MT Alignment

[G-Man]

Hey guys. I am wondering if anybody has a good procedure to align a MT. Any ideas or links will be much appreciated..

 

[307_Proud]

There is really no better way to do other than starting with servos. If its way out of wack, remove the arms off your servos, and zero out your trim. This will give you a good 50/50 cut each way. Before popping the arms back on the servos, do your best "visually" aligning the wheels so that they look true. From there, drive the truck and see where your at.

I am no expert, this is how I have done it, and works for me. I try to avoid messing with the tie rods. But they are adjustable for a reason. If you havent messed with them since you pulled it out the box, then you "should" be ok.

Lastly, these trucks are a heavy, big tired monster truck. "Nimble and agile" arent really their high points. But they are definately a fine tuned machine. The tires are also way off balance and balancing them will help as well. Good luck

 

[G-Man]

There is really no better way to do other than starting with servos. If its way out of wack, remove the arms off your servos, and zero out your trim. This will give you a good 50/50 cut each way. Before popping the arms back on the servos, do your best "visually" aligning the wheels so that they look true. From there, drive the truck and see where your at.

I am no expert, this is how I have done it, and works for me. I try to avoid messing with the tie rods. But they are adjustable for a reason. If you havent messed with them since you pulled it out the box, then you "should" be ok.

Lastly, these trucks are a heavy, big tired monster truck. "Nimble and agile" arent really their high points. But they are definately a fine tuned machine. The tires are also way off balance and balancing them will help as well. Good luck

I am running one steering servo and it seems great, I just need to tweek the turnbuckle coming off the arm to the saver a little more. The teeth are really big on the servos output shaft so trying to get the arm vertical really wasn't an option. I have the rack close to being centered using reference points on the chassis, I just gotta get the toe correct now. I balanced the wheels with automotive stick on weights awhile ago and it really helped with handling and overall vibrating stuff loose. I was amazed how much they took to balance out, as much as most cars on two of them. Thanks for the input!!

 

[307_Proud]

How/What did you use to balance your tires, besides the automotive wheel weights? Been wanting to do this! just don't really know how.

 

[G-Man]

I am an auto tech so the 1/4 oz. stick on weights are in bulk on a roll which work well holding on to the wheel after hitting the location with brakleen and a rag. I am open to a better idea though..

 

[307_Proud]

I was curious as to what kind of rotating set up you used? I think I seen another one of your posts on here. These monsters are soo out of balance aren't they!

 

[G-Man]

How/What did you use to balance your tires, besides the automotive wheel weights? Been wanting to do this! just don't really know how.

Do you have a broken cv shaft? If not, I'd dismantled one down so that only the. part that goes through the bearings into the adapter is left, bolt on the adapter and wheel as usual. Now the wheel just free spins without the dogbone going to the diff. Spin the wheel slowly but fast enough to get a revolution or two then let it settle, the heavy side will go towards the ground. Put a 1/4 oz. weight on at a time on the direct opposite side of the heavy spot on the inside of the wheel, respin and weight it till it spins freely and doesn't settle in one certain spot towards the ground. You will notice a huge difference. I was going to buy a balancer but none are wide enough for the MT tires.

 

[G-Man]

Well I took the MT back out in the cold again today after a few tweeks on the tie rod adjusters, it now tracks almost perfectly. I basically eye balled it close used a few reference points from the frame to the steering rack and measured toe from the front of the tire to the rear of each tire, got it good now. But slop in the rack makes it hard to get it perfect.

 

[Boomkidd]

Hey guys. I am wondering if anybody has a good procedure to align a MT. Any ideas or links will be much appreciated..

I am going to eventually swap the plastic out for the aluminum and want an as good as possible alignment on mine. I too am an auto tech and did the same thing w/ balancing the wheels (snagged couple strips of sticky weights. lol) I used a DuBro balancer to get them good. When I do want to align this, I was wondering if this would work? Says its for a Baja, but whatever still 1/5 scale.
https://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=19327&p_catid=163&ratesortby=New

 

[Boomkidd]

Nice balancer!! I couldn't find one. Thanks for the link. The on truck method works too. I got the alignment really good using reference points on the frame and tape measure and the good ole eyeball. Tracks straight. Why you going aluminum?

I'm mainly going after taking as much play out as possible. Less flex is good too. It isnt going to be anytime soon, but in general. I may upgrade the diff housings to aluminum soon, but thats prob it for now.

 

[G-Man]

I'm mainly going after taking as much play out as possible. Less flex is good too. It isnt going to be anytime soon, but in general. I may upgrade the diff housings to aluminum soon, but thats prob it for now.

I was looking at that link for alignment. Will have to look into weather it will work on any 5th scale.

 

[Boomkidd]

I was looking at that link for alignment. Will have to look into weather it will work on any 5th scale.

Its for HPI Baja's (1/5 scale) Not sure if it would work on a different 1/5 scale- only one I see. I put slicks on mine at the moment- not sure if the large tires play a role or not.

 

[G-Man]

Its for HPI Baja's (1/5 scale) Not sure if it would work on a different 1/5 scale- only one I see. I put slicks on mine at the moment- not sure if the large tires play a role or not.

Ya I'd imagine the big MT wheels and tires would make a difference. But I have baja wheels and tires if needed. But like I said earlier it tracks fine and doesn't eat the tires off the way I did it. So I will let it be.