I flew my new Great Planes extra 300s (40 size) on its maiden flight today. This is my second kit and my first test flight. Almost lost control because my hands were shaking so badly. I flew it around the field four times and brought it in for an uneventful landing. I did notice that the rudder was very unresponsive. The slower the speed the worse it seemed to be. This is my first aircraft with a great planes servo saver on the rudder servo. I'm thinking the springs are not adjusted correctly. Before I adjust them I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a measurement or technique I should use. I do not want to compress them to much.

Thanks

I'm just a beginner but a have never heard of a servo saver on a rudder of an airplane. Unless it is suppose to go for a separate tailwheel control. If it does go on the rudder control what woulkd be the purpose.

you want to adjust the springs so the rudder isnt mushey feeling but not to stiff that it defeats the purpose of them,they appear to be mushey if you had lost rudder control at low speed.adjust them a little bit at a time to get the right feeling.

on a rudder I wouldn't use a servo saver,I have them, and use them, but on aplications like my, air valve servo for retracts where the throw is a little too much for even a micro servo and the EPA(end point adjustment) doesn't take out the buzzing in the servo.
not in a make or break location like a rudder,elevator,etc....

if your getting too much throw in a control surface or alot of buzzing,which a little is some times impossable to stop,the pushrod needs some adjustment either at the servo or the control surface.

control surfaces should have a firmness to them esspecially when there on a quick plane like yours having a spring loaded connector is a invitation to flutter,or worse a screw loosening up durring flight.

and if you have it tightened up enough to prevent flex and flutter, then there is no reason for it to be there.

you might as well have the pushrod with a Z bend or a L bend with a quick connect at the rudder servo there is a solid and pretty much fool proof connection.

I've got to agree with Bigtim here. Remove the servo saver on your main control surfaces (rudder, elevator, aileron). These surfaces need to be firm or they will flex as you use them in flight. You really don't need servo savers on these controls as you can adjust the throws so that they only move with the full extent of the servo travel. About the only control that I would consider using a servo saver on would be your nosewheel is you are using a trike landing gear setup. If you have a taildragger setup simply use a tailwheel that has a spring in is such as the Sullivan tailwheels.

Hope this helps

Ken

servos are cheap compaired to an airplane

To All,

Great replies! I think your right, I will take the sevo saver off and put a Z bend on the control rod. I can not change out the tail wheel as easy as it is hinged at the vertical spar and the wire pinned to the rudder (the setup suplied with the kit). Maybe I will look around for a bigger/softer tail wheel. After reading some of the replies I'm thinking the tail wheel does not take as much punishment as a nose wheel. I was never to comfortable knowing the only think keeping the rudder and servo conected was two tiny set screws. Thanks for your help.

Eddym

Put a high torque metal gear servo on the rudder... it'll be responsive and you won't strip it out...

I must agree with Bigtim, RC Ken, Jetmech, and others. If you use the right servo for the application, you don't need a 'servo saver'. Good servos have plenty of usable torque (provided you get the right one).

It's only a 40 size airplane just about any full size servo will work fine. Du-bro has just released a really nice tail wheel assembly that the old timer's will notice is really similar to the Klett tail wheel assembly. You won't need a metal gear servo. Just a full size standard servo.

Dennis

He said he didn't want to change out the wheel assembly...

Did'nt say to change the wheel assembly. Just threw the information out there.
Have a nice day

Plastic servo gears can strip out on a rudder servo if the tail wheel is directly connected to the rudder... that's why he initially had a servo saver on it, and why other tail wheel assemblies have spring coupling between the rudder and the tail gear...

If he strips out a nylon servo gear on the tailwheel/rudder servo. probably needs to fix the plane also. Myself i don't like metal geared servos. It seems to me like they pick up to much slop to quickly. That is why i prefer nylons gears. But to each is own. And this is my last comment on this subject.

All,

I removed the servo saver and reconnected with a "Z" bend. I will fly it again this week. Thanks for all the input.

Eddym