Stiff Ball Links

[petervdb]

Hi,

During the set up of my new Sceadu I noticed that the ball link between the mixer arm and the blade is stiff. The other ball links are much freer, just this one link is stiff. I see that there is a tool called a ball reamer. Is this what I need to make the link free up a little? How easy are they to use and does anyone have any tips on their use?

Cheers

Peter

[nightstalker]

Yes the ball reamer is a good tool and is a recommended tool that all heli pilots have, very easy to use there is a screw at the font that when you screw in the small blade comes out, the further in the more of the blade the more it takes off,
Best to start off small till you get it just right but once set up you wont really need to adjust it again

[David Drew]

Or you try sizing the ball link by squeezing gently with a pair of pliers.

Put some small pliers across the ball link and gently squeeze the link (with the ball inside) and most times it makes it looser on the ball.

I've done this on many links & it works.

Just don't squeeze too hard and leave plier marks on the link.

David

[petervdb]

Thanks very much for the comments. I think I will try the squeezing first, and if that doesn't work I'll get the reamer. cheers pete.

[Steve]

Would you trust your pride and joy to a set of ball links that have been 'squeezed', possibly to a point where they might fail in service?

I wouldn't. There's a right tool for the job, and it's a reamer.

By the way, my experience of Sceadus, and in fact all Hirobo helis is that they don't need this doing at all. Unless something has changed at the Hirobo factory, then I would question the need for this in ernest. Now JR heli ball links are a different thing all together - they need serious reaming out every time!

[nightstalker]

Oh being its just one ball link that's giving you this trouble, have a check to make sure you have not made the thread go all the way through.
I done it once as i was not making sure i was getting equal lengths of thread into the ball links

[David Drew]

Would you trust your pride and joy to a set of ball links that have been 'squeezed', possibly to a point where they might fail in service?

I wouldn't. There's a right tool for the job, and it's a reamer.

The process of lightly squeezing links to loosen them is well documented.

Granted I do not fly 3d or anything like, but I have never lost a link due to this. All it does is encourage a link that is slightly oval from production to nestle around the round ball. The link will get much more stress in its working life that a gentle squeeze to loosen it. We're not talking about destructive or life-threatening force.

In my very humble opinion!!!

David

[robgt]

I recently bought a JR ball link reamer (for my Vibe, don'tcha know ) and the links only needed a single turn with the reamer and they were pretty much perfect - snug to push on yet nice and free once fitted.

Great tool - I wish I'd bought one ages ago...

I've ony destroyed one or two links using the squeeze method in the past, which does work and is effective if you're very careful, but reaming is definitely the way to go.

Cheers,
Rob

[David Drew]

OK, Rob & The Manager....squeezing works, but a reamer is better......just off to get a reamer!!!


David

[petervdb]

me too then

[Steve]

You know it makes sense chaps.

If you really want to see what tight ball links are like - try a JR heli out of the box! All three of mine have been the same - my reamer has earned its keep many times over.

[robgt]

I've only had one JR heli so far (a Vibe 90, by the way lol), but I can vouch for the new link tightness

Cheers,
Rob

[David Drew]

I bow to greater knowledge.

But, I have built 2 x Raptors, 1 x Swift, 1 x Trex, and squeezing has always worked. But I have never built a Vibe, so maybe that says something about Vibes?

Wot I reckon is....if a quick squeeze makes an 'oval' link into a round link, what does taking some material out of an oval link to make it round do?? When it eventually relaxes to being round, it will then be oval

That's the beauty of this site....challenging the accepted wisdoms

I'm bored now, ...............going to sleep Night Night

Enjoy the flying

David