Some random beginner comments and questions

I ended up having a little time tonight to fix up my HBFP V2 after busting a few parts and fly it a bit and wanted to pass on some random late night thoughts.

Comments

1) buy multiple rotor heads (blade grips) and ring like push rods. These seem to be the only parts I consistently bust from bad wrecks.

2) when I bought the heli, I bought a few extra Xtreme carbon reinforced blades. If you get these blades, they last longer than you think. I'm still on set #1 after going through the stock blades kind of quick.

3) I've been working on trying to keep a close tail in hover, and also turning and hovering from various directions. One thing I THINK I picked up tonight was that I have been using very slow stick movements to try to counteract sways. Tonight, I think I learned that if it starts moving a lot, use a bigger counter stick movement, then almost immediately go in the opposite direction (where originally trying to stop it from going in). This almost stopped it in its tracks.

4) Training gear. I originally saw a photo and set it up where the training gear bars were above the skids. I re-did it tonight to set the heli on top of the gear. It is higher and works much better. Wish I new this before. This was the gear I bought at Xheli.com with it.

5) Nuttcaze's videos on HBFP V2 are critical to getting ready to fly for a beginner. Such a great resource for setup especially.

Questions

1) Tail motor replacement. When I have to ultimately replace this, I know I have to solder it and I bought a soldering iron. I saw tongiht there was a red and black wire soldered to the moter, and they were connected to something yellow. What exactly do I solder here (and unsolder)? Is there a video some place?

2) I replaced the ringlike push rods (figure 8's) tonight. I took off the paddles on the fly bar, and noticed the bar didn't move. If I bend a flybar, what has to be done to replace it. Was trying to look for what was keeping it tight and wasn't 100% sure.

3) How do I know when a tail motor dies? Is it sudden or something slow where I think I need to keep adjusting the trim or proportional trim, but it is actually the motor instead?


Thanks and hope this post didn't come across as completely useless.

If you keep breaking the push rods, try the o-ring mod (replacing one of the rods with a rubber o-ring twisted once in a figure 8). Supposedly that allows enough give that you won't break the plastic one on the other side, but I'm here to tell you that I still managed to! But, it will reduce the number of them you break.

The yellow thing on the tail and main motors are capacitors. Unsolder them right along with the wires and keep everything in the same orientation when putting the new motor on.

I would imagine that either motor could go quick or slow depending on the situation. I thought my tail motor was going on Fri night, but a glance at my transmitter told me the transmitter batts were nearly dead! Always troubleshoot from simplest to complex (replacing batteries and checking connections are easier than soldering new motors).

Everyone says that the carbon fiber blades are discontinued, so I don't think you have too many on hand! I took Nutt's advice and got a pair of super blades coming, so we'll see how those go. I am still on the stock blades after about an hour and a half of total flight time. I have one spare pair of stock blades, one pair of woodies, then the super blades coming.

You've got the right idea on spare parts. I was lucky enough to check out Marcs videos and web site BEFORE ordering my v2, so I ordered about $40 worth of replacement parts right along with the heli! Since then I've ordered about $90 more and probably order another $40 next week. Having everything on hand needed to fix the bird has allowed me to keep flying and be able to master the tail in hover quickly (instead of having to wait a week for a stupid 60 cent push rod). I think he said it in his videos: Fly what you can afford to fix! For all the newbies, don't think for a second you can get away with buying the $100 stock heli and never put another dime in it, it ain't gonna happen!

If you look under the paddle control frame (bottom side) right where the flybar goes thru it, there is a grub screw (set screw). That is what holds the flybar in place.

Donnie D

This is one of the best vids I've seen for this. It is actually for center hub replacement, but it is a very good video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuIDCvRwje8

Thanks!

Here's a good VID that shows you how to replace everything on the Rotor Head....

Honey Bee FP

Here is something to keep in mind. When you are done using your training gear you can always use the rods from that to make new fly bars!!!