Tech Center: Sprung Spring

My transmitter’s steering wheel has no tension and no longer centers itself. The car still steers fine, but I can’t believe how hard it is to drive without that centering ability. Is there a fix?

You’ve got a broken spring inside the transmitter, and thankfully it’s an easy fix. The only hard part is getting a replacement spring. Contact the transmitter’s manufacturer to see if they have a replacement. If not, you can substitute an orthodontic rubber band or a craft store band. The precise steps to install the spring will vary with your transmitter’s brand and model, but the basics are easy. 1. Remove the steering wheel and batteries.

2. Remove the screws from the back of the transmitter and open the case.

3. Remove the circuit board to access the wheel mechanism. If you can’t see the spring yet…

4. Remove the screws that hold the wheel mechanism.

Once you’ve accessed the wheel mechanism, all you have to do is remove the broken spring (if it hasn’t already fallen off) and slip the new one (or a rubber band) over the spring posts.

With the transmitter open and circuit boards out of the way, we can see the trigger mechanism (which has a spring of its own) and the wheel mechanism—four more screws will let us get to its spring.

There’s the steering wheel spring. An orthodontic or craft rubber band can replace a broken spring.