We stock as many JR parts as we can
get.
If we don't have it, Horizon probably doesn't have it.
We have a full line of Vigor parts, both belt drive and Vigor CS parts.
Nathan and I both fly the Vigor CS.
I've been flying JR helis
since they were introduced.
Click here to see what's in the CCPM conversion.
I've had the machine for quite a while now. I changed the engine to the YS 80, just to see what all the fuss was about. I changed the pinion to a 10 tooth and left the 88 tooth main gear in it. It uses more fuel and it's harder to start, but it does have really large power. I'm going to try an 84 tooth main gear when it warms up. It seems like the engine is turning a little too fast. Dave Storey swears by the 8.8:1 ratio, and I can't argue with those results.
Click on the small pictures for a larger version.
For really big pictures (around 100k) click here.
Our first batch of the kits sold so fast that I didn't get a chance to build one! This is the kit a lot of people, including myself, have waited patiently for. It really is "the machine Curtis fly's". The price is very competitive with other machines of it's caliber, and, in some respects, it is a much better value. It comes with CCPM, carbon frames, carbon fins, aluminum horizontal fin mount and a fiberglass canopy. These parts would cost an additional couple hundred bucks on some models. The Caliber, the only other model I know of that is offered in this configuration retails for $2200. The difference is, we have parts for your Vigor CS, and we can get more.
I had heard about some changes that Curtis made to his contest machines and demo machines. I've pretty much verified most of these changes with Curtis and Rick Smith, of Austin, TX, who has been tasked with building Curtis' last few models. Along with these, I've come up with a couple things that make these changes and the assembly overall, a little easier. So let's get on with it. Starting at the top.
Ever since the introduction of the Ergo 60, Curtis has been trying to figure out a way to make the dampening system more durable and still have the feel he likes. The way he flies, he can wear out a set of stock dampeners in 10 flights. And, since the yoke on the Ergo 60 and the Vigor are the same, the problem carried over. The ingenuity CY has is amazing. If you've ever taken a look at some of his earlier models you would see things that ordinary humans would never think of in a million years. For example, years ago, he used a cardboard shroud on his V-tech muffler to give it less drag. He came up with an equally unique solution to his dampening problems. He took a Poly-Zap lid, carved and cut on it and made an insert that fit inside the yoke. This allowed him to use two O rings on each side of the yoke, instead of the stock dampeners. Since he uses Poly-Zap for just about everything, he has plenty lids around to use. I always throw mine away, so I decided to make some out of aluminum. They worked so well, that I had a bunch made by one of my friends in Arkansas. I gave Curtis a set to test and he gave them his stamp of approval. The picture shows the inserts and O rings that are included. Complete and detailed instructions are included. At the time you install this, it would be a good time to grease your thrust bearings, since they come from the factory ungreased. It is also a good idea to use "The Greaser" to make sure the radial bearings are greased. I found one of mine was dry as a bone. If you JB Weld the radial bearings into the grips as the manual suggests, make sure you put the axle through them while the glue sets up. When you reassemble the head, go easy on the Loctite at the M5x10 bolts, if you use any at all. Since there may be some variance in components of the axle, it's a good idea to have a couple bags of axle shims, such as the Robbe 1585 on hand.
Part # CYDC ... $20 If you aren't using this system, you're missing
out.
Yoke with cups installed.
Instructions
While you have the yoke out, you might as well do this little modification. It's a lot easier when you don't have to worry about getting grinding dust all over your model. At extreme cyclic, you'll notice that your flybar control arms hit the bottom of the yoke. This not only can this cause your servos to work really hard, but it can pop a link off too. If this happens, the machine is still controllable, but it flies really weird. To eliminate the possibility of this happening, you can grind the yoke as shown in the pictures. I take the stock yoke and, on my milling machine, I cut out the part that the control rods hit. There is plenty material here, so there is no need to worry about the piece being weakened.
Most of you know that Curtis uses Carbon KSJ paddles that weigh about 50 grams. At $90 per copy, most of you probably aren't going to be doing this! I decided to try Freya paddles on mine. They are very big and the weight is adjustable to your style of flying. With no weight they are very quick. I tried them with no weight and partial weight. I ended up putting all the weight back in, though they felt pretty good with just the brass weight. Changing the weight is really easy and can be done in the middle of a flight for comparison...on the ground of course. Curtis just recently tried completely rounding the leading edge of the gray paddles that are included in the kit. He said they felt almost as good as the KSJ paddles. Getting rid of the sharp leading edge is the key. Paddles are strictly personal preference and what's good for Curtis might not be good for you. If you use the stock paddles, be sure to install the flybar weights. This lets you adjust the feel to exactly the way you like it.
The Freya paddles' weights are two different sizes and can be taken out and reinserted easily. With all the weight in, they are very stable. With no weight they are pretty wild, but have little pitchy tendencies. Nice paddles. Part # 414108
I've included a picture of the mod Curtis does to his swashplate. I am not going to do this until my engine is completely broken in. You extreme 3D guys might want to try this. For those of you who own the JR 10X, you'll want to choose the 140 degree CCPM option. The Futaba 9Z can do it with some easy mixing between elevator and collective and modifying the value in swash type. Read about the details in RC Modeler Magazine. John Benario wrote a good article about it.
