Savage steering question.

[BLS]

I just got my savage ss kit. I started assembling the steering linkage, and have a question. Is it recommended to lubricate the plastic bushings on the steerig posts with powdered graphite? Thanks for the help.

[traxxas-dude]

I've never heard of that before, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt it... :)

[BLS]

I plan on upgrading them to bearings, not sure when. Im not sure if the graphite will eat away at the plastic bushings or not, or is the powder fine and soft enough? Anyone else use graphite?

[newracer]

I have used dry graphite between nylon/aluminum connections for years with no problems. I put it on all my ball links. It should be fine on the Savage.

[cretin]

get the ofna monster pirate steering setup for your truck now. it's a whole lot easier than doing it later.

[kitty]

Yours came with plastic bushings? That's weird. Mine came with brass. At any rate, powdered graphite should work just fine for you. If you drive your truck on really dusty surfaces (and you should ;)), it's good to clean the bushings every now and then. You could get by okay using motor spray or automotive non-chlorinated brake cleaner, then re-apply the graphite.

As cretin mentioned, the Ofna MP servo saver setup is the way to go in the long run. The stock servo saver on the Savage is weak. Even a Kimbrough #124 will wear out on the Savage. That's a lot of weight pushing on that type of servo saver. The MP setup isn't very expensive either - it just takes a little tweaking to install.

[cretin]

mine had crappy plastic bushings too.

get the ofna clutch bell shim kit.

[Windsorguy99]

With the OFNA monster pirate Servo saver kit, I found that a Glow plug gasket was the perfect size for shimming the bellcrank...cheap and easy :D

For the recored the OFNA monster pirate servo saver kit will cost you cloe to the same amouont as just the bearings alone from HPI....and it comes with the bearings..part number is 18098 or something similar to that..verify ybefore you buy, as they also have the kit without bearings

[Puffnstuff]

Yeah you want the mp kit with the bearings, 18098, as there's only around $5 difference between it and the cheaper bushing kit.

[kitty]

Word has it that HPI will be coming out with a bellcrank servo saver before too long. However, if it's made with aluminum parts, the price will likely be outrageous, just as it is with other aluminum bits they have come out with. It doesn't make sense to me, what with other aftermarket companies putting out the same parts in aluminum, but are less expensive.

[Windsorguy99]

How heavy is everyone going for their diff fluids to help improve steering with their Savages?

[kitty]

Right now I'm using 10k front and rear, but I plan to go much heavier, probably 100k in the rear and I'm undecided for the front.

You'll probably get a ton of different answers. The main difference is whether you're a regular backyard basher, a racer or do both. I may race mine at some point after I do some further mods, but I'm having a lot of fun bashing mine. The reason I'm going with heavier fluid in the rear diff is for a bit more of a posi-trac feel, yet not totally locked.

[Windsorguy99]

I'm looking more for race track use..to help negotiate a fairly tight track...

I've also considered adding an anti-roll bar to the rear....