My SCM SCN5 actuator pin broke...

Hi guys,

Sadly my (left) actuator pin broke....
After using it without the 25% limiter, so this is also a warning to the rest of you guys using the scn5 actuators.
Now i would like to know if it can be fixed, or do i have to buy a new one?
More importantly, where to buy these actuators in europe?, or should i buy one from FREX (Japan) again? they say it can be fixed, is that smart to do or should i throw it in the garbage?
I was also thinking of buying a extra one for an extra motion sideways like the simxperience motion platform has, does that work well with X-Sim?

Regards,

Rob

UPDATE FOR THE FIX:

post19288.html#p19288

Hi Splendiddd
das tut mir leid mit deinem Motor.Ich fahre schon über 400 Stunden ohne 25%
Limiter ohne probleme.Wenn du eine dritte Achse einbauen willst würde ich überlegen ob ich den jetzigen Motor als dritte Achse nehmen und für die ersten beiden 150mm scn5 nehmen.Dann kannst du den 25% Limiter anlassen und hast etwa soviel Weg wie mit den 100 mm ohne Limiter.Dann wärst du auf der sicheren Seite.

sorry to hear. what do you think caused it or it could have been just a wear n tear after using it without limiters. Maybe positioning of actuators is causing stress. I'm not expert but maybe it can be avoided when you get your new actuator and are back up running again.

What is the effect (looks or sounds like) - is it work? Maybe in funny way but work. How come do you think that this is actually pin broken ?

I had one of my actuators blocked in full length out and i had some warning message on TBVST Tool. I just push it back and restart software - everything cames back to normal.

Coz i got no resistence at all from the actuator, its just like the pin is loose in the actuator and not connected to anything.

Yes, the third actuator makes quite an difference in immersion.

Nima is correct. It is better to have 150mm and use the 25% limiter. This way you can safely use whatever speed / accel combination that you like.

Frex does not warranty their actuators, but if you want to pay their fee and shipping to/from Japan, I believe that will repair it for you.

SimXperience now offers SCN5's as well, but with a 1 year warranty. Additionally, you can always purchase from Mirai Intertech as well. They too offer a 1 year warranty. If you decide to replace the actuator(s), let me know. I haven't worked out the details yet in the online store, but we will be offering some type of coupon code and discount to contributing X-Sim members.

I am also just about to launch an X-Sim Starter Kit product which will include 2 150mm SCN5's, 3 adapters on a single circuit board requiring only 1 USB cable yet getting up to 250 updates/sec per actuator, custom actuator cables (same as shown on our simulators), power supply capable of powering 3 actuators. The whole thing is packaged in a neat little box. I hope to have some product images available soon. The package will be available for shipment in 5 weeks. I believe it will be the first to carry the X-Sim Ready logo.

If you want trow it out, why dont try it to disassemble it ? Maybe its something easy to repair. If not it could be good study material for DIY builders if you take pictures of inside the acutator.

Hallo,
hast du das TBVST Dyagnose Tool ausprobiert?Was sagt das Tool?
ich habe das zu anfang auch gehabt das ich meinte ein Motor wäre Kaputt.
Der Motor geht bei überbelastung in eine Schutzschaltung und die muß im
Dyagnosetool gelöscht werden(Alarm Clear).
Bis dann
Nima

Hi
I totaly agree with Mambo.
Probely it's easy to repair
And i want to know there pitch and screw size for a long time.
Regards AD

Thanks guys for the heads up.

I will try to fix it myself...
@nima where do i get that tool?

Regards,

Rob

Hi
rob
Look out when youre taking nut from shaft.
The balls will fal out.
Regards Ad

Here's a quote from the Frex site.

I can't comment on the level of repair difficulty. It really just depends on your skill level and if you have the correct tools for the job. Most likely your pin has been smashed or broken. Have you thought of what you will use for a replacement pin?

BTW, I too am looking forward to the photos of the internals and damaged pin.

Good luck..I know how frustrating it is when your simulator is down.

I have just seen a guy on racesimcentral site. And Shige from Frex has said they could repair it at 5000 yen which i THINK is 50 dollars plus postage both ways.
http://forum.racesimcentral.com/showthread.php?t=339335

I even commented saying it is cheap. I thought you have to buy new actuators once broken.

Lol that guy is me!

BTW i know now why it is that cheap....(see post below)
:rofl:

UPDATE: FIXED!

Hi my friends from X-sim....

I tried the tool from Nima today, no luck, so i decided to take the actuator apart and tried to fix it myself.....

To my surprise it was not that difficult, its just a servo with a thread connected to it with a little pin, so i removed the broken one and took a little nail and made it to the proper lenght and assembled everything again, time: about 1 hour.
maybe i will buy some stronger pins from a shop BUT i think its also a sort of safety breakpin like on the screws of outboard motors for the motors.
Tested it and it works like a charm !

As you guys requested i took some pics along the way:





























So if your pin is broken, and you got some skills you can fix your broken actuator!
costs: time and dirty hands :lol:

Cheers,

Rob

Little video too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYPr85-jUhM

so basically your saying if a actuator fails? then you can fix it your self. WOW!!!!

Yes, if you have some basic tools you can! its easier then i thought
Actually it seems these actuators are very robust and the only thing that can fail in my mind are the servo motors

I don't understand from pictures, ill have a look at the video now. I don't know how these actuators work inside. There is a pin pushing the metal bar up and down. And if the bar is pulled to far the pin snaps? Then you have to weld the PIN to the bar?