ProModeler Servos

[RustyUs]

I've had ProModeler servos on my wish list for a couple of years now. They seem pretty stout, and prices are very reasonable for the specs listed.
Let's give these things a go!

 

[RustyUs]

Hopefully I can revisit this thread after some long term use of ProModeler's DS505BLHV standard size servo.

When I go shopping for my RC's steering needs, I normally try to find (what I think are) very good servos for the money. I prefer prices ranging from $40~$60. After being in a Kraton EXB, my servo of choice had wore down its gears (slop became too great). I knew it was time to visit ProModeler and have a look at their offerings. $100 was my limit, and the DS505BLHV seem to fit the bill.

Some will say I should have went with the S630BLHV servo, but, again, my maximum that I wanted to spend on a servo was one hundred dollars. If the DS505BLHV gears fail miserably, I'll probably have servo repaired/gears replaced and put the servo into my eBuggy. Simple enough game plan.

 

[WickedFog]

Looks like a well made beast of a servo.

 

[Hammer Down]

Lots of guys on the ArrmaForum really like them. The rep/owner of Promodeler or whatever he is actually joined over there to answer questions too.

 

[JJay18]

I am thinking about ordering the promodeler DS630BLHV. Does anyone run one in a 1/8 scale truggy?

 

[RustyUs]

I am thinking about ordering the promodeler DS630BLHV. Does anyone run one in a 1/8 scale truggy?

That is probably the one that gets recommended the most for a larger 1/8 scale monster truggy/truck. I probably would have ordered that one if my timing was right. Prices went up a few months back.

My "bashing" practices are not the "seek and destroy" type. Backyard track bashing with 6' high flat landing jumps is my normal everyday routine. I feel 480 oz-in of torque (7.4v) should be enough for me and my truggy. If I'm wrong... so be it... lesson learned.

In today's RCing times, most people would probably laugh at me for using a 200 oz-in servo in a 1/8 scale buggy. I bought my Associated DS1015 gems at 50%~60% off when they were being discontinued. They used to be the "hot ticketed" "go-to" 1/8 scale buggy servo not to long ago. Nowadays, everyone wants gobs more torque/speed. Going on two-and-a-half years of greatness from them ACE/Thunder Tiger/Asssociated beauties.

 

[olds97_lss]

I have the ds505blhv in my maxx 4s, it's the only promodeler I've bought. I had it powered off a MMX, but it couldn't handle it very well with a 4092/1650kv motor, or my MMX is just being weird... I put a castle 10A bec in it and it was better. It seemed to do ok when I had the 1515/2200kv motor, but the motor/esc ran hotter than I preferred and I had a spare 4092/1650kv laying around.

I've since replaced the MMX with a max6, but i left the bec in it, so far it's been doing well for me.

My buddy has one in his fireteam with a hobbywing 10A bec in it and it does really well too. I wired it up for him similar to how I have the one in my maxx. The bec powers only the servo, the fans/receiver run off the esc internal bec. He also has the max6 in that.

It is a very nice servo. Super quiet, fast and gobs of torque. Very well built in general.

 

[JCsRCcar]

You will not be disappointed with Promodeler servos. Here is a video of how good they are.

 

[Tunedfrog]

The Mega would look pretty sharp in my Baja build.

 

[Hammer Down]

Got my very first Promodeler servo today. Looks killer if I do say so myself. I’ll be installing this in my mini lmt build. Got a hat for being a new customer also.

 

[Hammer Down]

Got my very first Promodeler servo today. Looks killer if I do say so myself. I’ll be installing this in my mini lmt build. Got a hat for being a new customer also.

View attachment 182992View attachment 182993View attachment 182994View attachment 182995

Well.. I’m very sad to report my servo didn’t survive more than 60 seconds of VERY LIGHT bashing. Literally 3-4 small jumps and a light bump into the couch and it locked up tighter than a frogs…. Sent it back and they said “gear set was bad”
Unwarrantable..

So my dream of having a Promodeler servo was very short lived.

I’ve seen a few vids where people install a reefs 179 with a solid horn on their mini lmt and bash the piss out of them without issue! So as you can imagine I was shocked when my Promodeler gave up the ghost so quickly. I was gutted!!

Next on the chopping block will be a NSDRC RS100, we’ll see if that last longer than 60 seconds… Otherwise I’ll have to try a reefs.

 

[JCsRCcar]

Bummer, I haven't had any issues with mine. Maybe the micro servos are not as resistant to impacts. Did you use a servo saver on yours?

