Steering problem on ECX Amp

[loxley108]

Hi

Hope everyone is well.

I have an ECX Amp and the steering has suddenly stopped worked properly. The control unit connects up okay and the steering tries to steer but the arm doesn’t go far enough each side – meaning the wheels don’t actually turn much. A few months ago I upgraded to a brushless motor and new receiver – and all was working fine until now though. Everything else seems to work okay.

Having checked the forum, I’m wondering if the steering servo needs to be changed? But just wanted to see what you think?

Really hope I can get it sorted for my son, as its his (and mine) favourite thing to do – taking the Amp out.

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[RazorRC]

Is your dual-rate accidentally turned down on the radio?

Does the servo move fully left/right when you turn the steering wheel?

Pop off the horizontal steering drag link there and see if the steering moves freely left/right by itself when it's not connected to the servo.

 

[loxley108]

Thanks for the tips will check that later. When I manually pushed the steering links (whilst still connected to the servo) - they moved all the way left/right, but will disconnect and see if they still do that.

And, i'm sorry for my ignorance, but which one is the dual-rate adjustment on the radio?

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Heyitsme]

Thanks for the tips will check that later. When I manually pushed the steering links (whilst still connected to the servo) - they moved all the way left/right, but will disconnect and see if they still do that.

And, i'm sorry for my ignorance, but which one is the dual-rate adjustment on the radio?

Thanks again for all the help.

Should be a knob labeled ST DR on the radio that's the dual rate steering adjustment. That is what adjust your steering throw left/right turn it up some to see if your steering travels any further left and right. Turn it down if you reach the mechanical limit for left and right steering so the servo is not trying to turn the wheels even though it can't.

 

[Glor]

I had a similar problem recently. Soft steering that only gets a little bit of turn, but servo still works well.
In my case it was the servo SAVER (not the servo) that had broken.

 

[loxley108]

Thanks for the replies. I bought a replacement servo saver kit and have just tried to fit it - all going well but I can't get the pin shown in the photos below to come out. I found some instructions on youtube and it appears this pin should turn freely and the servo saver part should just slip on. I couldn't remove the screw on top - it just burred to put the new part on, so thought i would try and put the new clip on the old servo saver part, but the original part won't slip on.

So i'm stuck - i cant remove the pin at all and if it shoudl turn freely, perhaps that's the problem as it doesn't

Any help would be very much appeciated as its my sons car (which I enjoy!) and we're meant to be taken it on holiday the end of this week.

Thanks again

 

[RazorRC]

Check the Amp MT kit manual, it shows how the kit is put together.

From the manual it looks like that post just stays there and the servo saver spins around it. It’s also apparently screwed from the top and bottom, but the top one is probably just stuck or loctite in. You could try to thread the bottom screw back in really tight or with loctite and then try to unthread both simultaneously. Or grab it with some pliers and probably wreck it, but be able to unscrew the top one.

 

[loxley108]

Ok, I bought a new servo saver kit and bottom plate (as I couldn't get the silver pin out of the bottom one). I have just spent the last 2 hours installing it all and still the same problem. The photos below show how far each way the steering arm goes from one side to the other (with the control unit adjustment just set to the middle).

Do you think I need a new servo motor?

Also, the other arm (from the servo saver end) seems very close to the servo itself - is that right?

Thanks so much for the help - I really need to get the car fixed in time for the weekend, so any help would be REALLY appreciated!

Thanks

 

[WithinU]

Did you buy a stock replacement servo saver kit, or did you buy the RPM servo saver eliminator kit?

plus your linkage isn't hooked up, and yes it is that close, you may need to adjust it a bit. But if you didn't mess with the linkage then it should be close.
Plus, your servo horn doesn't look like it's all the way on the servo gear? Also did you check your dual steering rate adjustment on your transmitter, is it turned all the way up?

 

[loxley108]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I bought the stock servo saver kit - was that wrong? I unlinked the linkage to check the saver side wasn't affecting it.

Yes i've checked the steering adjustent on the transmitter - i turned it all the way up but it didn't help.

Which bit is the servo horn?

I;m getting frustrated and down about this as it was working absolutley fine and just stopped working.

Ive already spent £20 on trying to fix it and am reluctant to buy a new servo in case its not that. When the servo goes, does the steering usually not move at all or just not steer enough like mine currently does.

Thanks so much for all your help

 

[WithinU]

No no, your fine on the servo saver question, I was just clarifying it for me.
The servo horn, is the arm that is attached to the servo gear, it's the arm the linkage attaches too.
"Typically" the servo's just quit, but they could stop working correctly and not have as much throw, but again typically they just stop working.

Don't get frustrated, or at least try not too, it's just a RC car, not the end of the world.

 

[RazorRC]

My best guess is that it's the servo. Hard to know, it's most likely either that or the radio. I assume you already put fresh batteries in the transmitter?

 

[loxley108]

Thanks for the help - will try replacing the servo and see if that helps. Is there a non-stock one that you recommend? It does seem to be turning better than before though, although I think not as much as it did before. Thanks for the help

 

[RazorRC]

I’m using the red 20kg servos from Amazon. About $17 in the U.S., made by Zoskay, Annimos, mitsuwei and others. They’re all the same.

It’s weird that it only turns a little each way though. Does the throttle work perfectly fine? If so, that probably eliminates the ESC.

You could also ask Horizon Hobby for help. They might send you a new servo.