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Buzzkill
07-08-2008, 09:42 PM
I installed anothe MH tail today after getting fed up with the stock tail for belt drive. I did a "review" of the tail a few months back and think it deserves another go around. I intend to use it for the TT also as soon as I get more gears for the (insert infractionable word here) thing. I swear after another set of gears I'm going back to belt for good until I stop crashing. I rated, for what it's worth the MH tail a 8.5 when I first got them and the reasons for deducting the 1.5 points in the last visit are gone with the exception of the very very small parts that are inherent to the Gaui 200.

Anyway, a few things I thought where note worthy:

1. The MH tail allows full throw (limits) without binding with a GY401. Haven't tested with other gyros yet. A big plus in my book. To achive full limits based on the gyro pot the nut on the shaft should be flush with the end of the shaft.

2. The side plates don't wear out and get sloppy. This is the #1 sorce of vibration in the tail with a belt drive IMO.

3. Smooth, very smooth. No slop at all (on two of them so far) very presice tail response. Noticable increase in reaction time even at my flying level, which isn't very high.

4. Slider control arm is aluminum so it doesn't flex (see #3) and is a whole lot stronger than the stock wimpy plastic one. I don't get nervouse it'll snap while attaching the ball link.

5. The linkage on the slider is aluminum and attaches with screws that have bearings. No more linkages "popping" off durring flight or on minor tail rotor scrapes.

6. Belt guide on the tail assembly. If your using a stock tail look inside at the tail while it's working. You'll notice the belt "swaying" back and forth on the pulley. Can't be good. MH tail doesn't.

7. Durability. I have personaly crashed with a MH tail at least 12 times. At least. I'm not bragging it's actualy embarassing but I've yet to break a single part on a MH tail and believe me, some of the crashes infringed on Gr4y's patented manuever.

8. Quality. The MH tail is very well made. The parts all fit extremely well, especialy for something this small. There's no burs, slop or defects that I've been able to see with the naked eye and everything goes together nice and snug. The way it feels while assembling is hard to explain except "it just feels right".

9. The MH tail only weighs a half gram or .5g more than the stock tail.

I'm not a big MH fan. I have only delt with MH direct and their response time absolutely sucked. Took two days to get an e-mail and over a week for the parts after the e-mails. I recommed going to a state side supplier like HeliDirect.

While not an expert, I have certainly assembled and reassembled more than my share of Gaui 200's and personaly wen't through six stock tail assemblys due to wearing them out and breakage. The MH tail price is steep. At $60 a pop is hard to swallow. I can say that after replacing six complete stock Gaui tails it's not that much more than Gaui's pricing when you figure the MH tail comes complete with tail rotor grips and shaft, slider, pitch control arm, tail assembly and belt shaft.

If your going to stay with the belt drive then the MH tail gets a big :thumbup: and should be considered a worthy investment over the long run. After you've replaced a couple Gaui tails you'll be asking yourself why you didn't buy it.

The compoments are availible as a package or seperately (thanks HeliDirect) so you can buy components as you can afford or need them.

After my personal experiences with the MicroHeli tail I'd love to see a complete head replacement from these guys. I wouldn't buy it diect from MH but I sure would from a trusted vendor.

I'll be back in a few days (I hope) with the TT conversion. I've looked at the parts and you can swap out the MH components with the Stock Gaui TT ones with the exception of the tail boom shaft. I plan to make the switch before I wearout the CF side plates.

I'll do more detailed and in depth hillbilly reviews when MH starts supplying the parts.
Thanks for the read. Hope I didn't waste your time.

rotarydoc
07-08-2008, 11:34 PM
Hey Buzz,

Not at all, I found it very interesting indeed! I may take your advice when I see my tailbox wearing out, or at least keep it in my mind. I always thought that the weight difference was greater, but .5 gram doesn't sound too bad...do you have to compensate by moving more weight forward when you switch from stock to the MH tail?

