Blade SR Bible

[SYMAWD]

Solve general problems here:

The manual
Head and tail disassembly plus other helpful links
Center hub replacement
Feathering shaft (spindle) replacement
Picture of feathering shaft assembly
Reduce your tail wag
How to Properly set Your 2 in 1 Mixer
Glue you swash plate
Break in your tail motor
Fly bar tension
Increase visibility
Main motor failure prevention
Flying in idle up
Are stock blades for you?
Pin your boom
Replace your dampeners
Broken receiver wire?
Stripped tail blade adapter?
Get rid of your vibrations
Increase your performance
Flip your grips
Brushless tail upgrade
Belt drive tail
Convert your Blade SR into a Trex 250
Convert transmitter to mode 1

Learn how to setup your SR:
CCPM setup Part 1
CCPM setup Part 2

Blade 400 3d Pitch Gauge 101 (6 min 38 sec)

If using the pitch gauge in the video, learn to modify it here (it doesn't fit stock blades)
How to adjust blade tracking
DX6i settings
Instructions for the belt drive kit from Freestyle-Hobby

Parts to keep on hand:

Blades- stock ones can survive a tip over, but Blade CP Pro ones may not

Feathering shaft- these will bend even in a minor crash. Keep a few on hand

Main shaft- most likely won't damage in a tip over, but will bend in a hard crash

Tail boom- if it bends they can be bent back straight, but can snap if bent back too many times

Tail motor- these can burn out rather quickly so it's a good idea to have a spare

Blade grips- most of the times they will survive but in a hard tip over they will most likely break at the mixer arm

Fly bar- can bend in a crash, but like the tail boom it can usually be bent back

O ring dampeners- these will get chewed up over time, it is best to replace them with V1 Trex 450 ones

Tail motor wire leads- these can easily be cut or stripped during tail boom replacement or in a crash

Landing gear- pretty durable but will snap on a hard landing or nose first crash

Main gear- you better be quick with throttle hold or it will strip in a crash

I recommend buying these parts at HopMeUp. They have fast, cheap shipping and most prices are below MSRP.


Blade SR Beginner's Guide

Unboxing
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVZzYOjwQKQ&feature=plcp[/ame]

Preparing for the Maiden
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTLPb8lFGX8&feature=plcp[/ame]

Removing the Ratcheting Throttle
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQnl3FCOzEQ&feature=plcp[/ame]

Alleviating Tail Wag
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y45VU0lBiNE&feature=plcp[/ame]

[John Shipley]

Good job!! Thanks for all your hard work.....J

[jaydekay]

Well done gathering all the helpful posts!

[Rockin72]

Originally Posted by SYMAWD

Solve general problems here:

The manual
Head and tail disassembly plus other helpful links
Center hub replacement
Feathering shaft (spindle) replacement
Picture of feathering shaft assembly
Reduce your tail wag
Glue you swash plate
Break in your tail motor
Fly bar tension
Increase visibility
Main motor failure prevention
Flying in idle up
Are stock blades for you?
Pin your boom
Replace your dampeners
Broken receiver wire?
Stripped tail blade adapter?
Get rid of your vibrations
Increase your performance
Flip your grips
Brushless tail upgrade
Belt drive tail
Convert transmitter to mode 1

Learn how to setup your SR:

Pitch gauge 101
If using the pitch gauge in the video, learn to modify it here (it doesn't fit stock blades)
How to adjust blade tracking
DX6i settings

Parts to keep on hand:

Blades- stock ones can survive a tip over, but Blade CP Pro ones may not

Feathering shaft- these will bend even in a minor crash. Keep a few on hand

Main shaft- most likely won't damage in a tip over, but will bend in a hard crash

Tail boom- if it bends they can be bent back straight, but can snap if bent back too many times

Tail motor- these can burn out rather quickly so it's a good idea to have a spare

Blade grips- most of the times they will survive but in a hard tip over they will most likely break at the mixer arm

Fly bar- can bend in a crash, but like the tail boom it can usually be bent back

O ring dampeners- these will get chewed up over time, it is best to replace them with V1 Trex 450 ones

Tail motor wire leads- these can easily be cut or stripped during tail boom replacement or in a crash

Landing gear- pretty durable but will snap on a hard landing or nose first crash

Main gear- you better be quick with throttle hold or it will strip in a crash

I recommend buying these parts at HopMeUp. They have fast, cheap shipping and most prices are below MSRP.

