Welcome to Ralph’s Leg Tremor Fix Page

If your Aibo is showing signs of Tremor Robotis, and you simply can’t stand to see all

that miserable trembling for another second, then you’ve come to the right place!

This page will look like complete rubbish unless viewed at 1280x1024 – This is my first ever HTML so please forgive me 8^)

Disclaimer

This page is presented for information purposes only, and while I have myself carried out this procedure with great success, I cannot be held responsible for any damages that may occur to you or your Aibo. Owners are reminded that should they follow this procedure, they do so at their own risk!

Tools for the job

It’s not necessary to have the full list, you can improvise if confident. These are just what I used myself to rid Ralph of his leg problems.

* One can of Servisol® Switch-Cleaning Lubricant with tube (Essential)

* Cotton Bud / Q-tip®

* 1.8mm Cross-head screwdriver

* 3.0mm Flat-bladed screwdriver

* Small ‘Mole’ Grip adjustable pliers (optional)

* Aibo disassembly key (Essential)

STEP 1 – Remove Legs

It’s quite probable that the first leg to start shivering will be at the rear, so the procedure shown here will be based on that. If, however, one or both of your Aibo’s forelegs is quivering uncontrollably, the procedure is virtually identical.

Press the key into the leg release holes of the affected side, to disengage first the foreleg, then the rear.

Even if you’re only working on the rear leg, removing the front one first will make it much easier due to the overlapping of the foreleg panel.

STEP 2 – Remove the 3 Leg Screws

Remove the screws from the calf plate and knee cover. Keep them safe! (I popped mine into the empty Servisol lid so I didn’t lose them).

If the screws are really tough to start, and your screwdriver (like mine) doesn’t have quite enough grip, you could clamp it in a pair of ‘Mole’ grips. If you don’t have these, flat-nosed pliers should suffice, even though you will not have quite as much control as with a ‘Mole’ grip.

STEP 3 – Remove Calf Plate

Remove the rubber foot-pad with a gentle pull, and insert the shaft of your screwdriver into the gap between the foot-switch housing and the outer case. Gently prise the coloured part of the case outward to free it from the calf plate’s lugs. Once one side is free you can easily loosen the other side with your fingers before removing the calf plate completely.

STEP 4 – Remove Shin Cover

Place each index finger on either side of the knee and gently pull apart the back of the shin cover with your thumbs. At the same time, ease it downwards away from the leg. This may seem a bit fussy, but if you pulled the cover out without widening it you’d end up with a pair of nasty scratches either side of the knee, and possibly damage the delicate wiring on the inside.

STEP 5 – Remove Knee Shell / Loosen Potentiometer PCB

Pull away the two halves of the knee shell and rest the leg so that the printed circuit board is facing upwards. Gently insert the screwdriver into the gap under the potentiometer’s PCB (the round one on the knee joint) and ease it away just enough to clear the D-shaped lug at the centre.

STEP 6 – Clean / Re-seat Pot’

Give the Servisol® can a quick shake and aim its’ tube at one of the narrow slits at the top of the pot’. Squirt a quick blast of fluid into the pot, and mop any excess with a cotton bud. Holding it clear of the D-shaped lug, give the pot’ a good few turns with a screwdriver (or the cotton bud) to clean it. Turn the hole to match the ‘D’ of the spindle, and press the pot’ back into position.

STEP 7 – Re-assemble and enjoy!

There are enough pictures already to cover this, and you’re probably excited to get on and enjoy your good-as-new Aibo, so here’s just a quick rundown to finish.

5 Replace knee shell halves

4 Slide shin cover back over leg (try not to rush this bit!)

3 Replace calf plate (it should click into place with a grasp of the leg) and rubber foot-pad

2 Replace and tighten the 3 screws (long ones at the knee and short at the ankle). Do NOT over tighten!

1 Attach legs back onto Aibo and re-boot!

Yippee!

Thomas Newton 2002