HDX 450 Build Videos will be here

[veegor]

You might need to get a good hex driver set and blue loc tite if you don't have any...You might consider using the align 325 woodies with first trial flights ..before using the Carbon Blades with the kit ..just a suggestion though. I Completed the build of my HDX450se v3 month ago and noticed some upgrades from video but it wasn't any problems figuring out. Heli is great. You will enjoy build :) Have fun

[sambo60]

Thanks guys and keep em coming!! I have thought of most of these things. I have a decent hex driver set and I got some blue loctite last week in anticipation of the heli. It says not to use it on plastic, so does that mean I only use the loctite on the metal parts?

[veegor]

Yes that is correct any metal screws to metal you will be using loctite on the threads just enough to keep screws from backing off , sometimes you strip the screw heads if there is to much applied. :)

[veegor]

Where abouts do you live in Los Angeles? I'm about 10 min near the Inglewood :?: fourm

[robgest]

Is this the video that will help me on my Trex? Also, my servo rod for my tail is very hard to move, what should I be looking for to help this out?

Thanks

[mikesaraf]

Hi, I'm Mike Saraf, I'm new at this stuff. I have a Align 450 XL CCPM, I'm running JR servos with a DS servo for the tail, I have a Futaba 6EX 2.4 GHz, I'm trying to understand the setup, Tough! Anyways, I cant get the motor to turn or the tail servo to move. Maybe you could help me out.

Thanks Mike

[tom63]

Thank you for your supports. The HDX450 SE V3 is now under 300usd with brushless motor. The ARTF kit is only 379.95usd with motor, esc, battery and gyro.

Steve
Hi Steve,
I found that HDX 450 SE V3 comes with new 34000KV brushless motor with fan (wrong typing? may be 3400KV?), instead of 3550KV.
What is different between 3550KV and 34000KV (or 3400KV) with fan? How about performance of new 3400KV with fan compared with 3550KV?
Thanks,

[BarnOwl]

Is this the video that will help me on my Trex? Also, my servo rod for my tail is very hard to move, what should I be looking for to help this out?

Thanks

Hi, I'm Mike Saraf, I'm new at this stuff. I have a Align 450 XL CCPM, I'm running JR servos with a DS servo for the tail, I have a Futaba 6EX 2.4 GHz, I'm trying to understand the setup, Tough! Anyways, I cant get the motor to turn or the tail servo to move. Maybe you could help me out.

Thanks Mike

Welcome guys, allthough the HDX 450 is very similar, for the T-Rex 450 you should both check out the Align 450 video's:

http://www.helifreak.com/viewtopic.php?t=12455

[fox98racing]

I was just wondering, will the align carbon boom fit the hdx 450? I am looking to buy some extra parts, and I would like to replace the aluminum one with the align carbon one.

[dutch_anykey]

Yep it fits,

I got one mounted.

Maurice

[VBDave]

Also, a set of Allen? drivers (at LEAST get a 1.5mm for the frame screws.. you'll go NUTS trying to use the allen wrench that comes in the kit! lol)

The 3400KV motor that comes in the V3 kits has the motor connectors attached to the motor, and you'll want to use the leads that come WITH the motor for your ESC. They're a little different than the ones that come with most speed controllers, so I used them instead of the ESC ones. You'll also want a good soldering iron. $8.00 for a 40W at Radio Shack and it works PERFECTLY! I couldn't solder the bullet connectors with my little 20W iron, just not enough quick heat.

It looks like everything else in the lists provided will be fine. Watch the Assembly DVD a couple times before you start if you're new to this. (This was actually MY first build too.. the video's are KEY (but don't show EVERY step...))

Oh yeah. Make sure you also have a metric ruler handy to measure the links. ;)

I wish I could give pointer for electronics placements... but mine's a MESS! lol.. I need longer Battery to ESC wires to move my ESC under the main gear. Also make sure you don't try to wire tie anything near the motor, as being an outrunner, the CASING spins, NOT the shaft... the casing mounted fan would hit any ties I put near it.


OH. Don't recall if I mentioned it, but the two side servo arms WILL HIT the bottom of the frame with the default setup (once you go full negative pitch then add cyclic, you'll see..) I haven't messed with my endpoints to remove it as it's a small amount and only at FULL throw.. but they do in fact hit the super frame...

[sambo60]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :(
I set up my kit, and what do you know. With my luck, I got a crappy motor, which shorted, smoked all over, and killed my Castle Creations ESC. Now I have to wait for who knows how long to be able to fly. Oh well...
While I'm here, how can I adjust the rudder on my dx7. When I do full rudder to the right it's fine, but full rudder to the left the servo binds. How can I adjust it so it fits perfectly and doesn't bind? Also, I don't want any negative pitch in normal mode. How do I go about doing that, and is there any reason why I should want negative pitch in normal mode? Thanks to all you guys for your help!

[BarnOwl]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :(
I set up my kit, and what do you know. With my luck, I got a crappy motor, which shorted, smoked all over, and killed my Castle Creations ESC. Now I have to wait for who knows how long to be able to fly. Oh well...
While I'm here, how can I adjust the rudder on my dx7. When I do full rudder to the right it's fine, but full rudder to the left the servo binds. How can I adjust it so it fits perfectly and doesn't bind? Also, I don't want any negative pitch in normal mode. How do I go about doing that, and is there any reason why I should want negative pitch in normal mode? Thanks to all you guys for your help!

Sambo, look at the general setup video's in the link I posted 5 posts above here. The 401 and CCPM setup vids deal with your problem.

Anybody that is setting up a HDX should look at the general setup vids too, they deal with a lot of things not mentioned in the HDX video's.

