Mt10 Rival steering lost function

[Killjoy]

Please help a noob who is desperate.

Me and my son (11) we tried out this Yeats childs day gift - the rival mt10. We're completly new to the hobby but eager to learn. So here's what happened:

We were having so much fun on out first ride out Sure the car took some knocks but nothing serious. After maybe 10 minutes the steering wheel od the transmiter had no more function. We can still apply the throttle, but the front wheels are stuck in the left turn end position and the car shows just no reaction to the movement od the wheels.

As for now I did reset the ESC with the manual. That did nothing.
Also there is no sign od ang physical damage to the vehicle.
AS far I learned that it's probably "all about servo" but you know - AS a noob I first nad to find out, If I find this servo-guy inside the RC or inside the transmitter.

Please help us out a bit. We're be eager to learn along the way.

 

[Tunedfrog]

Most RTR rigs use cheap parts to keep the cost down. Manufactures do this to make it more affordable to get into the hobby and you will know what I'm talking about as you learn. This hobby is expensive so be prepared.
One of the first thing that usually needs replaced or upgraded is the steering servo and this sounds like the problem you are having.
Most are cheap garbage but they can be replaced pretty inexpensively. Amazon servos really aren't bad and are reasonably priced however, if you can
then I would pay a little more and purchase a Savox, Hitec, or Futaba to name a few.
There is also a choice between brushless servo and analog servo.
A digital is a bit faster, more torque but more expensive than a analog servo.
The thing to remember is, RCs break and unfortunately sometimes too often, more so with beginner drivers.
Even the old farts like me still slam into a garbage can or picnic bench once in a while.
You will eventually learn to work on them with your eyes closed. I prefer wrenching on them more than I do driving them because of health reasons
I can't get out much.
It's important to not get frustrated with it. Researching parts is always fun but we have to make sure parts are available before we buy a certain
rig. Keep that in mind. They make a expensive paper weight if no parts are available. The MT10 you chose is a good rig with parts available but so much more fun with two rigs.
Enjoy the journey and dig into the forum, there is some great threads with great people.

 

[Killjoy]

If I undestand you right @Tunedfrog cheap parts would eventually break on one od the first or even the first run, I should take it in to account since it's a take it or leave it thing. There's no point in sending the item back in to the manufacturers demanding replacement, since the replacements parts are already programed to break soon. Yet - 10 minutes in to the hobby would be a Killjoy really.

Still - I don't mind getting a new servo, If it's working then. There was way to much fin in the first few moments. I was reading about something similiar here:
www.rctalk.com/forum/threads/rival-mt10-servo-issue.138676/
How can I make sure it's the servo that needs replacing?
Is servo this 2x4cm part between the receiver and the switch?

 

[Tunedfrog]

The very first thing I would do and I forgot to mention it, is recalibrate your esc, the manual will show you how.
Once in awhile that's all that it takes.

 

[Killjoy]

Does recalibrating the ESC mean the same AS binding the receiver and the transmitter a new? If so, this is something I already did gry with the manual with no result at all.
Thanks for your advice and time - much appreciated.

 

[WickedFog]

Does recalibrating the ESC mean the same AS binding the receiver and the transmitter a new? If so, this is something I already did gry with the manual with no result at all.
Thanks for your advice and time - much appreciated.

Binding and calibrating are two different things. Binding links the receiver to the radio. Calibrating the ESC calibrates the radio's throttle trigger to the ESC.

Since you was already running, I highly doubt that is the issue. But it never hurts to try recalibrating.

With your servo stuck in one direction, I would bet you stripped a gear or broke a shaft inside it. You can buy a cheap servo tester off Amazon to test it. You can also get some decent 35kg servos on there.

 

[Tunedfrog]

It kind of depends, recalibrating may take the guess work out of it and narrow down the problem.
You are very welcome, that's why we're here.

 

[Ramp addict]

To make the price point they cheap out on what you don't see, the electronics.

First, with the truck turned off physically move the front wheels from side to side. You should hear a gear whizzing sound coming from the servo. If the wheels don't turn from side to side you have a rock stuck in your bellcrank.

Next, with the truck turned on pull the servo horn off of the top of the servo. Turn the steering wheel and see if the stud sticking out of the top of the servo turns. If it turns then your servo horn is probably stripped. If it doesn't turn pull the top off of your receiver box and make sure it's plugged in.

