Dads like rc too

Ok guys, I inquired about this truck a few months ago. I'm ready to commit now, so what do you think are the must do mods right away followed by the nice to do mods when you get around to it? Any first hand experience will be greatly appreciated.

djyjrlz

umm well. 

Dads like rc too

well the list you gave me I considered standard protocol for any ready to run truck. but in your opinion you think the stock steering servo is not good enough? I was hoping for better considering the savage is still considered the premiere monster truck in the industry.

SyCo_VeNoM

steering servos suck in pretty much every RTR and should be swapped.


Also use blue lock tite on EVERY screw that goes into metal. Especially the grub screws that go to the diffs, and tranny those like to work themselves out. Seen far too many posts on the forums saying MY NEW SAVAGE STOPPED MOVING just to find out the grub screw fell out.

Dads like rc too

well I know in a ready to run kit they don't give you top of the line servos, but surprisingly in my monsoon which has bigger tires than the savage, the stock metal geared servo has worked great

NOVAMEGA

The hpi sf-50 servo ain't to bad for a rtr anyway. It's light years ahead of there old one IMO.


That grub screw got me once lol

SyCo_VeNoM

ahh didn't know they updated the steering servo. I was basing that on the old one.

indianrc

well I feel it is just luck............they say dat the stock servo break down in like 1-2 tanks of runnin but the stock ones on my xl have held up pretty well it has handled cartwheels,flips and even direct blows the the front wheels while cornering

lakesrunner

I've had my Savage for 3 weeks now, and with only 7 tanks throughmine, ithas held up. Done some cartwheels and jumps not beyond 6' high and the stock servo has held up.

indianrc

thats wat I mean they arnt bad for a casual basher,every family has some black sheeps,1 in a 1000 pieces inevetably goes wrong...............................

Dads like rc too

I appreciate the info. Though most of the info given to me is a given when buying any RC truck. I was really looking for more of "the front bulk is really weak" or "the diff cups slice up from the dog bones". Maybe no info is good info. I know the Savage has earned a good reputation for durability. I just figured there might be something that commonly breaks on these trucks.

quietnas1

Well I'm going on a year and a half with mines. Only thing that went bad was the steering servo after about a year.

sharkattack99

well i don't know if someone mentioned this but i would make sure and have at least a couple upper and lower arms cause iv broken them a few times, you can usually get a full set on ebay pretty cheap. some say to just get rpm arms but i prefer the stock ones myself they do brake but you really have to work at it. make sure and have a set of dog bones all round front center rear center and all the ones that go to the tires iv snapped a few of those even the xl thick ones iv snapped. if you stay with the plastice spur gear i would have a couple of those even with a good mesh some times for no reason it will strip, if your engine moves just a little it will strip. thats just what i can think of right at the moment.

Dads like rc too

thanks, I usually keep at the very minimum a complete set of control arms front and rear in the parts box. Like you said, you can usually pick these up cheap from a new teardown on Ebay. I think the model I'm looking at comes with a steel spur, but personally I like the plastic better. As far a the dogbone go, I like CVD's. Maybe I'll order them when I order the truck and just swap then out when I'm going over it out of the box.

Alain2

The stock servos are fine. I break heavy dutydogbones all the time since my diffs are bullet proof, so I would say the regular dogbones are very weak. The other weaknesses of my Savageare the diff bearings. I run a steal spur gear so I don't even think about it anymore because it never breaks.

indianrc

Well,you can even the the stock arms and dogbones with those on an xl as it will give the truck a wider stance an therefore improve stability while cornering and if I am not wrong then the stock dogbones of an xl are the HD ones....................Oh!and the dogbones and the cups do squeak/whine due to the metal to metal friction ,it ones made me think that my axle bearings were shot but found it later on...............

