NX4 Stretched for 500mm blades?

[jaofos]

Unfortunately the Nitro temptation is starting to embed itself in my mind.. NX4 is really the only Nitro heli I would even remotely consider, but in it's stock 425mm bladed glory, it's not all that appealing to me. Given my current fleet, I'm rather picky on who can hang on my wall, I'm not a fan of huge electrics (yet), and I'm slowly migrating away from smaller heli's, etc. Given all that, an NX4 that can share (some) parts with my X5, and blades / servos with my Goblin would be very, very appealing.

Would slapping an X5 boom and SAB 500mm blades on an otherwise stock NX4 be feasible? I've seen the video of the stretched NX4 running 473's, and it does look quite nice with that setup, just wondering how feasible it is to go a little bit bigger. My Goblin 500 shows that mini servo's have no issues with the 500mm blade setup, but what about the motor, can the NX4 keep up with the power requirements of this setup?

Just thoughts and plannings for long term goals here, I'm not going to be jumping into anything quickly.

[bobbyra]

I have ran os32 and os37,s in a raptor 30 with 550mm blades at 1800 and had lots of power for a 7 pound heli.Now not a lot of tic tocs.Now put it in a 4-5 pound heli with 473mm blades at 2400-2500 it rocks.

[jaofos]

Originally Posted by bobbyra

I have ran os32 and os37,s in a raptor 30 with 550mm blades at 1800 and had lots of power for a 7 pound heli.Now not a lot of tic tocs.Now put it in a 4-5 pound heli with 473mm blades at 2400-2500 it rocks.

I like the 2400 headspeed with these size blades. I fly 3 mins @ 2400, 1 min @ 2600 on my Goblin 500, and just shy of 2500 for 4:20 on my stretched Protos. My headspeed / flight times are really just a balance of battery life / flight times and performance, I fly slower and smoother, but I still like crisp fast tic-toc's on occasion.

I'd really like to see someone flying the NX4 with 500mm blades around the 2400 headspeed mark.

[akamullen]

And, the SAB 500mm blades come in red as well . They are thin chorded too only 42mm wide. so they should be fairly easy to swing. X5 boom with KBDD 84.5's and 500mm sab's, that thing would auto forever with super low disc loading! Who's gunna try it first, I wanna see it!

[bobbyra]

On the sab 500mm blade what is the blade bolt size 3mm or 4mm.

[crickr1]

500 mm blades have a thicker root, would require x5 blade grips.
Considered this when I did my stretch. My other concern w/longer boom is nx4 already bit tail heavy. I do enjoy my 473 belt drive though

see thread:
http://67.228.244.248/showthread.php?t=528192

The belt also reduced some tail weight, was able to remove bearings and tt gears as well. (didnt weigh it all but cog is little better ten was) The Gaui platform is very friendly to swapping parts back and forth, unlike some others.

[jaofos]

Originally Posted by crickr1

500 mm blades have a thicker root, would require x5 blade grips.
Considered this when I did my stretch. My other concern w/longer boom is nx4 already bit tail heavy. I do enjoy my 473 belt drive though

see thread:
http://67.228.244.248/showthread.php?t=528192

The belt also reduced some tail weight, was able to remove bearings and tt gears as well. (didnt weigh it all but cog is little better ten was) The Gaui platform is very friendly to swapping parts back and forth, unlike some others.

The only reason I'm adverse to flying the 473 blades is.. I already have a stretched Protos. The NX4 isn't going to come close to my stretched Protos in terms of disc load and performance.

I know someone here wants to make 500mm blades work on the NX4, so I'm going to keep an eye out until it happens!

[crickr1]

Go for it! swap out blade grips to accommodate, and put x5 boom on. Gear mesh will be same,spindle shaft is same. only difference in head block is taller then x4.

I cut 50mm off x5 boom to use w/gaui 500 belt kit. w/473 blades,x4 head,my blade tip is 200mm from center of tail spindle. You should have no problem w/x5 boom and 500 size blades. Might use caution w/anything larger (520) may need to use x5 head to bring up little higher. At that point may even spin 550s but think pushing motor/gearing at that point.

[jaofos]

Originally Posted by crickr1

Go for it! swap out blade grips to accommodate, and put x5 boom on. Gear mesh will be same,spindle shaft is same. only difference in head block is taller then x4.

You're the one with the NX4, tell us how it goes.

[akamullen]

Originally Posted by crickr1

500 mm blades have a thicker root, would require x5 blade grips.

The 500mm SAB's will fit perfect. Many guys have used edge 473's on the Goblin 500. The 500mm sabs come with spacers to use on the Goblin 500. They will fit the NX4, they have the same root as the EDGE 473's.
Just measured the ones on my gobby 500 and they are 10mm, with 4mm bolt hole.

[crickr1]

Originally Posted by jaofos

You're the one with the NX4, tell us how it goes.

