Dampening breakthrough!

[Splix]

Correct me if this has already been discovered or tried. I was just messing around with the dampening, trying different things and ideas that I had for it, and discovered this!
Align Trex 450SE v1 (has to be v1, not v2) dampening rings fit the Gaui 200 perfectly! Both outer circumference of the ring to fit the head block, and inner circumference to hold the feathering shaft. It couldn't fit any better. Just take out the rubber o-ring and slide these in to replace the o-ring. As soon as my seesaw arms come in Monday I'll try them in flight, unless someone else can get them going before me. I'm really exicited to have good Gaui dampening! :D This also means, Trex 450 v1 Trueblood dampening could be the solution!

With the aluminum dampening ring installed. Its not inserted all of the way to show how good of a fit it is. It will slide in flush with the head block.
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x271/majastic/CIMG0798.jpg

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x271/majastic/CIMG0799.jpg

The install order
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x271/majastic/CIMG0796.jpg

[Buzzkill]

Interesting discovery! Good work.

[Jetleaf]

Good find. I love it when parts of one heli work on other helis. One question though, if you replace the o-ring with the aluminum ring you would essentially have no dampening right?

[mrivers]

Do you have a set of V1 rubber dampers, if so, can they be squeezed in place? I would think that, even if slightly too thick, they might work. (canopy grommets aren't an exact fit either, but work fine)

Anyone know why metal is not used by default? (crash worthiness?)

[Splix]

trex 450 v1 rubber o-rings are way to big to be squeezed into the Gaui 200, just tried.

[J-Heli]

trex 450 v1 rubber o-rings are way to big to be squeezed into the Gaui 200, just tried.

Are o-rings different from the dampening rings mentioned in your original post? I'm sort of confused... :(

Mike Trueblood is making dampeners that will DEFINITELY fit the 200 so if we can hold on for a couple for weeks, we'll have Trueblood dampeners that truly fit the 200. :)

[Splix]

no, someone asked me to try the trex v1 rubber o-rings also instead of the aluminum rings.
I be flying with the aluminum rings on Monday when my seesaw arms come in.

[Buzzkill]

Used to use bearings on my CP Pro back in the day, crazy cyclic. Only problem was you could get the dreaded "toilet bowl" effect or wobble. I wonder if they would work in a Gaui 200?

Anyone know off hand the diameter of the spindle?

[Jetleaf]

3mm

[Buzzkill]

Perfect, I think I have some that will fit but, I'll wait for thre results on here first.

[stoatnchips]

My gut feeling is ' why bother fitting a feathering/spindle shaft if you are gunna replace the damper with and Ali ring or bearing?' you might as well bolt the blade grips directly to the yoke and have done with it. Without damping as Buzz has mentioned, you get mad cyclic response, but you will also get massive spikes in tensile and shear forces on the blade grip bolts themselves... Its kinda like why Airbags are fitted to cars, the cushioning effect just spreads the the change in velocity over a longer time period, and so reduces the forces involved.

[Jeff6624]

On the topic of dampening, my 100pro just had an unfortunate encounter with a tree and I somehow managed to bend my spindle. Instead of spending 20 bucks on a new head block, I ordered the spindle and damper kit from helidirect.

How hard is it to do that job?

What is the proper procedure?

Thanks!

[Splix]

I flew the aluminum dampening today, probably around 10 batteries or so. I'd have to say, the heli is sooooo much more both responsive and stable. I've been setting trim and just letting go of the sticks and just watching it sit there in the air. Wind was probably 2-3 mph and it felt like I was flying indoors. I plan on ordering a few more sets of this dampening :)

Next test: horrific crash :D I'll let you guys know how it fairs out in a crash and what it effects.

[Buzzkill]

Sweet, we'll be wating for the results.

[small.planes]

Have I missed something, or does this mod just lock the feathering shaft?
If it flys nice like that then I can make a bigger dia shaft, which will do the same thing, but will be stronger than the 3mm chinese pot metal version. If its the correct length it wouldnt even need the pin through, just bolt on one blade grip thread through and bolt on the other one, though that might cause the bladegrips to catch on the head block...

Dave

Who needs at least 36 hours in a day right now....

[psindrup]

I want to know too: Are you in fact flying without dampening in the head/spindle?

Thanks a bunch

Peter

[Splix]

pretty much yes, no dampening and its awesome :D

[MichaelH]

Hey Splix,

do you have a part number for the T-Rex aluminium rings or a link to a shop which carries them?
Thanks!

Michael

[Splix]

http://www.readyheli.com/HS1003_Feathering_Shaft_p/hs1003.htm

those two little rings on the right side.

[MichaelH]

Thanks. I'll try them!

Michael

[robl]

im confused by this, the original ep100 had this setup, the bladegrips just bolted into the side of the rotorhead and people complained that was no good so they replaced it with this new setup. Now you want to go back to the old setup?

[mrivers]

That may be because the new setup, is also bad.

[floop]

So do the metal rings fly right or should I look for another solution?

So far I have read about these fixes:
1. File down the spindle shaft
2. Use car fuel tubing for dampers and replace original o-rings
3. Use 450se V1 metal head rings as a replacement for original o-rings

Which one works best? Does it fix the weird wobble in pitch pump moves?

[mrivers]

I don't know about the aluminum spacers, but fuel tubing/canopy grommets make a night and day difference.

[rappyrex14]

any info about the thin (2mm?) align spacers working instead or o-rings?
very interested
don