cant get the steering to go to neutral

[ptsdisntfun]

when i turn the wheels they wont go back straight. it like sticks to the right or to the left. ive tried loosening everything to make sure they wernt to tight. it looks like to servo goes back to neutral.

[Jimdog]

im having the same problem at the moment. im getting a bluebird 390 to see if that fixes the problem. its pretty annoying isnt it?

[ptsdisntfun]

sure is. i just spent the last three days tearing down and putting back together.got a some new stuff on there and bam. this

[Dadx2mj]

it looks like to servo goes back to neutral.

If that is the case and the servo is centering but the wheels not then there is either a bind in the steering linkage or knuckles or you have too much slop in the servo saver.

[ptsdisntfun]

it looked like it was but its just off by just a little bit. but that little bit is more by the time it gets to the wheels

[TheMajekalBum]

Check that servo saver!!!! I used to have that happen till i got a new servo saver. The old one would not center up, sometimes it'd go left and other times right...I'd put money down that that's where your issue is.

[ptsdisntfun]

servo saver seems ok. i thinks it just want to be a pain just to agrivate me

[ptsdisntfun]

i tried driving it and it steers all wierd now. ive got it close. but still doesnt come all the way onecenter. ive checked everything. linkage, knuckle. servo gears are fine,

[50togo]

Did you take the link from the servo horn off and move the tires?

[ptsdisntfun]

yeah, i did that and it turned really smooth. when i turned the servo with nothing hooked up it was really smooth and fine. but when i hook everything up its like the servo is whinning just a little, its hard to hear. but when i turn the wheel left or right, it turns really good, pleanty of power. im thinking maybe i might of accidently tweaked it abit when i tore everything down. and i heard these stock servos are kina weak.

[Daddykins]

Did you mess with the pillow balls at all.
Make sure ur knuckles aren't getting binded up with those if they are screwed in to much without setting endpoints on ur servo
You'll be looking into to one very soon if not adjusted

[ptsdisntfun]

ya i checked all of that. just glued together some tires and now they seem all out of whack.. im bout to just sell it all and forget about it. about every time i try something it just goes to you know what.

[Daddykins]

It's a pain, but you'll figure it out
When u do you'll be glad and it's just Probally something silly thats all
Drop everything for now and come back tomorrow
Unless ur very persistent than I wish you luck with it

Don't give up...

[TheMajekalBum]

Dont sell it, thats a mistake. Just shelf it for a while if its frustrating you. I went through this quite a few times with my RCs in the past. Sometimes you just need a break and to comeback with a different view.

Back to the issue. I got a way to diagnose if its the servo saver (im pretty sure it is).
1. Next time you drive it. Grab the wheels and turn them to the left with your hand (not the remote), let the servo saver do its job.
2. set it down and drive without steering input, note what way it pulls
3. now the tires to the right just like in step 1 , now repeat 2

if it pulled to the left when you turned them to the left and to the right when you turned them right, it's the servo saver. If it only pulled one way the whole time...IDK Sorry if I cant seem to let the servo saver go, I had this problem an it stumped me for a bit too. Obviously was the servo saver for me. I hope its the same for you so you can have fun.

[ptsdisntfun]

thanks everyone. im just fustrated. i just need to take a break from it. on top of the servo i went ahead a glued together my new wheels and tires. and they just didnt go right either. it was on the hpi mesh and some spots of the wheel didnt seat in the lip wheel and ther all just woobly and weird. its been a rough month. just found out my wife has cancer, they found it early and get it. its just this rc car is all i got to get my mind off of things, and everytime i try to do something its like i just cant get it right. but thanks again everyone

[Daddykins]

Sorry to hear that...tell her not to give up!

You didn't glue the servo saver? Did you? J/K
I had a steering post/saver do funny things to in the past
Worst case try the saver n pop it off...
Unscrew 2 toe links, take front skid off, pry/pop off saver
Check steering post (clean it while the saver it's off)
See how the saver spring reacts when ur moving it left/right in ur hands
Don't screw (2 screws) on the saver completely tight
After you tighten it, back off about 1/2 - 3/4 turn
Just to give it some slack
Put it all back if the saver is good
Check ur bushing(White circle thing 2 in total) give that a good wipe also
Bearings are good to if you haven't change them

Good Luck n sorry for the essay

[ptsdisntfun]

no i appreciate it. the saver is hard to move. it does move but goes back into place no issues. bushings where good,i cleaned everything. the tires almost go completely back to nuetral now. thanks. when i turn left and let go then turn right and let got theres maybe 1/8 inch of a difference. no sure if that made sense. will have to see how it drives tomorow. now im going to have to boile my new tires and retry those.

