Futaba 4PL Setup, Tips, Tricks & Help

[Harley]

Originally Posted by meffie

ok so I got both motors going the same direction, proper trigger throttle direction, digs, proportioning etc...

However...

The front is spinning much faster than the rear with the proportioning at norm. Also If I go from full throttle forward to reverse nothing happens. I have to wait a second before I can hit reverse.

I did check both esc's are updated and set exactly the same.

Recalibrate the ESC's to get the motors close to the same speed. If that doesn't do it then you may have a binding issue. Are both motors new and both ESC's purchased new at the same time?

Are your capacitors installed correctly and in good shape?

[meffie]

Will do it again and see. No they have a season on them. Nope both used. Yes

Recalibrated. Same thing. Anyone wanna buy an fxr and a new 4PL?

[WAM]

Originally Posted by meffie

Also If I go from full throttle forward to reverse nothing happens. I have to wait a second before I can hit reverse.

I had that problem originally. It's one of the FXR brake options. I had the wrong option set. You need Hotwire. It's the only way you can check/update the software version on your escs. For all you know, they may not even have the same software. None of my FXRs came with current software.

When you get a Hotwire, set the braking option at the bottom of the menu to "F/R" to get rid of the delay. Okay, it can be done with button pushes, but Hotwire is way easier.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by meffie

Recalibrated. Same thing. Anyone wanna buy an fxr and a new 4PL?

Could be a binding issue or one FXR is worn out compared to the other. Properly setting up dual ESC's is not for the impatient. It takes time and some skill to get it all correct. Your issue is not in the radio as long as you have everything set at 100% when programming.

[meffie]

Originally Posted by WAM

I had that problem originally. It's one of the FXR brake options. I had the wrong option set. You need Hotwire. It's the only way you can check/update the software version on your escs. For all you know, they may not even have the same software. None of my FXRs came with current software.

When you get a Hotwire, set the braking option at the bottom of the menu to "F/R" to get rid of the delay. Okay, it can be done with button pushes, but Hotwire is way easier.

I did use a hotwire and updated all software, and make sure all settings were correct and matched between the 2.

I will check braking option again though. Thanks

[meffie]

Originally Posted by Harley

Properly setting up dual ESC's is not for the impatient.

So I gather, lol.

Is there a way to set the radio to factory default just to be sure? I don't see an option in system.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by meffie

I did use a hotwire and updated all software, and make sure all settings were correct and matched between the 2.

I will check braking option again though. Thanks

When I set up 2 CC MM's, I made sure both had the same firmware version, then set a throttle/brake curve on one and copied it to the other. Then, and only then, did I recalibrate the ESC's.

As to the "reverse delay", as mentioned, there are a few options with most newer ESC's, one has a delay between "forward" and "reverse". This is why I did one ESC set-up and then copied it to the other ESC.
Are you running the same tooth pinions on both motors??

[hbj069]

Originally Posted by meffie

Will do it again and see. No they have a season on them. Nope both used. Yes

Recalibrated. Same thing. Anyone wanna buy an fxr and a new 4PL?

LOL yup!!!

[Harley]

Originally Posted by meffie

So I gather, lol.

Is there a way to set the radio to factory default just to be sure? I don't see an option in system.

You can do a model reset, just select the model on the main screen and scroll down to reset. You can't reset the entire radio.

[meffie]

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

When I set up 2 CC MM's, I made sure both had the same firmware version, then set a throttle/brake curve on one and copied it to the other. Then, and only then, did I recalibrate the ESC's.

As to the "reverse delay", as mentioned, there are a few options with most newer ESC's, one has a delay between "forward" and "reverse". This is why I did one ESC set-up and then copied it to the other ESC.
Are you running the same tooth pinions on both motors??

I got that problem fixed.

Originally Posted by Harley

You can do a model reset, just select the model on the main screen and scroll down to reset. You can't reset the entire radio.

Got it reset, Thanks

[meffie]

Ok so I know you have to be tired of me, but here's my last ditch effort.

I reset the radio, reset the esc's, plugged in the hotwire, reconfig'd everything. Bound the esc's to the radio. Everything works perfectly and as it should, but the throttle lever is still reversed.

Reverse = Forward and Forward = Reverse.

