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My Modded TQ3 Update - Added EPA pots

I posted a pic of this when it was still in the works. Now it's done and I'm loving it. It's over the top but works very well. I wouldn't want a steering wheel this big if it had to go fast but for this application it's great. http://www.datascape.net/images/headbang.gif Not bad for a $15 radio. Pretty obvious what I've done to it. Later I'm also going to add a charging jack and eyelet for a lanyard. Feel free to comment.
http://www.datascape.net/crawler/crawler14.jpg

Close up of the switch. I took my time on the mount.
http://www.datascape.net/crawler/crawler15.jpg

i like it how difficult is it to use?

how bout a break down of how you were able to accomplish it

NICE, i like that., Good work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by powertuned

i like it how difficult is it to use?

Not at all. The wheel might slow you down a bit but for crawling you'd never know. Ergonomically it's as natural as the stock TQ3 wheel for me. The switch is also easy to use. Since I fly RC planes I have it set to steer the rear wheels the same direction a rudder stick does. Keeps my head straight. Important when I go fly my 3D planes 2 feet off the ground. http://www.datascape.net/images/eek.gif

Quote:

how bout a break down of how you were able to accomplish it

The transmitter is painted with American Tradition Plastic Paint and chased with a couple coats of clear lacquer of some brand. The plastic paint works very well but is not very chemical resistant hence the clear coat.

The labels are my own as well. Notice the FritoBandito between the trim pots. :) I scanned the stock labels into Photoshop and converted their image into a template to make mine. They're printed on color inkjet paper and protected with several coats of fixer spray and affixed to the transmitter with 3M 77 spray adhesive.

Obviously the steering wheel is my stock TLT wheel and tire. I took the stock TQ3 steering wheel and mounted it to a steel shaft which I mounted in my drill. Then I used the drill like a poor man's lathe to turn down the diameter and face of the steering wheel until it fit snugly and deep inside the TLT wheel. Then I ran three screws through the outside of the rim where they'd be covered by the tire and into the TQ3 steering wheel. I also cut down and stuffed the tire with a spare tire foam I had laying around. Without it the tire was a bit on the squishy side for steering.

The switch comes from my local hole-in-the-wall electronics store. It's wired with caps according to the article posted in this forum. The stock switch hole was filled with JB Weld, Dremeled down, then built up using a mix of microballoons and epoxy. Then that was Dremeled, filed, and sanded until I got it where I like it. Other than a few scratches it came out pretty nice.

Detailed enough? :D

Very nice. Your steering switch. Is it controlled or far right, far left, and center?

Unfortunately it's not proportional. Just full lock left and right. I guess I could have made it proportional with a pot switch but it didn't seem necessary. Besides, at some point I have to remember it's a cheapo radio and not worth too much of an investment. If I really need that kind of control I have a nice Hitec Eclipse I'm not using. Install a surface module and I'm ready to rock. Now... if I could only replace the sticks on the Eclipse with... BEER TAPS! Yea.. that's the ticket... ;)

Very nice, looks factory :D What does the receiver look like? ;) (truck)

any idea if you can add a trim knob to the third channel? i think it would make driving easier in the long run.

Believe it or not there is one from the factory. It's inside what looks like a screw hole on the back side if the transmitter. A complete surpise to me.

What I am thinking about adding is a couple micro pots to adjust the end points of the rear steering.

i dont have my tq3 yet any way you can take a pic and post it so i know what to look for when i get mine

hey I would like a detailed write up of the micro pots to control endpoints
don't like replacing 645's cuz of overstraining them!!!!!
Kevin

I'm in the process of adding the EPA pots now. As soon as I have it figured out I'll post the details.

Excellent!

Good bit of work, looks great!

Also looks like you've spent some time with static models or owned several "hard" bodied vehicles.

Thanks Jason,
Most of the techniques/tools/materials I used come from RC plane building which is my primary hobby (well flying em anyway). I haven't built a static model in 20 years. I hate to show ignorance but what is a "hard" bodied vehicle?

Clod, Jugg, Blackfoot, Bruiser...etc

I guess Ill show my stupidity here but I found the 3rd channel trim by accident I put the 3 way toggle in my tq3 and every thing was fine before I took it apart when I put it backtogather the trim was way the heck off.I started to look to see what could have changed and ta da there it was a little hole in the bottom left corner of the remote I adjusted it and that was all it took I couldnt belive it I was so pissed and to think how many times I adjusted the linkage on my maxx .

My Modded TQ3 Update - Added EPA pots

In my previous thread I had simply added a switch like most folks have. At the time I was considering adding a couple pots to control end point adjustment for my rear steering. Well now it's done. A brief rehash of the radio.
Front of the radio. You can see the neck strap ring I've added.
http://www.datascape.net/crawler/crawler14.jpg

Now back of radio. Notice the additional holes in the base.
http://www.datascape.net/crawler/crawler17.jpg

Close up. From left to right.
Existing screw hole, existing rear steering trim, new right and left EPA trim pots, new charging jack.
http://www.datascape.net/crawler/crawler18.jpg

It works PERFECTLY. I'm able to smoothly adjust end points from just a little movement to full travel individually for either direction. At the request of a couple folks, here's a simple image describing the wiring.
http://www.datascape.net/crawler/switchdetail.gif
There's nothing to it. The only hard part was stuffing the extra wire and connectors into the radio. Notice the wires from the switch go to the same pair on the pots. That way they both do the same thing when turned in the same direction. Other than that this is a stupid simple mod.

Hope you guys find this useful!