550L Metal Shapely Reinforcement Plate pics

[avoidthedog]

Hey guys thought ide post up a pic of the plates on the heli. Didnt make my flying any tighter but at least it didnt feel any heavier lol.

This should have came with the kit. Kind of greedy on aligns part. the frame already had pre drilled holes for the additional frame standoff.

Also included a shot of the glossy carbon 550E boom.

[sportbikerr]

Your 550 looks

Thanks for posting! Align will probably release a 550L TOP like they did with the 700 and that will most likely include the frame stiffeners, 120A ESC, and carbon matte black boom.

[Arvidsson]

OH, Nice touch.. but, really needed? i enjoy looking at other helis of same modell, they all look diffrent (wiring)

mine. Kinda full there in the nose, i have everything there. one way to go is to cut wires and custom length ... but, nah.


more random pics





450L and 550L

[Atomic Skull]

Originally Posted by avoidthedog

Hey guys thought ide post up a pic of the plates on the heli. Didnt make my flying any tighter but at least it didnt feel any heavier lol.

This should have came with the kit. Kind of greedy on aligns part. the frame already had pre drilled holes for the additional frame standoff.

Also included a shot of the glossy carbon 550E boom.

Did you notice that it also has holes drilled for a third bearing block upgrade too?

[jpmero3]

A nice bling for the bird!!![emoji12]

[Atomic Skull]

Just wait, I bet in a few months they release a third bearing block and main shaft upgrade too. The frame already has the holes for it under the maingear. You can actually fit a Trex 600N third bearing block there right now though I'm not sure if a 600N DFC mainshaft will fit (it might with some shimming under the collar)

[jpmero3]

Since I added the 550L frame mounts I noticed I have a vib and the ikon does not like it in bailout mode I will have to add another pad "not tested yet". Also the 700L and 500L & 450L mount there fbl units on the back of the bird where less vibs are no wonder the mounts were not added on the 550l

[Skeezix]

I just came across this thread. What is the advantage of adding the brackets/plates, and why where they not included in the original combo?

[RC/DC_5000]

The motor support brackets are to reinforce the alignment of the motor pinion contact to the main gear. To ensure a perpendicular mesh contact. The 12s 600 and 700 Dominator motors will twist and hit the servos and frames without the brackets.

The modern day HV helicopter motor has so much brutal torque that the motor will literally twist itself right off the pinion. The motor can touch the frame, servos or possibly just strip some teeth.

The bracket is there to keep the motor straight. They also do this with big block combustion motors in cars. The motor will actually break itself loose from weaker motor mount brackets. Or it will torque and twist them and cause problems in the drivetrain alignment along the driveshaft.

I'm not sure if the 6s 550 has that kind of brutal torque. And Align obviously didn't think so either. Perhaps they offered it as upgrade for bling, hard flyers, or upgrades to 12s. That is to say, the 6s 550 motor will bog down before it twists off the pinion. The 12s versions are relentless with torque.

[Skeezix]

Ok - so it sounds more like a bling add on rather than a functional upgrade.

[RC/DC_5000]

For the 550 on 6s.... yea I'd say it serves little or no functional purpose. And Align obviously agreed by not including it. I doubt they'd put a part on that cost them good money (mass production CNC billet aluminum part), weighed more, and was not required.

Its the HV motors that crank out the torque like a stump puller. You have to brace them, loc tite them, and say a prayer that they stay put.

[FNFAL]

I certainly do like the pinion support on the 550L and that will help.

But do I see what I think I'm seeing?

Let me get this straight...

There is an upgrade bracket that Align offers for the 550L.

But it does not tie-in the motor mount and lower main bearing block together...like the way the old one does?

I get the bracket can distribute some of the bending moments to the CF frame, but when the typical Mod 1 tooth is about 2.5mm high, it does not take much misalignment to arrive out of mesh.

[RC/DC_5000]

I agree. The old one was more reinforced. And even the the new ones on the 450, 600 and 700.... have another L shape. They have two L turns on the bracket to brace it both ways.

The 550 bracket only has one L 90 degree. By its design, its minimal support.