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Gazzalene

Tamiya MFC 01 ,issue?

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Just about to order a Grand hauler and might as well get the MFC 01 straight away.

I have not long bought a Scania R620 and MFC 03, got the MFC working as best I can before the proper install with my Spektrum/JR DSX9 radio and spectrum rx

i have read that the MFC 01 is not as good as the 03,its much older. It what way is it not as good? will it work with DSX9? I know having analogue trims is always in debate.

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The MFC-03 had some extra features, but I use both and I find them both equally easy to use.  I don't really miss the additional MFC-03 features when I'm just driving on the layout.

The main difference obviously is the sound.  I remember being told that the MFC-01 engine sound was recorded from a Cat engine whereas the MFC-03 is recorded from a European 6-cylinder engine.  The 03 sounds better in European rigs and the 01 has that classic American sound.  Sadly the 01 doesn't have a traditional Detroit Diesel and the 03 doesn't have a Scania V8 sound - IMO that would make them almost perfect!

Other differences, off the top of my head:

MFC-01 starts the motor sound and enables drive as soon as the Tx is switched on.  MFC-03 does a pre-start sound when switched on but does not start the engine sound or enable drive - you must command it to start via the Tx before you can drive off.

When Tx is switched off, the MFC-01 will shut off the engine sound and sit idle.  The MFC-03 will shut off the engine and play the annoying "Tamiya No Radio" bleep effect.  This isn't a problem since you can shut down the motor via a Tx command on both MFCs and leave them idle.

Speaking of which - to start and stop the engine on the MFC-01 is not well documented.  Slide the gearchange trim all the way to the right, slide the right hand vertical trim all the way to the top, then move the left stick fully right and the right stick fully up.  The motor sound will shut off and the truck will go into 'park' mode where it can't be driven.  Lights will still work (IIRC it plays a 'lights on' warning bleep).  Repeat the process to turn the truck back on.  Do it with the lights on and see them flicker as you start - that's a very cool effect.  The MFC-03 has the same feature except you need to move the right stick vertical trim all the way down and pull it all the way back to turn the ignition on/off, and you then have to pull the right stick fully back a second time to crank the motor and start the truck.  (If you only pull the stick part-way back you get a false start, which is kinda cool).  The '01 doesn't have the separate start feature - the truck is either started or stopped.

The MFC-03 has a 'virtual clutch' feature.  If you pull the right stick all the way back while the engine is started, you can rev the engine with the left stick without the truck moving.  It's a daft but cool feature.  What is cooler is that you can pull the right stick back, push the left stick all the way forwards to redline the engine, then drop the right stick back to centre to dump the clutch.  The electric motor will go immediately to full speed and the truck will launch off the line quickly.  On some surfaces you can spin the back wheels that way.  To be honest, cool though this feature is, it's not one you'll use a lot on a busy layout.  The truck can fire off very quickly and there's a big risk of hitting someone else's rig and doing some expensive damage...

The MFC-03 also has a gearbox position learning feature.  When you 'teach' the MFC you tell it were the select positions are on your Tx and it then does very slick gearchanges by toggling those three positions on the servo.  The MFC-01 doesn't do this - it just transmits whatever it gets from your gear stick on the Tx into the servo.  It's not a big deal - if you're using a shift gate on your Tx then you won't have problems, just don't drive around with the stick at mid-point between the gates.

Using a Spektrum radio should be fine - there are tutorials on Youtube on how to set it up.  I've never done this but I know people using Spektrum on the MFCs.  On the FlySky and similar radios you have to set up an A/B switch that changes the endpoints on all your channels from 100% to 115% or something, then when you want to just drive you run on A mode, and when you want to input commands such as lights on, engine stop etc., you flick the switch to B mode, input the command with the sticks, then switch back to A mode to carry on driving.  I've always assumed the Spektrum configuration is the same but never looked at it as I'm too poor for Spektrum radios.  FWIW I buy a cheap Tx for each new rig so I can have them all running at once.

If you're not 100% taken with the MFC then look into Beier modules.  You can start with a basic light, sound and speed control unit and add more features are cash allows.  https://astecmodels.co.uk/ sells them and the owner is super-helpful if you have any questions before you purchase.

I hope that helps :)

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The biggest difference between the two is the drivability. The MFC03 is more refined. The MFC01 is very much like a 3 step mechanical speed control whereas the MFC03 is more like a buttery smooth ESC. 

