Ditched HDX500SE for TRex500 - OMG Amazing - Photos!!

[Rototerrier]

Let me start off by first saying HELIDIRECT IS WONDERFUL. They are responsive and are a great supplier...and here we go with the big BUT....

They are having some serious quality control issues. I kept ordering defective parts or receiving the wrong parts. The last batch I ordered to fix a vibration, the autorotation sleeve hole was drilled too high and the set screw wouldn't fit. Didn't bother to call you guys because I am over it. For all of you that don't know,

I had received the bad auto sleeve on the heels of:
- 1 unthreaded spindle
- 1 main shaft with the notch cut out too high and covered in rust
- 1 set of incorrect bearings, replaced with another set of incorrect bearings and finally got the correct set on the 3rd try. The first set was my bad, I couldn't find the correct part on the website...I say my bad, but the site should have been more explainatory.
- 1 Warped main gear
- 1 Warped tail pulley
- 1 Bent tail shaft
- 1 Tail boom too short
- 1 original flybar that was so tight I had to hammer it in, that's why my bearings were ruinded and that's what got me into the bearing fiasco.
- 1 Autorotation sleeve from orginal build with the incorrect inner diameter, shaft wouldn't fit.

Not to mention binding and poor flight characteristics and did I mention binding?

What HD (greg) did free of charge!!
- Sent me 2 good spindles to replace the bad one
- The bearings, but that was just a mess
- A new tail pulley

On the shaft, I just assumed they would all be notched the same, I didn't realize the first one was defective until I replaced it with another I ordered trying to fix my vibration.

Oh, and the vibration, was a warped main drive gear. I spent over 50 in parts and it was just the main drive gear was warped...but I got a bad auto rotation sleeve in the same order. I am not even bothering with trying to get anything else straightend out...I am over it!!

Well, after months of struggling with my HDX500SE and going back and forth with HD, which has been somewhat pleasant I must admit, I finally got fed up and took the TRex 500 plunge. It flies like a dream machine. So much fun. It built in a day and I flew it this weekend 10 times and it was just amazing. I am running the 4s TP Extreme 3850's on a 20T pinion. I have new batteries on the way, but these aren't bad. Even with slight bogging, this thing flies just amazing. The tail hasn't blown out on them. I ran it though some tight funnels and it held. It did blow out when I tried the same move with 2 align 3s 2100's. So that proves the 4s is a decent alternative. During the build I was just amazed at the parts quality. I can't even stress enough how much better this is and how much more fun I is to fly. It does perfect stationary flips and rolls, even with the wrong battery!!

Check out these photos! Look at the tail difference. Also, look at the battery. For anyone with an 500SE and 399-434 to spend, give Modefos a call or just grab it from his ebay shop. You can get this kit from him all day every day for about that price and w/ free shipping. Just rip your blades, servos, gyro and batteries from the HDX and you are in business. I believe the SE kit from HD is 449 with blades, motor, esc. Take off the 29 blades and you are right around the same price....For the money, its just worth it to go trex and save all the headaches. Price simply is not an argument here!

Also included a pile of all the bad parts and incorrect bearings. You can see the rust on the shaft and see how far I had to dremel down the notch to get it to fit. Take a close look at the autorotation sleeve...How do you like the OVAL hole? How do you drill and oval hole anyway? Do you use oval drill pits? lol You can't get the set screw in without screwing it in or drilling out the hole. I didn't go that far because my original was not broken. And yes, that is a massively huge set of skids on the HDX to keep those nice tail blades from digging trenches in my back yard! Don't laugh, we have all had to do something to keep the tail from digging in. I have to give props to my neighbor for hooking me up with these skids. He had this spare laying around and let me have them...Wes is the man, Great guy!

Sorry HD, but your sales manager questioned where I found that I could get a TRex Nitro Pro for 680 and didn't want to work a deal on the TRex, didn't even try or offer, just questions a price I had gotten on a completely separate heli. I had no choice but to move on to the TRex. Sam, the manager, simply insulted me. Modefos beats your prices, but to question me on it, that's just rude. And you can't say ebay doesn't count because you both sell on ebay. It's an apples to apples price comparison between you two in my opinion. Your both swimming in the same pool.

I would like to again say that I love Ordering from HeliDirect and will continue to do so for parts and other items. But, their CURRENT HDX500SE is a horrible piece of work and the parts to support it are just crap...pure crap. That doesn't take away from HeliDirect as a parts supplier or company. They are great, they just have some really crappy stuff for sale.

