The Blade 400 bible (CP heli hints, tips, and tricks)

[Slyster]

The B400 bible is useful for ANY CP heli, but focuses on the Blade 400. The information is a distillation of the many tips and tricks from numerous Blade 400 owners. Most of the info comes from this forum. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. Any additions (or subtractions) please PM slyster. The page is updated periodically.

B400 Bible

Found in this post

[Finless]

Good info! I am sticking this thread!

Bob

[Slyster]

Feel free to post additions, subtractions, and errors and such in this thread. It's getting pretty long now.. so I am thinking of a lite version and a full version.. it would just show up as two links on the b400 bible page.

[Slyster]

NOTE FROM SLY

The B400 bible is a collection of EXPERT knowledge.. but as I've before... I did not write it... in fact not much of this knowledge is from me.. nearly everything that resides in the B400 bible is from YOU... the many B400 users on this (and a few other) forums... So many awesome tips and links... so much knowledge... Again, I did not write b400 bible.. I just organized the hints, tips, and links into one single document. I can't give enough credit or thanks to all of you. Please continue to PM me changes and corrections to the B400 bible so it can be a useful and accurate guide for all of us for years to come! I sometimes even find people recommending the bible to me!... and I thank them.. since I forget what is all in there sometimes.

[T53L13B]

WOW!

Thanks!

[Slyster]

OK. I am done with the B400 forum... as much as I LOVED my b400.. and owe so much to it and the folks who helped me on this forum... I am moving on. I find myself checking this forum less and less and most people I 'grew up with' here are gone too. The B400 bible is here in this sticky so I hope newbies will find it easily enough.. it's up to them to do the work and research... I know I sure did when I started... and the B400 bible will be up as long as I live! And all you fellers who are newer than me know the B400 very well and are doing a great job helping new newbies! See you! I'll be on the T-Rex 450 and T-Rex 500 forums for the next year or two!

[BritOnTour]

So long Sly, you will be missed!!

[Cailid]

Thanks for all the work you put into it Sly. It and the people here have been a great help.

[wantoofly]

slyster

Thanks, just started with the B400 and will definitely use this thread..

[TowPilot]

Slyster!

The Blade 400 is and continues to be the main battle tank for me to get stick time with.

This would never have happened without your help learning how to troubleshoot and repair the B400 and at at times, you did the repairs!

This got me over the learning curve much quicker than if I had to muddle about in the hobby alone.

Great flying with you too.

Cheers and thanks again.

[13Flatspins]

Thanks, Sly!!
It has been and will be immense help to me as long as I keep my B400!

[tandem4]

Originally Posted by Slyster

OK. I am done with the B400 forum... as much as I LOVED my b400.. and owe so much to it and the folks who helped me on this forum... I am moving on. I find myself checking this forum less and less and most people I 'grew up with' here are gone too. The B400 bible is here in this sticky so I hope newbies will find it easily enough.. it's up to them to do the work and research... I know I sure did when I started... and the B400 bible will be up as long as I live! And all you fellers who are newer than me know the B400 very well and are doing a great job helping new newbies! See you! I'll be on the T-Rex 450 and T-Rex 500 forums for the next year or two!

Thanx for your effort Sly...... sitting here in the middle of Angola where Russian Hind Helicopters flown by Russian or Cuban pilots for FAPLA the militatry wing of MPLA were shot down by UNITA using Stingers supplied by the USA........ flying my Blade 400!!!!!! Ironic aint it!!!!!!!

PS a Chinese Railway company is busy cutting up the wrecks of the Hinds, MIGs, tanks and other wrecks of the war and exporting it as scrap to China.

A piece of ordnance exploded about 300m from our house last week after a veld fire. Was not large, suspect a Toe Popper used to detonate larger anti tand mines. Mines are the scourge of this area.

[TowPilot]

What assignment has you living there?!

You didn't pick that garden spot to fly B400s!

