Zoom Tips and Tricks

[rob_jones]

I have a little more than a dozen flights on the feathering screw. So far, there is no sign of extra wear on the dampener. I took it apart to take the pictures and checked it again.

Nearly all of the bolt that goes through the head isn't threaded, anyway. The threads start just inside of the dampener on one side. I'm keeping any eye on it and if I see anything out of the ordinary, I'll be sure to post it.

[StrangeRanger]

You pros may already know this, but it took a bit of head scratching for me to figure out.
Don't know who else uses the little bullet connectors like my Himaxx came with, but they have the little holes on the side and I couldn't figure what they were for. No directions w/ it but I figured out what they are handy for.
When soldering the wires in I drilled a hole in a small piece of wood, 11/64th's I think it was. I didn't want to squish the connector in a vise. Put the connector in the hole, heat it, fill completely w/ solder. Tin your wire, now put wood in vise so bullet connector is perpendicular (sp?) to table top. Stick your soldering iron tip in the SIDE hole until it heats the solder in the connector. The solder doesn't run out b/c it's attracted to the heat! When the solder is fluid again just stick your wire into it, wait a second to be sure tinning solder flows and pull your tip out! Worked perfectly!
j

[Hotshot Charlie]

Sort of off subject... but,

On your Hi-Max motor, don't use the mounting screws that come with it, use the short screws that used to hold the stock motor. The screws are too long that come with the Hi-Max 2025-4200, they will bottom out.

[StrangeRanger]

Ok, not having a LHS, but having a really good LhS (local hardware store, notice the small h) :D I got creative w/ my antena lead. They did not have any little plastic tubing to use like I've seen in pics, so I got some really, really small wood dowling, markered it black and wound my antena lead 'round it. Mounted to my skids and works great. Cost? $.27 for enough dowel to make like 3 mounts! And the wood like plastic will not cause any radio interference. Just thot I'd throw this out there for any others who only have a LhS.
j

[Hotshot Charlie]

Hey Tabb, Question on you spoke drive shaft.....

What do you use to glue your gears to the bike spoke? The pinion gear at the motor is hex keyed into the orginal shaft, just wondering how you attached it? Thanks a lot !

Tip #2, the stock hex tail rotor shaft is junk, will bend if you look at it wrong. Quick and cheap fix is to go to your local bike shop and ask for a 14 guage stainless steel spoke. Mine cost $1.09 and has enough materieal for a few tail shafts.

The SS shaft runs much truer and helps eliminate vibes from the tail.

[Pipefish]

Hey guys what´s going on?

Everybody stops to post here?

Check out this cool trick on the tail shaft

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220643&page=4&pp=15&highlight=SHOGUN+400

Also look at this trick on a good way to replace inexpensive gears

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220643&page=7&pp=15&highlight=SHOGUN+400

Regards

[rob_jones]

Cool. Tips. I like the ones for the Tamiya gears. I've always secretly wished that Tamiya would get into the heli business. Well, I guess it's not so secret any more! I've built doezens of their cars and believe that they could do a beginner heli right.

Everybody stops to post here?

Nope, just too busy flying!

[Pipefish]

Hey Bimmer,

I think that examples like this Tamiya gears are just the (as we say in

Brasil) "The top of the Iceberg". Can imagine how many other

alternatives we can espect in a near future?

You know, searching all around I´ve found a place that sell Shoguns all

over the world for US$ 200. And they asked me to re-sell it!!!

Mine I´ve bought for 169 but, 45 to shippment from Chine to Brasil :(

Let´s get this forum running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regards

[rob_jones]

I've heard of people buying them new for $159. I paid $240 for mine! :arggg: But I had to have one and couldn't wait. :roll:

I see that there is an option now for bevel gears in the tail. If I hadn't already done the belt mod on mine, I would have ordered a set already. Now if they could just fix the input gear - or better yet, design it with a belt from the start.

[Pipefish]

Yes, I think the belt drive mod price are ULTRAGEOUS.

I was talking to a friend that flies helis for more then 15 years (when gyros was

Sci-Fi). I´ve bring to him on my notebook the photos and specs of the Belt drive

mod and he (after about half hour analyzing it) told me that in US the whole

system cold NEVER , IN NO WAY cost more than 15 dollars !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :arggg: :arggg: :arggg: :arggg: :arggg:

[rob_jones]

It wasn't cheap. But it does work and I really wish the thing had been designed like that in the first place.

