tamiya servo saver discussion

[Big Jon 684]

The all-plastic kit servo savers are good for cheap plastic gear servos. With a metal gear servo, you’re perfectly safe with a solid horn on anything but a bouncer or big monster truck. I use Tamiya high-torque servo savers on touring chassis, mainly to protect the steering and suspension, which can break in a hard hit with a solid aluminum horn, and I’m trying out a Yeah servo saver that’s similar to a high-torque, but has slightly different springs and a bearing in the cap, on a DT-03 I built last weekend. It’s really neat, even though it has a tick of play.

Off road kits with bellcrank steering don’t need a servo saver, and are harder to control precisely with one installed. Chassis with direct steering, like the Frog or DT-03 sort of require one for correct linkage setup and Ackerman. I have found that the Tamiya high-torque and others of similar design require cleaning periodically to prevent binding or they won’t center properly.

[twaleta 161]

Ill get a servo horn and see if this problem is solved.If its not then its not the servo saver

[twaleta 161]

On 6/6/2023 at 8:45 AM, Mad Ax said:

I think Tamiya servo savers were designed back when everyone was using servos with plastic gears.  Then you'd have a self-tapping screw into the top of the servo, so it would stay in place even when the screw isn't fully tightened down, which is necessary to allow the servo saver to move and recentre.

Many modern servos have metal splines, therefore a machine screw is needed.  When this is torqued down enough to stay in place, it's also tight enough to prevent the servo saver from moving.  This causes it to go off-centre and need constant retrimming.

The solutions are:

a) make sure you have installed the little plastic circular washer when you assemble the servo saver, as this gives some space for the servo saver to move when torqued down (it doesn't seem to work if a metal washer is substituted, maybe because metal washers are slightly dished and bind on the plastic parts)

b) use some threadlock and don't overtighten the screw, before installing the servo make sure you can stretch the servo saver in both directions and it will freely turn back to the centre position without any help

Although if you're racing or running hard, you'll probably want a stronger servo saver - the Tamiya design is pretty old and doesn't really compete with modern manufacturer designs

yes i agree,i get high speeds (around 40-50mph) and i cant risk the twitchiness of a servo saver i dont like how it drives either ( or atleast a tamiya one)I have servo savers on offroad cars (traxxas slash) and its way better.I test it out on a road outside my house which is pretty rough to.With racing around the corner to its time for a upgrade

[twaleta 161]

update: i have added some thread locker to the screw and its better.But its still wiggling at high speeds/stopping.But its doing it less now 

[joeling 1649]

For the plastic saver part, use superglue to glue them together

[SlideWRX 785]

14 hours ago, twaleta said:

update: i have added some thread locker to the screw and its better.But its still wiggling at high speeds/stopping.But its doing it less now 

If this is a TT-02 going 40+ mph, I suspect the rest of the steering system also needs some attention as well.

[twaleta 161]

2 hours ago, SlideWRX said:

If this is a TT-02 going 40+ mph, I suspect the rest of the steering system also needs some attention as well.

I did put tt01 turnbuckles now i just need to get the tamiya aluminium steering bridge and the other main aluminium steering parts but now im just testing it out Lol 

[Carmine A 2046]

I haven't used a Servo Saver on anything since about 2004....

EXCEPT for open wheel Buggies and F1 cars. (And Clodbuster, of course!) When I do use a Servo Saver, it's only Kimbrough. They've worked perfectly with no slop.

High Torque, all metal gear Servos, combined with the front wheels being enclosed in the body... have made Servo Savers all but unnecessary. 

Some WILL argue, but it's worked for me flawlessly for decades! 😉

[one_hit 1045]

1 hour ago, Carmine A said:

I haven't used a Servo Saver on anything since about 2004....

EXCEPT for open wheel Buggies and F1 cars. (And Clodbuster, of course!) When I do use a Servo Saver, it's only Kimbrough. They've worked perfectly with no slop.

