Wow 10 race days only from AGF servos?

I'll count myself lucky that I've never had a servo go bad or break any gears (even when I first started out).

Savox 1257tg was my first one, put in my first 2wd buggy, never had a problem, just noisy (like noticeably) and rough (like when you spin it with your fingers it was rough and hard). Same deal with other savox, kopropo and other no-name chinese servos.
team powers DCS V1 was my first "expensive" servo at $110 - put in a 4wd buggy (crashed a ton, like smack full speed into a pillar hard) never had a problem. Smooth when you turn the gears with your fingers (I don't know if this is an actually beneficial servo trait or just a cool effect). 4+ years later still going strong in my nitro tc.
Have since only used their (team powers) servos with the most recent one the SRS V2 brushless one. Never had one go bad never broke the gears. Also very fast and SSR compatible. Although albeit I don't race 1/8 scale just 1/10 onroad and offroad.

If the gears do strip, they are readily available for $25.

hey bill, have you tried using the agf programmer with the CT1?

Well the reefs is a rebranded AGF also only sold for 2times as much

so are nitropro, send it, powerhobby, probably more... what id really like to know is who did agf oem for before reefs, i keep hearing and reading agf has been an oem for years but only recently, within i feel the last 3 years they are prominent, to me, they came out of no where like savox did, than flooded the market...now i wonder if my BK is a rebrand, excellent servo, precise like nothing ive ever had, but i cant find replacement gears anymore ... regardless of price increase for the rebrands, i like knowing i dont have to wait months to get parts or a replacement, im being suckered in because i really like the software tweaking to dial in feel and hopeful to added resolution in ssr mode...not response time

Here's the thing that I'm trying to wrap my head around... if AGF is the OEM but someone pays them to improve their design with higher quality components, is it still an rebrand or a whole new brand?


For example, (Toyota --> Lexus) or (Nissan --> Infiniti), do people go around who drive a Lexus or Infiniti say they are driving rebranded Toyota's and Nissan's respectively? Just like with AGF, the chassis/body are the same and no doubt both car brands are manufactured in the same plants, but Lexus and Infiniti will get higher quality components installed which is what sets them apart, just like all these aftermarket servo brands who come up with their own specs to improve the half baked design by AGF... I would rather invest in a full baked design (NitroPro, Reefs, etc) with quality components than to waste any more of my money on the trash that AGF is selling.

end of the day, same company, same components, full leather interior isnt exactly higher grade running gear, i dont think theres a difference between a camry piston and a lexus piston... so with most these rebrands, i dont really think they are specing smc's, motors, fet's, gear ratios, im leaning they just pick a catalogued offering and slap a logo on em... ps... did you try the programmer with the ct1??

Pretty good write up here explaining key differences where they do not use the same components, luxury brands include higher quality with better performance parts, etc:
https://motorandwheels.com/differenc...-toyota-lexus/

That said, I just hooked up the CT1 to the programmer and took a screen shot of the default settings, *** note that the servo name is called A80BHMW:




I did take a screen shot of the default settings for the A80BHSW before it failed to compare with where the only difference I see are the PWM Power and Manufactured Date, this still doesn't show which components have been upgraded internally:

Thanks for the update. I've opened up my A80BHSW and it was easy to see the bottom of the circuit board. It just had some kapton tape on it. What difficulties did you have taking a look?

​​​​​​Here is what I'm talking about. I was unable to see the other side of the board because it is soldered to the motor and the motor is a very tight fit in the case.

I highly doubt thats the case with servos ...all "rebrands" come like they are right out of the factory ....only the price tag is added at the "brand"

I think the Toyota/Lexus point is a really good one but probably not for the same reason why it was originally made. Lexus is a made up brand with the aim of convincing consumers to pay more for a product from the same old manufacturer. All the cars sold around the world as Lexus were sold in the home market as Toyotas.

much appreciated screen shots of the programmer working Bill!.... i ended up going with a nitropro fk-n500fst for the ebuggy, felt the extra few bux is worth supporting a racer run brand, i still politely disagree on your automotive analogy, toyota is toyota is toyota... that article is nothing more than extremely poorly worded marketing nonsense... a camry engine, fitted into a full leather lx something or other, is still the same base... a rebranded nitro pro with sweet graphics is still an a80, atleast in the firmware, also, heres some random russian vid i found of an agf being torn down and the board being swiveled at about 9:03

I purchased an AGF shorty servo about a year ago for my 17.5 buggy. The local pro driver was testing my car for me, first time out with that servo installed and wrecked. The gears stripped, easier than I thought they would. Protek servo went back in the car. I got drunk that night and smashed the AGF servo. That was the end of agf for me lol

Yes I can get this far too, but how do you pull the board to actually see the upgraded components??? More specifically I was told that the pots and fets were upgraded, and I don't see any of those components on the bottom


I've given NitroPro the benefit of the doubt that what they are saying is true, and based on my personal experience with two AGF servos failing at close to 10 race days each, one can reasonably deduce that if the NitroPro servo goes longer then they are telling the truth... I'm shocked so many folks are skeptical, anyway I've got 5 race days on the CT1 so just a couple more weeks and the big test will be the Lonestar Challenge which will put me just over the 10 race day mark and a new/challenging layout that I'll surely have a few hard wrecks while learning the jump timing, etc... If the CT1 can make it past that race event then I will be convinced that NitroPro has indeed upgraded the internals.


For the record, I paid $125 cash to Jared Tebo for his servo, I am not sponsored nor do I receive any promotional discount for NitroPro servos, I am going to share 100% of my personal experience without any bias and it's very simple, either the servo will stand the test of time or it won't... I've essentially bet $125 that NitroPro is being honest and have upgraded the internal components over the garbage that AGF is selling.

I can certainly understand your frustration about how they treated you, but that statement is a bit harsh.