I hate this heli.

[furyevo]

Yes, hate it. Been trying to get it right, and no matter how much money I throw at it, it still SUCKS.
Took the last two hours of the day off today to go flying. This happened, and all my stuff is proflex, so not even time for the Evo. This heli is just one issue after another. Money after money after money. I would gladly pay the price, if only it would see the air once in a while. But no, if I want to fly a 90, I have to fly my friends Raptor.
And yes, this is a BRAND NEW starter extension with a BRAND NEW clutch driver. The old clutch driver kept kicking sideways. I thought the engine was going out of alignment, but it was the clutch driver.

[DavidH]

I would guess you tried to pull the Pro Flex starter extrension from the shaft while it was still turning.

David

[Gary O]

I got rid of every pro-flex start shaft I had. I couldn't keep a one way in one for nothing. I went to the hex adapters and never looked back. In the summers I average around 5 gallons of fuel a week and those one ways just wouldn't last. After going to the hex adapters I haven't had any more issues, and all I fly is MA.

[MAIONX]

i gave mine away when it did that too me.. i have used the 6mm hex ever since.. no problems.

[Laurens]

Send it to me :wink:

[JayL]

I ve had one for about a year and never had any problems. use it every weekend on an os 91.

[Wayne]

I've seen that happen twice in the last two months, and I've been using these now for years with no trouble. Both times the starter was pulled off the start shaft when it was still turning. The new system works well, but you need to make sure it comes to a complete stop before pulling it off. Also, if you try to start a hydrolic locked engine (too much fuel in the cylinder) it will make a nasty clicking sound while the bearing gets wrecked. It may not be apparent that you hosed the bearing, but when you try to use it again, you will get exactly what you show in the picture. I lent my starter two weeks ago to somebody at our field who had a starter that would not quite turn over his engine. Stupid me lent him mine, which went "click click click". I did not realize what happened, but the darn thing got stuck on my heli when I tried to start mine next....

Good luck

Wayne

[ClayK]

I've had 6mm hex starts strip out the adapters (two adapters in less than 8 gallons, that's a lot of flying on a .50). Been using flex starts on all my birds now, MA and TT. Haven't had a problem since (4 gallons so far).

[bob00]

My first proflex purchased back in 2002 lasted 4 seasons - about 240 gallons. It was finally destroyed by a careless hot start. The second one was damaged when used to start a R90 which had some sort of proflex adapter which wasn't hard enough. It then froze up on the shaft just like yours.

Couple of tips which may prolong its life...
- keep it covered when not in use (rubber cap etc.)
- lube with tri-flow a few times each season

I had 2 fail for no good reason back in the Spring when I was still flying Furys - never did figure out why.

- Rob

[MAIONX]

the main sprag kind of bearing in mine ripped out, so i got the rest of it out with a screwdrive, and used it for a while on one bearing and it rocked.. but then i had the raptor 50 so i changed to the hex

[ChrisLaFollette]

I got one my bud Jay Lee gave me when he stuck a new one on his starter. I think mine is the older one but it has lasted me quite some time. Ive started my extreme probably 60 or 70 times with it on ONE bearing cause the one on the tip kinda all broke apart so I tore out the pieces with a screwdriver. When it quits working ill get out my locktite and my 6mm hex adapter and stick it back on the start shaft and use it again and get out my trusty old 6mm shart shaft with 1 way bearing. Until then the proflex is real nice! I use to just give the starter a tap my C-Spec would fire right up and id yank it off starter still turnin, now I wait until it quits turning and then pull it off. Never had a single problem with it though! I expect the bearing to go any day now with this SZ-H.

[furyevo]

I would guess you tried to pull the Pro Flex starter extrension from the shaft while it was still turning.

No, I bumped the starter a bunch of times and it seemed to want to start, but it wouldn't. I tried to pull it off, and it was stuck. Is stuck.

To everyone else, I know of several people myself that use this system with success. However, this heli seems to be cursed. I am very careful about my birds and gear, but I just can't seem to get this one right. I have a bad seed.

[ChrisLaFollette]

Sometimes chit goes just plain ole wrong. :mrgreen: When its flyin good... you'll loooove it.

[Rchelicopter]

:?: So how do you get the starter off the shaft once it is locked on :?:

Chuck K

[ChrisLaFollette]

Loosen two bolts and and the starter shaft slides out of the proflex.

[DavidH]

How is loosening two bolts going to get the Proflex off the start shaft (clutch shaft) ?

Chuck,
There is a couple ways to try to get it off. First reverse the power leads on the starter so that it runs the opposite direction. Try to run the starter with it reversed. I have seen this release stuck Pro-Flex.

Another way is grab the end of the Pro flex with some pliers and try to twist it off. This method will also require you to lock the motor some way so that the clutch shaft will not turn.

David

[furyevo]

David, thanks for the tip, I never thought to run the starter backward. This weekend, I will be converting the start system to hex. While converting my Extreme to a Stratus. That will give me time to give everything a good going over, and try to take away this curse. I have wanted a MA ever since I started flying, and as God is my witness I will make something great out of this yet.

[ChrisLaFollette]

Thought he meant how to get the starter off the proflex. What david said is correct.