Use a M2x? bolt and Red Loctite #271.
I found it odd that the instructions have you install the servos with the output shaft away from the bellcranks. You don't really realize that this is really an error in the manual until you install your canopy and find out the servo arms rub the inside of the canopy. I've included Curtis' notes to Rick Smith. I made a couple fixtures to ensure that the bellcranks are perfectly square to the rods (see the picture). I think this step is essential, especially with the elevator bellcrank because it's really hard to align visually, due to it's odd shape.
Curtis' notes with Rick's translation.
Using the Vario link measuring tool.
Here's a picture of a couple wood jigs I made to make sure the rods were square to the servo arms and bellcranks. I doesn't look like much, but they are very accurate. You can easily see what each click of subtrim does and the jig is perfectly square. The one with the notch in the edge is for the push pull links and the other is for the throttle. I plan to make one that will do both jobs, and make it universal for just about any kind of linkage.
"JR links are the best" Guess who said that. Yup, that's right, Curtis Youngblood. I didn't have to ask why, because he volunteered to tell me. With the JR Sizing tool, you can loosen them up so they are perfect. If you get them a little too loose, or over time as they wear, you can tighten them up by simply squeezing them as shown in the picture. I did have to modify my sizing tool a little, but once that's done, it worked like a charm.
Note the slot in the ball has been cut deeper with a Dremel cutoff wheel.
If you have any side play in your links, look at this.
The one link that seems to be giving some people a problem is the white link that goes in the elevator "A" arm. If you break it, don't be tempted to use a gray link. They won't hold up in that spot. I managed to break mine while I was working on the elevator control assembly at the Houston funfly. It was entirely my fault and I suspect the white link is really a good link for what they use it for. However I didn't have an extra, so I made one out of a Rocket City link at the field. It's working great.
JR balls are fine. They fit good and they come with the kit. The only problem is, they wear out fast. What some people think is link wear, is actually the ball wearing out. So everywhere I could, I put Robbe balls (S4407)on my model. They don't wear out nearly as fast, though they are expensive. It involves a little drilling and tapping here and there, but, overall, I think it is worth it. A touch of Dielectric grease on the balls makes them even better. That little tip is courtesy of Mr. Don Curtis. If you've ever had the pleasure of watching Don fly, you would know he does anything it takes to make his models as smooth as possible...and as clean as possible. Don is one of Dave Youngblood's early flying buddies.
I chose to install a stock OS 61 SX-WC in my Vigor CS. My plan is to change the exhaust to a Muscle Pipe after I get a few gallons through it, though the KSJ muffler sure sounds nice.
Don't use the steel washer between the collet and the front bearing on the OS engine. Also turn the engine mount over from the way it's shown in the drawings. This will ensure full clutch engagement.
Remember, if your drive train isn't smooth, you did something wrong. These gears don't wear like some gears. Either they're smooth or they aren't. Work with the gear mesh until it's as smooth as glass. If you have a problem with a warped crown gear or crown gear hub, contact Horizon. They will replace it. I don't think this is a big problem, but I have heard a couple guys complain about this. Horizon took care of it right away.
During a conversation with "the man", the topic of engine break-in came up. We all know he breaks in his engines, but I wanted to know the "hows" and "whys" of the way he does it. The "how" is pretty simple. For about 15 tanks you don't run it lean, you don't overload it and, you don't over speed it. You just fly it around, keep it under 3/4 throttle and be gentle with the cyclic and rudder. Shooting autos lets it heat up on the way up and cool down during the descent, so I think that's a good thing to do too. The "why" is pretty much an eye-opener. If you don't break your engine in properly it could be down on power up to 30% it's whole life. That's from a guy that knows how to get power out of an engine.
Do not assume the length of the t/r control rod given in the instructions is correct. My overall length is 42 5/8 inches from center of ball to ball. If you've already cut yours, you can use the JR short links to save the rod.
The kit comes with a solid carbon control rod and 5 guides. It works fine, but it's easier to get the steel rod to work smooth. Plus, with the steel rod ( JRP983010 ), there's less flex. If you opt for the steel rod, you'll have to add about an inch and a half to the length at the servo end. This can be done with MA0853-6 and MA 0385. Make sure you put the guides at uneven intervals to prevent harmonics in the rod. Don't be tempted to drill out the blocks the wire goes through. Just keep working at it until it's right and, don't Poly-zap the guides to the tail boom until you know it's perfect. The whole concept of t/r control depends on this rod operating smoothly. Do whatever it takes to get it smooth as glass. Don't expect your gyro to work really well until you do this work...really well.
I used a plastic canopy while my fiberglass one was being painted. I had to put different canopy standoffs on it in order to fit the plastic one. I don't plan to drill any holes in my glass canopy. I'm going to mount it with the grommets on the inside. I will have more on that later.
