Coverting to FBL head..what do I need ?

[tukkus]

I recently bought a used V1 FBL head and I'm installing it on my heli.

My question is, is the washout base supposed to float on the main shaft. I'm not sure if the washout base is supposed to be secured to something because it looks like there's nothing to secure it to.

I found an online manual but it really doesnt explain much.

[tshelby73]

Originally Posted by tukkus

I recently bought a used V1 FBL head and I'm installing it on my heli.

My question is, is the washout base supposed to float on the main shaft. I'm not sure if the washout base is supposed to be secured to something because it looks like there's nothing to secure it to.

I found an online manual but it really doesnt explain much.

you have to tighten it down to the mainshaft with one of the screws that hold one of the arms.

You should be at 0 pitch, arms should be parallel with each other and pitch links should be straight inline with mainshaft. you need to turn it on the mainshaft to line up pitch links.

[tukkus]

Ahh, does this mean I have to buy a special pitch tool for this FBL head ?

Thanks for the reply.

[tukkus]

I have an Align 700n and I'm converting it to a V1 FBL head that I bought recently.

My question is, do I need a special pitch gauge or something for the FBL head ?

As you can already tell this is my first FBL head so I'm in uncharted waters.

I have today off from work so a trip to Helidirect is in my near future.

[McKrackin]

Some use a fake flybar that mounts in the head button hole.

Me,I just use something level in the background as a reference. Like the top of a door frame or a shelf or anything level I can see past the heli.

Uses the same pitch gauge.

You can get a digital pitch gauge but you don't need it.

[McKrackin]

See what I mean?
Line the pitch gauge up with the top of my garage door.

[SQRT(-2)]

If you feel fancy there is also some other options:

A gravity pitch gauge could also work:



Or a digital one:



Or your Iphone (if you have one) and an app you can download for free. You may have to make an adapter so you can set the phone on the blades. A shelf on your old pitch gauge could work.

[K2Freak]

No, but you do need to set the phasing correctly as described above. The pitch links need to parallel the main shaft.

[tshelby73]

Originally Posted by tukkus

Ahh, does this mean I have to buy a special pitch tool for this FBL head ?

Thanks for the reply.

Hopefully you have a digital pitch gauge, if not you can use a manual gauge but you will need something to screw into center headbutton screw that gives you a level plane to use with gauge. I think align sells them separate and calls them a pitch tool, they normally come with the kit. I used my flybar holding tool on my 450.

[lowsmoke]

If you have a Android phone, you can download from android market a free app for measuring pitch. It uses the phones built in leveler. I use a rubber band around my phone and blade, to strap it down.

[mgorgis]

Originally Posted by lowsmoke

If you have a Android phone, you can download from android market a free app for measuring pitch. It uses the phones built in leveler. I use a rubber band around my phone and blade, to strap it down.

How do you know that the phone attachment to the blade doesn't give some offset that need to be compensated for?

[lowsmoke]

Originally Posted by mgorgis

How do you know that the phone attachment to the blade doesn't give some offset that need to be compensated for?

The zero calibration button needs pressing when at mid stick.

[ahperson]

Originally Posted by lowsmoke

The zero calibration button needs pressing when at mid stick.

I do the same thing. I make sure the heli is level with a bubble level and then I use a metal straight edge ruler that I attach to grips. I set my android phone on the ruler securing it with rubberbands and calibrate it to zero. I use the "rc-heli pitch gauge" app, but I think there's others.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

[Ah Clem]

What McKrackin said!

[mgorgis]

I see

[koppterx]

i use the head button and the chord line on the blades to set zero. simple and it works as well as any pg.. and im talking 90s and 550s, not little stuff. alan szabo told me he hasn't touched a pg in yearsl and its easy to see why with fbl..