Regarding China, I read an article that China was paying premium rates before the housing crash, for compressed bales of cardboard, shipping it from the UK to China. Much of the recycled cardboard in the UK was bound (how's that for a bad pun) for China.

[tandem4]

Originally Posted by TowPilot

What assignment has you living there?!

You didn't pick that garden spot to fly B400s!

Regarding China, I read an article that China was paying premium rates before the housing crash, for compressed bales of cardboard, shipping it from the UK to China. Much of the recycled cardboard in the UK was bound (how's that for a bad pun) for China.

Road construction, rebuilding main road from Matala to Menongue. We fly chppers and ride our Tandem!!!!!! We are based in Cuvango. End of November out of this hellhole for good. Next assignment ..... Nigeria..... also a hellhole but at least the people speak English!!!!!!!

[TowPilot]

Yes, English would help a lot!!

Working for a contractor or the government?

Sounds like you have one CH-47 or other tandem out there working with you.
For heavy lift?

[tandem4]

Originally Posted by TowPilot

Yes, English would help a lot!!

Working for a contractor or the government?

Sounds like you have one CH-47 or other tandem out there working with you.
For heavy lift?

Nope!!!!!........ none of that...... bicycle!!!! two of them.... Road Tandem and MTB Tandem!!!!.... with my wife as the stoker!!!..... just bought a mSR for her!!!!

[TowPilot]

HEY, so That's where the Tandem comes from.

Too cool. I have two friends with tandems.
I ride a path I have selected across MN that has good shoulders and trails so traffic is not an issue. From Gordonsville to International Falls. About 430 miles, takes 4 days. All the gear on the bike, not an organized or supported ride.

Do you pack the tandems along with the construction equipment for the moves?

What do you operate or do you engineer for the road construction?

[stevehof]

Argggh...I KNOW I have the new belt in the boom correctly with a half twist and the belt properly fit around the drive capstan. With the boom all the way in against the recess in the tail block there's just not enough belt slack to pull the tail gear box back far enough to lock the gearbox into the locator hole in the boom...There sure wouldn't be any room for belt tension 'adjustment' even if I could get it installed. Am I missing something or is this just one of those jobs from @ell that you have to overcome some way or another....? Almost enough frustration to make me want to scrap my trusty ol' B400 after the first crash...

[TowPilot]

Originally Posted by stevehof

Argggh...I KNOW I have the new belt in the boom correctly with a half twist and the belt properly fit around the drive capstan. With the boom all the way in against the recess in the tail block there's just not enough belt slack to pull the tail gear box back far enough to lock the gearbox into the locator hole in the boom...There sure wouldn't be any room for belt tension 'adjustment' even if I could get it installed. Am I missing something or is this just one of those jobs from @ell that you have to overcome some way or another....? Almost enough frustration to make me want to scrap my trusty ol' B400 after the first crash...

Hey, don't use a short belt!!

Naw, just kidding.

I'm not looking at my B400 just now but I can guess, can't I?

Since these are only guesses, the likelyhood of being helpful, is low....

Is the boom fully seated into the frame? If the boom was not, this would consume belt length.

I forgot the other guess, I'll have to get back to you on that one.....

[Jskrapper]

Just a word...

I am a relative newb to heli's and about two weeks ago, Ihave worked my way up to a blade400. I have been affxed to this thread for the whole time. It is so good to see all of the basic and advanced info I need all compiled into one area. That takes a lot of work and effort to make sure everything is correct.

I feel like I am being spoon fed, but this wont make me "soft" when I upgrade to a new heli. I guess the big thing to keep in mind, is to truly understand why you are doing the things documented here and how it effects the heli. Not just blindly follow the steps to a particular repair or upgrade. This will help keep you more aware of your setup. This is exactly how I learned my car stuff.

Also, quick question...would it be a good idea to just plain strip the girl down for no reason other than to learn. I have been fortunate enough to have no crashes, but I am dying to get into this thing...or is it best to leave it the way it sits untill something bad happens. I guess that's really up to me.

Anyways, thanks to all of those who contributed to the info in this sticky!

-Joe