ULTIMATE MOD OF THE SHOGUN FRAME (and one Walkera part)

[borneobear]

Here's the finished product:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/aaabb01dscf0294.jpg

I added additional CA powder + CA to the areas around this extension, to ensure good support.

[borneobear]

Next to be built is the guide rollers. I am running my tail via a belt driven directly from the main shaft. Therefore guide rollers became a necessity:

I bought these Align alum tubes (HS1188) from wattsuprc.com:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/HS1188_1.jpg

They were great for building the cross support to the guides:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/aaabb01dscf0294-1.jpg

I did not buy the stock Shogun V2 guide pullies as the shogun tail boom is only 9 mm compared to the Trex tail boom of 12mm - therefore 'pressing' the belt to go through a 7 mm guide (for 9 mm boom) appeared as an added unwanted friction area to me.

[drtmind01]

ohh yeah keep them coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[borneobear]

I've been having some issues with my 401 Gyro off late. Its keeping me busy and away from posting here. But I'll be back as soon as I'm airborn again (does that make sense?).

Anyway, good luck, and keep those skids light.

[borneobear]

Well okay! I'm back airborn and it feels great!!
On with the mods!

By the way, thanks for the encauragement drtmind01. :wink:

[borneobear]

So with the belt guides in place, the frame is more or less fully modified. So here's what it looks like with the main gear, bearings and bearing case on:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0322.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0325.jpg

[borneobear]

Installation of the electronics could now begin.
The motor and two front servos went in first. I'm using JGF 400DH motor - very light at less than 50 grams, with huge 4000 + KV, and low 9T pinion.
I get great flight times with this motor, while the ESC and lipo stays super cool.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0326.jpg

On the flip side:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0329.jpg

[borneobear]

For the three cyclic servos, I'm using HS 65s. They are great carbonite servos, high torque, and super silent. Movement is smooth which also translate to smooth collective control:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0331.jpg

[borneobear]

There was another item I didn't buy from Jeff of xmseller, and it was the aluminum spacers for the two front G10 supports (arrow):

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/aaDSCF0337.jpg

These I had to cut myself from two of these Align alum tubes:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/HS1188_1.jpg

[borneobear]

Two pieces of alum tubes makes four pieces of threaded spacers!:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/aaDSCF0336.jpg

[borneobear]

Here's what they look like after installation:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/aaDSCF0341.jpg

Not bad at all. :wink:

[borneobear]

Now for the canopy mounts - I'm using standard Align Trex XL canopy. I think the stock shogun canopies are much much too small, and anyway, the way I install it, I don't have to take them off or on when I put my Lipos in/out:

For the top mounts, I use the Trex bearing case mountings:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0345.jpg

[borneobear]

Instead of using screws, I cut a lenght of the Trex flybar rod (the threaded ends) to make a long 'screw'. This screw not only holds the bearing case in place, it also has a dual function of supporting the canopy:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0346.jpg

[borneobear]

I've had to add some plastic spacers on one side:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0343.jpg

[borneobear]

On the other side, I use the same mounts to support my eileron arm - so 3 multi-functions for this rod (yellow arrow)!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0342.jpg

[borneobear]

To support the bottom of the canopy, I drilled two holes for the mounting screws like so (yellow arrows):


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0340.jpg

On mounting, I just bolt the nut (red arrow):

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0349.jpg

[borneobear]

Well, I've been flying the shogun for a few weeks. Its real nice and easy to fly. Didn't think there was anything else to upgrade, until these guys ran out of hollowed shafts:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/461_HM-036-Z-30.jpg
http://www.pinnaclemodel.com/index_eproduct_view.php?products_id=461

Without this cheap shaft to keep me flying, this bird is as good as dead.
I also figured that the #36 / shogun is a dying breed, and parts would eventually run dry anyway (or get waaay too expensive).

[borneobear]

I therefore decided to move away from mechanical mixing cyclic control and make that giant leap into the fabled CCPM.

I bit the bullet and forked out my last 'upgrade' budget to get this:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/HS1211_1.jpg

And therefore, in the next few days, I shall elaborate on how my shogun got itself hybridized even further into a CCPM bird.

[borneobear]

Some say that Align's metal head isn't the best (swash keeps coming apart), but I figured I'd go with the big guys, just to make sure I'll forever get parts.
After all, this is the ultimate and FINAL upgrade for this bird:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/aaaa9.jpg

[borneobear]

First off is the most difficult part of the mod - the installation of the Elevator servo and anti rotation bracket.

To ensure that the servo arm and its ball link is exactly below the swash plate ball link, I used a plastic servo mount (arrow) to make a temporary installation guide:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0511.jpg

With the above, I could precisely work out the location of the servo in relation to the swash plate.

[borneobear]

I could also figure out the height of the anti-rotation bracket support on the adjecent frame. The anti-rotation bracket is installed just above this plastic servo mount:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0518.jpg

The support on the other side of the frame:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0516.jpg

The height of these two supports must be exactly right, so that the anti-rotation bracket is exactly paralel and verticle in relation to the main shaft.

[borneobear]

Using the plastic servo mount, I found that I needed to make a notch on the frame to enable the servo to be mounted snugly:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0508.jpg

[borneobear]

Here's how the notch functioned later:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0542.jpg

I found it (the notch) to be absolutely helpful in ensuring the alignment of the servo is horizotal to the swash plate above. It also added additional side support to the servo.

[borneobear]

Well, apart from CA holding this servo mounting on to the frame, the mounting screws for the tail belt guides also gives additional support:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0541.jpg

[borneobear]

Here's a view of the servo notch after the servo mount had been CA-ed on the inside of the frame:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/borneobear/DSCF0525.jpg