If I change the throttle option on the radio to reverse, the motors spin opposite and it creates other issue's. Is there a different setting then under the throttle menu to get this to switch? If everythings wired as should be, which no one seemed to have an issue with my pic, why is the input backwards?

Thanks again

[just_now]

Hello,

From what I read in your last post, you need to reverse the throttle on channel two and channel four. Sounds like you only did it to channel two.

Go to the throttle screen and set it to reverse and then go back a screen and set up channel four to reverse.

I just got the same set up a few weeks ago and was running into the same issues you have.

I still have one motor slightly engaging before the other.

Hope this helps.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by meffie

Ok so I know you have to be tired of me, but here's my last ditch effort.

I reset the radio, reset the esc's, plugged in the hotwire, reconfig'd everything. Bound the esc's to the radio. Everything works perfectly and as it should, but the throttle lever is still reversed.

Reverse = Forward and Forward = Reverse.

If I change the throttle option on the radio to reverse, the motors spin opposite and it creates other issue's. Is there a different setting then under the throttle menu to get this to switch? If everythings wired as should be, which no one seemed to have an issue with my pic, why is the input backwards?

Thanks again

Yes like the previous poster said, you need to reverse both 2 and 4. And don't worry about the questions, if you can't get through it this time shoot me a PM and I'll give you a call and we can walk through it.

[meffie]

Originally Posted by just_now

Hello,

From what I read in your last post, you need to reverse the throttle on channel two and channel four. Sounds like you only did it to channel two.

Go to the throttle screen and set it to reverse and then go back a screen and set up channel four to reverse.

I just got the same set up a few weeks ago and was running into the same issues you have.

I still have one motor slightly engaging before the other.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Harley

Yes like the previous poster said, you need to reverse both 2 and 4. And don't worry about the questions, if you can't get through it this time shoot me a PM and I'll give you a call and we can walk through it.

That worked perfectly.

However...Why do I keep having however's? LOL

Now the rear motor is slower than the front, but only in forward. Reverse they are the same speed. It's almost like there's just some stall going forward. This is under light throttle, too hard to tell on full throttle. It almost seems at full throttle they are the same, but I hate to make that statement without a way to tell for sure.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by meffie

That worked perfectly.

However...Why do I keep having however's? LOL

Now the rear motor is slower than the front, but only in forward. Reverse they are the same speed. It's almost like there's just some stall going forward. This is under light throttle, too hard to tell on full throttle. It almost seems at full throttle they are the same, but I hate to make that statement without a way to tell for sure.

Have you checked the timing on your motors?

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by Harley

Have you checked the timing on your motors?

+1, if they have any timing in them (but 1 is reversed as it should be in a MOA) you will get different motor speeds. Most motors, unless ordered as a pair for a MOA, have some timing in them. This is fine until you reverse one motor. Then instead of "advanced" timing, it's actually "retarded" timing when both axles are driving the rig in the same direction.
When in doubt, set both to "0" for now.

[meffie]

Originally Posted by Harley

Have you checked the timing on your motors?

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

+1, if they have any timing in them (but 1 is reversed as it should be in a MOA) you will get different motor speeds. Most motors, unless ordered as a pair for a MOA, have some timing in them. This is fine until you reverse one motor. Then instead of "advanced" timing, it's actually "retarded" timing when both axles are driving the rig in the same direction.
When in doubt, set both to "0" for now.

They are a matched pair of Broods I ordered specifically for my XR. The rear was reversed.

How do I set the timing? Is that a physical thing in the motors?

[Harley]

Originally Posted by meffie

They are a matched pair of Broods I ordered specifically for my XR. The rear was reversed.

How do I set the timing? Is that a physical thing in the motors?

They should have been marked front and rear, and the timing should have been set correctly but who knows if he did it right or not.

There are physical marks on the cans that line up with a mark on the end bell. You can set them to zero timing to make sure that is not the issue.

[meffie]

Originally Posted by Harley

They should have been marked front and rear, and the timing should have been set correctly but who knows if he did it right or not.

There are physical marks on the cans that line up with a mark on the end bell. You can set them to zero timing to make sure that is not the issue.

Roger, on it

I'll let you know how that goes

[meffie]

While I assume this isn't Zero, not sure which side is, they are both timed the same it appears. Is there still a need to set them to Zero?