By: Rick Klages
Spindle (feathering shaft)—is it bent?
A quick and easy way to check to see if your spindle has been bent is to remove one of your main blades and twist the spindle. You are going to use the same tool you use to tighten or remove your spindle bolt or nut, whichever application fits your heli. Next with the remaining blade straight out in the grip use the tool to carefully twist the spindle as if you were tightening the fastener. If the tip of you remaining blade moves up and down as you twist the spindle then you need to replace the spindle. Be careful to hold your tool true as you can move the dampeners and make it appear as if you have a bent spindle. It is important to be smooth with no up or down or side to side movement of your tool. If the blade tip does not move then your spindle is probably ok. Even a very slight movement on the tip of the remaining blade indicates a need to replace the spindle.
T-Rex 450 training gear
(All T-Rex 450’s including new sport version except pro V3)
A lot of new pilots find the stock landing skids to be fragile or the heli is easy to tip over especially if you fly on uneven ground.
Here is a quick, economical and easy solution to remedy the problem. I have found over the years that if you replace the stock skids and struts with the Align 600E landing skid set (part # H60038T sku#360038 $10.99) you will have a perfect and durable training gear set that is very light and effective. Just place your stock struts upside down on the new 600E struts and mark the new screw hole locations on the 600E struts. Then use a 3/32 drill bit to drill the new holes in the 600E struts. You will need to also replace the stock mounting screws with longer self taping (sku#176905 2x7/16 $1.00). You will notice that the recessed ovals in the bottom of the 600E struts will have the new mounting holes on the outside edges of the ovals. Remount the new 600E gear and enjoy!
T-Rex 450 Tundra Gear
(all T-Rex 450’s including new sport version except ProV3)
Are you an accomplished 3-D pilot but fly off a rough field? Here is a quick, inexpensive fix to keep your tail out of the dirt or weeds.
Replace your stock landing gear with the T-Rex 500 landing gear set. They are part #H50047 sku#350047-$9.99. These are the white ones and we also offer them in yellow, orange, or green as well. They include flybar paddles and tail blades for the 500, so if you do not own a 500 make someone happy and give them the paddles and tail blades.
I have used these on my 450SE for over three years and love them on rough ground. They look cool (like big wheels and tires on your truck), are light and still fit inside your Align carrying case with a slight amount of trimming where they contact the foam on the bottom of the case. I have never broken a set and they do not hamper your 3-D capability at all. You just re drill the holes (elongate them in the case to match your stock gear) and use the 2x7/16 screws as mentioned above.
Align 450 aluminum carry case modification to fit 2.4 radios
The Align carry case was designed just prior to 2.4 radios. In order to carry your 2.4Ghz tx inside the case you can do this quick and simple modification. Simply rotate your tx so the antenna faces to the left (90 degrees counterclockwise) with the antenna extended. Take a sharpie marker and outline your antenna on the foam, then remove the tx and cut a slot using the pre marked lines as a guide. Test fit your tx and adjust the cut if necessary. Now you can carry everything for your 450 in the case along with your 2.4Ghz tx. The extended antenna now lays under your 450 body safe and snug.
T-Rex 450-Do you want a smoother hovering and flying heli?
I have found that a lot of new pilots or pilots that own T-Rex 450’s do not like to hover with the stock paddles. After trying many brands and types of paddles I have found that changing to the Thunder Tiger PV0044 (sku #141760-$3.49) makes a world of difference. The hover is very smooth and stable and forward flight is locked in and solid.
Align T-Rex 600E/N 500E Scale Fuselage
If you have acquired an Align 500E fuselage for your T-Rex 600 E or N here are a couple things to make life good when you fly.
Before you install the mechanics in the fuselage, take some silicone rtv or Zap a dap a goo and put a fillet (bead) all around the plywood parts where they meet the fiberglass. This will give you extra dampening and strength between the parts. This includes the “doghouse” area as well. Next, where the bushings pass through the vertical tail fin make sure they are completely glued in place. Some of the bushings are loose. If they are remove them from the fin and rough them up with 120 grit wet/dry sandpaper so the glue will adhere properly and wipe them clean with a cloth soaked in denatured alcohol. Then use epoxy of any type to re glue them in place. Make sure to get the proper orientation so the bushed end faces the tail case. Then use 2 flat washers (one on each bolt) on the outside of the fin to retain the fin. These are not included in the kit and are a MUST for proper retention of the fin. There is no way except for the glue on the bushings to retain the fin if you don’t do this. Some unlucky pilots have blown the fin off by not doing this. It is not mentioned in the instructions. The fin will depart and most likely take the tail blades with it and then you loose the tail and create tremendous vibration which can be catastrophic.
Also make sure when you install the mechanics you pay close attention to making sure your tail boom comes out the rear of the fuselage in the center. If it does not, DO NOT force it in place with the foam donut. This will put pressure against the rear fuselage and cause excessive vibration. All adjustments need to be done inside the fuse before you tighten the bolts to the plywood floor. Make sure you glue the foam donut into the fuselage tail section so it does not come out.
The last item is to keep your head speed down between 1600-1800rpm. This is important if you want to keep your heli in one piece. I have tried a head speed of 2000 rpm but with the scale machine you do not need it. With a proper setup you can get away with a higher head speed but I was just trying it for test purposes only. I fly mine at 1620 rpm and it flies very well.
It is always a good idea to fly your mechanics to make sure everything is the way you like before installing it into your new fuselage.
Storing your heli for long periods of time
If you find yourself in a position where you won’t be able to fly for a month or longer here are a couple tips to keep it in top condition until you get back to the field.
Conditioning your engine for storage is important especially if you live in an area with high humidity. The first thing to do is to run the engine dry of all fuel. Disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor and hook up your glow battery. Crank the engine and let it start and idle until it quits. Repeat this until it does not try to run. Then remove your glow plug and put a few drops of after run oil into the glow plug hole. Reinstall the plug and crank you engine over for about 10-15 seconds. This will disperse the oil throughout the engine to prevent rust. You will need to install a new glow plug when you are ready to fly again.
The best way to store your heli is to remove the main blades. If you do not want to remove the main blades, then the best way to store them is in the extended flight position. This is better than using a foam blade holder which can eventually put flat spots in your dampeners and give you a vibration issue when you resume flying.
Next unplug your flight (receiver) battery and proceed to thoroughly clean your airframe from all residual oil and grime.
Cover your heli with a towel or other soft cloth to keep the dust from accumulating until you are ready to fly.
With a little effort and care your heli will be waiting for its next flight.
Good luck and happy flying.
Rick Klages
rick@heliproz.com
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