 

[WickedFog]

Well.. I’m very sad to report my servo didn’t survive more than 60 seconds of VERY LIGHT bashing. Literally 3-4 small jumps and a light bump into the couch and it locked up tighter than a frogs…. Sent it back and they said “gear set was bad”
Unwarrantable..

So my dream of having a Promodeler servo was very short lived.

I’ve seen a few vids where people install a reefs 179 with a solid horn on their mini lmt and bash the piss out of them without issue! So as you can imagine I was shocked when my Promodeler gave up the ghost so quickly. I was gutted!!

Next on the chopping block will be a NSDRC RS100, we’ll see if that last longer than 60 seconds… Otherwise I’ll have to try a reefs.

So they wouldn't replace or repair it? That's just customer service!

 

[Grizz03]

They make some good servos but their business attitude is turning me off more and more. I remember when they recommended their 630 servo for the Xmaxx. They even offered a beam mod making it easier to drop it into the Traxxas adapter mount. Now they don't even recommend that same servo for any bashing vehicle. They change the descriptions on the servos to fit their changing narrative. The owner has a chip on his shoulder that is off putting that you can read in his comments in many of his different servos descriptions. Basically saying that if it breaks it's your fault and not ours.

 

[Hammer Down]

Did you use a servo saver on yours?

No, I couldn’t find the one at the time so I went solid. Probably a bad decision but I’ve seen vids with the reefs 179 using a solid horn and bashing the piss out of it. I even commented on said vids and they replied “holding up great”

So they wouldn't replace or repair it? That's just customer service!

I waited 3.5 weeks for a response before contacting them and they said we already responded and I didn’t reply… must have gone into my spam..
But they basically just wanted to charge me to fix it.

They make some good servos but their business attitude is turning me off more and more. I remember when they recommended their 630 servo for the Xmaxx. They even offered a beam mod making it easier to drop it into the Traxxas adapter mount. Now they don't even recommend that same servo for any bashing vehicle. They change the descriptions on the servos to fit their changing narrative. The owner has a chip on his shoulder that is off putting that you can read in his comments in many of his different servos descriptions. Basically saying that if it breaks it's your fault and not ours.

Exactly!!
I’ll take the loss and move on.

 

[WickedFog]

It's good to know about their CS. I had two of their servos in my wishlist for a couple vehicles. Deleted.

If it were me, I'd upload a video explaining what happened and showing their response

 

[Grizz03]

Sorry for your luck @Hammer Down
I really wanted to get another one of their servos but as you can tell I've been looking around because of their seemingly increase in disrespect of customers.

 

[JCsRCcar]

If it’s a small micro servo that is probably designed for RC planes and you used it for bashing in an RC without a servo saver so do you think it’s ProModelers fault and that they should eat the cost? I’m not so sure that was a manufacturer defect which would have been covered under warranty.

Some other manufacturers may be able to just absorb the cost because they’re larger and use cheap Chinese slave labor, but promoter is a small business with American made products. I am willing to guess that he doesn’t make a lot of profit on his servos like the manufacturers that use Chinese build houses do.

I have talked to the owner myself, and I thought he was actually very nice and professional and he answers all my questions. Looking at it from his standpoint of view, though I can see how he doesn’t like to be taken advantage of if a customer broke one of his servos, and then tried to blame ProModeler for it.

I’m not trying to be a jerk here, but just trying to point out the other point of view.

 

[WickedFog]

If it’s a small micro servo that is probably designed for RC planes and you used it for bashing in an RC without a servo saver then do you think it’s ProModelers fault and that they should eat the cost? I’m not so sure that was a manufacturer defect which would have been covered under warranty.

Some other manufacturers may be able to just absorb the cost because they’re larger and use cheap Chinese slave labor, but promoter is a small business with American made products. I am willing to guess that he doesn’t make a lot of profit on his servos like the manufacturers that use Chinese build houses do.

I have talked to the owner myself, and I thought he was actually very nice and professional and he answers all my questions. Looking at it from his standpoint of view, though I can see how he doesn’t like to be taken advantage of if a customer broke one of his servos, and then tried to blame ProModeler for it.

I’m not trying to be a jerk here, but just trying to point out the other point of view.

It has 125oz/in torque with steel gears. That's definitely MORE than capable of surviving in a 1/18 scale RC with heavy bashing and a solid servo horn, that is, had it been a quality servo. And that's definitely not intended for airplane use. Servos with far less torque would have held up I'm sure.

 

[Weezel]

Some other manufacturers may be able to just absorb the cost because they’re larger and use cheap Chinese slave labor, but promoter is a small business with American made products. I am willing to guess that he doesn’t make a lot of profit on his servos like the manufacturers that use Chinese build houses do.

I don't know of any business that gets a government contract that just barely makes a profit