ORIGINAL: HarryC
A linkage with slop elsewhere must be free to move something, the more it can move the point at which it is connected to the servo arm the more it can "slop", so again the longer the servo arm is the more slop you get.
Not sure what this means. Let me try again.
Take clevis slop as an example. If you have a 1/2 inch servo arm and a 1/2 control horn on an elevator, and some fixed amount of slop in the clevis(s). Jiggle the elevator up and down and it will subtend some angle.
Now increase both arms (servo arm and control horn) out to 2 inches. The same clevis (linkage) slop exists, except now the angle the elevator will subtend from the same clevis slop is much less.
Servo drive train slop has the same effect in either case. Say .2 degrees of servo slop will cause .2 degrees of movement in the elevator with the 1/2 inch arms. Make the arms (both servo and control horn) twice as long it will still be .2 degrees.