Futaba 4PL Setup, Tips, Tricks & Help

[Ol'Baditude]

Originally Posted by Harley

Sounds like your ESC hasn't been programmed for reverse. Have you set both ESC's up with a hotwire or Castle Link?

No, I have not done a hotwire. Don't even know how as of this moment tbh.
When you say not programmed for reverse, what do you mean exactly? All I can tell you is that my crawler does forward and reverse perfectly well, but that I had to set the throttle and ch3/4 REV selections to REV instead of NOR. Is that normal? Seemed odd to me.

On a lighter note, I figured out the reason my rear wheels weren't spinning. I set up the bias on DT1 like in your video and had it set to 0 for some reason. Only took me 2 1/2 hours to figure that one out. duh.....

This machine is starting to work like it was meant to. A few more tweaks to the radio settings and I should be able to take this thing out to the quarry and have a go.

Thx again for all your help so far.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Ol'Baditude

No, I have not done a hotwire. Don't even know how as of this moment tbh.
When you say not programmed for reverse, what do you mean exactly? All I can tell you is that my crawler does forward and reverse perfectly well, but that I had to set the throttle and ch3/4 REV selections to REV instead of NOR. Is that normal? Seemed odd to me.

On a lighter note, I figured out the reason my rear wheels weren't spinning. I set up the bias on DT1 like in your video and had it set to 0 for some reason. Only took me 2 1/2 hours to figure that one out. duh.....

This machine is starting to work like it was meant to. A few more tweaks to the radio settings and I should be able to take this thing out to the quarry and have a go.

Thx again for all your help so far.

Having the channels set to reverse is not a big deal. If you don't like it you can switch the wire polarity on your motors.

The other part was a confusion on what you had said previously. Being that you had it set to zero was the part that threw me.

[Ol'Baditude]

Originally Posted by Harley

Having the channels set to reverse is not a big deal. If you don't like it you can switch the wire polarity on your motors.

The other part was a confusion on what you had said previously. Being that you had it set to zero was the part that threw me.

Yeah, It's not really a big deal. I can live with it.

Totally confused though. I have the front motor wired +/+ | -/- and the rear wired +/- | -/+ as in your 4PL Dual ESC wiring diagram. I'm still unsure why I had to set the throttle selection to REV, you know what I mean? I was more curious than anything really. Have any insight on that?
I didn't know you could switch wire polarity on motors, do you mean switch the leads and re-solder?

PS: Any idea on Turnaround for getting the software on this radio updated if I ever do want to send it in? I'm up in Canada, so shipping will be ~10days each way I'd imagine, unless EMS is used. Just wondering on the actual updating part. Thx.

[Harley]

Some ESC's see the futaba PWM signal as backwards, so forward is reverse and vice versa.

Turn around time is usually 2 days.

[Stormin2u]

Great Thread Harley and Jdawg,

I just won the TEDROCKS 4PL giveaway what a gtreat prize, thanks Steve.

I'd like to use this radio on my current AX-10 comp rig with dig, I don't have a MOA yet but I'm collecting parts.

I've been through the thread but I didn't see anything about setting up a shafty, did you already cover that and I missed it?

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Stormin2u

Great Thread Harley and Jdawg,

I just won the TEDROCKS 4PL giveaway what a gtreat prize, thanks Steve.

I'd like to use this radio on my current AX-10 comp rig with dig, I don't have a MOA yet but I'm collecting parts.

I've been through the thread but I didn't see anything about setting up a shafty, did you already cover that and I missed it?

The first post has a link on how to program a 3 position switch. Then just set your EPA's. Not much else to setting up a shafty! Let me know if you need any help Stormin!

[Stormin2u]

Thanks Harley , after partially reading this thread I know where to go if I have issues, you've been very generous with your time and knowledge.

[Stormin2u]

Here's where I went today Harley, I linked my RX & TX, adjusted my steering wheel tension to just were I like it. then did the same with the throtel actually the best I've every had, adjusted the throttle band also a cool factor feature and the trigger location. I had a blast I'm very impressed.

But....when I did the three position switch exactly as discribed on P1, to my DT choice I don't get any servo movement?

Other than that I'm really pumped up about the 4PL.



Page one.


Go to the Dial/SW menu.
Select Trim.Dial
Select which DT switch you want to control your dig.

Set the values to the following:
DT(#):CH3 (or CH4)
:100
:NOR


I'm going to go outside now (it's gourgeous out today) and run a couple of battery packs on my Micro rig.

