3 Broken Main Shafts..Sent Heli to Horizon..Just heard back from them

[LocoMartin]

Evening group,
Finally found a one way clutch bearing. A bit pricy but the right size. 4X8X8mm. It has triple rows. Two outer ball bearings and the inner set is the one way clutch.
So here is what I did.
Chucked the tail's main drive gear in my lathe and faced off the area where the bolt goes through. Then bored the center hole open to .400 diameter. The three screw holes were opened up to allow a 1-72 shcs through to thread into the hub's three tapped holes.
Then chucked a piece of aluminum bar stock in the lathe and turned the hub in the pictures. Instead of the 4mm hole in the middle for the main shaft, an 8mm hole was bored to hold the clutch bearing.
Once the turning was completed, the bolt holes were drilled and countersinked or tapped.
The only modification that has to be done to the frame is to open the lower bearing hole to 8mm all the way through the frame. Then a flanged bearing can be used in the lower bearing housing. A longer main shaft can be allowed to extend below the lower bearing and a second hub can be secured to the shaft to keep it from pulling up through the frame. The clutch bearing can be secured with Loctite Assembly Adhesive. A spare main bearing can be secured to the other end of the new hub for stability.
Now a main shaft can be made that has just a couple of flats ground on them for the locking collars.
I realize that not everyone can just go out and crank out a couple of custom pieces, but maybe someone who can would use this as an idea or modify it for a better mod.
Martin
On my frame, I will have to slide the Beast back about 1/8" in order to get it to work.

[Rollin_3z]

Originally Posted by LocoMartin

Evening group,
Finally found a one way clutch bearing. A bit pricy but the right size. 4X8X8mm. It has triple rows. Two outer ball bearings and the inner set is the one way clutch.
So here is what I did.
Chucked the tail's main drive gear in my lathe and faced off the area where the bolt goes through. Then bored the center hole open to .400 diameter. The three screw holes were opened up to allow a 1-72 shcs through to thread into the hub's three tapped holes.
Then chucked a piece of aluminum bar stock in the lathe and turned the hub in the pictures. Instead of the 4mm hole in the middle for the main shaft, an 8mm hole was bored to hold the clutch bearing.
Once the turning was completed, the bolt holes were drilled and countersinked or tapped.
The only modification that has to be done to the frame is to open the lower bearing hole to 8mm all the way through the frame. Then a flanged bearing can be used in the lower bearing housing. A longer main shaft can be allowed to extend below the lower bearing and a second hub can be secured to the shaft to keep it from pulling up through the frame. The clutch bearing can be secured with Loctite Assembly Adhesive. A spare main bearing can be secured to the other end of the new hub for stability.
Now a main shaft can be made that has just a couple of flats ground on them for the locking collars.
I realize that not everyone can just go out and crank out a couple of custom pieces, but maybe someone who can would use this as an idea or modify it for a better mod.
Martin
On my frame, I will have to slide the Beast back about 1/8" in order to get it to work.

Right on, good job! Maybe HH is listening?

[GSPI]

Originally Posted by Rollin_3z

Right on, good job! Maybe HH is listening?

...or someone else...

[klaus070]

Now I'm pissed off of BLADE "quality!! Truly I am!!

With the TOTAL bluff of 130X ( secondary manufacturers makes parts to rebuild a almost NEW heli!!) and here what ???

From the first issue od 300X that many customers complaints about the main shaft was breaking in flight you HH or BLADE (whatever) WHAT HAVE YOU THINKED OR RESOLVED??

We must (we as customers) manufacture our own mainshaft??? With all the knowledge (and money!!) you have are you unable to resolve that in one month???
What a shame!!! TRULY WHAT A SHAME!!

Please make a "patch" kit with a new 4.5mm diameter shaft and with all the remaining parts that adapt to this new diameter!! IT'S OBVIOUS that if broke EVERYTIME there there's an issue with stress of materials or you need to be an engineer to understand that?? (not everytime is necessary to be an engineer to understand that...).

Sorry guys but I have a "little" rage now with HH and BLADEHELIS because they makes good flying machines but with a quality and issues of SHAME!.

