Common Problems with Savage
 

Hey guy I was wondering if you could tell me what are the most common parts on the savage to break? Thanks, looking at what to buy for stock, any input would be appreciated.

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

the first thing that you need to be worry about is the spur gears. I have gone through 3 with mine in the last month, until today i switched to steel, i think you should too once your plastic one is broken. total cost of replacing SG and CB is around $36+tax.

also, the washer on the clutch bell is problematic. you should switch to the steel one from savage x ss. i dont know about the cost

;)

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Wade...aluminum clutch shoes (Nova or STS, for you STS would be best), steel spur gears, and differential parts are hot sellers.

you're welcome[&:]

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Does the XSS hardened outdrive cups , bevel gear , bevel shaft wear quickly ?

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Shock shafts bend. Get some of those, and get lots of the dual disc brake upgrades too, the RTR is near useless without them, sell them with every car if you can. Bumpers don't actually brake but can be bent by repeated impacts to such a degree that they no longer hold the swing pins in (a secondary function of the front and rear bumpers). Chassis sides bend easily, get some aftermarket TVPs in stock too, after the first really horrendous landing, or tree hitting incident, they'll be back and looking for something stronger. Push the buyers toward a strong steering servo, it transforms the handling (then they can put the fairly strong stock steering servo on brake duties and combined with the dual disc brake system, this means braking of the highest order!). Turnbuckles sets would be good too. And DOGBONES more than anything else, I snapped one on my very first run. Anybody who is observant will notice that they twist through 90* during the first few runs, at which point they either snap or will last a long time, depends on the individual dogbone. People say the black dogbones are the strongest. My LHS owner and I disagree. I snapped a black one, replaced both rears with silver ones, and they haven't even started to twist yet. I suggest stocking both types.

Lastly, bling rims and tyres, everyone wants them.

Hope thats helpful. ;)

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

You have done some serious thrashing, I still have my stock bones. I would highly recommend the mip clutch kit. They are so good, I have forgotten they are in there.

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Dogbones!

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

IMO you only need spur gears and a backup one-way bearing for the rotostart (if it's pull, a backup pullstart would be wise..) - at least that was my experience with the Savage 25.

With the bigger engines a lot of people talk about breaking dogbones - but I still haven't don that with my X SS.. Nevertheless, I have some backups just in case, and based on what one hears anyway, it should be high on your list of parts to have on hand.. What I HAVE done, is break one upper adjustable arm, and rounded out the plastic heads on the rear turnbuckles.. To remedy the former, I went with the non-adjustable up front(included in X SS kit..), and for the latter I've ordered some Integy tierod eliminators..

Beyond that I don't really think you need anything else.. Yes, you COULD break this or that, but with the Savage, the basics are spur gears and dogbones...

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

And BTW TBJ, I have a question for you: you're always saying how important alu clutch shoes are. Now, I'm not doubting you at all, but asking. Why is it that on LST forums a lot of guys seem to say the stock teflon Savage clutch shoes are GOOD - and this for a truck with notorious clutch problems?? I asked once on an LST forum why they think they're good when all you ever hear in Savage forums is how bad they are. They just made some smart ass answer about Savage-owners not knowing anything anyway - look, they drive Savages, etc..

I recently took the CB off my old '25, and the shoes looked practically new - after 4+ gallons and more than a year and a half... Yes, I have melted a spur gear or two in my day - but if you have a vented CB and steel SG?????

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Yea my shoes look brand new as well. I took it apart the other day. I've only gone through 2 1/2 gallons, but people talk about how they only last a gallon. Not in my case.

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

You will get much better bite from the aluminum shoes, you would be surprised if you tried them. That Axial is putting a hurting on thsoe stock shoes. There would be less heat also, since they slip less. The vented bell might dissipate a good deal of the heat before it reaches the spur, and the steel spur won't be damaged by that heat... but the CB bearings are still getting fried.

The only possible reason for preferring those shoes in the LST would be cost and ease os maintenance. I can't get much more than a gallon on a set of 6061 shoes in my LST2, so it does get to be a headache and I could see the stock Savage shoes being easier to live with. Any benefits would certainly be offset by the severe lack of performance though... and this isn't a LST. The Savage uses a proper 1:8 style CB, and aluminum is the way to go with a three shoe setup.

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Bought my Axial from slapmafro with Mugen alu shoes with 1.0 springs already installed... So far so good - but I don't like maintenance...

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Oh yeah that's right, I forgot you had mentioned getting the engine already setup with the Mugen clutch... okay then, I guess you would NOT be surprised if you tried some aluminum shoes:D

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

The question is, would I be SIGNIFICANTLY disappointed if I went back to stock??? I'm skeptical.....

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Uprights is another part I have broken, you get both parts in a set but I have only broken the non-pivoting part (the part that doesnt house the wheel bearings). Some guys have upgraded to Ali but I have only broken a couple and they are cheapish.
I have gone though a couple of HD Dogbones and the drive cups wear away. Dont stock ali rollbars just get people to upgrade to the plastic X bar. Yua may break the odd suspension arm (as Patrick says, its more likely the upper adjustable one). Fuel tanks brake on the odd occaision (a stick went through one of mine and the bolt from the shock on another (turn that sucker around!) or just do the mid tank mod!!)
And yea diff parts!! Stock some shims while your at it although if you dont you may sell more diff gears...:eek:
Yup a feww different wheels and tires.
Body shells.
Thats all I can think of right now...

Patrick, I have heard that two ali and one carbon shoe is a good setup, why not try that? Its supposed to cut down on maintenance/prolong life...:eek: At least get the vented bell...

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

That can only be answered by you I guess Patrick. I would be highly disappointed going back to stock shoes. On a modded rig, they won't even perform as well as they do with a stock setup. Harnessing the power of the weak .25 with short gearing is one thing, but they are simply overwhelmed trying to handle a hot .28 pushing on a 17 or 18 tooth CB.

An upgraded clutch is just a must-have item in my opinion. You'll never see the full benefit of any other drivetrain or power mods if the clutch isn't up to snuff.

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Well I'll definitely be trying stock Savage shoes on the LST2 when the time comes....(hopefully later rather than sooner...)

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Hey does anyone know if the X transmission would fit the SS

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Yes it fits no problem, and do not get a steel spur gear. Steel gears are for the n00bs who don't know how to set there mesh properly.

-Josh-

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

I agree ^^^^^^^^^ I havent had a single spur problem with either of my trucks and I dont even use the paper trick!! I do it by feel and sometimes I just dont understand how people can get a mesh wrong i mean wth lol. Ive fried one spur in my T-maxx last year cause I was careless and wanted to get my Maxx running quick so I slapped it together and it fried. My bad for doing a half @$$ job:eek: Parts that are first to break are uprights and shock shafts.[8D]

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

Thanks arisking and rcnitrohead That just saved me alot of time on tring to figure it out if i would or now, I know not to get the metal spur gear I have the mt2 and theres just no need for the metal one. Also whats the difference between the x transmission and the others?
Oh and thanks again

RE: Common Problems with Savage
 

I've only killed a couple of plastic spurs the whole time I have had mine, but it's now wearing a steel spur off of a X SS model anyway. Bashing the plastic is perfectly is fine, but it's kind of silly to risk running a plastic spur on the track. A steel spur isn't as easily damaged and can allow you to finish a race where the plastic just lets go as soon as something goes wrong. I don't think they are "needed", but that doesn't mean that it's not a good upgrade for the right user.