[skid]

Your Tail blades are on backwards on the Rex.

[Rototerrier]

You are right, I did that last night when I was trying to get the slop out of the grips. Guess I will go back out and change them. Good catch!!! lol

[crash1000]

I am glad dat it worked out for you.... so here are the questions :)

1) Did the hs85mg fit easy to the trex500 frame?
2) Did you use the 3s lipos in serie or parallel?
3) how good was the 4s lipo? headspeed? booging? power? comparing to your hdx?
4) wich motor did you use on your hdx?
5) how much cyclic and pitch did you get on trex? was it easy or also a pain?
6) can the canopy of hdx fit trex? (I find trex canopy ugly)
7) which lipo is on the picture?


thank you for your time!
regards from another victum :(

[Rototerrier]

1) Yes, the kit comes with little adapters for serveral different servo sizes. They bolted on perfectly and perform great.
2) I paralleled the 3s with a Y Adapter. They did not perform as well as the 4s, probably because they were only 2100s and only 18C. The 4s is 22C.
3) Head speed is around 2400-2600. It does bog but will do one complete stationary flip or roll without blowing out. I was able to blow the tail out in a funnel with the 3s Align packs. Did the exact funnel with the 4s no problems. Only when you hit it really hard will the 4s bog badly. Even with this bogging, it flies circles around the HDX. I mean amazing, they in a totally different league. If I never bought another battery and only used these 4s it is 1 million times better than the HDX. No joke
4) 30A-8XL
5) The cyclic on the TRex is a breeze. The head is perfect with no binding. It will get 14 easy. I set it to 11, anything more and I think the 4s would bog really bad. I will move it up to 12+ when I receive my EVO 6s 2500 packs.
6) Yes, I just went out and it fits. You will have to either trim the bottom or place the holes farther back, but it will fit easily. The HDX has a wider profile so it will look a little big, but it will fit just fine.
7) Thunder Power 4s 3850 Extreme

The head and quality of this heli are not even comparable to the HDX. I might consider looking at the new version of the HDX when it is released for serveral months, just to make use of my Motor and ESC, but it will have to be something really amazing. The quality control of their parts is just horrible at this point, unless that changes, no matter how good they make the HDX I won't accept throwing my money away like that again.

If you have 4s or even Parallel 3s packs, I strongly suggest you scrapping the HDX and getting the TRex from Modefos. You can save up and purchase 6s packs later, either way this heli is better and flies better than the HDX.

[Rototerrier]

Here are a few photos to show how to make the canopy fit and also a close up of the servo so you can see the little adapter included in the kit. Very easy stuff.

Oh, and don't pay any attention to the motor and hobby wing esc here, I was just toying around with it earlier. I ran it with my HobbyWing 60, 24t pinion, A30-8XL and 4s. I think the Headspeed was only around 2000, it wasn't very good. I then threw on the 2 3s but it started raining, it was screaming. When it stops raining I am going to try 6s with a 20t pinion. Head should be around 2500. Just want to see how well this motor can perform with bigger gears. I was bored and had nothing better to do :)

[crash1000]

looks good and sound good!

I have already an kora 15-12 (920KV) and a CC 60A (stock motor is a oven to cook eggs and softstart of stock esc rip gears off evreytime you try to start your heli)

so I have now 2 esc and 2 motors en 3x 4s lipos... Its make it realy hard to switch now :( :( :( I hate my self to just not waited 2 more months for trex500 release.

I will try to sell my hdx and then go for a trex500. Or just put hdx a side and fly it only when my trex is grounded and I am waiting for parts.

[Rototerrier]

The TRex comes with it's own ESC and Motor, you only need to get your Gyro, Servos, and batteries from the HDX. It will only cost you 434. Sell the motor and esc's and that should just about get you there.

[RotoN3D]

I guess this means you will be moving to the Align forum now. :lol: Yeah I think it's a good time to switch. Replacement parts are getting to the shelves. Thanks for taking one for the team.

[Ticidytoc]

Your Tail blades are on backwards on the Rex.

:lolol

[jgunpilot]

I upped the AFR on my Hdx500 because of the glacial cyclic roll and pitch rate. I went from 50% to 80% in increments. At 80, during a flip, I heard a clicking crunching noise as links found solid resistance, then I crashed.

I considered all the changes and upgrades I would need to get it where I want it, then I bought a Trex 500.

Hopefully, problem solved.