When it comes to driving your bot like a pro, how it steers can make all the difference. Whether you’re dodging hits in a 150g match or maneuvering a 1lb bruiser, steering mix affects how responsive—or controllable—your robot feels. And now, with the latest update to the Malenki-Nano, you’ve got a powerful new tool in your tuning toolbox: 100% internal steering mix.
Let’s break it down.
What Is Steering Mix?
Steering mix controls how much the left and right wheels behave differently when you turn. In a “tank drive” or differential drive robot, it’s how much one side slows down or reverses when you push the stick sideways.
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At 50% mix, only half of your forward speed is converted into turning.
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At 100% mix, you get maximum turning response—one side might stop or even reverse to pivot more sharply.
Most users don’t even realize this is happening. That’s because steering mix is often built into the radio or the receiver/ESC unit—like the Malenki.
Why Change the Steering Percentage?
Great question. The ideal mix setting depends on your bot and how you want it to feel:
1. Personal Preference
Some drivers love ultra-snappy response. Others want smoother, more forgiving control. Mix affects how twitchy or precise your bot feels during turns.
2. Bot Design
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Heavier bots, high-traction wheels, or 4WD configurations can resist turning.
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Light, 2WD bots may turn too fast if mix is too high.
3. Surplus Drive Power
If your motors are barely keeping up, aggressive turning might stall them. If you’ve got power to spare, you can afford sharper steering.
4. Arena Floor Grip
RC racers regularly adjust steering mid-race as track conditions change. Combat bot drivers should think the same way. Grip changes, and so should your settings.
The Problem: Radios That Can’t Mix
Transmitters like the Turnigy Evolution or FlySky FS-GT5 are affordable and user-friendly—but they don’t allow you to change steering mix. That left many Malenki users stuck with the default 50%.
Until now.
The Solution: Malenki’s 100% Mix Mode
With the June 2023 firmware update, the Malenki-Nano now lets you switch to 100% internal steering mix.
That means:
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Radios that can’t mix steering now get full responsiveness.
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Radios that can mix can start at 100% and dial it down as needed using Dual Rates or endpoints.
Changing the mix is easy: enter Configuration Mode (power on the Malenki 5 seconds before the radio and send pulses on Channel 5), then select the “11 pulses” option to enable full mix.
💡 Pro Tip: Tune It to the Arena
Just like RC racers, you can adjust your steering percentage when you show up at a new venue.
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Low grip floors? Dial up the steering.
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Grippy floors? Dial it down for control.
If your radio supports Dual Rates on the steering channel, you can even toggle between mix levels while you drive.
🛠️ Final Thoughts
The new steering mix mode in the Malenki isn’t just a technical tweak—it’s a game-changer for drivability. Whether you’re a new builder using a simple radio or an experienced driver fine-tuning for competition, you now have full control over how your bot handles.
This tiny update unlocks a big leap in performance.