Optima steering
 

So I ran my original Optima on Friday and found the steering awful. The servo saver took almost all feeling out, as well as ability to turn rt.
I tried to nip it up with the nut on the top and either snapped something or threaded it so couldn't run for rest of evening.

I've not stripped the car yet to get the parts out and assess the damage, but has anyone used any different steering assemblies or should I just glue the saver to stop it numbing the steering?

Anyone have any suggestions?

Come on don't do a half hearted job strip it and figure it out replace the parts if you can

:thumbsup:
Just worried that I don't have a spare steering assembly anyhow and a cursory search of ebay doesn't seem to show any for sale so once I get time to strip it I'll see what what is needed, but before I did I just wondered if anyone has any other good suggestions (such as the brill idea someone gave when I asked about the poor way the servo fixes into the car - they suggested using the old speedo servo mount with an elongated threaded arm - brilliant!)

Are we taking about the Mid, or the original Optima? For the first, I use the bell cranks from the Lazer ZX-R, these are rigid. And then mount a Kimbrough servo saver on the servo. For the regular Optima this might work well, lock the servo saver in the bell cranks, and mount a servo saver on the servo instead.

I used washers to compress the spring, it helps a little. Some kind of MIP or Gouge steering would be ace, but I never saw any on Optimas.

IMHO..all the optima series bellcranks were crap. They develop slop quickly.. i chucked mine in favor of lazer zx steering posts..steering plate and a set of 39655 gp10 blue steering cranks.

Hi Chris,

if you get the car in bits you are welcome to see if some of my Optima Mid spares will fit.

Cheers Jim, and everyone for their advice.
I got the front end off last night and it seems that the problem on Friday night was that the 3mm screw holding the post for the servo saver had snapped so I have managed to get the screw out as well as the broken shaft. However, this doesn't get away from the fact that the servo saver is very spongey.
Obviously the tension in the servo saver is controlled by the spring and the whole assembly is held together by the e-clip that clips onto the shaft. I.e, tightening a screw doesn't tighten the saver at all.
I have just tried to add a washer onto the shaft to compress the spring slightly but can't get the e-clip in place with that so...

If I glued the servo saver this will sort the problem, but means my servo is at risk.
I am going to see if I can get the parts for the Lazer ZX as suggested by Alcyon. The shafts seem to be rarer in UK and I'm not sure yet which steering plate it is as there seem to be a few from a cursory search in google.
I'll keep you updated...

Hi Chris,
I took off the servo saver's spring which makes the steering really sloppy, and replaced it with a plastic bearing I slightly dremmelled until it fitted the space left by the spring, added a drop of CA glue, and voilà, it works fine now!

Fred

Merci,
What was the CA for - which part was stuck to which? Did you glue the bearing into the space above the saver so that the saver is still a 2 piece item which could pivot, but the plastic bearing acts instead of the spring?

I glued the 2-pieces black plastic stuff together, so it does not 'slip' anymore… I'll try to take a pic of it asap.

Fred

I wouldn't bother with that. First the Mid and Lazer parts are way too big to fit into the Optima, then if you did manage to get them in as the arms are straight it wouldn't actually move from side to side.

I've never had a problem with the standard servo saver, but then I never run it with modern tyres so there's never been too much load on the saver. You can stiffen it up with a washer or two, but it needs to go on top of the spring. If you want to lock it up, then rather than gluing the parts together an hoping it stays together, replace the spring with a piece of plastic tube cut to length.

Right. Time for an update.
I stripped all the front down and based on the advice here I managed to get approx 1.5mm of shims onto the servo saver so it tightened it slightly. I then refitted it all but the same issue seemed to exist. It would turn right, but not left. However, the servo saver was not causing this - it seemed that the throw of the servo was uneven. I checked the servo horn and it is vertical although doesn't look even in terms of action.
After checking that the transmitter wasn't set wrong for EPA on steering I swapped the Futaba servo for a savox which did exactly the same.
In the end I have had to alter the End points on the transmitter to increase left to 125% and reduce right to 89%. This gives me now exact equal steering so hopefully that is job done!