Well, it seems that the repair process was a success - as of mid-November there has been no recurrence of the problem with the DX6i.

I'm only using the 6i for a few planes now, and the simulator, as I've got most of them programmed in my DX7 now, which I prefer the feel of after using it for a while.

Crazy part about it is, if they'd fixed my 6i in the first place, I'd have bought a DX8 by now! I didn't want to get one at the time, as they were experiencing all sorts of "issues", particularly with DSM2 receivers, which is why I searched high and low for a DX7, and finally found one before I attempted the repair, in case I completely trashed the 6i.

Because the local distributor refused to replace the bad pots on my DX6i, https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1442046 I was forced into trying to repair the radio myself.

I think I've fixed the problem - but we'll wait and see how it goes.

The problem with the DX6i pots seems to be that the riveting of the connecting lugs to the carbon tracks has been carried out with insufficient pressure. The loose lugs can be easily moved back and forth. It's not too hard to fix, as I found out.

Anyway, here's how to do it:

Unplug the gimbal connector from the PCB.

Remove the gimbal from the radio (4 screws on front).

Remove the back of the faulty pot, by gently prising away the securing tabs. It's easier with the pot that's on the side, but either pot can be done this way, the one on the bottom just requires the top two tabs to be bent back. Take extra care of the wipers re-installing this one, but it's easily done if you move the stick off-centre a bit.

Pick all the yellow gunk off with tweezers.

Unsolder the wires, taking note of where they go.

Place the back of the pot track-side down on a flat, clean, solid block of steel or similar. The tracks won't get damaged, as the rivets will hold them clear of the surface.

Using an appropriate punch, (I used a #0 Philips screwdriver) re-rivet the track connections. A couple of gentle taps with a hammer is all it takes.

Re-solder the wires.

Re-install the back of the pot, taking care not to damage the wipers.

Reinstall the gimbal, and plug it back in to the pcb.

Re-calibrate, as detailed here: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...t=905561&pp=20

So far, so good - the only problem I can see is that if I used too much force, a crack will develop in the track over time. I'll update here if necessary.


Edit: Here's a similar repair carried out using conductive paint.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=954175