P.s.
If somebody of the HH team feels hurted for what I've said, please contact me. I have NO problems at all to speak with you.Here is my email: czanon70@hotmail.com Thks.

[gothicbunny]

Originally Posted by GSPI

...or someone else...

It looks like main shafts with a lower through hole may be a thing of the past. Lynx just revealed this on Facebook.

[mixfisto]

Originally Posted by gothicbunny

It looks like main shafts with a lower through hole may be a thing of the past. Lynx just revealed this on Facebook.
Attachment 356060

Is that for the 300x?

[GSPI]

Originally Posted by gothicbunny

It looks like main shafts with a lower through hole may be a thing of the past. Lynx just revealed this on Facebook.
Attachment 356060

Yes! That's what I was talking about.

Originally Posted by mixfisto

Is that for the 300x?

Yes sir it is!

[mixfisto]

Originally Posted by GSPI

Yes! That's what I was talking about.



Yes sir it is!

Sweet!! Now to wait for it to go on sale

[LocoMartin]

Hey Don,
That is really one nice set up. It looks like the main gear may have a clutch bearing in it as well?
I'm guessing you've done something like this before?
And where do we sign up for one?
Hat's off dude, really good job.
Martin

[gothicbunny]

It is not my design, I just stole the pic from the Lynx FB page.

Lynx Heli Innovations is always looking to improve the helicopters you fly!

We have been looking at the Blade 300x, and are developing many exciting new parts for this helicopter. But during our testing, we have broken a few main shafts... so clearly this is an issue we needed to solve before anything else!

Our new main shaft eliminates the lower jesus bolt hole, and adds an autorotation system.

This upgrade will be available soon - keep an eye on our website www.lynxheli.com

[Rollin_3z]

Just checked the site, awesome news. Cant wait to try it out

[TomC]

Originally Posted by Rollin_3z

Just checked the site, awesome news. Cant wait to try it out

Looks interesting but I really would have preferred to see a ~$20 CF 300x frameset come out first. This would probably be the best bang-for-buck solution for most imho.

Cheers,
TomC

[gothicbunny]

A CF frame would be nice, but I think it will be difficult to do in that price range since none of the existing boom block, bearing blocks, or other supports can be used since they are all integrated into the existing frames. The cheapest option there would be to transplant all of the electronics into a clone 250.

[TomC]

Originally Posted by gothicbunny

A CF frame would be nice, but I think it will be difficult to do in that price range since none of the existing boom block, bearing blocks, or other supports can be used since they are all integrated into the existing frames. The cheapest option there would be to transplant all of the electronics into a clone 250.

I've bought 450 framesets, that incl bearing blocks, and even bearings for ~ $20. First one that provides a 300x CF frameset is going to do well imho.

I really cannot see myself buying into these Lynx upgrades, let alone going to a t250 clone, lol!

Cheers,
TomC

[clouseau]

I think HH has been waiting on the after market to do their R&D for them and then copy the improved part for themselves... just an observance

[LocoMartin]

Evening group,
Well, in my original re-fit I did not make the tail rotor drive fixed to the main shaft. I attached it to the main drive gear. And with a clutch bearing in the main gear, if I shut the motor off, the head would free wheel, but the tail would stop with the main gear. In other words "Oops".
So today, I fixed it, and made a new main hub with clutch bearing, a mating half for the tail drive sprocket, a shim for between the two hubs and a main shaft out of drill rod which has just one hole for the head and one flat for the upper collar. The drill rod was 5/32", funny enough 4mm drill rod is too large in diameter by .0015". So, I have added some pictures. The first one is just of the set up which takes a stock tail drive sprocket and bores it out the .400 diameter which removes the cross bolt hole. The next pic shows the first modification attempts with two hubs and this revised modification. The third pic shows the main gear with the new hub and one way clutch bearing, the tail drive hub with new half, the spacer which is Hi Lube Vesconite and the new main shaft. The last pic shows everbody in their home position.
I wanted to fly it tonight when I finished, but the wind was really blowing here, so maybe tomorrow.
Now, I must give credit where credit is due. I have to thank Lynx for the clarificaton. Being new to this aspect of the hobby, I had overlooked the fact the the tail rotor needs to spin with the main rotor. And part of my problem was understanding that I needed to split the main drive hub into two hubs in order to make this happen. And after seeing the post which had the picture, I understood where my error was. And to give you an idea, I have about 10 hours, just in machine time, in just those six pieces. No high speed CNC production equipment, all hand cranked manual machines.
Martin

[TomC]

Great job Martin. I sure wish I had your Machining skills!

