How to Choose & Install a Servo for an RC Car or Truck

The servos installed on your R/C vehicle are important to consider when thinking about ways to give you an edge when racing. Like the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for," and this applies to servos just like it does to most things. Most R/C cars and trucks have two servos: one for controlling speed and one for controlling the direction in which the front wheels are turning. Since speed and turning capability are the two main functions of your R/C vehicle, it pays to know a little bit about how to answer the question, "How does a servo motor work?" We'll try to explain.

In the old days, servos were analog devices, just like wristwatches. Nowadays, you can also get digital servos. The advantages of digital servos is that they are typically more accurate, faster to respond to your commands and can also provide more torque, which, in racing, is a good thing. If you're looking for top performance, you want every advantage available, which means a digital servo and also one with metal rather than plastic gears.

Here's How to Make a Servo Motor Work

Servos come in a wide range of sizes, weights and speeds, but all R/C car servos have one job – to place their built-in output arm into the exact position you're signaling through movement of the stick, switch, wheel or slider on your R/C transmitter. It does this by transmission of a series of signals it gets from the vehicle's receiver. These signals are processed by a circuit board (amplifier) built into the servo. They tell the servo's motor which way it needs to move its output arm to correspond to the position you've indicated on your R/C transmitter. The servo then sends feedback through what's called a feedback pot (potentiometer), which tells the output arm whether or not it's in the right position and, if not, moves it again. It's this output arm that actuates the linkage responsible for adjusting wheel direction (steering) or engine speed. A servo needs to be properly matched to the model you're using and correctly installed. Faulty installation will deliver faulty results.

Servos, especially lower-priced units without bearings and with plastic gears, wear out in time and must be replaced. You may opt to upgrade the servo(s) in your R/C vehicle to achieve more accurate responses to your commands. Here at LA Parts House, we have a comprehensive selection of the best servos out there. We also have the experience to help you choose the one that's optimal for your needs.