converting Trex 500DFC into 500L

[Alex M K]

Hi guys, need some input from people that have (or know well) both the Trex 500 and the new Trex 500L

Here is what I need, please

I have 2 Trex 500 DFC helis, (one on Gov and one normal), and have about 3 or 4 full bare bones helis in spares as well. Frames, tails, heads etc. I do not use any Align electronics whatsoever.

Reason I like the 500 so much is that its small enough to transport when I travel on business and big enough to handle like a larger heli...it's a really nice great machine, but its getting a bit "old" not in age, as I keep them new all the time, but the heli itself.

its like eating beans every day...feeds you but gets old..you know what I mean..

I was looking at getting the 500L and looking at it, it seems like its the same exact helicopter with a few differences mostly the frames, motor installation, the yoke that now has follower arms and the battery placement..everything else seems the same, I mean, from the frame back

What I need to know is what parts from the 500 DFC can be used and what parts do I need to convert one of my spare parts heli into a 500L...

Yes, I could just buy a bare bones frame, but then I already have so many booms, tails canopies etc..

Can anyone tell me what parts are common and cab be used on both?

like the main shaft, gears, braces, blade holders etc.

Thanks in advance,

Kind Regards

Alex

[Fauropitotto]

Alex, you can use these links to find what you need.

Clicking on the circled number will give you the part number. Since there are hundreds of parts, you'll have to go through them one by one to determine which parts are compatible and which aren't. Some parts have generic "trex 250-500" part numbers, and others are unique to the 500L.

Chassis list: http://shop.align.com.tw/partfinder....35&language=en

Rotor head list: http://shop.align.com.tw/partfinder....mapping=PART35

Gear: http://shop.align.com.tw/partfinder....mapping=PART35

Tail: http://shop.align.com.tw/partfinder....mapping=PART35

Electric: http://shop.align.com.tw/partfinder....mapping=PART35

Example: The mainshaft on the 500L is a 500PRO mainshaft part #H50156. The grip arm is a 500EFL PRO arm part #H50152....but the main rotor housing is unique to the 500L part #H50H001XXW

If somehow you manage to go through them all and make a spreadsheet of all the part numbers and compatibilities, I'm sure it would help a lot of people on here in the same boat!

[Alex M K]

FAuro, thanks

I know all the parts in the Trex 500 by heart...and know where to get them. And I could see the links you sent already.

Problem is there is no site with all the spares for the 500L, (and I don't know its parts yet) to match the numbers in the parts list to actual part numbers..because there is no place selling them as a separate model.

I could not find one sigle Heli site that has them all. AMAIN has nothing, and Aligntrexstore only has a few. BUt things like the head, main shaft etc...are not for sale.

That is why I was posting my original question here. If there was a place with all the parts for sale, I could find the different ones all right...but there isn't, hence me asking the question by asking of anyone here has both helis.

only someone that has built a DFC and a 500L can tell what parts are common. DOn't know if the manual has a part list by number.

The drawings show the parts, but then there is no where to look for them..see what I mean?

Kind regards

Alex

[Fauropitotto]

The links in my post do have the part numbers. You just have to click on the numbers in the parts list and a popup shows the actual part numbers.

I found a german site that seems to only show 17 unique parts to the 500L here: http://www.modellbau-brakel.de/T-Rex-500L

But still, on the align site, they show all the actual part numbers after clicking on the diagram's circled numbers.

You're right in the fact that I can't find a site that sells all the unique parts at least in the states. Perhaps we'll have to wait for them to show up. Makes me wonder if buying this version was a wise decision if essential parts are hard to come by.

[doubletap]

http://www.aligntrexstore.com/T-REX-...rts_c_151.html

[SumOFparts]

This is where I get my 550 parts -

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...0l&_sacat=2562

[Alex M K]

Here's an update...

well...I was forced to get a new Trex500, so I got the 500L. I will do a list of the parts that are common in January..I am going on vacation and will let you all know.

Here is the story..I use the 500 as my beater and practice heli, and had to buy a new one..this is funny but true..

my 500 DFC was a complete 100% loss...went into the river and never came back!!

I now call it the Submarine...it took off with a 1 week old Ikon, BK servos, Scorpion Motor, CC Talon 90, some KDE upgrades, gorilla landing gear, brand new 3330 60C and a new canopy and Edge blades...the bastard!!!