I had mine painted with House of Color Lemon Yellow by Mark Mancini. Mark is a three time winner of the NHRA Summer Nationals Best Appearing Car trophy. It's a beauty. Don't be surprised if you see me flying my Vigor with the plastic canopy though. I would hate to wreck this one. I thought this was a very high quality canopy, especially when compared to some others. I saw very few pinholes. Mark is accustomed to a little better glass work and said he had to spend a lot of time getting it ready to paint. Though I was hoping for more, Curtis' comment was "Pretty, but kind of heavy." That pretty well sums up his priorities. Make it work, then make it pretty.
I haven't done this to my landing gear, but if the skids start cracking, this is the fix. Whether you do this or not, you'll definitely want to cut at least 2 1/2 inches off the length of the skids. If you are having a problem with gray crud forming on your landing gear, this is the fix.
If you use the thread lock provided with the kit, make sure you read the note on page 2 of the manual. I recommend getting some Loctite brand thread lock. Green #290 and Red #271. Then, go through the manual and, where it shows red, mark it out and put green or blue. Where it says green put red. If you prefer using Blue #242 instead of Green #290, just make that change.
Make sure there is no side play in the Elevator A arm when finished with step 1-2. If there is, notch the M3x8 bolts with some dykes and use a little green loctite between the bolt and bushing. Be very careful not to get any Loctite in the bearing.
At step 1-4, don't pay any attention to the recommended length of the clunk line. 77mm wasn't long enough. Just make sure the clunk is within a couple millimeters of the back of the tank when the model is vertical. I used the recommended length and now I have to remove my tank and replace the clunk line. I think I'm going to use a Robbe felt clunk this time. I still have at least three ounces of fuel in my tank when the engine starts to lean out.
Mount the rudder and t/r servos before putting the frames together. Instead of using the little clips they give you just glue the servo backing plates in place. You don't use the brass eyelets on the Elevator servo and make sure the servo case doesn't touch the frames or aluminum bracket. If it does grind away one or the other. This step is definitely recommended before assembling the frames.
Also mount the Elevator Arm Bearing Cases in step 2-1B before putting the frames together. No big deal, but it is a little easier beforehand.
Mount the T Levers before putting the frames together. Make sure they're smooth when you finish. If you flip them, they should keep turning at least a few times.
Don't worry about aligning the Elevator Control arm and the A-Arm base in step 2-3B. Just get it close. You can easily get it perfect as one of the last things in the setup.
Sand the edges, at least in the servo mounting and fuel tank area. Pay special attention to the tank frames if you're going to run a YS engine. I used Aerotrend Large fuel line to line the frames, as suggested in the instructions. Unless you sand the sharp edges off the frames, you can expect frames to cut into the line, especially with the YS.
Have some duct tape standing by when you "Remove the clear coating" for the grounding strap. Mask off the part you don't want to grind on. I used a small sanding drum on my Dremel.
The brass grounding strip causes a slight gap between the bottom carbon plate and the Landing Strut Adapter. I put a thick ( MA0003) washer between them at the bolt hole.
You can cut the front of the radio tray off as shown, to save weight and
reduce vibration. There is plenty real estate left over. Plan to mount your gyro
on the rear of the radio tray where vibration is least.
This design is a thing of beauty. Grind away a little bit of the shroud at the top of the glow plug hole to allow a little more room for your ni-starter.
On Page 29 of the CS manual, the "4" and the "3" that are highlighted in black circles at the bottom are reversed.
If you forget to put the bottom muffler mount bolt in before you install the engine, don't sweat it. You can flex the bottom plate down far enough to get it in.
IMPORTANT: When attaching the vertical fin, don't tighten the rear clamp at all. Once you install the t/r gearbox, be sure to tighten the bottom bolt in this clamp before putting the three set screws in.
To adjust the Elevator Control Arm, make sure your rods are square to the servo arms, then sight down the tail boom and line the arm up with the pivot bolts.
The JRP960180B axle with a ball does not work in the Vigor, nor is it needed. This is because the Vigor has a Spindle Shaft Guide not found in the Ergo.
Use a swashplate level to put the final adjustment on your three swashplate servos' ATVs. Do this before installing the head. The PEG1068 Bubble Level and Swashplate Gauge works great for this.
I used neoprene tubing and Keepers to route my antenna to the tube.
Here's a blade grip puller I made. It makes life easier when you're experimenting with dampeners. If you'd like one let me know. The hub only is $6. The other components are common.
These are my servo horns. It was easy to shape them. I just put the Robbe balls on the large heavy duty JR wheels the instructions call for. Then, I made the jig and sanded them off using a disc sander. When the wood hits the sander you're done. Flip it over and do the other side. Note I haven't turned the servos around yet.
Plumbing the YS
That's it. I'm going flying. You might check back later and hit that refresh button, as I might add some things as I learn about them.
My thanks to Curtis Youngblood and Rick Smith for all their help.
Ron
Copyright 2001 by Ron Lund