Tail

[mahbouni]

Today after a few flights I noticed my tailbox had become loose on the boom. One of the M2.5x12mm bolts had sheered off inside the tail rotor case (part # 04564). It had been fine for so many flights but today it just decided to break. Wondering if anyone else had this issue and if M2.5 bolts are up for the job on a heli this size. Thinking of drilling the holes out to 3mm and using an M3 bolt with a nyloc nut on the other side.

[EEngineer]

How many total flights...yours and those that others had, if purchased used?

Don't think drilling it out is wise, unless you need to attend a contest tomorrow.

FWIW

[mahbouni]

Bought the air frame new last year. Replaced the bolts about 1 month ago after rebuilding the tail section. To hazard a guess about 50 flights since then. I'd rather not leave it to chance again, but as it happens I do need to attend the AIR competition this weekend. I won't get my parts in time so either I drill it out or I fly another heli.

[EEngineer]

I knew it...

[sl4ppy]

The bolt on the lower side compression sheared off on mine too. It let you twist the tailbox about 5 degrees either direction..

I just flew pretty hard for about 3 months with it that way, didn't cause any problems.. Eventually it annoyed me enough to just buy another tailbox. Couldn't drill it out...

[mahbouni]

I think maybe the warmer weather might have caused the tail box to expand and break the bolt. It's about 15 degrees warmer now than it was when I fitted the bolt.

I broke a drill bit and gave up drilling he bolt out, so I've ordered a new tail box. I was able to carefully drill the good side to 3mm and get an M3 bolt through. So when the new tail box arrives I'm going to drill it out and use M3 bolts with Nyloc nuts on the other side.