Octura Flex Hex couplers - wire & cable grab questions

[Ctonez]

Last race weekend I lost 2 shafts/props/bullet nuts. After the laughing subsided, my fellow club members suggested I tighten them better next time...ya' think?
Trouble was, both couplers were still really tight...just no cable in them.

One was a wire drive, and I only run wire in that particular boat...the other was a right hand turn .130 flex in my 1/10 scale.

The question is:
Is there a perfect length of cable/wire that should go in the coupler?...should I be careful to not OVERtighten? Additionally, I notice with the wire drive coupler that the wire doesn't slide in easily...it needs to be twisted back n' forth to get it in the coupler...
any tips?

[Flyguy55]

Do you solder the end of the cable ? If not it will compress every time you tighten it . Soon its too small for the collet to grip.I clean the cable well and use stay bright solder and see that it penetrates well into the cable. In 30 yrs , I've never lost a soldered cable .
I don't have enough experience with wire. But its possible your wearing down the wire when you twist it in the coupler.

[Ctonez]

most of mine are pre-assembled...I'll check for solder. what do you clean the cable with?

[D. Newland]

All of my experience with them has been very positive. 5 mm to 3/16 cable, 5 mm to .150 cable, 5 mm to .062 wire and 1/8" to .062 wire.

I wish I knew how much I tighten mine, but it's probably impossible to measure the torque used. Is there anyone else in your club that uses them with success? Watch there procedure for tightening them.

I use Dick's soldering method on flex's as well. If you keep using them, tighten them a bit more than before. Kind of a "duh" statement, I know, but you're probably very close to having it just right.

[Flyguy55]

I use brake cleaner in a spray can , but any kind of solvent works. I also use a little sandpaper or wire brush .Clean and solder the amount that goes into the flex hex, at least 1/2 inch ,
I don't know of any preassembled cables that come soldered. I know my
S DV 27's cables needed to be soldered.

Dick

[Fluid]

One thing that most folks forget is that you must use lubricant on the collet threads and nose to get the proper tightening. I use Never-Seez, but any similar product will work. Make sure it does not get onto the cable or the wire! It just takes a little bit, and it lasts a long time.

I suspect that the above is the main problem with the wire. I have never "worn down" wire in many years of using wire in dozens of boats. If the end of your flex cable is not soldered, then as others have said it will eventually give up.


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[Ctonez]

fantastic tips and advice guys - thank you very much.

I'm sure the other guys in the club will guide me as well, I wanted to show up this weekend with as much knowledge/preparedness as possible...last race I didn't have the right spares so sat out 2 classes...lame.

After this I'm going to be assembling my own cables...thanks again gentlemen.

So what is the maximum/minimum length of cable/wire that should enter the collet?
I was told that too much wire in the collet causes it to grip wrong.

[Jeff Wohlt]

1/2" for all wire and couplers I use. Cable is pretty much the same.