View Full Version : canopy standoffs
Anyone have a problem with their elevator pushrods hitting the right-hand side of the canopy? I just got a new Intrepid gasser canopy, the one with the cheeks, and after installing it the right side hits the elevator pushrods. If the front standoffs were just a little longer (about a quarter to a half inch) then it would clear the pushrods. Are there different sizes? Thanks.
By the lack of responses, I will assume that no one has built a new Bergen in the last few months. How about the last six months? I just want to know how your canopy fits. Mine is trimmed and drilled perfectly and yet the elevator pushrod and servo wheel screw hits the inside of the canopy. The only solution I see is to use longer standoffs in the front. Right now the stock ones are 12mm and I figure they have to be at least 16-18mm in order to keep the elevator pushrods from hitting the inside of the canopy. I'll include photos in my gallery.
v22chap
11-16-2006, 07:38 PM
Now your talking ,,with measurements that we can compare with:
My EB has 20mm stand offs :dontknow
rjflyer
11-16-2006, 07:42 PM
Bobs, It has been a few years since I put mine together. but I remember that when I ordered the fiberglass canopy (looks like yours), A separate bag with two longer standoffs and Instructions to move the rear standoffs to a different location.
I would give Chris a call and tell him the problem, he will fix you up promptly.
Whirly-Girl
11-16-2006, 07:49 PM
Bobs, I hope this helps. I built my EB brand new in March and my calipers are reading 13mm on my front standoffs. My canopy has the "cheeks" and does not touch the elevator pushrods. It is close, but nothing to worry about.
Can anyone tell me if the EB canopy is different than the standard Intrepid gasser one? Whirly-girl, I notice in your gallery that your front standoffs are longer than the ones in your photo above. If you look at my gallery you'll see exactly where I drilled the holes in my canopy for the standoffs. The rear ones are a no-brainer, they have dimples where to drill. The front ones are a little trickier; however, you'll notice in my photos that the front holes are an exact fit for the standoffs, and, in my opinion, are drilled exactly where they should be. In fact, if you drilled them any lower on the canopy they'd be in the crease for the cheeks. Just to give you an idea of how hard my canopy hits the elevator pushrods and ball screws, I loosened up the front standoff and screwed it out to 16mm. At this length the pushrod still hits the inside of the canopy - just slightly - when you give full up elevator. If the standoff were 18mm long then it would clear the canopy completely; however, in a conversation with Chris he has a concern that the canopy could split due to it being spread apart like this. Chris requested I take pictures of my setup for him to see. He could not see anything wrong other than he thought if the holes were drilled lower then it would raise the canopy enough to clear the pushrods. I mentioned that if the holes were any lower they would be right in the crease for the cheeks. They are as low as they can be without going into the crease in the cheeks, as it shows in the photos. Just for an example of how much this thing is off, even by raising the front of the canopy by a half inch - so the holes would actually be going into the side of the cheeks - the pushrod still hits inside the canopy. The only solution I can see is to use longer standoffs to spread the canopy apart, or the canopy should be re-designed to flare out more from the front standoff on back. Chris is sending me a set of 18mm standoffs but I got the impression that he doesn't think this is the answer. And he was adament that all the canopies are like this one. I'm left feeling like an idiot that screwed something up because it doesn't fit. However, I think my photos speak for themselves. Apparently I'm the first one that's ever had this problem. This is why I wanted to hear from someone who just recently built a new Bergen. Only a new build will reflect what I'm experiencing. Thanks for all your comments, I do appreciate them.
Whirly-Girl
11-17-2006, 03:03 PM
Whirly-girl, I notice in your gallery that your front standoffs are longer than the ones in your photo above.
Those pictures in my gallery had the incorrect standoffs installed. I posted many pictures during my build process in the Bergen forum to get constructive feedback from Mal, Gary, Greg and Chris. One of the things they noticed was that I had longer standoffs installed in the front and that was incorrect. I had to have new short standoffs sent.
Whirly-girl, do you know if the EB and standard boom canopies are the same? I'd be interested in seeing where you drilled the holes in your canopy for the front standoffs. Your gallery photos don't show the holes. Also, did you use "Long" balls in your elevator control "X" arm for the linkages to connect to from the elevator servo wheel? These do stick out quite a bit and contribute to the pushrod ball links and screws hitting inside the canopy. I've noticed in numerous other photos of Bergens where those "X" arm balls used to be short ones.
peter84
11-17-2006, 07:38 PM
Bobs,
I have a standard Intrepid gasser that I bought in April this year and first flew it in June. It has the same style glass fibre canopy as you show in your gallery. I took a few measurements that might help you;
13mm long front canopy standoffs.
120mm outside dimension from side across the standoffs and frame.
12mm from right frame to top of elevator servo disc (Futaba 9252 servo).
19.5mm from right frame to top of screw holding ball to elevator servo disc.
