ARF Nobler Clevis failure

LAST EDITED ON Jun-04-04 AT 03:40 PM (CDT)
 
Joe Gilbert had a close call when he had a pin on one of the stock clevises fail on take-off this evening. He got away with a broken prop and the need for a clevisectomy so he was pretty fortunate. It appeared like he just took of too shallow and hooked a prop in the grass. He replaced the prop and was about to get a second launch when he noticed the controls weren't responding. Close one! The plane probably has around a hundred flights and some of them were in fairly high wind. Just something you might want to watch for if you're using the stock control system.

Hi Elwyn; I just talked with Dale Kirn last night, and he said he had the clevis fail on his ARF Nobler on I believe the third flight. Same deal. Pin came out. Glad Joe was able to save his. He sure has the reflexes to deal with things like that.

I hope to soon be able to post a photo of the worn pot metal bellcrank that came out of Mike Finnigan's ARF Nobler. The hole was worn to maybe over 1/4 inch on the bellcrank to flap pushrod hole. The remaining metal on the bellcrank was paper thin and a flight or two from disaster when discovered.
Replace the leadouts! replace the bellcrank! replace the clevis'! Replace everything!

The same thing happened to me on my elevator push rod on the Nobler. It was right before takeoff, but I took notice my elevator wasn't moving but the flaps were. It was before the launch so nothing happened. I put different clevis on the push rods and soldered them. The one that hooks the control horn for the elevator inside the fuse, i just cut the balsa in the back and soldered that and threw a piece of monokote on.
Ryan

>The same thing happened to me on my elevator push rod on the
>Nobler. It was right before takeoff, but I took notice my
>elevator wasn't moving but the flaps were. It was before the
>launch so nothing happened. I put different clevis on the
>push rods and soldered them. The one that hooks the control
>horn for the elevator inside the fuse, i just cut the balsa
>in the back and soldered that and threw a piece of monokote
>on.
>Ryan
Add me to that list. I finally was able to get everything working today. I had several flights, but was unable to do much because of tank and needle valve problems. Today however I was able to begin flying it's first pattern. I was also being scored at the Sig contest so it was going to be very interesting. The Nobler's maiden pattern was going to count. I had a little trouble on takeoff and didn't score very high, 25. The Reverse wing over was very tentative and I only got a 26 but it gave me a great feeling about how it was going to fly. I did some very nice inside loops, 30 points, inverted flight was rock solid, though I was high, 28 points. My outside loops were also very nice at 29 points and the inside square loops were also 29. I'm an advanced flyer who doesn't practice much. I'm very happy with these scores. The next manuever is where the clevis failed. It's not pretty. I entered the outside square loops with the first turn looking very nice. I then went for the second turn and the plane started to turn and then didn't. It went into the ground at full speed at about an 85 degree angle. I was shocked, this was just about the best stunter I had ever flown and now it was a pile of blue monokote and balsa dust. I went over to the carnage to see what had broken and the pushrod from the bellcrank was not connected to the flap horn. I looked and the clevis was still there. I talked with several other stunters and discovered that I could push the clevise onto the pushrod without threading it on. What a piece of junk. If anyone has a Nobler with intact linkages, I would recommend soldering them in place if you can. I intend to write a letter to Tower Hobbies informing them of this defective hardware and ask for another kit. I will not be using anything in the kit that has a screwed fitting. My 38 ounce Nobler is no more.

Old story!

Tom Morris www.tomsbuildingservice.biz offers drop-in linkage replacements for the NoblerARF. At about $16, they are really cheap insurance. Replace the bellcrank with a SIG nylon unit, too.

Or just get a Brodak Oriental ARF . . .

I'm looking forward to that one!

I just sent Kevin Hicell of Tower Hobbies an email asking for compensation. If I get another kit I sure as heck will not use any of their hardware. Skip Spoula actually captured the crash on digital video. He is going to send me a copy and I will post a link to it when I get it.

>I just sent Kevin Hicell of Tower Hobbies an email asking
>for compensation. If I get another kit I sure as heck will
>not use any of their hardware. Skip Spoula actually
>captured the crash on digital video. He is going to send me
>a copy and I will post a link to it when I get it.

I find this amazing. The kit came with junk hardware, you deemed it suitable as you did after all use it, and now someone else is not only to blame but is expected to compensate you in some way?

Let's look at it another way: You're an experienced modeler. Yet you didn't see anything wrong with the hardware, installing it in your new ARF. What makes you think they should have, or are expected to have, higher standards than you?

Send Kevin another e-mail. One that says to ignore the first.

Dan,
their warranty clearly states that they guarantee that the kit to be free from defects in both material and workmanship... I didn't try to push the clevises on, I screwed them on like you should. This thing is an ARF, complete with hardware. If I bought a new car and the steering knuckle fell off, I'd expect replacement.

I had posted on other forums about the dangers of using Great Planes hardware. Most of it is made in China and is really of dubious quality.
The blind nuts are soft aluminum and will strip out in a New york minute and really ruin your day if you have to dig them out of a plane.
Screws are aluminum with cad platuing.
Sad thing is the cost as much as Du Bro without the quality.
If you use the kit stuff I really do recommend that you solder any threaded links as they will eat their threads with amazing ease.
Dennis

...also... all the complaining in the world won't get the manufacturer to change the quality of the product. The only thing that will get their attention is $$$. If they have to replace airplanes because of the shoddy parts it might get their attention. Somebody buys an ARF - I think its fair to expect the parts to be servicable for the intended use. It's not "ARF" if you have to replace parts with servicable ones.

>Dan,
>their warranty clearly states that they guarantee that the
>kit to be free from defects in both material and
>workmanship... I didn't try to push the clevises on, I
>screwed them on like you should. This thing is an ARF,
>complete with hardware. If I bought a new car and the
>steering knuckle fell off, I'd expect replacement.

You are correct in citing their warranty. It will be real interesting to see how this plays out.

I mailed the letter today. I'll keep you guys informed. Sure wish I had soldered them, but I probably would have waited until I had flown it first to see if I had gotten it right. Since this was the maiden pattern, Kersplat! Alan Hahn at least is hoping that thread locker will hold things together.
Bill

One of our club members sent his crashed ARF Nobler back and they replaced it. His crash was due to a leadout failure so maybe you will get a replacement.

LAST EDITED ON Jun-30-04 AT 10:29 PM (CDT)
 
Geez, I remember writing on an early post about the NoblARF that I'd gotten most of a new control system from Tom Morris, BC, leadouts, flap and elevator horns, and some guys made fun of me. They said to assemble it with the included hardware, and just fly it. Face it, the model can be no better than the control system, and it will last no longer than the control system. Do whatever the heck you want! Steve

Not hard to guess which guys..