RTR 1/8-scale runaway
Howell, John
YOU’VE GOT PROBLEMS? WE’VE GOT FIXES.
I just got into the hobby, and I picked up an older Kyosho ready-to-run 1/8-scale buggy. I’m new, but I’m learning really fast, or else my 12-year-old son will take my car away from me! When we drove it, the car had some turning problems. Then suddenly, it took off at full-throttle and slammed into a tree and broke off the front suspension part. How can I prevent this from happening in the future?
John, it sounds as if you ran the receiver battery pack down too low; that would certainly explain the steering problem and the car then taking off like that! If you run alkaline AA batteries, make sure they’re fresh; they run out faster than you probably imagine. If you use a Ni-Cd receiver pack, it must be fully charged each time you run the car.
And if you really want to avoid this hassle, add a throttle-return spring to your throttle linkage. This will ensure that your throttle returns to idle if the receiver loses the signal.
Also, when you rebuild your suspension, check the entire car for loose screws, damaged parts, etc. In particular, double-check your engine to see whether it has loosened. If it has shifted, it could have altered your gear mesh, and that will toast your spur gear-especially if it’s plastic and not steel!
Copyright Air Age Publishing Sep 2003
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