DT02 vs DT03 STEERING RADIUS

[rwordenjr 1890]

I'm trying to find out if the servo on my DT02 sucks or if the steering radius is just a lot less pronounced than the DT03. The DT03 can make very sharp turns while the DT02 can't turn nearly as well. Anyone here have experience with both? Did you also notice the big difference in the two cars steering radius?

[TurnipJF 9192]

I have both, and since the steering radius is a function of the steering angle allowed by the uprights and knuckles combined with the wheelbase, I find that the DT-02 has a smaller turning circle than the DT-03, as both have the same uprights and knuckles but the DT-02 has a shorter wheelbase. 

[Saito2 6686]

I'm a bit confused by how these two compare. IIRC the DT03 has equal length steering rods for less bump steer and more front kick-up(?). The increased kick-up plus the longer wheelbase, in theory, should make the buggy more stable and the steering smoother and less twitchy but not necessarily tighter. The DT02 on the other hand, with the shorter wheelbase and less kick-up, should turn tighter and have more responsive steering, though not a stable on the rough stuff. Most complain that the DT02 understeers, making for wide turns. I don't read much about these concerns with the DT03. Is it all down to lousy front tires holding the DT02 back or is there something else?

[waterbok 1282]

Depends on the speed you are turning at.

The DT02 tends to slide over the front on full turn without added weight in the nose.

[ChrisRx718 4470]

Turn-in is as much a function of how good your servo is rather than mechanical grip.

Have they both got the same servo? Is it possible the one in the DT02 is old and tired?

I don't have a DT03 to compare, but certainly my DT02 has enough steering force to grip-roll and make very tight turns!

[rwordenjr 1890]

5 hours ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Turn-in is as much a function of how good your servo is rather than mechanical grip.

Have they both got the same servo? Is it possible the one in the DT02 is old and tired?

I don't have a DT03 to compare, but certainly my DT02 has enough steering force to grip-roll and make very tight turns!

Both have new servos but from a different company. The DT03 has a savox 1251 and the DT02 has an off brand digital metal servo. I'll make a video today of the two cars steering while stationary which can show the big difference. 

[rwordenjr 1890]

9 hours ago, TurnipJF said:

I have both, and since the steering radius is a function of the steering angle allowed by the uprights and knuckles combined with the wheelbase, I find that the DT-02 has a smaller turning circle than the DT-03, as both have the same uprights and knuckles but the DT-02 has a shorter wheelbase. 

Yes that's what I'm seeing as well. Wide turns is how I saw someone else describe it in the thread and that's what I mean. It can't make sharp turns making it hard to go around objects. 

[rwordenjr 1890]

@ChrisRx718 

@waterbok

@Saito2

@TurnipJF

 

Heres the videos 

[ChrisRx718 4470]

Yep - that's all down to the servo. Whatever is in there at the moment; it's naff 

BlueBird make good budget options, available from RCmart or HobbyKing. Otherwise it's time to invest in another Savox £££

 

[rwordenjr 1890]

21 minutes ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Yep - that's all down to the servo. Whatever is in there at the moment; it's naff 

BlueBird make good budget options, available from RCmart or HobbyKing. Otherwise it's time to invest in another Savox £££

 

Lol it's some kind of $20 one off eBay. digital metal gear but you see the performance 

[TurnipJF 9192]

Yup, probably the servo. Unless it is the radio settings? Which transmitter are you using with the cars? Does it have multi model memory? And if so, are the endpoints and rates set the same for both cars?

[nowinaminute 2815]

Hmm might be worth checking the radio settings. Even a cheap metal gear servo should easily be up to that and way stronger than something like a plastic geared s3003.

 

I do find both my dt02 and 03 can understeer quite a lot but usually only on soft surfaces and sand where the light front end and lack of grip cause issues, they both seem to turn keenly when there's plenty of grip and I haven't even got fancy servos in those, just the £2.70 hobbyking ones.

[rwordenjr 1890]

5 hours ago, TurnipJF said:

Yup, probably the servo. Unless it is the radio settings? Which transmitter are you using with the cars? Does it have multi model memory? And if so, are the endpoints and rates set the same for both cars?

I'm using the Futaba 3PV with both and yes the settings are the same for each car except for the steering trim (The cars are very close to even. DT02 is like R10 and DT03 is like R15 on the steering trim).

