Servo Maintenance When?
 

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.

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

replace them when they fail. you can go thousands of flights or just one, there is no set schedule for servo failure.

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

Dude, seriously, if you have to ask you probably need new servos :D

Servos should grow old with your airframes.

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

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

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

Thats just the problem I would like to avoid the servo failure in flight where it could cost thousands

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

You are right they should but if they die in the air then your Jet could die with it [&o] I have seen servos go bad plenty of times in other peoples jets in flight and always wonder if they check them on the ground before the flight.

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

Excellent Freudian slip!

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

if they fail, say good bye to your jet, but life is risk http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...ular_smile.gif

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

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.

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

I would trust a servo with 100 + flights before I trust a new one.

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

+ One :D

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

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

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

looks like about a 6yr old daughter to me.....

RE: Servo Maintenance When?
 

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.