I am finishing up my UCD3D .46, and im now looking for some awesome linkages to go with my futaba 9451 servos and aluminum arms. One member reccommended that i simply wrap the linkages in carbon fiber to stiffen up the rods, which is a great idea, but i feel like going all out on this plane. I have been looking into ball link stuff with beefier control horns, but the only ones that i have found are by a company called MK Products and i havent found anywhere to buy them.

Anybody have reccommendations on ultra precise ball linkage setups thatll work with this size plane?

Ball links are the program and the MK's are top notch. If you want the trickest rods on your plane, go to Central Hobbies, they have all that trick stuff.

Hanger 9 makes nice ball links too.

I like bling bling stuff like that, too.

I have lost a plane because a ball link who unlink in flight [] ....

I've never had any difficulty with Dubro ball links, but you have to remember to put a drop of threadlock on the retaining nut. On my profiles (all planes, for that matter) I use the ball links on all surfaces other than pull/pull. For control horns I cut my own out of phenolic sheet from Aircraft Spruce, and epoxy them into the surfaces. If your UCD is finished, it's a little late for phenolic horns... but, next time. For pushrods I make mine up from CF rod from darrolcady.com, but I use JB Weld for fixing the steel ends into the CF rods. Darrol recommends rubberized CA, but I have found that to be less than totally reliable.

Central Hobbies also has CF pushrod components, which I'm sure are fine, but a little pricier than Darrol Cady. Central also has the MK ball bearing control horns, which are very nice, maybe worth investing in since they are practically indestructible, but to me they're a bit much for a 3D funfly.

The MK stuff is metric sized, Dubro is SAE sizes, which to me is more convenient.

On very short linkages, ailerons and tail-servo elevators, you can probably get away with 2-56 threaded rod, which is easier to cut to size than making up CF rods. However the 2-56 threaded rod will bend if you bang your tailfeathers against something. You could go 4-40 ball links and 4-40 threaded rod, but that puts a little more tailweight than I like to carry on a smaller plane. But for 60 size and up, 4-40 threaded rod is quick and easy to work with for short rods. If you have money to burn, the Hangar 9 titaniums are the ultimate short rods. With opposing threaded ends, you can set your linkage to a gnat's eyebrow without all the disconnecting/reconnecting.

Du-bro stuff is good. I use their hardware on most things now. I used their ball links and quik links on my UCD. I can't imagine a setup that could be better.

Central Hobbies are a little pricier because they use 'titanium' ends instead of steel. Titanium is super light and stronger than steel. If you got a short connection, within 5 inches, go with H9 titanium 'pro links'. Standard and reversed thread on each end so you just turn the link to adjust.

Ball links are the best for slop free connections.

These CF linkage are 8 inches long and weigh two tenths of an ounce each. That weight includes the ball link and the safety lock 'quick links'.

Here is a sweet aluminum control horn from CH, includes a 4/40 clevis that fits tight in the little ball bearing connector hole. Comes in colors too. Joe

(sorry if this has already been said)

MK ball links arnt really "ball links". to describe them the best they are basically clevises. However, insted of having a pin, fixed to one side that locates into a hole on the other side, the MK ball joints have bearings on either side of the "clevis". Then, a bolt passes through one side of the bearing, then the control horn, then the other side of the "clevis" and bearing, then done up with a nut. They are about the best linkages you can buy, not cheap, but if you want a slopless, hard wearing, accurate linkage they are the best really. If you strugle to get them in the US, they can be bought in the UK via www.probuild-uk.com at about £7 each, or about $15 or so.

Now thats what im talking about!!! Those rods and control horns look like exactly what i need to complete my uber setup.

You can find it all at Central Hobby. Here is an aileron set up with the aluminum control horn, titanium 'pro link' and Dubro ball link. Combined weight on this is two tenths of an ounce. I just finished up two 8 inch elevator rods and two aileron linkage. With horns and all connectors it only adds one ounce to the plane. It dosn't get much better than this. All servo arms are SWB aluminum with holes threaded to receive 4/40 ball links. They feature the 'dual lock' fastening system. Joe