Convert FB head to FBL?

[copterboy]

Hey Guys,

I have a TRex600N with a Kasama Head and QuickUK swash. I wondered if it's possible to convert the FB head to FBL?

I know it's possible to do it with the original Align head, so it would be a conversion along those lines. Can anyone offer any advice?

Many Thanks

[trillian]

There are two ways to do it.

In both cases you'll need a swash driver, so you can either pull out the locating pins for the washout and use a separate swash driver. Or there may be ways of modding the washout assembly into a swash driver and securing it in place in which case you could leave the pins in.

Then you have the linkage to the grips which you can do one of two ways: 1. keep the mixer arms and use a longer link in place of the link that now goes to the flybar which will now be anchored in place on the headblock. You'll need to find the easiest way of mounting a ball on the headblock to anchor the link to (ala the Faifa Cyber head). The other approach is to remove the mixer arms and attach an extended ball link to the grip arms. I have seen a Faifa done this way using some Dune link balls (the ones that go to the grip arms on the Dune, they're about 14-15mm long, but you may find others that will also work just fine).

[copterboy]

Excellent!! Just what I wanted to know

For the swashdriver, I've heard guys have drilled through the washout base and shaft, to insert a screw through the whole thing. So hoping that would be my solution for it.

I'm a little unclear about what you mean in method one, but managed to find a good enough image on google (which was originally from HF ). Hmmm...seems a little complicated for a man of my means!

Method 2 sounds more promising then. Looking at an image of the Dune cyberhead, I wonder if the metal arms from the blade grips can be replaced? They look a bit beefier, if there is such a word, so they probably wont fit my old blade grips. Does anyone have a Dune and set of calipers who can give me some measurements from the blade grip arms? Most important is the width, so I know if it fits into the slot on the grips.

Hopefully, the dune arms will fit the old grips!! Then I just need to find the right ball

[trillian]

Originally Posted by copterboy

Excellent!! Just what I wanted to know

For the swashdriver, I've heard guys have drilled through the washout base and shaft, to insert a screw through the whole thing. So hoping that would be my solution for it.

I'm a little unclear about what you mean in method one, but managed to find a good enough image on google (which was originally from HF ). Hmmm...seems a little complicated for a man of my means!

Method 2 sounds more promising then. Looking at an image of the Dune cyberhead, I wonder if the metal arms from the blade grips can be replaced? They look a bit beefier, if there is such a word, so they probably wont fit my old blade grips. Does anyone have a Dune and set of calipers who can give me some measurements from the blade grip arms? Most important is the width, so I know if it fits into the slot on the grips.

Hopefully, the dune arms will fit the old grips!! Then I just need to find the right ball

If you have the means to drill and tap the washout base you could just put a set-screw on both sides so it stays put right under the headblock. I would tend to avoid drilling a hole through the main shaft.

I converted an Outrage rotorhead to FBL by just removing the washout guide pins from the headblock and then I used a separate swash driver that just clamps onto the shaft.

I have a 50 size Kasama flybarred head and I also have a Dune so I can check the size and bolt spacing on the grip arms. But if the Dune arms won't fit you can still just attach some long-ish balls to the existing grip arms to get the right geometry, this has been done on the stock Faifa grip arms and works fine.

I'll dig out the flybarred head and do some comparing of the Dune grip arms tomorrow as it's kinda late here in the UK. :-)

[copterboy]

I'm also from the UK and not in bed either Would really appreciate it if you can confirm that No rush though, spent lots of time researching it today, but now the bank holidays over, I'm back to the grindstone for rest of the week.

I was thinking that about the main shaft as I typed it, so I think that is what the guy must have meant. Doing the research today and taking in so much information, some details are getting muddled up! Agreed it would weaken the shaft!!

I managed to find another picture earlier, and the proportions looked different. Hoping the first pic I saw was just out of proportion, and they'll be ok for the old grips!! My old grip arms are 8mm wide, and the centre's for hole's 11mm. Would be interested to know overall length of the arm and long ball too, say from the first hole to centre of the ball

[trillian]

Doh! I didn't bother to look at your location! It was right about my normal bed time then and I started watching a silly documentary and now it truly is way past my bed time. But I will definitely have a close look at this tomorrow and report back.

[trillian]

OK, I have had a chance to look closely at these grip arms. I took them both off to see if the Dune arms would just bolt on.

Unfortunately the Dune arms use bigger bolts and the Dune grips have a wider channel machined in where the grip arms fit in. The bolt spacing looks the same but at least on the FB head that I have the bolts are smaller, something like 3mm vs 4mm for the Dune bolts.

I think the easiest way to do a conversion on this FB head is to remove the mixer arms and fit some long-ish balls, so extend outward the link to the swash by about a centimeter or so. Then pull out or grind off the washout pins and get a standalone swash driver. I managed to get an Ely.Q swash driver assembly for £10.00, pretty much anything that fits a 10mm shaft should work.

(alternatively you may be able to find a different set of grip arms that could be modded to fit, maybe Outrage or RJX or something)

This is the flybarred head that I have. I got it with an airframe but have never used it.

[copterboy]

Too drunk to take in this information tonight , but thankful all the same

Will get my work done 2m, and have a look when I'm back home and sober. Just got a PM off UK distributor, which seems to say something similar

Just glad I can do it somehow, and keep this beautiful slop free piece of machining on my heli

[trillian]

Here's a couple pics of the Faifa 'cyber' head. It keeps the mixer arms and simply anchors the other link to the headblock.

I think the FB head can probably be modded exactly like this using a ball link that fits on the other end of the base of the headblock where it clamps to the main shaft and then make up a longer link to go from the mixer arm.

This solves the grip arm issue and then all you need is a swash driver. And, it works very well BTW.

[copterboy]

Great info there. Was looking again last night, but got to late to post!

I have the same head in the earlier post #7. But my mixing arms are slightly different (as in both balls are at 90deg to the arm).

Everything considered so far, I've decided I'll remove the mixer arms, keeping the grip arms. Then add an 18mm ball link instead (as recommended by yourself earlier and Ben). Will also get the longer links (to join the swashplate to grips).

KSM53-109 Ball Links
KSM20-H11 75mm Long Links

Then it's just a question of how to drive the swash, and I've not quite settled on that yet. Need to re-over it again, as I need to understand exactly what it is I'm trying to achieve. Main point of confusion being do I remove the pins or not? Don't really want to pay for the KSM or Ely.Q swash driver if I can help it, but will if I have to!

So for now, I plan to do the same as my friend did with his T600. I'll drill the washout base and add a couple of grub screws (think he only used one, but I'll keep it balanced). Got enough tools to do that at least.

For now, I've got to sit tight for another week or two. Been finishing another mod, and won't get to test it till next weekend. Then, if all is ok after the tests, then I can go ahead with the conversion!

Thanks again for your help Will do some pics when I get back to it.