VERY weak steering / upgraded servos XT

[GCLaredo207]

Hey all. I am new here. I did search for my problem on here and did find some info, but I did everything I read about and am still having issues with my Rampage XT. Hope someone can help.


The steering was very weak on my XT. While driving around the truck would barely turn. While on pavement or grass.. Very weak. To the point that it was hardly drivable. While at a stand-still, if I lifted the front end off the ground and steered the thing, it would steer fine. It's as if the stock servo was too weak to steer the tires with all that weight on the ground. So.. I went out and bought the following:


Venom 1506 5-Cell 6V 5000mAh Baja Receiver Hump Battery Pack


Hitec HS-5645MG Digital High Torque Metal Gear BB Servo


Hitec HS-5755MG Digital Metal Gear Giant Scale Servo


I replaced all the stuff a few days ago. Had to modify a part to get the steering servo on, but it's on real nice.


Throttle servo was easy. Battery pack was easy too. I had to cut the connector off the old battery and solder it onto the new battery as the new battery had a different connector on it to hook up to the truck.


Anyway. Got everything installed. Same issue! Ugh.. I don't know what else to do. The steering servo works great when the front end is off the ground. It's fast now. Sounds nice. But while driving around, it barely turns. VERY weak. Did I buy the wrong servo? The stock servo reads 32 or 34 kg on the back. The new servo I bought is 24kg? But all the forums say to use this servo. Maybe it's weaker than the stock servo? I'm confused.


Ever run into this issue?


Also.. I upgraded the radio system a few weeks ago. I bought a Spektrum 3XDS transmitter to control all of my trucks. I put one of the receivers in the XT ( a non-telemetry receiver). This shouldn't matter though. Works ok. I get some interference and the truck sometimes takes off on it's own, but I can work on that. I almost totaled it against a cement wall!


Anyone have any ideas? Doesn't make sense.


Thanks,


AJ

 

[BertR]

Have you looked at the servo saver. If it is too loose it will flex and not give the full force to the stearing links when its on the ground but on the stand will work ok. I would look at that. Keep us posted and welcome to the forum. There is tons of great help here. Yu

 

[bob c.]

Is the dualrate turned all the way up? had the same prob..and fixed it that way..hope this helps

 

[Guest]

Agreed. A loose servo saver can cause your issue. The 5755 is a very capable steering servo. When the truck is on the ground does the servo arm travel the same distance as when off the ground?

 

[GCLaredo207]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the tips. I am going to be working on the truck after work today and will check the servo saver. Never thought of this. It has to be that. I mean... Brand new fully charged 5000mah Venom battery pack. Brand new servo. It's gotta be something else..

Will check servo saver and will get back to you. I have never taken the servo saver apart, but I am assuming I will notice something loose if I toy around with it. I will put the truck on all fours and will check travel of the steering servo arm. Whether the truck tires steer or not (due to friction on the ground), the arm should travel, right?

AJ

 

[blak__jak]

does the tx work on your other trucks and did your problem start before or after upgrading radio? +1 on checking the steering rate knob. i've accidently turned mine down before and had the same type problem.

 

[GCLaredo207]

Transmitter works fine on my other trucks. The steering trim and travel are fine as well. Like I mentioned before - front end off the ground - tires steer fine. I did, however, forget to mention that I got a little carried away when I first bought the truck and sliiiightly hit a tree which flipped the truck on its side causing it to cartwheel for a few rotations. This can't be good for the servo saver, right? It's a heavy truck, and cartwheeling it, putting all that stress on the steering / wheels can't be good. Even though the servo saver is meant to "save" the servo, it can only help to a point.

I will check the saver as soon as I can. Maybe it got damaged during the cartwheeling.

FYI: This all happened BEFORE I installed the new servo, so I know the new servo is in mint condition.

AJ!

 

[Guest]

There is a nut over a spring on the top of the servo saver. That is what needs to be tightened if it is too loose.

-

 

[92 vert]

When I bought my old XT used it would not turn when the wheels were on the ground.

I tightened up the nut on the servo saver and it worked fine..thats probally your problem also.

 

[xbeNewb]

This video might help

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[MEDIA=youtube]videoseries[/MEDIA][/ame]

 

[GCLaredo207]

To my servo saver... I found that flat nut thing over the spring. I tightened it a bit. Maybe a turn to a turn and a half before it got a bit tight. It wasn't falling off, but it did help the steering - made it a bit stronger. I haven't tested the truck outside yet as I live in New England and it gets dark here quick. Can't wait to test it tomorrow.

Also.. I was playing around with the receiver and noticed the battery was very weak. I just charged it the other day, but maybe I screwed up. I was using a new charger. My telemetry read the RX battery at 6.0 volts for a few seconds and then dropped to 3.4 volts. Everything then froze on the truck. So that may have been an issue as well.

So.. Tightened the flat nut and charged the hump pack. Will go out tomorrow to test this bad boy out.

Thanks again for the help. I will let you know what happens.

ALSO: Anyone who is looking for that 5755 steering servo can find it on Ebay. They are all over the place. NEW. Never opened. That's where I got mine. $69 or so.

AJ

 

[ChuenouXiao]

Servo saver knob might solve your problem but you can also change the toe and camber of your front tires to help you turn tighter during moving. You have to understand we are running four wheel drive so the turn will not be as great as rear wheel drive

 

[Guest]

That can make a huge difference in handling and drivability.

 

[GCLaredo207]

Hey all,

Yup! That was it. That servo saver flat screw. I tightened it about 1 turn. It got pretty tight, but it compressed the spring a bit and that brought my steering back to life!

Yea.. The truck doesn't have the best steering to begin with (due to it being heavy and 4-wheel drive and all), but I had NOTHING. Now I have control of the truck.

Thanks for all the help!

AJ

 

[Guest]

Cool, glad you got it sorted!

 

[BertR]

Sweet!!! This is why I dig RRF most of the time things can get sorted out with minimal cost. Sorry you put in new servo's to find the problem else where! now you have backup and that's always a plus.

 

[Guest]

No biggie there. We all eventually replace the factory servos.