Trex 450SE vs HDX 450SE

[Aussie_G]

Can anyone tell me the pro's or con's of either?

From what I can see, the HDX is a copy of the T-Rex - just a lot cheaper...

Is it a great deal - or is it a - you get what you pay for - thing

Thanks

[darkchiild]

From all accounts I've heard the HDX is a decent heli. Drawbacks? Not all parts are interchangable w/ Trex parts, so you won't necessarily be able to get stuff for it at your LHS depending on what you need. Other than that I've heard nothing bad. Don't actually have one though.

[Aussie_G]

Well I just bought a HDX 450SE V3 for $189.99 on the bay....
Hopefully it wasnt a mistake.

[shaggybirdman]

i highly doubt is will be. head and tail should be part for part. the frame is totally hdx. i too have read nothing bad about it.

[austintyler]

I have been "flying" and HDX for almost a year now. You havent made a bad choice. It is a quality heli. The ONLY draw back is that ALIGN parts are in every store. I have to get HDX specific parts online, (frame parts and spindles). WHich is frustrating for me personally because once I crash, I obsess on getting it in the air again. The plus is there are alot of parts that are Align compatible which I am sure you have already read.

[shaggybirdman]

what's a HDX sell for?

[Aussie_G]

the 450SE V3 that I got sells for 389 on helidirect with battery motor & esc, I got mine for 189 without the electronics...
I wasnt ready to invest almost 400, I can start building the kit while I continue on the SIM and my axe CP

But I think the Sim is much cheaper to learn on....

[flexbs]

You can get the Trex450 SE V2 for $220 without electronics.

[shaggybirdman]

where? i'd consider that. move my stuff to it.

[jfrock25]

Im just finishing my HDX 450V3 Build. This is my first Heli besides my CX2. Hoping to take its maiden voyage this weekend if I get some time.

Check out this read over here. Everybody is real nice and is more than happy to help.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=721952&page=100

[JEB123]

Let me know where you can get the 450se V2 for that price, I'll order it today.

[Aussie_G]

Just as an update, I finished assembly on the HDX450SE V3 Kit today...

I am VERY happy with the quality, I am deffinately no expert, but it was relatively easy to assemble.

There were 2 issues that Heli-Direct needs to address.
1. the instructional DVD made by Finless was obviously building a V1 or V2, there are some small differences, but easy to figure out.
2. The head in the DVD is supposedly 'Fully Assembled', but my main head had none of the control linkages assembled or installed, so I had to find some detailed pictures online & build it that way.

I dont have any electronics yet, and when I do, I will have a lot of setup/tuning to do.

[shaggybirdman]

ok. how did you do it? in both pics it is siting level with just what seems to be only 1" of the skids touching something. my trex was way tail heavy at that point. just curious.

[Aussie_G]

:)

Without the electronics it seems rather tail heavy, I just found that sitting it on something just at the rear of the skids, mad it sit level & look better.

After the pic, I stuck a battery in it & it made the centre of gravity move forward some more

[22charlie]

Just a point to watch for when flying the HDX is the main gear clearance with the lower edges of the main frames.( You will know where I mean ) Any distortion in the gear ( and there will be some,its plastic) and it may chafe the edge dragging your available power down. I had to shim mine using Hirobo parts #2506-021. I used two shims to get the correct clearance.
Also pay attention to the spot that the main shaft lock collar grub screws bite into on the shaft. The flats milled into mine were way off. Had to use the trusty Dremel to grind flats lower down. Other than these two glitches the thing runs/flies like a Swiss watch.
I am still only learning and have had twenty odd flights and all is well up to now. Good luck with all who have the HDX, I reckon its a fine chopper.

[Aussie_G]

I dont have any clearance issues on the main gear, mine is about 3/8" or 10mm away from the frame.
Is yours the SE v3 - with the superframe?
Also the flats on my mainshaft are right in the spot where I needed them to be.
My heli has the same gear as the align v2 SE, with the 4 screw hub - I believe there have been some updates

[22charlie]

Yeah ! I do believe you may be correct. I bought my HDX about nine months ago and the pics on the side of the box shows a couple of other versions. I bought what is supposedly the 450SE.
As I understand it there was/is a quality control issue with early kits. However I believe that all is now well with HDX stuff. All I know is mine seems to be OK so far.
I stripped some threads in some of the CNC stuff, but thats just me I reckon,and I changed the tail main drive gear. Too much run out,the trouble is the replacement unit was just as bad! http://www.helifreak.com/images/icons/icon8.gif Flys ok though,so sod it, it can wobble till it falls off.
Just as a matter of interest, I purchased a T-Rex 450SE. Now I have'nt built the thing yet,but just trawling through the juicy bits I feel its all of a slightly better quality than my HDX. Don't get me wrong, I think the HDX is damn good value, but in this life there aint no free rides. You gets what you pays for!

Cheers