Maxrom

Just a quick question about failsafe devices. They're obviously a good idea, but I'm assuming that the car I'm thinking of getting (nitro CEN Fun factor) wouldn't have one as standard. So, my question is, are they easy to fit, and are they universal in design, or do I need one specific for the car I'm thinking of getting? Also, are they as good as they claim to be - if someone has the same frequency radio setup, or the car goes out of range, will it kill the engine?

Thanks...

Shadow102

My Feedback: (5)

yes they are a universal design they are a little larger than a razor blade as far as size and are about the height of a zip disk case so they are pretty small. The connectors usually consist of a futaba J connector recieving end so you can use any type of connector and on the end that goes to your reciever is a hitec connector so it will work on any reciever. they are defiantly a good idea and i am going to put my dynamite on my buggy tonight. i do not believe they work if someone switches on another TX kause it is still recieving a signal though

brainleak

My Feedback: (1)

A cheaper alternative but by no means as good as a fail safe is a throttle return spring easy enough to rig up a spring to your throttle arm <where you servo connects to the carb> and mount it to the chassis somewhere. associated has a spring and a mount for like 3 bucks i think

Works good but certainly isnt a fail safe. Just a extra precaution

cemeb4dk

it is my understanding if the failsafe recv's two of the same signals it will go into its safe mode, thats what it protects for also if crystal falls out, low battery, out of range or if someone else is on same channel. I use the ofna micro fail safe as someone else described its size as a peanut M&M which is accurate.

packfan88

My Feedback: (2)

time and time again people give out the wrong information.

a throttle return spring and a failsafe are NOT the same thing.

a trs will not stop your car if
#1 it goes out of range
#2 interferance cause loss of radio signal
#3 anythign that stop the transmitter from talking to the receiver.

a trs will stop your car if
#1 you wreck and your linkage comes off the carb
#2 50/50 shot at closing your carb if the batteries fly out of your car (depending on how weak you servos is)
#3 your servos just flat out dies


they serve two different purposes.
you dont want a spring so strong that your servo is always fighting against the tension to open the carb or you will burn out your servo before its time. some servos are over $100 each and i wouldnt want that to happen to mine.
a failsafe is only $25 and worth it if your driving a $1,000 car pr even a $200 car. you dont want it running off into the street or into a curb, caus eyour gonna be spending the cost of the device at the hobby shop fixing what ever broke from your run-a-way.

joblo1978

My Feedback: (-1)

He's right, I lost my signal and went head on into a curb about two weeks ago, I just got my ss put back together after 80 bucks of parts, I did buy a fail safe after that. I wish I would have known about them before, they're awesome.

PitStops

My Feedback: (1)

Failsafe pros/cons

Pros:

Keeps you from trying to chase a vehicle across field/parking lot at 40 plus mph (only time you catch up is when you are picking up little pieces in a 20 foot radius of that curb it couldn't drive up/over/around.

small and compact..... weight added is minor

Less expensive then result of previous.

Cons:

Cuts battery life per charge way down.

Do NOT function well with regular Alkaline or ni-cad batteries
(get a nickel metal pack.)

Can cause servo glitching.

joblo1978

My Feedback: (-1)

I run alkaline batteries in my SS, should I really get rechargeables now that I have the fail safe or will I just have to replace the batteries more often? It's only 4 batteries for the receiver, it's not a big deal if I have to replace them a bit more.

PitStops

My Feedback: (1)

On my Tmaxx I was using a Dynamite Fail Safe and had a couple of time that it did not function properly (no major damage caused but did kinda piss me off)

Other than that I I just had to replace batteries more often.

A rechargeable pack will just give you more run time for the servos.

Orion makes a nice 1200mah pack that will fit in the battery box on a maxx. not sure how it will fit in a savage.