Richard39

My Feedback: (14)

I am considering buying a used Futaba 8U airplane transmitter.... I am not familiar with this model and it is an older computer radio....The throttle stick moves too easy for me and has no click movement as it is smooth like Heli throttle control.. Is this normal? The radio appears to be well used and in good working order... Is this radio worth $100.00? I have three non computer Futaba radios and this seems to have been a top of the line several years ago with lots of bells and whistles... Thanks for your suggestions.... One friend advised me to just look around and purchase a 9C... What do you think?

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

If it is a 8U's then get it.
If it is a 8U then look for a 9C

Richard39

My Feedback: (14)

Is the 8U's different from an 8U?

jdb000001

The futaba website has a FAQ page on the 8u, the differences in the 8U and 8U Super are found at http://www.futaba-rc.com/faq/faq-8u-q308.html

The throttle stick should have a ratchet feel like any other airplane radio. The 8U came in airplane (8UAF,8UAP) and heli version (8UHF,8UHP), as did the Super. If you are looking at the airplane version, the throttle may have been changed to the heli type, or the ratchets could just be worn out.

Richard39

My Feedback: (14)

Thanks for the reply..... I will check with the seller and find out why it is not ratcheted .... It is too smooth and light to the touch... He may have removed the ratchet for Heli use...? Can the tension be tighten up and do you have to open up the transmitter to do this?

3D Joy

Yes tension can be tightened. Open the transmitter, remove the small metal piece that is slightly bent and causes friction on the throttle stick. Bend it in order to increase friction force but be carefull not to bend it too much as the effects of friction will increase rapidly.

Yan can certainly swap for a ratchet but I never did that and don't know how to.

Richard39

My Feedback: (14)

Thanks for the info on the friction part... I will try that ... thanks.

RCPilot100

My Feedback: (4)

Be careful if it is an early 8U - the pins that come thru the case that attach to the freuency module would come loose due to extending and contracting the antenna. Eventually they solved this problem, but there were bunches of them sold that way. Many were fixed when sent in for repair to the various shops - but if you have one that hasn't been fixed - you could lose a plane due to loss of control. Other than this issue, the 8U Super or not was a great radio. I had two of them and wish I kept them both.

If I were going to buy one back - and $100 seems to be a fair price - I would send it to Futaba for a checkup. The ratchet conversion costs $20.00 on a 9Z, so the 8U should be no more than that. They would fix the pins if there was an issue - most likely at no cost. You should also have the frequency module checked out at the time - which is a good thing to do every several year. I just got my 9Z back for $125 - which I feel is cheap insurance every three years.

Dan W

Richard39

My Feedback: (14)

Good advice RCPilot.... thanks...

Heli007

Richard at the time that radio cost 399.00 I know because I bought the heli version and my brother bought the airplane version. You could use both radios to fly helis or airplanes. I say that because my brother was flying his helicopter on his. Only diffrence was a few minor things like the switchs were oppisite of each other. For 100.00 sounds like a fair price to me. He took out the rachet for the throttle thats the reason it is smoothed and thats the way the helicopter ones are but you can install or even fly it that way unless you really want to feel the clicks. If I had a choice on that radio or a 9c you can't go wrong with the futaba 8 for 100.00 and I would jump on it. good luck on your decision. Heli007

Richard39

My Feedback: (14)

Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions.... Plan on using the throttle as is for now... If I ever send it in to Futaba I will have the ratched installed... I have purchased the radio and will go from there.... It did come with the receiver aslo....

forestroke

yes i have a few friends that fly airplanes without the ratchet. i have a 8Us for heli that i've changed to ratchet. basically i had a couple of old skysports that i wasn't using. one was a doner for my kraft restoration so i had an extra rachet from there. it's exactly the same so i just replaced it. since you have a few radios you probably will not use in the near future, take one out your non-computer futabas and just stick it in. 5 minute job.

also the 8U heli version has a friction plate in place of the ratchet. i'm sure with a few bends, you could also make that friction plate ratchet. open it up and take a look. it's pretty easy to do. but i'd stick with swapping the ratchet with the friction plates.

good luck!