Question on Setup Step E

[lovespicyfood]

Hello,

I am setting up my AR7200BX on my 450X and I have a question regarding setup step E. I first setup the tail servo center and then moved the servo so the tail slider was exactly in the middle of the tail shaft. When I enter step E to setup tail servo endpoints, I cannot get the throw to go completely from one side to the other. There is approximately a 1/4" left on either side of the tail shaft at the maximum throw. Is this okay or should I move the ball in on the servo arm?

Thank you,
Pete

[HFMan]

You need to get it to travel to both ends- the BeastX will perform better once it understands what your travel limits are.

I'd say you need to move out on the servo arm. What servo are you using that prevented full travel?

[lovespicyfood]

Thank you for the reply.

This is a stock servo. I bought this ship used and am going through it. Hmmm...I guess that out would increase throw....not sure why the stock setup wouldn't have max throw?!?!

[Talesin]

It should be screwed into one of the larger 'interstitial' holes, not one of the row of three tiny ones. I'm kind of wondering if he gave you a wrong servo too at this point. Do you mean with the servo rotated all the way clockwise or CCW, you still haven't hit the end of the tail axle with the slider rod? Here's a pic of the correct hole for the tail pushrod to be mounted into.

If I remember correctly, he also gave you a 'funny' feathering shaft. May have just outright screwed you on a ton of parts that /looked/ to pass muster but weren't the right thing, to sell off the heli. Make sure the tail servo is an EFlite EFLRDS76T, and unsnap the slider from the tail pushrod.. make sure IT can move all the way to each endpoint. I'm trying to imagine... maybe HIS hobby shop didn't have any Blade 450 3D/X parts in stock, and they tried replacing them with B400 parts? Or he was just a scam artist.

(edit 2: Those tail servo mounts are an aftermarket hop-up, the stockers are black plastic.)

[lovespicyfood]

Talesin- thank you for the reply and pic!

I checked it out. The servo is the stock unit and the ball is in the same position as yours. I popped off the control rod and the movement is okay, the tail slider goes to both extremes with no drag. The tail servo seems okay with no broken gears.

Hmmm...not sure what is happening...

Pete

[ahahn]

First off, I don't have the 450X (waiting for a 300X!), but a couple of questions.

What you want ti do with the servo centering is to have the servo centered and the ball at 90 degrees to the boom (I think you did this).

Next you want the bellcrank at the tail to be at 90 degrees too. For this you adjust the location of the servo on the boom.

Now I am not sure that this puts the slider in the midway position on the shaft or not (like I said, I don't have a 450X). But if it doesn't, don't worry.

Next you set up the travel limits.

I'm guessing that perhaps the midpoint of the shaft isn't correct. Without the bellcrank at 90 degrees, you may not get enough throw to get to the limits.

So just check the bellcrank angle. Hope this is of some use.

[lovespicyfood]

Thanks for the reply ahahn. I will check that, but I think it's all good. I think if the bellcrank was off, it would skew the travel to one side. I get even travel on both sides, I just don't get enough travel.

At work, but I just realized I have 30% expo on the rudder. That shouldn't technically affect travel, but I'm wondering if perhaps it is interacting with the AR7200BX adversely?! I do know I have full travel on all channels and no sub-trim...

There has to be something I'm missing... I will report back if I resolve this...

Regards,
Pete

[anmatheextreme]

I have the same thing too where on full servo travel it doesn't touch the extremes on the tail shaft and leave 0.5 cm off of each side of the shaft. I left it like that but now you got me thinking....

[HFMan]

I doubt the expo on the transmitter expo has any affect on the BeastX setup in setting E. All the BeastX is looking for in this step is that you are moving the rudder stick in a particular direction... It doesn't care how much you are moving it. It simply is looking for an indicated Right or Left direction. If the BeastX cannot move the tail all the way over in any particular direction, the only explanation is the mechanical setup is causing the limited travel.

Originally Posted by lovespicyfood

Thanks for the reply ahahn. I will check that, but I think it's all good. I think if the bellcrank was off, it would skew the travel to one side. I get even travel on both sides, I just don't get enough travel.

At work, but I just realized I have 30% expo on the rudder. That shouldn't technically affect travel, but I'm wondering if perhaps it is interacting with the AR7200BX adversely?! I do know I have full travel on all channels and no sub-trim...

There has to be something I'm missing... I will report back if I resolve this...

Regards,
Pete

[Gregchico]

Here are some setup videos. I had too had this question about the tail setup....

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=268460

[lovespicyfood]

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! I will try to work on his tonight. The tail cas was broken when I got it so maybe I put the arm on wrong or something like that... I will report back!

Pete

[lovespicyfood]

I am at a loss for why I cannot get full travel on my tail rotor shaft. I went through the entire setup and everything seems spot on.

[Talesin]

You've done the tail endpoint adjust step, and kept holding the stick over in the appropriate direction? The servo horn will rotate to approximately 45 degrees in either direction (possibly a bit more) with a proper full throw. Have you tried rotating the horn with the heli powered off, to check if it's binding or otherwise damaged? Should not click, just whirr smoothly. And again, have you checked the servo model to make sure you didn't get a bad one?

[lovespicyfood]

Originally Posted by Talesin

You've done the tail endpoint adjust step, and kept holding the stick over in the appropriate direction? The servo horn will rotate to approximately 45 degrees in either direction (possibly a bit more) with a proper full throw. Have you tried rotating the horn with the heli powered off, to check if it's binding or otherwise damaged? Should not click, just whirr smoothly. And again, have you checked the servo model to make sure you didn't get a bad one?

Hi Talesin,

Yes, I have done all that. There is no binding in the tail pitch slider; with the control rod off it goes smoothly from one end all the way to the other. Servo is verified as the stock tail servo. I do the tail endpoint adjustment but still get ~1/4" of unused travel on each end of the tail pitch slider...it just will not go any farther.

I did the tail end point adjustment with the tail rod off and it seems I get a little less than forty five degrees in each direction of servo travel. All settings for the servo are default stock for frequency and centering.

Ugh.

[Talesin]

Try holding the adjust-increase for a given direction, and 'help' the pushrod a little with your fingers. Had someone else with an elevator servo that went weak and started to bind at certain points. Failing that, call Horizon and ask? That's definitely not on, and I wouldn't risk flying it until I found out for certain.

May be worth doing a full BeastX reset, if you haven't already, and re-centering the pots.

[lovespicyfood]

Hi Talesin,

I started from a full reset. I am not sure what is happening....

I did, however, maiden it in my front street just tonight. Just a hover and slow ff. Wow, nice! Reminds me of my older 12s 600 electric! Powerful and stable! Seems like it will fly much bigger than what I am used to in the 450 size.

I need to button up the wiring a bit and I hope to fly it after work tomorrow. Four packs are charging now!

[lovespicyfood]

Despite it being a windy day, 12-13mph with gusts into the 20s, I flew two packs through my 450X today. I was thoroughly impressed with the power and stability. It handled the wind so well, I couldn't believe it. I now know why people have been raving about the Beast controllers for so long. I am definitely going to get an AR7200BX for my EFL 600 Pro!

Pete

[Talesin]

Yup, like the wind's not even there, up to about 20-25mph. I'm considering a 700E in the close future, but it appears all of the Align kits come with a 3GX. Due to a friend's (catastrophically bad) experience with one, and Align's (dismally horrible) service, I'm going to be opting for either an AR7200BX (buy another 450X, keep it as spares!) or a full separate Microbeast when it happens. Been told I need to give VBar or Skookum a shot before settling in like that, but BeastX has made a very impressive showing so far (tail shake aside).