My canopy has about 2mm of clearance to the elevator servo balls.
Hope this helps?
Safe flying, Peter
Peter, thank you for all the measurements. Our setups are almost identical. In terms of build, our helis seem identical there also, and Whirly-girls is similar too. However, something has to be different with the canopy. Did you get your canopy from Bergen? If so, was the windshield pre-painted? I took several more photos to try and show more clearly what I'm trying to explain. My belief is that the canopy should "flare" more from the front standoff to where it meets the elevator servo pushrod screws. If you look at the latest photos in my gallery you'll see that the front standoff protrudes out from the frame approximately 12 - 13mm. When you look straight down the frame you'll also see that the balls on the servo wheel stick out from the frame approximately 18 - 19mm. Then look at the close up of my canopy from the front looking rearwards - it's a straight line from the standoff to the servo wheel and, therefore, it has to hit the canopy. I also included a close up of where I drilled the front hole in the canopy: it can't go any lower without being in the crease of the cheek. I would suggest that if anything is screwed up it's the design of this particular canopy. You got your canopy back in April and I got mine in September. Something changed between April and September. I'd really appreciate it if you could take a picture of your canopy from the front like I did. I'm curious if your canopy flares out from the front standoff to the elevator servo wheel. It just seems that's the only thing that could possibly be different. To me it makes perfect sense that if the standoff sticks out 12mm and the balls on the servo wheel stick out 18mm, and assuming the canopy goes straight back from the standoff to the servo wheel, IT HAS TO HIT INSIDE THE CANOPY, period. Now, if the front standoffs were 18mm long, in my particular case, then the canopy would clear the servo wheel balls. It's just common sense. However, I suppose it will put a certain amount of stress on the canopy seams this way, I'm just hoping it won't be too much. I want to try this before returning the canopy and having to trim another one just to find out it's the same as this one. Thanks again for all your help.
broncoholic7
11-18-2006, 09:45 AM
Do you have to ask for the canopy with the cheeks? Or is it the standard canopy? Mine was purchased in April and it does not have cheeks.
Bob I thought you were getting yours painted in the same paint scheme as mine?
Broncoholic, I am still waiting for one to be painted. The guy that's painting my canopy ran into a problem while clear coating and had to start over. The one he's painting is just like yours, without cheeks. However, being the impatient type, I decided to also have one with cheeks that I'll paint myself. Now that I have one with cheeks, I kinda like it. The guy that's painting mine showed me one of his personal canopies. Wow, I liked it even better than the design and colors I picked out. I'll try and copy it to my gallery for you to see. As long as he had to start over on mine, I asked him to redo it to be similar to his but without the cheeks. Anyway, that's the story of my canopy experience so far. BTW, how does your canopy fit?
broncoholic7
11-18-2006, 11:04 AM
Mine fits great. The only problem I have is the with the rubber grommets. They split and break. I decided to do something different, with it. I bought some of the self stick rubber foam and made my own. Works much better and they stay in place.
So how/where did you get the canopy with the cheeks?
I am also wanting to change my color scheme on my current canopy. My servos went bad and it kind of put my canopy project/purchase on hold for now. I would like to change my current one to Orange and Blue and then I want to get a new one that I am having it painted like the Broncos logo. That one will just be for show. :wink:
Plus still trying to get my heli tuned in right. I am in a holding pattern right now waiting on things, plus $$$.
Take it easy
Broncoholic, I managed to copy the new paint scheme in my gallery; however, I also managed to delete the photos I referred to in my previous post. I'll take the pictures again and place them back in my gallery. The ones I just deleted really showed very clearly what I've been talking about. By the way, when I ordered my Intrepid I specifically requested a canopy without cheeks. I'm not really sure if one or the other is considered "standard." How are you making out with your gyro problem? Keep us posted.
Both canopies are from Bergen. I understand that the one without cheeks does not have the windshield painted on - it's plain white gelcoat. That's the one I haven't even seen yet because I had Chris send it directly to the painter.
broncoholic7
11-18-2006, 11:47 AM
WOW, I like it!
Love the Orange fade! :wink:
I decided to get a 601. I found one that is basically brand new. It just came in yesterday. I got a great deal on it. I am still waiting on my 8311's to arrive. Now I am trying to leanr/figure out the 601 and how to set it up when my servos come in.
After I get everything installed then I am going to do what Gary suggested and richen it up some. I watched his DVD to get an idea of what to do.
Like I said until the servos come in I am in a holding pattern. I am hoping they come in on Monday.
Will keep you posted as to my progress on it.
Take it easy
peter84
11-18-2006, 01:19 PM
Bobs,
Try looking at the pictures in my gallery. I will go and take a few more of the back end of the canopy and post those also.
I bought my canopy from Bergen at the same time that I bought the heli. It was painted by Ricko - he has an ad on this board. He did a super job on my canopy that included cleaning up the join line.
