Pinning tail boom

[George1234]

I just ordered my new 500ESP, and I have been reading threads and watching videos till I couldn't see straight. One thing that seems to be mandatory with the TT is to pin the tail boom, but I can't find any reference as to how. I did a search on pinning tail boom, but got no results. Could someone refer me to some instructions? Thanks in advance.
I live in the great white north, and my 500 is coming from California, I've learned in the past this should take about 3 weeks. I can't wait!!!

George

[Russell Bear]

From what I have read is that unless you’re doing hard 3D then it is not necessarily needed. I however am learning and still did it. Just don’t want anything weird to happen.

What I did was install the tube in the tail block tight without the TT shaft and drilled the tail block into the tube on each side. Tapped for 2-56 thread and cut down a small screw that barely sticks past the inside of the tube. It does not interfere with the rotating TT shaft.

[Russell Bear]

See the picture below...

[George1234]

Thanks Russell. I'll do that.

George

[ualdrivr]

George,

All I did was to drill a small diameter hole on the side of the tail boom box with the boom installed. Of course you do that without the torque tube in the boom. Drill into the plastic of tail boom box all the way through one side of the aluminum of the tail boom.

Then I used one of the shortest self tapping T-Rex 500 frame screws that I could find. I added a frame washer and some more 2mm aluminum washers to the screw and tapped in. I made sure that the screw was not touching the TT inside the tail boom, that's why I used a few more washers.

That's it. Here is a picture:https://www.helifreak.com/album.php?...pictureid=9624 , you are looking for the screw on the side of the tail boom box between the ribs, at the point where the aluminum of the boom meats the plastic of the box. When you get the heli you'll know what I mean, that screw is not in the build.

Hope this helps.

[Penguin]

I'm not recommending it, but I drilled mine with the torque tube installed. I just drilled very slowly and it was easy to tell when I broke through the tail boom. Then I removed the bit from my drill, gently slipped it back in the hole till it just touched the torque tube, and made a mark on the bit so I knew how long the threaded portion of screw needed to be without hitting the TT. Then just found a screw the right length and screwed it right in.

[JaggedEdge]

Here's how I pinned mine.

Drilled hole in case without boom, poured out any shavings.
Inserted and set boom properly.
Drilled hole in boom using existing hole in case as a guide.
Take out boom pour out shavings.
As mentioned above, use the shorter of the self tappers along with a washer and frame washer to space it from the TT.

(remote rx has since been rotated 90 )

[George1234]

Thanks everyone, seems easy enough.Now I just need my kit.

George

[Airman Apostle]

Is this a TorqueTube problem or should everybody just take a few minutes and pin their boom?

[heli-on]

It's not necessary to pin the belt driven tail. I guess it wouldn't hurt to do it. If you just check your belt tension every flight and make sure it's not becoming tight, then I wouldn't bother.

I used a set screw to pin mine. It's an easy enough mod to do. Wonder why Align hasn't added it themselves? Maybe they're still trying to re-coup the re-tooling it cost them to re-do the belt drive boom block to address the static problem.

I wonder how many people have actually launched their booms? Seems to me it would slip to the point the torque tube would't be driving the tail before it actually popped out. Better safe than sorry.

[ualdrivr]

Originally Posted by heli-on

It's not necessary to pin the belt driven tail. I guess it wouldn't hurt to do it. If you just check your belt tension every flight and make sure it's not becoming tight, then I wouldn't bother.

I used a set screw to pin mine. It's an easy enough mod to do. Wonder why Align hasn't added it themselves? Maybe they're still trying to re-coup the re-tooling it cost them to re-do the belt drive boom block to address the static problem.

I wonder how many people have actually launched their booms? Seems to me it would slip to the point the torque tube would't be driving the tail before it actually popped out. Better safe than sorry.

Actually, the belt drive boom is better not to be pinned, the belt runs too close to the boom and by putting a screw there, it's a guaranty that it's going to rub against it and eventually the belt will come apart. The belt it self keeps the tail together.

As far as people having the TT tail come off in mid flight or slide out of the tail boom box, all you have to do is ask Finless Bob. He has the pictures to prove it.

