Tank issues

[Espeefan]

I'm not sure much is repairable, beyond wires, with the Radio Shack models. Perhaps your dad would be okay buying a really cheap hobby grade radio, and a Sabertooth ESC from Dimension Engineering. It would give him proportional control, instead of the typical on/off throttle and steering. The 5 amp Sabertooth is $59, and you could probably get a radio for about the same. Problem is, does your dad want to spend more then the tank is worth?

Maybe the problem is not so much with the tank, but the Radio Shack radio? Might be worth a shot to take that apart and look for any obvious signs of damage or wear. I've seen the throttle and steering sticks wear through the printed circuit board's copper contact patches, as they rock back and forth to control the model.

Given the tank takes off right away, maybe there is a pinched or shorted wire that is bypassing the speed controllers, inside the tank.