The MFC01 has less steps for the throttle control, also the sound is similar to the steps in which it doesnt sound like it is slowly accelerating but it is more like a CVT transmission where the throttle input and sound input isnt related to the speed. Especially from about half to full speed in 3rd, similar to a slipping clutch. Probably not noticable on a layout as you wouldnt do 5-7mph.

The brakes are either on or off. Very much non proportional. The rear axles will mostly just lock up when applying the brakes.

The MFC03 is very linear. The throttle is smooth and the brakes will apply with throttle input, you can add just a little to slow down in advance and get the lights on and then add a little bit more as you get closer to your stopping point. Like a real truck. 

 

There is a lot of other (non physically driving) features like above that make the euro sound unit more refined:

The truck rev matches when down shifting.

The truck only squeaks the brakes when applying 100% 

Indicators/signals only work by operator, and can be permanently switched on/off by input, or can be made to switch off when the steering is finished.

There is a Highbeam flash function. 

And many more small features over the 01.

But if you are getting a GH then you would have to get the 01 for the sound alone. It wouldnt be right with an 03.

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Thank you both for the very detailed info. You both certainly know your stuff! Probably many years on these models?

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There is a few of us (topforcein, Mad Ax etc) that have 'one or two'...

Then there is older members like tamiyabigstuff and then Ant88 that must have 20 or so by now. Ant88 runs the Tamiya Truckin' website, and has a wealth of knowledge on the trucks. Have a look on Youtube for them and also some of the guys in Europe and see how far the rabbit hole goes. Be warned though, if anythings available in 1:1, these guys have custom built one in 1/14 scale...

When you see a toy truck laying concrete/asphalt, or a 1/14 truck wash... you've seen it all :lol: 

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On 2/17/2019 at 6:10 AM, berman said:

When you see a toy truck laying concrete/asphalt, or a 1/14 truck wash... you've seen it all :lol: 

Last time I was at the Bournemouth truck meet, one of the guys was sweeping up the gravel that he had been loading into 1:14 tipper trailers with his 1:14 excavator.  I told him he needs to get a fleet of 1:14 scale minimum wage yard workers to do that.

On 2/16/2019 at 4:18 PM, Gazzalene said:

Thank you both for the very detailed info. You both certainly know your stuff! Probably many years on these models?

I've been RC trucking for about 3 years now, and although I have 2 running rigs, 1 build in progress, 1 NIB and 4 trailers, I still consider myself very much a novice with lots more to learn, about trucking in general and RC trucking in particular.

I know the MFCs because I've been using them since I started but I doubt I'll buy any more for my new rigs.  If my Arduino MFC works out I'll port all my rigs to that.

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Just to Quickly add if you would like a setup program that i use on my Spektrum DX9 for both the 01 and 03 units, then let me know. I have set the bind button to throw the setting to 125% normal this allows the extra features to work on the MFC units. It means you cant accidently leave it in the wrong mode :D

Ant

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Hi Ant, That set up programme would really help me out please.

I have got the basics BUT still struggling on a lot. Can not shut down the engine by the radio ! Plus other "little" issues like that : )

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HIya, Hopefully the files have attached below.

Truck 1 is the MFC-03 and Truck 2 is the MFC-01. You will see this in the info. Just load them onto a memory card and import the model in. Then just change the name to match your rig!

Any questions let me know :)

Ant

017~Truck 1.SPM

018~Truck 2.SPM

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Ant, Thanks for the 2 setups. Hit a problem though. The JR DSX9 has no memory card slot!

The functions etc are very spectrum and DSM2 But no card facility!  bit older than the DX9.

Bummer

Thanks any way

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Have you managed to get any of the functions working yet?  e.g. turning on head lights and/or hazards?  If that works then the remote engine start/stop should work too.  With the handset in 125% mode (however you've set that up) move the left stick fully to the right and the right stick fully to the bottom.  Engine should shut down.

Make sure you've configured the 125% mode to apply to all 4 channels and not just the right vertical channel :)

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I think most if not all the lights come on. The horn only works in one direction. It seems to me the functions are not where I have seen them in vids. That might be my programming? there is a lot to work out, so a bit of overload at the moment.

I can not recall at the moment on channels BUT a vid about using a spectrum radio said that 2 channels need reversing before you do anything with the MFC. Is that the case?

This also might be a really stupid queston. Regards using the DR`s for the MFC to work with dig trims. Using a stock setup with MFC 03 , Are you guys having to use ele,rud and aile switches to get all the functions to activate?

