yoster

I wanted my next purchase to be a fun, non-headache vehicle. My brother-in-law has a Revo, and goes out every time (me with my Evader, at the time), and just runs it around, bashing it about, never breaking anything. My evader has been beefed up and doesn't actually break anything either (after hundreds in uprades), but it just didn't cut it at 2wd.

SO, I purchase the beefy of beefy, the Savage. 8th tank, just after initial break-in, I turn the car a little too sharp and it does a roll on its side, back onto its feet.. and breaks the fuel tank. Wonderful. So, get a new tank, 3 days later and we're at today. I'm running around, taking it easy, go off a SMALL jump (like, 2 feet off the ground), and... strip the spur gear. I'm only on my 9th tank. I'm thinking.. are you kidding me??? The evader doesn't even do that, and I have the slipper locked on it! So, both days I ended up driving the Evader until sundown.

Anyway, thought I would share my misfortune. VERY minor breaks, I know, but just kind of annoying. That said, that 4.6 they have in that savage is by FAR the easiest motor I have ever tuned. I ABSOLUTELY love it!! One bump on the roto-start and it fires up instantly. Smooth idle, low running temps, great power. This is my first big-block, and I'm just blown away by the torque and how LOUD it is. I'm only running it at 195-208 degrees, and it feels so powerful, even with it running fat!

Clymer122693

Setting up your suspension so it is softer and adding offset wheels and honing your driving skills will virtually eliminate the roll over issues.

yoster

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I was referring more to the fluke that the tank cracked due to it.. I mean.. it was a REAL easy rollover. I must have obviously hit it in just the right spot, but that's just my luck

Hordsak

Where did your tank crack? I would say that the only way to crack a tank from a roll over is if you rolled over a sharp rock or something like that. I've broken a tank in my savage, after a 10foot jump, the suspension bottomed out, and it hit something sticking out of the ground, and broke a hole in the bottom of the tank. I would also highly suggest you get a Robinson Racing clutch bell and spur gear, and not worry about those junky plastic ones stripping anymore. Even if the mesh is perfect on the plastic spurs, they seem to go at random times.

t9dragon

My Feedback: (11)

Most likely your motor shifted causing the pinion to strip the spur gear.

yoster

I'll check to see if the motor shifted.

Concerning the plastic spur gear, I'm worried that if I replace it with a more durable one it will put too much stress on the diffs, which I hear is a weak point on this truck. That said, accessing the spur gear seems a little difficult on this truck. Any recommendations or tips before I do this? It's not easily exposed like on my stadium trucks.

lastly, to answer Hordsak's question, I cracked it on the bottom. It's a long hairline crack from side to the other, and partly up one of the sides. I agree, it must have hit a rock or something, though at the time I didn't pay attetion.. I was more concerned with trying to figure out where all the liquid from the bottom of my truck was coming from lol.

[edit] - I want to keep stock gearing, and it doesn't look like Robinson has a 47T spur gear. Any experience with this one: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXPUM8&P=7

c_P

easiest way to access the spur would probably be to take apart this.... http://www.hpiracing.com/products/en/85239/

then take the 3 screws that holds the top of the tranny together. (page 37 in part #Z569 if you have the x4.6 RTR)

I wouldn't buy anything intergy for the savage =), alot of people will agree they're crap, yes they got alot better about still crap

Hordsak

I would not say the diffs are a weak point. My buddy has put 3 very hard gallons on his truck, with no diff problems. I've put about 3 gallons on my truck, and just recently I broke a pinion gear. I'm extremely hard on my nitros.

Robinson makes a 48/16 combo witch is fine. My friend runs it, and we can't tell a difference between the stock 47/17

http://www.greathobbies.com/producti...rod_id=RRP7048

Mind you, that is a Canadian site. Right now, I'm personally running these items in my savage right now, because the Robinson was not available when I need it.

Here are links to the exact parts I'm running, and it's been great. My engine came loose one day, and I managed to kill my stock savage x ss steel spur and bell, so I got these.

