Hitec has two new servos on the way- the HS-83330SH and the HS-8335SH. The two new servos are designed to deliver premium performance at an affordable price.

Both the Hitec HS-83330SH and the HS-8335SH are high voltage, high response, steel gear, digital servos. Their specs are- .07 speed at 181 oz/in for the 83330, and .13 at 333 oz/in for the 8335 (ratings at 7.4 volts). Street price for both servos is $89 and you can get more information on all things Hitec at their Official Website.

We have more Hitec news RIGHT HERE on BigSquidRC.

The crew over at HobbyTech have just announced their new Xtronic Series of waterproof servo’s. Now you can get a variety of high performance servo’s that aren’t afraid to get wet during a hardcore bashing session or trail drive.

The Xtronic Series includes the XT W03 (3kg torque, plastic gear), XT W06MG (6kg, metal gear, low profile), XT W09MG (9kg, metal gear), and the XT W13MG (13kg, metal gear). All the Xtronic servo’s come with beefy aluminum cases and are waterproof. For more information check out the official HobbyTech Website.

Want to read more HobbyTech news on BigSquidRC? Check out THIS LINK.

Associated has just announced their new line-up of XP Digital Servo’s. The new XP servo’s come with O-rings to help them be water-resistant, they also come with metal gears for durability (on MG models). In all there are 5 different models ranging in torque from 52 to 138 oz/inch. Speed on all the new digital XP servo’s is .15 (all ratings at 6 volts).

Prices range from $25-$50 and they are expected out later this month. THIS is the link you want for more information over on the Associated website.

The whole BSRC staff rejoices when Friday rolls around, how about checking out a TGIF Mystery Link?

Hitec has been an advertiser with BigSquidRC for years now, but we’ve been using their servo’s for much longer than that. You see, we hate wrenching (except for Bill) so one of the first things we do with a new bash-mobile is install a Hitec servo, they perform great and are basher tough.

The folks over at Hitec have just announced their all new website. Their new site has comprehensive product information, more content, and it’s easier to use. Now when you go looking for information on a new Hitec servo, radio, or battery charger, their new site makes it a snap. Take a look at their all new site by simply hitting THIS LINK.

Want to read more news on Hitec? Check out THIS LINK right here on BigSquidRC.

We first reporter about these HERE back in 2011, but now they are officially ready for market, Hitec HSB-94xx and HSB-93XX series servo’s.

To make life easier on your BEC, Hitec teamed up with the Neu Castle brushless motor crew to produce new servos with all the power, but with less power consumption.

The Neu Castle brushless motors used in the new Hitec servos are more efficient than regular servo motors, giving you greater performance with very low current consumption. The Neu Castle Hitec servo’s also feature titanium gear trains and constant power output.

Specifications at 7.4 volts -

HSB-9360TH – .06 speed, 236 oz/in, $179 street
HSB-9370TH – .10 speed, 347 oz/in, $179 street
HSB-9380TH – .14 speed, 472 oz/in, $179 street

HSB-9465SH – .07 speed, 187 oz/in, $124 street
HSB-9475SH – .10 speed, 269 oz/in, $124 street
HSB-9485SH – .15 speed, 361 oz/in, $124 street

To get more information on everything Hitec simple click THIS LINK. To get more Hitec news right here on BigSquidRC, THIS is the link you want.

Looking for that last bit of bling to really set your car off? Want to have something trick on your truck that your buddy doesn’t? Need a new servo anyways?

KO Propo have announced two new servo’s with built in LED lights. Three different colors are available, Blue, Red and Yellow. The two different types of servos that you can get the LED’s on are the speed type, PDS-2531 or a torque type, PDS-2532. The speed type servo has a transit speed of .13 and 9.5 kg-cm of torque at 6 volts. The torque type has a transit of .16 and 10.8 kg-cm of torque. Both have a street price of $70.

Want more information on the new LED servos from KO? Simply click THIS LINK. To see other new products from KO hit THIS LINK right here on BigSquidRC.

The crew at Tactic have announced an affordable new line-up of servos. With eleven different models to chose from they should have a servo for nearly any application. Each Tactic servo comes complete with mounting hardware and a 1 year warranty.

