Beam carbon frames

[SteveK]

Wondered how the Beam carbon frames and bottom plate holds up in crashes (I know some better than others).

Have been considering either a Beam E4 or Align 450 Pro but the frame sides for the Beam are quite a bit more $$ than the Align. Also there are "compatible" frame sides for the Align that are cheaper than the Align parts but do not seem to be out there for the Beam.

Just trying to decide which I want to get.

[Raptordude]

the hold up very well in a crash. I have yet to break a set of frames. I have broken a bottom plate when I first got my Beam but thats the only piece of carbon to break yet.

[Cadjocky]

Hello Steve,

Thats what I like about the Beam..it does'nt need upgrades and as I recall atleast with the rex v1& v2 people were upgrading to beam parts.

I was at the field over the weekend and I met a guy that has a pro and we set them side by side...both curious... and he said to me the beam looks alot like the pro...how long has it been out? I said oh... it has been for a while :)

I think it gets confusing comming from the rex world with all the mods, tons of upgrade parts to a different heli and you can't find any mods or upgrade parts and you think something must be wrong....hmmm maybe it's right.

Looks like you doing your research on which one to get, I did mine too (Beam/ pro) and I am very happy with the Beam. So keep asking questions and the answer will come to ya.




cad

[BenHeli]

Within the last two months, due to crashes: two frames, one bottom plate, one battery tray, two vertical fins, one blade grip (ball link hole enlarged), one seesaw arm and many other parts.

Two weeks ago I bought a new airframe and am getting out of the Beam all together. I going to put up a complete airframe, two weeks old and a second airframe, missing few parts for sale within the next few days. I just like the Pro way too much.

[jdesa3]

yes you can,t beat the BEAM PRO E4. this is the ulitmiate 450 heli.

[RotorHeadKen]

I love my Beam - but I treat her like a red-headed stepchild. I'm at the point that when I crash, it usually does some damage. I've replaced side and bottom frames more than once, but to be fair, most ugly crashes resulted in no frame damage.

It seems though my common replacement parts are feathering shaft, flybar, main shaft, main blades; once and awhile landing gear and struts, main gear, tail pulley, one-way sleeve; rarer yet tail shaft, boom, vertical tail fin. I keep main shaft bearings and tail shaft bearings around - they tend to go notchy in a bad crash too. The belt has been bullet-proof so far. The one-way sleeve tends to break alot - stock up on that part.

The good news is Helidirect is now carrying Beam parts :thumbup:.

I just bought an Align 450 pro and am putting it together now. From a build perspective, I think the Beam cyclic servos are easier to get to. Soon I should be able to do a good flight comparison for folks like me at the 3D wannabe level.

[oteskate]

I have yet to break a set of frames. My lower bottom plate, where I mount the ESC up front is fractured from a crash, but I have yet to replace it, as it's still solid. I find that the BEAM is a tough "cookie". The canopy is great, in that it doesn't crack apart like the fiberglass canopies of the Align helis. I find that the mechanics are MUCH easier to get to than any Align 450 I've ever owned... especially when it comes to replacing tail shafts. With the BEAM it's as easy as 2 screws, pop it out, new one in... Viola! Done. Also, servo installation is a snap.

Both will be good flying machines, but for me, the BEAM is the better designed and tougher machine in general. Offers great flying characteristics and looks great.

[akshaw]

I've crashed about half a dozen times and no breaks or even cracks in the frame and some crashes went in pretty hard. But just about any frame will break if the impact is right. I just want to add to this that I've been really impressed with the BEAM canopy. It's way better than a trex canopy when it comes to crashes, so there is some added protection in crashes.

[crawl]

Very well, I have crashed a half dozen times, some very bad. The only part I have broken frame wise is the bottom plate, the small section of the ring that goes around the motor cracked, but its the same plate I've had on it for every crash and I am still flying it with it as is.