Aerohawk Upgrades?
01-12-2004, 01:46 PM
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Aerohawk Upgrades?
In this thread, I saw reference to "bucket-loads of Aerohawk upgrades:"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/aero...1418097/tm.htm
Now I'm still getting my hover down, so I'm not ready to start breaking expensive pieces yet, but I would like to research ahead a bit. Where are these "buckets" hiding?
FWIW, I think that Pico parts can probably be adapted -- honestly, if you replace the whole rotating assembly from main gear to rotor head, you should be able to swap in just about anything, as long as you can fit, adapt, or bush the main axle, bearings, and frame.
At some point, when I can motor around for a week without any 'unplanned landings,' I'll probably make some tweaks. Ditching the tube-sleeve on the mainshaft will be my first mod -- it makes good sense to me that a set-screw collar will provide smoother operation and more precise adjustability. Beyond that, lightening the tail-rotor makes a bit of sense, but I'm loathe to change variables in a system that seems to work quite well as a sum of its parts...
Where are these mods of which people speak? Does a 'standard order of upgrades' exist for folks like me who are building their skillset up from the ground floor, but don't yet need the hammer-down response characteristics of a 3D-ready bird?
Randii
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/aero...1418097/tm.htm
Now I'm still getting my hover down, so I'm not ready to start breaking expensive pieces yet, but I would like to research ahead a bit. Where are these "buckets" hiding?
FWIW, I think that Pico parts can probably be adapted -- honestly, if you replace the whole rotating assembly from main gear to rotor head, you should be able to swap in just about anything, as long as you can fit, adapt, or bush the main axle, bearings, and frame.
At some point, when I can motor around for a week without any 'unplanned landings,' I'll probably make some tweaks. Ditching the tube-sleeve on the mainshaft will be my first mod -- it makes good sense to me that a set-screw collar will provide smoother operation and more precise adjustability. Beyond that, lightening the tail-rotor makes a bit of sense, but I'm loathe to change variables in a system that seems to work quite well as a sum of its parts...
Where are these mods of which people speak? Does a 'standard order of upgrades' exist for folks like me who are building their skillset up from the ground floor, but don't yet need the hammer-down response characteristics of a 3D-ready bird?
Randii
01-12-2004, 10:06 PM
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RE: Aerohawk Upgrades?
Here's a list of DIY mods from another site:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...hreadid=102540
Randii
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...hreadid=102540
Randii
01-14-2004, 12:10 AM
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RE: Aerohawk Upgrades?
Some interesting points here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_13...tm.htm#1385121
I agree that the Aerohawk head looks quite stiff compared to the Hummingbird or the Picolo I was ogling in the LHS today. The stock flexible-flyer blades probably give that stiffness back up, but that helps them live longer, too. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs...
I'll try the 'hanging' swash plate setup with a bit of trimming on my rubber tube, but that makes less intuitive sense to me. After close inspection, the tube was pretty tore up on the top edge where it hit the swash, so it looks like it was getting chewed up (by the shaft?). As shipped from the factory, it looks like they provided almost 50% more tube than would fit between the bottom of the swash and the top of the bearing.
It definitely makes some sense to slip a thin washer between the big gear and the bottom bearing. I can see a circle rubbed into the bottom of the mainframe and when I look close, I can see a corresponding wear pattern on the top of the big gear. A teflon washer makes good sense here!
Randii
I agree that the Aerohawk head looks quite stiff compared to the Hummingbird or the Picolo I was ogling in the LHS today. The stock flexible-flyer blades probably give that stiffness back up, but that helps them live longer, too. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs...
I'll try the 'hanging' swash plate setup with a bit of trimming on my rubber tube, but that makes less intuitive sense to me. After close inspection, the tube was pretty tore up on the top edge where it hit the swash, so it looks like it was getting chewed up (by the shaft?). As shipped from the factory, it looks like they provided almost 50% more tube than would fit between the bottom of the swash and the top of the bearing.
It definitely makes some sense to slip a thin washer between the big gear and the bottom bearing. I can see a circle rubbed into the bottom of the mainframe and when I look close, I can see a corresponding wear pattern on the top of the big gear. A teflon washer makes good sense here!
Randii
01-14-2004, 12:44 AM
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RE: Aerohawk Upgrades?
Cool: http://www.helihobby.com/html/skylark_upgrades.html
... a listing of mods that will work. Among other things, the Ikarus freewheel assembly working with the Aerohawk. Just gotta work the rest of the compatibility issues....
Randii
... a listing of mods that will work. Among other things, the Ikarus freewheel assembly working with the Aerohawk. Just gotta work the rest of the compatibility issues....
Randii
