The Servo Mod [29 Pics]

[Lancer_Man]

This tutorial is pretty difficult. I’d rate it a 8.5 from 1-10.

This will show you how to transform your XMod into a high-torque, rock crawling machine.

First, gather all of the required materials.
XMod truck chassis, Hitec Hs-55 Servo or similar, any XMod Evolution motor (we’ll need the contacts off the motor), sheet aluminum, 1/16 drill bit, extra XMod spur gear (two can be found in the Stage 2 Motor upgrade), XMod tool kit – the screwdrivers and the large hand drill, small file, craft knife, wire cutters, wire strippers, scissors, solder, and soldering iron.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/01Matrials.jpg

Now, get out your servo. We need to get at the insides to modify it a little bit. On the HS-55, there are four screws. Simply unscrew them, and carefully pull off the end. Be sure to keep the top part of the servo on, there are many small parts that can be lost.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/1Closedservo-1.jpg
Sorry, in this picture, one screw is missing.

Here is what we should be seeing. Keep in mind that all of these wires will be connected; I am writing this after I have already done the tutorial.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/2openservo.jpg

Cut the board out. To do this, cut the potentiometer wires and the wires of the motor itself. Try to cut the motor wires as far to the board as possible. This will help make things easier later on. The potentiometer wires are not used in this setup, so don’t worry about cutting them too carefully.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/3Cutboard.jpg

We will not move on to the top. Here is the top part of the servo still on the main servo assembly.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/4BeginOpenTop.jpg

Carefully remove the top cover. Inside are many small gears. Here is what you should see.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/5opentop.jpg

Remove all of the gears and the axle in from the top cover. Keep these in a safe place.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/6Gearsout.jpg

Get the top cover and a craft knife. There is a little tab that prevents the gears from turning infinitely. Cut this tab off with the knife. Be sure to cut flush with the cover, this will ensure that there is no binding.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/7Cutnotch-1.jpg

Find the topmost gear. This will be slightly modified.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/8BeginCutGear.jpg

On the back of the gear, there is a notch in the gear that fits on the potentiometer shaft. Using the 1/16 drill bit, drill it out. You don’t have to drill the whole way though the gear, just enough to get rid of the notch.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/9cutgear.jpg

The servo is ready to be reassembled. Put the small axle back in the main servo assembly, and start placing the gears into the correct positions. Assemble the gears in the order detonated by this picture.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/10beginreassembleEDITED.jpg

The following pictures show each gear placed on the servo assembly.

EDIT!!!

Thanks to Texan - Make sure the servo resembles this pic:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/XMODSERVO.jpg

Ignore the setup in the pictures below, I was mistaken on how to do it correctly.


http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/11Gearone.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/12Geartwo.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/13Gearthree.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/14Gearfour.jpg


Now, place the top cover back on the main servo assembly.
Get the servo motor wires ready. Find some extra wire, or use the wire that was originally used with the servo.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/15Startsolder.jpg

Strip the motor wires and the extra wire you are using. Solder the extra wire to the motor wire.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/16solder.jpg

Solder the motor contacts to the extra wire.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/22Contacts.jpg

Cut a small notch in the servo for the wires to go though. This one is a little oversized.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/17notch.jpg

Put the bottom cover on, and replace the screws. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE SCREWS. This can lead to binding.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/18doneservowithoutgear.jpg

Get the extra spur gear and the large hand drill. Drill out the spur gear like so. (A before and after picture)
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/19beginspur.jpg

Screw the spur gear onto the servo using a long Evolution XMod screw. Make sure to screw it on snugly, this is often a failure point. Sometimes, the servo has so much torque that it begins to unscrew the gear.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/20beginspurmount.jpg

Now, the servo is ready to be installed into the truck.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/21doneservowithgear.jpg

The motor cradle needs to be cut for the servo to fit in. Here are before and after pictures of the cutting.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/24Beforecut.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/25aftercut.jpg

Using the aluminum, make some shims for the servo to rest on.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/26installshims.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/27moreshimes.jpg

Also make a band to hold the servo in place. Use the bottom motor screw hole and the right rear arm hole to secure the strap.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/28strap.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/29morestrap.jpg

Now, screw the contacts on to the positions, and your truck is ready to crawl!

For optimizing trail performance, I recommend installing:
-Lift kit
-4 wheel drive
-Locked differentials
-Bigger tires

And, that’s it! Congratulations on installing a servo in your truck.
-Lancer_Man


 

 

[superinfinity]

Wow. I have to say this is one of the best tutorials i have ever seen. Great Job! I look forward to doing this sometime in the near future:D

[ling427ttvette]

Awesome. I plan to do this with mine when I can.

What does that servo usually run price wise?

[texan_idiot25]

****it, you! :lol: http://ultimatexmods.com/index.php?topic=230.0

Great tut though... Slightly different then how I went.

