The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
07-17-2005, 01:44 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Mireval, FRANCE
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
Just about to go ahead and buy the ARK X400... I'd really like to hear from all you guys that have one flying about anything I should go for/avoid...? This is basicially what I'm looking at buying right now...
X400 Kit
Futaba 146 Micro PCM receiver
Futaba 401 Gyro
4x S3103 servos
1900mah Li Ion battery
Align 35A ESC
Align 400LF 3300KV motor
277mm carbon blades
Thanks!
X400 Kit
Futaba 146 Micro PCM receiver
Futaba 401 Gyro
4x S3103 servos
1900mah Li Ion battery
Align 35A ESC
Align 400LF 3300KV motor
277mm carbon blades
Thanks!
07-17-2005, 10:20 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Rumson,
NJ
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
hi fl
I got mine as a kit and is now flying I LOVE IT!!... few things though
1st get spare tail blades and [:-] get TREX tail blades not x400 as these are prone to fail! (mounting hole comes apart)
there are a few documented cases of this happening..
2nd get the good batts TP2100mahs or equivelent them batts from china on ebay JUNK!!
3rd I got the CC35 amp esc did'nt programmed the thing. left everything as default, just plugged it and flew.
this is what i got in mine.
electron 6ch Rx
CC35amp esc
400lf 2800kv align motor
3HS 55s
1HS56 tail,,, there are better options with servos for the controls but since I had these 4, on they went and they work just fine.
GY401.
An RDsuper6ch/Airtronics TX.. Again better stuff out there then this,, but works for me!
One last thing whilst the build of this little bird I accidently stepped on the swashplate[&o] did'nt look good!
so I stuck my spare TREXV2 swash on Instead, works fine also!!
good luck w/ you'r bird!!
I got mine as a kit and is now flying I LOVE IT!!... few things though
1st get spare tail blades and [:-] get TREX tail blades not x400 as these are prone to fail! (mounting hole comes apart)
there are a few documented cases of this happening..
2nd get the good batts TP2100mahs or equivelent them batts from china on ebay JUNK!!
3rd I got the CC35 amp esc did'nt programmed the thing. left everything as default, just plugged it and flew.
this is what i got in mine.
electron 6ch Rx
CC35amp esc
400lf 2800kv align motor
3HS 55s
1HS56 tail,,, there are better options with servos for the controls but since I had these 4, on they went and they work just fine.
GY401.
An RDsuper6ch/Airtronics TX.. Again better stuff out there then this,, but works for me!
One last thing whilst the build of this little bird I accidently stepped on the swashplate[&o] did'nt look good!
so I stuck my spare TREXV2 swash on Instead, works fine also!!
good luck w/ you'r bird!!
07-18-2005, 12:17 AM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Mireval, FRANCE
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
Ah really good to hear that! All round it sounds like a good little helicopter... Thanks for taking the time to reply, and for your tips... I'll certainly go ahead and get a decent battery & TREX blades...
How long did it take you to put it together? It'll be my first one built from a kit...
How long did it take you to put it together? It'll be my first one built from a kit...
07-18-2005, 04:12 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Rumson,
NJ
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
hi
It is a weebit confusing, at least it was for me. because of work[&o] it took me a while working a little bit at a time on it,
to finish the thing but all well worth it.
Alls i can tell you is look at the diagrams really good and in detail, for Instance when the 2 halfs of the frames go together,
there are several other things that go together along with the frame.
SO that you dont have to go back and pull the frame apart cause you forgot something( I DID[
]) you would do well
to study the diagrams good!!
As this wasmy very first build as well, were Allowed a few major f%#ck ups the first time
If you run in to problems just postem, this forum is great for noobies like us.
good luck.
It is a weebit confusing, at least it was for me. because of work[&o] it took me a while working a little bit at a time on it,
to finish the thing but all well worth it.
Alls i can tell you is look at the diagrams really good and in detail, for Instance when the 2 halfs of the frames go together,
there are several other things that go together along with the frame.
SO that you dont have to go back and pull the frame apart cause you forgot something( I DID[
]) you would do wellto study the diagrams good!!
As this wasmy very first build as well, were Allowed a few major f%#ck ups the first time
If you run in to problems just postem, this forum is great for noobies like us.
good luck.
07-18-2005, 11:24 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Mireval, FRANCE
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
Yup its going to take me a while too, I'm always away with work and got two young kids at home as well... still i'm really looking forward to putting it together and not having to sand any balsa wood!
Thanks again for all the info!
Thanks again for all the info!
07-20-2005, 07:17 PM
#6
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Kitchener, ON, CANADA
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
im in the midst of building an ARK as well although im taking a methodical approach replacing things before it even leaves the ground hahah
its first flight will likely be with a stock Trex tailrotor assembly and a Trex ccpm head setup (machined).
Everyone stated when the ark 400 was released its controls were alot smoother then the trex v1 and 2 but that the improvements to the rotor head in the XL push the rex ahead again in the head department.
Those tail rotors on the ARK are no joke either ive seen that happen now first hand, basically anything WHITE and PLASTIC on the ark is junk, the rest of it is put together pretty damned good tho and its control response stock is very forgiving.
Mind you I likely wont go with machined rex components if ARK would hurry up and release some bling head parts of their own hehehe. At leaste their existing bling is fairly cheep compared to the align stuff
my 2 cents
pete
its first flight will likely be with a stock Trex tailrotor assembly and a Trex ccpm head setup (machined).
Everyone stated when the ark 400 was released its controls were alot smoother then the trex v1 and 2 but that the improvements to the rotor head in the XL push the rex ahead again in the head department.
Those tail rotors on the ARK are no joke either ive seen that happen now first hand, basically anything WHITE and PLASTIC on the ark is junk, the rest of it is put together pretty damned good tho and its control response stock is very forgiving.
Mind you I likely wont go with machined rex components if ARK would hurry up and release some bling head parts of their own hehehe. At leaste their existing bling is fairly cheep compared to the align stuff
my 2 cents
pete
07-21-2005, 12:02 AM
#7
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Mireval, FRANCE
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: The Do's and Don'ts - ARK X400
Thanks for that... just curious what motor/ESC/bat pack you are planning on using, and do you think it'd be a good idea to pick up a ccpm kit when I get the x400 and build it first in ccpm form?