Specs at 6 volts-

TSX5 Micro Servo HS – 14 oz-in & 0.09 sec/60, $9
TSX10 Micro Servo Digital HT MG – 23 oz-in & .10 sec, $14
TSX20 Mini Servo HS 2BB – 55 oz-in & .13 sec, $17
TSX25 Mini Servo Digital HS 2BB – 91 oz-in & .12 sec, $20
TSX35 Standard Servo Sport – 73 oz-in & .16 sec, $10
TSX40 Standard Servo HS MG 2BB – 99 oz-in & .13 sec, $22
TSX45 Standard Servo HT MG 2BB – 151 oz-in & .17 sec, $22
TSX47 Standard Servo Digital HT MG 2BB – 132 oz-in & .16 sec, $25
TSX55 Standard Servo UT MG 2BB – 203 oz-in & .21 sec, $23
TSX57 Standard Servo Digital UT MG 2BB – 188 oz-in & .20 sec, $30
TSX65 Standard Servo Digital HV MG 2BB – 323 oz-in & .15 sec, $59

Some of the Tactic servos are already available while others should be out in the next few weeks.

To get more information on their entire line-up simply click THIS LINK.

Thank goodness it’s Friday, how about a TGIF Mystery Link?

Always on the forward edge of technology, Futaba has announced their new line-up of S.Bus2 Servos. The S.Bus2 line is designed to be some of the best performing servos that money can buy. Some of their features include-

* The SV (high voltage) servos are designed for running 2S Lipo power without the need of a regulator.
* The BLS (brushless) servos offer 5 times longer life compared to a standard servo, plus extra holding power.
* SVi servos come with a removable connector so you can attach the length of cable that best suits the application.

FUTM0182 S3270SVi Micro SBus2 Servo- $59.99
FUTM0126 S3174SV Glider Wing HV Servo- $64.99
FUTM0180 S3173SVi Glider SBus2 HV Servo- $64.99
FUTM0137 BLS173SV Mini Airplane SBus2 HV Servo- $137.99
FUTM0184 BLS173SVi Mini Airplane SBus2 HV Servo- $139.99
FUTM0147 BLS274SV SBus2 HV Programmable Tail Servo- $154.99
FUTM0160 BLS671SV Mini 1/12 SBus HV Servo- $159.99
FUTM0186 BLS671SVi Mini 1/12 SBus2 HV Servo- $169.99
FUTM0143 BLS251SB Heli Rudder SBus2 Servo- $169.99
FUTM0148 BLS276SV SBus2 HV Programmable HS Servo- $194.99
FUTM0146 BLS273SV Heli FBL SBus2 HV Servo- $249.99

To hit the official Futaba website HERE is the link you want, to read even more Futaba news here on BigSquidRC simply Click Here.

The friendly crew at Hitec are out in force at the iHobby Expo. Some of their latest products on display are the X1-200 Touch battery charger, their giant scale servos for vehicles like the Losi 5ive-T, and their latest aircraft transmitters. Their HS-1000SGT servo is capable of over 1500 oz/in of torque, ensuring the wheels on your 5th scale are pointed exactly where you want them to be. To get more information on all of Hitec’s fine products simply click This Link.

Click Here for more Hitec news here on BigSquidRC. Special thanks to BigSquidRC spokesmodel Anna Kogut for shooting all the pictures of the Hitec booth for us.

KO Propo has a new low profile servo for those tight installs, the RSx one10 30105. The RSx one10 is a speedy servo, boasting a transit time of .07 at 7.4 volts, and has 124oz-in of torque. Some of its other features include-

* Aluminum + 1 plastic gear
* Dual bearings
* Coreless Motor
* Aluminum heat sink case
* Hardened Gear Pins
* Gold Plated Servo Lead Connector

The part number is #30105 and it is priced at $149. Hit up This Link for more information.

Click Here for more KO Propo news on BigSquidRC.

The Spektrum crew has been showing off a couple of new 5th scale servos at the Nurnberg Toy Fair. Both servos were designed to fix several problems that 5th scale drivers have like servo fade, low holding power, and crowbar effect. Using patent-pending Back EMF technology designed by Paul Beard, the new Spektrum 5th scale servos are designed not to fade, even during the toughest bash sessions.

