The inspiration behind the Silver Spring™ Arm
The original CP models I, II, III, IIIA & EFP arms are beautifully designed from an engineering point of view. They are a tried and tested workhorse and a true credit to their creators. They have been used for many years by satisfied operators and are known around the world as being a reliable well-functioning piece of equipment.
Over twenty years of field use will naturally expose areas for improvement. The Silver Spring™ Arm has been conceived to vastly improve the original brilliant design as well as greatly increase the life span of the arm.
There are many improvements in the Silver Spring™ Arm design. Please read on and discover all the new features of the arm as well as the advantages and benefits to be gained from owning one.
Quality Assured
These arms are all built BRAND NEW. They are machined from the highest quality materials by qualified machinists who are also responsible for making aircraft components and medical industry equipment so you can rest assured that you will be receiving a quality product. We demand that nothing leaves the factory unless it is of the highest standard.
High-quality machining means you receive a high-quality product.
Adjustable weight range of 13 to 63 pounds
The Silver Spring Arm delivers you a full weight range carrying loads of 13 lbs. to 63 lbs. Such a diverse weight range will inevitably provide you with more work opportunities. The weight range is adjusted by simply and easily rotating a set of bearing-assisted stainless steel tensioning bolts using a ‘T’ wrench or the ‘Speed Crank’ (supplied with your arm) until you reach the desired weight range. You can tune it to the exact weight you require between 13 lbs. to 63 lbs. Please allow a +/- 1.5 lbs. tolerance in the range to allow for slight variations.
The silver spring arm can be easily adjusted to carry weights from 13 lbs to 63 lbs
Silver Springs
Made from an exotic alloy, they are lightweight, non-corrosive, and treated for fatigue resistance.
With the continual consultation of metallurgists and spring specialists, we have scoured the planet to find the very best spring material in the world. The exotic alloy we have selected is used in the aerospace industry and satellites as well as civil, commercial and military aircraft. It undergoes 11 processes (including fatigue resistance treatment) before it is ready to fit, and we can confidently say that it is the very best spring material you can get for your arm.
Made from an exotic alloy, the Silver Springs are lightweight, non-corrosive, and treated for
fatigue resistance.
Friction Control System
By tightening or loosening the wing knob you can control the amount of friction between the flanged bush and the arm post to allow your Gimbal handle to freely glide with the desired resistance or it may be locked off completely.
The Friction Control System can be operated tools free or the wing knob can be discarded and a
‘T’ wrench used in its place.
Fast & Smooth Adjustment
Following are 4 improvements to the old design that makes adjusting the Silver Spring Arm super-fast and super smooth.
1.) Oil Saturated Bronze Sintered Bush providing Permanent Lubrication.
The CP spring end arrangement involved a steel bolt that engaged with a stainless steel threaded spring end. Although these two metals don’t bind, they still create a noticeable degree of resistance against each other. Our design involves a stainless steel bolt that engages with an Oil Saturated Bronze Sintered Bush. This bush is designed specifically to keep the threads lubricated.
Every time the arm is wound up or down the threads receive a fresh coating of oil. This coating is a minimal coating just enough to lubricate the threads but not enough to seep elsewhere on the arm. The sintered bush will stay lubricated for at least 10 years. (The manufacturer specifications say 20 years!)
Our design (left) uses a sintered bush to keep the thread lubricated. The original design (right)
needed regular lubricating.
2.) Fine Threaded Tensioning bolts The Silver Spring Arm uses Fine Threaded stainless steel tensioning bolts. Stainless steel will not rust so its surface will remain smooth and unpitted. The finer thread means that you will gain more leverage when rotating the bolt.
The original design (top) used a coarser thread bolt made from carbon steel. Our design (bottom)
utilizes a finer stainless steel thread.
3.) Bearing assisted Tensioning bolts
Bearings arrangements are now located between the head of the tensioning bolts and the chassis which therefore greatly eliminates friction when rotating the bolt. In addition to that, the outer washer is a cup washer/dust cover protecting the bearing from the elements.
Bearings located beneath the head of the tensioning bolts greatly assist in the smooth rotation of
the bolts when adjusting the arm. While the cup shape of the outer washer protects the bearing
from dust etc.
4.) Speed Crank
When you receive your arm, you will also receive a complimentary Speed Crank with its two bearings and anodized finish, adjusting your arm will be a pleasurable task!
Spring twist and cable skew problems resolved
The old style of spring end was designed with the anchor point at the rear of the unit which led to spring end twist and cable skew. This contributed to cables fraying as they did not always travel squarely in the pulleys.
Original style with the anchor point at the rear causing spring ends to twist and skew.
Our style of spring end is designed to eliminate spring end twist and cable skew. This prevents cables from fraying by guiding them squarely as they travel in the pulleys.
Silver Spring ends parallel to hold the cables straight
Modular design enables a Fast Strip Down
In about the time it takes you to boil the kettle and pour a cup of coffee you can pull the arm down to clean it. Follow the pictures below to see how easily you can strip down, clean and reassemble a Silver Spring arm.
Remove the covers…
Wind out the springs…
..until they are slack…
Unhook the ball swages…
Silver spring arm design makes it so easy…
..the inner springs are ready to remove…
…everything sits neatly…
Unscrew the tensioning bolts…
The arm is now easily accessible
Easy to Clean
After you pull your arm down simply give it a dust out with a clean dry brush or give it a light squirt with some clean water from a squirter bottle and give it a wipe with a damp clean rag…
…then dry it down with a towel…
Reassembly is simple, start by inserting the middle springs and aligning the cables with the
pulleys…
… Position the arm so that it locks the cables against the pulleys leaving your hands free …
Reconnect the spring ends…
…screw in the tensioning bolts…
Wind up the springs, attach the covers and you’re ready to go!
Most of the arm is constructed from parts that are made from the following non-corrosive materials:
• • Titanium & other Exotic Alloys
• • Aluminium
• • Stainless Steel
• • Bronze
• • Delrin
• • Rubber
• • Polyurethane
• • PVC
All other components are treated against corrosion using the following treatments:
• • Electroless Nickel
• • Black & Satin Chromium Plating
• • Black Oxide Treatment
• • Anodizing