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

15 hours ago, rwordenjr said:

Lol it's some kind of $20 one off eBay. digital metal gear but you see the performance 

Those servos should be fine, especially if you mean USD.  I have some really cheap (like USD4) ones and one of them did that, but my go to is only about USD13 and they all work fine. Could be bad luck though with a bad servo as to me that looks like the servo is the problem

The only thing would be to check the EPA on the radio, that may be limiting the travel. Its hard to set that accidently on the 3PV due to the way the menus work, but a kid playing with them could do that. I don't think thats the problem as it looks slow as well as uneven, it just looks like a faulty servo

[rwordenjr 1890]

9 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

Those servos should be fine, especially if you mean USD.  I have some really cheap (like USD4) ones and one of them did that, but my go to is only about USD13 and they all work fine. Could be bad luck though with a bad servo as to me that looks like the servo is the problem

The only thing would be to check the EPA on the radio, that may be limiting the travel. Its hard to set that accidently on the 3PV due to the way the menus work, but a kid playing with them could do that. I don't think thats the problem as it looks slow as well as uneven, it just looks like a faulty servo

I'm gonna get a savox and throw it in the dt02 and see how it is. Those are really good but sure not cheap. 

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

12 minutes ago, rwordenjr said:

I'm gonna get a savox and throw it in the dt02 and see how it is. Those are really good but sure not cheap. 

My go to now is the 1258TG, brilliant servos but pricey. I use them in race cars

[Juls1 1661]

My DT02 turns sharper than my DT03, for no other reason than it’s shorter. It is more inclined to push under power however as the short wheelbase makes the front lighter. 
 

I prefer the DT03 personally, but my DN01 makes the handling of both seem like a joke. 

[rwordenjr 1890]

33 minutes ago, Juls1 said:

My DT02 turns sharper than my DT03, for no other reason than it’s shorter. It is more inclined to push under power however as the short wheelbase makes the front lighter. 
 

I prefer the DT03 personally, but my DN01 makes the handling of both seem like a joke. 

so you're thinking the servo is my issue with the dt02?

[rwordenjr 1890]

10 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

My go to now is the 1258TG, brilliant servos but pricey. I use them in race cars

that's the one im putting in my new stadium thunder! in my dt03, ive got the 1251 black edition 

[rwordenjr 1890]

5 hours ago, rwordenjr said:

that's the one im putting in my new stadium thunder! in my dt03, ive got the 1251 black edition 

@Jonathon Gillham which cars do you have?

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

7 minutes ago, rwordenjr said:

@Jonathon Gillham which cars do you have?

My son and I have accumulated a collection...

Race cars are HB Racing D413 (his) and D418 (mine), then Associated RC10B6D each. His have the Savox 1251MG and mine the 1258TG. And a HB D817v2 nitro buggy 

Then he has an F103 and TT02  mine is TRF102 and TA07 Pro (with some hopups),  but these have Trackstar or JX servos.

We have some rere buggies which are being setup for vintage racing too, a Boomerang, Novafox (silvercan class) Top Force and Super Astute (brushed modified, basically super stock 23T). The Super Astute hasn't been built yet, just waiting on some spurs and turnbuckles.

There are some more too, 2 TT02B's (the first cars we got s few years ago, they multiplied...), a Monster Beetle and an old Kyosho Mantis EP from the 90s. 

Think thats it, unless you want to get into boats or other things...

[rwordenjr 1890]

1 minute ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

My son and I have accumulated a collection...

Race cars are HB Racing D413 (his) and D418 (mine), then Associated RC10B6D each. His have the Savox 1251MG and mine the 1258TG. And a HB D817v2 nitro buggy 

Then he has an F103 and TT02  mine is TRF102 and TA07 Pro (with some hopups),  but these have Trackstar or JX servos.

We have some rere buggies which are being setup for vintage racing too, a Boomerang, Novafox (silvercan class) Top Force and Super Astute (brushed modified, basically super stock 23T). The Super Astute hasn't been built yet, just waiting on some spurs and turnbuckles.

There are some more too, 2 TT02B's (the first cars we got s few years ago, they multiplied...), a Monster Beetle and an old Kyosho Mantis EP from the 90s. 

Think thats it, unless you want to get into boats or other things...

That's awesome! My current collection is Manta Ray, Baja King, Sand Viper, Racing Fighter black edition, and Stadium Thunder (on the way). 

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

2 minutes ago, rwordenjr said:

That's awesome! My current collection is Manta Ray, Baja King, Sand Viper, Racing Fighter black edition, and Stadium Thunder (on the way). 

The collections grow quick eh! Good mix of old an new there. 

 I was wanting new kits just to build so built a scratch built yacht instead. For somewhere between the cost of a DT03 and Egress I got 16 months of building fun with the result being more like functional art. Problem is it takes up the space of a few cars...there is a build thread, Racing Sparrow if you're interested, not Tamiya but still...