Should I remove the idle pulley ???

[Gary JP4]

Originally Posted by CHOPPER PATROL

Another believer!

Lets wait for V3 to come out and see that Align is also a believer.

Non sequitur.

[rdlohr]

Has anybody had a belt malfunction with the pulley on that had no previous indication like a discolored or frayed belt?

[thePreacher]

Originally Posted by CHOPPER PATROL

Another believer!

Lets wait for V3 to come out and see that Align is also a believer.

hehhe well i would hope that they would move up to a torque tube instead of a belt altogether ! heheh

[saltyzoo]

Originally Posted by CHOPPER PATROL

Furthermore after looking at your pic you can remove the bearing, machine screw for bearing, the upper and lower spacer, and the machine screws for those also. They are all doing nothing.

Untrue!

My theory is that it's a conspiracy by the forum owners to get people to join their sites to argue whether they should be removed or not.

[Bryan Innes]

To answer rdlohr, yes. brand new, first flight. The belt rode up onto the left pulley flange and seized the whole thing. I re-adj the tension and it did the same thing during the power up, fortunately before it left the ground. There is also belt dust in the tail case. I plan to change the belt and am debating removing the idler pulley at the same time.

[CHOPPER PATROL]

Originally Posted by thePreacher

hehhe well i would hope that they would move up to a torque tube instead of a belt altogether ! heheh

That might be a nice option, but I am reluctant to change my Trex 500 to a torque tube as I have heard if you nick the ground with the tail rotor it strips the gears. We should be in a different thread now talking about this possibly.

The reality is TAKE THE IDLER PULLEY OUT! I have a new 450seV2 as a second one to fly and I have taken the idler pulley out right from the get go. END OF STORY

[Gary JP4]

Originally Posted by Bryan Innes

To answer rdlohr, yes. brand new, first flight. The belt rode up onto the left pulley flange and seized the whole thing. I re-adj the tension and it did the same thing during the power up, fortunately before it left the ground. There is also belt dust in the tail case. I plan to change the belt and am debating removing the idler pulley at the same time.

Why the debate? Just do it.

Have you tried spray silicon on the belt? Unless there is something so obvious you could see it from where you are controlling it with the TX, silicon spray lube will keep the belt from riding up the pulley flange. When the belt is slippery it wont ride up the pulley flange like yours does unless something is riding hard on it. Lubrication wont make it slip because it has teeth like a gear.

Still, take off the idler pulley too because you dont need it and it also adds drag. That might do it be itself too but, why keep screwing around. Do both.

Or just put another belt on and maybe it won't keep doing the same thing over and over or maybe it will only do it three out of five.

[Skarn]

Originally Posted by Bryan Innes

I plan to change the belt and am debating removing the idler pulley at the same time.

Why debate it? Have you not read this thread?

Remove it and never look back...it will make your heli more smooth and you will NEVER have that belt issue again!

Skarn

[CHOPPER PATROL]

Originally Posted by Bryan Innes

. I plan to change the belt and am debating removing the idler pulley at the same time.

The debate is over. Read this thread and many others, there is no debate.

[pwoodyp]

LMAO The Debate is over! In a perfect world maybe 88 posts here alone whould
prove that wrong for a start............................................. psssst there will be more

[Gary JP4]

Originally Posted by rdlohr

Has anybody had a belt malfunction with the pulley on that had no previous indication like a discolored or frayed belt?

I did almost 3 years ago. I had 3, back to back, on a new heli so, I understand the frustration. I count the frayed belts as a malfunction as two frayed and climbed the flange bad enough to heavily load things up, slow it down, and almost seize before I could land. I had no prior warning before that. All three happened within the first 10 flights on a new belt. I solved it with various things but did not remove the idler pulley at the time and feel that silicone was the cure there.

About a year later I scummed to Finless's influence and removed the idler pulley and still no problems. Consequently, I didn't view removing the idler pulley as a cure as some do just that it was not necessary. I am sure it does the cure for many.

With my experience and seeing the shear number of post of others doing the same thing, having problems within the first few flights, I have come to believe there may be a "break in requirement" on the belt where it is stickier at first and tends to climb the flange of the normal pulley. I believe silicone prevents this from happening. If you get through a few flights I think the belt gets polished or burnished and is harder and not as sticky and you wouldn't have a problem regardless of what else you do. Maybe removing the idler pulley will prevent this too in the first several flights.

