BIDULE 170 STEERING SERVO SAVER
by Scot Stewart
Steering Servo Saver and Servo Holder
Top frame piece made from 2" x 2" x 1/8" aluminum angle. Cut to length with a cutoff wheel in a die grinder and the edges finished on a disc sander and a little filing. All the holes are just simple drill press work.
Lower Bracket with Losi Parts
Here is the bottom bracket and all the Losi parts that get bolted/assembled to it. You can see the wedge shape of the two mating bell crank arms that work to compress the spring as the servo saver during a shock load. The blue knurled nut adjusts the tension of the spring.
Steering Rotation Assembly
Now with the steering rotating assembly complete, mounted on the bottom frame piece and the large washer for end play adjustment and the smaller washer stack for spacing the frames apart enough that the nose gear nylon block bolts will fit inside the frame.
Assembly Order
All lined up to hint at the assembly order.
Stacking the Washers
Here the washers are stacked for assembly. The large 3/8" washer fits over the end of the shaft and the smaller 1/4" washer stack. All ready to accept the top frame and 5mm flat head screw to tie it all together.
Steering Linkages
With the frames assembled to the servo saver, it's time to bring in the linkages and servo. When I tighten the top screw holding the top frame to the pivot post/bottom frame assembly, I start with the pieces vertical and just snug up the top screw. Then I lay the assembly with the backs of the frame pieces on a flat surface and final tighten the top screw. This keeps the two frame pieces aligned making a flat surface that will go against the firewall at installation.
Firewal Side of the Assembly.
This would be a view from the firewall side of the assembly.
The assembly turned over:
The cockpit side of the unit, looking forward towards the motor
Ready for Installation in the Fuselage.
All built and ready to bolt into the Bidule
One Last Photo
One last photo to show how it fits on the firewall and how much of the kit internal shelf I removed for access for assembly. Ignore the small nyloc-nuts against the triangle stock reinforcing the firewall to fuse join, they are my Rube Goldberg clamping system while the epoxy dries. Ok, I can't lie...pull that out and whole thing blows apart like a house of cards.... really it does... really.