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I don't use a Spektrum radio so I can't help exactly.  I'm pretty sure on my trucks all channels are in the "normal" position (i.e. not reversed) - I don't see why Spektrum should be different but maybe someone with a working Spektrum setup can clarify.

As far as I know you shouldn't need to use any aero-specific switches but it's worth checking the radio configuration.  If it's a specific aero handset then it might be configured to limit or disable channel movements based on the settings of your switches and knobs.  I say this because I recently started using a Turnigy 9X - I configured the 3 rotary knobs to output to channels 5, 6 and 7, but I found that setting one knob would change the value output by a different knob.  The radio was doing some kind of aero-specific trimming of the channels because it assumed I had those channels hooked up to the normal aero control surfaces.  The 9X lets me change between aeroplane, helicopter and glider modes - I had to put it to glider mode to get the knobs doing what I wanted it to do.

So - with that in mind - make sure that none of your switches are interfering with the output of channels 1-4 because the MFC needs to receive 100% deflection on all channels to operate normally (drive, shift gears, steer) or 125% deflection on all channels (to operate special functions like turning on lights, activating the support legs and remote engine start / stop).

If you've got a trim knob or switch which is causing one of the channels to only output 50% or something, that will cause you problems.

Re: channel reverse - if the truck is driving forwards and backwards correctly, if the gears are shifting (or at least trying to shift) correctly, and if the steering is working the right way around, your channels are set up the right way.  AFAIK the MFC isn't clever enough to reverse-calibrate the servo outputs.  However, it is clever enough to reverse calibrate the indicator lights - I know because I accidentally calibrated right when I should have gone left and left when I should have gone right, and the indicator lights ended up the wrong way around.  If in doubt, make sure your Tx is in 100% deflection mode and go through the MFC calibration again and check that basic stuff light steering and gears work properly.

Note that on the MFC-03 the 'start motor' command is right stick fully down (in 100% mode).  Less than 100% down and it'll do a false start.  If it starts up and drives around normally then you're most of the way there.

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Thank you both for taking the time to answer, being a complete newb its really helped.

I will have to sit down and go through all the functions on the Radio to see if I do have any pre programmed mixes going on.

I choose aircraft mode, I will look at glider etc.

I don't know if I asked correctly BUT if you were using your truck with a Tamiya MFC for say 20 mins using all the standard lights and sounds , how many times apx would you have flicked your 3 Dual rate switches?  once, 3 times or lost count?  I want to understand the DR switch thing.

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+1 for Teri's vids, I watch them all the time.  Teri is a regular at my closest club.

On that subject - @Gazzalene where are you based, and do you have a truck club near you?  If you're still not having any joy it might be worth popping along.  There's bound to be someone there who knows Spektrum and MFC well enough to help you get it working.

You'll find driving on a layout is way more fun than driving around your lounge, too :D

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Mad Ax, I am in London. Nothing here regards clubs of any sort, Air or Land. Went with truck because its something I think I can move around the garden.

I have family in east sussex BUT no truck clubs there either!

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So I think the main thing here that I can see is confussing us all is you dont have a spektrum handset so hence all the confusion over the radio gear. I am guessing its made by JR via Hobbyking? Saying that though it should have the alibity to be able to switch the D/R to 125% with the flick of one switch. (on the 3 channels not the throttle) But having not used one of these types of transmitter i am not 100% sure!

There is a very good group that meet in Detling, Kent every month. Are you north or south london?

To operate the D/R on the DX9 its just one button that as mentioned throws the 3 channels required. Its not used a huge amount mostly on startup and shut down, or if you are using the auto legs. Another option is you can change the horn sound on the MFC-03 as well so that gets a look in now and then :D

Our next Tamiya Truckin show is in North weald at the end of June. This is a great outdoor show and we have a 15m x 15m layout.

One other point the MFC-03 only has the horn working in the up direction. Holding the stick down gives you a rev mode! so you can do a slow launch if you have throttle up and then bring up the right stick! This is one of the main points on the 03 over the 01 unit.

 

Ant

 

 

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5 hours ago, ant88 said:

One other point the MFC-03 only has the horn working in the up direction. Holding the stick down gives you a rev mode! so you can do a slow launch if you have throttle up and then bring up the right stick! This is one of the main points on the 03 over the 01 unit.

Or you can give it full throttle and dump the right stick to do a burnout ;) 

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