Anyone tried this upgrade?

[Buzzkill]

Ran across this today. Anyone tried it? Looks pretty cool would like any feedback from someone that has used it.

http://www.heli-fever.com/product_info.php?cPath=6&products_id=625

[slikrx]

An interesting kit... I didn't see the weight, which is my biggest concern...

though if I did this and the 2 or 3 other mods I want to do, the only thing "original" will be the 4 in 1 and the servoes! (wait, I have the Pro, so that means I have a 3 in 1?) :dontknow

:D

[Buzzkill]

I didnt see a weight either. Looks pretty cool tho.

[slikrx]

I didnt see a weight either. Looks pretty cool tho.

Well, I ordered it.... I swear I like tinkering and modding this thing as much as I enjoy flying it!

[Buzzkill]

Sweet let me know how it works out.

[slikrx]

Well, my kit arrived today, 1 week after ordering. From Hong kong. Pretty fast! (especially considering I placed an order the same day from a place 40 miles away that STILL hasn't arrived :? )

Anyhow, here's what's included: (and no, the Sharpie wasn't included :lol: )

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/helichassiskit.jpg

And that one little baggie contains >30 small screws. :shock:

The instructions aren't the greatest, but we'll see!

The Frame's website (per the instruction sheet) is www.j-team.com.hk but it doesn't mention this frame at all.

EDIT: All the components in the picture (including the baggies) weigh a total of 67.6 grams.

[Buzzkill]

Cool. Keep us posted. Looks sweet though.

[slikrx]

I got home tonight and had to tinker a bit, so I did a loose assembly of this kit. (well, one side is nice & tight, the other is loose - I need to be able to take it back apart to assemble/insert the servoes, etc)

I'll upload some better pix and a brighter video tomorrow evening, but I wanted to get this up quick.

Some overall comments:

It's almost the exact same footprint as the stock CPP frame. The fiberglass sides are VERY stiff. Plenty strong, but possibly brittle. At first guess it is a bit more roomy for electronics & such. It also feels amazingly light weight. A digital kitchen scale says it weighs 55 grams.

The instructions were adequate (barely) to assemble the frame itself, but it says NOTHING about mouting elecetronics, motors or servoes. For someone with more experience than me, it will probably be simple to figure out. And for me, with Finless' CCPM (and other) videos, I should be OK. But much better instructions would be nice.

CLICK HERE (http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/?action=view&current=CLIP0079.flv) for a quick video.


http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/PICT0077.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/PICT0078.jpg

[Buzzkill]

Cool! Cant wait to see and hearhow it works out!

[Rebuild]

This is good! I have one that should be here yet today or tomorrow. I really do not think the weight will be an issue. It probably doesn't weigh a whole lot more than super skids with the rear wire braces and the old frame and battery mounting that it will replace on mine. I got it mainly for the equipment location options it gives. It also looks cool too. I will follow your build with interest. Should make a neat little set-up! :wink:

[slikrx]

I've noticed a few things that should be tweeked a bit when building this frame and acouple "order of operations" bits as well as some observations.

1) I would re-drill all of the used holes to widen them slightly. Maybe by as little as 0.5 mm. As it is now, you literally have to screw into the frame sides before the screw goes into the plastic. This makes assembly more difficult as well as stresses the holes slightly. My personal preference is that the screw should slide through the hole, but not be loose.

2) Drill out the holes going from the frame and into the landing skids, and replace them with a screw/nut combination. I don't really trust the plastic that much (though it does seem tough and is fairly flexible) and a screw/nut combo would be MUCH stronger. (and you could lock-tite it)

3) Maybe this is necessary on a TRex, but it looks like the main gear and the main shaft will have to be "put together" inside the frame. You can't preassemble them and slide them in like you can with the CPP (well, after you remove the CPP skids)

4) I will try to find out what bearings are needed, but there are cups in the plastic pieces that should hold them well.

5) The CPP has a different "head height" (for lack of a better word) The CPP is about 1 3/8" and the new one is 1 1/4" It's the distance from the top of the main gear, to the bottom of the main shaft retaining collar. (part 47 on the CPP diagrams on bladecprepair.com )

CPP is on left
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/headheightcompare.jpg

Oh, I re-weighed the frame on a scale here in the lab, and it's 54.5 grams

[slikrx]

And here are some better pics of size, looks, etc.

I do like this frame. If I sound overly critical, please forgive me, but I tend to overanalyze things :oops: .

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/frame1.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/frame3.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/frame2.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/framecompare.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/FramewAR6100.jpg

[Rebuild]

That's pretty neat! Mine didn't get here today but from watching your build, I am getting anxious to get started. Keep the analysis coming, slikrx! :glasses2: (Did ya order one yet, Buzzkill?)

[slikrx]

OK... you asked for it.... ;)

Here's a first run video review of it.

Pardon all the ums and ahs.

