Clod steering?

[bmxpert]

So I gave up on my bta cause of poor steering. Now that its on the front I have the servo horn all the way to one side. It then pushes a steering rod all the way to the other side and the to hubs are connected by another rod. Now will it be bettter to make that upper steering rod a little shorter? Like if I fliiped the servo around and made that rod an inch shorter? Is longer better? Don't know what to do but as all super guys know I want stronger steering!

[Espeefan]

There really is no wrong, or right way to set up the steering up. There are some good things to shoot for when you set the links and servo arm up, but many times you'll see some compromise. In those cases, there might not be much you can do about it, and so you live with it. These higher torque servos these days don't really care if things aren't perfect, but ideally, I try to achieve the best set-up by doing the following.

At neutral, I like the servo arm to be perfectly centered with the wheels. In other words, running straight up and down, or perpendicular to the long drag link that connects the two knuckles together. If the servo arm is offset to one side or the other, you should make or buy a new servo arm drag link to that allows the arm to be perpendicular. An offset arm gives a somewhat non-linear steering effect when you compare the two directions of throw.

The next thing to try and achieve is to get the drag link, coming off the servo arm, as straight, and parallel, as possible, when compared to the longer drag link that runs from knucle to knuckle. Understand this is easier said then done, so many times it is not going to be perfect, but getting it as close as possible will help. You can use spacers, bushing, washers, extra nuts, and things like that to get the servo arm drag link straighter and more parallel. The straighter and more sqaure/parallel the drag link is, the better the steering will feel, and the more force the servo will be able to apply directly to the steering knuckle without much deflection in the drag link. In other words, the drag link won't be heading off at a rediculous angle, wasting motion and possibily servo torque.

These are just suggestions. Today, with these massively strong servos, you need not worry so much about getting things perfect, but it does help.

Finally, you asked which is better. A longer drag link, or a shorter one. I say long, because it tends to reduce the angle of deflection at max steering angles, which means the rod end balls won't have as great of a chance to bind up, which can reduce the throw, but here again, sometimes you don't have the choice, and sometimes it doesn't make a difference.

[bmxpert]

Alright thanks a lot. My drag links are parrellel and my arm is sraight up and down. I don't think my set up could b any closer to what you have described as good. Now if I flip the servo around and I can mountthe drag link further down on the arm this will increase through correct? I should be able to keep all the drag link a square as they are now, only the upper would be shortened.

[Espeefan]

Yes, mounting the shorter drag link on the servo arm, using a hole further away from the servo output shaft, will increase the throw. So many servos today, along with programmable radios make it really easy to fine tune the throw, by adjusting end points, but if you have a non-computerized radio, and you desire more steering throw, then you don't have much of a choice to increase the throw, other then moving the drag link to the outer-most hole that you can.

[bmxpert]

Will this make it harder to turn, like gearing it up? I don't have the strongest servos so thats my issue.

[Espeefan]

Servos put out the same amount of torque no matter where the drag link is mounted on the servo horn, but at the same time, they will loose some mechanical advantage, the further out the drag link is.

How strong are your servos?

[the3kid]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

There really is no wrong, or right way to set up the steering up. There are some good things to shoot for when you set the links and servo arm up, but many times you'll see some compromise. In those cases, there might not be much you can do about it, and so you live with it. These higher torque servos these days don't really care if things aren't perfect, but ideally, I try to achieve the best set-up by doing the following.

At neutral, I like the servo arm to be perfectly centered with the wheels. In other words, running straight up and down, or perpendicular to the long drag link that connects the two knuckles together. If the servo arm is offset to one side or the other, you should make or buy a new servo arm drag link to that allows the arm to be perpendicular. An offset arm gives a somewhat non-linear steering effect when you compare the two directions of throw.

The next thing to try and achieve is to get the drag link, coming off the servo arm, as straight, and parallel, as possible, when compared to the longer drag link that runs from knucle to knuckle. Understand this is easier said then done, so many times it is not going to be perfect, but getting it as close as possible will help. You can use spacers, bushing, washers, extra nuts, and things like that to get the servo arm drag link straighter and more parallel. The straighter and more sqaure/parallel the drag link is, the better the steering will feel, and the more force the servo will be able to apply directly to the steering knuckle without much deflection in the drag link. In other words, the drag link won't be heading off at a rediculous angle, wasting motion and possibily servo torque.

These are just suggestions. Today, with these massively strong servos, you need not worry so much about getting things perfect, but it does help.

Finally, you asked which is better. A longer drag link, or a shorter one. I say long, because it tends to reduce the angle of deflection at max steering angles, which means the rod end balls won't have as great of a chance to bind up, which can reduce the throw, but here again, sometimes you don't have the choice, and sometimes it doesn't make a difference.

Nicely put

[bmxpert]

there mg995 cheepys. Like 200 i think

[Espeefan]

They'll probably have their hands full on the rocks, but they may not be to bad on the flat lands. If it's what you have to work with, just make the best of it!