Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

Got a mini lst2 for my three year old. He has the hang of driving it. Had him on 4 cells, but after a few months he got the hang of it enough to handle 6 cells, but the steering servos aren't doing so well. After shreddding the same gear 5 times in a row, I am looking for an alternative. So what are you other minilst2 owners doing?

Is there a viable single servo alternative setup available that won't break the bank, or are there a nice set of heavier geared servos that can work as a tandem team to drive the front end of the mlst2 without stripping out every few weeks of hard riving?

What are you guys doing with the mlst2 to compensate for the weak servo gears? I have spare gears, and yes they are cheap, but I'm sick of changing them.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm getting kind of irritated and considering dremelling out the chassis to take a hitec full size mg servo and redoing my linkages by myself.

Any help will be appreciated, but please hold off on suggesting other trucks. Servo suggestions and servo converison kit suggestions only please. I love the mlst2, it is quite impressive. The servo gears seem to be the one weak link, so I'm just looking for suggestions for that. Thank you.

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

I replaced mine with a pair of JR SM22 servos and they're much better. I stripped them once a couple months ago from cartwheeling about 20 times but that's the only problem I've had. The stock servos are horrible. The only single servo option I know of is the Exotek kit, which is about $80 for the conversion, plus the cost of the servo.

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

I have the Exotek kit and I think it is well worth the money , my MLST2 turns like its on rails and the servo has held up too LOTS of really heavy bashing :D .

I have heard you can also dremel the chassis and fit Hitec HS65 mg servos , but after its all said and done you will be paying almost as much for the dual servos as you would for the Exotek chassis . You can use any 1/10 servo with it , even plastic geared ones would hold up .

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

Here is a link too the Exotek chassis ....

[link=http://www.exotekracing.com/TEAM_EXOTEK/Entries/2007/10/1_LXTMINI_LST_CONVERSION.html]EXOTEK LXT CHASSIS [/link]

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

Thanks for the suggestions. I went with 2 hs-65mg's, because I was able to get them for $25 each and have had great luck with the hs-65 hb's in airplanes.
The exotek chassis was just a bit more than I want to put into t mini that I only paid $125 for. It's nice, and if I raced this thing I would have gone that route, but it is mostly for my three year old to zip around the yard and basement with.

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

How well are those HS-65mg's working out? I see lots of people recommend the JR241MGs but they are $40 a pop.

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

Haven't arrived yet

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

No dice on the HS-65MGs. The servo horn is a much smaller diameter than the mini-lst2 steering linkage/servo savers. Is there an adapter available to remedy this problem, or did I just waste my money on these 65mg's?

DOH! I hope there is an adapter available.

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

Maybe I am in the same situation as Tommythecat.

it seems as if I might have one malfunctioning servo, since the steering is limited, or its another problem. There is an un-natural crunching noise when the servos are actuated. The mounted servos themselves move at the point of attachment side-to-side - crunch, crunch. I didnt notice that before. It took a few frontal hits at low speed but nothing spectacular. Any thought on what the problem is?

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

PS anyone want to see a vid of the problem?[8D]

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

It sounds like your servos are moving on the chassis instead of turning the wheels. First check the steering linkages and suspension for binding. disconnect the servos and try turning the wheels manually. They should turn very smooth and with little force. If they don't, you need to figure out what is binding and fix it.

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

Hello TommytheCat,

Thanks for your message. I will follow your advice; I think something is binding. Perhaps I can provide more info. It seems that one wheel moves better than the other - greater range to one side. When the car is on the ground it turns less due to the ground contact creates resistance. The bar connecting the two servos can be seen moving back and forth. What is strange is a crunching noise. I looked closely and it seems to match (1) the wire coils moving on the servo to turn the wheels; (2) a noise from the servos moving abit on the chassis.

Well, I have video [X(] but I need to upload to boobtube first. I will provide a link.

thanks, Mini

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

The crunching sound and one servo turning more than the other matches what you get if one servo is stripped. I thought you were originally describing that the crunchin came from the servos moving against the chassis mount. I would guess the slow servo has a blown gear in it. They run around $3 a set, if you can't get them locally and have to order online, you might as well order a few sets to save on shipping down the road...Or you can replace the servos with something less prone to failure. But I can't help you if you want to do that because I still haven't gotten my replacements in yet.

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

ive been waiting for ages for the exotek to come into stock,i finally decided to build my own on the weekend,after alot of head scratching i came to a simple solution that bolts straight on and needs no chassis mods at all,i used 2 aliminum servo horns bolted one to the servo bolted the servo to peice of aluminum plate placed a bolt through the alloy with the nut on other side some shims.then idrilled the other horn out to fit a bearing each side slid it on the bolt.when i bolt the plate up to the existing chassis holes the 2 servo horns sit in the same position as the factory ones.link together with a couple of turn buckles and away you go.the steering is now rock solid and has hardly any slop.only draw back is one corner of the servo over hangs the chassis by about 1-2mm but for around 10-15 worth of horns and fittings i now have a solid steering set up

RE: Mini LST2 stock steering servo alternatives
 

Hey smelly flange. my sister useed to live in lismore. but I am wondering if you can help me with the on servo setup. maybe a picture or something. I have three of these trucks and the servos are getting expensive. Thanks name is (upside down)

Exotek single servo
 

I too am tired of them breaking. I got the exotek part for like 25 bucks and a full size servo for 20 bucks. I just finished the part and servo in stall. Waiting on some steering linkage.