Visit the full bible at http://bladesrbible.webs.com/

Hi, I'm new to the site and finally to the thrills of RC Heli flying. Thank you ALL so much for this info. Test flight on the DX6 with the posted setup was AWESOME...it really is a different heli. Thanks again...happy heli'ing ;-)

[dannylightning]

looking at the pics of the head you have up there, that's a good idea, will definately help out noobs or if you are just having one of those days and get confused lol

[marcoeldragon]

Great job hope this is a big help to all, noobies and veterans alike. Mighty glad I suggested it.

[CrazyHeliDude]

Excellent Thanks for posting.

[d.k.v]

Thanks for this mate. Helped me alot

[Hayden.J.W]

does anyone have the specs of the main axis shaft as i want to make some out of CF rod please and thank you in mm would be appreciated i dont have callipers to measure it myself, i know tail boom is 8mm x 272mm but main axis shaft i need to know

[StrikeEagleCC]

3.97mm diameter
79.07 mm long
hole for hub: 2.00mm dia, center 4.22mm from end
hole for gear: 2.00mm dia, center 3.0mm from end
collar flat spot: 4.00mm long, 0.25mm deep, upper edge 27.60mm from hub end

[celm]

the servo to swash linkages ,how long do they come from factory?

[GeKu]

refer to post #2 https://www.helifreak.com/showthread...ht=Link+length

[TDubya]

http://www.rchelicopterfun.com/blade-sr.html


Here is a great review about the blade SR that may better explain to others why the bird is what it is.
As a beginner learning to fly a CP heli I have enjoyed this bird the way it is set up from the factory with the stock Radio..I will be the first to agree it is not a 3d capable bird set up this way but for hoovering and slow circuits like a beginner will be doing it is just fine by me. As you may learn there are a bunch of guys here on HF making their SR birds more suitable to advanced type flying and maneuvers because they are no longer beginners and you need to ask yourself do you want a beginner type heli that is easy to fly as a beginner or do you want to make it 3d capable or way more responsive only to find out you are not quite up to that level yet? I have learned that I still have a way to go as far as flying with the rest of the guys ( I have about 30 flights on my SR and 20 or so on my MCPX) so for now I will keep my bird the way it is for a little while longer. What I am trying to say here is do not worry about what others are doing. Go at your own pace and comfort level.

[Maxoni]

Just programmed my Transmitter really like the settings switched a few things around to fit my needs giving me one less thing to worry about thanxs for putting out all the info on the SR as I can say it takes the frustration away and me having to travel to LHS

[BruceGB]

I can fly the Blade 120SR just fine, and figured my next move to the Blade SR would be a breeze. Not so! I have the training gear and have attempted a few VERY simple hovers on a gym floor, and managed to crash the bird onto the floor from about 2 feet off the floor. And yep, managed to break some parts. Crap!! Got a simulator ordered and definitely need to get on that I guess! But my real question here is this: trying to fly this bird conservatively in the gym only a few feet off the ground seems ineffective. I feel like I need some "working room" (elevation) to get a sense of how to control the beast. I just happen to have two stock transmitters for this Blade SR, so can anyone educate me on how to set up a buddy box system with an experienced pilot so that I can fly this bird (probalby outside) and go from there?

[GSPI]

You will need a 3.5mm e-flite trainer cable to plug between the two units. The master unit needs to be bound to the heli and attach the two transmitters together using the cable. Unfortunately, there is no instructions that I've found in my literature but from other setups you turn on the master unit and then when you are ready turn on the trainer TX. Once the instructor is ready to hand over the controls, they hit the trainer switch on the upper left part of their transmitter and the student then has the controls. Flip the switch again and the instructor should have the controls again.

You will most likely have to test this out to make sure but that is a good start. I am still looking for other instructions on how to do this but if all else fails call Horizon Hobbies tech line to get the official instructions since they are not listed in their SR manuals anywhere.

Good Luck!

[Air Wolf]

The gyro/tail wagging topic was great. I hooked up the yellow wire and set the gyro to 12:30 and it still wagged a little. Moved it to 1:00 and it was smooth as silk (almost). Best the heli has ever been. It is a lot better now and easier to hover without constantly fighting the rudder. Another problem I have that maybe someone can help with; the rudder trim is almost full left and will just barely hold the chopper straight. The 2 in 1 trim pot is all the way to the negative (counter clockwise) position. If it was an airplane I would just adjust the rudder push rod but how do I do that with the SR. There is not a real rudder servo?
Last issue: I have been trying to set my DM6i up for the SR but I have a problem. The throttle goes wide open as soon as the motor 15 sec timer runs out. I reset all the transmitter settings per the posted instructions but it still does the same thing. Nothing including throttle hold & trottlle cut will stop it. Have to unplug the battery. The tail rotor got my finger and left arm the last time. It flies great with the eFlite transmitter now that the gyro works so it is not a great problem now. It just bugs me that I can't find out what is causing this. Any ideas?

