Counterfeit parts?

[Steve]

I can't remember when it was now, maybe a year ago, maybe more, but I got quite exceited when I learned that Align were going to release some FAI replacement parts for the 700 like different mixing arms and dampers etc. As I already had the G-Force mixing arms, I couldn't wait to get my hands on some of the red dampers, so bought a couple of pairs off eBay from somewhere in Hong Kong, and they arrived pretty sharpish, maybe 6 weeks before they were available in the UK shops.

They were Align packaged, correct Align part number, looked good. Duly fitted them and they have been in my 700 ever since. However, they never fealt particularly soft in the fingers, and from the very first flight didn't feel any different to the black ones I'd taken out. But the helicopter flew fine, and has had no ill effects ever since.

More recently, curiosity has got the better of me and I decided to buy a replacement set of the same dampers from Midland Helis and have just fitted them in the last few minutes.

Well, the Uk ones are noticeable softer than the 'used' Hong Kong ones, a very subtly different shade of red and a looser fit in the head block, so I guess will be softer damping.

So I suppose the moral of the story, is 'Buyer Beware' as ever. Should have known better.

Will give the new UK ones a go tomorrow, weather permitting, and see the difference.




Oh, and now I've got an unopened pair of unused FAI red head dampers from Hong Kong if any wants them!

[Steve]

Boy am I glad I changed those dampers last night????????

Spooled up, idle up 2 and went straight out into forwards flight as someone else was hovering about over the strip. Flew right, pulled up, stall turn, cam down, flew across right to left, pulled up again for another stall turn on the other side, and never made it. BANG! Catastrophic boom strike! Hit the hold but the damage was already done, and just watched it plummet to earth. Total flight time, about 25 seconds.

So, was it the softer dampers that caused this under positive pitch combined with back elevator, or did something unrelated like a ball link let go?

Hmmm, need to start taking it apart I guess.

[Jamin_00]

Not good Steve, sorry to hear the model going in


It's a bitch when you can't find the reason why when it's all destroyed

[Geek]

That's not good mate.
I hate not knowing what happened

[Steve]

Also stripped the crown gear on the Xcell 90 as well in flight which lost the tail control but thankfully managed to auto that one down in one piece. I suspect the meshing shim was a bit too thick so the gear mesh was too loose. It started making a sligh odd noise after a travelling piro, but continued to work for a while, until it gave up completely.

2 heli flights today, 2 90s, both now broke. One a tad worse than the other!