High end servo debate....
10-15-2004, 12:41 AM
#32
Haha I barely speak English!
Airtronics is the U.S. importer of Sanwa.
Airtronics is the U.S. importer of Sanwa.
10-15-2004, 02:44 PM
#34
Working at hobby shop/track, I see every brand servo fail.
But the Hitec's and JR's fail the most.
I personally recommend the Airtronics and KO Propo high end servo's.
I have not personally used any high end Futaba servo's, but i rarely see a failed unit.
Intresting thing is, mostly, the lesser skilled drivers drivers choose the lower budget servos (hitec, JR), they crash more. The faster more skilled drivers mainly use the more expensive brands, they crash less. So it would be hard for me to make a blanket statement saying they break more because of a quality issue. Word of mouth is a powerfull advertising method, and there must be a reason most of the pro's run Airtronics, KO Propo and Futaba. You just don't see to many novice drivers running a $120 servo
But the Hitec's and JR's fail the most.
I personally recommend the Airtronics and KO Propo high end servo's.
I have not personally used any high end Futaba servo's, but i rarely see a failed unit.
Intresting thing is, mostly, the lesser skilled drivers drivers choose the lower budget servos (hitec, JR), they crash more. The faster more skilled drivers mainly use the more expensive brands, they crash less. So it would be hard for me to make a blanket statement saying they break more because of a quality issue. Word of mouth is a powerfull advertising method, and there must be a reason most of the pro's run Airtronics, KO Propo and Futaba. You just don't see to many novice drivers running a $120 servo
10-15-2004, 03:08 PM
#36
Another way to look at it is this:
If you buy a inadequate $40 servo instead of a superior $90 servo to save $50 you have'nt saved $50, you've lost $40 because you will be making that purchase again.
Not to say a $40 servo is a bad product, but in a 1/8th buggy it may be a bad application.
How much will it cost if your car's throttle servo goes south at full throttle and your $350 motor over-revs for 30 seconds before you can get to it?
(Iknow it's a rare situation but I've been racing gas only 1 month and have seen it happen once so far...)
If you buy a inadequate $40 servo instead of a superior $90 servo to save $50 you have'nt saved $50, you've lost $40 because you will be making that purchase again.
Not to say a $40 servo is a bad product, but in a 1/8th buggy it may be a bad application.
How much will it cost if your car's throttle servo goes south at full throttle and your $350 motor over-revs for 30 seconds before you can get to it?
(Iknow it's a rare situation but I've been racing gas only 1 month and have seen it happen once so far...)
10-18-2004, 08:18 AM
#37
Tech Adept
iTrader: (2)
I went through several cheaper servos. I finally said to heck with it and plunked down $100 for an airtronics 94358 and I can say holy crap. It is completely worth the money. The speed allows you to correct from mistakes. The torque keeps the wheels where you point them and because it can handle the torque it allows you to knock the crap out of it and not break a servo. 3 cheap servos and one $45 one and I have put 10 times the packs through and no problems. I never thought a $100 servo would be that nice. They were out of the $50 and I wanted to race. Best SOL thing that has ever happened.
10-18-2004, 10:08 AM
#38
any one here gots experience with the JR Z590M, and how well it compares to the other high end servos on the market? ive been hearing rave after rave about how great they are, at half the price of a 94357.
reasonably fast and 85oz/in in a JR box aint bad for 50 bucks.
who here has somthing to say about them?
reasonably fast and 85oz/in in a JR box aint bad for 50 bucks.
who here has somthing to say about them?
10-18-2004, 03:18 PM
#39
I have a 590 on my throttle in an MBX5 It was a huge improvement over the standard servo I used the 1st week. Much stronger braking. The speed is good and I would use this as a steering servo in a 1/10th in a second.
10-18-2004, 03:28 PM
#40
I've had nothing but grief using Hitec servo's for steering.... In my MT's they are fine, most MT's are pretty sloppy anyway... I attempted to use one in a TC, the car would drive a different direction every time you turned the wheel....
A novice really is the one who needs a good precise servo... Trying to learn to drive with a steering servo that doesn't center correctly could be frustrating....
