Frustrated with Servos

[Funky]

Frustrated with servos. I have a ton of flights on my 450s (probably 3-4000). I fly them every time I go out flying. I have been through so many servos, I wish I could find a reliable set that can take some abuse. I have used 410s, 410Ms, 415s, 430s, rjx micros, jr285s, jr285MGs, hs65mgs, 5065mgs and probably a few more I am not thinking of. I just had another light crash and snapped 2 output shafts on some RJX servos. I can't find gears anywhere and the replacement set are rediculous. It is always the same gear that breaks in these, I wish they sold it seperately. I am sick of going though so many sets. The rest of my crash damage is usually pretty light but the servo costs are adding up.

Any highly reccomended servos out there? What about the arms that are designed to bend? Will these work with any micro servos or just the high powered ones. I have considered the BK mini servos but they are very pricey for mini servos and if I have the same issues I won't be happy after spending all of that extra money.

I know I should just quit crashing but that is just not going to happen. After 8 years in this hobby, crashing is just part of it. I am much more careful with my large helis and hardly ever crash those but I don't have a sim anymore and try my new stuff on the 450s.

Any advice would be appreciated. I know this question gets asked a lot but I want to hear from people that are flying hard and crashing often. Any tips or tricks for me?

[Steve Joblin]

Break-away servo horns?

[Yfbb]

You can make your own sacrificial servo horns using some number 6 o rings. Take the o ring, and cut off a segment of it so that it looks like a crescent. Then stuff it into the hole of the servo horn. It will decrease the contact surface of the cogs, therefore weakening the horn's connection. Should save your gears, not to mention adding some thread locking. If the number 6 isn't enough, you can use an even thicker o-ring, but make sure the reduced contact can still take the load.

[helirifick]

Which break away servo horns do you recommend? Secraft aluminum ones? Could you post some links or part numbers.

thanks

[Steve Joblin]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gear-Protect...bff&rmvSB=true

[SHYguy]

MKS DS95 servos = good investment

+ FBL with CR maybe?

[RC/DC_5000]

Yep. Servos break. They all break. I've broken DS 95 servos just as easily as I've broken Align servos. If the output shafts/gears are stronger, then the motor will get kinks and notches in it.

As much as you've accepted crashing as part of the hobby- you'll need to accept servos breaking are part of the hobby in turn.

The breakaway servo horns are your best bet. Or a bailout FBL like Vbar Neo, or what I do- do my risky flying really high. Leave plenty of room to figure out whats wrong before you smack the ground.

[Funky]

I accept breaking stuff as part of the hobby. I have 14 helis from 450s to 700s, nitro and electric... but have broke more servos in my 450 than all of the other combined. Before I went fbl with my 450, I ran the same 5065 servos for 3 years without a single broken gear. I understand that fbl mixed with a dfc head is much harder on the servos, I just want to make sure I haven't overlooked any options that might help.

I ordered 3 sets of the breakaway arms for my 450s... I will give them a shot.

[RC/DC_5000]

http://www.lynxheli.com/product_info...ducts_id=23463

You might consider these as well. They are supposed to snap before transferring the energy into the servos.

[Funky]

Nice, I haven't seen those. A little pricey but I like the idea.

[PTFlyer]

I think these are the best bang for the buck myself....been running the same set as long as I can remember....

stripped gears only a couple/three times...and I crash my 450....alot...

KST 215 mg gears fit as replacement so they are easy to find...

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arch=tgy%20306

[Funky]

Mine definitely have a few crashes.... but they are noticeably worse with the dfc heads.

...and when I say crashes... well...



Thats an old pic I don't crash as often as before. The crash that snapped my 2 rjx servo shafts was my first heli crash this year and the 1st crash on this set of servos (on grass too). Still, I need a setup that can take a lot of abuse. It seems like there are no good mini servos that can hold up like the big ones. I ordered both types of breakable/bendable arms so Ill try those in 2 seperate 450s and see how they do. It seems to work with big helis using plastic arms so hopefully that will be the new weak point.

I might try a set of 215s too although I think they are the same as my RJX servos with a different sticker.

[Helique]

Originally Posted by PTFlyer

I think these are the best bang for the buck myself....been running the same set as long as I can remember....

stripped gears only a couple/three times...and I crash my 450....alot...

KST 215 mg gears fit as replacement so they are easy to find...

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arch=tgy%20306

Those look exactly like my KST servos - gotta be made by the same manufacturer. Great servos! Combine these with breakaway arms and you shouldn't have to replace servo parts to often.

[Yfbb]

Originally Posted by Funky

I might try a set of 215s too although I think they are the same as my RJX servos with a different sticker.

They look similar but they are not the same. KST makes their own servos while the rjx servos are made by servoking. Servoking has much better finish on the servo cases and slightly better specs as well, but I use the kst servos and they are very good and significantly cheaper. I don't even know if kst and turnigy servos are the same. The finishes look very different but the specs are the same unlike the servoking/rjx ones so I don't know.

[rex09]

I too feel the pain of servo damage, every crash = at least 2 servos or at best the gears, slightly better with the non DFC head.
My old FB 450/belt TR would get 4-5 crashes per servo & the crash would have to do the tail boom, frame, mast, grips, gears, swashplate, but the joy of the pro is worth it, just. Sure don't need the manual any more.
trying a set of SAVOX servos, so far they are better the Align 415's, zero back lash, much more solid in flight, only time & the next crash will tell

[SHYguy]

Try those break-easy servo horns

[Funky]

I installed the blue breakaway arms on my 2 450 DFCs. I also replaced the servos in both helis in case either of them had previous damage. One has RJX servos, the other has Align 430m servos. I also purchased some secraft arms for both helis if the cheap blue breakaway arms don't work out. I will post after I crash them and let everyone know the results.

Has anyone crashed their 450 a few times with either type of these servo arms? If so, did your servo gears survive? Has anyone crashed with these arms and damaged a servo anyways?

[SHYguy]

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread...39#post5102639

[Funky]

I flew both helis this morning and was very happy with the results. I was a bit concerned that the weak servo horns might flex under hard stops, quick direction changes, etc but they seem to be holding fine. I am not a hard stick banger and only run around 3000rpms with 325 blades so these are not "hot rod" setups although I do fly all orientations with 3d flight from take-off to landing. They both flew just fine for my style.

[oliver1071]

I thought I read somewhere that a bunch of brands were using the same gears. BK, MKS, RJX, KST.
I always snap the main gear with BK's and KST's they look like the identical gear and I heard that they were thinking about offering the main gear only to make it cheaper. I hope they do because every one of my crashes the main gear was the only thing damaged.

I may try the MKS gear. Thought it's not that much cheaper than a full set http://www.experiencerc.com/store/pr...ducts_id=15803