Just got an used protos

[bgymr]

My fleet is growing! I have always eyed the Protos for a few reasons:
-I like the idea of only one belt
-what I have read about hte sound
-i wanted a 425 bird
-low part count
-narrow frames
-good crashability/cheapish parts
-i tend to like helis with a cult following
-I like minimalist designs

I only basically hovered it so far so it is hard to comment on hte flight characteristics.

I did however take time last night to go through the bird and I have a few notes.

1. The tail pitch slider has a lot of play in it. It seems like a bad design. Maybe something is worn out in mine, but I couldn't find anything. I am afraid to really fly it like this and Helidirect didnt' have any in stock. Does anyone have one they'd sell me so I can fly this bird?
2. The belt is genius. The OWB in teh pinion is pretty cool as well.
3. The heli is very compact and solid. The head looks kind of funny because it is tall, but it gives it a unique look as well.
4. I like when helis have a lot of thought put into them in the simple things, like doubling up the use for the landing gear screws to hold the tailboom supports as well.
5. The layout of the bird is a bit limited. Mine came with a talon 90, and the only way i guess it could be mounted was sideways.
6. I must say I was a bit skeptical of the battery holding mechanism. But it's freaking awesome. I hate velcro.

All in all, I am pumped!

[Outlaw10.5]

The lynx pitch slider is real nice. Takes all slop out. Just put one on my new Protos. PM me if you need the stock one I just took off. It has only a handful of flights on it, but honestly, I'd just do the lynx one now. Just a better design.

[DoubleCH]

Originally Posted by bgymr

1. The tail pitch slider has a lot of play in it. It seems like a bad design. Maybe something is worn out in mine, but I couldn't find anything. I am afraid to really fly it like this and Helidirect didnt' have any in stock. Does anyone have one they'd sell me so I can fly this bird?
2. The belt is genius. The OWB in teh pinion is pretty cool as well.
3. The heli is very compact and solid. The head looks kind of funny because it is tall, but it gives it a unique look as well.
All in all, I am pumped!

Slider or lever arm? Slop in slider is usually between brass bushing and bearing inner races. Simple solution is to CA them together. Take extra caution not to get CA onto anywhere else. If there're slops from the lever arm...
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=602964
OWB in the pinion limits overall pinion diameter. 14T and smaller for the 470 blades need to run smaller OWB which means smaller shaft and/or adapter. And because of the limited gear-down ratio, motor has to run slow (low kV number for 500-size) and that means best to run motor with at least 10-pole for the torque which means motor runs hot. Not too much of a concern but something to watch out for especially when you push the motor with a stretch setup.

You have the old style head. Get the low FBL head. Without stretch boom, main blades will be very close to tail blades with low head though. That's why I think kit with low FBL head and stretch boom is the best. Can run 425, 430, 470 blades. Even with low FBL head, CG height is still above tail boom. Unlike Trex 450DFC with perfect CG height on the boom which makes aileron tic-tocs perfect, you may find aileron tic-tocs a bit funny with CG height not right on boom. Again no big deal.

[bgymr]

The lever arm. It just has a long lever compared to even my bigger X5. I see that lynx makes one. Do most guys run this?

I am starting to learn tic tocs. but what you are saying, its not necessarily harder, just different. I'll look at the lower head blcok. I have read that a lot of people run the lower head without much of an issue with 425s.

I am going to keep mine at 425, although it seems like most people stretch theirs.

Thanks guys!

Originally Posted by DoubleCH

Slider or lever arm? Slop in slider is usually between brass bushing and bearing inner races. Simple solution is to CA them together. Take extra caution not to get CA onto anywhere else. If there're slops from the lever arm...
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=602964
OWB in the pinion limits overall pinion diameter. 14T and smaller for the 470 blades need to run smaller OWB which means smaller shaft and/or adapter. And because of the limited gear-down ratio, motor has to run slow (low kV number for 500-size) and that means best to run motor with at least 10-pole for the torque which means motor runs hot. Not too much of a concern but something to watch out for especially when you push the motor with a stretch setup.

You have the old style head. Get the low FBL head. Without stretch boom, main blades will be very close to tail blades with low head though. That's why I think kit with low FBL head and stretch boom is the best. Can run 425, 430, 470 blades. Even with low FBL head, CG height is still above tail boom. Unlike Trex 450DFC with perfect CG height on the boom which makes aileron tic-tocs perfect, you may find aileron tic-tocs a bit funny with CG height not right on boom. Again no big deal.