[sambo60]

Ok thanks dude. I already watched the gyro video once before, but as I didn't have the parts yet, it seemed like another language. I guess I will try it again as I now have at least a week to wait for the parts I need to make the gears spin... :( A couple more questions BarnOwl. Is it normal that on my dx7 I had to reverse all 3 servos that control the swash? Also, is it normal that I had to switch the 401 reverse switch ON to get the tail system to operate the way the videos show (the thingie moving in the same direction you move the tail)? A lot of the stuff that I had to set up were not shown in the video at all, and I have never done this before, so I want to be very sure I did everything right. Maybe I'm lucky that my motor blew because it will give me time to make absolutely sure that all the servos and gyro and tx are operating as they should. I guess I'm just an optimist naturally :)

[BarnOwl]

Its normal to reverse servo's/gyro in the Tx. It all depends on how you mount them. As long as all linkages are ok and the servo's are 90 degrees on neutral stick it doesn't matter if they are reversed or not, as long as the commands from the Rx end op ok on the bird.

It is mentioned in the video however that instead of reversing all servo's you can also change the value of your swash mix in the Tx to + or -

[sambo60]

The gyro reversal was not on the Tx. I turned on the reverse switch on the gyro itself. Is that ok? I guess I'll find out when I get my motor and esc, because then I will keep it on the ground and check that the gyro and rudder inputs do the right things when the throttle is on.

[ps61785]

I've asked this question several times but not gotten an answer yet. What is the recommended Headspeed for flying this heli. I plan on getting into 3D soon but am just looking for the optimal speed. Thanks.

[BarnOwl]

The gyro reversal was not on the Tx. I turned on the reverse switch on the gyro itself. Is that ok?

Sorry, my mistake.....you're absolutely right: Gyro reversing does not happen in the tx, but on the gyro itself. I was actually referring to the rudder servo.......(My keyboard sometimes goes faster then my brain,or is it the other way around .......:lol: )

[sambo60]

Hi again,
I have the entire bird set up and I think its all correct (I hope). But in setting up the gyro and rudder I am unsure about a couple of things. Firstly, how should the gyro respond when I move the tail. The trex videos say one thing and the hdx vids say that the hdx is trailing edge control or something like that... I am a very confused about how the gyro should react to movement in hh mode and how the pitch slider should move when I make rudder inputs. I don't want to fly the heli with any of these settings messed up because it will mean an instant crash :(
Ok question 2: when I give rudder inputs with my dx7 tx, it doesn't work all the way through the stick. What I mean is that when I give right rudder for example, the servo keeps moving until a certain point, and then once I am holding the rudder stick past a certain point (same in both directions), input makes no difference. Is this normal, and if not how can I make the rudder respond all the way through the whole range of the rudder stick on my tx? I built a computer last year and before I built this heli I said it would be harder than building the computer and I was right. This hobby is a lot more challenging, but I hope I can get it all working right in the end. Thanks BarnOwl for your endless patience with n00bs like me :D

[ps61785]

I've asked this question several times but not gotten an answer yet. What is the recommended Headspeed for flying this heli. I plan on getting into 3D soon but am just looking for the optimal speed. Thanks.

[BarnOwl]

If you're getting into 3D I would not recommend anything under 2800 rpm. but this subject has been discussed so many times already: Some don't fly anything under 3300 and others claim doing 3D with 2500.
My experience is: More headspeed, better stability and dynamics. Less headspeed: longer flying times, less responsive........

[bmwe30m3]

Good afternoon. I have two questions for those of you with the V3:

1.) I recently received mine and during assembly, noticed that the main shaft bearing casings had to be installed backwards in order to get the main gear and tail gear shaft to mesh. By this I mean, I have two roll servos on the aft side of the swashplate, and my fore/aft servo in the front.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to view the Finless videos (even though it is for V2, I thought it may help) for assembly as I am currently in Afghanistan and the link to the videos is blocked by our firewall. I went strictly off of other pictures I was able to find online for assembly.

The helicopter is completely assembled and does hover correctly so far. I was just curious if this is normal for the V3. I did have to change a LOT of settings in the Tx to get everything mixing correctly, but it seems to be working.

2.) I have now noticed that I am coming up short with right stick (yaw) authority. I can get up to about a 3-4 ft hover, but when I put in more power, it will yaw to the left (proportional to power introduced) and not recover, even with full right stick, gyro in either normal or AVCS mode. I am using a GY401/9650 combo. Limit setting is set to give me my limits at both ends of travel, delay is zero, and the sensitivity settings on the Tx do not change the outcome, but they do induce a wag if set too high, so I know they are working. It is as if the tail blades are not producing enough pitch to counter the torque from the MRH. I am getting full travel from my tail slider on the tail shaft (max extension to the left and right) and on my tail servo. I am using the tail blades that came with the package. Are they maybe too short or not twisted enough for this application? I have altered my throttle/pitch curves to make it a little better (still not right), but I think there is an underlying problem. I have loosened the setscrew that secures the tail blade holder to the tail shaft and moved the holder outboard to allow for more right yaw, which also helps, but now the setscrew is not in the groove on the tail shaft. Other than this or new blades, I'm stumped. My main blades are not damaged and introducing extra torque to the system, and my belt is not too tight. The drive train spins freely. Any ideas?

[ps61785]

thanks barnowl...

[sambo60]

Hey guys, what pitch and throttle curves do you use for your hdx450?

[bmwe30m3]

Ok, I finally got access to the build videos, and boy was I set up wrong! After following the videos, both problems are fixed! I did not have the main shaft casings in wrong, just had the servos mounted wrong, rod lengths WAY off, and so on and so forth. Now the thing hovers like a champ with PLENTY of tail authority!

Thank you very much Bob! Now off to practice.....