Navigation helper acting weird

The I’ve handled tabs in the past has always bothered me. I’m trying to handle them a different way, now that I have better options. Just like anything you do the first time, I’m sure this could be improved upon—but here’s what I have:

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# application_helper.rb
def main_navigation(links)
  li_class, link_class = 'left', 'non-current'
  nav_bar = Array.new
  links.each do |link|
    li_class = 'right' if controller.controller_name.downcase == 'settings'
    link_class = 'current' if controller.controller_name.downcase == link.downcase
    nav_bar << "<li class='#{li_class}'>#{link_to link.capitalize, '/' + link.downcase, :class => link_class}</li>"
  end
  nav_bar
end

I’m calling this helper like this:

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# layout
<%= main_navigation ['dashboard','messages','settings'] %>

Yes, each link does correspond to a controller, and the reason I’m changing the ‘settings’ tab is because I want it off to the right, separated from the other tabs. The concept is obvious, but this thing is acting crazy. Here’s what happens when I click…

1. Dashboard—All three list items have class='left' and each tab has class='current'
2. Messages—All three list items have class='left' but this time, the Dashboard tab has class='non-current'
3. Settings—All three list items have class='right', and only the Settings tab has class='current' (which actually is the current section, making it the only one to follow the ‘current’ rule)

It seems like the li_class always applies to all three tabs, but the link_class doesn’t. Is there something blatantly wrong with this?

UPDATE—the only trouble I’m having is with the ‘left’ and ‘right’ settings. All tabs are left if I click on Dashboard or Messages, and all tabs are right if I click on Settings. I had the li_class and link_class being initialized outside the loop, like an ignoramus. But I can’t seem to get the settings tab to be the only tab with class='right'.