High Torque, all metal gear Servos, combined with the front wheels being enclosed in the body... have made Servo Savers all but unnecessary. 

Some WILL argue, but it's worked for me flawlessly for decades! 😉

I witnessed a TT-02 at the track last week that snapped the steering bell crank step screw. Guess what, he wasn’t running a servo saver. A straight horn won’t magically remove all the slop in the steering of a TT-02. And in my case, I still prefer to protect my expensive servos with servo savers even if they are metal geared. What’s $9 to protect a $100 servo right?

[SuperChamp82 743]

Interesting thread 

With a few conflicting issues

Tamiya servo savers were originally designed to break before shattering more expensive steering components took the brunt of a kerb or crash - a servo saver etc 

Their high torque hop ups then just added tensile plastic strength - with minor design tweaks - making them a brave / racers move … especially when servos were still fickle back in the day 

They’ve frankly not changed much over the years - whilst everything else obviously has 

If the goal is sharp steering, you’re better off tightening up and trimming everything else as others have said 

The mistake to avoid is doing it piecemeal - so aluminium servo stays then pins then horns then steering etc 👍

Because each will transfer load to the next bit of steering geometry and you’ll otherwise end up breaking the next / waiting whilst parts arrive …

[Carmine A 2046]

6 hours ago, SuperChamp82 said:

Interesting thread 

With a few conflicting issues.... 

The mistake to avoid is doing it piecemeal - so aluminium servo stays then pins then horns then steering etc 👍

Because each will transfer load to the next bit of steering geometry and you’ll otherwise end up breaking the next / waiting whilst parts arrive …

Brilliant! Yes, conflicting opinions for sure... but one thing will always be constant...

The point of least resistance will ALWAYS break first! When I said that I have had good results from Alumininium Servo Arms, instead of sloppy savers..... It's because I've sorted the entire steering system at the same time. 

MY breakage point is usually the Wheels! Cheap and easy to replace. 

[Pylon80 2628]

I would probably be happy to use a solid aluminum arm on the cars I don't already have the Tamiya aluminum servo saver arm... because it's blue... 😎 it's difficult not to use it!

On the Tamiya HT servo saver I have used a bit of grease in the past in an effort to help it recenter. Obviously it attracts dirt eventually and requires periodic cleaning.

[Carmine A 2046]

1 hour ago, Pylon80 said:

 😎 On the Tamiya HT servo saver I have used a bit of grease in the past in an effort to help it recenter. Obviously it attracts dirt eventually and requires periodic cleaning.

I actually use the Tamiya HT Servo Saver in some of my 1/14th Scale Semi Trucks, that go off road... the possibility of a wheel jamming up with a heavy load is my exception to the "No Servo Savers Allowed" rule!! 😜

To help the HT SS not stick OR clog with debris... if you have a Hobby Shop near you that sells Model Railroading equipment, get Kadee or equivalent Graphite Powder Lube. 

It lubricates nicely, doesn't attract dust, and an application lasts a while!  ..... Just DON'T wear white or any light colored clothing when applying it. It washes off of hands well, but clothes... notsomuch!  It is an old, proven product though. 

[Pylon80 2628]

1 hour ago, Carmine A said:

I actually use the Tamiya HT Servo Saver in some of my 1/14th Scale Semi Trucks, that go off road... the possibility of a wheel jamming up with a heavy load is my exception to the "No Servo Savers Allowed" rule!! 😜

To help the HT SS not stick OR clog with debris... if you have a Hobby Shop near you that sells Model Railroading equipment, get Kadee or equivalent Graphite Powder Lube. 

It lubricates nicely, doesn't attract dust, and an application lasts a while!  ..... Just DON'T wear white or any light colored clothing when applying it. It washes off of hands well, but clothes... notsomuch!  It is an old, proven product though. 

Thank you for the feedback and tip! I have used talcum (baby powder) in the past as a powder/dru lube, but never on servo savers. Just another idea that might be worth trying.

[Carmine A 2046]

@Pylon80 GLAD I could help!