Lama 400D

[whirlydude]

I just received my 400D a couple days ago, and this is one sweet coaxial!

Here is a pic

[whirlydude]

This helicopter comes RTF, but it does need to be trimmed. The swashplate needed to be leveled, and depending on your flying ability, you may want to increase the servo travel, (extent) and the gyro gain setting (sensitivity) on the rx. Once you have it dialed in your really going to enjoy this helicopter!

[whirlydude]

One thing a person will want to do upon receiving the 400, is check the screws going into metal parts. Mine had no thread loc on any of the screws. That includes the ball screws on the swash as well.

[whirlydude]

Pic of a cool canopy on the 400D!

[OcalaGary]

Where is the best place to buy a Walkera 400D from? Reasonable, shipping rates and delivery times....good price and also customer support?

[whirlydude]

[QUOTE=OcalaGary;2354223]Where is the best place to buy a Walkera 400D from? Reasonable, shipping rates and delivery times....good price and also customer support?[/QUOTE

This is the place where I bought mine. He lists the helicopter as the 2010 metal version, which other places do not. The kit comes RTF, but I know overseas has a place selling it as BNF. The price is $169.90 and the shipping is free! He sends it priority mail, and I had mine in 3 days. There may be cheaper places, but by the time you add on their shipping it's pretty close, and I know this is the newer metal version heli.

http://www.rtfrcairplanes.com/category.sc?categoryId=16

The guy (Brian) says he has all the parts in stock, but I can't get Brian to list them. I have emailed him twice about listing the parts, so one can look at them and order, but it hasn't happened, so I have ordered parts elsewhere.
You can order from overseas, but the wait is long, and the shipping charge has gotten high. Wow Hobbies sells kits and parts also from the US, but for now I get my parts from this place:

http://jaghobbies.com/rc_helicopters/lm400.htm

This place shows the older version helicopter, and some of the parts maybe plastic instead of metal. Some of the silver parts on the older version are plastic, so don't assume they are metal. If you need to order silver parts, call Jim to make sure they are the metal upgraded parts before ordering. Jim has been good at getting parts sent out quick, and is also centrally located, so shipping time isn't bad.

[OcalaGary]

Awesome....just what I was looking for.

Thanks..

[shaggybirdman]

this is just a big coaxial right. not like the lama 3?

[whirlydude]

Originally Posted by shaggybirdman

this is just a big coaxial right. not like the lama 3?

The lama 3 is a big coaxial! It is just a little bigger than the 400D, but the 400D is more stable, easier to fly, less parts, cheaper and easier to repair, and priced better than the lama 3.

[shaggybirdman]

well i meant it (400D) has 2 motors... actually i just remembered seeing 2 motors in a pic of the 400D. is there a brushless conversion for it? brushed motors really turn me off. how do the motors hold up? i can fly a CP heli, but for some reason i like coaxial helis .

[whirlydude]

I don't know that much about the L3. I am just going with what others have said that own them, and wish they hadn't bought one, but there are others that do like them. I believe the motor in the lama 3 is brushed also, but I'm not 100% sure. I haven't had my 400D all that long, so personally I can't tell you how long the motors last. One gentleman I talked with said he had 21 hours on his brushed motors, before converting to brushless. That would be about 126 flights, cause he was doing 10 minute flights on his stock battery. Now here is a site if one wants to go brushless:

http://www.rtf-heli.com/WALKERA_400D_brushless.html

edit: I stand corrected, the lama 3 does have a brushless motor setup!

[shaggybirdman]

that i like. maybe my next heli

[OcalaGary]

I'm saving the link to that site. That camera is pretty cool as well. Going to have to include one of those if I get the motor package....or even with stock motors.

[whirlydude]

Originally Posted by OcalaGary

I'm saving the link to that site. That camera is pretty cool as well. Going to have to include one of those if I get the motor package....or even with stock motors.

Gary, I have had that site bookmarked, and have only looked at the brushless setup, but never looked at anything else on the site until you mentioned it. Thanks!
I have been thinking of mounting a camera, and this looks to be a pretty good setup. I also noticed they have spare parts cheaper than Jag Hobbies. Now take a look at the lower blade connector holder on this site. That part is the plastic version. The new metal version has open ends on the link guides, so that's how you can tell the difference in the pictures. I believe the blade holders are the metal ones, so they should be alright to order if one needs to replace them. The sleeve holder, which holds the bearing for the inner shaft, and sits on the top of the outer shaft looks to be plastic. That should also be metal in either red, or black depending on the color of the heli. The collar with the 2 screws next to the sleeve in the picture, will be plastic. Why I don't know, because the ones on other coaxials, like the blade cx helicopters are metal.
I didn't realize the L3 canopy fit the 400D, but I kind of like the blue, just wish the L3 wasn't printed on it, but I guess it won't hurt anything. (just being picky)

Randy

[OcalaGary]

Helipal seems to carry a good stock of parts too....plastic and metal.

http://www.helipal.com/advanced_sear...parts&x=9&y=11

[whirlydude]

Originally Posted by OcalaGary

Helipal seems to carry a good stock of parts too....plastic and metal.

http://www.helipal.com/advanced_sear...parts&x=9&y=11

It's good to know there are other places around that carry the parts. It makes it alot easier when one has a selection to compare prices and service!

[OcalaGary]

It seems that the site in Texas (RTF) with the great deal and free fast shipping has cancelled the order for my 400D ...no reason.

[whirlydude]

Originally Posted by OcalaGary

It seems that the site in Texas (RTF) with the great deal and free fast shipping has cancelled the order for my 400D ...no reason.

I just went to their site, and the 400D is not listed anymore. I don't know if he's out of stock, or what the deal is, but you would have thought he would have given a reason.
Jag Hobbies has them, for $155 plus shipping, but I don't know if they are the newer version. It looks as if on his site they only have the red one in stock. I think the only part that would not be upgraded to metal would be the lower blade holder connector, which could be upgraded later. With shipping added, I think it would be close to the same as RTF, and Jim at Jag has better customer service also. I contacted Jim about an issue on an open package, in which a small part was missing from the rest, and he sent out another complete package, no questions asked.

http://jaghobbies.com/rc_helicopters/lm400.htm

[OcalaGary]

I decided to order a yellow one from WOW in California.

Hopefully the RTF people will "uncharge" my card since they aren't going to deliver.

It appears that HeliPal is actually located in Hong Kong which may explain why their website is so slow....

[whirlydude]

Here are some pics of a brushless setup on the 400D: