Servo Issue - Lost Steering

[flowingmotion]

(Newbie here. Sorry if this is a simple issue.)

I picked up the AX10 a few weeks ago. The steering was ok out of the box. I changed to the 14T pinion and put in the front locker. Steering was still good. No other changes. I don't think I over tightened anything putting it back together.

Now I have no side to side movement at all with the drag link attached. If i disconnect the drag link the servo seems to move back and forth fine. If I attach the ridgid plastic servo arm to the servo it seems to move the tires ok. (but I don't have a proper screw and nut to hold it in place.) If I then reattach the plastic servo saver arm the wheels won't move again.

I have not been able to try to drive it with the ridgid servo arm yet so I don't know if the problem goes away totally.

What do I check or do next? Is it a bad servo? Plastic parts no good? ESC upgrade? Is this a commong issue? etc?

I'm thinking my next step should be to open up the servo and look inside to see if the issue is in there but don't want to open it up if I don't have to.

[grimgard]

Originally Posted by flowingmotion

(Newbie here. Sorry if this is a simple issue.)

I picked up the AX10 a few weeks ago. The steering was ok out of the box. I changed to the 14T pinion and put in the front locker. Steering was still good. No other changes. I don't think I over tightened anything putting it back together.

Now I have no side to side movement at all with the drag link attached. If i disconnect the drag link the servo seems to move back and forth fine. If I attach the ridgid plastic servo arm to the servo it seems to move the tires ok. (but I don't have a proper screw and nut to hold it in place.) If I then reattach the plastic servo saver arm the wheels won't move again.

I have not been able to try to drive it with the ridgid servo arm yet so I don't know if the problem goes away totally.

What do I check or do next? Is it a bad servo? Plastic parts no good? ESC upgrade? Is this a commong issue? etc?

I'm thinking my next step should be to open up the servo and look inside to see if the issue is in there but don't want to open it up if I don't have to.

Most stores will let you exchange with in 30 days. You can either...

1. Take it back to the store (U will need to box, receipt, and everything included in the box.

2. Call Axial

3. Test the servo in another RC to see if its bad/ Test the ESC in another RC to see if its bad, Test the RX/TX in another RC to see if its bad. Then replace the defective part.

4. Buy a New servo,ESC,RX/TX

I know this sucks and I am sorry you are having problems 2 weeks out of the box. If you need any advice on what parts are good for replacement I'll be glad to help you.

[dman1101]

Have you looked at the plastic servo saver to see if it's stripped. If the one servo arm works and the original doesn't then more than likely it's stripped

[flowingmotion]

Originally Posted by dman1101

Have you looked at the plastic servo saver to see if it's stripped. If the one servo arm works and the original doesn't then more than likely it's stripped

I did look at the back plate and it did not look stripped but I was looking for stripping like you see on a screw. I'll take a look tonight to see if the gaps where the gear teeth sit have opened up. It came with thee back plates for the servo saver. I should be able to throw another one in there and see if the current one is stripped. Thanks.

[flowingmotion]

Originally Posted by grimgard

Most stores will let you exchange with in 30 days. You can either...

1. Take it back to the store (U will need to box, receipt, and everything included in the box.

2. Call Axial

3. Test the servo in another RC to see if its bad/ Test the ESC in another RC to see if its bad, Test the RX/TX in another RC to see if its bad. Then replace the defective part.

4. Buy a New servo,ESC,RX/TX

I know this sucks and I am sorry you are having problems 2 weeks out of the box. If you need any advice on what parts are good for replacement I'll be glad to help you.

Thanks. All good suggestions. Only one RC (so far) so I'll skip 3 .

It sucks but I've been working it pretty hard. I want to know where the weak points are so I can start the upgrading with what makes the most sense. Then it's on to the vanity parts!

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[dman1101]

Is it a rtr or a rtc version if so I'd upgrade the servo if on a tight budget get a hitec 645mg if not get a jr or hitec 333oz or higher

[vicsjeep]

I had the same problem with my creeper. I was the gears inside the servo were striped out. Sounds to me like the arm is striped

[slowstang88]

my servo motor got really weak in my RTC, it would barely turn the tires on flat ground. when i picked it up, it turned just fine..

[flowingmotion]

Originally Posted by dman1101

Is it a rtr or a rtc version if so I'd upgrade the servo if on a tight budget get a hitec 645mg if not get a jr or hitec 333oz or higher

It's an rtr. I have considered upgrading the servo. I'll probably start with the hitec 645mg based on price and what I read on this site. Then if I still feel I need more I'll upgrade later. I'm not planning on competing (so far) so I'm not sure it makes sense to go big bucks just yet.

[flowingmotion]

Last night I removed the servo saver and replace it with the plastic servo arm. I did not have any screws/spacers so I had to get creative with some 12 guage copper wire. Once that was installed I was back in business. With the wire I lost a bit of travel but it pretty much works.

It turns out that the metal gear on the servo must open the gaps in the plastic plate on the back of the servo arm or saver. It's not stripped like you'd think of with a screw so if you look at it all appears normal. It just can't turn the wheels enough even with a small bit of slop. Sorry I could not get a pic of the stripped servo saver. It's too small to see with my camera.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Z71Redneck]

I have the same problem, but you're saying that I need to come up with a way to get that screw tight??

[flowingmotion]

Originally Posted by Z71Redneck

I have the same problem, but you're saying that I need to come up with a way to get that screw tight??

No. The metal gear on the servo made the female portion of the servo saver too loose. So I needed to put a new horn on. The servo saver one was basically trashed. It did not matter how tight the screw was. There was too much play in the arm where it meets the servo gear.

I'll try and post some pics to show what happened more clearly.

[JeepersCreepers]

definatly lose the servo saver and go with a solid servo horn, to much slop in a servo saver

[flowingmotion]

Here is the servo saver from the front.



Here is the back view. The arrow indicates the area affected by the metal gear on the servo.



The servo saver adds slop in order to protect the servo but once the metal gear on the plastic servo arm has been used for a while the area in the photo above either becomes totally stripped or gapped just enough to add even more slop to the point that the servo is turning but by time it has something to grab onto it has reached it's range of travel and can't turn the wheels.

The solution is to replace the servo saver or use a servo arm (w/o the saver). A metal one would probably be the best. Such as in the photo below.

[tecboy]

Where can I buy a metal servo arm w/o saver?

[flowingmotion]

You can get a servo arm at any hobby store or online at tcs or somewhere. I believe it should be a servo arm compatible with Futaba servos which should have 25 teeth but you may want to email Axial to be sure.