E-smart Parts Substitution Thread

[damyxz]

OK since we all know that this heli is lacking in parts support, I decided to do this so we can help each other out. First most of the parts of the E-smart interchange with the G-smart, a good source of G-smart parts is pegasusheli.com. On specific parts, I will start the list below:

1. Rotor head- the E-smart metal rotor head is excellent but a few started using the Gaui hurricane 550 head with good results. Another is the old mikado logo 10 head(excellent 3D performance).

2. Main shaft - I have used a hirobo shuttle 30 shaft before it is about 5mm shorter but it works and actually gives a faster roll rate.

3. Feathering shaft - I have used a century swift 550/16 feathering shaft before with some modifications and it gave good results.

4. Flybar - I have used the century swift and outrage 550 flybar with good results. also the trex 600 flybar works but the components needed to be drilled out slightly.

5. Flybar Paddles - Align Trex 600 plastic paddles works good, I tried the align CF paddles too and it is OK. The new K&B design plastic paddles for the 550 size helis are really great.

6. Bearings - I just measure the bearing dimensions and order ABEC-3 grade chrome bearings from boca bearings. the stock E-sky bearings don't last long.

7. Main Gear - microheli made a delrin version and it is better than the stock one.(a bit pricey though)

8. Tail boom - Century swift 620 tail boom works best. It needs some trimming though.

9. Tail rotor cage - The swift 620 metal TR case works well minus the tail shaft and pulley(have to use stock E-smart tail shaft and pulley), The outrage 550 tail case also will work but needs a 21mm spacer to work, but it give excellent results.

10. Tail rotor hub and grips - I used a stock trex 600 tail rotor system and modified the slider and yoke to use the trex 600 yoke.(works really great). The century swift 620 tail rotor system works really well. Also the outrage 550 tail rotor hub and grips can be used and works great.

11. TR blades - I have been using the K&B 92mm with great results.

12. Tail boom support - I have been using the outrage 550 boom supports.

13. Tail fin - I use a modified trex 600 tail fin for ground clearance.

14. Landing gear - I have used the trex 600 3D landing gear and works great.

As of now that's what I have come up with and had experience using. I hope it helps you guys some and please feel free to add to the list.

[damyxz]

We all know that the stock motor gets the best bang for the buck, however there are some of us who wants an alternative system for better performance. The list below are some recommendations I have experience with.

Motors

1. Z-power Z30 1100 kv - almost same specs as stock motor but has a smoother powerband and I think is more efficient. It also generates less heat than the stock setup. Excellent on 6S with 11T pinion.

2. Tonic X Z30 1100kv - same as the Z-power motor with a different label.

3. Hacker A40 10L electric turbine 1100kv - Very good heat management, very efficient and got tons of power, really good for hard 3D

4. Scorpion 4020-1100 kv - Really powerful on 6S. You have to fine tune your pitch curve(less aggressive) or it will strip even the delrin microheli gears. Great if you are going to push the 3D envelope.


Speed Control

1. BP hobbies 100A- good power efficiency but does not have a good soft start. I think they make a heli version with a soft start. This is a good and economical ESC.

2. Align 75/100A - Pricier than the BP and is programmable via Tx. Has poor governor mode but has a good choice of programming options.

3. Hobbywing pentium V2 100A - Good programmability but the soft start needs improvement, very robust and very large. Easier to use with a program card.

4. Hobbywing platinum 100A - Good soft start very solid design. has a better programmability than the pentium and is firmware updatable. It has a very good governor mode. This has been recently out of stock in most online stores. It requires a program box to be able to do firmware update. Note: Set motor timing to 15-225 degrees if using a 1100KV or more, set motor load to normal with gov off when doing a maiden flight.

5. Castle Creations Phoenix 110A HV - very pricey but offers programmability options via USB link(sold separately of course). A lot of people likes this one but has a lot of reports burning up lately.

