DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

I have just purchased one of these and I have noticed a lack of information about this heli on this thread. So, as I am building one, I thought that there may be others out their that have questions about this Heli. I plan on getting some help from one of the Heli guys at my club, as I am a fixed wing guy, but have fooled around with heli's on the sim and a Blade. I have a couple of questions for you more experienced heli pilots then I.

1) I am thinking about starting off with the stock gyro by Align, are there any pro's or con's against using it? I would gather the better the gyro, the easier your life will be trying to learn how to fly. But, is the one they sell any good or should I go with either the JR 500 or one from Futaba?
2) I was thinking about using Hitec 65 servos. I fly JR, but I have sworn off of their servos due to many issues that I have had over the past few years.
3) Mostly I want to learn basic hovering, then move on to basig flight, so what would be a good moter and speed controller for this setup? Is the Align setup any good?
4) Any other pointers you can give me.

I have plenty of 2100 Li-Po from my fixed wing electrics, so I really only need to purchase the following:

Motor and Speed controller
Servos
Gyro

THanks in advance.
New Heli Jock DD

johnboyrc

SA and SE are the same, just the components are upgraded. Check out the SE posts, you'll get some good info.
The Align motor and speed control will work good for you. I can't say how the align gyro is, but the futaba gyros have worked great for me. You have to have a good servo matched to the gyro. You can get by with less for beginning basic flight, but you'll want more performance if you begin to push things.
Hitec 65's are perfect in this heli, and you'll likely want the metal gear version. Your less likely to strip them when something happens.
Go to www.helifreak.com, and check out the Finless videos. They explain how to set things up on the TREX.
The head response is quick on this heli too, adding some weight to the flybar would help tame things down a bit.

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks Johnboy RC,

Cool, I didn't know the SA and SE were the same. So I have a lot of reading to do! But there are two threads, "Official T-rex 450 XL SE Thread" and "T-Rex 450 SE or MX400 Pro". Which would be ther better one to read?

DD

johnboyrc

Instead of a carbon frame, it has aluminum, and on the head the se has metal where the sa has plasctic/composite. The parts are suppose to be interchanged easy, so you can upgrade parts as needed or wanted.
Just ask questions if you need to, people will help you here.

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks again, I am hoping to keep my little heli under $600 in parts.

It is time to go reading!!!!

johnnycat500

I just got a 450sa and would like to know if i should replace the tail drive pulleys front and rear with metal pulleys.....john

Jellyson

I don't see how anyone can say the SE and the SA are "the same."
The SA has an aluminum frame, the SE has a carbon frame.
The SA has an aluminum boom, the SE has a CF boom.
The SA has many plastic parts in the head and the tail system. The SE has all meetal components here.
The SA comes with wooden blades, the SE comes with fiber blades.
There are many other differences too--that's why the SE costs twice what an SA does.

The HS65 servos will be fine, the metal gear ones are more expensive, 3x HS65MG cost = to 4x HS65HB. For the difference in price you can rebuild the stripped 65HBs 3 times each.

Until you do radical 3-d the align rce500x gyro will be fine for you.

Get the factory-recommended motor and esc.

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Here is what I have purchased so far

450 SA-ARF
Futaba 401 Gyro
3 HS65MG (haven't picked the tail servo yet)
JR 700 (arleady had)
Align Standard ESC and Motor

I already have the 2100 TP batteries as I fly fixed wing aircraft.

I believe what JohnboyRC was saying is that the SA has the same setup as the SE, i.e. no see-saw to setup, basically the same structure, direct connection. I have been over to Helifreak.com and the two physically are the same structurally, just the SA isn't the high end parts and pieces like the SE.

DD

Cryhavoc

My Feedback: (46)

I also bought the SA and I sure do regret it. I wish I'd went ahead and purchased the SE version. While there was some info floating around about the swash (it's composite and aluminum) seperating, mine never got the chance. I bought and built this heli and on the blade tracking test my flybar control lever, flybar control lever link, both mixing levers and the swashplate just disintegrated. I never even got the chance to do a full spinup on it. I've since ordered and replaced most of the parts with aluminum and will be doing the tail next. You live and learn.

Jellyson

OK, now I think I understand, they are the same, but different. The SA is just as good as the SE but the SE is better. The SA is cheaper than the SE but by the time you get it working it will cost more. Got it. Thanks.

Cryhavoc

My Feedback: (46)

I'd have came out better ordering the SE first. I've already spent almost 150.00 on upgrades and am not near being done.

mirage-twin

Is the SE supposed to have a cf boom? I got an aluminum one in my kit.

Jellyson

The ones I have seen around here all seem to have CF booms.

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Well, mine took flight today and flew flawlessly. Everything was pretty good. I had a more experience heli guy take it up (heck, anyone who has flow has more experience then me). All that is left now is to paint the canopy and tail fins. So fare I am very happy with my 450-SA ARF.

DD

ZX11

I am looking at the SA vs the SE also. For me the difference works out to about $150 after i get the ESC and motor for the SA. Since i am a beginner and will be crashing a few times, would the cheap to replace plastic parts of the SA make it a better choice? Or is the stronger aluminum parts of the SE durable enough that i won't have to spend as much on replacements for broken parts? The better deal of the SE equiped with bling wouldn't work for me if I break the aluminum parts and have to spend big $$ on new aluminum bits.

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

ZX11,

All I can say is that the SA that I have with the following setup cost me under $600 if you look around for the parts.

450 SA-ARF
Futaba 401 Gyro
3 HS65MG
Futaba 9650 tail rotor
JR 700 (arleady had)
Align Standard ESC and Motor

The other noob at my field has the same setup except for the receiver is different, he went with the Futaba PCM receiver. So far there hasn't been any glitching. If there is I will add a chok (sp) to the speed controller. The heli flew great according to the guy who flew it and another guy who have been flying heli's for a while.

DD

Heli_Harry

The SE comes stock with an Aluminum boom, the CF is an upgrade part.

If you do the Math the SA is not all it's cracked up to be.

$200 - SA
$100 - Motor and speed controller
---------------------------------------
$300 - Total

$480 - SE
---------------------------------------
$180 - Savings......

Or is it?

Add up the price of the Aluminum parts (boom blocks, tail box, head, tail servo mount, etc), the throw in the CF parts (Frame, Fins, etc), and it is not even close.

I thought about buying an SA as a backup bird, but when I looked closer I found it was not a good deal.

$180 is a drop in the bucket compaired to what you will spend over the total cost of this heli.

I'd rather wait a little longer and save up a few more $$$ to get something that I will be happy with, then get something Now that I will regret later.

I guess I'm learning patience as I get older.

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

Well, all I can say is COOOOOL! I took my heli to the field during lunch (5 minutes from my office) and flew! I flew it a little over the weekend in my front yard, but not as much as I did today. Talk about fun. I flew it 3 flights of about 6 - 8 minutes and I had a more experienced pilot take it up to see how it flew. The wind was pretty rough, about 10 - 12 at the field. But, I am hooked! Blade, how cares, T-REX RULZ!!!!!

DD