Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ?

Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ?
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Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 6:23:13 AM

icebox

Posts: 16
Joined: 7/28/2005
From: Goldsboro, NC, USA
Status: offline

I am interested in moving up from my Blade CP to the 400, but keep hearing about servo issues, especially with the tail. Does anyone know of a really good servo to replace the stock servos with all-around? Digital I'm sure would be preferable in this situatiion, especially with the tail, which I've heard comes stock with analog. Any suggestions or experience with other servos would be welcome. Thanks everyone.

RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 9:23:35 AM

jp473

Posts: 156
Joined: 2/8/2008
From: Dallas, TX, USA
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I used 3 HS56kb and one HS55 for the tail. The 55 has nylon gears in it but I haven’t busted one yet. The HS56 have “karbonite” gears and you can break them. Have had to replace a few but not as often as the stock Eflighteflrds/75h. I’m sure there are better combinations out there and you will get several good suggestions. But for me, it was a matter of how much money I had at the time.
U C, I was crashing a lot and replacing landing skids, feathering shafts, Main shafts fly bars, tail shafts and lots of blades. Those things should come 2 sets to a pack as well. O well… (Did I say I was crashing a lot… yea, that’s it.) I can say one thing positive. I’m getting good at setting things back up.
But seriously, others on this forum will be better at helping you come to the right decisions. Someday when I can fly more than 10 times without a crackup I will get the higher end stuff. For know, I will sit back and take notes along with you.

< Message edited by jp473 -- 4/23/2008 9:40:56 AM >

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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 9:38:23 AM

jp473

Posts: 156
Joined: 2/8/2008
From: Dallas, TX, USA
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After looking at what I posted, it may appear I am not happy with my Blade (aka Phoenix) 400. Not true at all. This was my first real heli. Came from the cx line thinking things would be better. Wow, what a change. Glad I didn’t get a more expensive heli. This thing is inexpensive (relatively speaking) to fix. I may end up starting a 12 step program for this addiction. Naa, just fly with caution and crash in moderation.

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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 10:59:50 AM

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From: Marysville, OH, USA
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The LHS reccommended the Hitec 65 with karbonite gears. They were $26 a piece. They have more torque then the Hitec 55's. There was a JR package that he said was better, but it was $130 for all 4. I did not use a hitec65 for the tail. Still have stock for now.

(in reply to jp473)

RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 11:12:29 AM

Posts: 246
Joined: 7/11/2006
From: Sunshine Coast,Sunny Queensland, AUSTRALIA
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I will second the HS56's for the cyclic, I have the Hitec 5083 Digital mated up the Hitec 5000gyro for the tail.

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Blade 400 - learning to fly again
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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 2:02:01 PM

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Joined: 1/23/2008
From: E Hartford, CT, USA
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I picked up 3 HS65 HB servos as www.centralhobbies.com has them for $20 each. Haven't installed them yet but will probably do so this weekend.

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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 4:22:37 PM

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From: GARDEN CITY, KS, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: xyster101

The LHS reccommended the Hitec 65 with karbonite gears. They were $26 a piece. They have more torque then the Hitec 55's. There was a JR package that he said was better, but it was $130 for all 4. I did not use a hitec65 for the tail. Still have stock for now.

Or You can go all in and buy the 65MG'S (metal gears) and virtually never replace it in a crash or. . . get the carbonite gear ones and if they do break, repair it with the metal gears You can buy almost anywhere.

Gary

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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 4:37:59 PM

Posts: 1972
Joined: 3/17/2008
From: Laurel, MD, USA
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Hi icebox,

Just went through the same issue you are facing...what servo to use? Well, I liked the idea of the Hitecs, for the price, but I have learned that you have to do some relatively minor mods to get them to fit, they are a little bit too large to just "drop in". So, I decided on the JR DS285MG's which are metal gear servos, digital, and they apparently drop right in...

