Here are pictures of RockCrusher's steering improvement using the stock NB servo. I replaced the stock servo (pitman) arm, with a homemade one that is 1/3 shorter. It increases turning torque by approximately 33%. The turning speed is reduced by about the same amount (basic physics). I like the slower turning speed, especially after having the centering spring removed.

Before it looked like a drunk driver trying to go straight with the centering spring out. Now with the shorter servo arm, the steering is much better being slower. It actually has fairly smooth steering, instead of just a fast left/right. This mod provides the same full lock-to-lock turn as before, just slower and stronger. It's not hobby grade strong, but it's not too bad for a cheap and simple mod. I'm assuming similar mods have already been done. I just have not had a chance to catch up on other posts yet. Anyways...more food for thought.

This mod is still progressing as I will eventually install some tiny adjustable turnbuckles to the brass steering arms to make alignments easy. Currently these parts consist of electrical loop connectors soldered to some 1/8" brass rods. So far they are holding up well for this experiment.

Pimp! At this point you should flip the front axle around and build a 4 link...

Mr. Dean:

That's some neat work on the steering. I tried something similar a while back but it was a very half-bummed attempt and I just gave up. Your work has inspired me to try again!! The steering is so weak on these things that any improvement, no matter how little, is really needed. I think one of the failings with the stock steering is that there is too much slop/slack. Your direct link approach is much more efficient. I think I'll pick up the materials at lunch time and start the project tonight!!

Cheers and thanks for the images - as the saying goes "A picture's worth a thousand words!!"

Sean

that looks like a pretty simple fix. all you need is a couple of rods and what not and you get better steering. was it relitively easy to to. the only tough part appears to be the plastic. what kind of plastic did you use. also more info on that plastic piece please.

thank you
Also thats a great mod. Awsome work man.

looks good, i think that could be another must mod for stock steering, accompany that with lou lous extender and it could be dangerously better

The plastic that I used (blue piece) was a piece of an older rc body/shell. Nothing special, I'm pretty sure that it's just a common tool/toy grade PVC or ABS plastic. I would have to bend it really hard in order to have it snap/break (to give you the idea of it's strength), but I cut the basic outer shape with a fine tooth saw blade. The plastic should have some good bend-back (memory) quality. If I remember correctly, the blue plastic piece was about the same thickness as the stock NB servo steering arm. I used the old arm's servo-shaft hole as a trace pattern to scribe the hole shape onto the new piece, using a fine pointed scratch-all/pick. Then I drilled a smaller hole inside the scribed area. Next, I used my needle file set to carefully file out the shape. Just go slow while filing to keep the hole and shape nice and tight when checking it's fit on the shaft. The second hole on the blue piece (for the links) was 1/3 shorter (distance to servo shaft hole) than the stock arm (this translates to the 33% increase of servo torque, mathematically). I will try to shortly post a pic of the old shaft next to the new one.

The rod I used is basically 1/8" (.125") brass welding rod. This was cheap, and electrical wire closed loop ends are also inexpensive too. The brass rod, and the electrical loop connector are easy to solder with a heavy-duty soldering iron and electrical type solder. A tiny gas torch would work if you can avoid overheating the connector.

This mod should work easily with some inexpensive hobby grade steering linkages (a couple of threaded rods with loop ends, and a threaded shaft/pipe to make it adjustable). I don't have these types of hobby stores close to me, so I first try these experimental prototype pieces to check out the idea. But it's kinda funny when these test parts hold up to some nasty abuse. What's nice is that you can use this basic concept and go crazy with different variations if needed. You can make the system very tight if you want that. My links have a little play in the loop ends, but I can easily tweak that with some tiny bushings. But it blows away the stock system because: the linkages are up higher and tighter, less to hang-up on when crawling, slows down the turning speed, more turning torque, simple, inexpensive (or sweet with some nicer parts with a little $$$), easier to shield if desired, and looks cool too.

I finally finished my steering conversion project. I've been running without the self-centering springs and the like for a few months now but the steering was still lacking on the crawler. I decided to try the mod as desribed by Mr. Dean in this post. My problem was that the new arm I created did not fit the "servo" shaft perfectly and it stripped out. Then I could not get the screw out as it was accidentaly glued into the shaft!!! Luckily I had an old "servo" from a Nikko Hummer my son had a few years back. As you see in the pictures, the fitting was not too hard. I've got it tacked in with expoxy right now. I made the linkages out of brakelines and electrical connectors. The connectors were crimped so that they fit snuggly inside the brakeline. Then I soldered them in place for a neat look.

I haven't had a chance to really try this outside on the rocks yet but the living room testbed is showing some positive results. If nothing, I think it LOOKS a lot better than the stock and the simplicity of the design removes any unnecessary loss of torque through numerous add-ons like centering springs, keepers etc.

Cheers,

Sean

NICE!

is that stock electronics?

and what flex dude, those fd style telescoping brakelines are really working out great for ya

Thanks. Yup, still the stock electronics. Popping in the spare "servo" was a risk but it appears to have paid off. I don't know enough about RC electronics to swap it out anyway!

I must say that the brakeline shocks are working out better than I ever expected!! Brakelines are becoming the duct tape of the New Bright world - shocks, steering linkages, 4 links, tube chassis, dogbone reconstruction etc etc.

Cheers,

Sean