Linear potentiometer

Greetings to all forum members... I have a 4 DOF hybrid simulator, loss of traction, wheelie, pitch, roll.

I have little experience with simulators, but reading the numerous discussions I was able to gain some experience and set up a 4 DOF hybrid simulator.

I wanted to make some improvements to the simulator because I have to replace a broken potentiometer and I was trying to understand if it is possible to use a linear and non-rotating potentiometer like all simulators.

Did you mean electrically linear vs logarithmic or mechanically in terms of a direct reading the position of the rig?

I bought a linear magnetic (as in magnetic tape) encoder for my drill press. It as about $40 from Ali $400 from machine supply company. Turns a pretty crappy linear slide into an accurate tool.

The reading head need to be very precisely position about the tape. The tape is enclosed in an aluminum extrusion with a thin metal plate on top.

I meant a linear potentiometer to be applied to the rig in order to read the position of the rig and not the engine...like the potentiometers applied to the forks of racing bikes to understand what position the rig is in

My rig moves around way too much. i could not hold a precise position. I could build it into a linear actuator but my AC servos have a pretty precise motor encoder. I can see the advantage of direct encoding since the attachment of the screw to the motor could slip.