Dumbo RC X4 controller - How-to: Switch Steering Modes

If you like reading to learn, keep going! But if you'd prefer a youtube video of the same thing, go here.

This radio gets sold under a few different brand names, in a couple of different versions, and honestly, it's a really good budget friendly entry level controller. It comes included with a bunch of Ready-to-Run cars. The only issue is when it gets stuck in tank steer mode and your car behaves like it's possessed - left is reverse, brakes is right…it looks like madness.

Tank steer is exactly what is sounds like - instead of just steering at the front, tanks have two sets of treads that spin at different rates to make them go around corners. Spin the motors at the same speed, and the tank goes straight forward, but to turn right, the right motor will slow down or the left side will speed up.

This is usually done with a dual stick radio with each stick controlling a motor on each side of the vehicle. So while it's kinda cool that this trigger-and-wheel one can do it too, with clever channel mixing for a dual motor tank style setup, it's only a cool feature when you actually want it. Tank steer mode is shown on these radios as a red status led on top, and the aforementioned control madness.

To switch back to normal mode, follow these steps.

Step 1: Make sure the radio is turned off.

Step 2: Hold full brakes/reverse.

Step 3: Steer all the way to the right, and hold.

Step 4: Holding this, switch the radio on.

Step 5: Finally, pull the trigger. 

The status led should change to solid blue, and you’re in normal mode.

If you want to switch back to tank steer mode, simply repeat these 5 steps and the status led will change back to red.

There ya go! How to switch between control modes on the X4 controller, or how to prank your mates into driving a tank.