I'm quite happy w/my 473 belt stretch, getting 2 Gobblers soon, 500 and 630 , so they will fill the void in my fleet! LOL! at least until the Protos 700 comes out.
( @ jaofos, you asked about 500 blades, GO FOR IT ! LOL! )

Besides, I like belt drive

[jaofos]

Originally Posted by crickr1

I'm quite happy w/my 473 belt stretch, getting 2 Gobblers soon, 500 and 630 , so they will fill the void in my fleet! LOL! at least until the Protos 700 comes out.
( @ jaofos, you asked about 500 blades, GO FOR IT ! LOL! )

Besides, I like belt drive

I'm not making the jump to nitro any time soon. My fleet is complete for this year, and next year I was planning on the Protos 700 (or Logo 700 if I can sneak the money past the wife).

NX4 is a dream at this point, unless I stumble across a good deal.. or someone wants to trade a stretched Protos for one

[crickr1]

I can fully understand. I had no interest in Nitro either until this little bugger came out.
Wanted a "grab n go" heli. sometimes not sure if gonna have time to fly then get a little window of opportunity but ,HAVE TO CHARGE BATTS! window just closed. Figured nitro gives me that extra time. I run LIFE pack so it gets charged after I fly and is always ready So for me it was a perfect fit. Also didn't want too big, 500 class helis seem to be the happy medium for me. Can't get to field, always some smaller fields nearby to get a few quick flights in

[hepat911]

Hi , i trey this on my NX4 , boom from outrage 50 cut with the std x5 belt ,its about 8cm longer than the std nx4 now .
End off this week try to fit the boom and belt , i have one boom from my friend friday
Greats

[bobbyra]

Originally Posted by akamullen

The 500mm SAB's will fit perfect. Many guys have used edge 473's on the Goblin 500. The 500mm sabs come with spacers to use on the Goblin 500. They will fit the NX4, they have the same root as the EDGE 473's.
Just measured the ones on my gobby 500 and they are 10mm, with 4mm bolt hole.

But the nx4 uses a 3mm blade bolt.Can you drill the blade grip out 1mm to fit a 4mm bolt.

[akamullen]

Originally Posted by bobbyra

But the nx4 uses a 3mm blade bolt.Can you drill the blade grip out 1mm to fit a 4mm bolt.

I seen that guys were using 473 EDGE blades on the goblin 500, and the NX4, so figured they were the same, I learned something today!

I would think there is a way to use 4mm hole blades, maybe with a brass sleeve in the blade hole. a lot of blades need these sleeves in bigger birds, so a 3mm diameter hole/ 4mm outer diameter brass sleeve would work for this.

Where there's a will, there's a way!

[jaofos]

Well.. I may be trying this sooner than expected. I picked up a used (and already stretched!) NX4 by trading off my Goblin 500. Currently, the heli is running a cut-down X5 boom and torque tube, but I will be picking up a new X5 torque tube shaft and running the full length boom and TT, and giving it the carbon tail pushrod treatment using the Goblin 630 pushrod and X7 guide (the guides I have left over from doing this on my X5).

Really, the only thing I need to try the 500mm blades would be some brass inserts for the 3mm bolts on the NX4.

I'm looking forward to getting this little guy flying this weekend!

Here's a pic of her hangin in between the stretched Protos and the X5. A great addition to my fleet!

http://i.imgur.com/v1FxA1Ch.jpg

[crickr1]

Originally Posted by jaofos

Well.. I may be trying this sooner than expected. I picked up a used (and already stretched!) NX4 by trading off my Goblin 500. Currently, the heli is running a cut-down X5 boom and torque tube, but I will be picking up a new X5 torque tube shaft and running the full length boom and TT, and giving it the carbon tail pushrod treatment using the Goblin 630 pushrod and X7 guide (the guides I have left over from doing this on my X5).

Really, the only thing I need to try the 500mm blades would be some brass inserts for the 3mm bolts on the NX4.

I'm looking forward to getting this little guy flying this weekend!

Here's a pic of her hangin in between the stretched Protos and the X5. A great addition to my fleet

http://i.imgur.com/v1FxA1Ch.jpg

Very nice
Enjoy the new member, if you have any probs w blades the x5 grips will fit the x4 head and spindle, gives you thicker root and 4mm bolt.

[jaofos]

Originally Posted by crickr1

Very nice
Enjoy the new member, if you have any probs w blades the x5 grips will fit the x4 head and spindle, gives you thicker root and 4mm bolt.

Would the X5 grips alter the head geometry in any way? I'm interested in attempting this, and not opposed to buying a set of X5 grips to try, if they don't work out I'll just have them as spares for the X5.

I may try fiddling with the grips tonight when I get home and see how the geometry compares between the two.

[akamullen]

Originally Posted by jaofos

Would the X5 grips alter the head geometry in any way? I'm interested in attempting this, and not opposed to buying a set of X5 grips to try, if they don't work out I'll just have them as spares for the X5.

I may try fiddling with the grips tonight when I get home and see how the geometry compares between the two.

The SAB 500mm blades will work with the NX4 stock grips, you just need a brass insert to make the blade bolt hole go from 4mm to 3mm. The 500mm blades would be awesome IMO since they are very thin chorded for a 500mm blade. they are only 42mm wide, so about exactly the same chord width as most 420~470mm blades. once you go to 520ish blades, the blades are WAY wider and heavier, and will suck power from the engine pretty quick when flying any 3D.