Futaba S3004 servos
01-14-2010, 08:47 PM
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Futaba S3004 servos
I realize these are far from top of the line servos, but I am still very surprised that the five I purchased all have a little play in them straight out of the box. Even when the servos are powered there is a little play which means the surfaces have a little play in both directions (there is no slop whatsoever in the linkages.)
I take it the gears are sloppy, but I am not sure if there a way to fix that other than changing the servos altogether, not something that I want to do. By the way, the servos are installed in the Bik Stik 60.
Is there cause for concern? Any suggestions other than replacing them?
I take it the gears are sloppy, but I am not sure if there a way to fix that other than changing the servos altogether, not something that I want to do. By the way, the servos are installed in the Bik Stik 60.
Is there cause for concern? Any suggestions other than replacing them?
01-14-2010, 10:41 PM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
I love them as is. About 6 months ago I purchased 10 from Tower Hobbies. I did not like the price they quoted me and told them that I wanted the bulk price I was once given for servos in a bag that consisted of servos with no mounting hardware but with the arm selections. Bulk was not available but she gave them to me at $10.00 each. I never repair them and they seem to last forever. They are all hard mounted on my SPAD planes (I do not use the rubber mounts) with 3 drops of CA glue and a single plastic tie-wrap. I have about 30 of them. I keep enough extra ones so that I can discard one if there is a risk involved. Takes only a few minutes.
01-15-2010, 10:48 AM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
Dozens for me, too. Even when I have a splattering crash that rips teeth off the gears they are easy to get back on-line with replacement gear sets. I don't notice all that much play in mine. Remember your fingers have A LOT more strength than the wind across the control surfaces and the leverage will be different through the linkages (control horn and servo arm arcs) The important thing is to attach a deflection meter to your model and make sure they return the control surfaces to zero. The play is not critical in most models. Returning consistantly to zero is.
02-10-2010, 08:13 PM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
My first S3004 failed, about 12 years of abusive flying. It doesn't have the speed, torque, tightness but they are one tough long lasting servo. You can improve their strength by using a 6volt RX battery pack. This is not over powering them. Look up the stats on Towerhobbies.com. You will see a torque rating at 4.8 volt and 6 volt. For a .60 size airplane, this could be recommended.
02-14-2010, 04:08 PM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
It's like digital cameras. Once you get past 4 mega pixals most people can't see the difference in 4X6 photos. Unless your a pro and plan to blow them up larger it will make no diff. to the average guy. Same with the servos. If you can't feel the slop when your flying then no need for expensive servos. 3004s have been a work horse for a long time. I fly 40s and 60s (one being a 60 big stick like yours) and they all have 3004s.
Tom
Tom
10-23-2010, 02:39 PM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
I have been hearing some good info on these Futaba S3004 Servos. i also have some myself. i suddenly ran out of servos and have a plane i just got. it's the Horizon Hobby SEAGULL Extra 260 90, 63" WS and it ways 9lbs. i have converted it to Electric. I have Hitec Servos in the Rudder and Elevator but i have no servos left for my Ailerons, so i was gonna strip one of my planes and put the S3004 in the Ailerons only. Now the web site shows (JSP20070) for the recommend servo which has a little over 100 ounches of torque where the S3004 has under 50 oz of torque,,,so i guess my question is, can i get away with using 2 servos for my Ailerons on this plane?
Thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the advice.
10-24-2010, 12:51 AM
#17
RE: Futaba S3004 servos
I have close to 60 of the 3003 and 3004 servos combined. They are the same except for the ball bearing in the cover of the 3004.
I lost the motor in a 3004 last year and the guy I fly with lost the gears from a crash in one. I replaced my bad one with a 3003 and used my old 3004 cover on it. I gave the old 3004 with the bad motor to my friend so he could use the gears in his servo.
I lost the gears in one in a crash some seven years ago and I bought a new set of gears at the hobby shop and repaired it.
I run them mostly on 6V
I really like the servos.
I lost the motor in a 3004 last year and the guy I fly with lost the gears from a crash in one. I replaced my bad one with a 3003 and used my old 3004 cover on it. I gave the old 3004 with the bad motor to my friend so he could use the gears in his servo.
I lost the gears in one in a crash some seven years ago and I bought a new set of gears at the hobby shop and repaired it.
I run them mostly on 6V
I really like the servos.
10-24-2010, 11:01 AM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
Yeah the 3004 's are my favorite cheap servo. I have used tons of them over the years and they are great! I to have noticed the slop they have sometimes but for my sport planes I do not care that much about that. I also run all my stuff on 6v. Longer run times and the 3004 seems to come to life with a good 6v battery.
