I don’t have to elaborate on the importance of a steering servo to you. It basically controls the steering of the RC!
But there might be some twitching issues with your servo. You might think that what on earth you’ve done wrong to experience this.
Another question might come in your mind and that is why rc steering servo twitching?
Firstly, a wet or damp servo can be the cause your rc steering to twitch. It messes up the connections inside a servo. Secondly, insufficient power from the ESC can cause this. Finally, a worn-out servo may also be a reason for this. In that case, consider replacing the servo with a new one!
Replacing the servo is an option so is fixing the existing one. Here I’ve mentione all the details you might need to fix your struggling servo.
So, let’s gear up and dive in!
3 Reasons behind Your Twitching RC Steering Servo with Solutions
Now, you might be wondering why is my steering servo twitching? As it’s a complex component of your RC car, there are many causes for it malfunctioning.
For your convenience, I have included the reasons and fixes below. Have a look-
Reason 1: A Damp Servo
Usually, operating your RC electronics in water creates the RC steering servo problems.
This may be the most common reason behind your steering servo glitching. Oftentimes, water introduces itself inside of the servo and it becomes wet/damp.
The servo being wet can cause it to malfunction in a lot of ways. This will obviously create problems while steering the electronics you have.
In no situation, water is good for your electronics. You can consider it as a right-hand rule! Your electronics may be waterproof, but it is never less risky.
The electronics getting damaged by water is a frustrating situation because it also voids the warranty!
Water degrades the connections inside the servo. This causes the jittering, twitching, and random noises inside of it.
The servo can also stop working if the damage is critical! Anyhow, do not panic too much. Below, I have given the solution for a damp servo!
Solution: Clean the Damp Servo
It is possible to fix a damp servo. These steps will also help you prevent the servo jitter capacitor. So, follow the steps I have mentioned to revive it.
- First, take the covers off of the servo and disconnect the battery. For a damp servo, you can immediately see traces of water inside it.
- Next, locate the circuit board of the servo. You can find this greed board pretty easily.
Source: Pololu Robotics and Electronics
- After that, take a spare toothbrush and 99% isopropyl alcohol. Dip the toothbrush in the solution and clean the circuit board with it. Remember to reach every corner.
For your convenience, here are some top graded isopropyl alcohols I have mentioned-
| Image | Product Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
  | Solimo 99% Isopropyl Alcohol | Check Updated Price |
  | Member's Mark 91% Isopropyl Alcohol | Check Updated Price |
Using any of the solutions above can get your work accurately done!
- Right after cleaning the circuit board, let it dry. Give it time; don’t rush with any of the processes.
- Finally, reassemble the RC servo and run it. If it’s still twitching, repeat the steps for the receiver as well. That should fix the RC steering nicely.
This is a very effective way when you’re looking at how to fix servo twitching.
Reason 2: Insufficient Power from the ESC
For electronics, electricity is the sole important thing. Now, for this situation, the servo also needs power.
However, there are cases where the ESC can’t provide enough power to the servo. There can be a lack of power in the servo, which causes an unstable power supply.
The ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) of the RC electronic is very important. If it does not provide enough power, it only indicates that it’s faulty!
Sometimes there are also voltage problems in the ESC. In that case, you can see a red light blinking from ESC.
Source: YouTube
Some users confirmed that weak ESC causes the servo to lock randomly as well. For cars, rc car steering servo twitching can be observed because of faulty ESCs.
Fixing the ESC might seem too technical for you to understand. In reality, it is pretty easy! Just follow the steps I have mentioned below to fix the ESC.
Solution: Fix the ESC
It is an easy process to fix the ESC. Follow the step-by-step process provided below.
- First, take the cover of the ESC out. You can use screwdrivers to do this. You most probably have one, but if you don’t then SUNHZMCKP 8 in 1 Screwdriver is a great choice.
Source: RC10Talk
- Then, clean all the connections with a brush. You can use small paintbrushes to reach the tricky areas. This step is optional.
- After that, disconnect all the connections and reconnect them. Disconnecting and reconnecting things can fix a lot of things!
- Next, do a test run on the servo. If it’s still twitching, there can be some problems with the power source.
- The power source for the ESC is the battery of the RC electronic. The batteries can be rechargeable and non-rechargeable.
If it’s rechargeable (usually a hump pack battery), swap it with a spare pack. If it’s non-rechargeable, exchange them with new ones.
The batteries can be AAs or AAAs. They are inexpensive and can be found in stores or online. If you’re lazy like me then you can order these basic batteries from Amazon.
| Image | Product Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
  | Energizer Max AA Batteries | Check Updated Price |
  | Duracell Coppertop AA Batteries | Check Updated Price |
  | AAA High-Performance Alkaline Batteries | Check Updated Price |
- If the problems still remain, you can try replacing the ESC with a new one. It should solve the twitching problem of the servo.
This is the solution for a problematic ESC and the twitching servo!
Reason 3: Worn-out Servo
Just like any other type of equipment out there, things wear out. Old and worn-out pieces of equipment cause a lot of problems.
For the servo, you might various problems as well. Along with the twitching problem, you can also face servo vibration problems.
There are a few common symptoms of this problem. The vibrator on the servo may vibrate very slowly. It can also not vibrate at all.
With a worn-out servo, your servo will need troubleshooting. Still, for you, I’m here with the solution. Look below!
Solution
To avoid these kinds of problems, you have to replace the servo with a new one. When a servo is too old, repairing will only increase the hassle.
A fresh servo replacement will definitely fix the servo and remove any problems you have. It’s better to change the servo at an RC store.
But, if you know how to adjust steering servo connections, you can replace the servo at your home. If you choose to do you’ll need to buy a servo first.
Worry not! I’ve curated some of the top-class servo motors on the market. You can choose any of them according to your need.
| Image | Product Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
  | ANNIMOS 20KG Digital Servo | Check Updated Price |
  | BETU 2 Pack High Torque RC Servo | Check Updated Price |
  | LJWRC Metal Gear Digital Servo | Check Updated Price |
If you need a low torque servo then you can go for AGFrc B44DLM Digital Servo. Here’s a sneak peek of this 15KG torque servo.
After replacing the servo, an rc car steering servo setup is critically important. Setup your servo using the manual provided.
These are the reasons and solutions on how to fix rc steering servo twitching problems!
FAQs
Can you turn a servo motor by hand?
Yes, servo motors can be turned by hand. Although, it is not recommended at all. It holds two risks. The first one is getting the gears inside the servo motor damaged. The second one is, that you might get slightly electrocuted. If you’re obligated to turn the servo, do it while it’s turned off.
How do I know if my servo motor is bad?
Any bad servo motors give out a few symptoms here and there. For instance, bad servo motors take time to start themselves. Additionally, it can turn off without any proper warnings. This type of shutdown usually happens when the servo reaches a high speed. Malfunctioning servos can be tricky to repair.
How much volt does a servo use?
Servos utilize volts ranging from 4-12V depending on the type. For instance, standard voltages of servos are estimated to be 4.8V DC. It can be 6V & goes up to 12V. Similarly, a servo draws current from a few 100 milliamps to 10 amps. The required amount of current depends on the size of the servo.
The Final Words
I hope you’re now crystal clear about the reasons for your rc steering servo twitching. You can fix the servo easily as well by following the guideline.
You can easily avoid any problems regarding the servo by taking proper care. Remember, no electronics are actually waterproof!
Wishing you all the best!