6. Hyperion 80A - good soft start and is programmable via Tx. Very solid , a good ESC.

[Bugster]

That's great information damyxz - thanks for compiling it

[Donnie D]

Thanks. I was hoping someone would start this thread. Let's try to keep it updated.

Donnie D

[damyxz]

Just trying to help out. It's no biggie. I have been compiling this info ever since I got the E-smart 2 years ago, I just thought I'd share it.

[damyxz]

Here is a list of electronic components I have tested that gave me really good results. For those who are just putting their E-smart together, consider these components. I listed the parts according to cost.(from the least expensive to the most expensive)

Cyclic Servos
1. Scanner RC SSV-9766MG - These are quality analog servos. It offers really good torque. prcise centering and speed. It comes with metal gears and durable plastic casing.(popular in the RC racing circuit) Available at Abells Hobbies for less than $30 each.

2. Scanner RC SSV- 9764 - Suggested by fpainter. This has a higher toque rating but slower speed than the 9766. $20 from amain hobbies.

2. Hitec 625MG - High quality analog servo, good speed and torque very precise(recommended if you are in a budget). Can be bought around $36 each.

3. Hitec 5625MG - High quality digital servo good torque, decent speed comes with metal gears. Good for precision flying FAI style. Cost around $55-58 each.

4. Align DS 610 - digital decent performance, good specs, I personally prefer another brand but there is a good following on this one. cost about $70 each.

5. Ino-lab HG-D760MG - Really good performance, high speed, very precise and good torque.( I recommend this one...some are running this servo straight from a 2S li-po pack). Cost about $75 each

6. Ino-lab HG-D751MG - Better holding power than the 760 but slightly slower speed. Really good performance and very durable.

* Note I did not include any Futabas or JR's because these branded servos cost too much in relation to the cost of the kit. The servos I listed offers about the same or better performance compared to the branded servos within the same spec parameters.


Tail Servos

1. Ino-lab HG-D760HB - Good performance and precision(I am currently using this one) cost about $70.

2. Align DS 620 - Good performance especially if used with the new align 750 gyro. $68 at helidirect.

4. Logictech 6100g -excellent performance coupled with a 6100t or 2100t gyro. Very narrow dead band and superfast transit time. Also super smooth with high resolution. Only works with logictech gyros. I think this one beats the futaba 9257 and 9254 hands down. $ 99 fro heliproz.

3. Futaba S9254 - Really good performance but a bit pricey. best used with GY401 gyro. $120.


* Note these are tail servos I have used with good results within the reasonable cost per performance ratio. There are other servos that have the same or better performance but are way too expensive.


Gyros

1. Futaba GY 401 - Good gyro even for 3D. Holding power depends on which servo you are using. This is the nearest to plug 'n play gyro because it it really easy to set up. Lots of used ones available online.$149 new.

2. Logictech 2100T - A lot of people believe that this one is only for small helis, but it can be used for large electrics with great performance. A bit more complicated to set up than the 401 because of having more programmable parameters.$105

3. SJGD PG800 - Somewhat clone of the spartan 760 gyro. It gives really good performance at a lower cost. Programmable via Tx, USB interface or a separate program box. $135.99 at cnc heli.

4. AlignGP750 - Somewhat a clone of the logictech 2100t, others say that it is a rebadged pg800. This one offers good performance with the right servo. There are reports of this gyro creeping at times. There is a following on this one. $166 at helidirect.

4. Spartan DS760 - Excellent performance, fully programmable and has good factory support. It will work with any brand servo. Programmable via USB link or with a field programming box. This one is highly recommended. Now $160 at helidirect.

5. CY miniG - Really good performance but a bit pricey and complicated to program via Tx. You have to buy a G-view to access more parameters to program. Very good manufacturer support.$180 for gyro and &50 for G-view.

6. JR DS 7703D - A really good gyro if set up right. It is very finicky with what servo to use it with, highly sensitive to vibration and takes a lot of time and patience to set up right.(just my experience) $189

* note: Any gyro/servo combo will work. I only listed these ones because these are the ones I had the chance to test and tinker with. The above list of gyro gave me the best results.

