I've been flying for over 4 years now and have always used Hitec servos. I recently picked up some Futaba servos due to a great sale price. My question is I think the 3003's say 'indirect drive' on them. What does that mean? What's the difference?

Means the motor is on one end of the servo and the output shaft on the other and they are connected by a series of gears. I hope!!!

I belive that they refer to the feed back pot in the servo. The direct servos(nearly all) the pot is connected directly under the output shaft and indirect the pot is driven of the output shaft by a gear.

Cheers.

Ok, I think I got it. They're still Ok to use right?

Yes, They should still be OK to use..

cruzomatic,
I have never seen a Futaba 3003 servo that had anything but "Futaba" and "S3003" on the label. I wonder if you have a set of "counterfeit" servos?
Can you post a pic of one of them?

Jesse

I dug around the net a bit, and read that indirect drive is when the output shaft is supported by bushings or bearings at both ends, rather than the potentiometer at the bottom. The "pot" is then gear driven off off of the output shaft. They say the benefits are better support for the output shaft, as well as better protection from vibrations for the pot.

I've never seen a servo like that before, didn't know they existed until now. I do have some 3003s that are not indirect drive though.

Jesse,

Sure, I'll post a pic. Let me get my digi cam. Be right back. I may be wrong about the model number. I'll have to double check.

Ok, nevermind. My digital cam can't focus down that low on the servo. I tried my second one and low and behold it's out of batteries and I can't find anymore AA's around the house. Anyway, the Futaba servo is not a S3003 as orginally reported. It's a S3001 and just under the numbering it reads "indirect drive".