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How to Adjust the Throws on an RC Plane

The control throw on an RC plane is the breadth of movement possible from an installed servo within the airplane. The servos control the movement of parts such as the rudder or the aileron. The greater the throw, the more the part can move, resulting in finer control over the aircraft for advanced flyers. In most instances, adjusting the throw is simply a matter of adjusting the connection point between the servo and the pushrod that transmits servo movement to the movable surface. In some cases however, large adjustments will require you to modify the servo itself, adding length to the servo arm to create wide throw ranges.

Things You'll Need

Servo arm
Plywood
Utility knife
Drill
Screws

Instructions

- 1
  Choose a servo arm that gives you the throw range you require if possible. Servo arms fit onto the servo tops and when connected to the pushrod, move the pushrod back and forth, which in turn moves whatever surface the pushrod connects to. The further away from the hub of the servo that you attach the pushrod to the servo arm, the greater the throw, so find an arm that's long enough to give you the movement range desired using the predrilled holes along the arm length to attach the rod.
- 2
  Hook the pushrod into the hole on the servo arm that provides you the range of movement desired. Turn the servo arm, rotating the arm its full range to test the range of movement. Adjust the throw along the arm by changing the hole in which you've hooked the pushrod.
- 3
  Extend the servo arm further with a plywood extension if needed to create even more throw range. Cut an inch-long piece of thin plywood with a utility knife to create a piece the same width as the servo arm. Drill two small holes into the plywood about 1/8-inch from either end. Screw the plywood into the last hole of the servo arm. Hook the pushrod into the hole on the other end of the arm. Test the movement with the servo.
- 4
  Adjust the connections on the other end of the pushrods where they meet the moving surface of the airplane for additional control over the throws. Move the pushrods toward the surface of the aircraft on this end to provide greater throw range. Move the rods further away to decrease the range.

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