AutoQuad Forum

Hi,
I would like get some suggestions on the best way to level motors and motormounts.
Any tips are welcome.

You can compare propelers tips between motors.

I'm still looking for a good way also. Right now I just use a small spirit/bubble level and try to find a flat spot somewhere on the motor or mount. The pain is that the frame also has to be level for this to work. If there is no decent flat spot to use, a stiff flat plate (with a hole in the middle) can be mounted on the motor in place of a propeller... but it has to be truly flat (I've tried it with junk CD/DVDs but they're not very flat and distort easily). Also with typical clamps/round arms, the tilt changes as you tighten each clamp bolt, so you have to do it very evenly and keep watching the level while you do it. It is a serious PITA when trying to level a coax setup, where you have to ensure that both motors are level and parallel.

I'd love to see frame kits where this is made easier, with reference marks or slots on the arms, and corresponding mounting attachments/marks on the frame and motor sides.

-Max

Hello!

My English is not so good and the translation program is not always exactly accurate, sorry. Did not realize that it should be possible without special equipment. I have already deleted.

ThinMan

Jussi, showed us his version of the slotted carbon arm and adapter for the motor and boom mount.
Will these become available?

Otherwise other tips and tricks without using extra add ons?

The slotted design still requires a bit of adjustment, since there is a little bit of play in that.

What I usually do is to lay the assembled frame on a flat surface (I use a big glass table) and use the bottom nuts to align body and motormounts with each other by pressing them down to the flat surface until they line up.

I am not sure the slotted design will become available, but I´ll turn it over with Paul to see what we can do.

I get asked this question occasionally, and the answer is just to eyeball it. Particularly with longer props, it's pretty easy to see when it's level. When you fly, you'll immediately notice if one is off, since it won't be in the same plane as the others.

The harder part is actually making a small precise adjustment. I typically leave the mounts loose enough that they can still be turned by hand with some force, but they tend to want to jump too far when turning them, so it's hard to make small adjustments.

I've always resisted making anything special about the tubes, because that makes them harder to replace. You can buy plain tubes lots of places, but if you need a nut pressed into it, or special slots, then you're probably stuck buying from the original kit maker.

Cheers,
Rusty

My method to deal with this annoying issue is to temporarily reduce the yaw rate PID's max output to 0.

You can then take off without yaw control and you will quickly see which way the machine tends to yaw. Land and carefully look at each motor and decide which one is most tilted the way that would cause the yaw imbalance, and tighten up the appropriate size of the motor mount to cock it by maybe half a turn of the screw - it does not take much assuming you are already close.

Repeat this enough times to where the machine will yaw in slightly different directions depending on where the throttle is. This is as neutral as you can get.

In my new design I will arrange two vertical 3mm Drillings in the motor mounts and in the tubes. Same thing at the centerplate end. At the time of assembly a 3mm bolt is used to align the motmounts with the tubes. Hopefully this gives an accurate perpendicular/parallel result.

Cheers

Christof

@bn999, this is something to try out, this way your also sure that it isen't the TX doing some yawing.

@Christof, drilling a reference is a good solution like Jussi's slots. But both ends need to be aligned.