Adjustment of the mechanical installation has always been the achilles heel of mechanical retracts that everyone has the most trouble with.

The adjustment that gives so much grief that BH talks about in the post above is the total throw of the pull rods provided by the servo wheel and that is so often looked over because it often is best done by drilling your own holes in the round oversize servo arm blanks. If ya ever wondered what these are for well now you know.

I have often fantizized about a simple factory moulded arm that is double sided and functions much like the hitec infinately adjustable slider that is intended for throttles.

Now what I do want to mention is the simple method of confirming that the gear is fully extended or fully retracted and not bound. It serves well for quick checks before flight or anytime and very easy to do.

To confirm that the gear is fully extended and not bound (servo under load) just lift a wing up a little and wiggle the gear leg. If properly adjusted there will be some free wiggle. Sometimes with the cheaper gears this wiggle even seems excessive but it must be there. If the gear is tight with no wiggle then its not locked and the motor is bound.

Now retract the gear and just give it the same quick wiggle test in the retract position. There must be some wiggle or it not fully in the up lock position and the motor is holding it up.



So in short each of the gears must have a slight wiggle in both the up and downlocked positions or there are going to be problems.

John