At this point you're left with "dead servo".
Warranty would be your best option at this point.

 

[Lumikko]

Calibrating the esc involves setting the neutral point, full throttle, and full brakes so that the trigger on your transmitter does what it’s supposed to do. (The brakes on the MT10 are way overpowered and the esc can’t be programmed but there’s a way to hack the brake power down. Razor RC has a good tutorial about this on Youtube but let’s get your truck running first.)

Binding means that the receiver in the car recognizes your transmitter and does not react to input from other transmitters. Nothing to do with the ESC.

If anything on the truck works the problem is not binding. If the throttle and brake work it’s not your esc, either.

If the servo makes no sound and you can turn the wheels manually even when the car is turned on, I’d first check that the servo is connected to the receiver.

It’s super-important to turn the steering dual rate down low enough until the servo doesn’t try to turn the wheels past a mechanical stop (e.g. knuckles can’t turn further, or the servo horn hits the chassis). The steering geometry is a little asymmetric so check both sides.

 

[Killjoy]

Binding and calibrating are two different things. Binding links the receiver to the radio. Calibrating the ESC calibrates the radio's throttle trigger to the ESC.

Since you was already running, I highly doubt that is the issue. But it never hurts to try recalibrating.

With your servo stuck in one direction, I would bet you stripped a gear or broke a shaft inside it. You can buy a cheap servo tester off Amazon to test it. You can also get some decent 35kg servos on there.

@Wickedfrog: Understanding now that the calibration of ESC applies to the throttle, I also bet that it is not problematic, since the receiver responses tho the transmission od the throttle order. The RC does accelerate and drive backward. It jest doesn't steer. And the wheels always return to the leftish position.

What does this kg value mean concernig servos?

"stripping a gear" and "braking a shaft". Could you shortly explain to a foreigner what that means? . I do have my American Brother-in-law visiting these days but he's out for winę degustation right now. I called it od for myself becouse od my RC problem cousing me a bad miód and I don't expect nim coming back in a condition to be able to explain to me If a shaft might be found inside the servo od my rig).

Sorry, and thanks. I am really a new definition od noobity

 

[Tunedfrog]

The KG rating is its torque or strength. The higher the KG the stronger it is.

 

[WickedFog]

@Wickedfrog: Understanding now that the calibration of ESC applies to the throttle, I also bet that it is not problematic, since the receiver responses tho the transmission od the throttle order. The RC does accelerate and drive backward. It jest doesn't steer. And the wheels always return to the leftish position.

What does this kg value mean concernig servos?

"stripping a gear" and "braking a shaft". Could you shortly explain to a foreigner what that means? . I do have my American Brother-in-law visiting these days but he's out for winę degustation right now. I called it od for myself becouse od my RC problem cousing me a bad miód and I don't expect nim coming back in a condition to be able to explain to me If a shaft might be found inside the servo od my rig).

Sorry, and thanks. I am really a new definition od noobity

No worries.

The KG value is how much torque the servo has. The more you have, the better, or stronger the servo is.

The gears inside the servo may be damaged or broken, and causing it to return to a different position.

 

[Killjoy]

If the servo makes no sound and you can turn the wheels manually even when the car is turned on, I’d first check that the servo is connected to the receiver.

It’s super-important to turn the steering dual rate down low enough until the servo doesn’t try to turn the wheels past a mechanical stop (e.g. knuckles can’t turn further, or the servo horn hits the chassis). The steering geometry is a little asymmetric so check both sides.

Here's what happened: the D/R od the ST was set to max (AS the manual wanted it). My son was going in loop of left turn circles. At some point a few seconda later the wheels stayed in this left turn position. The wheels on the transmitter nad no more function.

It's hard to tell for me, If the servo making sounds. Do you Guys mean when you are mentioning "servo" the mechanical parts of the servo, or the servo inside the car where the engine is ect.? Probably you mean the guts: the servo is connected to the receiver. This servo (mainboard + transistor) doesn't make any sounds at all. The mecanical parts make some sounds when I turn the wheels manuały. Which I can do both in on and off power mode, but either way the wheels return to the radical left turn position by themselves.

No worries.

The KG value is how much torque the servo has. The more you have, the better, or stronger the servo is.

The gears inside the servo may be damaged or broken, and causing it to return to a different position.

