Hi everyone,

I just recently purchased a great planes 300S 40 size and the system it uses for rudder and elevator is with a piece of wood and a wire attached to both sides to move the rudder and elevator and in my opinion that system sucks. What other kind of options can i use with that kind of plane? Please remember that the elevator require 2 individual push rods cause they are not connected.

Thanks

Why do you feel the dowel system "sucks"

it works fine and I have used it on several planes

Nothing "sucks" about it. It's a tried and proven method of control. The wire needs to be as short as possible, well attached to the rod, and the elevator servo needs to be mounted on the exact centerline with the rudder. Adjust each pushrod until there is no slop. I've used this method on a giant Stinger with 4-40 hardware and arrowshaft rods, and on my Fokker Dr.1 with 2-56 hardware and Golden Rods. I've also used single rods like this for over 20 years in various planes. I've never had a linkage failure.

Dr.1

NJAIRSTRIKE--

I used these these instead of the wood dowels in my Sig Kadet Sr. and am very pleased with the resoults.


http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXB901&P=0


Not really sure if they are any better than wood dowels but they look good and very easy to install.

I've used Dave Brown arrowshaft pushrods many times. They're great!

Dr.1

for some reason I find it easier to use a rod and inside it a wire going through it, if I go that route would it be okay? I'm not sure what a wood dowel is but this wood is not hollow, you have to dril la hole on both ends then have a rod bent going inside the hole to the servo and same to the other side.

Something like a Dubro Lazer Pushrod.

If i do descide to use the system like the Dubro Lazer Pushrod how would I be able to hook up the elevator? The elevator is 2 different flaps on it so it will require One rod on each side of the elevator. My friend told me to use 2 servo's. Would I be able to do it with One servo? Any tips, idea's?

Thanks again.

How soon we all forget. What did we use before all these new plastic control rods showed up.

Cheers.

NJAIRSTRIKE --

If I am not mistaken I believe that the David Brown pushrods have a fitting for one end of the pushrod that allows for 2 wires to be inserted into it so you can create a "Y" pushrod ---------------< . Allowing you to use one rod to control both elevator surfaces. I have never tried this -- but maybe someone who has will chime in.

hey Mimhoff, That exactly my question.

mimhoff is not mistaken, the Dave Brown pushrods come with the fitting to do a "Y" pushrod. I used them on my Hangar 9 Aresti 40. I will also use them in the Sig Cub I'm building.

You need to make sure that both of the wires on the elevator end are exactly the same length and that the hole in the servo arm that you put the wire into on the servo end is in the center of the fuselage so that both elevator halves move the same. When it is all hooked up, the pushrod should be on the center line of the fuselage (looking down from the top) and not running at an angle.

Also, before I glue the nylon ends into the fiberglass tube I rough up the surface with a bit of fairly coarse sandpaper to insure a good surface for the epoxy to hold on to.

Hope this helps,
Phil in MN[8D]

carbon fiber or aluminum arrow shafts from wal-mart work as well. I'm fixing to replace a couple of old wood dowel pushrods with carbon fiber ones. You don't want to use just straight wire pushrods on your extra--the linkage is too long, and there will be too much flex. Use wood dowell or some other stiff material in between two short metal rods to make the overall linkage very stiff.

What problem with double pushrod are you having that causes it to suck. One of the fittings on the Dave Brown system has two holes in it, one for each pushrod half. Single pushrod goes to the back of the plane then splits with the wires to each half.

NJ: I have been using the Sullivan rods for my most recent builds. One in particular, my Tiger 60, is completely set up using Sullivans for all functions (rudder/nose wheel, elevator, and throttle). The ailerons servo's (two) are in the wings and use direct linkage, so no rods necessary).

The sullivans work great because you can 'snake' them and they are still very slippery so no binding occurs. On the rudder end, thought, I put a 6" length of 2-56 steel wire inside of the rear of the rudder sullivan rod to give it some anti-bend at that point due to torque, and I epoxy the rods to the fuselage formers to prevent bends from torque, but they really are nice and serve the purpose. You have to 'scratch' the surface of the housing before applying epoxy.

Sullivan makes several kinds, depending on needs, including a carbon fiber one which is REAL strong.

DS.

NJ,

I have been flying the same GP Extra 300 plane for over a year. I have used the stock hardware and same wooden push rods, to this date they have not given me any problem nor any slop. Initially I was also hesitant but my senior club member advised me to go with supplied push rods. I do agressive aerobatics and these push rods are still going great. Use them without any fear it may be after couple of years that you may find slop than it will be time rethink what to do. Just my 2cents opinion, you have every right to use hardware of your own choice.

Thanks,
IK