If you do decide to purchase an aftermarket spur gear, you will most likely have to purchase a slipper pad, because they don't come with them.

Slipper Pad http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXVJ88

http://www.ghhobby.com/proddetail.php?prod=2088

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXBL94&P=7

yoster

Great info Hordsak, thanks for taking the time to get me those links.

I like that spur gear. It has the stock 47t and is more durable; just what I'm looking for. I noticed the clutch bell is 1-tooth difference. I assume I coud use the following instead: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXMYV6&P=7

Concerning the slipper pads, since this is only my 9th tank of fuel, do you feel this should still be replaced anyway?


[edit] - c P - Thanks for the how-to

Hordsak

Yes that should be fine. From what I've gathered around this site, it's a good idea to use a vented clutch bell if you have aluminum shoes. I don't know if this the exact truth to this, but it makes sense anyhow, since the aluminum shoes would heat up quite abit. If you do get that steel spur gear, make sure the clutch bell you get is hardened, or it will get chewed up in no time. All RR stuff is hardened.

yoster

Sounds good - If I ever upgrade to aluminum shoes I'll check out that vented CB

Thanks again guys; one of the most productive threads I've had on this site.

pythonfan

My Feedback: (1)

ok to work on the spur its quite simple.



since this is your first savage, it would be a good idea to read this thread, http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5473724/tm.htm

now for the spur, check my thread out http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_7531675/tm.htm i have eaten up to clutch bells from the screws coming lose or falling out allowing the motor twist from the spur causing it to strip the clutch bell, but you don't have to upgrade to a steel one yet, cause the steel ones can to more harm then good sometimes, i know a few guys who have got 4-5 gallon on a plastic spur or guys on here who have gone to the point where they outlasted a motor and have a new one with the same spur. I have the stock savage steel spur, which i have had no problems with and I'm running a modified engine.

as for the fuel tank, it could of just been a bad tank. nothing to worry about, i have bottomed out my suspension on to many occasions and have yet to brake the tank, except my mounting flanges are about to get ripped off.

yoster

Awesome information, thanks! I wish I had seen this prior to getting it all dirty. Taken what you've said into account, I'll try the plastic gear once more and check the mesh. Should I continue to have issues, I will move to the recommedended hardened gear

go-to

My Feedback: (2)

I run aluminum clutch shoes with a NON-vented clutch bell and plastic spur. I have this on an RBMods SureFire 32R that makes monstrous torque. I have fried plenty slipper pads, but no spurs as of yet!

The aluminum shoes will heat up *less* of they're not dragging with loose springs like stock. I have 1.0mm clutch shoe springs with the set screw weights installed. There's no dragging and the clutch engages very suddenly (that's gonna break parts I bet, but not yet).

I'm not sure your spur has anything to do with this though...from your description that is.

Honestly your breakage is normal stuff. My brother-in-law busted a fuel tank one day and he never wrecked. No idea how the hole got in the tank to this day!

black mamba

To the original poster-Two ways to fix your problems. First off, run with the body on and get a steel spur. Problems solved.[8D]

yoster

I never run with the body off (except during break-in)

black mamba

Then breaking your tank was just a freak accident. I've rolled my truck more times than I can remember over the years and haven't damaged the tank...........and it is still the original tank.[8D]

Van Pelt

The fuel tank sounds like a random occurence. The spur may be related to the mesh being too loose from the factory. Regarding the Savage's ability to take some abuse... watch the video we made about 1.5 years ago... give it about 1 minute to get into the good jumping... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8hMBqZvRnQ

The little guy running one of the Savages was 5 at the time. He's 6-1/2 now and continues to "stress" test his Savage X....

You did the right thing buying the Savage...

The next best thing is to get a better steering servo, move the current steering servo to the throttle, and get a Spektrum radio. All 3 of our Savage have the DX 3.0. Oh, and a good hump pack.