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Need help with Savage brakes

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MRstar02

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I'm new to this site so I'm sorry if this is in the wrong spot.

I just recently purchased a used Savage X 4.6 two things.
1: The brakes don't work at all....I mean at all no brakes period! I saw that the rod that goes in the transmission was missing the end of it right after the cut out. I replaced the rod and the brass piece also still nothing. I tighten the screws down that hold the brake pads(?) also nothing. I read somewhere to try and put on a rubber hose on the rod connected to the servo since that spring maybe weak. Tried that but for some reason the rod that goes in the transmission just comes out all the time is there something that I'm not doing right? Or something that maybe broken in the transmission?

2: What should my range be with this truck I feel like I have to stand right next to it or it doesn't react (yes there new batteries in the truck and controller) or worse WOT across the parking lot ( scared the crap out of me!!) I feel like the previous owner may have cut the antenna how long should it be?
 
If the brake rod can be pulled out of the transmission it is not engaged with the brake piston (little brass piece). The rod has a notch in it that the piston sits in and keeps the rod in place. Thats also why you have no brakes, the notch is not pushing the piston.

No range could be many things, receiver/antenna, a short, bad controller hard to say without some trouble shooting. If its a 2.4ghz radio the range should be further than you can see to drive it.
 
So the rod that goes into the transmission is suppose to come out when the brakes are not engaged?? It rattles out when I'm driving the truck around? That doesn't seem right to me.

Also how long is that antenna wire suppose to be? This wire is not that long at all. I feel like the previous owner cut it or ran over it either way. If I was to solder another wire on there would that help or would I be causing more damage than anything?
 
No, the rod is not supposed to come out of the transmission, it is assembled wrong.
Look at the rod, there is a notch at the bottom; the rod goes in 1st with the notch facing the hole where the piston goes. Line up the notch with the hole and then install the piston in the hole into the notch. Then the brake calipers/pads and disk are installed.

An old am radio system will have a long antenna; the newer 2.4 ghx radios have shorter antennas. What system do you have, there should be a name on the transmitter and receiver with the type of system.
 
It's the 2.4ghz radio. If it is suppose to have a shorter antenna why the problem with my range?? Could it be interference with something else in the area? I know that cordless phones use that frequency don't they (or they used to) I'm afraid to take it drive it at a distance with the possibility of it loosing connection. Because I've figured out the hard way that there is no fail safe on this truck. :-(

Do you think that if I tighten the screws down more that it would hold the brake against that brass piston keeping that rod in there better I just don't know what is to tight? Do I have to take the transmission out to install the rod and piston correctly or can I keep the transmission in there to replace the rod and piston?


P.S. - Sorry for all the question but I really do appreciate the help
 
In my experience, with 2.4ghz signals, antenna placement means very little. I have some vehicles where I just stuff the antenna in the battery compartment and have no range issues whatsoever. Most likely the antenna has been damaged. It's very common on a Savage as when it flips, the antenna tube can break, and cut/fray the antenna wire. Even if it's subtle your range will be affected immensely. After that your choices are to replace the antenna wire (probably not worth the trouble unless you are skilled at soldering, or by a new rx.

Just ensure that when you turn the truck over, the antenna tube does not touch the ground or it will happen all over again (it happened to me twice before I figured out what was going on). You can cut it down to about 2 inches and be fine (cut the tube, not the wire!). I know a few guys I run our Savages with just drill a hole in their battery tray and run the tube/antenna backward facing the rear (horizontally). Or, as I noted you can just stuff it in the in the box and be fine.

As for how much range should you get....on the vehicles I just stuff the wire in the housing....the range is far enough to where I can really even see the vehicle. Hope this helps.

Also, remember the fail-safe means nothing if a) not setup correctly, and b) the rx looses it's signal.
 
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Good news I think that I fixed the brakes I just tighten the screws that hold the brakes down tighter. It seems to work ... for now. I can't pull out the rod either so that's a good sign.

I measured the antenna wire it is 3 1/2 inches from the radio box to the. Is that how long it is suppose to be? If I was to solder another couple inches of wire would that ruin the antenna at all? I don't have a tube/straw at all. It didn't come with one when I bought it.


I was maybe 25 feet from the truck (maybe less) when it lost signal and just kept the last thing that it was at which was 1/2 throttle and straight ahead...until it ran into a parked car. Scared the crap out of me. I just felt like that was not a very big distance at all. I want to take it to the local track in the spring but I'm worried I won't be able to control it from the stands.
 
If you are confident it's your rx...I suggest getting a new one. I don't jack around rx that are going bad. I had a runaway Savage once (it kept a nice straighine) and went so far it was out of view. If anything suggest not to drive it in public until it's resolved...merely for the safety aspect
 
If I replace it RX in the car can I keep the controller that I still have with out purchasing another one? If I can how to I connect the controller and RX together without a crystal?
 
There is a simple 'binding' process that mates the controller to the Rx.
Don't start the truck but have a friend hold it while you walk away hitting the trigger and steering to confirm the distance of the signal.

A rod comes out of the transmission and another upright rod is connected to it. In the pic below it is silver with a black connector that goes to the green Z-bend linkage to the servo.
When the linkage is disconnected you must be able to engage the brakes by either pushing or pulling (front to back) the upright linkage.
If you can't then it is not correctly installed inside the trans.

Alloy_Sav4.webp
 
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Mine doesn't have the bend in it like that Is it suppose to? Is that mod to make it work better? I think that I have it working now I don't think that my screws were tight enough holding the brakes and pads so they were causing the brass plunger to move too much causing the rod to come out (hence no brakes) ... since that's the only thing that hold the rod in.

I will have to do that and see how far the range is so I have a good idea to know how far I can go safely. I read somewhere that I should get a "humpback" battery pack (I think that's what it's called?) does that make a huge difference over the 'standard' 4 battery pack?


SIDE NOTE: I know that it's completely off topic but with that Savage in that picture with almost everything aluminium is that thing bulletproof??
 
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You won't have the z bend. It was done to clear the inside of the custom roll bar. I just mentioned it so you would know what linkage to follow.

:stickup:??? Hasn't been run yet...
 

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