Servo Maintenance When?
#1
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From: Palm Bay ,
FL
I have been going back and forth about this. On my airplane especially my Jets I check my servos before flight to make sure they are holding but my question is when or if I should change out the gears on them or maybe even replace the servo for new ones.
#4

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This question was asked here not long ago and I believe the consensus was that the servos in a jet have such a low level of activity that the gears, motors, and pots don't wear very much. Most guys echoed the sentiment above - don't replace them unless they show signs of wear. Now in a 40% 3D airplane or helicopter, I think the answer is different and there the top guys generally replace/rebuild their servos every couple of seasons - at least the ones I've talked to do...
Bob
Bob
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From: Palm Bay ,
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ORIGINAL: KC36330
replace them when they fail. you can go thousands of flights or just one, there is no set schedule for servo failure.
replace them when they fail. you can go thousands of flights or just one, there is no set schedule for servo failure.
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From: Palm Bay ,
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ORIGINAL: FalconWings
Dude, seriously, if you have to ask you probably need new servos
Servos should grow old with your airframes.
Dude, seriously, if you have to ask you probably need new servos

Servos should grow old with your airframes.
#9

i've had servos last 25+ yrs in high vibration helicopters without even a hint of a problem, i've had a few high end servos fail during setup, there is no expiration date stamped on them and there is no set time in use that if you replace them you're guaranteed they won't fail..........so regardless you're taking the same chance on EVERY flight that you fly regardless if you fly till they fail or you have some scheduled maintenance/replacement program.
i've had occasions where they failed in flight, i've never lost a jet because of it.............granted it's never been a full flying stab but i have lost half a elevator on one and an aileron on another and still got them back on deck without any issues.
i've had occasions where they failed in flight, i've never lost a jet because of it.............granted it's never been a full flying stab but i have lost half a elevator on one and an aileron on another and still got them back on deck without any issues.
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From: Bakersfield, CA
Rc Jets 12
Your avatar looks like you are about 12yrs old. And there are so many things to really worry about while flying a jet. Such as birds being sucked into the jet. Hitting other planes such as foamies that seem to go up to fly when we get a jet in the air. At least at our field. Sun spots, if you fly into the sun, and cant see the plane for a while. When you think of some of these and other things, then the servo issue just seems to be less important.
John
Your avatar looks like you are about 12yrs old. And there are so many things to really worry about while flying a jet. Such as birds being sucked into the jet. Hitting other planes such as foamies that seem to go up to fly when we get a jet in the air. At least at our field. Sun spots, if you fly into the sun, and cant see the plane for a while. When you think of some of these and other things, then the servo issue just seems to be less important.
John
#14

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get one of those fancy servo testers. run new servos through it record the performance. then over time recheck your servos and if see a change in performance then change it out. Do this servo check with a load on it. use a quick clamp in a mount to hold the servo. put on a large 2" horn and hook it up to a spring, R/C car shock light weight one, rubber bands or what ever to add a load to it.
like i said you can see the performance of the servo and over time if bad change it. this should help find a bad servo if new also.
like i said you can see the performance of the servo and over time if bad change it. this should help find a bad servo if new also.




