EVO 50 spindle

[Shoopy]

I was flying my EVO50 yesterday and had just finished a pretty good flight...for me that is :lol: . I brought it to a hover and was just giving it a little collective bounce and I noticed it started to shake. I knew right away what had happened and I was right...bent spindle. I'm certain that's when it happened also because it was smooth as glass right before I bounced it. My question is why did it bend when I wasn't even really being rough with it? I've seen guys really hammer theirs and have no problems. Should I replace it with something better? Is there something better? Should I upgrade the dampners? Any experienced advice will be most appreciated!

[blakka_1]

It's a well known problem that Evo's bend spindles way to easily. Unfortunatley I don't know of any genuwine fixes :( . Hirobo really do need to bring out some hardened spindles.

PS. Try Quick UK spindles, I hear they are stronger than the stock Hirobo spindles.

[Shoopy]

thanks, I'll give 'em a try.

[capebob]

The best Evo pilot I've seen is elviswl on this forum. He uses Raptor spindles. Yes, they are too short but he uses them with great success. I think he just carefully aligns the bolts and secures them with thread lock, but he may use spacers (washers?) on the ends of the spindle. Send him a PM.

Bob

[Shoopy]

Hey Bob, thanks for the info, I'll check it out. I like your signature, according to that I'm EXTREMELY successful!!! :lol: :shock:

[czechyour6]

QUICK UK makes a great strong replacement shaft too!

[Havoc]

I used the SD-G four damp yoke and HHI sceadu spindles. I use the stock damps on the inside and infinivation damps on the outside. I used the SD-G yoke because I wanted to make the head stiffer. That was before the after market dampeners came out. But that alone helped reduce the bobble you see with quick and heavy cyclic inputs. But having the four damps across the spindles lends more support to the spindle and it should prevent the spindle from bending. If you have a flutter issue then it may still bend. The only time I had one bend was due to flutter and that was traced down to a faulty collective servo. I still have that servo. It is nailed to a wall like it was a deer head.

[Shoopy]

I just installed the Infinavation dampers and now I seem to have a heck of a shake! I can't find it anywhere?? I've replaced all three shafts and still have the shake. It gets to the point where it's almost uncntrollable! Turns the fuel tank into a washing machine! I checked the head as best I know how and can't find anything out of place. It's starting to frustrate me...... :arggg:

[SteveL]

Chek the hub fit on the shaft. If it is tight, loosen it ant turn it 180. If it is loose, score the shaft to tighten it. I have also bent a hub and had problems with spindles after. THe only other thing I know of is Jennifer had a set of blade grips wear out. She said the bearing was loose inside the blade grips. Caused vibration, out of track, and bent spindles. She replace the $10 part and is back to normal.

I hope this helps

[Shoopy]

Thanks! I'll give it a try and hope for the best!!

[Shoopy]

welp, that didn't do anything.. :arggg: :bomb:

Here's the deal, I crashed big time, fixed everything that was broke, flew the heli without trouble. Next I installed the new dampers and now when I bring it up to speed it shakes something terrible. What the heck???? I replaced all the shafts, I messed with the flybar, I'm running FK CFR's and I checked them and they seem to be OK as near as I can tell. I just don't get it. It was fine and all I did was changed the dampers.....

[Shoopy]

OK, WHAT THE FUDGE!!!! I decided to go down and rip the thing apart and check it all over....again. Guess what I found......yup, BENT SPINDLE. I don't get it, either I'm way more aggressive than I think, (and I'm not) or something else is wrong. This spindle only had 2 flights on it!! no hard landings, no wicked 3D, (only because I'm not capable :roll: ) I didn't do anything that should have caused this. Guess I'll have to try the Quick UK's and see what happens.

[SteveL]

Take a real good look at you blade grips. Jennifer was bending on every other flight until she replaced them. The clue for her was the spindle was bending out near the blade grip not in the center.

[Shoopy]

But they can't be worn out already....can they? This heli only has about 2 1/2 gals of fuel through it. And I didn't find any cracks or anyhthing like that when I looked them over. But that is exactly where the spindles are bending. hmmmm.......

[SteveL]

Stupid question but you do not have any lateral movement do you?
Ie... in and out on the blade grip.
There should actually be a light preload on the dampners.
Any play in that dircetion could be a probblem.
I would not think you could have worn out a set of blade grips in 2 1/2 gallons of fuel.

Unless one is mishapen from the factory or a mishap.

[Shoopy]

Nope, no slop in any direction, everything looks good. And hey, with me, there are no stupid questions, I'm just learning all this heli stuff so to assume I know something would be a mistake. :wink: I'm still learning what to look for when it comes to most of this stuff so don't think that just because it's simple or obvious to you, that I already looked at it!!

Oh yeah, THANKS for all the help!! I do appreciate it! :D

[3Dgonnabe]

I had the same problem after a rebuild. I had to go through all the links and start from scratch to get it to stay in track. I was getting happier with it when the pitch servo link snapped at about 150 ft and it immediately went to full negative!!!!

Saved it but broke the tail drive due to the sudden stop at the bottom! - no pitch = no flare!! :lol: