Steering Range Fix: Mod the Tierod
 

Hi everyone. I'm new to the xmods.
I found it pretty nice car, but you know the weakest point is the steering range (too small).
To make it larger, I mod the tierod. That works nice.

EDIT: I didn't find the toe-in tierods which comes with the steering upgrade kit is enough, so I modded it like this:
Put the pin offset toward the front, i.e., closer to the axle of the nuckle, by bending it carefully with heat.
The same tierod' movement makes larger angle-movement of the nuckle.
So I could compare it with the upgrade tierod in this picture.

http://www1.bbiq.jp/ikinari/xmods/pict/DSCN24711.jpg

Here's the link (sorry Japanese only at now):
http://www1.bbiq.jp/ikinari/xmods/modthexmods.html

And this is the result:
http://www1.bbiq.jp/ikinari/xmods/pict/DSCN2463.jpg
:)

yea, u get the new tie rod with a suspension upgrade...

thats the new tie rod?

yeh, that's the new tierods that come with the steering and suspension kit but i think ikinari heated it up and bent them forward. i think someone at bitpimps tried it too. they heated up some salt in a pot and carefully bent them forward.

Thanks, TypeZer0,
I should have added a few words in my original post. So I edited it.
BTW, what's the "bitpimps"?

Its another forums about r/c's.

yeah i did this in october..
i am also gnubee over there..
here is the text of my post:




Joined: 03 Aug 2003
Posts: 11

Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 2:06 pm Post subject: xmod smaller turn radius mod with pics

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

what you need is:
a stove(dont burn yourself)
a pan you dont mind heating almost empty
a half cup of salt
the rack off your xmod steering
a needle nose plier is handy but not strictly necessary
the suspension upgrade kit is handy if you want more than 1 rack to swap out
i do not have image hosting so if any mod wishes to add a couple digital pictures i will email the pics..
//
if you look at the underside of your xmod you will see that the steering rack fits into slots on the spindles..and it is all the way back in the slot..if you want tighter steering you can move the finger to the front of the slot..it will make the wheels turn further each way..

thx to ezenterprises for pic hosting
this simple free mod halved my turning radius......
heat salt in a pan on the stove
medium heat worked on my electric stove
if the salt sticks to the plastic it is too hot
pile up the salt on 1 side of the pan once it is hot enough to soften the plastic
dip the rack in 1/4 inch or so perpendicular to the salt
only submerge the finger and enough rack to get to the tall fin
do not bury the fin you must keep it from bending
once the rack tip is hot enough to bend a little use your fingers or preferably a pliers to bend the tips in the direction they already angle towards.if you get the tips bent enough the fingers will be out of the plane of the fins..
you can do this to your stock rack or the racks from the suspension kit..
if you use your stock rack this mod costs////NADA///

Last edited by gnubee on Sun Oct 26, 2003 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total
end of quote..
this essentially fixed any problem i had with turning radius and responsiveness..
my beef with the xmod is the transmitter range or in this case lack thereof..
and in the abysmal solders throughout the entire car..
i dont know what was worse with so many bad solders..
i had to resolder the antenna wire 2x once on each of 2 diff cars
i had to cut off solder in a huge lump on the drivers side battery tray from the positive terminal
THIS SOLDER WAS THERE FOR NO POSSIBLE REASON UNLESS IT WAS ACTUALLY NECESSARY TO SHORT THE + TERMINAL TO THE METAL HEATSINK UPGRADE!
but i digress..
this post was about a steering mod..
i wait with anticipation for someone to improve the rx + tx range of these cars..
the stuttering 10 feet away problem has been posted about too many times for me to whine about it here..oops..
the really sad thing is i loved these cars and their promise..they are even fun to work on..and sometime next year i will probably get a new one and see if it has better build quality..

and the other picture..if these need to be resized please fix them i am not so good at the intarweb

I found the following on another forum. Anyone heard of or tried this? Might be the real solution.

http://155.41.134.145/xmods/xmods.jpg

Hi gnubee, I didn't know you've already done it. Sorry for that. So I mentionned your name at my webpage.
Thank you.
http://www1.bbiq.jp/ikinari/xmods/modthexmods.html

thanks for the credit..i just hope people actually go out and do it..
it was nice to have tight steering..

Just an observation
 

When you do this mod, you want to use the 4.5 toe-in tie rod. If you use any of the other tie rods, you will end up with a toe-out problem.

well according to normal car tuning guidelines, toe-out makes straight lines unstable but makes it more eager to turn.

sorry for digging up an old thread. but is there an easier way then the stove method? or any tips? i messed up a tierod in the process. i gess the salt got too hot. and it took me a while to get a second one done. but i got it done. nice tighter turns, and toe out:)

anyone know which rod would give me 0 toe?