Align 700 nitro clutch breaking

[Rahulgaba]

This is the third one and last two have been lynx

I read about clutch and liner gapping and removed the old liner, used the jb weld and tape method to install the new clutch liner. I read that method here at HF somewhere

One flight and done!! The third new lynx clutch is out!!!!! Help!! :/

[dchekas]

Originally Posted by Rahulgaba

This is the third one and last two have been lynx

I read about clutch and liner gapping and removed the old liner, used the jb weld and tape method to install the new clutch liner. I read that method here at HF somewhere

One flight and done!! The third new lynx clutch is out!!!!! Help!! :/

If you're breaking the clutch in one flight, something is drastically wrong.

With a single wrap of electrical tape and a brand new, 1mm thick liner, the clutch should be very grabby during the first start. Is this the case?

[Rahulgaba]

One wrap of electrical?.. I might have done two. Is that bad?

It wasn't grabbing too much. I have another liner sitting

Y'all use lynx clutch or align clutch?

[helivader]

you'll have hard time to scrap out jbweld !

[Rahulgaba]

Any ideas to make it better?

[Baedarlboo]

I use a dremel with a couple different wheels to clean off old epoxy and rough up the bell for the new liner. I also use 2 layers of E-tape so i get equal pressure on the liner while the epoxy is drying. I have not had any issues with my lynx clutch using this method.

[Rahulgaba]

Two layers of electric are much bigger than two layers of cello tape right? Just wondering...
Obviously it's a gap issue here

[ticedoff8]

No, it is NOT a gap issue

Installing the new clutch liner with no layers of tape wrapped around the clutch (to get the 1mm gap) would not result in the clutch breaking after 1 flight.

There is something fundamentally wrong with your setup.

The last time i broke a clutch was after I wore the liner completely away and the clutch was scraping the clutch bell. Then, I had to squeeze the clutch leafs down to get the clutch / bell to mate. And that stressed the hinge point on the leaf and it broke on the first flight.
Otherwise, I have never broken a clutch.

To break 3 in a short time is wrong and has nothing to do with JB Weld or the gap

[Rahulgaba]

Well.. This is v2. I have read multiple posts about the gap of align clutch bell being too much causing premature failures.

What could be "fundamentally" wring, give me ideas...? This isn't my first nitro. It's My 7th. Not my first align. It's my 3rd... Lol so just know that I am not new to building helis.

WHY would a clutch break? You say you never have had a clutch break..? Have you looked at the clutch issues of 700 n v2 on this forum?

The first clutch broke after many many flights. Lynx #2 broke after 15 flights. Saw that my liner was worm down a lot

So I went to new liner, read posts here about gapping the clutch and liner correctly, abd installing the liner. Hence I did

Now if you say something is wrong., give me some ideas help me. I know there is something going on...

Too big of a gap between clutch and liner WILL make a butterfly clutch (without a spring) break. That's a fact.

I'll get to the bottom of this. But please be respectful in your comments

[Baedarlboo]

Try a new clutch bell (with blue liner already installed) and a new Lynx clutch. Maybe your clutch bell is out of spec. Check all your bearings in the clutch stack and assembly. There's got to be something wrong for 3 clutches to just break. Maybe check your crankshaft?

[Sirolf]

Why not go back to a stock Align clutch?
As you said it held up many many flights?

[ticedoff8]

I've been flying the 700 for about 4 years now.
I have been following the forums

The first clutch broke after many many flights. Lynx #2 broke after 15 flights. Saw that my liner was worm down a lot

Were the clutch leafs so over-extended that you had to squeeze them back with your fingers or pliers to get the clutch to mate to the clutchbell?
If so, you caused fractures in the hinge points of the leafs. And, the very next flight, one (or both) broke.
If you have to squeeze the leafs back into position, you should just replace the clutch.

Is the centerline of the engine's crankshaft inline with the starter shaft?
If not, then the clutchbell in wobbling in relationship to the clutch.
Before I do the finial tightening of the clutchbell / starter shaft assembly and the 4 engine mount screws, I will spin the motor with starter, then turn all the screws a little tighter, and spin it again. Then do the final tightening of the screws.
This aligns the starter shaft with the clutch and sets the best alignment between the clutchbell and the clutch.

Have you had cases where the engine starts then kicks back and continues running - but now it is backwards?
If so, that will plane off the liner as soon as you throttle up.
If you do this - stop. The liner is gone. Your day is over.
Take the heli back to the bench and replace the liner.

The gap between a brand new liner and the clutch leafs will affect the RPM at which the clutch engages - not whether it breaks the clutch.

Keep in mind: You flew this heli with the liner totally missing - and the clutch didn't break. It broke after you replaced the liner.

[Rahulgaba]

Well the plot thickens..

I thought it was a broken clutch. But no. It was the brown one way in the clutch. Clutch and liner are intact. The gap is great. The liner is barely rubbing the liner.. All seems good. Crank shaft is true. So is the starter shaft, and the clutch / bearing block. Bearings are smooth. Here I'll post some pics

I seperate the clutch and the bell, prices of metal fall out. They were the bearing elements of the one way start shaft bearing!!!!! Wild isn't it?



Clutch leaves are in the stock position not stretched




Here is the liner I had installed with jb weld

[Baedarlboo]

Contact Lynx. I had the exact thing happen to me. Every piece of the oneway bearing fell out. I sent pictures and proof of purchase because it was brand new. They sent me another clutch. Since I had nothing to lose at that point, I pressed the OWB out of the old stock clutch, and used it in the busted Lynx clutch. It works, so I have a spare on hand now.

[Rahulgaba]

Man!! Ok! Phew so I ain't crazy!!!! Wow

I wish I had kept my old clutch. All I need is a stupid one way to get in the air.

I did open a ticket with them. The photos didn't attach. But I have them. I'll have to find my order reciept somewhere

[busterboy]

I also had the OWB fall in bits on my Lynx heavy duty clutch just the same as pictured here.

Sent it back and got a new replacement..