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Post by blueflyer on Jun 15, 2012 8:46:40 GMT -4
Hi
I'm a total novice and the 600 was my first build and first proper heli. The kit was pretty good and with a bit of help from this forum I managed to put it together without any major problems, apart from the supplied ESC which I could not get to work. I replaced it with a Turnigy 120AMP ESC which works great,
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I've been teaching myself to fly the 600 and a few days ago I managed to break the landing skids. Snapped off completely along the left hand side at the points where it's bolted to the frame. It wasn't a hard landing, I was only doing some pretty low hovers, I'm not competent enough to get it flying high just yet.
I was just wondering if this is a common problem? I was practicing on a tarmac driveway but as I said it wasn't a particularly hard landing, just a small bunny hop.
Got a replacement in the post, I've also ordered a spare. I did consider upgrading to carbon fibre gear, but thought it would be too hard on the rest of the heli in the event of a hard landing.
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Post by sgmason on Jun 15, 2012 10:12:18 GMT -4
Just curious, did it break the skid strut or the base plate? I am thinking its the strut, and they seem pretty tough to me. If I had to venture a guess I would say you got unlucky and hit it on just the right angle and with just enough force to break it, but still lucky enough not to have it flop over with the head spinning and ripping up a bunch of more expensive parts
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2012 12:55:20 GMT -4
Can you post a pic of the gear please.
One thing to make sure of is that when mounting the skids to the bottom plate, don't overtighten the screws, this will add undue strain to the gear and when landing on a hard surface can fracture the plastic.
Also if possible try to use grass to land in, and there is less chance of a hard impact on the skids.
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Post by Dr. Evil on Jun 15, 2012 14:23:55 GMT -4
I've broke plenty of landing skids in the past and it didn't take much to do it either. There were talks that the Chaos skids will break easier due to the materials used but the recent set I broke on my 600 were a set from Align. That goes to show it can happen, just depends on how the skids makes contact with the ground. BTW, The last time it happened...it was only 2 ft. off the ground. I think sometimes we forget the weight of the 600 and it wouldn't take much to break any skids when it comes down from as little as a couple of feet in the air.
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Post by Chris Reibert on Jun 15, 2012 15:06:50 GMT -4
They are meant to have some give and flex but a good bump on the Tarmac and its ingredients for them to snap! I've broken my many share of skids! Get training gear do you can skate around the ground safety and have some bounce
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Post by chitty024 on Jun 15, 2012 22:01:02 GMT -4
I got some Align 3D skids that are curved and they have a ton of give! I have come down really hard on them with no problem it just kind of bounces.
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Post by blueflyer on Jun 15, 2012 23:43:30 GMT -4
I think I was lucky I only lost a main blade, both tail blades and a bent fly bar. Here's a picture of the broken skids, I tried gluing it back together but a quick bounce test was enough to break it again. I started out on grass but had a few problems with the heli tipping while I was trying to get a feel for the controls. I then found a training course on a site which recommend practicing on tarmac with training gear. Couldn't find anything to fit a 600 heli specifically, maybe you're expected to learn on something smaller to begin with? Thought about making my own but then decided I could skid along fairly competently without them. Not sure they would have saved the skids from breaking. Did consider using a block of polystyrene - ok it wont look good but would take some of the shock out of hard landings - well either that or one of the wife's best cushions!
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Post by sgmason on Jun 16, 2012 9:49:07 GMT -4
Well thankfully replacement skids are cheap enough to buy. I can't remember where it was that i saw training gear for 600 sized helis but if I find it again I will post up a link for you. EDIT: Found it, its Great Hobbies here in Canada they carry the Heli-Max training gear for .30-.50 600EP helis. Maybe you will be able to find them on your side of the world, but if not here is the link. I have to go into Ottawa and pick up a set myself
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Post by blueflyer on Jun 17, 2012 2:46:38 GMT -4
Being in the middle of nowhere is the best and worst part about living in Perth.
Can't find a stockist anywhere near, might have to resort to making my own. Saw a post somewhere that suggested using ping-pong balls, can't see that working - maybe plastic golf balls?
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Post by ausheli on Jun 17, 2012 7:00:10 GMT -4
I made a set using two wooden dowels from bunnings, I think they were a $1.20 each and then went to a cheap $2 shop and got some foam balls, glued the balls on the end of dowels and used plastic cable ties with the dowels crossed to the landing gear. Worked excellent for my 600.
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Post by ausheli on Jun 17, 2012 7:07:36 GMT -4
Ps: I cracked my landing gear as well while I was learning...looks exactly the same as yours lol. Yes I tried to glue them to but did not last long as well. I found if you take the negative pitch out while your learning helped heaps as you don't bring the bird down as hard, when your going up and down all the time.
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Post by blueflyer on Jun 17, 2012 7:28:20 GMT -4
How long are your dowels? I've just found a couple that are 900mm, I've screwed some kids bouncy balls to the ends and joined the dowels in the middle. Bit worried that the rubbery balls will be a little too grippy but will have to wait for my replacement skids to arrive to find out.
Thanks for the tip about negative pitch, was thinking of changing the throttle curve to make it less sensitive at the point it starts getting light on the skids.
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Post by ausheli on Jun 17, 2012 8:17:32 GMT -4
My dowels are 900mm as well. My foam balls are a bit grippy as well, but once the heli starts to hover it be fine. If you can get out to a large concrete area with no one around and just skid it around all over the place, back and forth figure of 8 etc. you be fine once you get it up.
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