SpikeX

My friend wants to get a Savage, but he cannot choose between the 21 (still produced in Germany) or the 25. The Savage 21 costs 320 EUR ($420) and the 25 costs 450 EUR ($590). He wants power but is there such a big difference between the 21 (2.3HP) and the 25 (2.5HP)?

It will be his first truck, but I will help him along the way.

He has about 225 EUR ($295) to spend in option parts. Which parts should he get?

He will be doing quite a few high-speed runs on dirt, and a few relatively small jumps.

MiamizFinest

the savage 21 is garbage....................its goin to be VERY VERY SLUGISH..........u cant alway belive what u read and i dout that .21 makes 2.3 HP...............the 25 is a better choice..............he is just goin to be disapointed with a 21......... so why bother???


A GOOD CHOICE would be to buy a brand new roller on ebay and for him to put in his own engine/radio/servos..............ull save some good money and get the PARTS U WANT........ill never buy another RTR in my life since it cost way more than just building it ur self................sure it might be his first truck but hell have a friend like u to help him out put it together

rcnz

450EUR (US$590) for the Savage 25? You can buy a Savage X or X-SS from TowerHobbies for US$440 + shipping....if he's just getting into RC, the RTR Savage X would be a great start.

Chronic

Neither one of them are going to be fast, so if fast is what you want... I'd get the cheapest option and spend some of that upgrade money on a new engine. I started with an LE version, and even with the tuned pipe, three speed, and lighter weight tires it still wasn't that fast with the stock .25 engine. It was okay though, it would run with a stock LST2...


The newer Savage 21s have the Savage 25 style updates (primerless fuel tank, cam style servo saver, three shoe clutch...) already installed if I'm not mistaken, so I think the only difference between it and a Savage 25 would be the engine, right? There's no way in hell I would pay a $170 premium just to have the weak .25 engine over the weak .21 engine.

savyjoshny

u germmans get so screwed with rc stuff it outdated and overpriced. i feel for u . but i like the idea of getting a roller off ebay then get a good motor for it then he learns more about. closer to a kit .

SpikeX

Thanks for the help guys. It doesen't need to be too fast, because he is a very bad driver (see below), and his 10-year-old brother will also be driving it.

I took my Savage X to my friend's house once, because he wanted to test drive it. It was running very badly that day, and didn't even change into 2nd gear. We ran it on a football pitch and he had trouble keeping it in a straight line. He just couldn't control it! You will probably tell me that his driving skills will improve after running his vehicle a few times.

The thing is, if it has too much power (remember, he was driving my STOCK Savage X), it won't be fun to drive for him, but if he doesen't have enough, he will get bored very quickly. A Savage LE would be much to fast for him, let alone an X SS (which he first wanted)!

Can anyone help?

SpikeX

Anyone?

SpikeX

They just raised the Savage 21 price to 370 EUR today, so I think he will go with the 25. The 25 is more powerful, but I can adjust the linkage so that it does not go WOT at first while he learns to drive. Plus, the 25 comes with Roto Start...

amwhite2005

Raised the price!!!!! If anything the price should go down. That car is years old. I dont know why they even stock it over there. My LHS was getting rid of his last 25 in February 2006, just after the X's came out. He's got 1 more X left, then he's only stocking X SS. Dont bother adjusting the linkage, he has to go slow during break in, and he will get bored of it going 20 when his finger is pushed all the way down. It is better for him to learn how to control the throttle.

burnchassis3

Dont let to much power get you down,you can cheat the servo horn to only give 1/2 - 3/4 throttle.Then youll have the power you need later,without any sacrifice now.
CS

SpikeX

I guess he should learn to control the throttle...

Does anyone have any ideas for which option parts he should get? He and his brother will have about 225 EUR ($295) to spend. Like I said, they will be using it a lot on dirt doing high-speed runs, and a little jumping off ramps.

Chronic

I don't think he is actually referring to an original style Savage 21. Not too long before releasing the X I think they came out with an updated 21 called the "3.5" or "classic" or "3.5 classic"(whatever), that was simply a pullstart .21 powered Savage 25. I could be wroing though, as the truck never hit the US market and I've never even seen one.

SpikeX

Yes Chronic, that's right. I referred to it as the 21 because many people do not know what the 3.5 is.

It is, like Chronic said, basically a Savage 25 with a pullstart .21 engine. It has all of the other features of the Savage 25.

46u

My Feedback: (3)

Are they still in productions or just left over? Keep in mind all .21 and a lot of the 25 do not have the 4 spider gear diffs. Boy I only thought stuff over here was high. Yes I think the best thing to do is get the RTR X or even better the X SS. Will not take long to get use to it.

SpikeX

They are still in production. The Savage 3.5 does have 4-spider differentials according to the HPI website. I will talk to my friend about the X RTR, but the X SS is out of the question. Firstly, it is way too powerful for him, he doesn't want a kit just yet, and it costs too much. A basic Savage X SS with HPI radio gear and Hitec servos costs more than 800 EUR ($925) here in Germany!

benzzyo5

man stuff is expansive in germany. mwhen i got my savage 25 it came with the 4 spyder gear diffs

Kanza

If he's going for the .25, here is a list of things I would consider necessary.

1. 2 NiMh receiver packs, at least 1200 mah, plus a decent charger for them.

2. A stronger steering servo, like a Hitec 5955, Airtronics 94359Z or Futaba 9351. These are high end examples that might not fit your budget, but the general idea is to get something with metal gears and around 200 oz/in or more. If he drives like a stray missile, the stock servo will die pretty quickly.

3. Some spare spur gears. If you're hard on them, they die fast. If you want to avoid replacing these all the time, get the steel spur gear HPI includes with the X/SS kit. Just make sure it;s the same size.

4. A pack of machine threaded hex screws. The allen headed hardware is less likely to strip out than the Phillips screws that come with the kit, and the machine threads grip much better than the standard "woodscrews" found in the RTR. Of course, this means tearing down the truck to install them, but that could be good learning experience for him.

Good luck (, and if I were you, try not to get hurt out there . )

SpikeX

Thanks Kappa77. I have a couple of questions:

Why 2 Hump Packs?
I was thinking of the Hitec HS-645MG for steering, as it is very cheap in Germany. Is it OK for steering?
The new Steel Spur Gear (found on the X SS) is a 47-Tooth, while the stock Savage one is a 49-Tooth. Is 18/47 a good ratio for high-speed runs?

I'll try not to get hurt, but with his driving, don't be surprised if you see my name engraved in a graveyard.

Kanza

Having two receiver packs is just a habit that I have. I always carry an extra pack when I go bashing.

The Hitec 645 may not be enough. I ran the 945 in my truck for a while without any problems.

Going from a 49t spur to a 47t will increase the top speed, so yes, the truck will be faster

Sounds like you'll be wanting some life insurance as well.

SpikeX

Will a 15/47 gear combination fit?

I think I will pretend to be sick every time he wants me to come over and drive with him.