What does that servo usually run price wise?

[Donziikid]

Beautiful write-up, Lancer. ;)

[taiwanesekid05]

Doesn't seem too hard... Then again, me coulds be dumbed... Where do you find sheet aluminum and how do you cut it? Nice tut though, I might wanna try it some day.

[KDaver]

Great job on the tutorial..

Wil have to give that one a Try

[Lancer_Man]

Doesn't seem too hard... Then again, me coulds be dumbed... Where do you find sheet aluminum and how do you cut it? Nice tut though, I might wanna try it some day.


They sheet aluminum is found at the LHS, and I cut it with simple scissors.:)

[supraboi97]

Where can i get the servo and how much is it?

[texan_idiot25]

Awesome. I plan to do this with mine when I can.

What does that servo usually run price wise?

Where can i get the servo and how much is it?
Sorry, thought the link had pasted: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTX42&P=ML

[supraboi97]

Is this the same thing too because i found this and it has free shipping? but there is a 4.99 charge on handling or something if you spend under 50 dollars
http://www.advantagehobby.com/product.php?productid=44838

[texan_idiot25]

It's not free:
National (50 States) Standard Shipping
Orders $50.00 and over: FREE!

Orders under $50.00: A Handling Fee will be applied to all orders under $50.00

All orders will be shipped via UPS, or USPS First Class Priority at our discretion.
http://www.advantagehobby.com/pages.php?pageid=12

Trust me, go with tower hobbies. FAST shipping, I have gotten parts as fast as 2 days (even with the cheapest shipping). And, they have alot of coupon offers in the box too.. and great service.

[supraboi97]

ok thanks i edited it it would be 4.99 so probably still better to get from tower

[snowboi1289]

there has to be a way that you dont have to ruin the rear motor case..im going to try this out,when i get alot of money..how much is the servo ??

[texan_idiot25]

Yeh, it's called the Tamiya Universal Gearbox. :lol: You can do it with out cutting the Xmod. And with unholy amounts of power..

I had to wing-it on the Titan Im building. Having to cut a lot of xmod to get it to fit tight.

Check the link I posted above.. Just about 15 shipped from Tower Hobbies.

Edit: Hey lancer, I think you messed up when reinstalling the gears. Notice the tiny gear that meshes with the motor's pinion:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/legomaniac_2006/14Gearfour.jpg
and mine:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/texan_idiot25/crawler%20tut/IMG_4908.jpg
Yours may fail pretty quick if you dont flip that thing around.

[2wdpancar]

there has to be a way that you dont have to ruin the rear motor case..im going to try this out,when i get alot of money..how much is the servo ??

Hm....I could've sworn Texan just posted a link above:lol:
For towerhobbies:bigwink:
Really, there isn't, unless you use putty or something, but that can crack and easily deform when crawling from the friction and impact.
All of the force on the truck when crawling, I'm taling going onto dirt with rocks, you will need it to be secured, putty could crack, but if you mod the main surface(motor cradle) then it would depend upon the motor cradle breaking.
The only things that really ruin motor cradles(stock, plastic ones) are mod motors.:bigwink:

[Lancer_Man]

Lol, this isn't the servo I use in the XCrawler, but good point, Texan.

Lucky I didn't use that servo...:lol:

I just painted all of the orange parts with black paint...nothing special, really!

[texan_idiot25]

:lol:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/texan_idiot25/IMG_4908.jpg
Here, swap that pic with this one if you want. Save others from accidentally doing it like you had. :p

[taiwanesekid05]

They sheet aluminum is found at the LHS, and I cut it with simple scissors.:)

Because I are dumbed, what is LHS? And, could i find sheet aluminum at a local hardware store? And, is there a reason why the HS-55 motor is most favored for servos?

[supraboi97]

Because I are dumbed, what is LHS? And, could i find sheet aluminum at a local hardware store? And, is there a reason why the HS-55 motor is most favored for servos?

pretty sure you just answered your own question i dont know the answer to the servo question though.

[2wdpancar]

pretty sure you just answered your own question i dont know the answer to the servo question though.

The HS-55 has lower gearing, I think...
Hence, more torque than the HS-50.
Junk-mod-er had a truck w/ an HS-50...faster than HS-55.

[Lancer_Man]

LHS is Local Hobby Store.

The HS-55 is not really favored...I saw it used before, and so I used it.

I'm sure an HS-50 would work fine.

[Stampedekid]

Nice tut Lancer. I need to do this when I get a soldering iron.

[XMODification]

Awesome! You sure made it look easy lancer - the pics speak for themself which make it way easy to follow step by step. :headbang:

[superinfinity]

I have a HS-65 MG. Would that work?

[Lancer_Man]

I have a HS-65 MG. Would that work?


I really don't know the size of that servo. But yes, it would work. Just may require different mounting methods. ;)