Debating in metal grips but is it practical?

[Fooferdoggie]

Right now I don't have them I any heli my 300x x3 or mini Protos. I don't crash often but when I do I always break a grip arm at least. That means usually a feathering shaft and a turnbuckle. The servos all have breakaway arms so not worried about stripping a servo. It is about the only part that is not lynx anymore.

[Stomp560]

Originally Posted by Fooferdoggie

Right now I don't have them I any heli my 300x x3 or mini Protos. I don't crash often but when I do I always break a grip arm at least. That means usually a feathering shaft and a turnbuckle. The servos all have breakaway arms so not worried about stripping a servo. It is about the only part that is not lynx anymore.

My opinion is that if it beefs up the grip arm, it will translate into more damage elsewhere...

Maybe it might just be your breakaway servo arms, so not sure...

Just think of what else will be stressed more if the grip arm is more resilient, if it wont affect other parts, or you have built in failure there, go for it!

Others much more knowledgeable, may have a better idea than I, just offering my .02 cents

-Scott

[Mr.D 4511]

My experience with metal grips are this...they look realy nice,they perform very well,they are a bit heavier,they will take a lot of abuse but cause serious down stream dammage to other parts and last but not least...I have NEVER been able to remove the bearings once they have been in for awile so in the garbage they go and I revert back to plastic !! Just my $.02.

[Uriah]

Originally Posted by Fooferdoggie

Right now I don't have them I any heli my 300x x3 or mini Protos. I don't crash often but when I do I always break a grip arm at least. That means usually a feathering shaft and a turnbuckle. The servos all have breakaway arms so not worried about stripping a servo. It is about the only part that is not lynx anymore.

I have four 300Xs. The only one with metal grips is my Lynx Stretched 300X-L running on a 4S configuration and governed to 3600, 3700, & 3800 RPM. The Lynx non-DFC metal grips do fly better than the stock plastics, but I would only recommend them if you're wanting extreme performance. If you're still learning basic 3D stuff (such as piro flips), or you're wanting your 300X to be a basic beater bird, then in my opinion you're wasting your money on metal upgrades of any kind. The plastic grips make an excellent break-point in the event of a crash, and the performance benefits of metal grips will only benefit hard 3D pilots. In short, I would recommend most pilots use the plastic main grips.

You can fly some pretty cool stuff with a stocker 300X. Here's a video I posted a few days ago in the "what did you do today" thread of my mostly-stock 300X. Aside from the P2632 motor, plastic blades, and Lynx brace, this little guy is completely stock. I'm running a flat 85% throttle curve in this video and am just doing some smooth 3D (smack 3D is too risky with the stock servos).

Mostly-Stock 300X - 06/26/14 @ Backyard (3 min 41 sec)

Most pilots would be able to improve on the performance of the stock grips if they'd just remove the slop from their head assembly. This can be done by filing the feathering shaft down a little bit or by adding a few more shims at the dampers. I wouldn't doubt if 9 out of 10 pilots who own a 300X and read this post are running their 300Xs with too much slop in the head assembly.

[Fooferdoggie]

I am not an extreme guy so I was not sure. Don't crash often this last time was when the wind caught me as I was rolling over and I found today the belt was slipping a bit it must have finished stretching. Just used my third set of turnbuckles.

[Uriah]

Since you're not flying hard 3D stuff (at least not yet), then if you did notice a performance improvement in the metal grips, it would be caused by one of the following:

A) Stock grips had too much slop.

B) Placebo effect.

A sport or light 3D pilot will not notice a legitimate performance benefit (hard 3D pilots will), but if you want to upgrade to metal grips for the looks and bling, then I say go for it. There's nothing wrong with wanting your bird to look pretty, so long as you understand that the looks is all that will actually improve for most flying styles. It's better to upgrade for bling purposes than to upgrade for imaginary performance improvements. The metal grips are indeed very shiny and perdy.

[Fooferdoggie]

I am about as accurate as a palsied 80 year old I was just looking at saving costs. the servo arms work great I have had only one stripped ergo and th was from low speed tip overs on my mini autos on my x3.

[terryv83]

I've got them, I like them, they don't do jack but look pretty though. Wouldn't that round out the red devil look on your 300X?

[kev0712]

Originally Posted by Uriah

I have four 300Xs. The only one with metal grips is my Lynx Stretched 300X-L running on a 4S configuration and governed to 3600, 3700, & 3800 RPM. The Lynx non-DFC metal grips do fly better than the stock plastics, but I would only recommend them if you're wanting extreme performance. If you're still learning basic 3D stuff (such as piro flips), or you're wanting your 300X to be a basic beater bird, then in my opinion you're wasting your money on metal upgrades of any kind. The plastic grips make an excellent break-point in the event of a crash, and the performance benefits of metal grips will only benefit hard 3D pilots. In short, I would recommend most pilots use the plastic main grips.

You can fly some pretty cool stuff with a stocker 300X. Here's a video I posted a few days ago in the "what did you do today" thread of my mostly-stock 300X. Aside from the P2632 motor, plastic blades, and Lynx brace, this little guy is completely stock. I'm running a flat 85% throttle curve in this video and am just doing some smooth 3D (smack 3D is too risky with the stock servos).

Mostly-Stock 300X - 06/26/14 @ Backyard - YouTube

Most pilots would be able to improve on the performance of the stock grips if they'd just remove the slop from their head assembly. This can be done by filing the feathering shaft down a little bit or by adding a few more shims at the dampers. I wouldn't doubt if 9 out of 10 pilots who own a 300X and read this post are running their 300Xs with too much slop in the head assembly.

