Trex 500 ESP tail question

[RotorFloater]

Originally Posted by Solmanbandit

If you get that version, you need to buy the whole assembly. That one will not work with your current set up.

Unless you buy the whole assembly, this is the one you want.

Align H50190 500ESP Metal Tail Pitch Assembly Item Weight 46g | eBay

Or if you want the whole assembly, you can get this.

http://www.helidirect.com/align-500p...93-p-27171.hdx

Align H50193 T Rex 500 Aluminum Tail Torque Tube Unit | eBay

Oh sweet!! Thanks for that! I was just looking and looking and not seeing how that would've fit (as far as the slider and 'T arm') I'll be searching for that and ordering it shortly. (I really do not need another tail case...just the slider.)


BASICALLY, I assume I take the "T Type arm" and un-thread it from the slide collar? This is where I'm scratching my head

I assume it's like this (red arrow is the "T" part Im wondering how to install in the dual point assy.)

[rob78]

Here's a link to the KDE part. http://www.kdedirect.com/TREX500PTC.html

In the photos, you can see how it attaches (more or less the same as the Align part).

The KDE PTC can be purchased from AMain or HeliDirect.

[RotorFloater]

Originally Posted by rob78

Here's a link to the KDE part. http://www.kdedirect.com/TREX500PTC.html

In the photos, you can see how it attaches (more or less the same as the Align part).

The KDE PTC can be purchased from AMain or HeliDirect.

Hmmm....well, I 100% see now how it works and how to disassemble it. Thanks for that!
What I also did was google "AT500-PTC"

A thread on here popped up which was your un-happiness with this exact part on your 500 ("not impressed" was your final verdict)....sooo, I guess it's not all that great (for $55 bucks that is?) Assuming you didn't like the price, or was it crap? Align made essentially the same thing for way cheaper I learned in the previous posts on this thread. I remember when KDE FIRST started w/ the dual slider ...people everywhere kept saying "it does nothing to improve the tail and these are known to bind easilly." So, not a lot of pilots really used this even though it was a good idea on paper... Don't want something that's going to hinder tail performance...why I started this thread...to improve tail performance. Just seeing what's up, not prying here.

This is the thread google found: https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=557547
Now I'm wondering if I should get the Align one, or just scrap the idea entirely...............
Also, Helidirect does not carry this, A-main does. Everyone except KDE's site is $54.99...KDE want about $80 for the same thing!!
*edit: I did just find this VERY informative KDE video narrated by the actual designer himself. He talks about the Align vs the KDE tail slider assy's. Seems the KDE tail slider available now is a second version ('V2')...guess the 1st batch was the sliders that had those issues Ive read about when they first released this. (?)

KDE Direct Design Engineering - Episode III: Performance Tail Control (12 min 51 sec)

Could someone using the KDE and Align chime in about your pros and cons of these possibly? KDE seems to say their dual point is different and better than Aligns, but I want to hear it from the end user of course. I am not ordering ANYTHING else until I get a definitive opinion.

Thanks guys! Happy flying today too!! (Gorgeous here in New Jersey!!!...may take the Goblin 700 out as I have nothing else to fly. Havent flown her this year yet, and I have 6 brand new never cycled lipos for it too!!) -lol

[rcflyerheli]

I have two T700s, one a straight Align 700 V3 DFC with that style two point pitch slider control, and an older 700 V2. The V2 was purchased new and was my first 700 sized heli. I initially had a problem with the tail surging and jerking around that I couldn pin anything on because it was mechanically smooth with no binding anywhere in the tail case, and it had a new Torque 9188 tail servo.

During my attempts to fix the tail, one of the upgrades I did was to the KDE setup. That made it worse, as it started binding on the end of the travel closest to the tail block. I tried polishing the shaft, with no avail, and finally ended up replacing the tail shaft, again to no avail. I ended up returning it to A-Main. I went back to the original slider from Align and the set worked as smooth as before. What the problem was, I had the gov gain set too high in my CC ESC. I dialed it down, and everything went away, and everything runs nice two years later.

The DFC 700 with Align's version always worked smooth from the get-go.

As far as specifics on the KDE, I never was able to find anything specifically wrong. One of their products that I religiously use is their ball bearing links from the tail slider to the grips. I have them on every heli I fly. They work great, and the ONLY issue that has ever come up is that the anodizing on the grip arms on a 600 was too thick and when I screwed it down to the grip, it had the inner and outer race of the bearings hitting at the same time. I just put a slight chamfer on the grip and everything was fine after that.

Those metal grip links are the best product that they sell, IMHO.

[rob78]

My problems with the PTC unit was due to the sideplate arm being too thick for the hinge to fit over (hard to explain). It was an old align tailbox for belted tails.

The other issue was one of tolerance. One of the hinges was machined to a slightly different thickness, which allowed the bearing to bind.

I sent the entire assembly to KDE and they fixed it promptly. Now it's as smooth as it can be.

Mine didn't bind at all on the tail shaft. This may be an issue with the larger models perhaps?


ETA: As to whether you want to get it? Cons: it adds multiple points of failure. More bearings = more oiling. Weighs slightly more than stock part (not a biggie). Additional cost.

Pros: When assembled correctly there is zero play in the assembly. It is very smooth.

[Solmanbandit]

I did not have to install one on my 500. The old version worked just fine. I mainly did it because I wanted to. I have the Align version on the 500 and had no issues. It works great and I mainly like it because it gives even pressure from the top and bottom unlike the old version.

The only heli I had that I truly felt the need to add it was my 450. The 450 kept developing slop after a short time.

I do have the KDE version on my 600 and no issues from day 1.

[RotorFloater]

Cool...thanks for that input you guys

I will have funds Weds so, thats when I plan on getting one. Got me thinking of my Goblin now... same slop there from day 1 (which is normal.) I have the Helioption tail links on the Goblin. About to see how they feel shortly... I like Helioption's stuff...pretty good quality. I have their swash on the 500 which is all bearing driven.