Problem with steering not returning to center???
 

I have used my dNaNo for less than one full charge of the battery and am having a problem with the steering not returning to center...Has anybody else had a problem like this??? Let me know...Thanks!

Have you take it apart (like down to the servo gear assembly). Almost always when the servo doesn't return to center, it's the pendometer or pentimeter (sp?). Anyone know what I'm talking about the can helpd jdob out?

No - I haven't taken anything apart yet...I played with the steering trim adjustments and it seems like it may have helped a little bit, some times it does it, some times it doesn't, so its kind of hit or miss. I am going to try and play with the steering throw and also the throttle and brake adjustments some and see if that makes any difference or not to its performance...

Very easily try and turn your wheels by hand one way, and then the other. You should feel resistance, but it should be smooth and the action should be the same on each side. What I'm getting at is, is that if the action isn't smooth when you turn it by hand, your tie rod could be broken. If that's the case, the broken tie rod could be causing the pentimeter problems, and in turn causing your steering servo not to center properly. It could also be simply stripped servo gears or a broken tie rod. The more information you can give us, the better we'll be able to help you. :)

I adjusted my steering throw today - turned it down a couple of clicks so that there is no longer any buzzing sound when you turn the steering all the way left or right - seemed to help out my steering not returning to center a little bit more - either that or I am just getting used to it??? It's nothing so serious that I would consider tearing anything apart quite yet... :)

Ok. It's good you stop the binding early. I forgot to mention that.

"Potentiometer" :) But, it sounds like something physical to me - I'd tear down the whole front end and see if something's broken or loose.

I can't take it any longer...my steering will only return to center maybe one out of ten times...something has to be wrong with this thing...???

My dNaNo - exploded view... :)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...Pics/005-4.jpg

Did you take a look at the steering components before taking it apart? I would expect it's something catching the steering arm, maybe a burr on the mold or something like that.

Shouldn't this be a warranty claim case?

Yeah - I looked at everything and didn't see anything that would cause it to act lilke it is acting...

Hah! I can imagine I wouldn't have much luck with that - I don't think that Kyosho of America even knows what a dNaNo is... :confused:

I have some family stuff to do today...I will post more info and pics later when I get a chance to mess around with it some more...

Here's my ideas:

- Check the steering action of the servo with the front assembly removed from the servo. See if you can tell if the servo centers itself consistantly. If so, the problem lies further down the line. If not, it's a servo issue and probably needs to go back.

- Check the steering action of the assembly with it not attached to the servo. It should be completely free and smooth. If not, your problem might be in the knuckles or kingpins.

Good luck

If it doesn't center, the servo doesn't go boyoeeeeing... when you let go of the steering wheel from a full turn?

I don't think that it is anything mechanical - I think it may be something to do with the potentiometer??? It is like it is overcorrecting for center...

If I drive in a large circle turning to the right and let go of the steering wheel (let it return to center) the car will turn left - like it went back to center, passed it, and went a little bit too far...Likewise if I am driving in a large circle turning to the left and let go of the steering wheel (let it return to center) the car will turn right - like it went back to center, passed it, and went a little bit too far...So no matter left or right - it does the same thing.

Maybe 1 out of 10 times it will actually go straight after letting the steering wheel return to center after turning left or right. Doesn't matter if you return the steering wheel to center softly or just let go of it and let it go "boyoeeeeing".

I am going to try a couple of more things and see what I can come up with...

I guess you have already tried resetting the transmitter...

Page 2 - Woot!

You mean returning the transmitter to the factory default settings? Nope - I didn't even think of that...???

I have been looking everything over...on the tie-rod there is a screw which holds a little U-Shaped thing that the tab on the potentiometer fits into...Where the end of the screw comes through the tie-rod there is a recess in the top half of the chassis to give it room to move back and forth without binding...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../002-4-1-1.jpg

There is also a little tab in this same area that sticks up just as far as the protruding screw, but there is no recess on the top half of the chassis for it to fit into...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../002-4-1-2.jpg

I can see where this little tab has been rubbing the surface of the top half of the chassis...Could this be the problem? I don't think so - if it were flash from where the tie-rod is cut loose from the mold/parts tree I could see it, but this is obviously put there intentionally - for what reason I don't know - maybe to give a little resistance to the tie-rod so that it is not moved too easily or sloppy???

So the little U-Shaped thing attached to the tie-rod by the screw can be mounted in three locations. On my dNaNo it is mounted in the center location.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../003-5-1-1.jpg

What would moving it to the left or right have to do with anything??? Would moving it one way make it LESS sensitive and moving it the other way make it MORE sensitive??? I have no idea! Anybody else???

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../002-4-1-3.jpg

And can somebody tell me for sure - this is the potentiometer...right??? The little round thing with the screw in the middle of it with the little tab sticking up that the arrow is pointing to???

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../006-3-1-1.jpg

So - Does everybody else's dNaNo actually go in a straight line??? Everybody's???

I have not had to adjust it since set it on the first day.

You lucky dog!!!

What you pointed out is the potentiometer. The only thing I can think of that hasn't been mentioned is just to check the servo gears to make sure there isn't a bur or something like that on the gears.

I just finished looking everything over again before putting it all back together. Still does the same thing...Bummer...

Maybe it is something that can be corrected with the optional I.C.S. Cable?

I have an e-mail in to Kyosho America - I guess I will just have to wait and see what they say...

it's unexpected things like this that make buying from official retailer(s) worth while. i wish you luck.

I bought mine from Hobbytown and still have all of my receipts - so shouldn't be a problem I don't think...

I reset my transmitter to default settings, adjusted my steering throw, and then offset the steering trim to one side - so now at least it only noticeably pulls to one side when I let the steering go back to neutral...

Mine definitely returns to center correctly.

If you can get access to someone with an ICS setup, maybe turn the steering deadband up. It might be set too sensitive.

Sounds good...Anybody with an I.C.S. setup anywhere close to Winston Salem, NC??? Anybody???

Seems like I saw a few at High Speed Hobbies racing Mini-Zs with an ICS and laptop. That's a bit of a drive but might be worthwhile. They race Thursday nights.

Thanks for the heads-up! I will have to try and get out there sometime in the near future...Do they race 1/18th any or just Mini-Z?

That just totally sucks man. I feel your pain. And you thought the hard part was finding one in your area...lol.

Nope, it's keeping it alive that's the real hard part. I was on the fence, but was just going to plunk down the cash and get one anyways, but after reading how yours is freaking out and others are losing the fancy schmancy transponder "sticker" that helped drive the price up, just pushed me over the mini erevo side.



KYOSHO = REDCAT RACING.......lol












silla

no offense but your getting all bent out of shape over a transponder that peels off over time from the bottom of the car? and this is one post about a car that won't recenter... if this is the worst of it, i'd say they did a pretty good job. i've seen far more problems out of the box with mini-z's, and far worse problems than the transponder peeling off. wait till we get the mini-z transponder that is attached to a panel in the same way and again, on the bottom of the car.

None taken arch, but the way I see it, there are only maybe 10 nano onwers here talking about their cars and one has a steering issue and 2 others have said the transponder is coming off. 1 out of 10 is 10%. It'd be way different if there were 100s of peeps and jodob was the only one.

And I don't mind so much about the transponder coming off, but I do care that, that was one of the reasons for the large price of admission and it's falling apart. Knock $50 off the price and keep the sticker at the factory and I'd be fine with that. I just don't like being charged for something that going to fall off with normal use.

I guess I'm just disgusted with Kyosho and their lack of business sense and their somewhat snobby attitude.

That's my .02








silla

I've seen them race Scalpels and M18s before, but I don't think it's very common any more.

i won't argue with you on the latter point. they seem to have wanted this to be either restricted in release in limited number or the whole package deal, which may have worked in jpn, is going to flop here due to already existing relationship strains with kyosho and distributors.

Thanks again for the info!

I have sent Kyosho of America two seperate e-mails:

The first regarding general U.S. release info for the dNaNo or lack-there-of...I got a reply back that my inquiry was being forwarded further up the chain, but have not heard anything more after that...

My second e-mail was to Customer Service about any possible solutions to my steering problem or the possibility of sending it in for warranty/service repair - No reply yet on that one...

I broke down and purchased the I.C.S. Set-Up (I was planning on getting a 2.4ghz Mini-Z down the line anyway/plus maybe another dNaNo or two - so I will get good use out of it.) ...I will try and see if that fixes my steering problem - if not I will get on the phone with Kyosho of America and see what they can do???

keep us informed ...curious if Kyosho America customer service is just a name or they can actually help you with respect to warranty claims.

Also, let us know if the ICS is worthwhile in helping you set the cars up or if it's just gimmicky.

yeah, i am also interested in the quality of thier warranty service. for the cost, i expect some measure of assurance faulty products will be replaced. we all know micro rc's have the potential to have defects in production runs.