[signal7]

Just like quality electronics, blades make all the difference. I'd be interested in seeing some reviews of the different blade options for the E-Smart. From woodies for learning up to a nice set of carbons to stick with.

[Donnie D]

I just put a set of these on my E-Smart a couple of weeks ago and I've been very happy with them. Not a bad price either.

http://www.helidirect.com/550mm-pro-...de-p-11214.hdx

Donnie D

[signal7]

Yeah I've heard good things about those. I'd like to try them sometime. I'm running some Heli-max 550 carbons right now. They're not bad, although I think they could stand to be a little stiffer. Rolls seem to be a little "choppy", and they bark alot. I also have some Mavrikk G4's and Mavrikk Patriots that I'll be trying out back-to-back soon. I'll let you know how they compare.

[damyxz]

OK as requested I will do some info on rotor blades. Again these are main rotor blades that I have used and has experienced using. The blades I listed are all 550 mm size since the 600mm makes the power systen very inefficient and actually leads to main gear stripping. The brief review on each blade is based on it'suse on the E-smart and the outrage 550, I tend to swap them from time to time just to see if there is a difference in performance between airframes.

Main Blades

1. Woodies - I really have not used any woodies on this size heli except for test hovering at low head speeds. Woodies normally have a wire lead weight embedded near the tips to improve gyroscopic stability. These weights tend to get thrown at head speeds over 1600 RPM. I have seen the effect of these thrown lead weights at people and property. I guess if you will going to use woodies, just stick to high quality brands like maverick, JR or thunder tiger.

2. Pro 3D FRP 550 - Fpainter has tested these blades and said they are good. I still have to test one of these later.

3. TIG 550 Z-weave - Very economical and very rigid. It gave improvements in roll and flip rate over FRP blades. Comparable stiffness to V-blades.These blades bark really good but also has enought bite for 3D. These are the best bang for the buck at this size and performance. $ 47 at hobbycity.

4. Maverick 550 pro wide chord - Really good 3D blades but a little light in weight for good auto rotation. Since it has a wider chord, it is advisable to adjust your pitch to a less aggressive setting like +9/-9 since this blade has a lot of bite and it will load up the rotor head enought to strip the main gear. The mavericks has foam core and is wrapped in CF. I got mine on a buy 1 get the 2nd 1/2 off at heliproz.

5. Maverick G5 pro 550 CF - Great blades and has good rigidity and good performance. These blades are very efficient at +10/-10 pitch settings.$65 at heliproz.

6. Gohbee CF 550 - Really good performance with 3D, very efficient and light weight. Very durable(already survived 3 crashes without any visible cracks). It autos well for a light blade. $70 from RRE models.

7. MS composit CF 550 - Comparable performance to the gohbees but a little heavier. Good performance with autos. It looks shorter than your normal 550 blades though. Good rigidity but the leading edge is more rounded than being streamlined. If you want blades that are able to make a lot of noise, these are the ones you want.

8. Thunder Tiger 550 CF - Very efficient blades and good rigidity. A bit pricey but worth it. Great for auto rotation. These are hard to come by, if you chance upon one, get it.

9. RJX FRP CF 550 - Good for basic aerobatics but a bit too heavy and flexible for 3D. I had a boom strike just doing tight flips in sequence.

10. Pro 3D 550CF - I was tempted to order these but I read a report of one of these being thrown during flight, breaking at the root. Not good. I did not know what head speed the person was using but CF blades breaking at the root seems poor manufacturing technique. I will wait on these for now. These might be good for basic maneuvers and FFF.

11. V- blades 550 CF - Best of the bunch but priciest too. Ultra rigid, you can pick up the whole heli by one blade without the blade distorting or bending. It is hard to come by as of now.

I still have some blades in boxes like radix, SWE, and edge. I have not have the time to try these out yet.

