Bent gimbal...

[RichWest]

Update: I was able to straighten the yaw arm and the gimbal is working great. The tool below is NOT the correct method for straightening out the yaw arm. The arm should be completely removed from the gimbal to correct any bend or offset...See page 2 posts for further details and tools used.

Added insight: To remove the yaw arm screw, you need to loosen a grub screw in the yaw arm shaft. It can be accessed through an opening at the base of the arm that mates to the yaw shaft. It requires a 0.050" 1.3mm allen wrench...

<--------->

Not naming names, but someone bent their gimbal while it was riding around loose in my truck... I have a total of five gimbals, so no big deal.

This gimbal's been to hell and back a few times. First it was @Solo Keith 's gimbal with the broken hdmi connector, repaired. Then I did a nose dive into concrete, unscathed and still working. The case of 9mm ammo did the deed, slid right into the gimbal...bent the main arm about 10 degrees. So much for the foam block to protect the gimbal...lol

Anyway, crappy weather today, thought I'd gimbal straighten an effort. Success, built a clamp tool to grab the main vertical arm and cut a piece of wood to clamp the gimbal arm near the beauty plate. Actually worked pretty good, it all seemed to straighten out well.

I won't know if the gimbal actually works for a while, no desire to change out in my current bird to test.

I have a couple of the before and after pictures, but it's boring stuff. The tool is cool if anyone is interested in the idea or have a future need...or hopefully not. Just piddling stuff...

 

[Maddog]

Um, so some "anony-moose" person bent their gimbal in your truck, but you have 5 so you're gonna give them one of yours?

And then you shot a whole case of 9mm ammo at a gimbal and bent it 10 degrees?

 

[RichWest]

Um, so some "anony-moose" person bent their gimbal in your truck, but you have 5 so you're gonna give them one of yours?

And then you shot a whole case of 9mm ammo at a gimbal and bent it 10 degrees?

Ya, something like that...the guy is a real stinker...

 

[RichWest]

To follow up. I installed the gimbal this weekend and it's a no go without further effort and some disassembly. It appears to be riding more on a pair of isolators, rather than all four. It's difficult to measure and reference what exactly is out of alignment and how to correct. I'm assuming the vertical arm is still bent slightly forward causing a weight shift.

Anyway, this is interesting discovery and effort. Learning by doing....with a $40 gimbal...

 

[pyrate]

Just bent my second one I assume at this point it's easier to just buy another?

 

[RichWest]

Just bent my second one I assume at this point it's easier to just buy another?

Mine was pretty mangled up, bent off angle was no issue, it was the twist that got me. If I had no choice, I feel I could get it right, but again $40 is nothing in the big picture. Just had better things to do with my time. It was a great gimbal, like Vegasrobbi had mentioned in another thread, it had settled in and was working really well.

I'll be happy to send up the tool and you can give it a try...just let me know.

 

[Shahzad Quraishi]

do you still own the 5 gimbals? now that you have purchased mavic pro, would you be willing to sell them? they are going for outrageous prices on some of the sites. was wondering if you would sell one? lmk. Thanks.

 

[RichWest]

do you still own the 5 gimbals? now that you have purchased mavic pro, would you be willing to sell them? they are going for outrageous prices on some of the sites. was wondering if you would sell one? lmk. Thanks.

Mine aren't for sale and I don't own a (spits) mavic...you are thinking of someone else....

 

[Krystal_Witch]

Not naming names, but someone bent their gimbal while it was riding around loose in my truck... I have a total of five gimbals, so no big deal.

This gimbal's been to hell and back a few times. First it was @Solo Keith 's gimbal with the broken hdmi connector, repaired. Then I did a nose dive into concrete, unscathed and still working. The case of 9mm ammo did the deed, slid right into the gimbal...bent the main arm about 10 degrees. So much for the foam block to protect the gimbal...lol

Anyway, crappy weather today, thought I'd gimbal straighten an effort. Success, built a clamp tool to grab the main vertical arm and cut a piece of wood to clamp the gimbal arm near the beauty plate. Actually worked pretty good, it all seemed to straighten out well.