Sure, $60 sounds like alot at first, but not if the stock units wear quickly. I guess I will keep an eye on mine, and see how it goes as far as wear in the first weeks...

Very interesting review!

Glenn

Jetleaf
07-08-2008, 11:35 PM
Not a waste of time at all. Thanks for the information. I almost ordered one but wasn't sure if it would work with the tt. This was before I had a belt version and had no way to compare differences. The stock tailbox would be fine if the carbon side plates were thicker. After my first ones gave out I made some new ones out of some 1.6mm FRP frame scrap I had and that tail is still just as tight with no slop in the bearings/shaft and vibration free I might add. Just last night I discovered you can make the stock tailbox substantially more robust by doubling the side plates. 2 right and 2 left Gaui side plates stacked together, everything bolts up and the tailbox is perfect. You do have to adjust the length of some of the screws but it makes for a really strong tailbox. Anyhoo, thanks again Buzz.

SurfCity
07-09-2008, 02:50 AM
Buzz, thanks for the writeup. Based on your thread a couple days ago, I ordered one of these (http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_321_397&products_id=7875) and one of these (http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_321_397&products_id=7874), which I expect to strengthen the tail considerably. Should arrive tomorrow. Now how about the pitch slider?

stoatnchips
07-09-2008, 05:05 AM
Thanks for the write-up Buzz... the sad thing is i could tell that the MH tail was going to be a great improvement from stock, just by looking at it. I'll update my sorry thread when i finally recieve the replacement.

GeneP
07-09-2008, 12:30 PM
I got the MH tail just because I do what Paul tells us to do.:noteworthy Silver tongued as he is...

I haven't decided if I have become a better crasher due to his input or not. I must say, however, that I'm pretty darn good at it.:wow2:

He's right about the MH tail. Getting it on the heli and lock-titeing everything got on my last nerve - but by golly its on there and is smooth as silk. I like it.

Now if Buzz would just talk me into a DX7...:P

J-Heli
07-09-2008, 03:02 PM
I just got one and flew my Gaui for the first couple of times yesterday with it and I love it! I'm not a huge MH fan to begin with like Buzz, but I'm very impressed with this particular product. I 100% agree with everything Buzz said, especially on the durability side of things :). Great write-up Buzz!

psindrup
07-09-2008, 07:01 PM
Hi Poul Buzz

Thanks for a detailed review.

Which of the two MicroHeli tails are you referring to?

The one with the two separate side plates or the one mentioned in the thread "You guys seen this?"

http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_321_397&products_id=7875

Peter

Buzzkill
07-09-2008, 07:21 PM
This one, with seperate side-plates. It's the "complete" tail.

http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_321_397&products_id=5939

psindrup
07-09-2008, 07:55 PM
This one, with seperate side-plates. It's the "complete" tail.

http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_321_397&products_id=5939

That's the one I first bought.

Broke the little "ring" that secures/tightens the tail unit to the boom - and that was the end of that.

Have been trying to get another one from MH for about a month, and now - finally - it seems as we are getting somewhere - and then they "refused" my Paypal payment. :thinking

I have ordered the EP 100 linked to in the other thread.

Peter

piper
07-09-2008, 08:00 PM
I have just ordered the parts to convert my SD to the belt driven tail and the MH tail. I hope you guys are right about the durability. I don't want to be always fixing the tail drive. My belt on my Trex and never given any problem in probably 50+ flights and I am on the original belt without any kind of lube. The belt seems as new as the day I first got the heli.

I hope that this belt drive is as good.

rotorhead58d
07-09-2008, 08:02 PM
i have never busted a belt on my 200

Buzzkill
07-09-2008, 08:05 PM
It is stronger,smoother and last longer than the stock tail assembly. That's a fact. Prerformance takes a small hit but, IMO the belt flys just fine. The major factor in tail performance is of course gyro/servo combination.

What tail servo and gyro are you using?

