TREX 600CF FBL conversion - which main shaft?

[getsuyoubi]

I recently bought a used 600CF (yes, that's right - the original belt driven 600!) at a great price, and I'm thinking of converting it to flybarless.
According to the manual the main shaft is 201mm long and has that separate collar. Can I use the same shaft with, say, the RJX head, or do I need a shorter one?
Since the shorter main shaft of the 600E has that collar ring machined right onto the shaft, would that one fit, or is that collar at the wrong height?
I'm also considering just removing the flybar and go directly from the swash to the blade grips. This would only require longer linkage rods, probably the ones from the TREX 700 (the rod itself needs to be about 80mm long, or 100mm between balls, if I add up the numbers in the manual correctly).
Thanks!!!

[reichly]

Mine already came converted. I had to replace the main shaft and I used a AGNH60159 which I got from Amain.

[getsuyoubi]

That seems to be the same main shaft I have - it's 201mm long. Which head are you using - the Align FBL head (non-DFC)? Can't find that head anywhere, only all the separate parts, which adds up...

[reichly]

It is a DFC head but has no Align insignia on it. It has really long DFC link rods. I will try to post a pic later.

[SumOFparts]

Any of the align ver 1 fbl 550/600 heads - that are plentiful on the resale forums will fit this - I am sure some buddy out there has one they'd sell you on the cheap.....

ie - http://rc.runryder.com/helicopter/t794066p1/


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[getsuyoubi]

By version 1 you mean non-DFC, or are there any differences even among those?
I'm probably over-thinking this. Had no problem converting my 450PRO and my 500E with Tarot heads, but these different main shaft lengths on the various 600s really confuse me. I know that the DFC shaft is shorter, but how about the non-DFC version?

[SumOFparts]

The shaft you use is determined whether or not you run the third bearing - if you do - believe this is correct -

edit -

http://www.amainhobbies.com/rc-helic...hn6118/p188683

If you dont run third bearing - then the I the 600 fbl main shaft is correct -

http://www.ronlund.com/rcheli-prod/T...BL/H55006.html


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A good source to look up different parts for the differenct series of the align is Ron Lund's RC helis -

http://www.ronlund.com/rcheli/ALIGN_PARTS.html

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http://www.ronlund.com/mm5/part_find...Trex_600CF.pdf



cORRECTION Edited -

[getsuyoubi]

Great, this really explains the mystery! Thanks!!!

[SumOFparts]

The extra tall main shaft that came oem w/600 cf is taller than the fbl units to allow for the Flybar space - 201mm

Later when align first fbl's came out with the 3g gyro - the mains shrunk down to 191.8mm

You could fly fbl fine with the 201mm - flip and rolls would be little tamer/slower....and would require longer main links....and would be little more stable upright....

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As far as the heads - the latest head system out for their 600's is a kit to convert 600dfc pro head back to 600efl's - which are coming back into favor -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALIGN-T-REX-...item25961e94bf

but you still have to buy grips, feather shaft, and main shaft separate - $$$ -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALIGN-TREX-5...item3ab2e5e514

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[getsuyoubi]

I'm pretty much a scale flier, so slower flips and rolls won't matter to me. So, if I get a non-DFC FBL head I need either a shorter (191.8mm) main shaft, or longer main linkages to use it with the existing 201mm shaft - correct? This is great info, especially since some time down the road I'm planning to install this heli in a scale fuselage. This way I can adjust the main rotor height by a centimeter, depending on what exact heli model I decide on!
Do you happen to have a link for those longer main linkages?

[SumOFparts]

These are the longest I know of - but require the 700 size 5mm balls -

http://www.ronlund.com/rcheli-prod/A...D/HN7100A.html

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AND These are the longest I've ever used for the 177mm/2bearing shaft on my 550s/600s-
I dont use the third bearing blocks on any of mine - not required for sport flying -

http://www.helidirect.com/align-600e...00efl-pro.html

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http://www.ronlund.com/mm5/merchant....=ALIGN550_HEAD

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[SumOFparts]

Woops - heres some that are 85mm - so you can get any range your head/main shaft desires - just have to set up your unique head mounted on main shaft mounted on heli with swash and then measure swash ball to grip ball to obtain zero pitch......every head is gonna be just a little different...

http://www.helidirect.com/align-700-...700e-700n.html

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[getsuyoubi]

Fantastic! Time to start looking for a FBL head then...

[reichly]

Here are the pictures of my 600CF DFC head and links.

Sorry for the thumbnail version, you can click on them to embiggen. I can't get my FTP password to work to upload to my pic site to upload to here.

[getsuyoubi]

Nice! I'm after a non-DFC head, in case you have any that you want to get rid of...

[strat1960s]

I converted a first generation 600E/CF and a first generation 600E/ESP to DFC heads. I went through several shafts until I found one that was just right. It was a case of this one was too long. This one was too short. Finally I found one that was just right.
I'm a big fan of the Beast X controller. I'm an even bigger fan of the AR7200BX. In order to correctly program the controller I need a specific amount of blade pitch. I first tried the connecting rods, but realized it was the main shaft that was throwing everything out of whack.
There may be some helpful info in a previous thread.
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread...ighlight=shaft

I'm not able to check it now, but later I can pull the shaft I am using to see what size it is.

Ted

[strat1960s]

I just noticed that you are not using a dfc type head. Sorry. Please disregard my post.

Ted

[getsuyoubi]

Ted,

Where did you finally end up on those servo wheels? I read the thread you linked, but the final solution is not mentioned there.
I got the right main shaft, but now I'm chasing that elusive blue light...

[rcflyerheli]

Originally Posted by getsuyoubi

Ted,

Where did you finally end up on those servo wheels? I read the thread you linked, but the final solution is not mentioned there.
I got the right main shaft, but now I'm chasing that elusive blue light...

I posted my conversion notes over on your thread on the other forum. With that bellcrank, you will not be able to use a standard servo wheel as was shown earlier, the mechanical advantage is simply too great. Even with dedicated FBL head there is simply too much throw to get the blue lite on your controller, or get it into the green band on my Vbar. Your ball spacing on the servo output can't be any greater than 16mm (8mm per side), and you (I) couldn't get the balls in close enough to center on a Futaba servo wheel. I had to go to JR servos to get the center hub small enough to allow the backup nuts on the ball studs to fit.

[rcflyerheli]

Here are a couple photos of my 600ESP. Sorry the photos aren't any better, as this was my backup camera. Managed to misplace the charger to my main one that is dedicated to still photos instead of movies. The first shows the bellcrank being aligned with the center of the elevator servo, and the A arm being centered in the hole.

No 2 was from the opposite side, and no 3 shows the ele servo mount modification to get the extreme angle off the pushrods when the balls were moved to the opposite side of the servo arm.

This heli has flown consistently this way for over 3 years, and had no tracking issues. I did a nitro FBL main shaft for the third bearing block and dedicated FBL grips to cut down on the throw.

In my case with my Vbar, it took all of this to get the cyclic and collective throws within the green band on the setups.