* Designed to eliminate crowbar effect and reduced heat
* Waterproof
* Hardened steel gears
* Socket-head cap screws
* Can be used on 2S Li-Po
* Strong, removable, servo lead
* Low profile 1/5-scale size
* Weight- 5 oz
* Width- 1.2″
* Length- 3″
* Height- 1.8″

The part number for the S9010 is #SPMSS9010, it has a street price of $199 and you can get more information at This Link. The S9020 has a part number of #SPMSS9020, it also has a street price of $199, and you can Click Here to get more information on it.

Click Right Here for more Spektrum news on BigSquidRC.

The crew over at Viper RC Solutions have announced they are now distributing the Xpert RC line of servos here in the USA. Xpert servos are designed for precision and quality, and have been proven winners in the hands of drivers like European Champion Lee Martin.

All the servos in the Xpert line are brushless, making them highly efficient, low power consumption, and high speed. Some of their other features include-

* 4096 resolution with Single Integrated Circuit
* Aluminum cases
* Metal gear drivetrain
* Over current & temperature protection
* High speed 12-bit AD converter & CPU calculation

The Xpert line of servos have affordable price points. One of the units we have for review is rated at .05 for speed and 200 oz/in (@ 7.4v) of torque and is priced around $70. The best way to get your hands on an Xpert servo is to hit up This Link which is the shopping site for Viper RC. Click This Link to visit the official Xpert RC USA website.

We should have an Xpert RC servo review for your reading pleasure next week, until then you can Click Here for more Viper RC news on BigSquidRC.

The crew over at KO Propo have announced their new line of RSx2 servos. These high precision servos have aluminum cases, metal gears, and have a re-worked servo amplifier for a more linear feel. The new KO Propo servos include-

* RSx2 Response H.C. (hard case) #30106
* Speed servo w/ aluminum upper case
* Speed- 0.06 @ 7.4V, 0.07s @ 6.0V
* Torque- 17.6kg-cm @ 7.4V, 14.5kg-cm @ 6.0V
* Size- 41 x 37.5 x 20mm

* RSx2 Power H.C. (hard case) #30107
* Torque servo w/ aluminum upper case
* Speed- 0.11s @ 7.4V, 0.13s @ 6.0V
* Torque- 31.6kg-cm @ 7.4V, 26.3kg-cm @ 6.0V
* Size- 41 x 37.5 x 20mm

* RSx2 Response #30108 speed servo
* Speed- 0.06s @ 7.4V, 0.07s @ 6.0V
* Torque- 17.6kg-cm @ 7.4V, 14.5kg-cm @ 6.0V
• Size- 41 x 37.5 x 20mm

* RSx2 Power #30109 torque servo.
* Speed: 0.11s @ 7.4V, 0.13s @ 6.0V
* Torque- 31.6kg-cm @ 7.4V, 26.3kg-cm @ 6.0V
* Size- 41 x 37.5 x 20mm

Want more KO Propo news? If so, check out This Link on BigSquidRC.

Surface radios are no longer sold under the JR banner now days in America, but their air radios are alive and well. JR America’s booth at E-Fest 2014 was big and filled with electronic goodness. From uber high end transmitters to servos of every size, they have radio gear for all sorts of air applications. Hit up their Official Website to see everything they produce, and check out the pictures below to get a feel for what their booth was like.

If you are anything like us, you can never have enough servos. It seems like every time we get in a new car we don’t have a an extra servo laying around to put in it. Such is life around the BigSquidRC offices.

Futaba has a Special Offer going on right now where they will give you a free S3004 servo with the purchase of a select 2.4GHz transmitter. When you buy a new 3PL, 4PLS, 3PM-X, 3PRKA, or 4YF before April 30th the good folks over at Futaba will hook you up with a legendary S3004.

To get all the details on the offer hit up This Link, to read more Futaba news on BigSquidRC just Click Here.

Viper RC Solutions are best known for their electronic speed controls, but now they have gotten into the servo game with a line-up called Xpert RC. We have beeen using and abusing an Xpert SN-3301 servo for a few weeks now, here is what we found out.