[50togo]

You will get there don't worry.
You can get some CA glue solvent to redo them. Everything takes some.practice .

[Daddykins]

Servo arm is on good with the the steering trim at 0?

[TQi]

Get a better servo, problem solved (sumn sumn 390/bluebird 390/hitec-hs85mg)

[ptsdisntfun]

steering arm is on good. i messed around with the trim. not sure how you set it to zero

[ptsdisntfun]

would like to get a new servo but i live on disability. so funding aint so good.

[TQi]

Oh, I hear ya, what about sending it in to Traxxas for a replacement?

[ptsdisntfun]

would rather just buy a new one then mess with sending it in. there not much money. i just already spent my play money this month

[Petertje60]

One of the problems that is often overlooked is that the screws, which hold the turn buckles to the servo saver, can stick out a little and rub against the bulk head. Gives you weird steering behaviour and is very hard to see with the naked eye.

[ptsdisntfun]

boy these wheels do not want to come off

[Petertje60]

Can't you get the nuts off, or are the wheels itself the problem?

[ptsdisntfun]

im boling my new wheels cause i messed them up. as far as the the servo not centering i still got nothing. its like the servo wont recenter itself. everything is clean, nothing is binding. i unhooked the servoe and move the wheels with the servo saver and it moves really smooth. and the servo unhooked looks like it recenters. but it wont complety recenter with everything hooked up. it not alot but when i tryed to drive it ,,,,, it didnt work soo good

[Petertje60]

You probably tried a lot and maybe this too, but trying to help here: Try to find any binding with the suspension pushed in. Sometimes that makes a difference.

[ptsdisntfun]

i really appriciat all the help. i tried with the suspension pushed it. its like it doesnt have the power to recenter itself. but it has power to turn the wheels

[Petertje60]

Problems with the steering are no fun to work on. To get he problem clear: the wheels don't go back to the center. Is that the same when you drive slowly?

Another thing to check is what Dad said about the slop: if you can turn the wheels too much without the servo saver moving, it will never properly center.

[ptsdisntfun]

yes. wheels dont go back to center matter what i do.

the wheels come close to center but not all the way. it doesnt seem like much, but when driving you sure can tell.

there really is not alot of stop. i just put on gh knuckles, and stainles pushrods.

[ptsdisntfun]

the servo saver is hard to move is that normal.

when i pull the wheels withmy hand it moves the servo,not the saver. its probly not norm,but i dont think the saver is keeping it form centering cause the servo savo stays centered.

the saver will move but takes some force,

worries me now i think its the servo

[Petertje60]

I have bearings in the steering stuff, which made it turn a little more easy. You could have overtightened it which makes it harder to turn. The 2080 servo is not the strongest part of the Merv. You might look at other options like the Hitec 85MG (or the digital equivalent) or the Bluebird 390.
The servo saver is hard to turn, even on a stock Merv. That is quite normal.

[ptsdisntfun]

so not the saver, thanks 60
i found a video that looks just like mine does
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQDtMCFIZ6k

[Petertje60]

Does it do the same when the wheels are not touching the floor? The Talons are relatively wide tires and are hard to turn at a stand still.

[ptsdisntfun]

it does the same thing. i loosend up the knuckles and all that

[Petertje60]

If it does the same, then its simple: either the servo itself, or there is binding somewhere.

[ptsdisntfun]

didnt feel any binding when i unplugged servo and moved the wheels, this is a bummer

[Daddykins]

What Petertje60 said about the toe links screw slightly touching/binding could be a cause too
On my merv with rpm arms and aftermarket servo no problem
My other one with stock arms n servo, toe links screw to the saver touches the arms very slightly.


Make sure ur pillow balls are not screwed into the A arms too much because it can be hitting arms when turning all the way and getting caught up without setting Endpoints on the servo