mx400 Pro Upgrades and Homemade Mods

[newtek007]

Thought some of you might like to see the mods I have made to my mx400 Pro. Some of you will say that it is no longer a mx400 Pro, and thats ok. I have modified the way I want it to be. I have used many of the Align T-rex parts because this is what my LHS carries. They cary some Heli-max stuff, but not enough to refit quickly. So here are some pics of my mods. Enjoy. Hope it helps some people set their T-RIX helo.

1. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/TailServo.jpg
Here I have added the Align Tailboom, belt, and servo brackts. I have also put a Hi-tec 81MG servo on the tail. Works great, though I have no experience in Digital Servos.

2. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/TailBlades.jpg
Here I have added the entire Align Tail Blade assembly. Sorry Heli-Max, but everything on the tail of this heli is total CRAP!!! It never slid right from the get-go so I placed it in the trash! Put the Align one on and everything slid PERFECT!

3.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/NewGyroMount.jpg
I was overly concerned about Flybar paddle strike on my $104.00 Logictec 2100T gyro, so I decided to mount it upside down. Since I moved the tail servo to the boom, I was able to put the gyro in the servo cutout. I made a custom aluminum mount and bolted it to the frame. It works flawlessly! I'm much happier than it setting up on the frame ready to be ripped off!

4. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/LBrackets.jpg
I cracked the original landing gear during setup. Don't ask. Newbie mistake!!! Actually, this mistake is what started my transformation. The tail got stuck because of the crappy design and it pyroed in the kitchen floor till the tail shattered! Not cool! Anyway, I found an old heatsink off of a computer CPU and cut it and drilled holes to mount Align Maingear on the Heli.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/LBrackets2.jpg
Rear L bracket. You can also see my HDX Receiver. Excellent little piece. No glitches!

5. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/Gyro.jpg
Here you can see the underside view of the gyro. It's a little hard to get to if you have big fingers. I have skinny fingers and this is my helo, so it works great for me!

6. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/EVO25Lipo.jpg
I use the FlightPower EVO25 2170 LiPo. Love it! The battery fits perfectly in the canopy. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I had to go with the Align XL canopy because the mx400 PRO canopy is total CRAP and the battery would not fit correctly.

7. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/CustomAlumMount.jpg
Here you can see my homemade aluminum battery mount. Heli-Max did a horrible job in making the battery tray. It isn't big enough.

8. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/CarFiTail.jpg
This is a photo of the HeliDirect.com stabilizer. At &8.00 it is an awesome upgrade. Makes the heli look meaner! You can see that I also added the carbon fiber pushrod for the tail.

9. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/AlignTailSlider.jpg
Here is a photo of the slide assembly from the T-Rex. I'm telling all newbies out there: If you only make one mod on your heli, than do this one. Don't even bother spinning up the stock unit! Trash it and get the Align unit. You will not be sorry!!!

10. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/newtek007/mx400%20Pro/AlignBladeHolders.jpg
Here I have trashed the stock mx400pro blade grips because I could not get the blades to track correctly. By adding these along with the Align 315 Pro blades, she tracks perfect!


Now I know what all of you are thinking: "Why didn't you but a T-rex instead?" Well, if I had of been more educated than I would have. I didn't do the research before hand and I saw it sitting in the LHS for $99. Could not pass it up.
On the flip side, this heli has taught me all about helis and it has been much fun making things and changing things around. That way, not everyone has the same one.

I am still using the stock motor and ESC, which it fine until I am better at forward flight, but I will be upgrading to something better. I'm guessing by the time I'm finished, it will be almost all Align for the fact that I can crash, fix, and fly in the same day, instead of waiting for Tower Hobbies to ship parts to me in 2 weeks on average!

Anyway. Hope you guys with mx400 Pros enjoy this read.

[h2xmark]

I enjoyed checking out the mods, I have 2 mx400 pros, 1 is flying and the other is getting built into a mx450,

[newtek007]

Thanks. I'd love to actually have the 450 but it wasn't $99. Guess It's getting close anyway.

As of tonight I have also found out that the Align T-Rex main shaft also fits on the mx400 Pro. That darn magnet in the tree in the middle of my yard had the biggest magnet in it! I'm telling all of ya' that there are magnets in trees! I'm gonna do a scientific study on it one day! He He He!!:lol:

It's hard to find a mx main shaft anywhere. Even online everyone is sold out, so it's good to know that ARK/Heli-Max copied most of the important stuff from the T-Rex.

I added the T-Rex flybar also. Once again my LHS didn't have any for the mx so I had to buy Align.

[adam crosby]

thanks great info and nice heli
adam

[bgagnon]

Hi Newtek,

GREAT MODS,

I am also building my first MX400 pro. I am debatiing what gyro will I use. I would really like the 2100t for the size and price or a GY401 for support easy programming. Have you had the chance of comparing the GY401 against the 2100t in flight? Also would you still buy a 2100T whith your gained experience? any other taughts about which gyro to chose?

Many thanks,

[newtek007]

I onlt have experience with the 2100T. I'm new to helis. I'm a plank flier. Once you adjust the mechanical center it flies great!

[bgagnon]

one more question...

Where did you get your red alu for the gyro mount?

By the way, I just received my 2100t ;)

thanks,

[LTCOBRA1]

I have the 401 and love it. I tried the align hh and it really made things more difficult to fly.

[rwj]

Are there any good assembly videos out for the mx400 here?

[bgagnon]

there a sticky on this very forum.http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=14956 Pretty good.

HTH