on it too, but a minor turn on the pot was all it took. Steers like a dream. I imagine I'll have to order a new PCB for the old car, or just use it for parts, as I'll be ordering some more cars soon. I love these things, they are REALLY bringing me back into R/C.

The problem with the old car is this: The trim is cranked all the way left, and the car still pulls left. When you turn the pot to the right, it goes to about dead center then snaps left again. Not the case with the skyline. The steering will adjust any way you want it too.

[Starkweather]

Ok that was weird. I accidentally busted off one of the wires on the car with the bad steering that ran to the motor. I re-soldered it back on, and it drives fine. The Pot is centered correctly too it seems. Whatever, it's good as new...

[epoch1-43]

since I have no idea where to get a pot...

FYI we have them - email shop@ if you ever need one (or any other Epoch part for that matter) - thanks! :)