Mayday! Man down! (first crash) Repair 101 for newbies

[Slyster]

OK.. Was out.. flew 4 batteries... getting more used to the Blade... hovering, very gentle slow circuits and such.. flies great! But it was over a small hill around 30 feet in front of me.. earth at eye level to me... and I was so focused I basically tailed into it backing up.. I panicked... eye level thing... :oops:

OK.. looks just fine.... rotor spins freely.. blades bent downward a tad (spindle).. a gears look clean....tail looks good except the blades..

My question is.. after a crash.. what's the process you follow when there's no 'apparent' damage. Here's what I'll be doing.

1- check blades
2- check feathering shaft
3- visually check all links
4- inspect tail.
5- check all teeth
6- check servos etc...

Do I need to examine the main shaft / tail shaft or will it just be apparent that it's bent when I spin up the next time? Anything that MUST be disassembled after any blade strike crash?

I am amazed that it looks just perfect still.. could in only bend a spindle? :shock:

SO FUN flying it! I need to name it. How about Tipsy. :smokin:

Thanks! Awesome day!

ALSO... I realized.. as I further buried Tipsy a little deeper than necessary, that I should use throttle hold even though I am NOT in idle up... I didn't think that through earlier.

[notreallyme]

check main shaft,tail shaft and servos for broken teeth before spinning up again, if you spin up with any of these bad or broken it could do more damage without even getting to fly again.

[Slyster]

Did a once over. So far only apparent damage blades and feathering shaft...

EDIT: Ok.. I don't follow my own advice sometimes (do a search.. read the stickies dummy!)

This helps a lot http://www.repairblade400.com/

But anyway... I jjust has to share my first crash with everyone it was such a 'ground breaking' event in my Blade 400 adventure... :)

I guess I will learn the "replacing the feathering shaft using a paddle bar" trick tonight.... I have 15 feathering shafts at least... I stocked up when I heard they are hard to find + easy to bend....

[Redfire SVT]

I would pull the main shaft and roll it on glass. Even a very minor blade strike can sometimes bend the shaft.

Check everything out on the bench. Look it over and then look it over again. Check for things like loose wires or gyro tape, tail pitch slider, tail hub, well you get the idea.

Slyster the first few crashes come along pretty quick, at least they did for me. Once you get past them you will be a better pilot and mechanic. Hang in there, you'll get past crash n' burn. :cheers

[Slyster]

Yes.. the first few crashes are mandatory! :roll: One really needs to learn how to pull this thing apart and put it back together.

I'm now a 'pro' with BEC's, receivers, servos, gyros, and running wires but this crash will teach me main shaft and spindle repair. Back to school! :whip

[bigblackken]

Speaking of better mechanic, i've managed to crash 2x already which i consider a lot for not getting much flying skill accomplished. My blade cp did a lot more stuff before i even crashed it- i could do stall turns, dive, get going fast. even though the b400 handles MUCH better, i'm afraid to taking it into FF. I do it, but i'm freaking (haha) out. I guess I'm still intimidated by the larger size,power and headspeed. The sim isnt helping me out with that yet.

anyway, regarding the mecahnic thing, is it a big deal if one of the push rod heads is contacting the main blade grips? it only happens on one side and it isnt obstructing anything, but its definatly touching. i realize its not setup according to sokals vids, but i'm lazy and it seems to fly ok. is this a major problem? so far ive done some hover and mild FF with no problems that i noticed.

[Slyster]

This has nothing to do with my thread! Go start your own man! :tongue

OK. BACK TO MY QUESTION...

All fixed.. the ONLY thing I did was replace the feathering shaft.. and all else seems fine.

TEST FLIGHT:

Everything seems just fine... it flies like I remember.. but as I go positive pitch I hear a new sound (I think?).. almost an annoying ticking sound.... only as the pitch goes positive.

Man I wish I remembered what this thing sounded like before my crash.. I hope I did the feathering repair ok. If something didn't go right.. whats the worst that can happen?.... a rebuild of the head.. but I have so many parts that's ok I guess. I sure wish I knew someone local who flew helis... so hard doing all this alone. :(

Is there anyone reading this who lives in Minnesota?? :(

[grovey]

Everything seems just fine... it flies like I remember.. but as I go positive pitch I hear a new sound (I think?).. almost an annoying ticking sound.... only as the pitch goes positive.


Check for any binding applying positive pitch with your motor unplugged.

[Mike SVOR]

Did you oil/grease everything?

I find that this metal likes silicone. I used 35,000 weight silicone.

Before, my tail slider was sticking, now it's riding on a carpet of snot.
I used this silicone on everything that moves on the heli.

[Mon_t]

now it's riding on a carpet of snot
So charmingly well put. Do you find that the silicone lube attracts much in the way of dirt?

[Mike SVOR]

Thanks, :YeaBaby:

Yes and no.
Whatever dirt gets stuck to the oil doesn't penetrate the joints because its so thick. Thinner oil would allow dirt into the crevices of bearings and swashplate.

Use compressed air to blow all dirt off, then re-oil. Let excess oil fling off and clean after flight.
It stays put very well.

[Slyster]

I didn't lube anything... since the heli only has around 2 hours of flight time.. but just in case I'm wrong (probably am!) I will take the feathering shaft apart again and lube it up good. I just wanted it back int he air and have yet to buy lubricants! Going out to get them right now

[Slyster]

In a crash.. is it ALWAYS necessary to remove and check the main shaft? Or can you just tell by test flying if it is ok. Mine seems just fine after yesterdays mishap. What would they symptoms be of a slightly bent shaft.. just general vibration?

[LockMD]

In a crash.. is it ALWAYS necessary to remove and check the main shaft? Or can you just tell by test flying if it is ok. Mine seems just fine after yesterdays mishap. What would they symptoms be of a slightly bent shaft.. just general vibration?


I usually take blades off to check feather shaft, while blades are off put her on the ground and spool up a tad while standing directly over her. No wobble - your good to go.

[Mike SVOR]

I usually take blades off to check feather shaft, while blades are off put her on the ground and spool up a tad while standing directly over her. No wobble - your good to go.

YEP! :thumbup:

[Slyster]

tx!.. but do you mean you can see the actual shaft wobble? or whole heli body wobble (as in vibration)?

[LockMD]

tx!.. but do you mean you can see the actual shaft wobble? or whole heli body wobble (as in vibration)?


you will see the top of the shaft

[eugenefelisco]

Slyster

Three days ago I have some down time coz I had a blade strike. So in waiting for my parts I cleaned all my bearings and lubed them with triflo. I just dipped them in thinner also and blow dry by compressed air.
This is just to kill some down time if your waiting for parts. Today she(400) flies good like brand new.
Eugene