Sn00ky

I just recently bought the special edition - great truck, however I did find a few things so far.  Myself and 2 friends bought the same truck, and have found some patterns.
- Clutch springs - stock ones break very easy.  I made 200 feet on tank 3 - other guy lasted to tank 5 - third took the hint
- When installing the new springs, you will have to install the shoes backwards, or upgrade to aluminum - otherwise the spring will slip off of the flywheel nut and leave you hanging.  I had mine reversed for 2 weeks problem free - just upgraded to aluminum and going good so far.
- Fuel tank - Top Right (looking from rear of truck) right in front of shock tower bolt - 2 of 3 broke a hole in fuel tank here - I used brass strip to surround top of my tank for protection - so far so good.
- Grub bolts - definetly
- As discussed above, steering servo - I lost mine in week 1 - lost my throttle one as well in week 2 - no obvious reason - other 2 trucks still doing ok.
- Roto start assembly / back plate for crankcase - get some spares.  The backplate cracks around the bolts where the rotostart assembly is bolted to it (very little metal there to hold in place).  Since mine, 1 other guy broke his - have used lock-tite and let is set up before running - also, did not tightly the bolts much - rely on the loc-tite.
- Fried my OWB in first week - replacement has been holding up.
- Some other parts broke on me, but they were well deserved due to bashing.  All the same - dogbones, diffs, linkages, etc - all super tough stuff.  I am still amazed at the beating it takes and is still going strong.
- Three screws holds the 42T (I believe) plastic gear inside 2spd tranny.  Found these to back off on tank 3 for one of the guys (silver screws).  Would recommend loc-tite before use.

Goes without saying as for any RC I would imaging, but the "out of box" settings on radio / servo for throttle only allowed for 3/4 throttle - had to change servo position on gear and also utilize the handy adjustments on the radio to get full carb open.  Be a good time to check your 1mm gap while your at it.  If you just max out the servo setting, the carb will be opening further than it needs to for WOT, so pull air neck off and set it visually, otherwise you will maybe put extra strain on servo for no reason.

Thats my 2 cents, I am fairly new to this, but have learned a tremendous amount since i started.  Above is some of that info for you and anyone else that wants a truck that ROCKS!!!

llkoolskillet

Savage XL is your best bet, WHY because when you brake a part on the X or SS you will upgrade it with the XL part anyways. So better off buy the XL first.

Heres the bullet proof 3spd mod, trust me it works[>:]
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10543396/tm.htm

Heres how to gain more steering out of the stock stuff
http://www.savage-central.com/module...wtopic&t=92697

Heres the strongest diff setup out there right now for the savage
http://www.savage-central.com/module...wtopic&t=94304
This is the allternative if you have machining abilities
http://www.savage-central.com/module...wtopic&t=95656

This is the cheap tie rod eliminator mod
http://www.savage-central.com/module...wtopic&t=95444

Budget shock tower brace cause you will bend them
http://www.savage-central.com/module...wtopic&t=95626

Sorry mods for posting a bunch of SC links but IMO this is very very helpfull stuff.

dannytboy10

My stock servo for the 4.6 has held up to everything i put it through. the car has about 5 gallons of gas through i total and my little brother ran it into a curb at 35 and i made some repairs but my hobby shop took a look at the servo and said it was fine. it still turns pretty tight and responds fast.

ace@

My Feedback: (9)

Hey All,
I have been upgrading my savage 25 to the X i just got the Super HD dogbone set and they fit in no problem but there is no play/wiggle room what so ever they are tight. If i take the O ring out of the cup joint that is supposed to be in there then there is play.

I also just got he Savage 4.6 SE NICE truck it has the super HD dog bones and there is play there. I have not started it yet or really even opened any bags that come with it. So i don't want to take the thing apart to see if there is an O ring in the cup joint. Does anyone with the Savage 4.6 SE know if it has the O ring?

Also the the new style engine mount has a place that a set screw can sit for engine support but the SE that i have does not have one in it. Is it supposed to be in there? Do any savages come with the set screw in it?

SLAYERDUDE

They should all come with O-rings in the cups, and the engine mount support setscrew is hit or miss from what I've had.

ace@

My Feedback: (9)

AH the KEY word here is SHOULD!!!!!

It WAS driving me crazy that i upgraded to the super HD dog bones $60 and they were to tight no play at all, i would even say that maybe some pressure was being applied after I put it all together. This is with the O ring in. So i call HPI and they tell me to leave it in as long as I have full range. With that said i hang up and check i have full range up and down. Something was still not right so, I take the brand new savage 4.6 SE that i have with the same dog bones/Axles/cupjoints apart to check and guess what??? NO ORING AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

So I took the O rings out all four corners and it is much better i can even adjust the upper arm so the tires don't look like this \ / LOL driving down the road...

I am curious if anyone else is having the same experience as me.