Futaba 4PLS And R204GF-E Issues
 

I recently purchased a Futaba 4PLS radio and 3 additional R204GF-E Receivers. I have a few issues. One of the receivers has an issue with the steering servo. It acts lazy, or will take several seconds to center itself. I was originally told at the hobby store that it was my servo, and I also believed it to be. Bought a new servo, and still had the same problem. So then they thought it was the BEC in the ESC not supplying enough power, so we swapped that out, still no fix. Finally we swapped out all of the Futaba gear for the cheap RTR stock controller (Associated RC8.2E), and all the problems were solved! The controller acts fine on my 3 other cars with other receivers, so we have narrowed the problem down to a faulty receiver. Anyone had this issue?

My next issue is the binding of receivers to the 4PLS. Unfortunately, the manual I got with my Transmitter guides you through menu options that are simply not in my Transmitter (It seems like there has been a firmware update since the printing maybe that changed the options?). I emailed Futaba about this problem a while back, and basically got a reply telling me to follow the instructions in my manual, even after I specifically said that is not an option because my Transmitter does not show the same menus as the manual. It usually takes me 30 minutes to "GET LUCKY" and get a receiver to bind after trying random things. This is very frustrating.

And is the joystick on the 4PLS supposed to be this sloppy? It feels broken to me. It is sloppy to the point that it is hard to push it down for the click without accidentally pushing it to the side and accidentally selecting something else by accident.

The receiver thing I believe i have nailed down and just need to warranty, but the binding problem may just drive me insane! Anyone else have a 4PLS that knows the proper binding procedure? Futaba apparently does not know how to bind their own products.

Some good news: I found out that the "high speed" setting was on that is apparently only for use with brushless digital servos. How this setting got changed while I was at the track and driving (Was on the track with no issues for 5 minutes, and then the steering suddenly went funny) is beyond me. But still would love to know the correct binding procedure for these things...

Glad you got the sluggish servo sorted out. Please post the servos that you were using. I have the 4PL and I use the high speed setting on all of my cars with digital servos and have never experienced any issues. I read that the high speed setting would definitely have problems with analog servos.

Which receivers are you using?

R204GF-E Receivers

I was referring to the OP. ;)

Sorry. :blush: His receivers were listed in the first line of his post, so I thought you were asking me.

Ahh apparently I missed that! My bad.

Ok guys, I'm in search of a new radio and I think I've got it narrowed down to the 4pls. I run (2) Savox 1256 servos in my 1/8 nitro latemodel and a Savox 1251 servo and Tekin RS Pro in my 1/10 mod electric sprint. What I'm trying to figure out is which servos to get. I like the R204GF-E but will it have enough juice to run the (2) servos in my latemodel and stand the 8.44 volts and huge amp draw from the mod motor and batteries? Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks, Mike.