Here's a list of everything you can adjust on a mini-z with the ICS cable:

"・GAIN
Changes the characteristics of the steering servo.
Adjust settings left to right on the screen from Min,
Med, Strong. This setting controls the strength the
servo uses to retain its current position in
response to external force.

・SPEED (Servo Speed)
Adjusts the speed at when the servo responds to
transmitter signals. Adjust settings left to right on the
screen from Slow, 2, 3, 4, Fast to set the servo
response speed.

・PNCH (Punch)
Sets the servo’ s initial response speed. Settings
from 1 (low) to 10 (High) are available. Lower
settings are similar to analog servo movement. If
steering control is too sharp and makes control
difficult, try a lower setting.

・D.BAND (Dead Band)
This sets the width that initiates servo response to
external force. Narrow, Mid and Wide settings are
available. Adjust from right to left on the screen to reduce
the width of the dead band and thereby increase the
sensitivity of the servo's movement to external force.

・DUMP (Dumping)
This sets the characteristics of the servo when it is
stopped. Smooth setting brakes the servo to stop
just before the target position, while Over setting
brakes the servo on the target position so it goes
slightly past and then returns.

・D.FREQ (Motor Drive Frequency)
Sets the motor drive frequency on the throttle to
5kHz, 2.5kHz or1.2kHz. Changes the frequency of
the entire throttle input side. Generally speaking,
lower frequency settings produce higher torque
and lower energy efficiency.

・NUTRAL (Neutral)
Adjust the width of the neutral area for the throttle
trigger. Narrow, Mid and Wide settings available.
Settings to the left side of the screen are for
narrower neutral width settings.

・V.INERTIA (Virtual Inertia Control Change Ratio)
Adjusts the distance the model travels after the
throttle has been released. Five stage settings
from Strong, 2, 3, 4, and OFF are available.
Inertia settings increase from right to left with
OFF setting removing any control for maximum
inertia. Small RC models can stop quickly when
the throttle is released so this feature enables
you to find a more natural feeling. This is called
Virtual Inertia Control.

・COM(M)
Specifies the USB port number used by the
software on the computer. If switched OFF or the
specified port number is incorrect, connection with
the model is not possible. Check the connection
port by referring to ‘Checking COM Port’ ."

I'm not sure if we have all these options with the dNaNo, but I'd bet that many of them are similar. Let us know jdob.

All of the settings you mentioned are identical and then there are two more settings: ST GAIN (Gyro Gain - Steering) and TH GAIN (Gyro Gain - Throttle).


Well - I got my dNaNo hooked up to the I.C.S. USB Adapter, unfortunately I was unable to fix my steering problem...I made numerous setting changes and the results were very noticeable - so I know that the setting changes were being made...but nothing to fix my problem...

I called Kyosho of America and described to them what was happening and they asked me to send in both the car and the transmitter so that they could figure out what is going on...Hopefully they will be able to either repair or replace it...So the waiting begins...

I just got off the phone with the Kyosho America rep that was handling my dNaNo return. They said that I am the first and only person to contact customer service with a dNaNo problem and that they really wanted to investigate what was going on to the best of their ability. So after a couple days of multiple techs testing my dNaNo they said that they could not replicate the steering problem that I was having...As far as they could tell everything was working as it was supposed to.

Long story short - they said that to keep me satisfied with Kyosho and the dNaNo line-up inparticular that they were sending my dNaNo back with a NEW chassis. So I get my same transmitter and body back, but with a new chassis underneath!

I'm pretty satisfied at this point - as long as the new one actually works...

I just got my dNaNo back in the mail today. Opened it up and checked it out...This one actually works like it should! No problem with the steering whatsoever! EXCELLENT! I don't know what the deal was with the original one that I got - that thing must have been defective or something??? Or possessed - wouldn't work on the East Coast, but they said that it worked fine on the West Coast??? Crazy??? Whatever the case may be, I am just STOKED that Kyosho resolved the problem in a quick and professional manner. The new chassis that they sent is working flawless...

Hopefully I will get some time to set up the RCP Mini-96 over this coming Memorial Day weekend and get some track time... :)

i'm glad to hear that. given the price tag, it's nice to know they back up the product with proper support.

Just Saturday a customer had the same problem happen with his steering on the Jade Skyline. We replaced the steering box/gear assembly and it worked great. I spoke with Kyosho this morning and they are sending him another to replace the one he purchased. Great customer service.