[bgymr]

I took off the tail blades and polished the tail shaft. The slider is a lot smoother and operates with less strain.

I outfitted it with the $15 revolution blades and have it governed with the CC software at 2100, 2300, 2500. Can't wait for work to be over and get to really try this thing out!

[jimsdpugs]

Your headspeed is too low for non stretched. I'm running 2700, 2800, 2900 governed with Brain. I'm using the same revolution blade and stretched boom.

[bgymr]

I wil up it, thanks!

2900? that is darn near my tarot 450 HS lol

[jimsdpugs]

Yes, 2900 rpm lol. My favorite headspeed is 2800. If i want to smack it i'll go for 2900. Easy flying 2700. That's for me. If you can fly it at low headspeed then go for it.

[Dr. M]

My Protos (425mm) smacks just fine at 2600RPM and is a complete monster at 2700. I can't imagine anyone needing to go to 2900 RPM, except perhaps Tareq.

BTW, welcome to the family, bgymr!

[jimsdpugs]

Originally Posted by Dr. M

My Protos (425mm) smacks just fine at 2600RPM and is a complete monster at 2700. I can't imagine anyone needing to go to 2900 RPM, except perhaps Tareq.

BTW, welcome to the family, bgymr!

Don't imagine then lol.

[bgymr]

Loved it!

Perfect disc loading for my flying style. I didn't really get to get after it, it was gusting up to 25mph. I am really excited to fly tomorrow.

Anyone now the size of the screw in teh tail blade block? It seems to be an odd size I dont have.

I was running it at 2600, it was a bullet!

[M&P_Hooligan]

Originally Posted by bgymr

Loved it!

Perfect disc loading for my flying style. I didn't really get to get after it, it was gusting up to 25mph. I am really excited to fly tomorrow.

Anyone now the size of the screw in the tail blade block? It seems to be an odd size I dont have.

I was running it at 2600, it was a bullet!

which one? the tail blade bolt? should be a 2.5 could be 3, if you are talking about the tail boom block bolts there are 2.5x42 or some bastard number you cant buy except from a MSH dealer
here is a link for the manuals straight from MSheli should tell you all the part numbers in there as well, and MSH-direct.com has a hardware section you can buy bolts and nuts from!

http://msheli.com/Manuale_dwn.aspx

[bgymr]

Yeah, it holds the tail blade block on the tail shaft. I think its stripped.

Onto my bigger problem. Did a pitch pump today, and the darn tail control rod pulled out of its metal sleve and i lost the tail. somehow the heli stopped spinning all wild, and I landed it sort of controlled.

Mangled the tailbox, but I have a spare. Broke the slider, but luckily I got the one from Outlaw today and I didnt install it. Thanks bud!

All in all, could have been worse!

It was all smoothed over by flying my X5 twice afterwards!

[M&P_Hooligan]

Originally Posted by bgymr

Yeah, it holds the tail blade block on the tail shaft. I think its stripped.

Onto my bigger problem. Did a pitch pump today, and the darn tail control rod pulled out of its metal sleve and i lost the tail. somehow the heli stopped spinning all wild, and I landed it sort of controlled.

Mangled the tailbox, but I have a spare. Broke the slider, but luckily I got the one from Outlaw today and I didnt install it. Thanks bud!

All in all, could have been worse!

It was all smoothed over by flying my X5 twice afterwards!

The tail hub with the set screw? that is a M3x3 set screw and depending if the set screw is stripped in the hub or just the head of the set screw is stripped you will either need a new hub or just a set screw.

sorry to hear about the tail rod! but thankfully you got out of it with minimal damage! mine is grounded after finding a uniball end that pops off with minimal force... now the decision to buy ball ends or just buy the FBL conversion and a BX unit

[bgymr]

I can't give you a suggestion on hte FBL conversion since I have only a few flights on the bird, and only on FBL. But FBL is amazing.

What I can suggest to you if you are looking to get a brand new FBL unit in the BX price range, I would choose the mini Vbar. It is a piece of cake to set up. And if down the road you feel the need for a really good governor, it will be available to you.

BTW I lucked out today. I flew with a friend today, who ended up giving me 3 packs for my Protos. One is a Giant power 60c battery, the other are two turnigy 20c. Now I have four total batteries. Oh, and he converted my Protos over to the Power poles. Gotta love the luv in this hobby!