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E-Flite Shoestring Problems

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E-Flite Shoestring Problems

Old 04-12-2013, 02:49 PM
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AirTech
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Default E-Flite Shoestring Problems

I'm new to EF-1 and decided to start with an ARF to get in the air quickly and test the EF-1 waters as soon as possible. I do prefer to build from a kit and I'm working on abstaining a Nemesis from Andy Adamisin as soon as the kit is available.

In the meantime I purchased an E-Flite Shoestring directly from Horizon Hobbies. Before purchasing a did some research on the different ARF's approved for EF-1. The reviews on the Shoestring pointed to several issues with the model from some of the least experienced builders which I dismissed in consideration that other builders gave it very good reviews. After all I considered I should have heeded the advice of some of these modelers since I have found their claims to be substantiated.

The main issue that most all builders encountered is with the fit and ease of removal and replacement for the canopy. Seems that cowl is fitted so tight to the top rear portion of the second former that there is not enough clearance for the canopy to slide underneath when one installs it and will hit the leading edge of the canopy will hit the lip of the cowl when attempting to remove it that it becomes impossible for the rear canopy hook latches to release.

I contacted Horizon Customer Service and they were extremely responsive to my complaint. They overnight a new cowl for my to try and it arrived the next day. Unfortunately the problem still persist. It seems to me this is a design problem and a generic problem at that. There is at least one review on YouTube that shows the exact similar problem [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdppoqxIv_U](See the 3:27 minute of the video)[/link] and the same complaint on the Horizon Review page for the Shoestring.[link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/shoestring-15e-arf-EFL4205#t3](CLIK HERE)[/link].

Now my question is; Is anyone out there that experienced the same problem and has come up with a work-around to solve this problem? I really think this is the best flyer from all the approved ARF's available and if this issue can be resolved I will like to keep the plane.
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Old 04-12-2013, 04:00 PM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems

I just came up to this YouTube video on one other problem with the Shoestring. It seems that the plane lacks enough glue on some of the key components and needs to be reinforced with CA and 30 minute epoxy before flight is attempted. [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJcPsLP7GQ8] CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO[/link]
Old 04-18-2013, 07:15 AM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems

Airtech,

There is a thread on a different site that may have some insight. It seems that some kits have this issue and others do not.

Some cures include:

1. Squeeze the cheeks together when sliding the canopy in, this creates a small gap between the top of the cowl and the former.
2. Sand the top of the former causing the issue. CARE should be taken that too much is not removed.

Are you able to get the canopy on at all? Or is just a pain?

Dan Kane


Old 04-19-2013, 10:49 AM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems


ORIGINAL: kane

Airtech,

There is a thread on a different site that may have some insight. It seems that some kits have this issue and others do not.

Some cures include:

1. Squeeze the cheeks together when sliding the canopy in, this creates a small gap between the top of the cowl and the former.
2. Sand the top of the former causing the issue. CARE should be taken that too much is not removed.

Are you able to get the canopy on at all? Or is just a pain?

Dan Kane


I did found out squeezing the cheeks helps a little but it's still a pain to instal. Gluing a couple of 1/64" veneer pieces to the top sides of the former helps some.
Old 04-30-2013, 12:01 PM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems

The cowl/canopy fit is real tight. I just finished my second ShoeString kit last night. It was easier the second time around! Check all your glue joints. Reinforce/reglue the engine mount or anything else that looks like it has a poor glue joints. I always lightly sand the inside of the cowl, there is usually some snaggy stuff from manufacturing. Follow the assembly guide, mount motor, check placement of Cowl with Eflite recommended spinner for correct distance. It take several trial fits to get it right, sand around where it goes over the wing. Once it is positioned right, I tap for the small screws. Screw it down and THEN fit the canopy in. The instructions say to fit with the canopy in place, I tried that the first go around and it made it very, very difficult. Make sure you have it positioned right with refrence to the spinner back plate. Gently Sqeeze the cowl, attack it from an angle so that the graphite hold down pins of the canopy get into position, push forward then drop the back of the canopy down eyeing up the hooks in the back at the fuslage then push down and lock back. If you need to, to ease removal and replacement you can very slightly sand the length of the hooks helping to pass it down thru the fuslage. You may want to consider replacing the aluminum wing tube with a graphite one as well. Darrol Cady's pylon racing website and Brian Batch's B&B Hobbies in Spokane, WA. both have graphite replacement tubes for the ShoeString. Hope this helps.

Ed 23G
Old 07-31-2013, 07:50 AM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems

I had a few problem building mine too.