A novice really is the one who needs a good precise servo... Trying to learn to drive with a steering servo that doesn't center correctly could be frustrating....
10-18-2004, 03:47 PM
#41
You Get What You Pay For -- Don't Pay Twice!!
Paul has used Airtronics 94357 & 8s in all his off-road cars for six years and only one failure in all that time. We carry spare plastic gears with us and have to change them from time to time, but that's it.
There are a number of places in an R/C car where you can consider trying to save $$, but this isn't one of them. Davidka and nichocgn have got it right -- buy a good servo to start with. Put it in and it will work. You won't worry about it or have to change it. It will make you a better driver.
$40 now + $110 later = $150
$110 now + zero later = $110.
You get what you pay for.
There are a number of places in an R/C car where you can consider trying to save $$, but this isn't one of them. Davidka and nichocgn have got it right -- buy a good servo to start with. Put it in and it will work. You won't worry about it or have to change it. It will make you a better driver.
$40 now + $110 later = $150
$110 now + zero later = $110.
You get what you pay for.
10-19-2004, 01:22 PM
#42
out of all the investments we make in r/c, i stress spending as much as you can on servos.
1. good servos will last you a very very very long time
2. much better steering response.
the hitec argument has gone on forever. defenders of hitec always say how its hype that other servos have to cost more and also that hitec has a great warranty. and i have heard a lot of people using that warranty cuz their servos crapped out on them.
i've owned airtronics and futaba servos for as long as i've been in r/c. i've never had to use their warranty. and i have never seen my customers who have bought futaba needing to use it. hitec however...
403: btw, the reason why the space program uses outrageously expensive tools etc. is two folds. one they want to ream us of more tax dollars
. but more importantly is that they dont want any failure of a tool that they may need at a critical moment. that is why they buy the best possible tool for an outrageous price.
it is almost equivalent of people buying hudy tools. i've had cheaper ofna tools before, but i still went to get hudy. why? cuz the ofna stuff was didnt last long at all while my hudy has not let me down yet.
as people say, this is the bottom line: YA BUY CHEAP, YA BUY TWICE.
1. good servos will last you a very very very long time
2. much better steering response.
the hitec argument has gone on forever. defenders of hitec always say how its hype that other servos have to cost more and also that hitec has a great warranty. and i have heard a lot of people using that warranty cuz their servos crapped out on them.
i've owned airtronics and futaba servos for as long as i've been in r/c. i've never had to use their warranty. and i have never seen my customers who have bought futaba needing to use it. hitec however...
403: btw, the reason why the space program uses outrageously expensive tools etc. is two folds. one they want to ream us of more tax dollars
. but more importantly is that they dont want any failure of a tool that they may need at a critical moment. that is why they buy the best possible tool for an outrageous price. it is almost equivalent of people buying hudy tools. i've had cheaper ofna tools before, but i still went to get hudy. why? cuz the ofna stuff was didnt last long at all while my hudy has not let me down yet.
as people say, this is the bottom line: YA BUY CHEAP, YA BUY TWICE.
10-19-2004, 10:54 PM
#44
heh, if its that great, ID spend 80 large on a toilet seat. after all, its where real men do their buisness
seriously though, you dont have to drop a major wad on rediculous high end electronics. unless of course, you want digital. just make sure you dont crank your servo saver down too tight and most servos will give some good performance.
the hitec's do have a bad rep, but the 50-70 buck airtronics stuff aint bad. it just lacks the insane specs of the high end stuff. not saying the high end stuff is useless, just not necessary for alot of folks. ive talked to alot of people who absolutely adore the JR Z590M, and its only like 50 bucks.
seriously though, you dont have to drop a major wad on rediculous high end electronics. unless of course, you want digital. just make sure you dont crank your servo saver down too tight and most servos will give some good performance.
the hitec's do have a bad rep, but the 50-70 buck airtronics stuff aint bad. it just lacks the insane specs of the high end stuff. not saying the high end stuff is useless, just not necessary for alot of folks. ive talked to alot of people who absolutely adore the JR Z590M, and its only like 50 bucks.