How?? I did some flying for a friend to see, and 1 minute into it, I took vertically did some pyros and brought it down fast inverted and stopped.

I was flying in a large industrial parking lot, (private plant), near a large very deep and cold river...when it came down, I could swear it was closer to me....its my age!! than it was or seemed....one of the blades hit a very tinny small minute tree branch...I mean..by 1 inch and small as hell....

I have no idea what broke, but the damn thing completely over reacted....it did some 3D I had never seen in my whole life, took a mind of its own and took off into the river...never to be seen again. We were all amazed at my 3D skills...for a few seconds...and all without me touching the sticks after it decided to be self piloted!! didn't even have time to hit the TH

Because I wanted to get this done, well...ordered a new L and that's that.

I will soon be selling the electronics (servos all 4, ESC, motor and that gyro they come with) over here.

Kind regards

Alex

[Mr. Rmz]

That sucks.

[Alex M K]

Originally Posted by Mr. Rmz

That sucks.

eheheh..yes it does!

I wasn't too worried with the heli, (when I mean heli, I mean the Align made parts, got loads of parts for it)...but the rest..that's what got me slightly irritated..especially the brand new Ikon with maybe 8 flights on it and the battery and motor... the rest are perishables...who cares

I was wanting to get rid of the Talon 90, that I found to be a bit disappointing in performance anyway.

But oh well..noting lasts forever..and that night I built another one...got it running and tested it outside but it was too dark...then it hit me...the 500L!! SO I disasemled the heli again, stored all the parts for spares and now I am waiting for the 500L to arrive.

Good opportunity to get one, and finish the quest that got me to post here in this thread. Guess I'll answer my own question

Kind Regards

Alex

[Mr. Rmz]

Originally Posted by Alex M K

eheheh..yes it does!

I wasn't too worried with the heli, (when I mean heli, I mean the Align made parts, got loads of parts for it)...but the rest..that's what got me slightly irritated..especially the brand new Ikon with maybe 8 flights on it and the battery and motor... the rest are perishables...who cares

I was wanting to get rid of the Talon 90, that I found to be a bit disappointing in performance anyway.

But oh well..noting lasts forever..and that night I built another one...got it running and tested it outside but it was too dark...then it hit me...the 500L!! SO I disasemled the heli again, stored all the parts for spares and now I am waiting for the 500L to arrive.

Good opportunity to get one, and finish the quest that got me to post here in this thread. Guess I'll answer my own question

Kind Regards

Alex

what speedo would you recommend i was gonna get a talon 90 ?

[Alex M K]

Originally Posted by Mr. Rmz

what speedo would you recommend i was gonna get a talon 90 ?

You want me to recommend a speedo so you can go get the Talon 90from the bottom of the river??

I don't know much about those...maybe this one??

[Alex M K]

all kidding aside, I personally didn't like the CC Talon 90...to be honest, these helis fly better and are more alive with the stock crappy Align ESC runing on curves, than with the talon set with a 14 pinion on gov..

To be honest, I wasn't too impressed with it.

I am still evaluating what I am going to install, and may very well go for an ESC with separate BEC

This thing is catching my eye

http://www.amain.com/castle-creation...ulator/p150721

or even this one for a little more

http://www.amain.com/western-robotics-hercules-super-bec-pro/p265789

then get something like this

http://www.amain.com/castle-creation...mp-esc/p255340

But off course, if you willing to pay a bit more, there are the over rated and excessively priced, yet good, Kontronik

Once I decide on what I am getting I'll come here and post it, ok?

[Mr. Rmz]

Originally Posted by Alex M K

You want me to recommend a speedo so you can go get the Talon 90from the bottom of the river??

I don't know much about those...maybe this one??

Dude,,,,,

[Gladius]

That had me rolling too!

But really sorry to hear about your loss. That's sooo frustrating. It made me mad just reading about it, and it's not my heli!

[Bluelunatic]

I did some flying over a lake behind the house this summer and the whole time I'm inverted 2" off the water I was thinking..what if something fails. Do I want to go swimming?

Total loss. Total bummer, but it sounds like you enjoy modifying these things and upgrades and the build process as much as flying. Sounds like $$ isn't an issue which is the best place to be for a hobby.

