Swivel ball links safe for ailerons?
 

1) Are the swivel type ball links (metal ball inset into plastic sleeve type) safe for use on aileron linkages?

2) Can anyone recommend a good website or other resource showing different types of linkages and control setups?



MarkD

Linkage
 

I had that setup on a Goldberg Ultimate with a YS 1.20 on it a few years back. It worked fine. What plane are you working on?

swivel ball links
 

I am reworking my Great planes Extra 300 ARF. I really like the plane (with a Saito 91), but I think that there is a lot of room for improvement as regards the control linkages. I am putting dual mini servos in the tail for the elevator and switching to a pull/pull system on the rudder. The rudder has far too much slop for my taste using the kit supplied pushrod. I am also going to add about 1" to the width of the rudder. I think I will also add a better tailwheel assembly.

The aileron servos bind a little because the pushrod puts a slight downward pressure on the servo arm when the servo gets to about 75% of max deflection.


MarkD

Swivel ball links safe for ailerons?
 

They'll work fine. If you're worried about them popping off, put a small washer over the ball.

Swivel ball links safe for ailerons?
 

I use Dubro swivel ball links on all my planes - Giant scale on down. Here is a link to their product page that shows what they have. I use the 4-40 stuff on the big planes down to the 2-56 on the smaller stuff. These don't pop off.

Dan


http://www.dubro.com/Cat_2002/Cat_11.html

Swivel ball links safe for ailerons?
 

I use the ball joints all the time on both small and large planes. I have never had a failure. I usually use the 4-40 hardware on the large planes and 2-56 on the smaller ones. I use them on all surfaces and often on both ends of the push rods as they have little or no slop and very free from friction.

swivel ball links
 

Along the same lines, who makes good, stiff control horns? I have been looking at the Sullivan steel/nylon type. Any suggestions?


MarkD

Swivel Ball links
 

I've had several swivel ball links fail. The usual failure mode is the thin plastic around the ball breaks. I even had one come off the ball. Haven't lost an airplane to them yet, and I still used them for everything. You just have to make sure you have a washer or large locknut over the ball so the plastic gets caught if it cracks and slips off. These were on links with the 2-56 bolt thru the ball with either 2-56 or 4-40 pushrod ends. I've seen some manufacturers advertise they have extra thick plastic around the ball on their product. Makes you wonder why they would do that????

If you fly them enough you will find they do wear. Either the ball will get real loose in the plastic and snap out easily or, if you don't thighten down the bolt real good, the threads on the bolt will eat out the inside of the brass ball. This happened on my Sukhoi to the point where I had to replace them.

Like anything else you have to do a feel good check on them once in awhile.

Control horns
 

Robart or Rocket City or possibly Nelson.

The Robarts are strong and stiff. The Rocket City stuff, as I remember seems to be for larger aircraft and is pricey, but real good. I don't remeber if Jerry Nelson has horns but the rest of his linkage hardware is the best. Horizon was offering some upscale stuff too.

Swivel ball links safe for ailerons?
 

AS RCPilot100 SAID!
THESE ARE DEFINATLY WHAT YOU WANT.
DO NOT USE THE BALL LINKS THAT YOU WOULD USE FOR A LOW LOAD SITUATION..
LIKE GREAT PLANES..I USE THAT TYPE USUALLY FOR THROTTLE LINKAGE..

Re: Swivel ball links safe for ailerons?
 

I'm using the Rotary Driver System on my current scale project to hide the linkages. If you want something different, take a look...

http://www.proptwisters.org/rds2/

Juice