[fpainter]

I have tested these $20 blades they are good.

http://www.helidirect.com/550mm-pro-...de-p-11215.hdx

Great $20 servos I am using 4.

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...tal-Gear-Servo

[damyxz]

I added the servos to the list for cyclics. I saw that the 9784 has a higher rated transit speed than the 9766 and the 9764, Why didn't use the 9784 as the tail servo? Also added the blades. Thanks for the info. As I said you can contribute info as well and I can add it to the list as You guys post it.

[akent]

This is awesome info!

Thanks!
Kent

[damyxz]

I just finally messed up a set of TIG 550's and just out of curiosity, I ordered 2 pairs of the pro 3D CFblades via my LHS(supplied by prestige rc)despite non stellar reviews of the smaller blades. The blades came and one pair has uneven blade tip shape(one blades angle is different from the other)...odd, I inspected the other pair and the others were OK. I then bolted the blades together using a 3mm bolt to even them up, taped then together and proceeded to even up the shape and the length with a sanding block(1-2mm difference plus angle adjustment). After doing the adjustment, I then balanced the blades on my kyosho pro balancer. The blades CG were spot on and just needed a small piece of aluminum tape(my secret) to balance it. Stiffness is comparable to a set of mavericks but these are slightly thicker. In flight, they are comparable to RJX's and the maverick G4. They tend to make a lot of noise during harsh cyclic transitions but performed as expected. OK on autos too. I am still on the fence on this one...inconsistent quality control, and midrange performance but really inexpensive. I think these are good for sport flying and big aerobatic maneuvers. Not too good on 3D quick transition type stuff. So far it's good value for the money but I prefer the TIGs. I will report more as I use these things more.

[Mr Nice Guy]

I have a substitution you guys might be interested in as well. You can convert the E-smart to use Swift or Mikado main gears. They bolt right up to the one way but you do need to change the tail pully, tail drive gear, and belt and of course use the appropriate pinion.. It's really easy and you will be able to use readily available gears. It also gives you a tail ratio that won't spin the tail blades too fast if you want a higher head speed. If you use Swift gears go for the black heavy duty gears. For Mikado you can use either the .05mod Logo 10 gears or the .07 mod logo 14 gears. The straight cut ones not the herringbone. Let me know if you have any questions.

[jacquesjb]

(3. Feathering shaft - I have used a century swift 550/16 feathering shaft before with some modifications and it gave good results.)

OR I find this direct replacement :

http://www.centuryheli.com/products/...&currentid=402

[Fatdaddy]

Feathering shafts are available @ Lakeside hobbies, 6mm hardened 10. for the plastic head 5mm hardened 7 at lakeside.

[traeside]

Originally Posted by signal7

Just like quality electronics, blades make all the difference. I'd be interested in seeing some reviews of the different blade options for the E-Smart. From woodies for learning up to a nice set of carbons to stick with.

i started with the Z-weaves and liked them then i put on some of the Maverick patriot 550 CF. i took them off after the first day and put on the thunder tiger 550 CF Wow very nice blades.

[damyxz]

OK. new update

3D pro 550 CF from helidirect: Really good blades for the price, makes a lot of popping noise during direction changes. So far so good and I not have any issues at all using these. Just make sure to balance the blades and check the blade length to make sure they are the same length. I got 2 sets and 1 set has about 3mm difference from one another, luckily I was able to sand off the tips to make them equal in length. Also they are not well balanced out of the box. Other than these minor things, it's a good value for the money.

Funkey 550 CF - really good value blades(silver) Good for 3D and has a lot of pop. Similar to rotortechs.

[damyxz]

OK to clarify things, The hirobo shuttle 30 8mm main shaft will work on the E-smart but it will lower the head about 6mm. Despite being shorter, it works because you can cinch up the phasing block to the bottom of the rotor hub. Just adjust the servo link arms shorter. I have been using this shaft and it actually improved the E-smarts roll rate.