Cruis'n Exotica Jumping Wheel

[ArcadeCited]

Hello, I recently picked up a Cruis'n Exotica, it wasn't in the best shape but it works, but I'm having an issue where the wheel will occasionally jump, example is when I'm racing, the car will either mildly or severely turn to right slightly, I noticed this about 2 days ago, the same day the marquee light also burned out which I had replaced only 2 weeks ago, brand new bulb dead... the light bulb issue I'm trying to figure out but this wheel issue bothers me, no nothing with the motor is messing with it since I have it unplugged for being too loud for some reason... the belt broke off so there is no resistance... what might be the issue? I'm new to the whole racing game genre of arcade games and I know they require more service...

 

[fr4nk]

Bad steering potentiometer? Go into the controls test and see if the steering moves smoothly from left to right several times. I'm guessing you will see it jump around there, too.

As for the marquee light, change the starter (sometimes called condenser) when you change the bulb, or put an LED strip in its place. The starter is a small plastic or metal can, maybe behind the bulb, that comes out with a 45° rotation. If it's plastic, it will probably crumble to dust from the UV of the fluorescent and you will have to dig the pieces out with a needle-nose or take the fixture out to get at it from behind.

 

[ArcadeCited]

Bad steering potentiometer? Go into the controls test and see if the steering moves smoothly from left to right several times. I'm guessing you will see it jump around there, too.

As for the marquee light, change the starter (sometimes called condenser) when you change the bulb, or put an LED strip in its place. The starter is a small plastic or metal can, maybe behind the bulb, that comes out with a 45° rotation. If it's plastic, it will probably crumble to dust from the UV of the fluorescent and you will have to dig the pieces out with a needle-nose or take the fixture out to get at it from behind.

Yes, I checked the steering in the test mode, it was jumping, in fact here is video evidence of what I am experiencing. Also I checked the light, turns out it's one without a starter, which is odd for a fluorescent light fixture to me.

20241002_203853.mp4

drive.google.com

 

[JukeboxJon]

Hello, I recently picked up a Cruis'n Exotica, it wasn't in the best shape but it works, but I'm having an issue where the wheel will occasionally jump, example is when I'm racing, the car will either mildly or severely turn to right slightly, I noticed this about 2 days ago, the same day the marquee light also burned out which I had replaced only 2 weeks ago, brand new bulb dead... the light bulb issue I'm trying to figure out but this wheel issue bothers me, no nothing with the motor is messing with it since I have it unplugged for being too loud for some reason... the belt broke off so there is no resistance... what might be the issue? I'm new to the whole racing game genre of arcade games and I know they require more service...

I cant remember if that one has force feedback motor in the steering, if it does then it needs a new belt because its stretched or worn and jumping teeth, its actually a vacuume cleaner belt, super common replaced part in all drivers with force feed back steering

For bad pot you need to slowly turn the wheel back and forth during test it should read near zero one end and 5k at the other end, pretty sure most drivers were 5k pots for steeringe but you could have bad spots in the middle etc and notice any major jumps, could just be dirty spray some windex on it work it back and forth

There is also calibration if the belt broke off and you never recalibrated its not going to work right and prolly wont anyway with the belt broken, did you try recalibrating in the test menu?

 

[ArcadeCited]

I cant remember if that one has force feedback motor in the steering, if it does then it needs a new belt because its stretched or worn and jumping teeth, its actually a vacuume cleaner belt, super common replaced part in all drivers with force feed back steering

For bad pot you need to slowly turn the wheel back and forth during test it should read near zero one end and 5k at the other end, pretty sure most drivers were 5k pots for steeringe but you could have bad spots in the middle etc and notice any major jumps, could just be dirty spray some windex on it work it back and forth

Apparently people say it doesn't, but when I opened it up, there was a motor, and a busted belt, it said on there this "This Force Feedback Steering System is the subject of U.S. Pat. No.(My Number) and other foreign patents which are the property of Atari Games Corporation, Licensed to Happ Controls Inc. All Rights Reserved" So I guess that confirms that.

 

[ArcadeCited]

Bad steering potentiometer? Go into the controls test and see if the steering moves smoothly from left to right several times. I'm guessing you will see it jump around there, too.

As for the marquee light, change the starter (sometimes called condenser) when you change the bulb, or put an LED strip in its place. The starter is a small plastic or metal can, maybe behind the bulb, that comes out with a 45° rotation. If it's plastic, it will probably crumble to dust from the UV of the fluorescent and you will have to dig the pieces out with a needle-nose or take the fixture out to get at it from behind.

I was thinking that too, it was working fine for a little bit, but then this started happening and it became more noticeable, I replaced the fuse in the fuse block, but that did nothing, in fact it might have made things worse, I already tried cleaning it, nothing... I'm at a dead end so this might be the issue, this seems to not be documented very much so that's annoying... I also am not sure what the "pot" looks like...

 

[ArcadeCited]

UPDATE: I might have found the problem... might have, I opened the control deck to investigate more, and I found a piece of metal that attaches itself to the pot and the wheel, I noticed it was pretty loose and so I decided to tighten the screw, not only did it make my wheel more tight, it might have been the solution to the problem since I played it and there seems to be no issue.

I think this piece might have been interfering with the steering, the screw itself had a security bit on it which didn't allow it to be screwed down all the way (for who knows why the fu*k they did that).

 

[JukeboxJon]

I was thinking that too, it was working fine for a little bit, but then this started happening and it became more noticeable, I replaced the fuse in the fuse block, but that did nothing, in fact it might have made things worse, I already tried cleaning it, nothing... I'm at a dead end so this might be the issue, this seems to not be documented very much so that's annoying... I also am not sure what the "pot" looks like...

The pot or potentiometer

I was thinking that too, it was working fine for a little bit, but then this started happening and it became more noticeable, I replaced the fuse in the fuse block, but that did nothing, in fact it might have made things worse, I already tried cleaning it, nothing... I'm at a dead end so this might be the issue, this seems to not be documented very much so that's annoying... I also am not sure what the "pot" looks lik

UPDATE: I might have found the problem... might have, I opened the control deck to investigate more, and I found a piece of metal that attaches itself to the pot and the wheel, I noticed it was pretty loose and so I decided to tighten the screw, not only did it make my wheel more tight, it might have been the solution to the problem since I played it and there seems to be no issue.

I think this piece might have been interfering with the steering, the screw itself had a security bit on it which didn't allow it to be screwed down all the way (for who knows why the fu*k they did that).View attachment 772943

Yes if def can because its what is keeping the pot situated so steering in the middle would just go with the pot. Might check the alan set screw on the pot too if thats loose will also cause slop