Futaba T3pk steering issue

[treystoys]

Hey guys, I started having a strange issue with my t3pk. First I guess, is this even modern anymore? It’s using the HRS mode and the FASST system. Anyhow, I went to use yesterday and found my steering would glitch very hard when turning left, to the point it would go full right at times with full left wheel. I immediately thought it was the servo, so I switched to a known good servo, did that twice to be sure and got the same issue. Then I switched to another model and same issue. I tried switching from HRS to PPM, no difference. The servos tested were all digital, one older and the other two new and the other car was fine last time it was used. I then pulled the transmitter apart, checked the connections on the steering module, then blew out the components with compressed air. Reassembled and no change. The only thing I can come up with is possibly it was dropped or hit with something when I wasn’t around.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

I’m also wondering if any of futabas newer systems will work with the receivers I already have. R603ff and R603fs’sThus is kind of an uhhhg! Moment, was not really planning on a new radio system anytime soon, and the price of todays modern t3pk equivalents or successors are crazy.

Thanks ahead for any input!

Trey

[Elkcycles]

Analog servos will jitter or hum in HRS mode, so sounds like the steering potentiometer may be failing. They can be replaced. I believe some folks have come across them from Plaza out of Japan. You might find a write up on RCTech.

As for more modern transmitters, the 4PK will run in FASST protocol as well as the 4PX. I'd wager the 7PX will also. For the money you can probably find a replacement PK or PKS for between $60-$90 without the module. You can also have some fun and drop the FASST module into an old PCM 1024.

[treystoys]

Analog servos will jitter or hum in HRS mode, so sounds like the steering potentiometer may be failing. They can be replaced. I believe some folks have come across them from Plaza out of Japan. You might find a write up on RCTech.

As for more modern transmitters, the 4PK will run in FASST protocol as well as the 4PX. I'd wager the 7PX will also. For the money you can probably find a replacement PK or PKS for between $60-$90 without the module. You can also have some fun and drop the FASST module into an old PCM 1024.

Great info there! All the tested servos were digital, I know about the analog issues. I’ll start hunting transmitters though.

That’s funny you bring up the 1024, I had a few of my old transmitters out the other day, one of my favorites was actually the magnum FP-T2PD, I was jokingly thinking to myself it would be cool to convert that somehow to a modern system. I didn’t realize the PCM version had a removable module! Does the fasst module actually plug and play?

Thanks

[Elkcycles]

The FASST, Spektrum DSM1, and KO ASF (with adapter) modules all plug in and work. So do AM 27mHz and FM 75mHz.

[treystoys]

The FASST, Spektrum DSM1, and KO ASF (with adapter) modules all plug in and work. So do AM 27mHz and FM 75mHz.

That’s pretty cool. And honestly would be nice to still use with some of the vintage cars. Looking over things a bit these last few hours, I’m finding out the fasst system has some down falls I did not know about with the single frequency becoming glitch happy around the newer frequency hopping stuff.

While I have your attention, do you know off hand who makes a decent computer, multi model transmitter that has receivers available brand name or aftermarket that don’t cost a fortune?

The only higher end radios I’ve ever owned were this t3pk and I used an sanwa m8 before that. My son uses the sanwa mx6 and it seems fine. Just thinking about going with something new and comparable to what I’ve got, but the price of receivers vs radio quality is my delema I guess.

[Elkcycles]

Look into the Flysky Noble (NB4 or NB4+). It is quite reliable and uses $35 receivers. I use this, along with a Futaba 4PX. My sons use a 4PV and 3PV. Futaba FHSS receivers cost me $40-$50. Clone receivers cost $30. All of my cheap receivers are Flysky AFHDS models ($9 ea) bound to a Kyosho 432PT.

I have not had a Sanwa since the M8 and M11 era. I have nothing against them.

If you are computer savvy, you may research the Radiomaster MT12. It costs $120 and can bind to ANY protocol. Beware, that this is a rabbit hole...

