I think my gimbal arm is bent...

ZefPanda · Jun 22, 2020

I bought a crashed solo, and the gimbal has the headbanging issue. I have inspected the ribbon cable (even under the plastic housing parts and where it attaches to the mainboard). The cable appears to be okay, and I also tried to adjusting the counter weight/balances (the silver knobs) with no success. After inspecting the gimbal more, it appears the metal arm is possibly bent at a weird angle. I tried to look at photos of a disassembled gimbal here 3drpilots.com/threads/gimbal-exploded-view, which from the photo it appears the arm should be at a straight right angle, mine seems a bit skewed. Was just wondering if anyone can verify that this is bent and should be at a 90 degree angle? I just want confirmation before I go and try to bend it back into position, since that seems like my last shot at making this work again.

I attached some photos below for reference, maybe someone can make something of this.

edit:
After looking at pictures of gimbals for sale on eBay, I was able to see better angle of what the arm looks like, this one is definitely bent. I'm gonna see if I can bend it back without damaging the working components of the gimbal.

ZefPanda · Jun 24, 2020

Bending the arm back has gotten some results, now if i force gimbal in to certain position, I am able to move camera up and down with controller, but it makes sounds of resistance. I need to adjust the silver knobs I think to calibrate it, then do a software calibration and then I'm hoping it might actually work.

just_bruce · Jun 25, 2020

ZefPanda said:
Bending the arm back has gotten some results, now if i force gimbal in to certain position, I am able to move camera up and down with controller, but it makes sounds of resistance. I need to adjust the silver knobs I think to calibrate it, then do a software calibration and then I'm hoping it might actually work.

Those motor caps are not supposed to be 'adjusted'. I wish you luck, but down this road lies frustration in my experience.

RichWest · Jun 25, 2020

The arm has a compounded bend. Doable, but not easy. It would be best to take the arm off and straighten by itself. Or find a donor gimbal and make one gimbal...

Check to see if the gimbal is passing video. If not, use the gimbal as learning experience and tear it down...it won't hurt as much.

Images helped your original post.

ZefPanda · Jun 27, 2020

RichWest said:
The arm has a compounded bend. Doable, but not easy. It would be best to take the arm off and straighten by itself. Or find a donor gimbal and make one gimbal...

Check to see if the gimbal is passing video. If not, use the gimbal as learning experience and tear it down...it won't hurt as much.

Images helped your original post.

I only have a gopro hero5 to test the hdmi with. I managed to break the hdmi port off my gopro Hero3 black by 3d printing a case that didn't give enough slack for the static mount and the tension of the cable popped the hdmi port off the gopro mainboard on the maiden flight.

I did get it really close to its original shape (Within maybe +/- 1.5mm) without dismantling gimbal and being extra careful not to crimp or tear the ribbon cable or break the housing. motors in certain positions sound like they are meeting resistance of some kind. I think maybe when the previous owner crashed it and bent the arm, that the rod that attaches it to the silver knobs got pushed up. The previous owner must have attempted to do some kind of repair, because those Philips screws that hold them in place are stripped.

The gimbal project is on hold though, because I made a big costly blunder yesterday afternoon while testing the gopro hero5 with static mount yesterday. It was my first working video flight and and like an idiot, mistakes were made. I got the Solo stuck at the top of a 40-50ft tree by a retention pond. Paid a tree climber 100$ to come out this morning, he was able to climb high enough to shake the Solo out, while a neighbor and I held sheet underneath to catch it. Needless to say, it bounced off the sheet and got almost fully submerged in retention pond for a few seconds. I managed to pop battery out and remove battery from gopro immediately but I still smelled a little smoke. Got the entire drone disassembled and sitting in tubs of rice. Looks like one of my CW grey motors circuits got fried, but I didn't see any visual damage on the mainboard or its components. I got a spare CW motor that I had ordered by mistake, so I'll find out in a few days if the bird is salvageable.

RichWest · Jun 27, 2020

ZefPanda said:
I think maybe when the previous owner crashed it and bent the arm, that the rod that attaches it to the silver knobs got pushed up. The previous owner must have attempted to do some kind of repair, because those Philips screws that hold them in place are stripped.

People tend to not realize the grub screw in the shaft ends, which retains the philips screw from backing out...actually works well.

The silver knobs are the motor's bell housing. Kind of fragile, as are the motor shafts. So yep, likely a bent motor shaft.

Your upper photo tells the tale. Like I said a compound bend, both the yaw and roll arms. I've had luck straightening a couple of gimbals, but it required taking the arm off to get everything lined up. But you may get lucky and it'll work fine...good luck.

You are having all kinds of luck getting off/on the ground. Ever consider RC cars?!?