10-24-2010, 02:56 PM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
Good to hear. I'm building my first trainer... hobby shop recommended the S3004s and I bought 5. But they only sold me a 1400 mAh 4.8 volt bat pack. Haven't opened the bat pack yet... should I return it and get the 6 volt? What mAh? Its a Aeromax 69" J3 Cub ARF (40 to 52 2c), 5 servos... Planning to install an old style 60 2 cycle or maybe a older OS 90 4 cycle... not sure yet... If I do not kill it learning, I want to convert it to floats later on so am thinking on the extra hp now. I have a new in box vintage Royal 46 2c I could use now, but I'm thinking it may not be powerful enough when on floats later.
Thanks
Dave
Thanks
Dave
10-25-2010, 07:29 AM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
10-25-2010, 08:16 AM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
I have 5 of these in my Escapade. they do a fine job. Yes they have slop straight out hte box but that disappears when they have power on them.
They're quieter and faster than my JR 591's both on 6.6V LiPePO4 packs. The S3004's are excellent value in my book.
They have certainly created a liking in me for Futaba servo's
They're quieter and faster than my JR 591's both on 6.6V LiPePO4 packs. The S3004's are excellent value in my book.
They have certainly created a liking in me for Futaba servo's
08-23-2011, 04:40 AM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
Ok. I am a total beginner in the hobby and started flying about 6 months ago. I got the futaba 6EX 2.4GHz system recommended by my instructor, which came with 4 s3004 servos. I am using them in a 40 size nitro trainer. Two days ago, after about a total of 40 flights, I started noticing a fault in the aileron servo (my model has a single servo design with torque rods). During pre-flight check the servo would not respond at times. Say i'm giving input for right-leftright-left..........................it would respond to only half the commands. On the next round it would be perfect. I didnt pay much attention to this but then before the next flight, i noticed the same thing again. I switched the servo with my throttle servo, which hardly has any load and now both my servos are working fine but I'm wondering what the problem could be and wheter i should change the servo or not.
I have heard a million and one good things about futaba servos and no one i have talked to has ever experienced anything like this before. Do i need to change the servo. And Should i be looking at something other than futaba?
I've heard the s3001 servos are better than the s3004 is that so?
The futaba site says that s3004 are not suitable for helicopters as their pot is placed closer to the servo arm and that the s3001 are more suitable for helicopters.
What Should I Do? I'm Confused. Please Help
08-23-2011, 10:43 AM
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RE: Futaba S3004 servos
ORIGINAL: maahin_beri
Ok. I am a total beginner in the hobby and started flying about 6 months ago. I got the futaba 6EX 2.4GHz system recommended by my instructor, which came with 4 s3004 servos. I am using them in a 40 size nitro trainer. Two days ago, after about a total of 40 flights, I started noticing a fault in the aileron servo (my model has a single servo design with torque rods). During pre-flight check the servo would not respond at times. Say i'm giving input for right-leftright-left..........................it would respond to only half the commands. On the next round it would be perfect. I didnt pay much attention to this but then before the next flight, i noticed the same thing again. I switched the servo with my throttle servo, which hardly has any load and now both my servos are working fine but I'm wondering what the problem could be and wheter i should change the servo or not.
Ok. I am a total beginner in the hobby and started flying about 6 months ago. I got the futaba 6EX 2.4GHz system recommended by my instructor, which came with 4 s3004 servos. I am using them in a 40 size nitro trainer. Two days ago, after about a total of 40 flights, I started noticing a fault in the aileron servo (my model has a single servo design with torque rods). During pre-flight check the servo would not respond at times. Say i'm giving input for right-leftright-left..........................it would respond to only half the commands. On the next round it would be perfect. I didnt pay much attention to this but then before the next flight, i noticed the same thing again. I switched the servo with my throttle servo, which hardly has any load and now both my servos are working fine but I'm wondering what the problem could be and wheter i should change the servo or not.
I have heard a million and one good things about futaba servos and no one i have talked to has ever experienced anything like this before. Do i need to change the servo. And Should i be looking at something other than futaba?
I've heard the s3001 servos are better than the s3004 is that so?
The futaba site says that s3004 are not suitable for helicopters as their pot is placed closer to the servo arm and that the s3001 are more suitable for helicopters.
What Should I Do? I'm Confused. Please Help
I would replace the servo. I have seen this before. The reason it is probably working fine now is that there is almost no load on it as a throttle servo but the last thing you want is it failing mid flight. The last time I had this happen it was exactly the same thing and I didnt want to mess with it and just pitched the servo. I love the S3004's cause they are reliable and tough but also cause they are cheap. i wouldn't take a chance with an inconsistant servo but that is just my opinion.