[Alex M K]

Originally Posted by Bluelunatic

Total bummer, but it sounds like you enjoy modifying these things and upgrades and the build process as much as flying. Sounds like $$ isn't an issue which is the best place to be for a hobby.

you know what?? You are absolutely right BL!!! That's exactly it!!!!!

I do, in fact enjoy buliding them, rebuilding them, modifying them and see how far better I can make them.

I'm an aeronautical engineer since 1988, was a pilot, and have had a blast all my life wiith model rc planes since 1979 and helicopters since 2001, and nothing soothes me and pleases me than buliding flying machines.

There were weeks when I would crash 3 to 5 times only to have them ready to go in a couple minutes or hours....but never went to bed with an unfinished heli.

I do buy a lot of barebones kits for spares and have electronics by the pound, so rebuliding them is as much fun as you say.

I also travel a lot and allways pack a trex 500 no matter where I go, so I can fly 3 to 5 packs a day after work, to relax...if they crash..good..something to do in the evening

the Align 500 chassis is my beater and the one I use to practice for my 700s

kind regards

Alex

[Alex M K]

Originally Posted by Mr. Rmz

what speedo would you recommend i was gonna get a talon 90 ?

Mr. Rmz,

sorry I took so long to reply, but I went on vacation December 22nd and returned only now.

OK, I finally got the 500L and built it last night...flew it today. I am actually a bit disappointed and deceived with it..personally I see no need to swap the DFC for this one.

It has a few improvements and a few nice features, but overall, I think its a step backwards with regards to building, frame etc. don't get me wrong, its still a very good heli, but I find the simplicity and cleverness of the DFC much more appealing. Plus, I think the 500L will cost more to repair...looks more fragile.

Flying?? I saw no difference, to be honest. pretty much the same, still a good flying machine.


I wrote a thread about my comparison between the DFC and this one.

read here

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread...81#post6289681

As for the set up I am going to go like this:


a) BK 5001 cyclic servos, BK 7005 in the tail
b) CC Phoenix Edge 75 ESC (I used t have a Tallon90 in the 500, but didn’t like them that much)
c) Western Robotics Hercules Super Mini BEC G2 or CC Pro20 BEC
d) 14 tooth pinion
e) Scorpion HK-3226-1600KV motor
f) Follower head removed and a use DFC head instead ( I haven’t tried dong this yet, but believe it is possible, because the only difference is the main shaft that is smaller on the DFC, but so is the yoke. I will do this as soon as it crashes.

Kind regards

Alex

[Gladius]

You can't put BK cyclic servos on a Trex 500 airframe.

[Alex M K]

Originally Posted by Gladius

You can't put BK cyclic servos on a Trex 500 airframe.

I can...7005 on the tail and 5001 HV on the cyclics.

[Alex M K]

Originally Posted by Gladius

You can't put BK cyclic servos on a Trex 500 airframe.

I have had the 7000's you see in that photo installed in a DFC.

There is a trick to install that BK 7005 or 7001 servo you need to do 3 simple things.

The servos come with a standard size cover that does not match the holes that are prebuilt in the frame, but BK makes a mini size cover for that servo, (it was made like that on purpose, its a standard /mini servo)

1) need to buy the mini size servo cover, it takes 1 minute to replace and comes with shorter screws for it as well. --> http://www.helidirect.com/mini-size-...vo-p-36141.hdx


2) if you look at the servo, you can see the motor is wider than the servo case, unfortunately, that extra width makes it such that the servos do not fit the plastic insert in the frame, so you need to widen with a dremmel. not a lot, just so that you can slide the servo in, and not all the frame, just round it a bit in the area like shown below.



3)For the cyclics in the DFC is a straight install, and you may need servo spacers as they are deeper. but on the tail servo, there is another trick.
installing the servo is tricky, because the servo-'s wire rubber grommet does not allow you to rotate tee servo in, so I created a trick for it.

remove the servo cover, and carefully as to not remove the gears, slide the servo (with the gears on). Then put the cover on, tighten it, and finally secure the servo to the frame.

You can also gouge the frame to allow the wire grommet to pass, but its easier to remove the cover, put the servo in place, then install the cover again.

See the recess I made in the uper and lower insert for the servo motor.

On the new 500L you don't even have to gouge the frame for the BK's because the servos attach to the metal frame of the bearing holders and has a lot of space

Kind regards

Alex