Flex shaft to motor Coupler Question

[Hp88]

I am setting up my 1/4 inch flex shaft to my motor coupler and just like to know how much of the flex shaft do i need to have inserted into the motor coupler. The coupler is a vice type that clamps down on the flex to hold it secure.

Cheers

[tlandauer]

The cable should go in far enough for the clamp to have a good grip , I have on occasion where the cable actually touched the motor shaft. Of more importance is how much a gap you leave on the other end: there should be a gap the length of whatever the diameter of your cable is between the stinger/strut and the prop drive dog. The spiral cable tightens/shrinks under load. So if you have not cut the cable, this aspect should be your first consideration.

[Hp88]

The cable should go in far enough for the clamp to have a good grip , I have on occasion where the cable actually touched the motor shaft. Of more importance is how much a gap you leave on the other end: there should be a gap the length of whatever the diameter of your cable is between the stinger/strut and the prop drive dog. The spiral cable tightens/shrinks under load. So if you have not cut the cable, this aspect should be your first consideration.

Thanks for reply, I am at the stage of marking out where the motor mounts will go, i was just looking at the coupler and flex fit and can get at least 17 mm of the flex inside the coupler if I want. I was just curious to find out what is the norm with the fitting the flex into the coupler, thanks for reminding me about leaving the gap for flex under load.

Cheers

[siberianhusky]

I cut the cable so I have the proper gap with the cable bottomed out in the coupler, makes doing the reassembly a no brainer, you can't install the shaft without the gap.

[1945dave]

I agree with siberianhusky. Cut the final length with the collet end bottomed out allowing for the recommended added length so the drive dog is spaced behind the strut thrust bearing/surface. Cables can be shortened but if you cut it too short cable stretchers are hard to come by. The working grip surface will vary from collet to collet so that is hard to answer here in general terms. It very well may be that a flex cable can be safely gripped without bottoming out but why take that chance?

Dave

[Hp88]

I have set the motor mounts up to have the flex stop at the end of the motor shaft, so i have maximum length of flex inserted for the collet to grip to + 1/4 inch for flex tension.

Cheers