[DKS_ONE]

Originally Posted by Air Wolf

The gyro/tail wagging topic was great. I hooked up the yellow wire and set the gyro to 12:30 and it still wagged a little. Moved it to 1:00 and it was smooth as silk (almost). Best the heli has ever been. It is a lot better now and easier to hover without constantly fighting the rudder. Another problem I have that maybe someone can help with; the rudder trim is almost full left and will just barely hold the chopper straight. The 2 in 1 trim pot is all the way to the negative (counter clockwise) position. If it was an airplane I would just adjust the rudder push rod but how do I do that with the SR. There is not a real rudder servo?
Last issue: I have been trying to set my DM6i up for the SR but I have a problem. The throttle goes wide open as soon as the motor 15 sec timer runs out. I reset all the transmitter settings per the posted instructions but it still does the same thing. Nothing including throttle hold & trottlle cut will stop it. Have to unplug the battery. The tail rotor got my finger and left arm the last time. It flies great with the eFlite transmitter now that the gyro works so it is not a great problem now. It just bugs me that I can't find out what is causing this. Any ideas?

Wow, not often tail motors take over and are over powering, usually it's the other way around. The only thing I can think of is to re-bind and make SURE when you do you aren't making any rudder inputs. Stock Tx for this issue or is this on the DX6i or both? If on the DX6i, check your end points and sub trim as well. As far as the wide open throttle, is there a reversing issue? Maybe throttle channel accidentally reversed? I'm not sure what the 15 sec. timer is you're referring to. Throttle hold and throttle cut have to be set up in your radio. Usually hold is set to zero but make sure it's not INH. And usually throttle cut is INH so you would have to turn that on too. Also make sure the throttle curves are assigned to the correct switch position. IE: Your stunt curve actually is set for the I/U switch position. Likewise, make sure your I/U switch isn't engaged although your radio won't shut up if you have that on when you power it on. Just a couple things I could think of, dunno if it's any help.

[Air Wolf]

Thanks for the resonse; I will try and reply to your suggestions.
1. The rudder trim issue is with the stock transmitter. I cannot try it with the DX6i due to the wide open throttle (WTO) problem.
2. WOT - I have tried the heli with the throttle set on normal and reverse both. The results are the same both ways, WOT. I left the throttle reversed per the set up sheet. Pitch is set to reverse also, all others are set to normal. The 15 sec delay is built into the 2 in 1 ESC unit. It only delays once when the receiver/esc is powered up. After that the trottle will work normally until the heli is powered down. Throttle hold switch is active on my transmitter from the factory, I cannot find any menu to int/act it. The throttle cut button was set to act. Normal and stunt throttle curves are set correctly and agree to the switch position. Flt switch is set to normal. Makes a racket if you try and start up with it in stunt mode.
I am baffeled with this problem. Running out of things to try to correct it. Guess I will just use the stock transmitter.

[DKS_ONE]

Ok I'm pretty sure that your issue is that you reversed the throttle channel. Where did you get a setting that suggested it should be reversed? Post a link if you could cuz I'm 99% sure you're not supposed to. That would explain why T/H and cut don't work because they are telling the throttle to go to zero which is in reality WOT cuz you have it reversed. Test the theory, initialize your heli with the throttle stick at what normally would be WOT. You'll have to turn your transmitter on with throttle at low stick and then take T/H off and put it to full throttle position and then plug in the battery on your heli. I bet you'll find that to be zero and it won't even spool up. And if it does, it'll be slow because your throttle trim will probably be telling it that there's a small throttle input, might wanna put the trim to the TOP as well just for this test. What would it hurt? It's spooling up wide open as it is, I hope you're testing safely . As far as the 15sec timer, it's actually a soft start. It's not a timer so much as the time the ESC needs to reset the soft start after you go back to zero throttle. It's purpose is to prevent stripped main gears and to prevent soiled underwear . Try the reversing and let us know. And please do post the link for settings that suggested to reverse it if that indeed is the problem so we can make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else.

Edit: I must have missed where you said you tried throttle channel both ways, but I wouldn't leave it reversed cuz that will just screw you up even more. Leave it normal and rebind then let us know what it does. I just have a hard time wrapping my head around how it could react the exact same way normal AND reversed. A quick vid of what you're experiencing may go a long way too.