..so.. you are going to save $15 on a 5945 over an 8411, taking the chance that the 5945 has a programming issue, and the 8411 doesnt? Just to save $15/servo?

The only programing issue i am aware of is the ones that were marked modified april thru sept 2001 i had a couple of those and sent them back to hitec last week got them back in a week reprogramed. The new ones i purchased from Chief Aircraft i paid 74 dollars each , i dont thinkyou can get Jrs for only 15 bucks more , if you can i would like to know where sounds like a good deal on the Jr servos.

If you think there have not been numerous issues with the DS8411s you better do some serious research. Many people have had some sort of problem when dealing with servos of any brand. It is not just saving a mere $15/servo. It is the flexibility of the Hitec digital servos when coupled with their programmer that make them head and shoulders above the rest.

What "Numerous" issues are you referring too? The only issues I know about concerning the JR8411 line is that the DS8411/DS8411SA servo when used in large .80 to .90 sized helis with extreme 3D setups have an increased chance of failure when subjected to this use for an extended period of time. Horizon Hobby is offering a free upgrade to the DS8311 heli servo to anyone with the DS8411/DS8411SA servo. http://www.horizonhobby.com/media/pd...e-jrps8411.pdf

Quite honestly, I see the JR issues as being very different than the Hitec Digital issue. Both are being taken care of by the vendors; however, the Hitec issue is different. It would be difficult (but not impossible) for JR to find the failure mode due to large 3D heli loads over time. The failure really only seems to occur in heli applications from what I understand. They (JR) would have to determine that the MTBF was too low in that application... anyone that knows about predicting MTBF would understand that is no easy task. As for the Hitec programming issue, all Hitec had to do was use a JR or Futaba tx, crank the ATVs up and watch their servo go full deflection and fail. In fact, they should have been able to predict the failure without even bench testing because it is software based. I think the fact that it WAS only a simple programming issue and they let it go on for months speaks volumes. I understand Hitec has fixed the problem; however, I have lost confidence. I was lucky in that I caught the problem just before my third flight.

For me, it is not an issue of who failed (everybody's equipment fails), rather, it is WHY did it fail.

Beyond that. It is my understanding that deadband can be set on the Hitec digitals. This would make matching servos a bit easier (less fighting) at the expense of precision. Not to mention the ATV and centering. I think only time will tell as to which method is best - direct programming(Hitec) or indirect (JR matchbox and Futaba Servo Sync.)

Both JR and Hitec servos are outstanding and I don't think anyone would argue with that.
The programmer does quite a bit more than a matchbox and thats what I like. End points can be set, dead band, center, speed, direction, as well as a fail safe. Plus it makes a great tool for setting up the plane without the receiver, can check voltage to the servo and measure the transmitter signal pulse. It also eliminates one more connection in the on board gear. I like JR servos I've never had a problem with one and if they had a system like this I would still be using them. This programmer just makes life easy, and I love easy. :^)

http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...7&referrerid=0]

I think you said it best right there... Everything can fail but in Hitec's case they are not looking into it enough to see why these are failing. Instead they say, we've sold thousands of these servos and the numbers of failures are so small were not gonna mess with it.

Sorry, but if I can't find a reason why this servo failed me then I will no longer use them. Now if we were able to find the real cause whether it be servo related or not I would consider using Hitec again but not until then...

These are some AWESOME NON FAILING SERVOS, aren't they?! I haven't seen any set of JR or Futaba equipment fail THIS much. Especially for how logn it's been out..

I've been using Hitec digital 5945's in my off and on road cars, and i can vouch that in a 1/8 scale buggy or truck that these servos see much more abuse then if they were in an airplane. The only failuer i've had with them is in a steering servo in my buggy, the middle gear shaft in the servo wore out the hole in the top case half. Other then that out of 8 5945's that has been the only problem in a year.

I'm building a Sig Something Extra atm and feel comfortable putting 5925's on the controls, and a 5245 on the throttle.

In the past i tried JR and Airtronics servo's in my buggy and it ate them up for lunch, mind you this was several years ago. I've never tried Futaba Digitals just because Hitec's price and specs were better.

I had a 5645 motor fail on my 35% giles during a pre-flight. The motor was bad. Without knowing all the facts behind the failure and subsequent crash, how can you be sure of what caused it? Components can fail from any manufacturer. Does anyone know who actually manufactures servo's for the different companies? It wouldn't surprise me if one company made the same servo and put different labels on them.

It's a common practice nowadays for one manufacture to produce the same component from multiple manufactures. Take Novarossi for an example, they are the ones that manufacture engines for Picco, RB, and some others. Now, all of the engines coming out of Novarossi’s plant are not equal. Each company has their own design and specification on how they want their engines built. It's just more cost effective for them to have the people with all the good manufacturing equipment "Novarossi" to make the engines for them.

Same goes for electronics. Each company "Hitec, Futaba, JR" will have there own specs for each servo, and even specs for the components used in those servos. It all boils down to money. Not every resistor that comes off the line will be exactly the same resistance that it's labeled for. But depending on how much that company wants there resistors to be the same will pay more for them, and other companies don't care as much and just take the slop.

All things have failure rates.... That said some more than other's, even the best products have these same failure modes.