Lol, did you honestly mean to type " basic 3d stuff such as piro flips" ? Or was that atypo?

[Fooferdoggie]

Originally Posted by terryv83

I've got them, I like them, they don't do jack but look pretty though. Wouldn't that round out the red devil look on your 300X?

ya but never really been into that. I am t the point I don't like to spend money if it does not add something to the heli. don't have one bling thing on my x3 or mini. but whe nI have to replace a part I try to get the best if it makes sense.

[kev0712]

Originally Posted by Fooferdoggie

ya but never really been into that. I am t the point I don't like to spend money if it does not add something to the heli. don't have one bling thing on my x3 or mini. but whe nI have to replace a part I try to get the best if it makes sense.

++1 if you do some research.from guys like us, and pros alike....if you want your heli to look good,I good get the aluminum bling, plastic is so much cheaper and does the exact same thing...just watch some YouTube videos of guys that are pros and they fly the exact same as full metal birds...I watched a vid of Bert flying a complete stock 500 and it seemed to do give with the factory stuff....

I tend to listen to the guys at the field where I fly, there's only 5 or 6 heli guys there but there are bad@$$, and any of then can take my 300 and snack the blades off of this this thing with plastic grips and plastic blades at that....

In the end, do some research from los of different people and get whatever makes you happy...

[Uriah]

Originally Posted by kev0712

Lol, did you honestly mean to type " basic 3d stuff such as piro flips" ? Or was that atypo?

I primarily meant maneuvers like half piro flips. Like 0:13-0:16 in the video I linked to above (the opening maneuver).

Originally Posted by Fooferdoggie

ya but never really been into that. I am t the point I don't like to spend money if it does not add something to the heli. don't have one bling thing on my x3 or mini. but whe nI have to replace a part I try to get the best if it makes sense.

In which case you'll likely find yourself saving money in crash costs by sticking with the plastic grips. You can get a set of stock main grips for $6 (excluding bearings, which often don't need replaced).

[kev0712]

Originally Posted by Uriah

I primarily meant maneuvers like half piro flips. Like 0:13-0:16 in the video I linked to above (the opening maneuver).



In which case you'll likely find yourself saving money in crash costs by sticking with the plastic grips. You can get a set of stock main grips for $6 (excluding bearings, which often don't need replaced).

Lol @ you my friend, when I read that I thought to myself " holy hell, if piro flipping is a basic maneuver, I'll never get into the advanced stuff......I've been half flipping for awhile and can kind of crappy piro flip while simming.....but this is after quite a few years of flying....thank god...maybe I'll get it someday....

Kevin

[Uriah]

Originally Posted by kev0712

Lol @ you my friend, when I read that I thought to myself " holy hell, if piro flipping is a basic maneuver, I'll never get into the advanced stuff......I've been half flipping for awhile and can kind of crappy piro flip while simming.....but this is after quite a few years of flying....thank god...maybe I'll get it someday....

Kevin

Yea, relatively speaking, full and double piro flips are pretty complex. But half piro flips are pretty basic because you can learn them by separating the half flip and piro into three steps (something that is harder to do for full and double piro flips). Half, full, and double piro flips are the building blocks of even more complex maneuvers, such as piro flips on a rotating axis (chaos), piro globes, piro rainbows, etc. You can spice them up further by learning them in all orientations and directions, and by adding reversals during the maneuver. You've seen my flight training log thread which shows me practicing some of these maneuvers. None of them are really possible until you've mastered half, full, and double piro flips. DoubleCH has dramatically improved his piro flips in the last few months; you might want to check out his "connecting the dots" thread where he's been logging his piro flip progress. You'll find some good tips in his thread. You'll get there - just look at the first video DoubleCH posted in his thread and compare it to the last video he posted in it. It's just a matter of practice, patience, and a willingness to crash and repair your bird when you make a mistake.

[Fooferdoggie]

Originally Posted by Uriah

I primarily meant maneuvers like half piro flips. Like 0:13-0:16 in the video I linked to above (the opening maneuver).



In which case you'll likely find yourself saving money in crash costs by sticking with the plastic grips. You can get a set of stock main grips for $6 (excluding bearings, which often don't need replaced).

But also the loss of the turnbuckles they always ho flying now.

[xokia]

I've upgrade a lot on my 300x and still fly the plastic grips. They work just fine IMO.

[DoubleCH]

Originally Posted by Fooferdoggie

But also the loss of the turnbuckles they always ho flying now.

My receipe which seems to work good so far is plastic blade grips, Lynx turnbuckle with Align plastic ends for top (and Align size balls of course) and stock Blade 400 plastic ends (no lettering) on the bottom. From my observation, B400 (no lettering) plastic ends do not have the hole offset towards the lettering side like the 300X/450X plastic ends with lettering. That means the B400 plastic ends are a bit more likely to pop out on crashes but not too much to likely pop out in-flight. The bigger Align size top balls will not pop out on crashes or in-flight. When head linkages pop out on crashes, your plastic blade grips will much more likely survive. With the Align size on top end, only the bottom side pops out and I won't loose my linkages. My last set of plastic blade grips lasted over 1000 flights and a few crashes that popped out head linkages until I tried running the bigger Align balls on both top and bottom which didn't pop out on 1 crash and broke the plastic grip. I'm back to B400 plastic ends for the bottom ones and crossing my fingers.