Weston Capiche 140 Refurb

[Ron Gray]

Or make your own!

[Denis Watkins]

Just do a check lads, as this is not on every servo, but on "some ".

I noticed a control arm slip and found by measuring that the centre screw, although this felt " tight down "

was actually bottoming out early, and not pulling the arm down fully.

Reluctant to drill out the bottom of the hole in the spline, it was less risky just to grind the end of the centre screw

With the dremel, and involves what can only be a few thou off the end.

[Ron Gray]

Excellent point Denis, the number of times I’ve lost those little screws and have used any one I’ve found with the same thread!

[Adrian Smith 1]

To answer your questions, gents.

They are "in theory" according to the packet when I bought them a while ago, compatible with Hitec servos. I would have used the ones that came with the servos themselves, but they weren't long enough. That's when I raided the spares box. When I fitted them the replacements seemed tight enough, but clearly not in this case.

As to the servo arm screw. I do an all round check before flight which includes tight screws on servos which I did in this case therefore I am pretty sure it's not that. Where servos are embedded in the tail feathers I use blue thread locker during the build to make sure they don't come unscrewed.

I will try and get down the work shop later (it's 3 miles from my house near the airfield) and see what's what and report back to you guys.

[Adrian Smith 1]

Denis, your point about the servo screw length is a valid one and I will check that too.

[Adrian Smith 1]

Had a check around the servo arms and it's difficult to see if there is any play on the spline not obviously so. Any way I have replaced them with Hitec arms that have a securing bolt as well as the arm screw.

Looks and feels better so I will test it all again in the near future. The servo arm screws appear to be the right length as far as I can see and also screw in tight.

[Adrian Smith 1]

The servos by the way are HiTec mg 5625 which operate at 9.6 kg/cms at 6v so they should be ok for this type of model I guess.

[Adrian Smith 1]

At last I managed to nip out between showers to re-test the Capiche140. The new servo arms and fixings added stability to the ailerons. However, despite being careful when setting them up on the bench 6-7 clicks of right trim was required to get things straight and level. Once done she flew very well in a brisk cross wind and the aerobatic schedule was easily completed before time was called. Why the trim requirement? Well I think the answer was twofold. Firstly I found it a pain to set full length ailerons absolutely right which clearly I didn't complete properly. Secondly, on looking around the fuz it is clear the pipe tunnel, where the lipos sit underneath, is off centre slightly making the batteries also off centre.

Obviously, for precision flying this is not a good enough set up for a leccy conversion. However, as this is going to be a go to winter hack, she flies well enough for me. Finally the with motor and lipo combo I have installed she does go like a rocket!