The Xpert SN-3301 is rated at .052 sec/60 degree at 6 volts, which is among the fastest you will find. It isn’t a slouch at torque either, being rated at 14.3 kg-cm at 6 volts (about 198 oz/in). Also, it utilizes a brushless motor instead of a coreless to help it draw less power. We have seen the SN-3301 listed at different pricing, but it looks like it has settled in at just over $100.

We mounted up the Xpert into our Pro-Line PRO-2 short course truck for testing. We used a TrakPower 2S Lipo, a Castle Creations brushless system for power (with BEC set at 6 volts), and a Futaba 4PK Super R to control the show. Once we had the Xpert bolted up we did a few full swipes of the front wheels with the truck in the air to get a feel for how fast the servo was, and it was impressive, it was “Holy Cow!” fast.

While driving the Xpert kept on impressing. We ended up giving it the nickname “Ninja” because of how fast it could throw the front wheels around. If you crave speed, the 3301 will not disappoint, it’s the kind of servo you want when you have to make split second course corrections. For example, like when a turn marshal unexpectedly puts an errant foot out on the track, or when you see your buddy’s truck is headed full tilt right at yours when doing speed runs in the parking lot.

Our 2wd Pro-Line short course truck didn’t present the heaviest of loads for a servo to push around, but the 200 oz that the Xpert packs was more than enough. Even in high speed corners on high bite surfaces the Xpert kept the front wheels of the PRO-2 locked exactly where we had them pointed.

So how smooth across the arc was the brushless powered Xpert? It was not the smoothest we’ve ever driven, but it wasn’t bad either. We didn’t notice any notchiness across the arc and when compared to low end servos it was buttery smooth.

A few other things we noticed -

* The Xpert was louder than most servos. It wasn’t so loud that you can hear it while driving, but in the pits you can definitely hear it humming.

* We had browned out the BEC on this truck with another servo, but experienced no issue with the Xpert.

* The Xpert uses a popular spline size (a 25) and uses a common 2mm metric screw to secure the horn.

Overall, the combination of Ninja speed, plenty of torque, and smooth movement left us very impressed with how it drove. If you are looking for a truly high performance servo to replace your stock RTR unit, the Xpert is a huge improvement that is instantly noticeable.

To get more information on the Xpert SN-3301 simply click This Link. To get more Viper RC news check out This Link on BigSquidRC.

The Futaba crew has added 6 new S.Bus and S.Bus2 servos to their line-up. The new servos can give you an increase in power, they are made to take advantage of the power provided by 2S LiPo packs, and some of the models are water protected.

* S.Bus servos are highly programmable to optimize your install
* High voltage versions (HV) take full advantage of 2S LiPo power
* FUTM0131 – 133 oz-in & .12 speed at 7.4v
* FUTM0144 – 211 oz-in & .07 speed at 7.4v, water protected
* FUTM0719 – 54 oz-in & .16 speed at 7.4v
* FUTM0722 – 233 oz-in & .11 speed at 7.4v, water protected
* FUTM0724 – 111 oz-in & .08 speed at 7.4v, water protected
* FUTM0725 – 76 oz-in & .09 speed at 7.4v

These are available right now and you can get more information on Futaba S.Bus serovs at This Link.

Click Here for more Futaba news on BigSquidRC.

While the stock servo in the Vaterra Halix works fine for general bashing, to go truly high performance a better servo needs to be installed. A better servo will not only be faster than the stock unit, but also have more power for keeping those big tires pointed where you intend them to be.

For our Halix project we decided to pop in an Xpert SM-5501HV. The 5501 has some impressive specs, .106 for speed and 270 oz-in of torque at 7.4 volts, and it is a digital servo, a requirement for use with the AVC system on the Halix.

Installing a Servo in the Halix -

1. Use a 2mm hex to remove the bolt out of the servo horn.

2. Use a 2mm hex to remove the 4 bolts holding in the servo.

3. Use a 2mm hex to remove 2 screws securing the receiver box lid.

4. Unplug the servo wire from the receiver and cut the zip-ties that hold the wire down.

Hit the “Read More” button to check out all the rest of the installation steps.