If the pictures do not work PM me and I will send you my telephone number so you could call and see how better to help.
Safe flying, Peter
Peter, I did look at your photos; however, I'm curious to see a frontal view to determine if your canopy flares out from the front standoff to the elevator servo wheel. From your comment, "He did a super job on my canopy that included cleaning up the join line", I now know that your canopy is different than mine. If you look at my gallery you'll see that my canopy came gelcoated with the windshield pre-painted, and there is no join line to be cleaned up. My canopy is either from a different manufacturer, or, at the very least, from a different mold. Mine is just off too much to be the same as everyone elses. I know that 18mm standoffs in the front will cure the problem, but it's just a matter if it will spread the canopy too much and split it. I have unscrewed my standoffs so they're sticking out about 16mm and the canopy does not seem to be stressed too much. I'll just have to wait until Chris sends me the 18mm ones and see how it fits. If it spreads the canopy too much I'll have to return it for a refund because I'm not going to trim another one and find it fits the same way. I have another canopy being painted, one without cheeks, and I can only hope that it's not the same as this one. I haven't seen it yet because when I ordered the heli the canopy was sent directly to the painter. Once again, thanks for all your help.
peter84
11-18-2006, 02:02 PM
Bobs,
New pictures added to my gallery showing some internal dimensions of the canopy. Let me know if they help.
Safe flying, Peter
Turkey
11-18-2006, 06:24 PM
Peter, I did look at your photos; however, I'm curious to see a frontal view to determine if your canopy flares out from the front standoff to the elevator servo wheel. From your comment, "He did a super job on my canopy that included cleaning up the join line", I now know that your canopy is different than mine. If you look at my gallery you'll see that my canopy came gelcoated with the windshield pre-painted, and there is no join line to be cleaned up. My canopy is either from a different manufacturer, or, at the very least, from a different mold. Mine is just off too much to be the same as everyone elses. I know that 18mm standoffs in the front will cure the problem, but it's just a matter if it will spread the canopy too much and split it. I have unscrewed my standoffs so they're sticking out about 16mm and the canopy does not seem to be stressed too much. I'll just have to wait until Chris sends me the 18mm ones and see how it fits. If it spreads the canopy too much I'll have to return it for a refund because I'm not going to trim another one and find it fits the same way. I have another canopy being painted, one without cheeks, and I can only hope that it's not the same as this one. I haven't seen it yet because when I ordered the heli the canopy was sent directly to the painter. Once again, thanks for all your help.
Thank you, Peter. Your photos showing the internal dimensions prove our canopies are not the same. Here's my measurements, and I've included two more photos similar to yours to show the measurements. From inside the canopy, measuring between the grommets, mine is similar to yours at 120mm (see photo). From the center of the grommet back to where the servo ball hits the canopy is 70mm (servo center to grommet center is 75mm, just like yours) and the distance between the canopy sides where the servo ball hits is also 120mm (see photo), the exact measurement as the grommet width. Thanks to you I now have proof positive that my canopy is definitely different than yours, and probably everyone elses that fits. I really appreciate all the work you did. Unfortunately, Chris kinda left me feeling like I was crazy or that I screwed up mounting the canopy, you know, drilled the holes in the wrong place, had the servo installed wrong, used the wrong link balls, nobody else has this problem, etc., etc. However, I think he's going to find out that he has a batch of canopies that are defective or are being manufactured with improper measurements. I tried to explain it to him but I guess he'll have to find out for himself. At this point I'm thinking of just sending the canopy back to him for a refund. I'll keep you posted as to whether or not the 18mm standoffs work without putting too much stress on the canopy seams. Thanks again, Peter.
BTW, if I didn't mention it, this canopy is beautifully finished. That's the reason why I'm reluctant to send it back for a refund: I want it to fit. If longer standoffs work, I think it will save Chris a potential problem if he has several with the same dimensions as this one.
peter84
11-19-2006, 03:10 PM
Bobs,
Glad to help.
In my dealings with Chris; on the phone, via e-mail and in person at a fly-in I have found Chris to be dedicated to customer satisfaction. I would suggest you send Chris the measurements and ask for his suggestions of how to proceed.
Safe flying, Peter
Peter, I was able to cut the new standoffs down to 17mm and have just enough clearance. Obviously, this does spread the canopy apart more but it is not noticeable and looks fine. I flew a couple tanks of fuel through it the last two days and so far it has not cracked the gelcoat (see new photos in my gallery). I think I mentioned that I'm waiting for a canopy without cheeks to be painted. Hopefully it too will fit the 17mm standoffs. If not, I'll have to return the cheek one because it would be too much of a hassle to switch standoffs every time I changed canopies.
peter84
11-23-2006, 11:49 AM
Bobs,
Glad to hear you are up and running.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Safe flying, Peter