I say apparently, because I have not received mine yet, (waiting on the mail, should be today), but I have both read that they are drop in, and measured them to be sure...according to the specs I have on them, they are just a tad wider than the stock Eflite ones, but only by about .020, and it looks like there is just about that much extra width in the mounting area.

I can give you a more thorough evaluation in the next few days...after I get them installed...

They are a bit pricey, I paid $47 each from Hobbyshopworld.com, but I think they will be worth it in the long run...

Now I am hearing that I will probably need a Battery Eliminator Circuit (external), because true digital servos can overtax the stock ESC/BEC....

I'll know more on that later on too, I suppose!

Take care,

Glenn

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B400/B400/MCX/MCX/Hirobo Quark SRB/Hirobo XRB/CX2/CP Pro/Gaui 200 SE/Align T-Rex 500 ESP....and BROKE!

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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 4:46:17 PM

Posts: 1972
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From: Laurel, MD, USA
Status: offline

Just realized that I didn't address your entire question, I have not made a decision on the tail rotor servo yet, I had an early, ugly experience with the stock Eflite servos, so I am concentrating on the cyclic servos first, then I'll tackle the tail...

Glenn

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B400/B400/MCX/MCX/Hirobo Quark SRB/Hirobo XRB/CX2/CP Pro/Gaui 200 SE/Align T-Rex 500 ESP....and BROKE!

(in reply to rotarydoc)

RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 7:50:13 PM

Posts: 3360
Joined: 8/12/2007
From: Lincoln, NE, USA
Status: online

Hey Glenn,

I am supposed to get my Belt CP parts today. Bad news is that I was suppossed to have the day off, but they scheduled me wrong and I have to go to work and unload a truck.

I hope you have a better day with your new servos.

Nick

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Gaui 200V2 SD, T-Rex 450SEV2, T-Rex 600 ESP, E-Sky Belt CP

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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 10:34:12 PM

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From: Marysville, OH, USA
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rotarydoc you are mistaken, the Hitec 65's fit right in without any modifications. I just installed mine. They are a tight fit and I did have to use a small flat head to help one in, but the others slid right in.

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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/23/2008 11:49:22 PM

Posts: 246
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From: Sunshine Coast,Sunny Queensland, AUSTRALIA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: xyster101

rotarydoc you are mistaken, the Hitec 65's fit right in without any modifications. I just installed mine. They are a tight fit and I did have to use a small flat head to help one in, but the others slid right in.

Once in are they still in there tight? As in is there any pressure on the sides of them? I tried that but felt they were being 'squashed' on the ends (just the two rear servos) so I opened the hole up about 1/2 mm on the front and then they were fine.

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Blade 400 - learning to fly again
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RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/24/2008 12:15:44 AM

Posts: 1972
Joined: 3/17/2008
From: Laurel, MD, USA
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Hi xyster,

Well, I certainly didn't intend to mislead anyone...since I have never installed Hitec 65's in a Blade 400, I guess I misspoke. I appologize. I was under that impression because of a post by Dave from Australia (Seacomms)...he said that he needed to shave some material out of the rear servo area to get HS 65's to fit his B400. I wonder if there are different variations or tolerances in the rear servo mounting area on different B400's (production change, maybe)?

Next time, I will only comment on my own personal experience...once again, didn't mean to give out bad info...

Take care,

Glenn

_____________________________

B400/B400/MCX/MCX/Hirobo Quark SRB/Hirobo XRB/CX2/CP Pro/Gaui 200 SE/Align T-Rex 500 ESP....and BROKE!

(in reply to xyster101)

RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/24/2008 12:54:01 AM

Posts: 1972
Joined: 3/17/2008
From: Laurel, MD, USA
Status: offline

Hey Nick,

That's terrible! Well, good that ya got the parts, but terrible that work got in the way of flying...hopefully, you can get some good weather and the time to fly soon! I sort of got the servos today...they are up at the Post Office, but they didn't make it to my house yet...should be tommorow, but the bummer is, Hobbyshopworld says they only use delivery confirmation...which means they won't leave them at the door. In a way that's a good thing, don't want them to come up missing, but it also means a trip to the PO to pick them up...oh well...

