Are All RC Servos Compatible?

Radio-controlled cars or RC cars are model cars or trucks that can be controlled from a distance using a specialized transmitter or remote. The term RC has been used to mean both remote controlled and radio controlled. If you are buying an RC servo, you probably want to know if they are all compatible or if you need a specific one for a specific RC car. 

When you go to buy an RC servo, you should know that although they all accomplish the same thing, they are not all the same though. Most are interchangeable as they have a universal three plus system, but not every RC car uses that system. This is why you will need to make sure you replace your RC car servo with the same connector. 

If you are looking for an RC servo, you can find them by clicking here. 

Types of RC Cars

RC cars are powered by various sources. Electric models are powered by small but powerful electric motors and rechargeable nickel-cadmium, nickel metal hydride, or lithium polymer cells. There are also brushed or brushless electric motors. 

Brushless motors are more powerful and efficient, but also much more expensive than brushed motors. Most fuel-powered models use glow plug engines, small internal combustion engines that are fueled by a special mixture of nitromethane, methanol, and oil (in most cases a blend of castor oil and synthetic oil). These are referred to as “nitro” RC cars. 

Recently, exceptionally large models have been introduced that are powered by small gasoline engines, similar to string trimmer motors, which use a mix of oil and gasoline. 

Electric cars are generally considered easier to work with compared to fuel-driven models, but can be equally as complex at the higher budget and skill levels. Both electric and nitro models can be very fast, although electric is easier to upgrade and more versatile.

In both of these categories, both on-road and off-road vehicles are available. Off-road models, which are built with fully functional off-road suspensions and a wide tire selection, can be used on various types of terrain. 

RC cars, with a much less robust suspension, are limited to smooth, paved surfaces. There are also rally cars, which fall somewhere between on-road and off-road and can be driven on gravel, dirt or other loose surfaces. In the past decade, advances in “on-road” vehicles have made their suspension as adjustable as many full scale race cars, today.

RC Servo Motors

If you are an RC lover, you should know the best servo motors for the RC vehicles. Typically, the question arises are all RC servos compatible. Generally, we can say yes, all of the RC servos are compatible. All of the particles found on the RC servos are almost equal. In this case, you can say, yes, all of the RC servos are well compatible.

The RC servos can use covert electrical commands from one receiver to another. Also, it can control the flight control system of radio-controlled cars. You can plug the servo into a particular receiver, gyro, or FBL controller channel used to move the parts of the RC model. The servo movement is proportional. The servo can move based on the movement of the transmitter stick. 

Most of the servos have the same 10 necessary parts. You don’t find any supreme variations of it. In most cases, the 10 necessary parts of each servo are the same. The 10 essential parts are:

• Top Case
  
• Servo Arm/Horn/Wheel
  
• Gear Set
  
• Center Case
  
• Hidden Potentiometer
  
• Motor
  
• Control Board
  
• Servo Plug
  
• Case Screw Set
  
• Bottom Case
  

The servo plug contains three types of wires or conductors. One wire provides a positive DC voltage to the servo. It can supply 5 to 6 volts (HV servos that can handle up to 8.5 VDC). The second wire is the servo voltage ground. The third one is the servo signal wire.

RC Servo Sizes

The RC servos come in many different sizes, but, generally, it includes four sizes. Notably, the different servo sizes are well-matched to RC vehicles and even to the RC helicopters, as well. 

The four most useable RC servos are:

• Micro Linear (for micro helicopters)
  
• Micro /Sub Micro Rotary (preferred for 200’s to 450’s size helis)
  
• Mini/Mid/Small/Park Rotary (preferred for 450’s & 500 size helis)
  
• Standard Rotary (best for 550 to 800 plus size helis)
  

Servo Settings

The micro linear servos include three linear micro servos on a micro-sized collective pitch heli that can show both to the elevator and aileron servo. The 3rd collective shared pitch servo is unseen from view on another side.

Each of the servos contains a pushrod linked to the swashplate to regulate the cycle and collective blade pitch.

The more substantial servo like the rotary servo means a rotary output shaft that turns to a move a servo arm/horn/wheel. All of the servo settings are also the same. All types of servos work similarly to each of the RC vehicles. They work efficiently and equally in all types of RC vehicles. This is why we can say that almost all RC servos are universal. 

The Servo Speed And Torque Ratings

Not only do the physical size the RC servo specifications mention its speed and torque, but the servo speed ratings  do this as well. They are recorded as an extent of time. Also, it takes the servo to rotate a definite number of degrees. The standard specification is up to 60 degrees.

We can say that the time it takes the servo wheel to move or turn 60°  lets us know how fast the servo is. 

For instance, a 0.12 sec/60° servo rating means it may take 0.12 seconds to move the servo arm or wheel up to 60°. The calculation is the same in all of the servo motors. It would be best if you had the same equation to find the data. So, the RC servos are compatible. It can work twice as fast as the servo is rated in the 0.24 sec/60° range. The RC helicopter rotor servo has speeds as fast as 0.03 sec/60°. 

The RC servo torque rating is likely intangible as well. The torque rating indicates the highest amount of force on the servo, which can apply at the right angle to a servo arm. The torque force specification can be measured and listed in the servo specifications as like the ounce inches (oz-in) or kilograms centimeters(kg-cm). Just 8 years ago, only the analog servos were available. Today though, we have digital servos, as well. This is why you need to decide which one is best when you go to buy a new one. 

Concussion

Now that you know that almost all servos are interchangeable, you can see why so many people think that they are. Even though not 100% of the time are they interchangeable, they do actually have a standard that most RC cars use for the servo connection. This universal connection helps make sure that you buy the correct servo for your RC car. The only thing you need to do is to make sure that your RC car servo that you are buying has the same connector as the one you are replacing.