[treystoys]

Look into the Flysky Noble (NB4 or NB4+). It is quite reliable and uses $35 receivers. I use this, along with a Futaba 4PX. My sons use a 4PV and 3PV. Futaba FHSS receivers cost me $40-$50. Clone receivers cost $30. All of my cheap receivers are Flysky AFHDS models ($9 ea) bound to a Kyosho 432PT.

I have not had a Sanwa since the M8 and M11 era. I have nothing against them.

If you are computer savvy, you may research the Radiomaster MT12. It costs $120 and can bind to ANY protocol. Beware, that this is a rabbit hole...

I’ll give all of those a look. As long as I’m not stuck in the $100+ receiver area I’ll be good. The 3pk will only work with the 603fs and 603ff and you’re hard pressed to find a used one for $50+

I’m not really computer savvy, but will still look more at the radio master stuff. I was on their site last night. It seems like a good unit with some options for their 4 in 1 module to work with a other brand transmitting protocols, but there was some info too about lagging I guess like you said…rabbit hole.

I did pull the wheel off the 3pk again. This time I pulled it down to the board with its potentiometer and switches and blasted it quite a bit with contact cleaner. Air dried, reassembled and it’s working properly “for now”. It is very old and did many years just sitting on the shelf in my garage where I do a plethora of other types of hobby/wood/automotive work, so it’s possible it got something shaken into the main steering pot. So we will see there.

I am going to get something else though, and I’ll look into the fly sky too. We did a couple of their very cheap transmitter/receiver combos shortly after I got my son his first kit build. They work well, but you can absolutely feel the lag in response compared to the higher end stuff. But I’m guessing the higher end versions like the noble are better with regards to that?

Thanks so much for responding!

Trey

[Elkcycles]

Trey,

Glad you have the 3PK working again. It speaks to the quality of Futaba's product. The NB4 is a full race level radio. It is widely adopted in the 1/10th offroad market, and as a result, the price has headed upward. It is robust and feels high quality in hand. The touch screen is nice and the haptic feedback useful. All in all, a better value than a top tier flagship radio.

[treystoys]

Trey,

Glad you have the 3PK working again. It speaks to the quality of Futaba's product. The NB4 is a full race level radio. It is widely adopted in the 1/10th offroad market, and as a result, the price has headed upward. It is robust and feels high quality in hand. The touch screen is nice and the haptic feedback useful. All in all, a better value than a top tier flagship radio.

Sorry I didn’t reply again here! Been a bit all over the place I guess. The t3pk is still ok, but I still haven’t stumbled onto even a single extra receiver for it, not for what I’m willing to pay at least. I love the Futaba stuff, but it’s hurting my feeling they couldn’t have offered a lower priced fasst reciever to support us older guys still using them.

So we got my daughters boyfriend a Fly Sky fsgt5 with a Tamiya kit for a Christmas gift, and I was super impressed with that little radio. It kind of had a crappy interface, but the features to cost ratio heavily favored the features lol, and it looked and felt good, for what we paid I thought I’d give fly sky a harder look.

I did some research on the newer higher end radios and along with your suggestion have settled on the nb4+. Seems like for the price, nothing else can touch it. Everyone seems to be impressed with how solid it feels, which I like a lot. I did Airtronics for years starting with a xl2p, then caliper 3ps and finally a m8, which had great interface and features, but started to feel cheap after some use. The t3pk feels good, but I can’t get over the cost of the newer Futaba equivalents.

After the initial investment of the nb4+ and reciever, add on a 4 pack of receivers and I’ll be set for a while. Over the holidays they were hovering around $300 for the plus and a receiver, but have come down a bit. I may be able to get one off eBay as an offer for $250 or so. The 4 pack of receivers is about $115. I tossed around the idea of selling the t3pk with the 3 receivers, but not sure what I could get for them.