5. At this point the stock receiver is free and ready to be pulled from the truck.

6. Place the new servo in the truck and route its wire over to the receiver.

7. Plug the wire into the servo port on the receiver, making sure its black (or sometimes brown) negative wire is facing the outside of the receiver case. You don’t want to plug the servo wire in backwards or into the wrong port.

8. Neatly secure the servo wire with zip-ties to keep it out of harms way.

9. Secure the servo down with the four bolts you removed earlier.

10. Turn on the transmitter, center its steering trim adjustment, then turn on the truck. Place the appropriate servo horn on the new servo, making sure the servo horn is centered with the front wheels. If your new servo uses a different number of splines from stock, different sized servo horns were included in the box with your Halix. Once centered use the bolt that came with the servo to tighten down the servo horn.

11. The AVC system on the Halix will need to be recalibrated after the installation of a new servo. Calibration is quite easy and well explained in the manual. The process requires that you install a bind plug into the bind port on the receiver, rebind the receiver to the transmitter, then go from full throttle to full brake, then from full right to full left on the steering. Once bound the receiver will blink once and be ready to go.

12. Re-install the 2 screws that hold down the receiver box lid, then set the steering trim and endpoints on the radio.

13. Adjust the servo saver. The servo saver on the Halix is on the underneath side of the truck and is easily adjusted with a small wrench. If the servo saver is too loose you lose the advantage of using a high speed/torque servo. If you adjust the servo saver too tight you can destroy the gears in the servo, if it is too loose steering accuracy will suffer. We tightened ours up 3 full turns, much tighter than stock, but it still flexes during a bit hit.

14. That’s it, the whole process takes about 30 minutes and now your new servo is ready for some serious bashing. We found that the extra speed and torque of the Xpert servo made a huge difference in the steering of our Halix. At a dead stop the Xpert easily turned the tires on a medium grip surface, and during high speed cornering it kept the wheels dead on where we wanted them. The Xpert also worked well with the stock electronics, we didn’t suffer any glitching or “brown outs” while using the Xpert in our Halix.

The next installment of upgrading the Halix will be coming up in a couple of weeks, until then you can Click Here to check out previous upgrades.

There is a new company on the rc landscape called Rage RC. The Rage line-up is brought to you by the folks over at HRP (Hobby & Recreation Products) and is focused on new hobbyists and people on a budget. We recently received several of their products for review so we took some pictures while we unboxed them to give you a close up look.

The Rage RC line-up consists of battery chargers, batteries, accessories, and servos. In the first gallery below you can see the Rage 80 watt AC/DC charger. It can charge all the common cells that we use in rc and has a part number of #RGRC80W-ACDC. It is street price at just $52.

We also received several of their new servos. The servo highlighted in the second gallery has a part number of #RGRS104-16-6VM. This is a metal gear servo rated at 104 oz of torque at a speed of .16 (both rated at 6 volts). Its most spectacular feature has to be its price, only $12. Btw, they also have a 142 oz at .16 model for the same price!

For batteries we received their 5000mAh 6 cell NiMH. You can see it in the second gallery, it has a street price of $29 and a part number of #RGRNM5000-6.

You’ll have to wait a few weeks for our reviews, until then you can hit up This Link to check out all the products in Rage RC’s line.

Check out more Product Unboxings here on BigSquidRC.

The S.Bus line of servos from Futaba have a reputation for being some of the smoothest, fastest, and most durable servos that money can buy. Now Futaba has announced three new S.Bus2 HV Programmable servos for your bashing pleasure. These are brushless servos that are fully programmable to suit your specific needs. Some of their highlights include-

* All are water sealed, have metal gears and bearings
* Can be programmed through Futaba’s new 4PX transmitter
* Handles up to 2S LiPo input voltage
* BLS371SV S.Bus2 HV Nitro Car Servo, 264/0.10 (at 7.4v) – $159
* BLS471SV S.Bus2 HV Car Servo, 192/0.07 – $139
* BLS571SV S.Bus2 HV Low Profile, 153/0.08 – $159

Hit up This Link to check out the official Futaba website.

Want more Futaba news? Find it Right Here on BigSquidRC.