Vigor tracking

[Ivan]

I have installed the o-ring damper upgrade in my vigor, and for the life of me I can't figure out what is causing the tracking to slowly go out. after five flights yesterday, it was out by about 3/4 inch. everything is nice and tight, and there are no slipping links, or loose components.

Also, I can't get it to stop wiggling at certain rpms. it will shake on spool up, and on auto rotatoins near the end. I suspect it is the changed dampening, but I have messed with the hard/soft orings in all sorts of combinations.

Anyone have any ideas?

Ivan

[wolfdad]

A couple of things off the top of my head, I can think of are shims (what thickness and where did you install them) and which dampners did you use (soft, hard, what combination and inboard or outboard). From your last paragraph, it sounds very much like a shimming issue.
Doc

[Ivan]

I just put the shims that came in the kit, there were two for each side.

does it sound like a too much or too little shim problem. I have never experimented with the shims. Also of note is that I left the origional shims in and put the two shims with the kit to the out side of the origional shim, I think htat is the way the instructions said to do it.

Ivan

[wolfdad]

I don't think that, other than actual placement, that the shims are an "exact science," and I think you might want to try different combinations of thickness to see what works best for you. Two other thoughts ocurred to me as well...one, is there any chance your blade spindle shaft is bent...even a little. Second, is the blade spindle shaft centered. You probably have already thought of this, but I thought it worth mentioning. Also, JR makes a BSS very much like the Bergen BSS that has a plastic knob in the center for centering. Just a couple of things to think about.
Doc

[Ivan]

Hmm, I know about the upgrade spindle that has the plastic in the middle for the Ergo, But I thought the Vigor head was different and that could not be used. As far as I can remember, this spindle has never been crashed, but as we all know, I have an excellent memory, except that it is short.

I suspect that it is centered, as it is fairly tight, because I have to slide the last grip on and use the bolt to bring it all together, unlike the standard dampers.

I will check the spindle sahft tonight, weather permitting. You think a Vigor will hold up in a tornado? There is a pretty much constant Torndao watch here this time of year.

thanks for your suggestions.

Ivan

[Ivan]

Well, I guess I bent my spindle in flight, because it hadn't gone through any crashes.

Is this a problem with vigors, or is it my flying? I never bent a spindle in flight with my ergo, and I figure I flew it harder than I fly my vigor, especially since I was learning a lot with it, and had to take a lot of "evasive maneuvers" so it didn't look like I just drove it straight into the ground. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Anyway, is there a harder spindle for the Vigor, I couldn't find anyting about one on the net at rick's helis...

[wolfdad]

Ivan,
A couple of thoughts for you, my friend...yes, you may have bent it inflight, however, I suspect, if you have had to replace it previously, you may have gotten one that was already bent. Very rarely, but on a couple of occasions, I have seen them come, NIP bent...one reason I strongly recommend on both blade spindle shafts and main rotor shafts that you not take anything for granted....give them the old glass roll test. Another preaching point I frequently use is that, anytime during setting up an aircraft, that you encounter something strange...as in not being able to get blades at the same pitch at the same time, you start looking for something bent. I have three Vigors and, have run into this on a couple of occasions, the primary reason being the long pitch links on the Vigor blade grips getting bent during a crash....and, invariably, during set-up is where you will encounter a problem. BTW, and additional piece of advice on these pitch links...if you find one bent, replace it rather than trying to straighten it...if you do try to straighten one, it will break in about a heart-beat or crack so it will break the next time you fly...been there, done that, got the tee shirt and the ball cap.
Doc

[Ivan]

I have broken a couple pitch links as well.

Thinking about my previous crashes, I guess I can see the spindle getting bent in flight. I was doing some very higspeed figure eights last year at the Junction City flyin, and crumpled one of my NHP razors. It didn't leave the heli, but it just broke enough to flop around. The break looked to have compressed the top surface, the bottom was fine.

If this can be done, I suspect the forces at some point would be great enough to bend a spindle, or a main shaft.

I too have found some new shafts bent as well. I suspect it is from mis handling during shipping. I always check then before installation, so I am fairly sure it was an inflight failure.

Maybe it is time to start looking for some titanium, but with the price of KSJ's titanium tailrotor hub ($110) maybe I will just keep bending them.

[wolfdad]

Ivan,
I guess there are very few of us around still actively flying Vigors so we need to stay in touch. Personally, I love mine.

Hope all works out for you.
Doc