Help! Pushrod adjustment without linkage stoppers

GlassL

Member
Just wondering if anyone likes to use a V bend in their pushrod to allow for minor adjustments instead of using the linkage stoppers that come with the FTTT speed kit?
 

GlassL

Member
Thanks Caroline and Keno for responding. I am just getting back in the hobby and building the small FB models. With the large balsa kits I built in the past (ie. Telemaster 40) I used pushrods that end in a thread and used a screw on clevis for small adjustments. With these Mini designs even the linkage stopper seem like excess but I don't trust getting my Z bend good enough for a perfect length. I saw a build video where they used the V bend method and it looked good but never used it. I just need to place the V bend in a place that it is easy to get to and bend a little.
 

FDS

Elite member
An Omega shaped bend can also be useful, since it allows adjustment and can soak up excess length better than a V. On the tail control surfaces just put it where they come out the fuselage.
Don’t forget that the servo positions are not absolutely vital to CG, you have some room to get the length right. Battery placement on these models is pretty flex and that can counter servos a few MM either direction.
If your Z bends are not so good Z bend pliers are well worth the $15.
 

GlassL

Member
An Omega shaped bend can also be useful, since it allows adjustment and can soak up excess length better than a V. On the tail control surfaces just put it where they come out the fuselage.
Don’t forget that the servo positions are not absolutely vital to CG, you have some room to get the length right. Battery placement on these models is pretty flex and that can counter servos a few MM either direction.
If your Z bends are not so good Z bend pliers are well worth the $15.
Why would putting a loop in the wire be better than the V? We are only talking about fractions of mm to fine tune.
 

GlassL

Member
New question, has anyone thought of putting springy wire for a tail dragger instead of the barque stick? I think the original WWI planes used something like that to give the tail a little shock absorption. I was thinking of using a short piece of coat hanger and put a half circle in the end so it will slide in the grass for taxing.
 

Keno

Well-known member
New question, has anyone thought of putting springy wire for a tail dragger instead of the barque stick? I think the original WWI planes used something like that to give the tail a little shock absorption. I was thinking of using a short piece of coat hanger and put a half circle in the end so it will slide in the grass for taxing.
The way I make my adjust bend in a "U" allowing for pliers grab flat surface and they are stronger. You certainly could use a wire drag tail for this. What I have done it bend right angle then form the desired shape for skid. Then stick this angled part up into your rudder. coat hanger is rather heavy you might think of lighter music wire
 

Foam Folder

Active member
I find a lazy Z easier to deal with 5 Cub (1a).jpg
 

GlassL

Member
The way I make my adjust bend in a "U" allowing for pliers grab flat surface and they are stronger. You certainly could use a wire drag tail for this. What I have done it bend right angle then form the desired shape for skid. Then stick this angled part up into your rudder. coat hanger is rather heavy you might think of lighter music wire
Yeah I can see were the U bend would work good same idea but with less acute bend in the which could weaken it. I was thinking of the coat hanger wire in place of the bar-b-que stick in the back of the tiny trainer, it would be too thick to stick in rudder itself.
 

Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
If we can get @Grifflyer to weigh in, he can tell us about his heat shrink method. Not adjustable necessarily, but pretty precise in the initial setup.
It's actually slightly adjustable, if you need to move it about a quarter inch, you can hit the hot glue part with a heat gun or the tip of the hot glue gun to soften the glue and then you can move the wire forward or backwards.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
The bbq skewer tail skid on my SE5 didnt last my rolling tests so what I did was break the pocket clip off an old pen and hot glued that to the bbq skewer. Its metal so it wont grind right away and the flatness when bent at the right angle slides over grass, dirt, and outdoor carpet nicely.

For pushrods I tried just bending a small circle in the middle and just squeeze or open the circle if adjustments are needed after the servos get hot glued in place with my shaky hands
 

GlassL

Member
The bbq skewer tail skid on my SE5 didnt last my rolling tests so what I did was break the pocket clip off an old pen and hot glued that to the bbq skewer. Its metal so it wont grind right away and the flatness when bent at the right angle slides over grass, dirt, and outdoor carpet nicely.

For pushrods I tried just bending a small circle in the middle and just squeeze or open the circle if adjustments are needed after the servos get hot glued in place with my shaky hands
Your idea with the pen clip is exactly the type of thing I was looking to do with the wire, I have some old pens lying around I can try.
I know what you mean about shaky hands they make it really hard to get a good bevel cut on the control surfaces. Josh makes it look so easy. I am going to try Battleaxe's ideal of using an iron to melt shape the foam on some scrape and see if that's easy than cutting them.
 

Hondo76251

Legendary member
In small things I dont really use any hardware. Cut up poster board or hotel key cards for control horns and z bends of various styles. Also a big fan of the heat shrink method. I dont even glue mine most of the time. They will slide some in a good crash but that seems to protect the smaller servos so it seems like a win win to me.
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
I just started using a Z instead of V bend. I fing the Z bend easier to adjust in the field. pinch the middle of the Z and rotate while holding the long ends againt the bend. It will tighten or loosen it.
 

FastCrash45

Elite member
Just wondering if anyone likes to use a V bend in their pushrod to allow for minor adjustments instead of using the linkage stoppers that come with the FTTT speed kit?
I use both actually. Sometimes I shake to hard to handle that tiny screw so I use the v to make minor adjustments. Both work for me.