About 3 weeks ago the lower starter shaft bearing worked itself up onto the pinion gear during an aborted auto. I replaced the necessary parts and just recent, after maybe 3 trips to the flying field, the clutch is really siezing up. It seems to grab alot more at idle and even when Im trying to get it started. Today it was so bad that while holding the head with the motor at idle, something happened making a loud noise and te tail rotor started going!

The clutch shoes seem ok..

Does anyone have any idea what is wrong? Is there an end all solution to these clutch issues?? I tried the shim from heli proz and thats when the clutch started grabbing more. Today it got so bad I removed it after 2 flights, flew again without it, and then on the final flight is when the tail rotor came alive....

I appreciate any and all advice,

thanks,

scott

Have you checked for hairline cracks in the clutch where the arm portion fans out under power?

I checked late last night after reading some more on the issue. It does appear that there might be some hairline fractures......

Guess Ill have to stock up on these babies.

Scott

Dont waist your money on the stock unit. Get the heavy duty clutch. It is a better clutch than the stock one. My stock one only lasted about 2 gallons of fuel, so you are not alone. I have found that the clutch inguageing at idle is sunonomouse to the clutch going south. After mine craped out on me I installed the shim that came with my kit (The newer kits have the shim in them) and installed the heavy duty clutch. All has been fine since. Hope this helps.

I built my R30 with the Heliproz clutch shim so that might be why my stock clutch has not crapped out yet.

thanks for the help gang,

where is the best place to get the heavy duty clutch?? I gotta get these parts asap as med school starts back up again in 5 weeks and after that, my heli flying is heading south!

scott

You can get it at HeliProz. Look in the upgrades section for the Raptor 30. It is there. That is where I got mine. Good luck.