Loosening Ball links and Y-links
One of the key points to a good flying Eco is loose ball links for
any linkage you use. This includes the mechanical mixer if using
it. You will see many references to using a pair of plyers to
gently squeeze the ball link (and Y-link) along it's edge. Work
along both sides as well as the bottom of your link.
A simple ball link tool can be made of a brass ball from the
mechanical mixer (which you probably are not using) and insert it
on a threaded rod. This gives you a nice little tool to work with
on all your ball links. You can work the ball around your ball link
and easily determine if the link is loose. Just hold the ball link
and move it around. If your tool moves freely, your link if good. A
point to note is that when you are working with a ball link and
loosen it up, but insert the ball from the other side, it might
still be tight and you have to loosen that side up also.
When working with plyers, it is also recommended that you use a
pair that doesn't have "teeth" that can mar your
links. Another thing to be careful of, is squeezing too hard where
you can crush or break your ball link. You will have a few extras
in the mechanical mixer. Also take care if you are squeezing the
ball link while it's on your stock swashplate. You don't
want to slip and break the plastic ball off it. Otherwise, you will
be upgrading to the aluminum swashplate much sooner than you might
have expected.
You should also not that the plastic balls on the stock swashplate
are slightly larger than the brass balls that are used throughout
the heli. So, after you put your links on the swashplate, you might
have to work a little more to loosen them up.