I won't know if the gimbal actually works for a while, no desire to change out in my current bird to test.

I have a couple of the before and after pictures, but it's boring stuff. The tool is cool if anyone is interested in the idea or have a future need...or hopefully not. Just piddling stuff...

View attachment 5556 View attachment 5557 View attachment 5558 View attachment 5559

Than for the heads up. I wouldn't even begin to know where to get all that stuff. I've got a couple of bent arms that I'd love to be able to fix.

 

[RichWest]

Than for the heads up. I wouldn't even begin to know where to get all that stuff. I've got a couple of bent arms that I'd love to be able to fix.

Well it was an improvised solution and just food for thought. The tool actually works well as intended, but the effort to straighten the gimbal is a test of patience and persistence.. I have no patience, so the referenced gimbal is still collecting dust on my to-do bench.

Where in the world are you? Do you own a vise?

 

[Krystal_Witch]

Yes I have a vice in my garage. I also am a professional tractor puller on ESPN and RFTV which is why I'm hoping to get some if not all of the bent arms fixed. I just didn't know if it was possible or not. Thanks for the reply BTW!

-K.

 

[Krystal_Witch]

Ooops! I'm in Kentucky btw.

 

[RichWest]

Yes I have a vice in my garage. I also am a professional tractor puller on ESPN and RFTV which is why I'm hoping to get some if not all of the bent arms fixed. I just didn't know if it was possible or not.

Like I said in some cases it could work, but it's an effort in trial and error... Would be happy to loan you the tool to try your hand at the effort. PM me your address...I'll send it your way.

Was just in Louisville this week... I know a few pro tractor pullers, they are called farmers.....where I come from.

 

[USMC86]

tractor pullers are farmers with attitude. but the ammo is okay, right??
At some point Rich- gonna have to realize that your $40 gimbals have appreciated nicely- by about 200%-
wish my retirement investments could do nearly as well-

 

[RichWest]

At some point Rich- gonna have to realize that your $40 gimbals have appreciated nicely- by about 200%- wish my retirement investments could do nearly as well-

I bought Solo when the gimbal was released 09/2015, spent $1800 at that time for complete setup with camera. Seems a possible break-even from those that bought at 2016 and then at 2017 pricing. I call it cost averaging....but then I'd have to sell something to know for sure.

 

[USMC86]

SELLING!!??????
Stop with that CRAZY talk!
selling? no way! we gotta corner the market!

 

[RichWest]

@Krystal_Witch on second thought, maybe straightening out a gimbal should be a third or forth thought. I'm finding my initial effort to straighten got close, but not near close enough. I was able to remove the top plate assy. from the gimbal arm last night, without tearing up the two ribbon cables or connectors. Now I 'm able to see the arm deflection better and it's not good. Still need to remove the Roll motor and its circuit board to give a better opportunity to align the Yaw arm. I'll post up some photos as I make progress.

Why go to this effort? Well it appears I have a NIB gimbal, purchased from BestBuy back in Sept. 2016, that was obviously returned by some crap head bent. Didn't realize at the time as this would be a backup Solo. Needless to say BB has no inventory and warranty is out as well. The crap head even took the SN off the beauty plate.

Now with two bent gimbals, my effort to repair makes better sense. I could do the same as the crap head and swap out some recent purchased gimbals from BH, but I'm just not that way. Friggin crap heads...

 

[just_bruce]

^----Is reported (unconfirmed) to have 27 gimbals in various states of disrepair....

SELLING!!??????
Stop with that CRAZY talk!
selling? no way! we gotta corner the market!

 

[RichWest]

^----Is reported (unconfirmed) to have 27 gimbals in various states of disrepair....

This guy ^^ has cornered the market on Solo gimbals...I'm such a slacker....with only six now. Gives me more incentive to get these straightened out....thank you!

 

[USMC86]

I’m sure an half dozen gimbals will last you Rich- There will come a time when we will have to cross load to keep all of our drones in the air - swapping parts and services to keep everyone flying. Just the fact that you’ve already started attempting to repair gimbals- when you perfect it, you will be in crazy demand. I continue to guard my gimbals like gold-