Stripped Hi tec Servo questions

[newnitrofan]

Sup guys well was bashing the savage today and my steering was acting all kinds of funny I would turn it right and it would stay there. Well I beleive it is my servo internal gears. I don't know nothing else makes sense though. Haven't taken it apart to verify at all. I just got it about four months back and well will hi tec warranty it do you think???Still have the box and all that. A set of replacement gears is $20 dollars and I think I could have a hi tec 645 for another $20.00

 

[kwong2001]

Well, there's only one way to know if hitec will cover it under warranty....either call them or send it in. But I wouldn't bother if you lost the receipt for the servo.

 

[SkyMaxx]

Have you checked the obvious things? As in have you removed the servo and checked out how it works without any linkages attached? If so, does it still go all the way to the right and not move back?

As for warranty, without a receipt...you are pretty much dead in the water. You might be able to get something by calling or writing them, but there is no guarantee.

 

[scottm]

There is something wrong with the current 645's. We bought 6 a month ago, and 4 of them went bad. They only turn about 1/4 of the normal travel in one direction. I have heard the 945 is much better, for a reasonable price. I gave up on hitech and now run JR for throttle and airtronics 94358 for steering. Overkill I know, but I hate being stopped by unreliable stuff.

 

[mattyk6]

Hitec's customer service is the best that I have seen. They usually do accept servo's without receipts. I've even heard of having Hitec repair a four year old servo for free (only had to pay S&H).

Try turning the servo by hand. If you can hear the gears rotate, they aren't stripped. You should be able to hear/feel the gears slipping if they are stripped.

Matt

 

[mcvickj]

Where are you getting your prices from newnitrofan? I have yet to see a 645MG for $20. A set of replacement gears is $12.95 from ServoCity.com. A new 645MG is $40.

 

[newnitrofan]

Mcvickj the 945 gears are $20.00 at servo city. Hmm here's the strange thing yesterday I was bashing and the steering started to become non responsive and it would turn right but not left than not at all. Took off the servo saver, running an ofna servo saver similar to a kimbrough and exchanged it with the stock savage servo saver and same results. Strange though I took a pair of needle nose pliers to it and it didn't feel like it stripped. I am starting to wonder if the screw hole for it is stripped somehow. I am going to try another screw and see if it holds. Sad part for me is I just figured out that the end point settings on my XS3 were a little off not letting me turn fully left, figured that all out and my steering was sweet. After I started to bash one tank full it took a crap.

 

[SkyMaxx]

You haven't answered my question, yet. Have you tried the thing under positive control without any linkage attached? As in plug the thing into the receiver; turn on the transmitter and see if the servo behaves normally or not under your control without any load on it. The answer to this question can tell you a lot and might even tell you if the screw hole is stripped out or not.

If it misbehaves without anything attached to it, the servo is probably toast.

 

[kwong2001]

Um, why don't you just remove the servo and take it apart? It really isn't that hard to do.

 

[newnitrofan]

Sky yes I have and it seemed normal moved back and forth just fine. Seemed to even drag the needle nose without anything going bad.

Kwong kinda hard to take it apart when it has been plasti dipped. I now know I will use other methods to water proof in the future.

 

[SkyMaxx]

Next, put the control arm, servo horn or whatever you choose to call it on the servo and screw it in place (nothing attached tot he arm/horn). With that in place, again try the controls.

If the servo behaves, apply some resistance to the servo horn. What happens? If the horn slips, you have stripped something inside the servo. Meaning that something might be loose, gears might be tore up, screw hole might be done, or the adapter (if on is in use) could be stripped.

If the horn does not slip, then your issue is most likely in the linkages and not the servo.

 

[newnitrofan]

Ok did as said and I pretty much think something in the screw hole is gone. Pulled everything off and normal operation so this is good. Next put on a new adapter and new servo horn and normal operation. Now I screwed it in with three different screws coarse thread, fine thread and long JR servo screw. It worked best with the coarse thread screw when I applied pressure it did slip but not as bad. So this tells me I had the wrong screw in there all along. Now I am just a little confused as to what screw I should have in there. Is it possible to somehow rethread the screw hole. I can also probably open up the servo and use a replacement screw holder guy.

 

[mcvickj]

I am still confused. Why are you looking at 945 gears when you have a 645? Your orginial post mentions the 645. So which one are we talking about?

The 645MG servo uses a machine thread screw. The size is 2.6x8mm.

I'm with kwong. I think you need to open up the servo. Only then will you really know whats going on. It shouldn't be that hard to take it. All you should need is an exacto to peel the plasti dip off.

 

[SkyMaxx]

The easiest solution at this point is what MCVICK and Kwong are suggesting. You have now narrowed the problem down to the output gear of the servo. By a replacement for that, get the right screw, install both and you should be good to go.

 

[newnitrofan]

Update: Well it was a wrong spline for the servo adapter. Man let me tell you I am so upset right now I could scream. I hacked on the 945, the screw would not hold or anything so Now I need to get a new set of gears anyways. Before I hacked on it I didn't need to. Newayz thank you guys for all your help. Got a new 645 and everything is great.

Hmmm also while I am at it anybody know a good way to tell if a battery is in fact bad??? I am running a JR radio and receiver the XS3 and RS300 RX and I think my battery pack has gone bad. All of my electronics would twitch and twitter and all that and I pulled out the RX pack that was in there and switched over to rechargable alkalines and voila it was all stopped. I take it is in fact bad.

 

[mcvickj]

Glad to hear you fixed your problem.

Maybe the pack needs to be recharged? Or will the servos twitch after recharging it?

 

[newnitrofan]

The servos twitch with even a fresh charge on it. I am beginning to just think that the pack is bad all together. Wish I had not sacrificed the 945 though. OH well live and learn.