AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken

My Feedback: (180)

I just picked up one of these for an electric conversion. My motor and speed controller haven't arrived yet, so I thought I'd go ahead and assemble it stock then hack the nose off once the electrics get here. I installed HS-81 servos in the stock location, Spektrum 5ch Rx and stuffed a standard 700mA NiMh battery pack in the nose. When I checked the balance... holy crap was it tail heavy. I was going to have to add 4oz to the nose to get it to balance. I want to replace the stock steel rod pushrods for something lighter. Any ideas? The stock guide tubes are too small for Sullivan red rod inners.

BMatthews

Unless the wire is really thick it won't make a lot of difference. But every little bit helps I guess.

I'd suggest you go with carbon fiber rods that fit. It'll mean having to glue the ends on securely and that at one end you'll want to use something adjustable. But the carbon rod passing through the plastic tubes should slip fairly easily and be quite flexible if you're using something like .035 rod or so. If not some teflon dry lube powder shot down the tubes will do the trick. What you use at the ends will depend on what is on the wire rods now. If they are simple Z bends at the ends you can match them up with short Z bend wire ends which you can bind on with a wrapping of thread and some CA glue to seal it all. About a half inch of overlap should do the trick nicely. Just sand the carbon lightly and the steel really well to ensure a good bond. At the other end you'd likely want to have some form of adjustable length for the pushrods. Carbon doesn't like to be crushed by set screws so I'd suggest epoxy on the brass ends which are notmally intended to solder to wire ends and that way you can use a screw on snap clevis and it'll be adjustable.

AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken

My Feedback: (180)

I pulled the stock guide tubes, ditched the solid wire pushrods and made pushrods out of .125" carbon rod and 2-56 wire. Saved almost an ounce!

Ready to fly weight with 2 HS-81's, a Neo 450, 25A ESC, 1800mA 3cell battery and 11/6 folder is 32oz. Balances without any additional weight.

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

My thread on the same conversion. Mine's at least 10 years old, and was given to me by a friend. I found that with a Rimfire 400 motor I had to use a 2200 3S pack to get the CG. Also, be sure and balance it at the forward recommended CG point. I had mine on the aft point, and she went into an unrecoverable spin. Since I repaired it and rebalanced it, she's been a great flyer and thermals really well.


http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/post...626&toStyle=tm

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

Tower screwed this up with the exposed wing dowels and new covering pattern. They should have left the Goldberg design alone!