Trex 450 tail belt problems  
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All Forums >> RC Helicopters >> Electric RC Helis >> T-Rex heli >> Trex 450 tail belt problems
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Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/11/2007 10:19:01 PM   
eflowmit


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 6/16/2007
From: Hagerstown, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I am having problems with the tail belt on my new Trex 450SE V2 - It keeps shredding about every 6-8 flights. I just installed my third belt and it seemed OK until after inspecting it after one flight. Now I see a little white on the edge in a few spots and as I turn the blades by hand in the normal direction of rotation I hear a light clicking noise as the belt comes off the drive pulley. I can also see the belt jumping a little as it comes off each tooth. Nothing is rubbing and all spins freely with the belt removed. I am using the proper belt (HT1003). Changing the tension only changes the clicking (more tension is worse clicking and less tension is less clicking). The tension appears to be the only adjustable component and nothing is bent. How dow I Align things properly?

Thanks for any help,

Tim Wolfe
       Post #: 1

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/12/2007 9:52:08 PM   
IMAC781



Posts: 222
Joined: 6/4/2002
From: Miami, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Hi Tim,
Sounds like your belt is not tracking on center over the TR pulley. Are you using an aluminum boom? One common cause for this is a bent or misaligned boom. Also I switched out the stock belt idler pulley in the tail housing for the MX450 one http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXLBJ8&P=Z which has guides on the edges to help keep the belt centered.

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Nothing''s as good or bad as it seems at the time.

(in reply to eflowmit)
       Post #: 2

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/13/2007 12:29:12 AM   
eflowmit


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 6/16/2007
From: Hagerstown, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I am using an aluminum boom and it is not bent. All of the blocks in the fuselage seemed aligned properly - the front gear box has tabs as well as screws to keep it aligned. The block that holds the boom only has screws to keep it aligned - but the holes in the frame are close tolerance so it will only mount in one position. The belt seems to track on the center of the rear idler pulley fine because of the flanges on the rear drive pulley. The front pulley is not bent and it does not appear to have shifted on its shaft (shaft is flush with top of pulley). Any other ideas on what to check or are there any minor adjustments I can make?

(in reply to IMAC781)
       Post #: 3

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/13/2007 2:09:11 AM   
ewolow


 

Posts: 180
Joined: 1/21/2007
From: Duryea, PA, USA
Status: offline 		You may want to ensure you don't have extra twists in the belt and it's rubbing against itself. There should only be a 90 degree twist in the belt, if you have an extra twist you would get the clicking sounds because of the belt teeth rubbing against themselves.

I use a mini maglight to shine light up from the one end and look down the shaft to ensure it's not over twisted or rubbing up aginst any bolts that may go through the shaft depending on the tail rotor head you may have.

_____________________________

- Erik

(in reply to eflowmit)
       Post #: 4

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/13/2007 3:32:34 AM   
soop7667



Posts: 475
Joined: 1/19/2007
From: Cape Coral, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I've had the same problem, as have many at the field I fly at. It's a common problem with the t-rex 450's - and one that's made me hang mine up on the wall cuz I'm too busy flying stuff that wants to fly. One thing taht all the guys at our field do is go with the HDX 450. Its basically the same damned chopper with a slightly different frame , and tail set-up - a lot less expensive, and the tails don't disentigrate belts. GOOD LUCK

(in reply to ewolow)
       Post #: 5

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/13/2007 9:30:37 AM   
ct420


 

Posts: 1177
Joined: 3/26/2006
From: mansfield, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I've also heard many reports of people having trouble with belts, but I personally have never had a problem. In my experience, if everything is lined up properly, and the belt isn't too tight, they last forever. I don't understand why some people have so many problems. I'd like to get my hands on one of the helis that's doing this to see if I could figure it out, as it has me quite curious...

(in reply to soop7667)
       Post #: 6

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/13/2007 9:19:16 PM   
eflowmit


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 6/16/2007
From: Hagerstown, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I do shine a flashlight up the boom before reassembly to ensure only one twist - I don't think it would fit if you had two twists or it would rub against itself REAL BAD if it did. If this is a common problem, will a quick e-mail to Align help me? I will try to dig up an e-mail address for them...

