Mustangman40

My Feedback: (1)

Control rod hookup to the servo arm, how do you like to do yours? I know there are many ways to do it, I just want to see some different options on how some are doing it.. If you have links or pictures, feel free to post them... I am getting ready to do them tonight and I am up in the air on which method I want to use...

Jimbo

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Z-bend is my first choice. Gold clevises second, one 90degree bend with a retainer third and the screw retainer last and only for trottle cables.

carrellh

A simple 90 degree bend and http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAZC3&P=0 works well

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

I always use a solder clevis at the servo end. This keeps the load in line with the servo arm.

Mustangman40

My Feedback: (1)

I always used Z bends on my hookups on my elevator. & rudder. and usually soldered threaded couplers on my ailerons and went with a quick connect...

I have a elevator connection to make on my little Toni that has two pushrods for the elv. to one servo. It has you bending the one pushrod and clamping it to the other, then make one hookup to the servo.. I plan on wrapping the pushrod and soldering it and was thinking of soldering on a threaded coupler and using the Dur-bro heavy duty ball link.http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFPW7&P=0
Anyone see a problem doing it this way?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Solder a clevis on the servo side and screw on clevis on the control. When buying the clevises there are some made just for soldering, silver in color and no threads.

jetmech05

solder clevis or screw on clevis for me...Z bends can enlarge the hole in a plastic arm over time

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Are we talking a 15oz foamie or a giant scale or something in between?? without knowing what control surface on what type of plane it's really had to accurately make a recommendation

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Sounds like a good plan to me

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Exactly!

Mustangman40

My Feedback: (1)

60 size and up, but any size is fine in this thread...I am hoping that this thread can get filled up with good info and pics, links and all the different ways of doing control rods..

Mustangman40

My Feedback: (1)

SO4M,
I have these servo arms and was going to go with them on Hitech 645MG http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXD670&P=0
with those ball links. Do you see any problems with the arms, or should I upgrade to metal? It's a 60 size plane with a 90 on it, not real fast at all, but I want stout hardware on it...

AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken

My Feedback: (180)

Z or 90 deg bends aren't going to enlarge a servo arm any more than a metal clevis would.

I like ball links on all servo / control surfaces where possible on 60 size and up.

airbusdrvr

Just don't use easy connectors on anything you can't afford not to lose!

Mustangman40

My Feedback: (1)

Jeff,
thanks for the pic..I noticed that some of your ball link nuts are on top, is there a reason for that?

Mustangman40

My Feedback: (1)

What about using them on throttle, or front nose wheel,is it common for themto fail?

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

I've used those heavy duty servo horns with ball links on 50cc planes for elevators, ailerons and rudder,, you should be fine,, Aluminum arms are better, but IMO not necessary, espcially for just a 60 size plane

good luck

AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken

My Feedback: (180)

Yes - ease of adjustment. I put the bolt through the control horn from the bottom, add a nut and tighten with Loctite (purple). There's no need for the brass ball in this application.

This way I can mechanically center everything by adjusting threaded sections of the pushrod. Once everything is centered I Loctite the top nut in place.

ArcticCatRider

My Feedback: (6)

I use mostly Z bends, and easy connectors. All my aircraft are .90 or smaller. Obviously on some pull-pull set ups I use soldered clevises.

I think EZ connectors get a bad rap. I've never had one fail, but I set them up right. I use thread locker, tighten, then let the threadlocker cure.

MetallicaJunkie

90 bends on small glow stuff with ez links(http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAZC3&P=7), sometimes i use ez connectors too (http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXE114&P=ML) ball links on 3d stuff 1.20 on up and all the way on my gassers

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I'm not sure what it is you solder on a pull pull. Next time you set up a pull/pull give rigging couplers a try. Makes your job a lot easier.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

GB,
I've several times when space or access is tight connect the clevis directly to the cable, then use a servo wheel and have the coupler and a piece of Nyrod mid-span along the cable to adjust tension.

Here is an example, the push rod is for the Rudder, the pull cables are for the retractable tail steering on my Ziroli P-47

I have it the same way on my Kingfisher where the rudder connection is buried with in the fuse and have no access.


p.s.
Before you get any ideas,, the 5645 operates the Robart retractable tail wheel mechanism , not the elevator I have it programed to run a 1/10 speed. Z-bends do come in handy sometimes

Mustangman40

My Feedback: (1)

Scale,
I did my elv.&rud. last night and it came out good. I'm not sure if this is good practice or not, butI tapped the4-40 bolt to the servo arm, then put the nut on the bottom with some thread locker. Is there any reason why tapping the servo arm would be a bad thing, it seems to me like a real solid way to connect..

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Going into a plastic arm, that's actually better that through drilling,, the bolt is nice and tight with no slop now,
that's the same way it is in the picture I posted above,,

Good call

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

For me, it's hard to beat a ball link and soldered on clevis. This is over kill in a lot of situations. For the last 4 years I have been flying mostly 3D. If you have a plane where 20% of the wing is aileron. Every little bit of play is magnified with a 5" deep control surface. In this situation a Z bend is just not going to cut it.

david