I had almost finished re-recording it when my camcorder battery died :motz

And, unfortunately I don't have good lighting anywhere except for work :bomb:

Any here's a youtube video :oops:

CLICK HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2-SQeduI7w)

[Mortificate]

Good review. I have been considering picking this up but after reading a review on the order site that mentioned that differance in the head height I decided to wait for more info. If all goes well with yours I will definately pick one up. How does the overall weight compare to SuperSkids?

[Rebuild]

Well done! Equipment installation next? :noteworthy

[slikrx]

Well done! Equipment installation next? :noteworthy
Thanks!

As for next steps... I've got a new main gear and shaft on order, and I have a HDX CNC head, so I could have something done in a few days. I also need to pick up some bearings today.

The biggest thing is if I should just get some new servoes, or strip apart my CPP for them. (I'll prolly get servoes so I can keep flying in the meantime)

Oh, and pick up a 370 Park BL motor... :roll:

Actually, I should make some coments about the HDX head over in THAT thread. Looks pretty, but I'm not impressed yet.

[Rebuild]

All of the CNC heads have issues. The one I finally got to work was a PITA. I think they are all PITAs in there own way mainly due to the small dia main shaft they are attach to. Buyer beware! Know what you are getting into before you get one.

[slikrx]

A quick update: Stock E-flite main shaft bearings (3x6x2.5 mm) pop right in. :thumbsup2:

Hitec HS-55 seroes seem to fit pretty well too.

[slikrx]

Here's a "final" review of the basic frame.

One note, on the last coment where I was talking about a place for a servo, I was referring to the gyro mount :arggg:

video link (http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/?action=view&current=CLIP0086.flv)

[Buzzkill]

Awesome review Slikrx. We need more things like this!

Rebuild, I made my own fram so to speak lol I'll post a pic in a few.

[Rebuild]

I just noticed that this frame comes in black now too! I ask for a black one if there was such a thing so I guess I will see when it gets here. The all black one looks really nice though.

[slikrx]

I've got the servoes installed, and an autorotation main gear, and I'm waiting for some screws so I can sorta mount the motor. (I don't have the pinion on it yet)

The plastic piece that the motor mounts to is rather thick and the stock screws were too short. So I had to get some different screws/washers so I can get it mounted properly.

I'll post some pix along with same comments/warnings (mainly just order of build stuff) later... I've gotta act like I'm working for a few more hours :roll:

Oh, I did the drilling I recomended and replaced the screws on the landing gear.

[Buzzkill]

Will the stock tail boom fit in the opening provided? Is the main shaft exposed between the two bearring hubs? Just curiois. Great post. Looking pretty dang cool so far.

[slikrx]

Warning... this'll be a looong post with several pictures.

Right below each picture will be a link to the "full size" (well, cropped by photobucket) - if larger are preferred, pm me & I'll email the 2.5 Mb pix

OK, here's where I am right now:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/overall.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/IMG_0340.jpg

The servoes are mounted and "levelled" as much as the teeth/arms will allow. I simply plugged each one into the CPP Rx (one of the rear ones) and let it self-center.

You pretty much need to put the servoes in prior to building the frame. This means centering them as well. The front one would simply be impossible to stick a full servo arm in there and center it, let alone trying to get the screws/nuts together.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/skidscrews.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/IMG_0336.jpg

As I mentioned, I replaced the skid screws. The skids flex sooo much and the screws self tapped into that soft plastic. I like this better.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/BLmotormount.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/IMG_0339.jpg

I got these 8mm x M2.5 sockethead cap screws & washers to install the motor. The plastic is about 4 mm thick,so the OEM ones wouldn't work. The 10 mm ones bottomed out. NOW the problem is that the screw heads interfere with the main gear. I have ordered some 6mm button head screws (don't need a washer & 1mm thinner head) so HOPEFULLY they will fit.

I would test fit your motor assy and gears.etc BEFORE you actually screw it into place. I just don't know how many times you can loosen & re-tighten them before they lose grip.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/screw-gearclearance.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/IMG_0333.jpg

The gear is a 140 tooth autorotation gear/hub made by microheli with it's special main shaft. The autorotate is accomplished by a 1 way bearing. The whole thing slides on and is held on by a collar below it.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/shaft-collar.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/IMG_0334.jpg

This frame is actually designed to use a belt drive tail rotor, so there's a large space above the main gear to accomodate this. This means you need a spacer or something to keep the gear/shaft from sliding up and rubbing the frame. The microheli mainshaft comes with collar and and a couple spacers. I got a spare shaft (for crashes) and it worked out well since I get a second collar which I used above the fear, to maintain it's position. I still need top collar (right below the swash plate) to keep things from dropping.

The shaft might need to be longer. Didn't someone say they do machine work? :wink:

This thing uses a standard 5mm tail shaft.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/tailshaftmount.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/IMG_0338.jpg


So, does this make me cool? :glasses2:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f206/slikrx/cooltailboom.jpg