[Harley]

Double check you have the servo plugged in the correct channel and check your EPA menu. Is the bar graph moving on the display? If is moving the radio is sending the signal.

[Stormin2u]

I've got the servo plugged into the third channel, check.

Without the radio on I have both steering and throttle EPA screen movement, but no third channel EPA movement on screen.

With the radio and crawler on, I have throttle but no steering or third channel. The steering no longer shows movement on the screen, and the third channel now shows movement by using the SW 2 switch but effects no servo movement, I programed DT#3 for third channel.

I decide to try a re-link of the TX and RX, and it's not re-linking with the TX within 12", so I move the TX with in a inch and it links, but nothing has changed in operation from above?

The current state is the radio screen shows movement for throttle and the third channel and nothing for steering. however only channel moving a servo is the RX #2 throttle.

[Stormin2u]

Anyone?

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Stormin2u

Anyone?

I can't tell what you have activated. Your setup should be extremely simple. I'd start a new model and just follow the steps again.

[Stormin2u]

I can do that, it seems to have a linking problem, it will not hold the steering servo link. In order to have all functions it needs to be linked every time it's turned on? Sounds like a RX problem to me.

[Fowlboy]

I have programmed the DT3 for control of my 3Racing winch... Heyok hooked me up with a winch controller and all is good. PM me if you need help programming a DT switch for conrol of winch.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Fowlboy

I have programmed the DT3 for control of my 3Racing winch... Heyok hooked me up with a winch controller and all is good. PM me if you need help programming a DT switch for conrol of winch.

It is a very simple process and covered in the first post.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Stormin2u

I can do that, it seems to have a linking problem, it will not hold the steering servo link. In order to have all functions it needs to be linked every time it's turned on? Sounds like a RX problem to me.

Weird, never seen a linking problem. It could be a bad RX. Your other problems are something in your setup though. Make sure all the bar graphs are moving correctly before we make a call on that.

[Stormin2u]

Model changed .... new fresh start. M-2


Turned the rig on.

Had steering
Had throttle
Had DT3

Then the steering stopped working, power was defiantly on but no servo response.

I tried a re-link and nothing changed.

Checking on the graphs just now....

DT3 is working perfectly
Throttle shows forward only
No steering

It is a bit weird, with the fact that the throttle and DT3 worked perfectly, as did the steering for awhile with both car and radio opporational, but now the graph only shows forward on steering with a perfect DT3 in all 3 positions, and no steering.

I guess mom was right when she said you're no ordinary dummy, your a special dummy.

[Fowlboy]

Originally Posted by Stormin2u

Model changed .... new fresh start. M-2


Turned the rig on.

Had steering
Had throttle
Had DT3

Then the steering stopped working, power was defiantly on but no servo response.

I tried a re-link and nothing changed.

Checking on the graphs just now....

DT3 is working perfectly
Throttle shows forward only
No steering

It is a bit weird, with the fact that the throttle and DT3 worked perfectly, as did the steering for awhile with both car and radio opporational, but now the graph only shows forward on steering with a perfect DT3 in all 3 positions, and no steering.

I guess mom was right when she said you're no ordinary dummy, your a special dummy.

Throttle: Make sure your ATL is at 100 for full range.

Steering: Make sure your D/R is at 100 for full range.


Not sure if you had tried this or not - just thought I'd throw it out there...

[Stormin2u]

Originally Posted by Fowlboy

Throttle: Make sure your ATL is at 100 for full range.

Steering: Make sure your D/R is at 100 for full range.


Not sure if you had tried this or not - just thought I'd throw it out there...

Thanks FB, I appreciate the help. I'm covered on those, the problem with the steering has been a constant. Harley suggested a new model and that solved the DT3 3 position switch problem and the throttle has always worked but the steering in both M1 and M2 the steering has failed. It's looking more and more like this might be the transmitter, not the RX. I may just have to return it for a fresh one. This really isn't that hard, in fact it's pretty easy.

[jdawg53]

Originally Posted by Stormin2u

Thanks FB, I appreciate the help. I'm covered on those, the problem with the steering has been a constant. Harley suggested a new model and that solved the DT3 3 position switch problem and the throttle has always worked but the steering in both M1 and M2 the steering has failed. It's looking more and more like this might be the transmitter, not the RX. I may just have to return it for a fresh one. This really isn't that hard, in fact it's pretty easy.

If you need any help, drop me a pm.
J