Problem with Transverse on Tamiya Sherman
 

I have a Tamiya Sherman that is acting up. I bought it used with a Hobby People 2.4 (Airtronics) radio. The transverse seems to not always want to work and is intermittent. I put a Futaba 4YF on it that used to be on my Tamiya Panther and the transverse is fine on the Panther. Once its in the Sherman its is not responsive or it works here and then stops. However when I put the Hobby People radio that came with the tank, the transverse works. What the heck am I missing? Could the DMD and MF be bad?

Sounds like you need to look at the Transmitter end point adjustments. Are you saying the Sherman, regradless of what transmitter is used is having turret issues?

Try, moving your trim adjustments, and not just the horizontal, try the vertical as well, and see if it gets better. When the window on the BARC4 programming was tightend up to allow more functions, I did notice that I had to be much more precise on the sticks to get the functions to work. One of the issues I was having was this apparent turret traverse problem. An immediate fix was trim adjustments, but I ended going in and programmed the end points.

Same thing could be happening to you.

It would help to isolate the problem before attempting a repair.

I suggest using a spare servo that you are absolutely certain works (a test beforehand is recommended) and then recreate the problem (i.e. no traverse) with the Futaba radio. Once the no-traverse problem begins, leave the power on, and unplug the DMD's "Turret" plug from the radio receiver. Next, plug the servo into the rx socket where the "turret" plug came from.

If it's a problem with the DMD or MF, the servo will work fine. If a problem with the radio system (tx or rx), you'll have no action from the servo.

If you've got a radio problem, then Dan's advice above might solve your issue.

Whenever you switch a Tx/Rx with a DMD, you should reset it to set travel points. It's right in the manual, it'll walk you through it. If you don't have one, the pdf is online at Tamiya USA.

All 3 excellent points but I would try a rest myself before doing anything else. Tamiya electronics are pretty much perfect (although I have heard a few having theirs sent back) so they are maybe not perfect, but they are with me. I've been doing this going on 11 years and have yet to get a defective control unit. I'm not saying I haven't had one act up like yours is but a simple reset is all what it needed.

(hard to believe I built my first Tamiya tank in 12-2004 and my first battle with it on 1-1-2005) :o



HTH :cool:





Jeff

Yea, I'd go with resetting the dmd and going through the set up mode. Make sure all ur settings and trims are at nuetral or 0.

Forgot about the reset! Been a while since I had a build and 2nd child memory. Thanks guys. Anyone know how the internals would be to solder the fire button? I normally have the Futaba 4YF.

Same thing on all analog radios. The fire button is wired across one of the transmitter stick potentiometers.

Here is a tutorial from my web page.

http://battlearmorrc.weebly.com/wiri...a-dx6i-tx.html


Cheers

All Txs use potentiometers for position, so if you''ve done it to one, you're good in terms of how-to.

Three wires, you cut into the center and the one at the end point of stick travel of the fire (however you have it set). Just don't make the mistake I seem to all the time, think that since the stick goes up, choose the top wire. The pot position will be opposite the stick travel. ;)

No longer true for Spektrum's newest DX-9 and DX-6. Wiring a fire button as mentioned above (between the gimbal potentiometer) will destroy them. You'll have to mix the channels (a programmable feature) to make a fire button work on them. The trick does work on most other radios though.

I did it to my DX6i. Perhaps it's not the latest, but I would have loved to be able to mix the throttle cut button but there was no way.

Honestly, I wouldn't even consider a DX9 (or even a 6 anymore) for dual self-centering. Way too much radio to be hacking up for tanks, especially considering the HK and Orange options, not to mention Mato, etc. I only converted my 6 because I haven't used it for AC in years.

Thank you I have edited my comment

DX9 and the new DX6 both are field adjustable to convert from a ratcheting throttle stick to a spring loaded self centering throttle stick...so there's no hacking up anything. You don't even have to open the radio case to convert them.

Which radio is the right one? Ask three tankers...you'll get three different answers.

My advice for anyone new to this hobby is to get the radio that works for you...and please, buy it from someone (or somewhere) where they'll help you if you've got problems with it.

That is ground-breaking. I love Horizon and that just ices the cake in my mind. They must have gotten tired of hearing requests for conversion kits. I didn't think they were interested in a surface radio that wasn't a pistol grip. Excellent news.

Anh, I tried to get a right side gimbal to convert the ratchet on the left side of my DX5i. Today, Horizon told me pound sand. I asked if I could have them convert the left side to a self center, they said no.
Im going to try to find some extra DX5I radios and chop them up for parts.

I have some resin parts for this. I cast these from the orignals. PM me if you want a couple. You will need to source a small spring.

I was always curious about this practice since over the years in general, they've consistently bent over backwards to help, sending replacement stuff time and time again, never asking when or where it was purchased. But whenever this came up it was always nope, only it they did it on 6i and above.

I ended up just using the opposite side's arm as a template on aluminum stock and making my own. I guess Dan has more patience than me by casting it. ;)

It's a pretty straight forward mod, it's just a spring loaded arm that pulls the gimbal down to center. All the mounting pins, etc are there, you just need the arm and spring. That's what makes Horizon's reticence more annoying, just throw the part in a bag with the spring and they would probably sell tons of them. The only thing that comes to mind is since they have such a liberal warranty policy, they probably don't want to encourage cracking open Tx cases.

Horizon will service a dead DX-5e (mine was new - dead in the box - so that may be a factor) but wont sell the Antenna or centering parts. I have traveled around to various hobby stores and they inevitable have a dead one they sell for a fraction of the cost. I have gutted all the dead ones I have found for the antenna and self centering arms and the switches. This radio is easy enough to work with and still my favorite,

I actually had Horizon Hobby call me after I'd requested they fit a spring to a DX5e I'd ordered, and insist that they couldn't do it as the radio wouldn't work with a centring spring.

They were apparently unable to comprehend the fact I already had 2 perfectly serviceable DX5e's, fitted with centring kits that their UK office had supplied...

Horizon Hobbies was founded by Larry and Rick Stevens and they finally sold out to an "investor group" in January 2014. The "investor group" has morphed into "employee owned" recently.

Regardless, from my personal experience with them (both before and after the sale of the company), the attitude towards customers seems to have taken a turn for the worse. I like their products, but the "go pound salt" stories regarding customer service seem to be the rule nowadays, rather than the exception it was just a year ago.

That sucks. I guess I'm glad I don't fly much anymore. Besides the 6i and some Losi frames in a Kubel and Schwimm, I don't use many Horizon products these days.

Go a few years back and I probably could have listed them as a dependent on my tax returns. ;)

Still no joy fellas. Something is going on that I can't put my finger on. The Hobby People radio is not functioning as expected based on the plugging the number in the appropriate areas. The right stick has to be moved left and right in order to go forward and backwards vs up and down to move forward and backwards. I also cannot get he fire button to work. But once I plug in a Futaba 4YF everything works except the turret moving left. consistently even after reprogramming it. The left stick has to be moved to the left very slowly for the turret to transverse left. Otherwise if you move it fast to the left it won't work. This does not happen in my Tamiya Panther G. Bad DMD and MF?

Disconnect the traverse unit from the DMD. Try a separate electrical supply and see if it works sans DMD/MFU with the turret in place and sitting relatively level. If it does not work, get a new one. If it does work in both directions, you may indeed have a bad DMD or MFU.