Steering bind after installing Traxxas long arm lift kit. Help!

[Foxtrot121]

As the title says, I just installed the traxxas long arm lift kit for my trx4 and my steering horn is binding on the track bar. At rest on level ground I have maybe 2mm of clearance between the two. More clearance when I turn hard to the right, and even less when I turn to the left.

I have a Savox sw-0231mg servo and an axial aluminum clamper steering horn. I took the horn off and I have a little bit of clearance with the track bar. Maybe a stock plastic horn would fit? Unfortunately I binned mine when the stock servo died.

I have a few photos of this in this gallery. https://imgur.com/a/2C68pPg

Can anyone make a recommendation on what I should get to fix this issue? Swap back to a factory plastic steering horn? Swap for a factory/shorter steering servo?

A gentlemen in the newbie section suggested I ask here.;-)


EDIT: See post #11 for updates

 

[ScoJac]

That Savox 231 has a higher deck height than the factory servo 12.4mm compared to the 9.3mm of the Traxxas 2075X. Those Axial servo horns are a bit thick, you might grab a Traxxas metal horn 8247x they are a little thinner.

Next thing you might try is to rotate your Panhard bar 180 degrees so that the offset rod ends place the bar a bit lower... or maybe try rotating just the end that connects to the frame ?

Might try putting the original plastic horn back on just to see if that gains any more clearance compared the Axial horn.
The Traxxas plastic and metal horns are the same specs.

I looked at your pics and was going to suggest top mounting the servo... but that might be a bit too extreme of an angle and introduce bump steer and since the axial horns mounting holes are 2 mm less than the Traxxas horn you’ll compromise your steering throw. Also that bracket looks to have a high flange on it and you don’t really want to go cutting it up.

I’d suggest a new servo and a Traxxas metal horn or maybe the new one from Samix these are 22mm hole to hole for full steering throw. I’d find a servo with a lower deck height.

Here is one similar to that 231mg
Protek PTK-100t


Savox 231mg

 

[dpcardoza]

As the title says, I just installed the traxxas long arm lift kit for my trx4 and my steering horn is binding on the track bar. At rest on level ground I have maybe 2mm of clearance between the two. More clearance when I turn hard to the right, and even less when I turn to the left.



I have a Savox sw-0231mg servo and an axial aluminum clamper steering horn. I took the horn off and I have a little bit of clearance with the track bar. Maybe a stock plastic horn would fit? Unfortunately I binned mine when the stock servo died.



I have a few photos of this in this gallery. https://imgur.com/a/2C68pPg



Can anyone make a recommendation on what I should get to fix this issue? Swap back to a factory plastic steering horn? Swap for a factory/shorter steering servo?



The gentlemen in the newbie section suggested I ask here.;-)

Try rotating each rod end 180deg on the panhard bar. I also have used servo spacers to move the servo up a little higher. https://www.amainhobbies.com/team-associated-caster-servo-spacer-set-asc4624/p29981


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gator_08]

Yea man that servo is very tall and sticking out of the bottom to far. You want something with dimensions close to stock.

I went with this one and did the lift kit and Ive had 0 issues.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/savox-...igital-steel-gear-servo-sav-sw-1210sg/p262193

 

[Foxtrot121]

Yea man that servo is very tall and sticking out of the bottom to far. You want something with dimensions close to stock.

I went with this one and did the lift kit and Ive had 0 issues.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/savox-...igital-steel-gear-servo-sav-sw-1210sg/p262193

Thank you thank you!!!!

What steering horn do you have?

Edit: That's odd. According to Savox, that servo has an even taller gearbox than the one on my truck?
The 1210SG:

The 0231MG:

 

[Foxtrot121]

So I purchased a power HD 20kg servo as it was a few mm shorter from the ears to the top plate, but I am still having a LOT of bind.

Sad day.

 

[ScoJac]

I had another look through your pictures again and nothing looks out of the ordinary other than in the third picture you are missing the 3x20mm screw that ties the Panhard bracket to the original shocktower Panhard bracket (manual step P)....could this be moving or flexing when you flex the suspension causing a angle change with the Panhard bar ?

I went and watched Harley’s video and from 7:40 - 8:30 he installs the servo bracket then uses a 20 mm screw to tie those two brackets together.

Other than that, your pic look just like the manual as far as I can see. If you still run into problems I’d reach out to Harley or gator_08 since they have the kits and no issues. Might even give Traxxas support a buzz.

Hope you get it figured out.


Lift kit Manual

 

[gator_08]

Hey man, just looking through those photos and also noticed your servo horn seems to sticking out a little past the teeth. Any idea why that is?

https://www.amainhobbies.com/samix-traxxas-trx4-servo-horn-black-25t-samtrx4-6022f-bk/p722956

That's the one I went with it sits flush on the servo so it would give me more clearance. Also that servo does seem to stick out a little further than mine. The last pic on your Imgur thread it seems like it's sticking out farther than mine from the frame down. Not the height just that bottom 30%

https://imgur.com/a/5lf2hKt

Mines pretty similar. That's the only pic I have on hand. But just from eye yours looks a little taller. I would try the stock servo horn and see if that helps. Then maybe look at changing out that servo. I'll get some more pics of mine when I get the chance. Hope this helped.

 

[Foxtrot121]

I had another look through your pictures again and nothing looks out of the ordinary other than in the third picture you are missing the 3x20mm screw that ties the Panhard bracket to the original shocktower Panhard bracket (manual step P)....could this be moving or flexing when you flex the suspension causing a angle change with the Panhard bar ?

I went and watched Harley’s video and from 7:40 - 8:30 he installs the servo bracket then uses a 20 mm screw to tie those two brackets together.

