Axe CP Tipping Issue... blade problem?

[atomicplatypus]

My Axe CP really wants to tip to one side as soon as my heli is light on the skids. A quick check reveals that only one blade is increasing its angle while the other sits level. When I increase the throttle the swash plate moves while staying level but only one set of linkages move resulting in only one blade changing angle. The other blade doesn’t change angle and stays level. They both seem to move freely when pushed by hand.

It seems like there is more resistance on one side of the center hub than the other. Could this be bad o-rings on the feathering spindle? Or perhaps an issue with bearings inside a blade grip? I'm a little stumped as I’ve completely disassembled the head... the o-rings and bearings seem okay. Is there anything to look for with bad o-rings or bearings other than obvious tears or damage?

I wonder if a little light oil would help the situation? Any thoughts?

[JasonJ]

Petrolium products can swell plastic, so you are better served sizing the links. My Wankera 22e does the same thing, wants to tip when light on the skids. What I do is just pop it up out of ground effect. Ground effect seems to really affect these little birds, my 22e gets weird at landing too, so when I get within a few inches and it starts to want to tip I plant it on the ground. I do not have this problem with my two bigger helicopters. Who knows....

[atomicplatypus]

Thanks for the reply and warning about swelling plastic. I don't think this is just a ground effect issue as the tipping is quite drastic and more than usual.

[strat1960s]

I have to agree with JasonJ.
A majority of the tendancy to tip comes from ground effect. Some of it is also caused by the tail motor. The best thing to do is get comfortable hovering/flying 3 to 4 feet off the ground or even higher than that. Once you are comfortable with that practice quick take-offs. The quicker you are able to get out of the ground effect (aka. blade wash) the more stable the heli will become. Another little trick is if your heli is trying to tip to the right give it a little (right stick) left in put to keep the heli level as you take off.

As for the bearing and lubrication...
I have used automatice trans mission fluid (ATF) on my bearings, but I use it very sparingly. The tiniest little drop is all you need on the bearings. I have dipped a tooth pick in the ATF and then touch the tip of the tooth pick to the bearing to get a small drop of ATF into the bearing. Also, I have used moly lube on the spindle. Moly(something or another) Lube is water proof and will not be spun off the spindle. Look for anti-seize with moly at an automotive shop. You can buy it in a bottle with a brush or an aerosol can. If you get the aerosol, buy a really small paint brush, spray a little in the cap and brush it onto the spindle. Again, use this very sparingly. If you apply the ATF and moly lube sparingly you won't have to worry about it being flung off. The moly lube is hard to wipe off just about everything. Just remember a little lube every once in a while is way better than a lot of lube all at once.:thumbup:

As far as good/bad bearings and O-rings goes....
Take one of your bearings and slide in onto a pencil. Not too far, just far enough so that the inside race does not spin. Then spin the outer race. If you feel any resistance in spinning the outer race you should give it a tiny drop of ATF and try spinning it again. If there is still a little catch or resistance you should consider replacing the bearing as soon as possible. I use a pencil because the wood is soft and won't damage the bearing race. When it comes to the O-rings, if there are any tears/cuts or flat spots I replace them. There is no gray area of what is acceptable. You can order some O-rings or buy them at a hardware store. Just keep in mind the color of the o-ring sometimes determines how hard or soft the rubber is. This will have an effect on how your heli reponds to your inputs.

I hope this helps some.
Ted

[JasonJ]

I use Rem Oil for all my lubrication needs. It is a teflon based lube for firearms, and works very well in my tactical shotgun and my Glock pistol. I also use it on my mountain bike chain. I use a drop on my helicopter bearings once in awhile and they spin very, very freely. I just keep my links and linkballs clean.

[strat1960s]

I've also heard of folks using 3n1 and after run oil. No matter which lubricant you use, the bottom line is to use it sparingly.

Ted

[atomicplatypus]

Thanks everyone for all the great input. I found silicone lubricant works very well and since it’s a paste it’s easy to apply right where you need it. You can probably find it in a hardware store but also at most paintball stores since it’s used in lubricating the main bolt in paintball makers and their o-rings. SmartParts makes a good one.