SurfCity
07-09-2008, 08:47 PM
i have never busted a belt on my 200

I didn't exactly bust mine. But when I landed -- kinda hard; dropped it from about three inches -- it was broken. Glad I was on the ground.

psindrup
07-11-2008, 06:51 AM
i have never busted a belt on my 200

Never had any problems with my belt on the Gaui 200 for more than 40 flights and my T-rex 500 for 140 flights.

I will stay belt for a long time forward ....

Peter

GeneP
07-11-2008, 09:02 AM
I just hammered into the pavement at full throttle from 50 feet up yesterday and broke this and that to say the least. Even had a neighbor come over to see what that UFO was that hit my driveway and splattered - literally. When it hit, blades and stuff went back up in the air and dribbled down. Guess what! The MH tail is fine - absolutely no damage. The CF boom snapped, however.

Oh yeah, why did I decide to drive like that. I accidently hit the idle up switch and didn't realize it...with the throttle stick at full off.:clappp

psindrup
07-11-2008, 10:04 AM
I just hammered into the pavement at full throttle from 50 feet up yesterday and broke this and that to say the least. Even had a neighbor come over to see what that UFO was that hit my driveway and splattered - literally. When it hit, blades and stuff went back up in the air and dribbled down. Guess what! The MH tail is fine - absolutely no damage. The CF boom snapped, however.

Oh yeah, why did I decide to drive like that. I accidently hit the idle up switch and didn't realize it...with the throttle stick at full off.:clappp

Sorry for your loss, Gene :thumbdown:

Remember throttle hold overrides all "dumb thumb switching" :smokin: :thumbup:

Peter

Buzzkill
07-11-2008, 10:29 AM
Bummer about the crash, good to hear you didn't break the tail !! Get it back in the air soon. :thumbup:

GeneP
07-11-2008, 10:59 AM
Thanks, guys. I usually go into a kind of shocked thingy when I wipe out. This was so bad that I was too shocked to go into the usual shock.

Not to worry - I have everything on order. I'll be ready to crash again soon...:thumbup:

GeneP
07-11-2008, 12:21 PM
Radio question

Are these the same thing:

SWASH MIX:
AILE +70
ELEV +70
PITCH +70

REVERSE:
AILE = N
ELEV = R
PITCH =R
GYRO =N

AND:

SWASH MIX:
AILE -70
ELEV -70
PITCH -70

REVERSE:
AILE =R
ELEV = N
PITCH =N
GYRO =R

SurfCity
07-11-2008, 02:24 PM
This was so bad that I was too shocked to go into the usual shock.

:rolling

stoatnchips
07-11-2008, 02:28 PM
Sorry to hear about the mishap... I managed to killed the Head and Frame of my 450 yesterday so i'm feeling some of the same pain!!

GeneP
07-11-2008, 04:06 PM
The little Gaui makes me feel different when she's lieing in pieces on the work bench than the bigger ones. Nobody that cute and little should be just sitting with her guts all busted up.:bawl

Did anybody pay any attention to that question I posed on the previous page. Maybe it is too stupid to ask...!?! I am thinking that I am set up backwards. And whats worse, I can't tell the difference.:roll:

Ecklund1
07-11-2008, 04:48 PM
Gene,
According to my (7C) manual, "+" & "-" swash settings are not the same as reversing the channels. Using one or the other depends on Servo rotation/orientation. If, however, you can see no difference between the two setups, then I think you are safe. I understand needing swash servo mixing/interaction amounts, but I'm no expert. Perhaps one way (or the other) will not allow other Tx functions to work properly.

I was going through my manual last night after reading what all you guys are doing with swash mixes all over the place. I don't quite understand what would require so many different setting. Am I wrong to have +50% across the board? :dontknow

GeneP
07-11-2008, 05:07 PM
I understand all I need to know about this hobby to make a complete fool out of myself. For those setting I mentioned to be the same of course you would be using the same servos, etc.