3PJS trasmiter gear shift, or is 4ch better?

[DynaHead]

Is anybody familiar with the Futaba 3PJS transmitter? I have one and need to know if I can switch gears on my Hilux. Also, would a 4ch transmitter "feel" better for switching? Thanks.

[McFig]

Well I use a 4 ch and it works great for me.

Sorry, don't know about the 3PJS radio. Does the third channel on the radio have 3 positions?

[Mouton]

McFig, that is not really a useful answer, is it? :Good Point:

Feeling is such an indiviual thing that one observation might be; some cars use sequential shifter, some a grid like the Tamiyas. I am yet to see a non-handicap adapted 1:1 car that uses a stick for steering. OK, I have not seen one using a "wheel" as in tire and wheel but the feeling is more similar to the real thing.

To answer the question at hand - yes you can use the 3PJS for 3-speed gearboxes. Use it and try it. If you do not like it, get another transmitter. Same goes if you plan on using the MFU, which requires four channels.

Get the manual (http://www.futaba-rc.com/manuals/notes-3pj.html) if you do not already have it as my answer refers to specific pages in it.

By default the third channel is operated by a dial on your transmitter. Now, you can either go the lazy way and just use it to dial in the servo position that corresponds to each gear. This will work but the downside is that you may not be sure on when you have properly engaged second gear (neutral). First and third are at the extremes and their exact positions cannot be missed as easily as second gear.

Here is where the advanced features of your transmitter come in. You can make it perfect. The higher-end Futabas are very user-friendly. You can move the dials ans knobs around and what is even better, you can change how much servo throw a single step/click on a dial/knob will actually move the servo. And this is how you make your dial into a proper three position switch.

Check out page 63 in the manual for changing the dial operating the third channel to a three position switch (3PS). Each click/step on the dial now moves the servo 1/3 of its throw, meaning that "neutral" is 2nd gear, a click to the left is 1st gear (or 3rd depending on how the channel reverse is set for channel 3). When in first, two clicks on the dial engages third gear (one click to the right of 2nd).

Finally, if you do not like having the third channel on the dial you could change it to the DT3, the buttons used by default for channel 3's trim. That way you might find it easier to just change the dial one notch. And since the DT3 buttons are very close to the steering wheel you might like the ergonomics more. Page 88 explains how to do this.

Good luck!
PS. Do not forget to set EPA properly! This is extra critical for the third channel where you leave the servo at the end points for long periods of time (at least I mainly use 1st gear).

[DynaHead]

Wow, that was a great post. Thanks mouton! I will follow your advice closely. I have not opened the kit yet because I'm waiting for Christmas. It takes a lot of discipline :)

[Mouton]

DynaHead, I use the 3PK and a similar programming. It is worth mentioning that when you move around the switches and dials it only changes the dials and switches for that model in the model memory. Thus, for model 1 you can have the setup described in my previous post and for model 2 it will be like normal.

Presumably the 3PJS behaves in the same manner.

PS. The only "discipline" required to build a Tamiya threespeed is to get ballbearings before you start building it! Enjoy the build - it is great fun!

[DynaHead]

Thanks Mouton. I already did, there on the way. I got "cheap" ones of an flee-bay seller. I think they will be OK.

[th67ss super sport]

I gotta say thansk for posting this info Mouton:yourock:

When I first got a HL I used a TQ3 then I bought a Futaba 3pdf (?) and that worked great but I always had this 3PJS and wanted to use it so I didn't have to have good batteries in every radio, so this will save me in the AA department:first:


.....Tom