New Or "New" B400?

[Leftyatm]

Ok so I am impatient. I am in the process of building a 450 V2. But I want to fly now!! So I went ahead and got a Blade 400. I got it for 450. I am sure I am probably just being picky. But if it's one thing you need to know about being used or new its going to be a heli because even a very very minor blade strike can bend stuff that don't seem bent to the naked eye. Anyway I opened the box out to check it out. It had a funny smell to it like a dirty handed grease smell. The radio def. had some fingerprints on it (still the protective plastic) but some minor scratches on the film. The heli itself was very very dusty. It had a layer of dust over the entire thing and the landing skids definately had scratches on them. I know they say every E-flite is flown at the factory before shipping them out. So were the scrathces from the factory or store? And when I spool it up it shakes a little bit. It smooths out after full rpm. But the minor shake at spool up kind of worries me, not to mention the amount of dust that was on it and the fact that it had scratches on the skids. My fear is that while it sat at the shop did some young punk kid fly it when he wasnt supposed to and possibly put something out of wack? Like I said I maybe I am being paranoid. But at almost 500 bills I dont want to get something that was used possibly and damaged when it should be new. Did any of you ever noticed any similar issues with your "new" blade 400? I asked the owner if they had ever flown it and he said no and that the dust was pry from sitting in his (in my opinion dirty) store of from sitting in a warehouse. And although he said noone flew it, maybe I have trust issues but talk can be cheap. Thanks if anyone can offer any advice.

[sokal]

he wobble on trat up is normal to apoint but if all seem well at full rpm shouldnt worry
always could check main shaft and spindal

as for the dut it probly sat on a shelf out side the box for display
marketing ploy good wipe should do

if u can remember how the shaft looked when you got it outthe box thier was some silicon grease on the shaft if it looked like the swash was slide probly was flown or atleast powered up.
if your worried of th TX being not stok thier a post around with stock settings or just PM the big posters and they more than likely will help you

but as i see you should be ok
but the shop guy should have told you if he sat it on te shelf for display

[LockMD]

Can only speak to the wobble on spool up. Mine will do just a tad if you spread the blades good and straight first and still have wobble issues, your blades might be too tight. point the blades to the sides hold it by the boom and point the tail to the sky, they should stay put now give it a bit of a shake towards the ground - they should slightly move (bend) if they dont, they are too tight.

[justin keaton]

i think i would take it back and demand a refund or exchange. i work in a hobby shop on and off and have senn at least 20 b 400 out the box in the store, and even if dust is on it the scratches should not be there. i have not seen one with scratches on it out the box even after setting on a shelf.but up to you.





take it back.:Bang

[JimLerch]

My first reaction, heck It WILL only be a few days till I plow mine into mother Earth, Again. So a little dust and some scratches ain't gonna hurt nothing.

Of course, I might not be right in the head either......Just watch some of my more recent videos in my sig. :YeaBaby:

[rudderman]

My blade 400 wobbles on spool up and then levels off also.

[ronbo422]

I bought a new B400, minus the Tx, from a HeliFreaker and I noticed a vibration in my training wheels when I flew it for the first few times. I balanced the blades, which were out to a small degree, but the vibs were still there. So I took it to the LHS and they showed me that the main shaft was bent. This heli was brand new with the new smell and everything and I have no reason to distrust the person I bought it from. My LHS could see that the stock blades had never been hit and decided that it was an out-of-the-box defect and replaced my main shaft. Can you believe that? Talk about service. The heli guy popped the old one out, the new one in and even gave me the spare shaft (2 come in a bag) and said they'd file a warranty issue w/Horizon.
So they CAN come out of the box jacked up, IMO.

~Ronbo

[JimLerch]

My first 450 sized Heli was an E-Sky Belt-CP (another decent bird, if only it had the DC6i Tx). It also had a bent main shaft out of the box. My thinking is the monkeys that stuff the heli into the Styrofoam might get a little over aggressive!

[rudderman]

I have bought replacement feather shafts for my b400 and they were defected out of the pack.So Now when ever i buy a spindle or shaft i check it on a smooth surface before installing.

[sokal]

z3WKXk_Vp7I

[Leftyatm]

I appreciate the input fellas. A little bit of the entire spektrum, some said to take back, while others said no big deal. It smooths out after a little bit. I figured it may have just been the blades settling in. My dad has a blade 400 and it does relatively the same thing. I just know his was no way near as dusty when he got it. I thought it was probably out on display but I have never been one to like buying display models. I know I'll wreck mine a few times over its lifetime and bend the blades just my point was if you buy something new it should be new and not "new" ya feel me? It was his last one when I bought it a few days ago, I have had it in the air once and I am going to call him Wednesday when his shop opens back up....(sh$tty winter hours) and see if he has gotten any new ones. If he has I will demand a new one..I think.

[Raven_darkcloud]

I found the head to be slightly out of balance and damping to be too lemp. Fixed the damping by changing the spacers betwein the grips and head. (I used align spacers but I run stiff heads on all my birds) some more washers will help make sure they balance out. I balanced the headt by removeing some flashing still on the parts, and a thin washer under one of the blade bolds. I have had to do the same on plastice trex heads too.

[bd_thompson]

My first reaction, heck It WILL only be a few days till I plow mine into mother Earth, Again. So a little dust and some scratches ain't gonna hurt nothing.

Of course, I might not be right in the head either......Just watch some of my more recent videos in my sig. :YeaBaby:

Manatee County, huh? I was born in Bradenton 65 years ago and grew up about 4 blocks from Manatee Memorial Hospital. We moved from there in 1967 and have only been back to visit. After a military career we wound up as far from Manatee County as one could get and still be in the lower 48; Bremerton, Washington, west of Seattle.

It ain't the Manatee County I grew up in. :)

[The_Russian]

sokal,

All you need is you flightsuit and helmet man!

[sokal]

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41048&stc=1&d=1204843096
READY

[Gr4yb3ard]

Leftyatm,

The wobble at startup is more than likely a normal situation caused by the blades not being quite at 90 with the mainshaft. Pull the blades outwards before you start it and see if this helps, or check the startup after spinning a bit and see if it does'nt wobble so much.

Regarding the dust ect., sort of a pisser, I'll bet they checked out the new bird and showed some customers, but what the heck, it is a brand new item and we all pay the price for being early adopters!

Long and short, I would'nt waste your time taking it back, if your like me, or most of us, you'll do that and more in a few minutes of flight time.

Buy spares, fly, crash, repair, repeat.

It's all good man!

Gr4yb3ard
"Keeping the skies safe by crashing and staying out of them..."

[Gr4yb3ard]

Oh yeah, I forgot, SOCAL! COOL PICTS BRO!!!

[Leftyatm]

Thanks Gr4yB3ard i appreciate it.