Anyone have any interesting methods of testing servo motor torque?

Shouldn’t be too hard to rig up a simple test, like all tests part of the challenge is calibrating it, making accurate measurements, to get accurate results.

Torque is simply a lever arm multiplied by a force, so:

If you have access to a good small scale, use or rig up a long arm, perhaps using some of the airplane horns that typically come with a servo. Use the servo arm to push down on the scale. Keep the arm as level as possible, maybe use something on the scale to get some height (zeroed out of course).

Or use an increasing weight hanging off the arm. A pulley with a cord tied and wrapped would be better, reduce errors from an unleveled arm.

Watch temps, take your time.

Multiply the lever arm length by the weight, for torque. More accurate the length and weight is measured the better the result.

RC servo specs typically aren't stated in real forces, so you can avoid the whole gravitational factor thing. Slight error depending on altitude.

Accuracy also requires a stable and known power voltage. Given some of the power hungry servos available these days (I assume you aren’t interested in measuring wimpy servos), this might be a challenge. Perhaps a good adjustable power supply?

Of course if you want to do it right, there are options:

Mark-10 Torque Testers

Let us know how it goes.