Posts: 1789
Joined: 11/20/2006 From: Kent,
WA, USA Status: offline
Just got my kit delivered Friday before having to leave for the weekend, so wasn't able to start building until tonite. I purchased a combo kit from helihobby.com that included everything needed to fly. 450XL eCCPM kit with 420 Brushless and 25 Amp ESC, TLB Micro HH Gyro, with DX6 and S75's x 4............ I have owned a Blade CP since Jan and have become quite adept at crashing it with little to no effort on my part. I am hoping to break that trend with this one and some more devotion to my flight sim (FSOne) and applying Radd's in the sim until I can proficiently hover at all angles. Besides that, it will probably take me that long to build this one anyways. Will be posting pics as i progress in this build and look forward to suggestions and build tips. I have watched Finless Bobs videos but don't see one on the main frame build in that set. anyone know of where I might find some other videos showing frame and servo placement as well as ESC and RX placement?
Posts: 2823
Joined: 2/14/2006 From: Algonac,
MI, USA Status: online
Install your motor before installing the servo tray and cross supports. (kind of hard reaching the mounting bolts after) Be carefull with those screws. They are soft and strip out very easily. Apply RADDs to the T-Rex more so than the SIM. If at all possible have an experienced heli pilot look over your T-Rex when you are done building and have him do a trim flight. Nothing harder than trying to learn on a heli that is not set up right.
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Your setup is similar to mine a DX6, I have the 430L motor and Align HH gyro(same as TLB I hear). I used the S75 servo's for the first few weeks and they work fine, then I crashed and stripped the gears so I upgraded to HS65's which are way faster, but if your upgrading from the CP I think the S75 servo's will be ok-- until you crash. You are going to love this helicopter, compared to the CP, I have had mine for over a year and have never looked back.
Posts: 465
Joined: 9/25/2002 From: HOUSTON,
TX, USA Status: offline
HEY ARROW GOOD BUD ! GREAT MOVE to start this thread !!!! you n'I have been hanging out together with the CP for a while, so I am pleased to come and join you in this new venture. We are going to do this together. You can see from the pic. that I am a bit ahead only because I don't have to build the FRAME, I already got it. Look close and you can also see the set of JR servos recommended for this HELI, right next to the box. I am going to send off for the MOTOR, the GYRO and the ESC when needed, to give the wallet a bit of a breather, but BASICALLY I will go along with you, in a parallel building sequence, that is IF YOU DON'T MIND ? I am following the recos. posted in the HorizonHobby booklet that they send. : You already know that the DX-7 is already here, because I told you in the Wheeeee-CP thread. So what you are doing HERE is a TOTAL GODSEND for me. As you already know, I know nothing, NADA NIL about helicopters, other than the one I built about 30 years ago. HA ! You got ONE faithful FOLLOWER.....make it GOOD........RICK
< Message edited by Barrrick -- 4/10/2007 12:29:19 AM >
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Posts: 1789
Joined: 11/20/2006 From: Kent,
WA, USA Status: offline
Wow Barrrick.......ya got yers prebuilt! I knew I needed to learn lots while building so I opted for the kit version, And have been studying Finless Bob's videos diligently. Pm me if ya want the link to his build threads. More useful info packed into a series of about 10 videos. I also have been studying the Trextuning.com site too....great pics.......and in some respects a little more detail towards my particular heli. Glad to have a fellow n00b to compare experiences with! As far as servos go, I am very convinced that these are just "beginner" servos, and plan on getting some Hitec 55's (or is it 56's?)as these go....As soon as one or 2 S75's strip, will replace all 3 CCPM servos with Hitecs and keep the S75's as spare tail rudder servos untill all gone. DonDon. i was checking out the X or XL thread and saw (I think) your DX6 settings. How did that work for you? I was reading all that last nite so I may be a little off on who started with what, and whatnot.....but wanted to find out for sure what a good base setup is, and then possibly dummy down the inputs a little as I figure out what my bad habits are.......heh Heres some pics from todays build progress, I had a really hard time understanding the elevator arm control, but think I got it now. Did a little soldering today too, the finless videos made my job look pretty good! Thanks to all you guys for your support and advice, I will be whining incessantly and often.........heh
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Joined: 6/27/2006 From: Glencoe,
IL, USA Status: offline
Looks good so far, you will be upgrading parts quickly since the MX400 is has a superior head design STOCK. You may want to look into buying the CNC upgrade for your Trex.
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Joined: 9/25/2002 From: HOUSTON,
TX, USA Status: offline
ARROW, you just MENTION some sites, and video places : can you please give me a LINK of some kind ? so I can go and LEARN.. ? .... I get confused easy , what can I say ? RICK u doing GREAT so far ...
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Posts: 131
Joined: 3/4/2007 From: Magna, UT, USA Status: offline
Looks great Arrow.
I ordered this motor and speed control for mine, I got it today but NO speed control! Had to come home and check the auction again to make sure it was supposed to be there.
Posts: 1789
Joined: 11/20/2006 From: Kent,
WA, USA Status: offline
Ouch Wick, bummer no speed control. I looked at thier list of rules on there, I sure hope you get that settled with them. I tend to shy away from any overseas vendors, but thier ratings seem to be ok. Good luck on that one bud. Barrrick heres the link to the videos. http://www.helifreaks.com/viewforum.php?f=95 Just go to the TREX SE build vids, yours will be the same. Also the www.trextuning.com site is great too, thanks to all who posted that link. I believe RaserX pointed me in that direction, Ty Raser!
Ok, on to me........ did some more fitting and tinkering and after installing the tail boom and belt and tightening, It seems everything is super stiff now. I don't want to fry bearings and motors and speed controllers, is this normal? Does it wear in (the belt needs to stretch a little?) or should I be worried? I tensioned the belt per instruction manual and it is spot on for what it calls for but still seemed pretty stiff. I also used the bigger pinion for more headspeed. Am done soldering the ESC and motor connections, and motor is installed. ESC will go on as per Bob's videos and RX in the back as well as gyro. I never realized you had to program those.............. I hadn't got around to reading the instructions yet so that was a bit of a shock to me. As far as upgrades go, I won't be buying any CNC stuff until after the servos are all replaced, then a little at a time, Frame first, then work my way up or replace as needed. A few more pics, then back to work.
Arrow Your setup is looking good everything is nice and level, the belt tension should be a little looser than recommended- mine is loose enough that when I push the belt together it is about 1/16" from touching, this reduces quite a bit of friction- I have maybe 80 flights on my XL and stripping the belt has never been an issue at this tension. Make sure all your links move freely as well, and now is the time to check them. I lube mine with a small amount of light oil on a Q-tip, if they don't move freely work them around until they do, this makes the controls way smoother and reduces the servo load. Before you install the servos move the link attaching to the servo- it should move the swash smoothly with very little effort-if not start lubing joints and track down the binding-this is super important for a smooth running heli. As well use the 11 tooth pinion and medium timing when learning, a faster headspeed means faster responses to input- which for you is bad- you want a docile/controlable heli to learn then hop it up as you get better. I still use the 11 tooth pinion and adjusted my throttle /pitch curves for about 2500RPM which works well and my motor and ESC run cool for a full flight. When your servo's are in and ready to setup your DX6, PM me and I can walk you through the setup if you want, it gets a little tricky, that way you can have it setup the way you want, not what someone doing 3D suggests.
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n00b TREX 450 XL build - 