There is a thread somewhere in the 500 forum but could not find it. Bob knows, he is the one that started the pinning craze on the TT.

[Finless]

Here you go! Look closely at which end is which in this picture. The dirt and grass wad sticking out of the boom gives you the idea.

Right after putting on the TT upgrade that weekend I went out and was doing some fast 540 stall turns... EJECTION! I hit hold at about 30 feet up and tried to right the heli. Came down in soft grass and I lucked out! Cracked canopy, slightly bent flybar, and a slightly taco'ed pack. That was all that was broken!
Pinned the boom that day!

[snjbird]

A-ha,

I was wondering if anyone was going to say anything, the kit I got had a little plastic piece in the kit that I suspect would break if pull can to tug, and I just put a TT on my 600 E and they have nothing pinning the case to the boom. seems like if you keep the look out on the two friction bolts on the pod side and keep your boom strap tight the boom would be pretty secure on the pod side and the centrifugal force there is present but not astronomical, not like at the tail case side, that metal box zinging along at 540 or 700 degrees a second.

Bob did you find anything loose or did they add the keeper tab after you had yours fling off?

[Finless]

Your talking about the wrong end. The tail case is pinned on the boom with the vertical fin block as it has a pin that goes through the hole in the tail case and boom. Align cut this change in on almost all their helis now. The 600N, 600ESP, 500, 700, and 250 all have it stock. The older 600 electric did not and yes I have seen people throw the tail case on those older helis as well.

My boom ejected from the heli side at the boom block! Only thing holding it is the pinch force of the boom block when you bolt it together. Don't think the boom supports alone will hold it in place. I have seen people eject the boom from the heli on the 500 and 600 just like mine above!

Nothing was loose.....

Bob

[ualdrivr]

Originally Posted by Finless

Here you go! Look closely at which end is which in this picture. The dirt and grass wad sticking out of the boom gives you the idea.

Right after putting on the TT upgrade that weekend I went out and was doing some fast 540 stall turns... EJECTION! I hit hold at about 30 feet up and tried to right the heli. Came down in soft grass and I lucked out! Cracked canopy, slightly bent flybar, and a slightly taco'ed pack. That was all that was broken!
Pinned the boom that day!

Yeap, that's the picture I was talking about. Man, that's a tackoed pack, if I ever saw one.

[heli-on]

My last 2 major crashes (500 & 600) I only nacho'ed my packs. Both ejected and lived.

Yeah, make sure when you buy the fin set for the 500, you get the -1 part, they added the nubby thing.

After seeing the pic, it might not be that bad of an idea to do the belted version. Someone with a belted version must have a story of their belt coming down ridiculously tight. I guess you'd have to keep the screw on either top or bottom to avoid the belt. The set screw deal that I used works perfect. It buries itself in the plastic - just like doing the skids pipe locks. Once you feel it hit your hole in the boom, just turn another turn to a turn and half and you know you have minimal intrusion.

Let's see the pic of the taco'ed pack!

Here's mine. Picture makes them look worse than they are. Should I be concerned using these. The balancer and charger know nothing about the crashes. Shhh, don't talk about it too loud.

[Finless]

[snjbird]

Originally Posted by Finless

Your talking about the wrong end. The tail case is pinned on the boom with the vertical fin block as it has a pin that goes through the hole in the tail case and boom. Align cut this change in on almost all their helis now. The 600N, 600ESP, 500, 700, and 250 all have it stock. The older 600 electric did not and yes I have seen people throw the tail case on those older helis as well.

My boom ejected from the heli side at the boom block! Only thing holding it is the pinch force of the boom block when you bolt it together. Don't think the boom supports alone will hold it in place. I have seen people eject the boom from the heli on the 500 and 600 just like mine above!

Nothing was loose.....

Bob

Right you are... I was looking at the photo Bass ackwards! At just a short glance it looks like the case is missing off the back of the boom when in fact the boom is backwards... I see the servo now down on the wrong end, and the tail blades sticking out by your hand.

[ualdrivr]

Pin your TT tail bump!

[Lee93]

Does the TT need pinning just for steady flight or does it just need pinning for fff and 3d???