I flew both helis today, we were very slow at work, and since I work 100% commision, they don't care if I goof off if we have no work it doesn't cost them anything...then again, I make no money when we have no work, either...

I think (well, I'm pretty sure) that the CPP tail motor is done...it kept getting weaker, and weaker, to the point of having no right rudder at all...do they usually die a long, slow death? I have the original with pretty low hours on it, I swapped it out when I was having all the initial gyro issues...I'm gonna put that back in tonight...

I have some coupons coming from the B400 purchase soon, I guess I'll get a new tail motor then....it's pretty cool, my LHS gives you coupons for $10 each when you spend like $300 or more, he said I'd be getting like 3 of them...but I couldn't talk him into a spare set of blades when I bought the B400, he said "the 400 is in too much demand to make you a deal"...and he also said that as soon as I reserved mine last week, the other store called to put it on hold for one of their customers, but he held it for me...pretty decent guys at my LHS.

I finally got around to entering the B400 into my DX6i for the CPP, now I have one radio for both helis...how convienient! I also have a spare brand new DX6i...don't know what I'm gonna do with that just yet...I'd kinda like to sell it, but then again, it's very nice to have a backup, should I need it....gotta think about that a while...

The B400 flew like a dream the more I fly it the more I LOVE it! I am almost afraid to put the new servos in, for fear of doing something to mess it up! I need to watch part two of Finless Bob's CCPM setup tonight, so I can be prepared to set up the new servos the best I possibly can. I'll probably save that project for Saturday. I have to work Saturday, but I get off pretty early, about 3PM, should give me time to work on it Sat night and Sunday, if need be...I was practicing some nose in hovering with the B400, it's even easier than with the CPP...

Take care, and let me know how the Belt CP is coming along!

Glenn

_____________________________

B400/B400/MCX/MCX/Hirobo Quark SRB/Hirobo XRB/CX2/CP Pro/Gaui 200 SE/Align T-Rex 500 ESP....and BROKE!

(in reply to evdreamer)

RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/24/2008 1:41:05 AM

Posts: 246
Joined: 7/11/2006
From: Sunshine Coast,Sunny Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: xyster101

rotarydoc you are mistaken, the Hitec 65's fit right in without any modifications. I just installed mine. They are a tight fit and I did have to use a small flat head to help one in, but the others slid right in.

Since rotarydoc was going on what I told him I guess I better pipe up again

Mine wouldnt fit, I tried, and they were really really tight to get in, even removing the case screws and dropping the bottom off (so the wires could come out the bottom and not be the way) I managed to get them into holes only just, and they were such a tight fit that I was having trouble getting the case bottom back on as the main casing was being distorted from being too tight a fit. So I resorted to a trim, on the front of the mounts there are 3 high points and two low points. I just trimmed the hight points to match the low points and they slipped right in. Prob only 1/2 mm bigger then original.

I guess maybe there is slight tolerance differences in the frame build, and possibly the servos too? With all the wonderfully rotten luck I have had so far I would not be surprised it I got slightly bigger servos and a slightly smaller frame

On the brighter side tho, while helping a friend move yesterday I noticed a Toyworld bout 45 minutes away from me that actually stocks the Blade 400 and spares, and the guys are also very much into heli flying! So meeting up with them at the local club on Friday (public holiday here) and see if they can show me this thing actually flying and give me some tips. Anything good I pick up from them I will let you all know!

_____________________________

Blade 400 - learning to fly again
SeaComms.com.au, For Seamless Communications

(in reply to xyster101)

RE: Blade 400 - Best Replacement Servos ? - 4/24/2008 2:31:08 AM