Thanks,

Tim

(in reply to ct420)
       Post #: 7

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/13/2007 11:30:23 PM   
heartofmadnes


 

Posts: 185
Joined: 3/2/2006
From: Camp Hill, PA, USA
Status: offline 		Only other option is to disassemble the tail in entirety..I have never had a problem with the tail..Unless I crashed my rex..Then after a rebuilt, its good as new..As sucky as it may sound sometimes a total breakdown and rebuilt of the tail is the only option. and at that point if all parts are in perfect condition, And no twist in the belts, no teeth missing on any pulleys and it still does it..mabe then its time for the LHS to help if you have one near you that works on Heli. An email to Align may take longer then you want when you could be flying.

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You had me at Hover...

(in reply to eflowmit)
       Post #: 8

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/15/2007 12:54:54 AM   
eflowmit


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 6/16/2007
From: Hagerstown, MD, USA
Status: offline 		After two-three flights with my new belt, it seemed to have stopped clicking - I can see faint wear on the edge, but I am hoping this belt found it's groove. Every flight after those first couple I don't see any additional wear. I have made no adjustments - not even the tension (the only easy adjustment). The first two belts I tightened as Align recommended, and this one slightly looser as some recommend. I now have about a dozen flight 'under this belt', and my fingers are crossed. It seems to be running way smoother than when I first installed it. I lubed it with some silicone using a q-tip a couple of flights ago - hopefully that will help also. I'll let you guys know what happens.

Thanks,

Tim

(in reply to heartofmadnes)
       Post #: 9

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/15/2007 8:21:52 PM   
trireme


 

Posts: 400
Joined: 9/15/2006
From: , CA, USA
Status: offline 		Sounds like the belt is too tight too. I run it WAY loose, alot looser then I thought would be safe, but it doesnt slip. Also, I use silicone to lubricate the belt.

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450 SE/A - HS65 - GY401 w/ s9650, JGF 450F & QUARK 33A, DX6, CELLPRO 4s, FP evo25's... finely ;)

(in reply to eflowmit)
       Post #: 10

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/16/2007 1:40:21 AM   
Desmohead


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 5/3/2007
From: North Granby, CT, USA
Status: offline 		I had the same belt problem on my v2. The first belt went 38 flights, the second 8, third 11, fourth 6 and the one that's in it now has about 45 flights on it. I started using silicon oil on the belt and it seems to make a substantial difference. Also I wonder how consistent the belts are from the factory. I have just purchased a couple of the Gates belts from tech model products. I havent tried one but they look like a higher quality belt.

I run my belt tension as directed bythe manual.

-Eric


_____________________________

-Desmohead

(in reply to trireme)
       Post #: 11

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/17/2007 11:43:25 PM   
heartofmadnes


 

Posts: 185
Joined: 3/2/2006
From: Camp Hill, PA, USA
Status: offline 		I learned a trick from the LHS yesterday, Lot of the guys there flying rexes soak the belts in WD40 before using them.

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You had me at Hover...

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       Post #: 12

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/19/2007 1:10:25 AM   
eflowmit


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 6/16/2007
From: Hagerstown, MD, USA
Status: offline 		Well, after about 20 flights my belt was clicking lightly again - adjusting the tension did not get rid of it. After another four flights, with the tension slightly looser than the manual says (but not by much), something seemed to be binding, so I shut down and the blades were hard to turn. It seems the belt jumped on the tail shaft. I saw a couple of tiny, short threads in just one area, so I singed them with a match (very carful not to melt the rest) The teeth seem fine, so I am keeping it on and going back to the manual recommended setting. I will continue to carefully inspect the belt between flights. If I do have any problems, the ground is usually only a few feet away as I am still practicing my nose in hovering.

Has anybody else tried the WD-40 trick?

Thanks again,

Tim

(in reply to heartofmadnes)
       Post #: 13

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/19/2007 5:56:09 AM   
starcop


 

Posts: 1260
Joined: 12/28/2005
From: Nampa , ID, USA
Status: offline 		Hey elflowmit, Check to see if the small tention bearing on the tail shaft housing is moving freely. If that (belt tention wheel) is to tight that can heat the belt and cause pre-mature wear. Just another thing that can be overlooked. starcop

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Friends don''t let friends fly foam.
Member of the War-birds for life foundation.

(in reply to eflowmit)
       Post #: 14

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/19/2007 2:21:42 PM   
eflowmit


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 6/16/2007
From: Hagerstown, MD, USA
Status: offline 		Yes - the bearing is spinning freely...

Thanks,

Tim

(in reply to starcop)
       Post #: 15

RE: Trex 450 tail belt problems - 8/19/2007 6:59:52 PM   
ewolow


 

Posts: 180
Joined: 1/21/2007
From: Duryea, PA, USA
Status: offline