Other than that, your pic look just like the manual as far as I can see. If you still run into problems I’d reach out to Harley or gator_08 since they have the kits and no issues. Might even give Traxxas support a buzz.

Hope you get it figured out.


Lift kit Manual

Thanks for that note, I just put that 3x20mm in right after taking the following photos."thumbsup"

Hey man, just looking through those photos and also noticed your servo horn seems to sticking out a little past the teeth. Any idea why that is?

https://www.amainhobbies.com/samix-traxxas-trx4-servo-horn-black-25t-samtrx4-6022f-bk/p722956

That's the one I went with it sits flush on the servo so it would give me more clearance. Also that servo does seem to stick out a little further than mine. The last pic on your Imgur thread it seems like it's sticking out farther than mine from the frame down. Not the height just that bottom 30%

https://imgur.com/a/5lf2hKt

Mines pretty similar. That's the only pic I have on hand. But just from eye yours looks a little taller. I would try the stock servo horn and see if that helps. Then maybe look at changing out that servo. I'll get some more pics of mine when I get the chance. Hope this helped.

Thanks for your input gator, I will probably buy that steering horn just in case, I feel like a clamper is a really good idea with these things.

However I HAVE FIXED the issue!!!!!
Photos:
https://imgur.com/a/elTuyYo

I purchased a powerHD 20kg servo
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBGSCZW
And a Hot Racing aluminum steering horn
https://www.amainhobbies.com/hot-racing-traxxas-trx4-aluminum-servo-horn-blue-25t-hratrxf25sh06/p740585

This has fixed or made essentially null any issues I was having as the servo is 1 or 2 mm shorter and the steering horn is both lower profile and fits considerably lower on the servo. To answer your question Gator - the axial horn I had was just plane fat, it was all the way down the photos and stuck out really far.

Sadly as soon as I turned my truck on to reset my steering trims, it asked to update my TX and RX. WELP, it bricked my TX.:shock: So its being sent off for RMA Now.

I just wanna drive my truck:lmao:

 

[ScoJac]

Good to hear you got the lift all sorted out......sux about the radio, I had a bluetooth module go bad and fried two radios, traxxas replaced both the rx and bt unit and so far it's been ok. But, if it messes up again i'll trash them and install the extra spools I bought when I spooled the KIT and pick up another Tactic TTX300.

 

[Foxtrot121]

Hey guys, just wanted to follow up. I just received my controller back from Traxxas and took my rig out for a spin!
Drives nice, I added a little brass to the front portals to (try) to make up for the lift but I noticed something almost right away.

-I don't know if I bought the wrong servo or got a bad one, but it is acting poorly. The steering would 'bounce' if you were going lock to lock. Like it would go towards center, slow down and then speed up towards your desired endpoint again. And other little weird things like that.

-Additionally I noticed that the centering force of the servo is just bad. If I let go of the wheel it lazily returns, with very little force. However if you steer it to the center it eventually gets there.

-Third - steering drift. Steering wouldn't center properly as I said, but if I stopped driving and took my hands off the transmitter, the steering would drift off to like 1/4-1/2 in one direction. Same thing would happen when I picked it up to walk with it.

Does it sound like I have a bad servo, or like I need a BEC because the servo isn't getting enough power. Hoping its the former and not something like me burning up the stock esc.


One last thing. This also happened on my maiden lift-kit voyage during low speed crawling, while I was observing all the other things happengin:shock::lmao:
https://imgur.com/gallery/OKAJozw

 

[Jay-Em]

Creeping servo’s usually mean there’s water somewhere that has entered the housing. (There’s a reason I don’t trust manufacturers’ claims of ‘water resistant’ ) One single drop on the print can already make the micro-electronics go haywire.

The fact that your portal looks like a filled bathtub, makes me think “water” immediately.

Take the servo apart and let it dry thoroughly, that should do the trick. If not, then it’s -indeed- a goner.

Oh, and please fill, nay, stuff the portals with thick grease -marine grease if possible- I think the teeth broke because of a lack of grease and a bit of dirt in the wrong spot. Water is a crappy lubricant.... The gears are not steel. Sintered metal can stand some abuse, but is more brittle than steel.

 

[ScoJac]

I would either install a Castle bec or upgrade the the esc to a Hobbywing 1080, the bec in the stock esc is laughable at 1 amp. The servo might move fine a few times back and forth when on the bench but driving it will be different due to the load and constant adjustments, the stock bec just cannot supply enough power.

 

[Foxtrot121]

Creeping servo’s usually mean there’s water somewhere that has entered the housing. (There’s a reason I don’t trust manufacturers’ claims of ‘water resistant’ ) One single drop on the print can already make the micro-electronics go haywire.

The fact that your portal looks like a filled bathtub, makes me think “water” immediately.

Take the servo apart and let it dry thoroughly, that should do the trick. If not, then it’s -indeed- a goner.

Oh, and please fill, nay, stuff the portals with thick grease -marine grease if possible- I think the teeth broke because of a lack of grease and a bit of dirt in the wrong spot. Water is a crappy lubricant.... The gears are not steel. Sintered metal can stand some abuse, but is more brittle than steel.

The steering servo is BRAND NEW and has never seen water. The portals do look gross, I'll give you that, but they are full of Traxxas silicone grease.

I would either install a Castle bec or upgrade the the esc to a Hobbywing 1080, the bec in the stock esc is laughable at 1 amp. The servo might move fine a few times back and forth when on the bench but driving it will be different due to the load and constant adjustments, the stock bec just cannot supply enough power.

A Hobbywing 1080 is on my mine, it is doing just that, acting bad when loading up. I am hesitant to get rid of the traxxas esc because I like being able to set my endpoints etc with traxxas-link. But that is not worth having drunken steering.:ror: