Throttle Return Springs / Rubber Bands / Fail Safe
During round # 5 at Outacontrol Raceway we had several run away trucks. One had TRS and built in FS. But the receiver failed and let the truck run full throttle into a pipe launching it into pit lane injuring a spectator. I was preparing the awards and didn’t get to inspect the truck. Taking the racers word for it the TRS and FS didn’t work. Another racer flipped in his roof and the receiver battery came un-plugged and the connecting rod in the engine broke. This racer didn’t have a TRS. A TRS or a RB would have saved his engine.
Not setting up the radio correctly is the most common problem I have seen with built in Fail Safe. I have done it and I sure allot you guys have. We install a new receiver or set up a new model. After we bind the radio we turn on the radio and the throttle/brake servo is reversed. We then go in and reverse the throttle/brake setting. Time to race!!!! The radio fails and the truck goes full throttle. We start checking the truck and find the antenna broke off or the battery in our transmitter is low or dead. Well guys after you reversed your throttle/brake setting you didn’t re-bind your radio. In most radios you set your Fail Safe when you bind the receiver to the transmitter. A simple test will tell you if your built in fail safe works. This only works if the receiver has power. Turn on your truck (with-out starting it) turn on your transmitter. Check for proper operation. Then pull on full throttle and turn off the transmitter. The receiver should apply full brake. If not your built in fail safe is not set correctly. Caution!!! If your fail safe is set for full brake and your pit person doesn’t turn off the truck when you turn off your radio, you will have a fried servo when you get done turn marshalling. I set my fail safe for throttle/brake and steering neutral position. Then worse case if my truck don’t get turned off I will just have a dead battery. Do the same test but this time leave your radio on. Turn off your truck or unplug your battery. Your TRS should pull the throttle closed. If not then your TRS is not strong enough or your linkage is binding up. TRS and RB will prevent a runaway truck if you loose signal, loose power, or linkage comes off.
A bad servo or a bad receiver is the other reasons for a truck to run away. In the case of a bad servo you should still have steering. You should try to steer the truck away from injuring someone. The time it happened to me I turned my truck right and was doing doughnuts and the turn marshal thought I was being a smart ass, but no one got hurt.
Throttle Return Springs / Rubber Bands / Fail Safes are not full proof but will improve your odds against a run away truck. Most tracks and race promoters assume that we are grown men and have enough common sense to use these safety devises.
How would you feel if you hurt some one or some one in your family got hurt because a racer didn’t take all measures to prevent a truck from a running away. With all this said I will be TESTING all trucks for proper fail safe and throttle return springs. Bring your truck and radio to registration when you sign in for the race. I would rather loose attendance at my track rather then some one getting hurt.
Thanks
Andy Ousley