Problems With Futaba FF8 radios
03-28-2003, 10:53 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Nottingham, England
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Problems With Futaba FF8 radios
I thought i would start this thread, just to let all you FF8 guys out there know that their are common fault with this set.
The pins that connect the module to the main board have problems with bad soldered joints!, these suffer from this due to high frequency vibration!, a deferent check over, wip the back off, have a look under a magnified glass to check these over, i have had 3 models damaged due to this problem!!
Also if your aerial is dirty/oily etc it is worth giving it a good clean, as the brass connectors between each link could fail. This has happened a few times in out club, give it a good clean, if its over a year old i would replace it!, whats cheaper, a £500 model airplane, or a £5 TX aerial!!.......this is can happen with all TX aerials, SO CLEAN THEM OR CHANGE THEM!!
The main problem i have had with there TX's is the front bracket which holds the aerial in place within the TX fails in cold weather. This brakes off, and then the metal aerial shorts out onto the module board!, not good. This mainly happens when you pull the aerial out, and the TX goes off!!!
I will attach a picture of the modification we did to stop this happening again!, its happened to both my TX's and my dads, and a few of our friends!!!
I'm not saying the TX's are bad, i think there great, just these small points are worth looking at!!!!
Andrew, from the rainy UK
The pins that connect the module to the main board have problems with bad soldered joints!, these suffer from this due to high frequency vibration!, a deferent check over, wip the back off, have a look under a magnified glass to check these over, i have had 3 models damaged due to this problem!!
Also if your aerial is dirty/oily etc it is worth giving it a good clean, as the brass connectors between each link could fail. This has happened a few times in out club, give it a good clean, if its over a year old i would replace it!, whats cheaper, a £500 model airplane, or a £5 TX aerial!!.......this is can happen with all TX aerials, SO CLEAN THEM OR CHANGE THEM!!
The main problem i have had with there TX's is the front bracket which holds the aerial in place within the TX fails in cold weather. This brakes off, and then the metal aerial shorts out onto the module board!, not good. This mainly happens when you pull the aerial out, and the TX goes off!!!
I will attach a picture of the modification we did to stop this happening again!, its happened to both my TX's and my dads, and a few of our friends!!!
I'm not saying the TX's are bad, i think there great, just these small points are worth looking at!!!!
Andrew, from the rainy UK
03-28-2003, 09:37 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Nottingham, England
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Problems With Futaba FF8 radios
John, thanks for your reply
Have you had any problems with your areal bracket failing in the TX?, if not i would check this out!, ill post a picture of the mod we did to our TX
Thanks
Andrew
Have you had any problems with your areal bracket failing in the TX?, if not i would check this out!, ill post a picture of the mod we did to our TX
Thanks
Andrew
03-29-2003, 12:38 AM
#4
Senior Member
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Tuscola,
IL
Posts: 2,636
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Problems With Futaba FF8 radios
Andrew,
the issue with the pins has been a known issue in the US since before Futaba mvoed to Champaign. Every radio serviced ever is checked for this. It was an early production only problem, at least for radios here in the states, and has not been seen in production units for more than 5 years.
Pin WEAR is a common issue iwth all modular radios and is one of the reasons why I always recommend annual checkups.
We saw few antenna failures as you describe with the 8U in the US while I was with the service facility.
the issue with the pins has been a known issue in the US since before Futaba mvoed to Champaign. Every radio serviced ever is checked for this. It was an early production only problem, at least for radios here in the states, and has not been seen in production units for more than 5 years.
Pin WEAR is a common issue iwth all modular radios and is one of the reasons why I always recommend annual checkups.
We saw few antenna failures as you describe with the 8U in the US while I was with the service facility.
