2009Gimbal forum
Clipper3 gimbal design tolerances and play in handle bearing axis
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- Axial play along the bearing axis in the handle of the Clipper3 gimbal is intentional and considered normal within the design specification.
- The axial play in the gimbal handle disappears under operating load, with the mechanism moving together in high mode and apart in low mode.
- The play in the bearing axis is designed to reduce pre-load friction while maintaining orthogonal alignment of the three bearing sets, which determines gimbal function and performance.
- The Clipper3 gimbal design includes a user-adjustable centering feature for yoke alignment that is considered a significant improvement over other gimbal designs.
- Some competitors' gimbal designs, such as the V2 model, are manufactured with minimal or no axial play as an alternative approach.
Depends on
- The discussion does not explain the specific engineering principles behind why axial play reduces pre-load friction better than precision machining.
- No comparative performance data between gimbal designs with and without axial play is provided.
- The discussion focuses on the Clipper3 and brief mention of V2 gimbal; applicability to other gimbal models is unclear.
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