Tamiya RC Motorized Support Legs (Part Number: TAM56505)

[justinart24]

Are the motorized legs worth buying? Are they garbage or bada$$? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Part Number: TAM56505
http://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/tam56505.htm

http://www.rpphobby.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TAM56505-2.jpg
Here is a youtube video I found.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lac7DS0XepA


http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php?t56301.html

http://www.lantruck.com/forumpics/coupler1.jpg
http://www.lantruck.com/forumpics/coupler2.jpg
http://www.lantruck.com/forumpics/coupler3.jpg

[CustomRCmodels]

They add a lot of cool play-value to your tractors and trailers .
Typical Tamiya quality in regards to how they are made .
But out of the box they only work good if your tractor and trailer on leveled ground .
All my tractors have modified spring-loaded 5th wheels and extended support legs ,
so I can do the coupling and un-coupling functions on uneven terrain as well ( outdoors )
also to make up for the different tire-sizes I use on my trucks .

[Izzy]

I like the functionality but have issues with trimming in the coupling servo. Tamiya uses the same servo to lock the goth wheel, unlock, run the legs down and run the legs up. So it's a pain to trim out all 4 distinct servo positions. If your using just a standard proportional I suppose it's easier but have not tried it.

Izzy

[CustomRCmodels]

I like the functionality but have issues with trimming in the coupling servo. Tamiya uses the same servo to lock the goth wheel, unlock, run the legs down and run the legs up. So it's a pain to trim out all 4 distinct servo positions. If your using just a standard proportional I suppose it's easier but have not tried it.

Izzy

Hello Izzy ,
You need to start out with 100% servo-travel ( + / - ) ,
And then set the mechanical neutral on the 5th wheel , hook in locked position , and the push-lever for the support-legs just at the edge of the coupler . ( neutral on the servo as well of course ) with the length of the push-rod and position of the servo-arm. Then select the proper hole in the servo-arm to get either direction max throw of the servo without binding up the coupler .
Don’t try to get the individual positions with adjusting of the servo-travel .
Do it all mechanical , then it works just fine , no matter digital systems ( DX6 and others ) or analog proportional .
Or did you mean trying to set it up with like a 3 position switch ?
That wouldn’t work , since then you would need actually a 5 position switch ,
Since you need 2 defined positions out of neutral , to raise and lower the support legs .
Besides using the regular joy-sticks , I have it on some transmitters just with a dial-potentiometer , but you need a fully proportional channel , otherwise you would need to create your own multi-position switch with defined resistor-values to basically create the function of a prop-joy-stick .
I have heard that now several times that some people have problems with getting these support legs set up right , maybe I should write up a how-to the way I do mine ,
Since I have all of mine working just fine ….
The only trouble I see sometimes, after a lot of off-roading , or driving my trucks on our tank-battle-field , that the little micro-switch under the king-pin plate on the trailer maybe gets stuck ( dirt and gunk ) and then these support legs do what ever they want and not what you tell them to do . On some trailers I used a stronger return spring for that lever activating the micro-switch .
At last , after all the adjustments , it should look like this on a regular joy-stick :
½ way pushed away from neutral = legs extend
Full way pushed away from neutral = legs retracting
Neutral = 5th wheel looked , pusher lever just at the edge of the coupler
( if it sticks out it will activate your legs while driving a turn ! )
Full way pulled from neutral , 5th wheel hook all the way open

Hope this helps some ….

[apfubar]

I modded mine to run off the IR transmission from the truck... More complicated electronics, but no more mechanical problems.

Also on a switch solution, for 5 postions, you should be able to do it with a three position switch mixing with a two position. The two position would limit the throw in one position, and in the other allow full travel.

Cheers,
AP

[derailed]

i have these on all my trailers
i'm happy