View Full Version : M8/M11 centering problems?


22Racer
10-24-2005, 09:45 PM
I saw a guy at the track have problems with his m11 not come back to center. My son had similar problems with his m8. My son also talked to someone who had a similar problem but it was the Spektrum that was the problem. I know in the case of the m11 it was a physical problem with the radio, not sure on my sons, anyone else have trouble? is this common?
Rex

pancartom
10-24-2005, 10:00 PM
i've got a new M11 and have used it on 4 different cars. not a lick of a problem with it!

eri3f0g
10-24-2005, 10:47 PM
do you mean the steering wheel itself or the vehicle's steering? My T4 wouldn't come back to center consistently and it was the fault of my hitec servo, slapped an airtronics in and no problems.

Other than that I've never had a centering problem.

Fantom
10-25-2005, 09:58 AM
No, There talking about the steering wheel on the controller, Mine hasn't been really bad. But a lot of the guys at my local track have the same problem. It might have to be sent back to Airtronics.

RCMits
10-25-2005, 02:46 PM
i have a 5 year old m8 never had the problem.. hmm... call Airtronics.. and see.

patcollins
10-25-2005, 06:53 PM
Same here my M8 is 4 years old and is still perfect.

Airtronics customer service is great they will hook you up.

22Racer
10-25-2005, 07:18 PM
Yes I'm talking about the radio, you could actually see the wheel wasn't going back to the same spot. I didn't know the guy and have no clue if it was something he did. I've had Hitec servo's and wont buy them ever again. (I'm sure the digitals might be ok)
I was going to sell my 3pk to get an m11 for my son and then I would get his M8 so we both had the same style. Just having second thoughts.
Rex

Fantom
10-25-2005, 07:27 PM
Nah, don't waste your money on the M11. I work at Hobbytown and they have some M11's there. I took one out to look at it, and it is a piece of crap. From holding the top handle and the bottom where the battery is. It can flex so easily. I would say with the M8, it is much better craftsmanship.

RCMits
10-25-2005, 07:40 PM
i havent tried it yet.. but i hear the m11 is top heavy? *shrug*
i love my m8.

if you can take off your steering wheel, see if there is binding anywhere.

it could be a bind somewhere, or a bad spring...

if its older, ask airtronics to do a "maintenance" or once over .. they'll even calibrate it as well =)

mits

Todd Putnam
10-26-2005, 12:03 PM
22RACER: I just had the same problem with mine, after 5-6 years. I sent it back for repair...was a bad steering potentiometer and they replaced the bearing as well...feels good as new.
It cost less than $40....

pancartom
10-26-2005, 01:01 PM
not my feeling at all, fantom. i love my new M11. the screens are laid out well, and easy to access. the feel of the radio fits me well too. as usual, each to his own, i guess

pancartom
10-26-2005, 01:03 PM
todd, i have an older M8 that i replaced a few years ago that had the same problem (bad steering pot). where did you send yours to get it fixed?

22Racer
10-26-2005, 11:42 PM
I took the m8 apart tonight, super easy to do. I greased the spring mechanism and increased the spring pressure, it seemed to really help. Blew out the bearing and oiled it too. Thanks for all your help.

Todd, did your potentiometer just go out and not work or did it just act funny.
Rex

Todd Putnam
10-26-2005, 11:53 PM
pancartom: I sent it to Airtronics...

Rex: the steering pot still worked, but you had to physically turn the wheel back to center. If you turned the steering wheel to either side and just let go, it wouldn't return all the way to dead center. When talking to the Airtronics tech, he gave me the impression that if the pot was bad, the wheel won't return to ctr. I thought if the pot was bad, but the spring and bearings were good, the wheel would center but the steering servo wouldn't...as I thought the pot was just to determine where the radio pointed the servo, and the springs were the only thing physically responsible to return the steering wheel to center. I was wrong... He assured me that if the pot was bad, the steering wheel wouldn't recenter itself on the transmitter.
Learn something new everyday if your not careful... lol :rolleyes: