More steering please...

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Trip

Trip

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Ypsilanti Michigan U.S.
Ever since I put my Jet-Pro pipe on this thing,(M/T) I can't get it to steer worth a damn. If I am on the throttle, in a paved parking lot it takes about 100ft diameter to make a complete circle! It just pushes like crazy. If I let off the gas it steers just fine. If I am in a baseball diamond... Forget it, go in a straight line, hammer the brakes and then spin it around. I can't run the bases on a little-league field. Steering is excellent in the grass though.

I am running a Hitec 5745 and it easily turns lock to lock whether it is on the ground or up in the air.

The rear diff is open (not locked) and just filled with grease, no silly putty. I do have front cable brakes but it did the same before I put them on.

It only does this when I am on the throttle, now I don't mean when I a pulling a wheelie, of course, just building a little speed.

Front toe and caster is stock and camber is non-adjustable. Everything but the brakes, pipe and motor are stock (including the shocks and shock oil) rear sway bar has been removed.

Is there anything I can do to improve my steering?

Thanks guys,
Trip..
 
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its a common problem. beside putting better tires on it your not going to make much of a diffrence. evrything should be adjustable up front. the front caster is adjustable by the spacers on the top suspension arms and your camber is adjustble by the tie rods on the upper suspension arms.
-push the castor spacer so the top arm moves forward. that will keep more tire contact when turning
-1 degree of negitive camber should help give the outside tire more edged bite
-0 degrees rear toe in will also help slighty
-1 degree negitive front toe in
-you can also pull the front shock spacers out so the nose drops down a little, but you will lose rear end traction
all those changes will have a negative effect in off road conditions. you want to have rear toe-in in the rear so it tracks straight off the line. and you might have too much front end bite as well cousing frequent roll overs. its alot of changes just to rip up some pavement. my sugestion would simply put better tires on it. the rampage tires are super soft, but you need adaptors. maybe some stadium tires..
i would also get rid of that shock oil the stock stuff is pretty stiff. a lighter oil will give you all around better performance and alow for more body roll wich will help your on-throttle stearing
 
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Hey trip ..I talked to a fellow who races over seas,,he helped me set up my firehammer..
I was having simular problems you are...He said on the rear,,toe in 1 degree both wheels
front toe out 1 degree.both wheels.this should get you stright..and make small adjustments from the TX after that...maybe lighter shock oil for a little bounce....
I was told for my appliaction to go heaver shock oil..50 wt...AKASlawhammer
 
OK,Thanks Krypton, I didn't know the camber was adjustable on the stock front arms. What do you recommend for shock oil? I very seldom jump this and when I do it is no more than a foot off the ground (When I want to jump, I bust out the 2,000 dollar savage lol) The Rampage tires look great, but how well do they hold up (sidewalls)? Price with adapters?

All I can figure is this heavy ass pipe is causing the problem (it weighs about 2 pounds) and it is about 6 inches above the center of gravity. And hangs way off the back of the truck. I love the power don't get me wrong, but I need some better handling...

I am thinking about the Version 2, RN's Fat Power, or the TGN, just because they have more weight towards the front. But I really don't want to blow another $200.-$300. for another pipe.

Does anybody know the stock pinion and spur numbers for the stadium? 18/46? I want to get a little more top end.

Thanks guys,
Trip..
 
slawhammer said:
Hey trip ..I talked to a fellow who races over seas,,he helped me set up my firehammer..
I was having simular problems you are...He said on the rear,,toe in 1 degree both wheels
front toe out 1 degree.both wheels.this should get you stright..and make small adjustments from the TX after that...maybe lighter shock oil for a little bounce....
I was told for my appliaction to go heaver shock oil..50 wt...AKASlawhammer
Click to expand...

Thanks Slaw, the oil is going to be totally different for our 2 trucks (I have 8 shocks) I thought the same thing with the toe out, but I am afraid it will become twitchy on the top end (high speed)? But I don't know, I guess it is worth a try!

I think I am going to start by cranking the droop screws back down, I have them all the way up (for maximum ground clearance) Thinking about it, I may dicked around with those about the same time I switched pipes?

Trip..
 
Why don't you try and adding some weight to the front?? balance out the vehicle more..maybe some lead tape in and around the front axle.....did it do this before you put the pipe on??
 
Thanks for your reply... No, it didn't push at all stock.

I had a small stack of peel and stick wheel weights (I used to run a tire store) but it didn't really do anything, so I duct taped on a whole box (about 8 pounds!!) That helped but wasn't really all that practical.. Even though these trucks are pretty big, there really isn't any place to put any weights.

I am going to put the med compound tires back on the front, that may help a little too.

I just figured out your avatar pic, it is a VW beating heart!! LOL I have seen this many times and I thought it was picture of a Traxxas 2.5 nitro motor lol...

Trip..
Excess of beer does not equal greatness of mind!
 
hehe...traxass motor....
yes beer is good for you!!!!!! least i think it is...pity the poor who don't believe that;);) they will learn one day.....
as for the weights..i was just thinking out loud...
and i swtiched my shock oil to 50wt....i did notice a difference in steering..but i don't have the same weight sticking out my ass like you;);)
 
Trip,

The servo saver spring on the stock saver wears out after awhile and should be switched out to new. The spring eventually looses its strength after the big tires take its tole on constantly pulling on it.

I keep a few spare DTX ones so when I do tear downs I can swap it out.

Here is the part number: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHTS8&P=Z
You should also check that the shaft has not snapped on the bottom at the end of the threads of the small screw in the bottom chassis.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHTT1&P=Z
 
Bigger the Better said:
Trip,

The servo saver spring on the stock saver wears out after awhile and should be switched out to new. The spring eventually looses its strength after the big tires take its tole on constantly pulling on it.

I keep a few spare DTX ones so when I do tear downs I can swap it out.

Here is the part number: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHTS8&P=Z
You should also check that the shaft has not snapped on the bottom at the end of the threads of the small screw in the bottom chassis.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHTT1&P=Z
Click to expand...
BTB... These parts will fit on the FG correct? If so I will order them. I smoked my steering servo last night, while paying in the puddles. :no: (Hitec told me to send it in, but I can't find any of my receipts) I am going to pick up an 805, I know it's plastic, but it's cheap and so am I right now..

Trip..
 
Hey TRIP..check out tower on servo TS-80 ... same guts as the 805 only a better buy
Just a thought..As to your servo saver..I am not sure what yours looks like..
I would think the same..as that is what's in my firehammer..and to up grade I was told to
use alloy FG servo saver....Bigger The Better I believe has both RC Units..Firehammer
And the FG....AKASlawhammer
 
Trip said:
BTB... These parts will fit on the FG correct? If so I will order them. I smoked my steering servo last night, while paying in the puddles. :no: (Hitec told me to send it in, but I can't find any of my receipts) I am going to pick up an 805, I know it's plastic, but it's cheap and so am I right now..

Trip..
Click to expand...

Yes the servo saver will work. Or you can buy the kit and just use the spring.

I have sent in many servos to Hitec for different things some times I have sent them in without the reciept and the just fixed it anyway and sent it back. Have you opened up the servo and taken a looky to see what burned up?
 
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