Spektrum TX Teflon Smooth Throttle Mod

[minizoom]

I just did this to my DX9 and Taranis and it's so smooth. I went to Joann's fabrics and bought the teflon pressing sheets. Thanks for the tip!

[Lanman]

Thanks guys. Just did this with my DX8 and the throttle/collective stick is smoother now. Excellent simple to do mod.

[mmarian]

I do not want to piss on anyones parade in here and the teflon tape looks like a great mod but I just do not understand what the fuss is all about in the first place. Why do so many of you have the sticky throttle?? I bought DX18 over a year ago and immediately opened the case, cleaned thoroughly the factory grease with contact cleaner spray and applied the Tri-Flow clear synthetic grease onto the spring and the throttle plastic half moon. Have not re-greased since and the throttle, adjusted to the right tension has been smooth as butter ever since. To me and reluctantly admited by my friend even smoother than on his $3k pride and joy Futaba18MZ!!!

[jimmy77611]

The fuss is a sticky stick. I've tried the same grease as you, and unless I left my stick looser than I prefer, it had stickiness to it. The beauty of the Teflon mod is that you can add tension while maintaining butter smooth movement.

[mmarian]

Originally Posted by jimmy77611

The fuss is a sticky stick. I've tried the same grease as you, and unless I left my stick looser than I prefer, it had stickiness to it. The beauty of the Teflon mod is that you can add tension while maintaining butter smooth movement.

Yeah, I get it but I never had any of the problems described here since I put the Tri-Flow there whilst the radio was brand new. Maybe the DX18 is a bit different? I do not know but I am perfectly happy with the way the stick moves on this radio even when compared to the best radios out there. No signs of stickiness at all. Maybe I am just lucky :-)

[everydayflyer]

Thanks jimmy77611 for a great solution to a :sticky problem". I happen to have a sheet of material on hand which I use with my T-shirt transfere press. It is light brown in color and a woven type material which is extremely slick and is 0.005" thick. I cut a strip,used heat shrink as per your photos and now my DX6 has a great feeling Throttle stick. Now I can do piros without moving the collective and having the heli either go up or down unintended.

[CZorzella]

Originally Posted by mmarian

Yeah, I get it but I never had any of the problems described here since I put the Tri-Flow there whilst the radio was brand new. Maybe the DX18 is a bit different? I do not know but I am perfectly happy with the way the stick moves on this radio even when compared to the best radios out there. No signs of stickiness at all. Maybe I am just lucky :-)

I too had the same thoughts as you about my own DX18 having a pretty good stick, but anyway I decided to give a go on this teflon mod as it was too simple to be done and wow.... I have never looked back ever since.

[Epoweredrc]

This was the only way i could get my throttle tight enough for me.

[ryahelg]

Did the mod today. It's smoooth finally!
Horizon needs to read this thread.
Thanks all for sharing this mod

[ryahelg]

Did the mod today, butter smooth!
Thanks

[rigdent]

Thanks great idea !


I will try the plumbers tape first.

Terry

[RedOctobyr]

I just wanted to say thank you to all who have contributed to this thread. It applies to more TX's than just Spektrum, I just did it to my FrSky Taranis

I had previously slipped a piece of fuel tubing over the throttle tension spring/band. That, plus a bit of grease, made it feel MUCH better than stock. But the grease eventually wore off, and the feel became worse. When I opened it up tonight, I found the fuel tubing actually had a small section worn away, like a little divot in the tubing where it rubs.

I wrapped some teflon film around the fuel tubing, and the feel is fantastic I held the film in place with heatshrink at both ends. I'm hoping the teflon will last longer. If I wear it out, I'll replace it, and use more wraps next time.

I did want to share my source for the teflon film. I bought a 12"x12" square for $3.55 including shipping from eBay, the seller is trueseals .

This is the auction link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171461726490...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The film is smooth, not textured, which is what I wanted. It is 0.005" thick. Heck, I bought one sheet, and there were 2 sheets in the package! Great seller.

[FrankFuss]

For the Teflon mod I used this adhesive Teflon tape instead. No shrink wrap required. I also straightened out the tensioner just a little so that it would apply a little more tension. It worked great. Just clean off the old lubricant and stick on a piece of the the Teflon tape to the tensioner.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jimmy77611]

Nice find frank fuss. I think I'll get some of this to try out.

[Greg B]

I orderd the PTFE tape that Frank posted about.
This stuff is great. I stuck a piece on the bottom of the spring, then messed around bending or reshaping the spring a little. Now I have a perfectly smooth throttle on my DX9.

[jimmy77611]

+1 Got the same tape as Frank, and it works excellent. Much easier that having to heat shrink the ends, and I believe gives as good a feel or better than the stuff talked about in the beginning of the thread.

[Raptorapture]

Thanks guys. Great info. Just ordered the tape version to upgrade my Tx! Hoping it does the trick

[C_M_H]

Just did this mod and could not be happier! So nice…

FWIW, I used this tape as it was a little cheaper.

Thanks to the Freaks.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[flytye]

Just did this with my DX6. Night and day, I feel way more control over the collective. Thanks!

flytye

[rkweekly]

After five attempts on my X9503 I gave up. This transmitter along with my 11X has fine serrations on the half moon that the tension spring rides on. Using this tape from a previous post: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 tried single, double, and triple layers as well as smoothing the edges and face of the tension spring. As I tightened the throttle the serrations from the half moon pressed themselves into the tape. Very smooth action but felt like the ratchet spring some plank guys use was installed and became more pronounced after a couple of days.

Removed the tape, polished the spring with Dremal pad and compound, added triflow grease and the stickiness is gone.

Anyone had any luck with a JR radio, maybe with different tape?