High frequency vibration

[fitenfyr]

Ok I have a BAD vibe in the Ion.

It has been causing me headaches for a few weeks now.

Here is what I got today....

When watching the heli fly it shows in the vert fin as a really fast buzz at the tip.

Pulled the main and tail blades off today and ran it up on the bench.
The vibration was so bad it actually hurt my hand after about 30 seconds of holding the tail.
Kind of like trying to hang onto a palm sander. No kidding. :D

So I pulled the tail box and torque tube out.
Same vibration so it is not the tail.

Now I pulled the fly bar paddles and weights off.
It was only slightly better, but still felt like a palm sander at the boom.

Next I double checked the fly bar carrier (Stratus type) and found a slight misalignment there. Could have been slipping because of this vibration.

Put it all back together and it was still shaking paint cans.

I checked the spindle in the grips using the hand and twist method (all I can do right now) and it felt straight.
Main shaft appears straight.

I got this ship used about a year ago so I am not sure of the history, but it has not been crashed since I got it.

The only things I have changed since I got it were the paddles from the white ones to the black MA paddles and the Stratus fly bar carrier.

So I am open for suggestions. Big small or whatever.
I am just tired of this vibration and it has cost me weeks of valuable time. :arggg:

[Rickster]

Give us a little more info.. What is the gearing, what power system, what controller? IF it were me and I was into it this far I would drop the main gear out and run it up and see if it vibrates then if it doesn't I would start reassembling and checking for vibes at each stage. If it does vibrate with no main gear then you know it is coming from the motor(Or secondary gearing if it is 2 stage. If so drop the secondary and try it for vibes). Next step would be to determine whether it is the motor or the ESC. Only way to find out for sure is to swap one or the other with a known good unit...

Rick

[arrio]

This may sound obviouse, But check the balance of the flybar paddles with all the links disconnected. It should teeter equally side to side. I had once installed a used set of Black MA Pro paddles, diligently measured at distance on flybar, only to find I had a pronounce tail fin vibe. I rechecked the paddle balance with links disconnected to find a one paddle drop pronouncly. I checked each paddle weight on a scale to find each different significantly.
So, ensure the flybar itself is centered and teeter balanced then install and check the paddles the same way. worth checking.....

(edit) I just reread your post to see you checked without the paddles on.... OH well.

[fitenfyr]

Well duh....I guess I should have included it was an Actro 32-4 single stage 9.5:1. :D

I am pretty sure it is the motor now also.
I was talking to a friend and he suggested the motor as the source.
After thinking about it that is the only logical source for this vibration.
I started checking the mount bolts after that and a couple were just a bit loose.
Not enough I would think to cause the vibrations, but I re torqued and Loc-tited them just to be sure.

The motor itself has an unknown amount of cycles on it so there could be an internal problem.

The main gear runs true, but I will pull it and see if the vibes go away.

Thanks for the ideas gusy. At least it confirms I am on the right track.

[BobbySmith]

Which Actro is it? HELI or Aero? check all the bearings and pinion for slop in teh pinion bearing block


Bobby

[misskimo]

hey , I bet its the motor too , I have one that just showed up within a few weeks , it buzzs at about half rpms , I wish they would balance this motor when its made , another think , look for a loose mag

[fitenfyr]

Well I found a whole slew of things going on in there....:(

First off the jack shaft is not seating into the bearing block far enough in my opinion.
The shaft is only about 1/2 the way into the upper bearing.
Also found a dent in that bearings race and the bearing has a noticable "notch" in two places.
So that is certainly not helping, but for the life of me I can't figure out how it got there?
It has also been riding up it seems and hitting the elevator arm as I found a nice glob of nylon goo up there. :(

Now the motor does feel a bit "sloppy" on the bench. I run it up out of the helicopter and it also appears to have a rather erradic type of speed "jump".
All in all the motor needs to go in for an overhaul.

I ordered a 24-5 for it and Chris is sending me the 100t and the rest of the parts to install the heli motor version.

I am still thinking this shaft issue is not right though.
Either the stand offs on the outrunner plate are not right or the shaft is not correct.
I got this one second hand so I have no real idea of what is "right".
I know what it needs now so it is just a matter of waiting on the parts to arrive.

I will post back in a week or so with the results.

In the meantime anybody have the address to Actro to send this in?
The website is giving me errors when I try to get the english side.

[WillJames]

Glad to hear you got it figured out Jason!! :glasses2: Dontcha LOVE it when you figure out a problem that has been nagging at you for a while.

[fitenfyr]

Well not 100% that I have it figured out just yet. :?
Won't know till middle of the week when I have all the parts to test the theory. :D

[rampage-1]

What has been done about the vibs on the ION?

Thanks

[WillJames]

Well I found a whole slew of things going on in there....

First off the jack shaft is not seating into the bearing block far enough in my opinion.
The shaft is only about 1/2 the way into the upper bearing.
Also found a dent in that bearings race and the bearing has a noticable "notch" in two places.
So that is certainly not helping, but for the life of me I can't figure out how it got there?
It has also been riding up it seems and hitting the elevator arm as I found a nice glob of nylon goo up there.

Now the motor does feel a bit "sloppy" on the bench. I run it up out of the helicopter and it also appears to have a rather erradic type of speed "jump".
All in all the motor needs to go in for an overhaul.

I ordered a 24-5 for it and Chris is sending me the 100t and the rest of the parts to install the heli motor version.

I am still thinking this shaft issue is not right though.
Either the stand offs on the outrunner plate are not right or the shaft is not correct.
I got this one second hand so I have no real idea of what is "right".
I know what it needs now so it is just a matter of waiting on the parts to arrive.

I will post back in a week or so with the results.

In the meantime anybody have the address to Actro to send this in?
The website is giving me errors when I try to get the english side.


I think he summed it up in the post above. It was several things.

Have you test flown since the fix Jason?