aluminum main gear... any advantage?

[Steve Joblin]

Found this on eBay... http://www.ebay.com/itm/321780725169



Certainly has my vote for "looks cool as all heck", but what are the implications from a "performance" and "crash" perspective?

I imagine it would be louder, but would it improve "performance" in any way?

I imagine it would cause significantly more destruction in a "crash"... the plastic teeth of a standard main gear strip away and protect the motor and other components in a crash... what would "give" if I used one of these?

[lcc014]

Originally Posted by Steve Joblin

Found this on eBay... http://www.ebay.com/itm/321780725169



Certainly has my vote for "looks cool as all heck", but what are the implications from a "performance" and "crash" perspective?

I imagine it would be louder, but would it improve "performance" in any way?

I imagine it would cause significantly more destruction in a "crash"... the plastic teeth of a standard main gear strip away and protect the motor and other components in a crash... what would "give" if I used one of these?

Look good, but not sure how strong and rigid it is ....

[MallenP]

I don't see the point in it, yes it looks cool but the amount of damage it would cause just to be a tad bit more true over a plastic gear definitely wouldn't be worth it, and I guarantee it would bend and still be ruined in a crash also causing way more damage to other parts on top!

[alyon187]

Def agree with mallenP, think about your motor and your pin on... they would be toast more than likely.

[Jumna]

We get metal geared servos, and they are considered better than plastic. They still strip but they strip less. Maybe this would be similar. And it would be great for that totally CNC machine I guess.

Cool looking. Huh, I just ordered some main gears today - coulda gotten cnc!

[pctomlin]

That gear is great until you crash your heli. Can you imagine the burs on the teeth, oh wait, it has a nasty bend too. I wouldn't waste my money on it, stick to the sacrificial plastic gears.

[DominicD]

It would wear out pretty quick, and wouldn't fly any better. The only reason some big helis have metal main gears is because of the torque of a modern 90 sized heli can ripe plastic apart, but that isn't a problem on a 450.

[deebee]

I imagine it would either wear out or tear the teeth off your pinion in a crash. The first time you go in before you get to throttle hold it would tear up a lot. Probably even get warped itself.
Maybe someone who has had one can comment.
If I were going to spend on a main gear I would get a cnc cut delrin gear it is much more accurate and warp free as well as a bit stronger. Just my 2cents.

[prismatic]

I dont see any benefit other than cool factor.

[RC/DC_5000]

Agreed. Its pretty cool and unusual. But the plastic main gears last forever, require no lubrication, weigh less, and strip in a crash to reduce overall damage.

SAB has a metal main gear option... but thats on a 700 class heli with extreme torque and big blades. There's just no point on a 450.

Even then, guys use 12s on the plastic SAB main gear... Its when you get up into 14s and up that the main gear starts to give out.

Lastly, metal on metal contact creates frictional heat. Those gears would need to be lubed. And just that extra amount of work would kill it for me. More work, no benefit, only drawback.