How to Prevent Overtaxing the Drive

Overtaxing the Plus drive can cause the internal pulley wheel to melt and separate from the motor shaft. This internal pulley is intentionally designed to act as a “canary in the coal mine”—it is meant to fail first if the drive is pushed beyond its limits, protecting the rest of your equipment from more serious damage.

Because damage caused by overtaxing the drive is not typically covered under warranty, it’s very important to ensure your course is properly set up and optimized before use. You may need to make more than one adjustment, and possibly revisit them more than once, to get everything dialed in for optimal performance. For additional information, see: Plus Drive - Overheating and Max Course Size

Common Causes of Overtaxing (and How to Prevent It)

Line tension is too tight
The system is designed to run on very light tension. The line should feel almost too loose—then tightened just a smidge beyond that.
How to adjust line tension: 📹 https://support.swiftpaws.com/kb/videos/how-to-adjust-line-tension

Course size is too large for your conditions
While the Plus drive is advertised to handle courses up to 750 feet, this assumes ideal conditions using only the drive and a single pulley.
Anything that adds drag—additional pulleys, terrain, lures, or debris—means your course will likely need to be shorter to compensate. See: https://support.swiftpaws.com/kb/home-plus/how-to-determine-your-maximum-course-size-2

Uneven ground
If the line touches the ground at high points, it adds drag.
Use strategic pulley placement at both high and low points so the line travels evenly and does not touch the ground anywhere along the course.

Inclines in the course
Running the line uphill can significantly increase motor strain.
Try placing the drive:

  • At the top
  • At the bottom
  • Somewhere in between Test each position to see which reduces strain the most.

Obstructions along the line path
Long grass, leaves, sticks, or debris can impede the line’s movement.
We recommend:

  • Clearing debris from the line path
  • Mowing along the path if grass is thick or long

Number of pulleys
Each pulley adds a small amount of drag. The more corners/pulleys in the course, the more resistance the drive must overcome.

Lure type and quantity

  • Critter lures are heavier than flags
  • More flags = more drag Ensure all field pulleys spin freely and that the line only contacts the pulley wheel—not the housing.

About the line
Only #18 braided nylon mason line may be used.
This line is carefully selected for its breaking point and is a built-in safety feature. Substituting other lines will void the warranty as they may create a safety hazard and/or damage the drive.

Recommended knots
Even the knot you use can affect performance.
We recommend the following knot techniques: 📹 https://support.swiftpaws.com/kb/videos/tie-the-line-and-flags-onto-the-line

Omitting tethers (they are NOT optional)
Tethers are critical for maintaining proper light tension and flexibility during play. They are also part of the system’s safety design.

Heat
Avoid placing the drive in direct sunlight if possible. Even in mild weather, internal temperatures inside the case can rise significantly—similar to a car sitting in the sun. The motor itself also generates heat during operation. So shade will not prevent the drive from overheating from use but it helps.

Insufficient breaks during play
The controller includes a 90-second timer to remind you to take breaks. This allows:

Outdated app or firmware
Even if you primarily use the optional remote:

Jan 15, 2026

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