VS-1 Randomly hooking to the right - what's going on?

[detox]

Maybe you can change prop angle so hull will run looser.

Bad radio?


...

[Stinger9D9]

Are you sure the motor is full cocked right? Can you see it full cocked right? I wonder if your right sponson is digging in causing to turn right? Can you move COG more rearward?

Can't be sure. I never open her up full throttle nearby, then by the time I let off the throttle and she stops, everything's straight.

I can't get the CoG any farther rearward (particularly now that the servo's back there. I may be able to side the batteries back a smidge more - maybe get the CoG back another 1/4 inch or so, but that's it.

I like that Castle BEC, 10 amps with adjustable voltage all the way up to 9 volts? Wow. I know the servo only takes 6 volts, but it seems like it would provide more than enough power.

[NorCalZ71]

yea i love those bec's. they are super easy to wire inline on your existing power system and all you have to do to water proof them is shoot hot glue in both ends of the shrink wrap and go!.. be sure to get a castle link programmer with it if you dont already have one. that s the only way to change voltages.

[properchopper]

When the CC BEC gets wet it shorts & passes full battery power to both the rx and servo frying them instantly. Happened to me on two different boats even with Corrosion-X inside them. NorCalZ71 may have found the right idea to waterproof them with the hot-glue mod - sounds do-able.

[NorCalZ71]

The next best line of defense against water would be to put both the bec and reciever in a traxxas waterproof reciever box. Most 2.4ghz recievers are small enough to fit with the bec inside.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2

[Stinger9D9]

Well I threw the kitchen sink at it:

- blueprinted the sponsons sanding her up using the granite surface plate for flatness, 3 thin coats of urethane sanded in between then scuffed off the shine after the last coat
- disabled the BEC on the AQ 60amp and added a 6 volt rx pack to ensure the servo gets plenty of power
- swapped out the Tactic rx and the tx with a different one

I don't know which one of these did it, but I may have finally sorted it out. I just took her out for a run through 2 sets of packs and no hooking at all, just straight and fast (if a bit wet). I'm still way too tentative in the corners but to be honest, I was expecting this "haunted" hull to hook and flip at any moment (I'm just so used to it doing that).

That was my only time window this week to hit the pond (got one spare hour) so it was nice that it went well. A week from now (on vacation...finally) I'll have some quality lake time where I can get a lot of runs in. I may use that time to try it without the rx pack, or to play around with that other radio (to see which item really was the culprit). I don't mind the rx pack, but I'd like to keep the weight down as much as possible (especially since it sits up in the front of the boat).

On the other hand, I may just keep that other Tactic on the shelf and not tempt fate.

Thanks for the tips everyone. For a while there, I never thought I'd exorcise the demons out of this hull!

[Stinger9D9]

Second update...the hooking is back, just much less pronounced.

Most of the time (much more of the time now), it runs fast and straight. The right turning, when it happens, is more of a lean that quickly develops into a turn. Here's how it happens...

When the boat is sitting still in the water, it floats more or less level (no leaning left or right). When I start into the throttle, it seems to torque over to the right and lean that way while running part throttle until it speeds up, then it levels out. Once underway, if it catches a little air hopping over a wake or two, when it lands (and when the lower and prop dig into the water) it darts right. It seems that no matter what, once the torquing/leaning/turning to the right starts, the servo can't stop it.

Is it possible that the 2-56 steering rod is flexing? That might make sense if there were only a steering rod on one side, but I have 2 steering rods, so for one to bend, the other one would have to stretch...not plausible. I think that the start of the lean/turn, coupled with the torque of the motor just build up and gradually - then quickly overpower the servo (even a high torque HS-5645MG running off a fully charged 5 cell, 6 volt rx pack).

I think my next step is to go from a 2 blade prop to a 3 blade prop (maybe an X440/3) to reduce the amount of torque the prop is imparting to the hull. That way, each time the prop digs into the water, it may be less likely to push the boat over to the right and the servo may have a fighting chance.

[Heaving Earth]

Go for 440 rods

[LiPo Power]

Is your servo Hi Torque?
Is it working properly? How is the servo arm?
If all good check the outboard angle. Too wet, possibly....
M445 prop, very little throw set on your radio...
If all that ok, maybe driver error....

[properchopper]

Here's my take :

Possible causes by percent probability :

servo rod flex (go to 4-40) : 10%

drive too deep : 20%

drive not perpendicular to hull 10% (cav plate steering boat)

servo malfunction 60%

I've had two TS-2's , two VS-1's and now run a 30" Herb Stewart. I've had your problem from time to time and every time it was the servo having a "mysterious" weak spot in it's rotational arc.

Wish I could be more help

[Stinger9D9]

Here's my take :

Possible causes by percent probability :

servo rod flex (go to 4-40) : 10%

drive too deep : 20%

drive not perpendicular to hull 10% (cav plate steering boat)

servo malfunction 60%

I've had two TS-2's , two VS-1's and now run a 30" Herb Stewart. I've had your problem from time to time and every time it was the servo having a "mysterious" weak spot in it's rotational arc.

Wish I could be more help

Thanks guys,

My next steps will be to pull my Hitec servo and put in that Turnigy (claimed) 200oz/in servo in and try some 4-40 rods. The boat did the same thing with that Turnigy in the past (that's what prompted me to go buy the Hitec, but it's worth a shot). I'll also try running an indicator along the underside of the cav plate side to side to see if the REK lower is tilted to one side or the other. It looks good, but without measuring, there's no way to be sure.

[marko500]

What have you guys found to be the best servo to use in the tunnels?

Mark

[AlanN]

#1 prop height should be slightly above sponson bottoms. approx with 1/8" level or slightly pointed down.
#2 get rid of the junk hitch servos and spend the $100 on a good airtronics don't even bother reading the rest if you don't invest in a good servo.
#3 using a three bladed prop will make the problem worse but if set up right...is good way to go....like a 3/440 cut and tuned or a good abc...1642
#4 CG is prob may be too far forward
#5 check your outdrive for the correct alignment....may be slightly twisted.
#6 lay the sponsons on a flat board...I use a drafting board) to see if they are still symmetrical....sometimes the extension on the undersurface will warp more than the other.

[iamandrew]

Im using Blue bird Servos, 15KG ones in a genesis and its been pretty good.
ive seen someone with Hitech servos and they don't seem to center properly. maybe its because they arnt digital ones? not sure

[Flying Scotsman]

Servo malfunction/radio, or a hardware setup issue, or a hull that has been damaged.

Douggie

QUOTE=properchopper;434660]Here's my tak

Possible causes by percent probability :

servo rod flex (go to 4-40) : 10%

drive too deep : 20%

drive not perpendicular to hull 10% (cav plate steering boat)

servo malfunction 60%

I've had two TS-2's , two VS-1's and now run a 30" Herb Stewart. I've had your problem from time to time and every time it was the servo having a "mysterious" weak spot in it's rotational arc.

Wish I could be more help [/QUOTE]