TMaxx Runaway! WOOHOOO!!!!!!

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Bradley V. Stone - 17 Nov 2006 23:07 GMT

Well, this proves it. The Optidrive is in no way a failsafe. Even with
a TRS (which it comes with).

The last few days have been wonderful. About 1" of snow sparsley
scattered on the lawn (what was left of our 8" last week). So of
course, must bash. Waterproof? Well, nope.

Today, the 4th day with 3/4 tank through all of a sudden she just took
off.. ZOOOOOOOM! lol Steered it into a pine tree so it wouldn't leave
the yard. Ran to it, killed the motor (it was still WOT all 4 wheels
spinning, header glowing red).

Damage so far that I've found:

2 a arms
2 hing pins
steering saver

After the motor quit, I could see the optidrive sensor going green-red
green-red and twitching like mad. The throttle linkage by the carb was
flipped past it's apex so that servo had to have opened up farther than
WOT.. scary!

Now after sitting in the shop the optidrive stays red.. once in a blue
moon switching to green and causing the servos to go nuts.

Fun time.. now to figure out what went bad (I'm pretty sure it's the
optidrive itself from moisture.. but there wasn't much in the box at
all.. just slightly damp on the bottom.)

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Bradley V. Stone - 18 Nov 2006 05:13 GMT

Well, after some testing I know the RX is bad (channel 2, the throttle
channel) and possibly the optidrive is bad.

I bypassed the optidrive and servos would function normally when plugged
into any channel except for 2. On 2, any one of them would just twitch
like mad.

But with the optidrive in place, it's a different storry. Both servos
on the optidrive (throttle and reverse) would both twitch, no matter
which channel they were plugged into. But, remove the blue sensor
tranny wire from the opti-drive and we get a solid red on the sensors...
instead of flickering and twitchy servos.

I don't know what else can go bad... worst thing is, I probably darn
near wore out the engine being WOT for 20 seconds or more while I was
trying to shut it down after the runaway. But, that's ok.. ERP, new
motor, break it in (heat cycle, even in winter) and good there.

I hope I'm past the stage now where "everyting is breaking.". Both
diffs, tranny, what else could go wrong after the optidrive and RX go? :)

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Doc - 18 Nov 2006 06:24 GMT

> Well, after some testing I know the RX is bad (channel 2, the throttle
> channel) and possibly the optidrive is bad.
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> I hope I'm past the stage now where "everyting is breaking.". Both diffs,
> tranny, what else could go wrong after the optidrive and RX go? :)

It's a Traxxas product, the fun is just beginning! ;-)

Doc

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M78Ultra - 18 Nov 2006 15:05 GMT

Take the RX apart and spray the board/parts with electric motor cleaner and
lightly (very lightly) clean it with a soft toothbrush.
If the OptiDrive has a circuit board..clean it too..
Make sure they are completely dry of any moisture/liquid before turning on.

> Well, after some testing I know the RX is bad (channel 2, the throttle
> channel) and possibly the optidrive is bad.
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> I hope I'm past the stage now where "everyting is breaking.". Both
> diffs, tranny, what else could go wrong after the optidrive and RX go? :)

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Iridium - 18 Nov 2006 15:59 GMT

> Take the RX apart and spray the board/parts with electric motor cleaner
> and
> lightly (very lightly) clean it with a soft toothbrush.
> If the OptiDrive has a circuit board..clean it too..
> Make sure they are completely dry of any moisture/liquid before turning
> on.

Then, smack the optidrive with a hammer and throw it in the bin, and get a
failsafe :-) And do the forward only conversion. You'll have a much
happier truck.

Signature

Dan
Formerly DanTXD

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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Land Models / November 2006

TMaxx Runaway! WOOHOOO!!!!!!