Ok. So a stronger servo has to sweat less to get the same work done in comparison to a weaker one. Does it mean itvwill therefore brake less often or/and perform ITS task quicker?

By gears inside the servo you mean the machanical parts od the suspension and not the 4x2cm box inside the guts od the rig? I don't think anythings broken there. We player for maybe 10 minę. Everything looks fine (for my noob eye). The RC is hardly dirty. It looks new.

To make the price point they cheap out on what you don't see, the electronics.

First, with the truck turned off physically move the front wheels from side to side. You should hear a gear whizzing sound coming from the servo. If the wheels don't turn from side to side you have a rock stuck in your bellcrank.

Next, with the truck turned on pull the servo horn off of the top of the servo. Turn the steering wheel and see if the stud sticking out of the top of the servo turns. If it turns then your servo horn is probably stripped. If it doesn't turn pull the top off of your receiver box and make sure it's plugged in.

At this point you're left with "dead servo".
Warranty would be your best option at this point.

I have the the impression, following your instructions would help to diagnose the servo but I can't follow it properly. The "servo horn" is the part od suspension resembling the letter "L" with 3 screws?

 

[tntpoof]

sounds like servo died. Recalibrating ESC will not help this issue in any way just makes more work for op.. you can try switching rx plug in connectors as in esc to steering and vis versa..then trigger will control steering and wheel will control esc...only touch trigger...when power and rx plug from esc is in .the steering will always work..
if replacing steering servo make sure kg is same amount or more(id go more)
and sweep is same unless radio has endpoint adjustment

 

[Killjoy]

It’s super-important to turn the steering dual rate down low enough until the servo doesn’t try to turn the wheels past a mechanical stop (e.g. knuckles can’t turn further, or the servo horn hits the chassis). The steering geometry is a little asymmetric so check both sides.

What's the threat od not doing it and why should an allowed adjustable setting couse trouble?

 

[Killjoy]

sounds like servo died. Recalibrating ESC will not help this issue in any way just makes more work for op.. you can try switching rx plug in connectors as in esc to steering and vis versa..then trigger will control steering and wheel will control esc...only touch trigger...when power and rx plug from esc is in .the steering will always work..
if replacing steering servo make sure kg is same amount or more(id go more)
and sweep is same unless radio has endpoint adjustment

Thanks for this advice. This was an easy way to diagnose the servo failure. I switched the cables on the receiver side and the throttle worked on the steering wheel. The servo - again - didnt't work on the trigger.

 

[monstertruckfan]

check the steering knuckles in front. My two cheapo rc's i got my kids will pop a knuckle off if you hit something little fast or hard. These chinese machines are fun but can be brittle. Usually the one connected to steering servo pop off as they are plastic.

 

[9x19]

The servo is mounted (output gear down) just in front of the ESC. 4 screws on top, plus the one in the middle of the output gear underneath (holding the steering link onto the servo) lets you pull it and replace it. Will also need to unplug it from the receiver, which is located in the box that's mounted right between the front wheels. It just has a body clip holding the lid closed.

Here's mine for reference

 

[Lumikko]

Here's what happened: the D/R od the ST was set to max (AS the manual wanted it). My son was going in loop of left turn circles. At some point a few seconda later the wheels stayed in this left turn position. The wheels on the transmitter nad no more function.

This leaves me with zero doubt that your servo is burnt. In its core, a servo is an electric motor. Prolonged pushing against a hard stop is kind of like bumping the car against a wall and keeping the trigger at full throttle with the wheels unable to spin: the overloaded motor builds up heat until it burns.

The difference is that bogging the vehicle against a wall is obviously stupid. Using a setting that’s available and turning the wheels is a reasonable thing to do.

Now that you mentioned the manual, I don’t think the manual for the truck or radio specifies any setting or makes any mention of how and why to set it. I have the Pro4 SC10 and never noticed this since I already knew. The manual for an RTR should not assume that customers have this ”common knowledge” so I think the manual is at fault here.

The reason for having settings that could break stuff is that servos are universal components between RC vehicles and the required steering throw will vary from one vehicle to another. Even changes to the steering geometry of one vehicle (ackermann, toe in/out…) will vary how to set the end points for the servo. The servo and radio must have enough throw available for situations where it’s needed. The maximum setting will be too much most of the time.

Since the servo is often upgraded whether it’s broken or not, maybe the retailer could give you a discount if you buy a better servo.