Blade tracking

[Mart61]

Hi Guys

I wanna check my blade tracking later today, if time permits.

As I'm not yet able to hover the 500, what's the best way to do it? Is it OK to tie the heli to the ground and spin her up at zero pitch to check it?

Also, what do you guys use for tracking tape? Is a piece of insulating tape sufficient?

Does anyone know of a good video guide as to how to do the tracking?

I also see a fair bit of discussion on the forum relating to pitch gauges. Should I buy one or are they not really necessary?

Cheers.

[Shay Kavanagh]

Hi martin,

He are a few links i got off youtube for you.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS03pSOzc3w[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cfl9iaH74I[/ame]

Hope these show you what you need to know.

regards

[Mart61]

Many thanks Shay. Looks a bit scary!

[MrKev]

If you're gonna go doing anything like that, at least clamp the thing down securely away from any loose stuff and stand well clear. If the slightet thing goes wrong, the blades on your 500 could easily break your arm doing that.

Better still, get someone who can fly to check it out for you first, the 500 is an agressive beast, and it will bite.

[Shay Kavanagh]

Just make sure that you have secured it down tightly, only go to +2 pitch maximum which is about 1 notch on a dx7 above centre, dont go any higher, also little thing make sure you have your finger on the throttle hold .

Just take your time, dont rush it, work out what you need to do before you change any links and remember how many turns you ahve done so if you go the wrong way you can put it back .

other than that, hope you get it flying soon.

cheers

[Nicolasgreening]

Martin,


I wouldn't atempt to hold the heli down and spool it up. it only takes a couple of tweeks to get the blades tracked and it is a lot easier to see when it is a hover.

If you have set the head up as per Finless bobs videos the blade tracking will not be far out. Have you got a Swash plate leveling tool?

Thanks

Nick

[Mart61]

Hi Nick

No, I don't have such a tool. Is there one you'd recommend?

[Disc]

Bloody hell....

okay for blade tracking just make sure both are 0 pitch at mid stick and plus 9 and neg 9 and the top and bottom sticks.... But just make sure both read the same shouldnt be any issues.

After that get someone to test hover it.... if you have done it right it'll be fine and you can test the balance of the blades as well to double check.

I can see a nasty accident happening the way shown....

[Disc]

Hi Nick

No, I don't have such a tool. Is there one you'd recommend?

Pitch Gauge is whats needed!!!!!

and used right!!!!

[JeromeF]

I found the 500 to be an easy heli to get setup without using a pitch gauge ( although it is nice to confirm pitch with the gauge ).

It was mentioned in a Finless Bob video IIRC: Take the head button off, put throttle hold on or disconnect motor, make sure throttle stick is at mid point ( also make sure you have a linear pitch curve) and then line each blade grip with the head to create a flat plane - a metal ruler can be handy to double check that the blade grips are both aligned.

This method will get you bang on 0* at mid stick and should, as it did with me, track your blades as they will both be the same pitch.

[Tripler]

Do not tie a 500 down,,, Pleeease

Disconnect the lipo, remove the power line from the esc, plug in a spare
rx batt,
Tx to idleup 1, set stick to center, make sure you have the pitch values set correctly eg 100,75,50,25-,0,+25,50,75,100
check servo arms are at 90deg adjust if ness
Level off swash, M blades, paddles,

Check 0deg with pitch gauge, on both Mblades

Works for me every time and after practise you don't need to ajust the blade tracking its usually spot on

[SRH990]

A quick and dirty way to find zero pitch is similar to Finless Bobs but you don't have to take any bits off, fold both blades back at 90 degrees to the head, move stick to middle, if it's zero pitch the blades will make a straight line. I had to use this on a Gaui 100 as even my small pitch gauge was too big.

[scallybert]

[...]fold both blades back at 90 degrees to the head, move stick to middle, if it's zero pitch the blades will make a straight line. I had to use this on a Gaui 100 as even my small pitch gauge was too big.

GAUI 100s & 200s is where I got this from too...

However, I think there's more to it than you're saying.

Both blades and the flybar need to line up and they should be doing this perpendicular to the main shaft.

With some thought, you can figure out which of CP, swash or link length is out.

On a larger heli, I think this is easier using a flybar lock. That way you can lock the flybar level, level the swash, and do other stuff by geometry.

AIUI, though, there's still no guarantee that your blades track correctly, as there may be errors between the blade pitch and the grip pitch (IYSWIM).

[Nicolasgreening]

Hi Nick

No, I don't have such a tool. Is there one you'd recommend?

Martin,

Fastlads sell them they are about £5 but I have one you can borrow to try out.. I also have a pitch gauge you can use for now too.

PM me..

Nick

[Grant85]

QUOTE:''I also see a fair bit of discussion on the forum relating to pitch gauges. Should I buy one or are they not really necessary?''


I noticed you say you don't have a pitch gauge so im wandering how you have even beenable to set up the heli Martin?