[Pipefish]

If the guys from Protech made it, in scale, it can cost less than 15 an can

even be more precise. :twisted:

Hehehhe

[rob_jones]

According to Dave (the creator of the conversion kit), he doesn't make a profit from selling them. And I believe it. It's not cost effective to make parts like that in small quantities.

I agree that if the manufacturer designed it into the kit, the cost would be much lower. That's why I wish they had done it that way from the beginning. The kit may cost a little more when you buy it, but you'd save money buy not having to buy upgrades to make it fly right.

[Pipefish]

Well , if you talked with "the man" it´s a point to be considered...

... well as I know that guys from Protech RELLY looks this (also RCGroups and Run Rider) they should drop a line for Mr. David to share experiences, since David seems to have the "Technologie Avant Garde" here.

[rob_jones]

I wonder how much manufacturers look at these boards. It would be very interesting to know how stongly they consider them when planning new products. I know that GWS has a very strong presence on RC Groups and often asks members for input on new products. They can't be the only one.

Well, I have five consecutive flights without a failure on the Zoom since installing the belt drive. That's a record - it was three before. I still have to work on it a little because the duration is down and the battery gets a lot hotter than it used to. I think I still have the tension a little too tight. I'm going to try loosening it a little the next time I fly it.

[Pipefish]

Can you imagine how chep is for them to just see what their costumers are looking for? No need to pay for a poll or similar.

On my Raptor I had the same setup (belt drive) and I have to look for the right compression ratio.

Hey Bimmer, I cannot afford the belt drive mod yet although I can buy the Ultem or the Micro Heli mods. Wich of them you´ll recommend?

Regards

[daywalker]

I bought a wider and taller landing gear from http://www.helihobby.com It's a lot more flexible but more stable. It's actually an ftermarket Hiummingbird landing skids.

[Pipefish]

It´s a pitty that the prices still too high...

[turboomni]

Well, I have five consecutive flights without a failure on the Zoom since installing the belt drive. That's a record - it was three before. I still have to work on it a little because the duration is down and the battery gets a lot hotter than it used to. I think I still have the tension a little too tight.

I'm going to try loosening it a little the next time I fly it.[/quote]\


Although I am new to electric Heli's I have many ,many flights with my stock Zoom with the 2nd stock motor now and the present gears[STOCK}. I did have a warped tail boom driveshaft that was replace with a new one AND replaced with the NEW Bevel Gear setup which I have NOT used yet. These were sent to me FREE plus a few other items from the factory. I do however am carefull about gear mesh and fly only from concrete NOT grass.

[rob_jones]

turbo:

There seem to be two very different experiences that folks have with the Zoom. Some, like you, don't have any trouble with the tail gears. Some, like me, have nothing but trouble.

I can't explain why that is, unless it something to do with having the right "touch" when setting them up. Or maybe there are some "good" gears and some "bad" ones.

Hey, if you want another stock motor, let me know. I have the one that came out mine that I never used. :mrgreen:

[turboomni]

Thanks for ther offer with an extra stock motor. I should be getting my 400Dh in a day or so.
The belt drive would be the best overall situatuion and add piece of mind. If my gears start to crap out often, I would get the belt system.

[Pipefish]

Guys, I was reading on RunRider (http://runryder.com/helicopter/t134654p1/) that the guys are getting pretty sure that the vilain on the tail wag is the interference between the Gyro and the CC25 ESC.

Some of them are using tin foil to wrap the servos, wires and gyro.

What about that huh?

[daywalker]

What gyro are they using that is causing the wag? I'm going to get a CC Phoenix 25 controller for my Himax. I hope I don't run into problems.

[capebob]

I'm almost positive that the tail wag is caused by the Phoenix 25. I have a rear, tail boom mounted 401 and had my wires running down along the bottom of the frames right next to the speed control. I rerouted the gyro lead to the top of the frame just under the spur gear and that eliminated the tail wag that I had.

Bob

[Pipefish]

I´m very impressed that this can be the answer to LOTS of tail wags on Shoguns around the world and we´re just revealing! ! ! ! ! :lol: