stoatnchips
04-13-2008, 02:54 PM
Finally took delivery of my 200 earlier this week and got round to starting the build today.:)
I opened the package and started by checking the order was all there, then stripped the Airframe down with the view of threadlocking it back together. I'll pause here and say I am very happy with the overall build quality of this heli, to get a Head this size with virtually zero slop is very impressive!!:thumbup:
When i tried to remove the main shaft, i had real problems... it got to the stage that i was more likely to break the Airframe rather than remove the shaft!! I loosend the bolts and it the came apart freely. After a serious amount of study and measurement, i found the problem and thought i would share...
Its basically down to the machining of the upper frame set both on the Left and Right sides. There is a small slot cut to locate the upper most Middle Plate that carries the Central Boom. On the Left side, this slot has been machined too low by 0.6mm and on the right hand side, this slot has been machined too far to the rear by 0.8mm.
These sound like tiny amounts but on an airframe this size its just too far out!! :shock:
The Upper frame is just over 1mm(8%) wider infront of the central Boom than behind it!!The upshot of this is the upper frame (when tightened up) is twisted to the point that the main shaft will not line up with the Flange Bearing in the central middle plate... It took quite a lot of force just to get the first 5mm of mainshaft through this bearing(thats the part thats a smaller diameter!!) the only way to get the Main shaft located corectly is to loosen all the bolts and then retighten... then this flange bearing grinds REALLY badly!!!
Sorry about the Photo sizes, you can just make it out... otherwise download photo and then zoom in. The problem is the relative position of these slots vs all the other bolt holes!! I wouls have thought, this was a single CNC process to cut the side frames, but maybe some sort of tool change or other problem occured:confused:
If this had not been spotted, then the flange bearing would have lasted less than 5 mins and there is no way the heli would have flown in a straight line!!
Fortunatly i ordered a complete spare Frameset which is perfect, except for the anti-rotation bracket looks like a Banana:roll:
Apart from that, the tail pitch Linkage is the only other thing i'm not happy with, i have tried 4 different sets of "Hooks" and each one is just as bad as the last... I got some thread, passed it through the Ball link, then clipped the link onto the Tail Blade Grip ball... thread pulled straight out with NO resistance!!!:shock: The GF canopy was also badly cracked as well.
Just waiting for th Rx, Gyro and tail servo to continue the build. I will let FH know of the problems, and hopefully they will send through replacements ASAP. I think I'll be ordering a "Bling" style antirotation bracket, a CNC Tail boom holder and am strongly considering the MH tail upgrade... I know Buzz recomends it, but does anyone else have experience??
I opened the package and started by checking the order was all there, then stripped the Airframe down with the view of threadlocking it back together. I'll pause here and say I am very happy with the overall build quality of this heli, to get a Head this size with virtually zero slop is very impressive!!:thumbup:
When i tried to remove the main shaft, i had real problems... it got to the stage that i was more likely to break the Airframe rather than remove the shaft!! I loosend the bolts and it the came apart freely. After a serious amount of study and measurement, i found the problem and thought i would share...
Its basically down to the machining of the upper frame set both on the Left and Right sides. There is a small slot cut to locate the upper most Middle Plate that carries the Central Boom. On the Left side, this slot has been machined too low by 0.6mm and on the right hand side, this slot has been machined too far to the rear by 0.8mm.
These sound like tiny amounts but on an airframe this size its just too far out!! :shock:
The Upper frame is just over 1mm(8%) wider infront of the central Boom than behind it!!The upshot of this is the upper frame (when tightened up) is twisted to the point that the main shaft will not line up with the Flange Bearing in the central middle plate... It took quite a lot of force just to get the first 5mm of mainshaft through this bearing(thats the part thats a smaller diameter!!) the only way to get the Main shaft located corectly is to loosen all the bolts and then retighten... then this flange bearing grinds REALLY badly!!!
Sorry about the Photo sizes, you can just make it out... otherwise download photo and then zoom in. The problem is the relative position of these slots vs all the other bolt holes!! I wouls have thought, this was a single CNC process to cut the side frames, but maybe some sort of tool change or other problem occured:confused:
If this had not been spotted, then the flange bearing would have lasted less than 5 mins and there is no way the heli would have flown in a straight line!!
Fortunatly i ordered a complete spare Frameset which is perfect, except for the anti-rotation bracket looks like a Banana:roll:
Apart from that, the tail pitch Linkage is the only other thing i'm not happy with, i have tried 4 different sets of "Hooks" and each one is just as bad as the last... I got some thread, passed it through the Ball link, then clipped the link onto the Tail Blade Grip ball... thread pulled straight out with NO resistance!!!:shock: The GF canopy was also badly cracked as well.
Just waiting for th Rx, Gyro and tail servo to continue the build. I will let FH know of the problems, and hopefully they will send through replacements ASAP. I think I'll be ordering a "Bling" style antirotation bracket, a CNC Tail boom holder and am strongly considering the MH tail upgrade... I know Buzz recomends it, but does anyone else have experience??