Balancing parts / whole of a Trex / Clone

solentlife

So lets start a thread describing balancing of the 450 class Trex / Clone machine. Not only the overall CoG matter but also parts and assemblies of the machine.

We all should be good at main rotor blades, I have the threaded shaft and two cones to do mine and works brilliantly.

We can detect whole model balance by suspending by flybar etc. and moving battery accordingly, (funny thing is I find that I get little difference with the range of batterys I have even though there are weight diff's .... )

So how to balance other parts / assemblies ?
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If you don't crash - you ain't flying !
Fast learning to be 450 Heli Repair specialist !
Have : 2ch Bumblebee,
Co-Ax Syma S006 Alloy Shark
2x Clone 450 SE V2
+ fixed wing stuff ...
Returning to RC after 20 odd yrs away .. Ex Display flyer.

Crashagain · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 7:29 am Post subject:

I run a 3400rpm head speed on my 450 V1 and I can honestly say I have never balanced anything on it.
If you keep the slop in the head down and the belt tight and check the bearings often, the heli should be nice and smooth.
I think with the clones it's a different, lower quality bearings, cheap plastic and soft metal bits, tend to let the heli vibrate.
I stand by my moto, you get what you pay for...
Every Trex I have had is super smooth, I had one copterX and I could never get it as smooth.. But it flew. There is a reason they are called clones..

Just my .02
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Trex 450V1...Trex 600Nitro Flybarless, Outrage Velocity 50 flybarless. Frenzy V2 50.
Crashing is just a landing that cost you money..

Trouble · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:32 am Post subject:

Why do I need to do all this? The factory takes care of that, I don't need to balance my boom or mainshaft bearing blocks or my landing gear, or anything else for that matter, I never had a problem with balancing, and I don't even know what my headspeed is... 'Course maybe the factory where your helis come from don't have Quality Control, and you have to go through all that extra work. Kinda like inferior metals that fatigue and break at the most in-opportune times...like tail boxes. Wink

I had 3 Copter Xs', worst P.O.S. out there, EXI is like owning an Avant compared to that.

Crashagain · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 11:05 am Post subject:

I can see balancing blades if you buy the cheap woodies, but other then that I don't see the need to balance anything
_________________
Trex 450V1...Trex 600Nitro Flybarless, Outrage Velocity 50 flybarless. Frenzy V2 50.
Crashing is just a landing that cost you money..

solentlife · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:36 pm Post subject:

You guys surprise me with the answers.

There are so many online sites that are quoted / pointed to for newbies that go into balancing routines.

Personally ... I only balance the main rotors. I stopped doing the CoG bit as I found it basically didn't move much with battery.

There is a post in my breaking tail-unit thread where one balances his tail units ... now that is interesting to know how !
_________________
If you don't crash - you ain't flying !
Fast learning to be 450 Heli Repair specialist !
Have : 2ch Bumblebee,
Co-Ax Syma S006 Alloy Shark
2x Clone 450 SE V2
+ fixed wing stuff ...
Returning to RC after 20 odd yrs away .. Ex Display flyer.

Crashagain · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 6:03 am Post subject:

Why would our answers suprise you? I mean really, how many things do you really need to balance on a heli to make it fly?
Main blades maybe, if you buy the cheap ones off of Ebay, but other then that, if you center the flybar, and measure the paddles when you install them, what else do you need to do?. Spool it up and go fly..
I think that too many people get overly caught up in the setup, mechanics, and little stupid things to work on then the actual flying part of the hobby.
If you get good stuff, don't waste your money on junk chinese knock off electronics and do it right the first time you will be a pilot and not a mechanic.
_________________
Trex 450V1...Trex 600Nitro Flybarless, Outrage Velocity 50 flybarless. Frenzy V2 50.
Crashing is just a landing that cost you money..

solentlife · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:02 pm Post subject:

Burgess · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:13 am Post subject:

It is the responsibility of every UAV pilot to ensure that whatever they decide to fly, is mechanically fit to make that flight. Ergo, if there is an imbalance that results in a malfunction and a third party sustains damage, it is the pilot that is liable not the manufacture of the helicopter.

Not everyone can afford to purchase a brand new Align Trex 450, or the cost of having it professionally maintained for them.

The number of those purchasing so-called clone t-rex 450s, probably outnumber those who can afford to purchase an Align Trex 450.

Thus, for those of modest income, the knowledge of how to set-up and maintain their machine should be self evident.

tombo242 · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:52 am Post subject:

I go for balancing every time. Very rarely do I find anything balanced to my satifaction - but then I like to imagine that I am going to fly in the machine and service it accordingly.

I recently had a small prop on an indoor plane that was about the same size as a 450 heli tail rotor. It had a slight imbalance and threatened to shake the motor off of the fire wall. A little clear tape and no problem - smooth running. Makes me wonder if some of my early tail failures on the helis were due to unbalanced tail blades!

Tom.
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chopper54 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:27 am Post subject: post subject

I balance new main and tail blades before use. Its not exactly a mammoth task. Vibration can effect the gyro.

Burgess · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:46 am Post subject:

Tracking contrasting tape: