mtwister

I am wondering if anyone has any opinions on the new line of Tower digital servos, especially the TS-160. I am looking at installing them in a 12 pound Cap. The price is very reasonable, but not if it risks a $1K model. Thanks in advance, Mike.

Cambo

My Feedback: (2)

Tower servos are futaba servos with towers name on it

mtwister

I was under the impression they are Hobbico servo's with the Tower badge on them. The Dubro heavy duty servo arms say they will fit Hitec, Hobbico command and Tower servo's.

ira d

The original Tower servos were by Futaba but as I understand it the new digital servos
or by Hitec who also make the Hobbico servos.

R.Robinson

[quote]ORIGINAL: Cambo

Tower servos are futaba servos with towers name on it
[/quote











Your information is incorrect. All new Tower servos are Hitec servo. Check the specs!!!!! Only the radios are Futaba.

Cambo

My Feedback: (2)

Oh, didn't realize they had changed over to hitec.

Thanks for the headsup

masonman

Nope they are futaba. Just like the tower rx's that say R127df or 168df Just like a futaba....But with tower your not buying the name like you do with futaba.....Its a great servo

A.T.

Have yet to examine one of the new Tower digitals but Tower have rebadged different brands from time to time. Quote from rec.models.rc.air post 02Sept01:
"Not quite. Hobbico servos and Tower System 2000 servos are identical.
They vary only by label and part number. The Tower brand have a TS part number prefix, while the Hobbico uses HS. The Hobbico brand is sold to hobby shops, while the Tower brand is only sold by Tower Hobbies. Of course, all are marketed by Great Planes. You are correct in identifying the Hobbico brand as being made by Hitec. However, only the Tower System 3000 series servos are made by Futaba. Jim - AMA 501383"
NB: Hitec and Futaba horns are not interchabgeable as they use a different number of splines - Hitec will not fit onto Futaba output shaft and whilst the Futaba horn appears to fit the Hitec output shaft, it will slip under load.
Regards
Alan T.
Alan's Hobby, Model & RC FAQ Web Links

Flying Geezer

My Feedback: (14)

I have used a lot of tower and hobbico servos in the past. Some were made by futaba and some by hitec. You can tell by the specs.

Just look up the specs on the tower servos, and then look thru the specs on futba and hitec till you find one that's exactly identical.
I have done this many times. It's not coincidence when you find all specs to be identical and the same case design.

mtwister

Well I bought several of the TS-140's and TS-160 servo's and are using them in a 27% Cap with great success. I was concerned with centering problems and/or stickiness. So far, they have been awesome. The Futaba arms fit the servos, not the Hitec arms as I understood originally.

carrellh

I remember reading on RCU that the Hitec programmer will not work with the Tower servos.
Apparently that's something you give up by buying the slightly less expensive servo.
But, if you don't need to use the programmer you haven't really lost anything.

mtwister

I believe that is because they are not built by Hitec, but by Futaba as someone pointed out earlier in the thread. At least that's my take on it.

sherman89

The new series of Hobbico and Tower servos are made by Hitec, not Futaba. Go to the Hitec sheets and compare photos and spec's they are identical.

mtwister

Ok then, why is it that the Futaba arms fit the servos, and not the Hitec ones then? I have sitting here 4 TS-160 servos, and 6 Ts-140 servos, and all of them have Futaba splines, not Hitec.

carrellh

Could be... When a new servo is needed, Tower probably solicits bids from both manufacturers and takes the best deal. I have some of their analog mini servos that were definitely made by Hitec; but they are a couple of years old.

MikeMayberry

My Feedback: (1)

The T-140 is a Futaba built servo and the T-160 is a Hitec built servo... count the splines. Hitec is 24, Futaba is 25. The Futaba horns will fit a Hitec servo but they will eventually slip.

The wire color and connector is also a give-a-way.

Mike.

sherman89

Sorry, the servos I was talking about are the ts-160 and ts-170 I don't use the smaller servos.

sherman89

The Tower 160 and 170 are by Hitec.

mtwister

Then why do they have futaba spline count? I just tried Hitec arms on the TS-140's, 150's and the 160's, none fit, on the Futaba.

MikeMayberry

My Feedback: (1)

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXPHD5&P=7

This is a Hitec built servo... it will have a 24 tooth spline. If your's doesn't then I have no idea how that can be?

The Tower TS-160 servo is a non programmable version of this servo: http://www.hitecrcd.com/product_file/file/4/hs5625.pdf


Mike.

mtwister

I don't know, but i bought aluminum Hitec arms, and they do not fit the 160's, or 140's.

MikeMayberry

My Feedback: (1)

They should work with the 160 (not the 140) but I've seen aluminum horns that the tolerances were so off that they wouldn't fit, or needed some serious pounding to go on.

Counting the splines is the for sure way to tell who makes the servo.

Mike.

badedge540

My Feedback: (22)

mtwister have you ever had any problems with the futaba servo arms slipping

mtwister

I have been flying 3 airplanes now, a 27%, 30%, and a 33% all with the TS-160's and TS-170's with Futaba arms for a little over a year now and all are still working flawlessly. No slop what so ever.

badedge540

My Feedback: (22)

Has anyone tried to use the TS 160 on the elevaters of a 35% yak 54.or similer plane. any thoughts welcome.