Sounds like a winner man. I'd have to believe the problem was heavily related to the front differential loosing the cup. Along with many other factors. I did have something like that happen to my RC10 (even though it's differential is totally different then the savage) and it was my lag nut for the differential being loose.
Combination of a bad diff, maybe a tighter than needed clutch spring, worn out slipper pad, and other possibilities probably cause the problem.
The best thing is always start with the easiest repairs first. Such as the hex nuts and pins on the wheels, drive shafts, and the such. Then start looking into more problematic things, such as differentials and transmissions. Remember, a differential allocates power to wheels. So, if you turn a left side wheel on the front, the right one will turn the opposite direction. If that happens, the differential is working properly under a no stress situation. Now if you lock the other wheel from turning, it should turn the transmission and the rear differential should effectively try to turn the rear wheels. That's an EASY tip to checking the differentials for potential problems. Now, when it gets to be a transmission problem, it's usually best to consult the manual, and begin a tear down to find a busted part. A common problem is the one way that Crash earlier posted about. One ways have a tendancy to lock up when they are worn out, and that causes some wierd stuff to happen. I had many issues with the one way bearing in my RC10's pullstart.
So, take it one step at a time, and you're sure to find the cause. And with this, you can find a perfect resolution to the problem.
I'm glad to see you got it fixed though. Savages are so fun to play with, and they are pretty tough. But like any other RC, they do break eventually. And the repairs can be as fun as running them. 🙂
Have fun with it man, and welcome to the forum. It's a great bunch of people here, who are more than willing to help out; as you can see. Sorry I didn't get to post about your problem earlier, school for me has been tough since it's midterm time. 🙂 Have fun with it man!