Steering problems because of pcb

Zephyranthes · #1 05-02-2003, 12:41 AM

I dropped my Zipzap 1 and a half feet off the floor. It was a very minor fall, so I didn't have the slightest hint of damage. Well, my car wouldn't steer left anymore. I checked the wiring and everything seemed fine but it still didn't work. I resoldered on all the steering wires, but that didn't do anything. I wa starting to suspect the pcb board was having problems. I switched the left and right, and now it turns left but no right. That proved that it was the pcb that was having problems. What's wrong and what can I do to fix this?

Buzzbait · #2 05-02-2003, 06:17 AM

I wouldn't say that you proved the pcb to be bad. Here are some possibilities:

1. Steering wire leading to the positive terminal on the pcb isn't making contact.

2. Steering wire leading to the appropriate left/right terminal on the pcb isn't making contact.

3. One of the steering coils came unglued in the front end of the car.

4. One of the steering knuckles, or something else integral to the steering sytem, has a nasty gash in the plastic, thus preventing the steering from working properly.

5. You have a short in one of your controller buttons.

charliebrown · #3 05-02-2003, 06:33 AM

Actually it is a fact that when magnets are dropped, they can lose their magnetism. So maybe you need to make new steering coils, or something.

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"I wrote down that he was one of our greatest presidents."
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"No...but I've learned never to badmouth a president on a history test."

Zephyranthes · #4 05-02-2003, 09:56 AM

Well, if I tough the steering wire to the negative contact, it turns. So it is the pcb.

Buzzbait · #5 05-02-2003, 10:03 AM

I seriously doubt that a tiny fall took out the pcb.

SlowbutCourious · #6 05-02-2003, 10:44 AM

i had the same prob with my 911 ..1 of the steerin wires broke off the coil u could not even see it was broke..until i looked with a mag.glass 4 15 min.

cj1267 · #7 05-02-2003, 11:54 AM

Had this happen to me too and the magnet shifted to one side.

Just reseat it and add a tiny drop of CA glue (super).

MBHockey · #8 05-02-2003, 03:28 PM

Yes it is a fact if you drop a magnet it can become demagnatized. This being such a small magnet, it probably wouldn't take much of a fall to demagnatize it. I think you should just try to find a new one of the pieces the magnet fits in.

AUDI-TT · #9 05-02-2003, 04:55 PM

im just wondering...
why exactly does it lose it's megnetism???

Azimov · #10 05-02-2003, 06:03 PM

When a magnet is originally magnatized, all of the electrons in the metal are put into a miniature military formation with all of the north and south poles pointing in the same directions. When you drop it, or give it a good enough wack, the electrons become jumbled again and the magnetic field is gone.

dabigpig · #11 05-02-2003, 06:09 PM

i thought u had to hit it really freakin hard like throw it at concrete or hit with a hammer for it to lose it's magnetism

Zephyranthes · #12 05-02-2003, 08:30 PM

The magnet isn't demagnetized. If I touch the wire to the negatvie contact or switch them around, it works turning in the direction.

dabigpig · #13 05-02-2003, 08:52 PM

perhaps you're controller button broke at the same time as the car droped and it's really something in the controlla. just shootin out random thoughts.

Azimov · #14 05-02-2003, 10:09 PM

Yep, you'd need a really good whack to demagnatize the magnet. I don't think that's the problem here anyways. I'd put my moola on a broken wire going to, or inside the coil.

Zephyranthes · #15 05-02-2003, 11:55 PM

The coil isn't broken because it works if I stick it on the other steering wire contact.