Since silicone also reduces drag as demonstrated by the increase RPM, and since it will damn near guarantee this wont happen, and since there is no down side to using it, WTF (that is why not what) wouldn't you use it and take the idler pulley off.

That is why I have humbly and politely been suggest doing both.

[lotaloi]

Ok guys, this ques could be a little foolish type though but asking u. Once idler pulley is off and new belt on, then how long the belt will last? Will the belt last even after thread comes off?

[Skarn]

Originally Posted by pwoodyp

LMAO The Debate is over! In a perfect world maybe 88 posts here alone whould
prove that wrong for a start............................................. psssst there will be more

Nope, he is correct, the debate is over.

Now on the other hand, if there were ONE person that had a problem BECAUSE of removing the idler pulley, than that would be another story all together!

The FACT is, that removing the idler pulley WILL improve the smoothness, and does NOT cause any problems. On the other hand, while there are those that are able to run their heli with the idler pulley on without issue, they would still be able to run it without the pulley without issue!

Skarn

[Gary JP4]

Originally Posted by lotaloi

Ok guys, this ques could be a little foolish type though but asking u. Once idler pulley is off and new belt on, then how long the belt will last? Will the belt last even after thread comes off?

Tough question. I don't think anybody really knows but they can last a long time if you don't crash. The belt should last for well over 100 flights.

There should be no thread coming off. If you see thread the belt is frayed (thread coming off) replace it. That is the definition of frayed. If you have thread coming off then you have the idler pulley on and didn't lubricate the belt with silicone.

If you crash and damage the belt replace it. If it is missing any teeth, cracked, or frayed replace it. If I crash and the tail doesn't seem to be involved and the belt passes inspection I reuse it. If I have a major rebuild from a crash I replace it. If there is any question replace it. The typical crash damage I have seen was teeth missing.

I think most of us crash and damage one before they ever get a chance to wear out. I have seen several post of folks who had more then 200 flights.

[PyroM!KE]

Damn........I just built my new rex 450 v2 last week and I had about 12 flights on it and this morning frayed my belt..The belt rode up on the left side of pulley and caused major drag..I was upside down when this happened..Almost crashed!!!!!......... But I didnt.....:dance I guess I should of listened to the silicone spray idea and removed my pulley...I dont know if im gonna remove pulley..I got a Mavrikk belt to replace the stock one...Ill let everyone know how this belt works..

[Gary JP4]

Originally Posted by PyroM!KE

........
should of listened to the silicone spray idea and removed my pulley...

I dont know if im gonna remove pulley.....................

Why don't you know. It is not that hard. Just spray and take it off.

[PyroM!KE]

How often do you spray silicone on the belt-pulley..???

[Gary JP4]

It doesn't take much. I really believe once you put it on it does the job for a long time, almost indefinitely. I have sprayed it in a Ziploc bag before and let the belt soak in to for awhile. Then I put it on and didn't spray again for about 40 or 50 flights and there still seems to be a light film on the belt.

I usualy give mine a little shot up the boom between the two sides of the belt using the straw that comes with the spray lube, then give it a few spins by hand once every few times I fly. I usualy fly 5 or 8 batteries at a session. So, once every 20 or 25 flights for me.

[pwoodyp]

Originally Posted by Skarn

Nope, he is correct, the debate is over.

Now on the other hand, if there were ONE person that had a problem BECAUSE of removing the idler pulley, than that would be another story all together!

The FACT is, that removing the idler pulley WILL improve the smoothness, and does NOT cause any problems. On the other hand, while there are those that are able to run their heli with the idler pulley on without issue, they would still be able to run it without the pulley without issue!

Skarn

LOL was just kidding, no need to preach to the converted! Commenting more to the fact that the discussion continues regardless of the obvious remedies and still continues despite the fact that nobody can produce a convincing argument in favor of the Idler. Judging by the posts elsewhere and here it would seem this ain't going away anytime soon (thus the reason it was made a sticky)... Maybe when/if the do away with the Belt and run a Torque Tube (TT) instead then maybe it will go away. LMAO well theres another debate, TT verses Belt!?! If nothing else there's at least one goods reason to run a TT setup. Maybe then we wouldn't have to deal with the endless "should I remove the Idler Pulley" questions and/or debate. Oh well no matter an end to the Idler question is nothing more than a pipe dream anyway, right

[CHOPPER PATROL]

Originally Posted by PyroM!KE

I dont know if im gonna remove pulley..I got a Mavrikk belt to replace the stock one

Maverick belt is good but won't make up for a bad idler pulley. Not sure what's left to consider?