Two of the blind nuts that mount the motor to the firewall had bad threads or glue in them. Luckily I had some metric blind nuts to replace them with

One of the carbon fiber pins that have a hole in them to accept the wing lock pins was drilled or installed too far back (next to the wing). I had to redrill the hole so the locking pin would go in. It is still a very tight fit but at least it will allow the pin to be inserted.

The landing gear fairings are rather cheesy. Light weight but do not look well when installed. Some of the paint on them flaked off while trimming them.

I have several E-Flite planes and this one so far does not live up to the others in fit and ease of assembly.

I've been in the hobby for 37 years so I know what is good and what needs worked on. The Shoestring needs more attention to detail during factory assembly and design. At least just about everyone agrees that it flys well so this is promising.

If I don't run into any more problems I will have it done tonight. If it wasn't for these issues I mentioned I could have this plane built in one evening. Most of it goes together pretty quick, at least so far.

I plan on building a second airframe if I like the way she flys. If you have ever pylon raced, you NEED a backup plane. No fun traveling to a race only to lose your plane early in the race heats. Some times you are just a victim...........ask me how I know. I've lost four Club 40 racers in the four years I have been racing in this class. Only one was my fault. The rest were just the results of racing. Stuff happens!

Old 07-31-2013, 07:24 PM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems

It's worth going through the building problems since it flies like on rails. Mine needed just a couple of clicks of up trim and four clicks of left aileron. Only had to mix 2% aileron to rudder to hold knife edge. Landings are OK as long as one let it bleed plenty of speed before reaching the fence.
Old 08-01-2013, 06:30 AM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems

Thanks AirTech. I will be doing my maiden test flight this afternoon.

I finished the build/assembly of my E-Flite Shoestring last night. The rest of the build went very smooth except that the stupid spinner screw was too long! I'm using the required APC 8x8 prop and when I installed the spinner the screw would bottom out on the prop nut before the spinner was tight. It appeared to be one of two possible problems. 1) the screw is too long. 2) the threads inside the prop nut were messed up.

Anyone else had this problem? At a cost of $22 bucks it would seem that the spinner should fit better. I had to cut off about three turns of the threaded section to get it to work.

The plane balanced perfectly with a E-Flite 2800 3C battery pack. I had two of these that I fly my Carbon Z Yak 54 with (love that plane!!!).

One other niggling problem I encountered is that the E-Flite ESC comes with a on and off switch attached but the airframe does not have any place to mount it. I glued it to the fuselage inside near one of the wing alignment pins for the time being. Like I said in an earlier post, this plane is really quite nice but is missing attention to some of the details.

Heat is an enemy to electronics so I opened the vent hole in the bottom of the fuselage as well as opening the carb intake on the cowl. This should allow a small amount of cooling air to flow through. I've experianced a fire while in flight when an ESC burned up. It was really neat having a smoke system on an electric but you can only use it once..........
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Old 08-02-2013, 05:20 AM
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Default RE: E-Flite Shoestring Problems

Yesterday afternoon I did the maiden test flight on my E-Flite Shoestring. It flew GREAT! Only two clicks of left aileron was needed to trim it out,

This plane gets off of the ground quick and is MUCH easier to land then the instructions warn you about. If you have flown some high performance airplanes then you will have no problem flying the Shoestring.

The "low" rates are very sensitive for pylon racing. I thought that they were spot on for take off and landing. I would set the plane up for the low rate that is recommended to be the HIGH rate and reduce the LOW rate to about 3/4 of what the low rate throws are. On my setup, using a DX8 transmitter, I used the recommended servo arm and control arm holes and then set the D/R for the HIGH rate at 75% for both the elevator and aileron throws. For the low rate settings I used 50% for the Elevator and Aileron throws for the test flight. After getting a couple of flights in I changed the setup to 60% high rate with 30% expo and 35% low rate and 30% expo. This allows you to yank the stick pretty hard to do turns.

If you are new to pylon racing you want the plane to react pretty slow. In the heat of racing you don't want to do any sudden motion when in a turn with other airplanes. By having the control throws set low you can fly MUCH smoother and that is how you fly fast. Darting up and down and rolling left and right will kill your speed. Smoooooooth is fast.

After a couple of landings I noticed that the landing gear was sagging on the right side. I re-bent the landing gear to straighten it out. The landing gear is very soft and does not spring back. It is if the aluminum was never tempered. It has the springyness of lead.....

Overall I would rate this plane as a winner. I plan on building a second airframe soon so I will have a backup. First race is tomorrow. Hopefully it will come back in one piece. In racing, anything can happen.Don't fall in love with your racer. Fly it like you stole it! Just do it safely.

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