Cheers,
TomC

[R3L72]

Originally Posted by LocoMartin

Attachment 356618

Attachment 356619

Attachment 356621

Attachment 356627Evening group,
Well, in my original re-fit I did not make the tail rotor drive fixed to the main shaft. I attached it to the main drive gear. And with a clutch bearing in the main gear, if I shut the motor off, the head would free wheel, but the tail would stop with the main gear. In other words "Oops".
So today, I fixed it, and made a new main hub with clutch bearing, a mating half for the tail drive sprocket, a shim for between the two hubs and a main shaft out of drill rod which has just one hole for the head and one flat for the upper collar. The drill rod was 5/32", funny enough 4mm drill rod is too large in diameter by .0015". So, I have added some pictures. The first one is just of the set up which takes a stock tail drive sprocket and bores it out the .400 diameter which removes the cross bolt hole. The next pic shows the first modification attempts with two hubs and this revised modification. The third pic shows the main gear with the new hub and one way clutch bearing, the tail drive hub with new half, the spacer which is Hi Lube Vesconite and the new main shaft. The last pic shows everbody in their home position.
I wanted to fly it tonight when I finished, but the wind was really blowing here, so maybe tomorrow.
Now, I must give credit where credit is due. I have to thank Lynx for the clarificaton. Being new to this aspect of the hobby, I had overlooked the fact the the tail rotor needs to spin with the main rotor. And part of my problem was understanding that I needed to split the main drive hub into two hubs in order to make this happen. And after seeing the post which had the picture, I understood where my error was. And to give you an idea, I have about 10 hours, just in machine time, in just those six pieces. No high speed CNC production equipment, all hand cranked manual machines.
Martin

LocoMartin, some Awesome work there! If Lynx Heli Innovations wasn't producing an aftermarket assembly, I'd of begged and paid to have you make one for me.

Bottomeline, I REALLY like my 300X's and love the fact that the Aftermarket Guru's are producing some much needed components for it.

I'm standing by for the new Main Gear/OWB assembly and frame bracing options from Lynx. I wouldn't mind someone coming up with a smoother motor and helical main gear option either.

[JustPlaneChris]

Originally Posted by LocoMartin

Well, in my original re-fit I did not make the tail rotor drive fixed to the main shaft. I attached it to the main drive gear. And with a clutch bearing in the main gear, if I shut the motor off, the head would free wheel, but the tail would stop with the main gear. In other words "Oops".

Martin, that's not really an oops. There have been (and are) several heli designs that have a non-driven tail during autorotations. In fact, on a small heli this actually is a big advantage because you aren't robbing the main rotor system of energy to drive the tail. The new Compass Warp 360 has a non-driven tail, as does the Logo 400, the Century Swift 16, LA Heli Ricco, and several others. You absolutely don't need the tail spinning to do an auto, so if it's easier and lighter to leave it the way you had it, I'd leave it!

[Ah Clem]

Chris,

"You absolutely don't need the tail spinning to do an auto, so if it's easier and lighter to leave it the way you had it, I'd leave it!"

Interesting that this comes up, sir, and I could not agree more with your statement!

Nothing used to have a driven tail in an auto, back when autorotation clutches were first being installed-the Heliboy, American R/C Commander, Hirobo Falcons, GMP Competitor and Cobra all had non-driven tails.

People were able to auto them down with no problem, 25-30 years ago.

You get more control for aerobatic autos with a driven tail, but it is not necessary just to auto the ship down.