I have been observing the noted purported failures of Hitec Digital servos recently and can only wonder... Why have I been so lucky... Myself and other's within our flying team have been using these servos since they were first introduced on everything from pylon racing Warbirds to 42% GS Aerobatic models. We have a vast cross-section of use. We have had great success with all of the Hitec Digitals. Primarily using the 5945 series and 5735 jumbo's, no failures of any kind to date... I am not talking about just a few of these servos, either I'd have to guess we have cumulatively well over one-hundred of these servos in GS models, alone. All of the models are subjected to regular flying and mainly 3D abuse... Additionally we're using both major names of radio equipment, again no problems with either set-ups.

To date I am only personally aware of three failures of which two were realized by me on the bench after cycling eight 5645's for around twenty minutes and another of the same installed on a model after about thirty minutes of flight time, luckily the servo was acting funny during the pre-flight and the model was grounded. I heard there may have been some QC issues with the motor's... The single servo was used on a Model-Tech Magic and the two that failed were to be installed on a 80" Extra, which was later done with new cycled/tested servos which now has approximately 40 flight's without any problems.

So , I can attest to the following with hands-on knowledge and lot's of flight time.

We have had zero failures with Hitec Digital servos utilized in our giant scale models, no issues at all.

JR-8411's numerous failures specifically, motors smoke, amps fail, pins blow out of the caps and lastly the gear train's suffered from pre-mature slop. Not to say that these are not good servos, I'm offering that they like other's have had problems. Those that suggest different have not used enough of them. Every time I had to send in 20 or 30 of these beauties I used to cringe at the thought of having to pay to repair them. Now that's changed with Horizon's new 3-year warranty.

Lastly it would seem for the most part that JR, Futaba, Multiplex and Hitec have evolved with the technology and hand's on exposure to failures to provide good quality servo's that can and do work well. I would not hesitate to use any of them on any model...

Obviously care and feeding of your servos and radio components is of paramount consideration. If you have any doubt of the ability and or reliability of any component test it, cycle it or have it checked out prior to flight....

Have Fun

First you say that you have had 3 failures, then you say you have had zero failures... Are you saying that just because you found them on the bench and you didn't lose a plane that it wasn't a failure or a problem with the servo?

Maybe I misread something here but you contradicted yourself.

Funny how most of everything I see are all failures due to hitec digitals. It bugs me that I don't hear of hitec doing very much about taking care of all of this.


I also have a horrid case of pre-mature gear slop and the case wearing out, I haven't even put more than 40 flights or so on this and none of what I did was really that hard at all. My friend's had all of the above straight out of the box.

You do realize that standard servos are plenty, right? Thoes servos are going to be a big waste of money on that SE... Believe me, I have 2 SE's, both with insanely large tail surfaces and the standards still seem like they can handle quite a bit more. Just going to HS-525 is pushing it for the SE

Yeah, the 5925's are probably overkill for the SE, but i have 6 just sitting in a box atm. I Found that the 5925's were to fast for throttle servo's on my 1/10 scale cars and replaced them with the 5945's. The nicest thing about the 5925's is when you flip that control to one side the servo goes to that side right now! And at 7.5 Kg/cm at 4.8 volts it's not weak either.

Did you modify your SE's with larger tail surfaces? Or just that the SE already has large fins.

David

I was attesting the fact that we have zero failures in GS Models which have been used and abused regularly... I should have prefaced the statement, however I thought it was obvious...

More specifically as outlined I/we are not using the 5600 series in GS models. Yes, three 5645 servos did fail. None were mounted in GS model's as noted.

You seem to have missed a major component of my post, which was relative to the number of actual verified failures of servos. Given the number of JR servos I/we have had fail the three defective servos from Hitec is of little concern to me... If I had to guess the ratio would be somewhere in 20% range of wear/failures with JR and less than 2% with Hitec.

Oh then go with them since they are sitting there not being used, I thought you were goin to buy them.

http://www.********.net/forums/showt...&threadid=3494

That's my latest one, my old one had a bigger rudder but it didn't do as nice as this rudder did. I can do a KE loop if I really wanted to work at it.

May I have your attention please.......If you want good digitals, go with 8411's.... that is all.

Robert300XS,
You build yours from kit? I decided to go with an ARF, Maybe in the spring i will build a kit. I've only been flying 3 weeks but the Kadet LT-40 just doesn't handle the 3d stuff to well.

I see from the pics that you added to the elavator and put counter balances in also? What engine you using? I got a 70 surpass to put in mine.

Sorry for straying off topic, just kinda happened

I did do a kit, moved the hinge line on the ele and just expanded the rudder. I just got a wimpy OS 46 FX, pulls it out of a hover. That OS 70 will kick ass, I am planning on another Saito 72 sometime soon.

I have nothing but GOOD things to say about Hitec Service.

I had a centering issue with some of the 605BB servos. After I sent them in and got them back, they still wouldn't center correctly.

Don at Hitec replaced 4 of my 605BB servos with 625MG servos. And he was the nicest guy I ever talked to. He shipped them to me for nothing.

After running the 625MG servos in my Cap, I'm convinced that they will perform well. They center on the dot- every time. And they are STRONG.

Thanks Hitec and especially Don J.

Well guys,I decided too stick with JR 8411's,just those few negative comments about Hitec convinced me to stick with the JR's.I have plenty of Hitec 605's,615's and 645's in smaller scale planes,but I just don't feel comfortable using them in a plane this size.I hope I am not sorry.I will try the Hitec digital's in a lesser plane to see how they do.
Mike

Better do some reading. I feel that 3D aerobatics put more of a strain on a servo than a helicopter does, but I could be wrong.

http://www.horizonhobby.com/media/pd...e-jrps8411.pdf

He didn't say nuttin about helis or 3d... that rule applies to all planes that are goin in for hardcore 3d...