what would happen if you replaced the o rings and used bearings? The blade grip bearings will fit the center hub one on each side, then an o ring to seal it.

I'm not sure the heli will even fly. At the very least you'd dramatically reduce head dampening making the heli very twitchy. You see the blades need to be able to "flap" to counteract dissymmetry of lift which they can't do with bearings. [link=http://www.helihobby.com/html/helicopter_dampening.html]This article explains it pretty well.[/link]

The o-rings on the feathering shaft don't rotate. There are bearings already installed in the Blade Grips which do rotate. Besides, o-rings are cheaper and they only need to support the feathering shaft so it doesn't move inside the center hub.

You adjust your flight characteristics and head response with harder or softer dampeners but your blades have to be able to flap or you will get vibration or worse.

My Axe CP had its maiden flight today and when touched down ever so softly after a brief flight, the feathering shaft broke, with parts flying in all directions. Blades were unhurt, but never could find all the parts that let go. Just one of those things, I guess.

Are you sure the screws didn't come loose,I find it hard to believe that a steel shaft would break after landing smooth.I've bent a few but never broke one.

What broke was not the shaft but the screw which broke off flush with the end of the ahaft. It broke so cleanly that I can't get the screw out of the shaft. Today I found all but one 0-ring and one washer. If I could get the screw out of the shaft, all I would need is one screw to fix it. Thanks for your comments.