Df-03 With Wobbly Front Wheels!

[Meakz1973]

My DF-03 has got wobbly front wheels!.

I have searched high and wide for the answer across several forums but I guess my limited knowledge means that the answer is not jumping right out at me...

When I push the car along the floor, manually turn front wheels or just drive around the house slowly the wheels are 'drunk'.

(It's kind of like that old kids toy the 'fisher price telephone' with a bent axle that you pulled along and it bobbed up and down and left and right!) The tie rods move from side to side.... the steering servo and center shaft thing seem pretty loose...

I have not stripped it down as I have not had time and honestly I dont know what I am looking for!.

You'll have to excuse me as I cannot access the manual on the site for some reason and dont have it in front of me to reference parts by correct names.

I have replaced the left C-hub and knuckle as they were worn and making a clicking noise on a left turn. Bearings are in place.

I have ordered a 4600 Sidewinder so in preperation I have replaced the stock dogbones with DF-02 CVD's. (I left the foam inserts inside the cups which i think I'm supposed to do.) They seem to rotate just fine. Arms are fine too.I have replaced the hex plastic and switched wheels left to right.

I want to get it sorted out so when i get my hotter motor I dont lose control and hit a tree!

can anyone provide a comprehensive an answer as possible given my sketchy description...

cheers,

Paul

[blakeatron]

Pass - have you checked the wheels run true on their own - have they got deformed in any way?

[Meakz1973]

Do you mean take them off and roll them along the floor on their own?

I havent done that, will check tonight.

The left wheel seems to wobble more while attached to car, despite having switched Left and Right front wheels.

[Origineelreclamebord]

Do you mean steering slop or really the wheels being wobbly?

As for the steering slop, check the play on the steering arms on the chassis. If you haven't got bearings in them yet, replace the bushings immediately. If you already have got bearings, check if they might need replacement due to hard hits and wear. It could also be wear in the ball connectors, the rod ends that go onto them or the bearings at the uprights and knuckles, check these as well.

For wheels being wobbly - check whether your wheels are straight (turn them on a straight rod/axle with the hex mounts to see whether they're straight), check the axles of the wobbling wheels, the driveshafts and look at the condition (play) of the bearings.

[freeway]

got my attention since im waiting on a DF-03RA kit. looks like the wheels and tires, but isnt that gonna obvious on sight ? since if it were the drivetrain there should be some sort of clicking noise and binding. to OP-let us know what happens when you strip it down.

[wolfdogstinkus]

I noticed my pumpkin has a wobbly wheel, turns out the centre of the wheel has come loose and can be removed from the wheel, but this pumpkin does take some abuse!.

This is why my wheel was a wobbling,

Just checked the other front wheel and that's come loose as well, just hope I can glue them back on straight!.

[Mighty flex]

Are these the 3 racing wheels you have on the car? they are terribly balanced and vibrate to the point of being useless, even though they come factory glued. obviously by blind elephants on crack.

[Meakz1973]

Thanks for responses to original post, and I am still trying to find the problem, massively hindered by lack of knowledge and experience!

Last night I took apart the front gear case and steering bell crank set up. It all looked fine, other than fact previous owner (and builder )had not installed the 2 washers in steering set up

I put in new steering set up with washers as I had a spare.. I don't have bearings in there, just stock brass bushings. What size bearings do I need to get for the steering as they are unlike any other bearing size I have seen or have as spares.

Wheels look fine, ruled out that as the problem.

I found this strange too.... when I was applying the minimum amount of squeeze on transmitter trigger so I could get a good look at the wheels moving at slowest idle speed, the left wheel was juddering as diff output ( ?) didn't turn evenly, it is as though the diff is slipping?

All others, front and rear rotate smoothly at the idle speed. When I applied throttle the problem seemed to go away... It is as though the diff is slipping at very slow speeds? Is this normal?

I fitted an aluminum one piece propeller cup joint so had to take the front gear box apart to fit that, everything in side seemed to rotate just fine when not attached to propeller shaft.

I didn't take the ball diff apart and make sure the balls are in place etc.. I've never done that before, do I need to do that?

Other problem is when I have the tie rods and steering tie rod set at recommended lengths of 34mm, 37mm and 108 mm as stated in manual they just don't fit right.

It seems as though the steering rod should be shorter to fit when servo is in neutral. Anyone else find this?

Now I have tried to alter the lengths and make it work the whole thing is a mess! I think I need to get some easy adjust turnbuckles.

So, a plethora of unsolved issues and at this rate I am moving further from finding the sloppy wheels problem, and creating more issues!

Can anyone make sense of this?

I appreciate your time!

Cheers

[Mulsanne]

A quick point about the steering rods. In order for the steering to centre properly the servo horn is not at 90 degres to the servo body when at neutral, it should point backwards a bit. Maybe you just need to turn the horn a few degrees on the splines?

[Meakz1973]

Alright, I'll do that tonight.

Cheers mate, one off the list !

Are your tie rods set at 34 and 37mm?

[Meakz1973]

Anyone got any ideas or knowledge on this please? or is it just a stupid question...

Cheers

"I found this strange too.... when I was applying the minimum amount of squeeze on transmitter trigger so I could get a good look at the wheels moving at slowest idle speed, the left wheel was juddering as diff shaft didn't turn evenly, it is as though the diff is slipping?

All others, front and rear rotate smoothly at the idle speed. When I applied throttle the problem seemed to go away... It is as though the diff is slipping at very slow speeds? Is this normal?"

[Meakz1973]

Fixed the slipping diff. Took everything part and rebuilt it. Very satisfying feeling as I really am no expert.

Rebuilt shocks and used my dremel and some Mothers polish to make the pistons smooth... much better.

What 'holes' do you guys use on rear and front shock towers for best running position please?

Is there a recognized best set up?

Thanks for any help.