Tail blade grip bolts!!!

[ToddMoriarty]

Thanks Jamin_00! You know I was answering questions and helping people on the forums long before I was a rep .In the end, this is a great model, I love it dearly, but more important is the owner experience. What good is a gorgeous hangar queen? This heli is built to fly, and we will do everything we can to keep our customers in the air!

[dunkonu23]

Thanks. I'll echo what Todd said. We're here for you in any way that will help you get the most out of your helicopter. Your country of residence does not matter one bit to us. We truly want you to be happy with your helicopter.

As of right now, the only model available is a 700 sized electric. There will be a stretch to 750 version extremely soon. We don't have pricing on that, yet. As soon as we get pricing and availability we'll let the world know. We've been waiting right along with everyone else!

Scott

[Jamin_00]

I cant wait for the stretch kit!!

I think the Rush will be friggin awesome on bigger blades, sooo cant wait for it.

[pgkevet]

I seem to be missing the point here. How and why did this tail grip bolt fail?

[ToddMoriarty]

I seem to be missing the point here. How and why did this tail grip bolt fail?

I would need to see a picture of the tail hub/screw shank, but I would guess fatigue of some sort. This is really the first case I have see of a grip departing in flight without a hard impact. (Tony Whiteside sheared one axle off the tailhub in a violent crash at Detroit).

3DBish, do you have any pictures of the failed screw/hub that we could take a look at?

[dunkonu23]

I seem to be missing the point here. How and why did this tail grip bolt fail?

Unfortunately, that is something I can't answer. I can only speculate. I won't speculate in this instance; I can only say what I know.

The point of my question about the grip moving in and out on the hub's shaft was to ascertain whether or not this was the second kit where M3X8 bolts were provided for the tail grip. In the first case, we replaced the hub with the proper part. The current standard, which I found out was undocumented at the time, is to use an M3X6mm bolt. You see, the hubs were originally tapped for an M3X8 bolt, but were changed to a 6mm depth and one kit slipped out with M3X8 bolts.

Scott

[dunkonu23]

I seem to be missing the point here. How and why did this tail grip bolt fail?

Unfortunately, that is something I can't answer. I can only speculate. I won't speculate in this instance; I can only say what I know.

The point of my question about the grip moving in and out on the hub's shaft was to ascertain whether or not this was the second kit where M3X8 bolts were provided for the tail grip. In the first case, we replaced the hub with the proper part. The current standard, which I found out was undocumented at the time, is to use an M3X6mm bolt. You see, the hubs were originally tapped for an M3X8 bolt, but were changed to a 6mm depth and one kit slipped out with M3X8 bolts.

Scott

[3DBish]

I think i must have just been unlucky PGK. I must have got that 1/10,000 bolts that fail, which is unfortunate but not a lot could have been done to prevent it and it looks like it isn't a known fault on the model

[Sburv]

Tail blade grip bolts!!!

It was really shocking to see it chew itself up like that in flight. Hope you manage to get it sorted for 'Air' Jack.

[ToddMoriarty]

I think i must have just been unlucky PGK. I must have got that 1/10,000 bolts that fail, which is unfortunate but not a lot could have been done to prevent it and it looks like it isn't a known fault on the model

Jack,
IF you see any other issues, please let us know as soon as you can, and we will sork on getting it rectified as soon as possible.

Thanks,
Todd

[nicobec]

Hi
Quick question on the whole issue of the tail blade shedding.
On the Align Helies(600, 700) they say you are advised to change the bolts to a good branded bolts. (As they shed them as well)
What would be regarded a good brand of Bolt to use?

Thanks Nico

[J-S-Q]

Hi
Quick question on the whole issue of the tail blade shedding.
On the Align Helies(600, 700) they say you are advised to change the bolts to a good branded bolts. (As they shed them as well)
What would be regarded a good brand of Bolt to use?

Thanks Nico

I think it's just one of those things that will happen very occasionally regardless of the heli brand. I read that same advice when I first got a TRex 600 so I 'upgraded' mine to a Quick UK tail and guess what? ...the bolt sheared in flight.

[Jez N]

I think i must have just been unlucky PGK. I must have got that 1/10,000 bolts that fail, which is unfortunate but not a lot could have been done to prevent it and it looks like it isn't a known fault on the model

Yep, significantly less expensive than a re-kit, but the tail control lever bolt sheared on my warp mid flight the other day. Seems to be quite a few of those 1/10,000 bolts at the moment!

Bit cheeky, but any chance of getting the OP a discount on a re-kit?

[pgkevet]

I think i must have just been unlucky PGK. I must have got that 1/10,000 bolts that fail, which is unfortunate but not a lot could have been done to prevent it and it looks like it isn't a known fault on the model

Fair enough. If you know you haven't snagged the tail in use/accident then I suppose it comes down to a statistic. What one never knows as a hobbyist is the number of machines out there and how many flights they have. Wth a smaller market machine one is going to hear less of incidents that may be design flaws or weak points.

I've also had align tail grips shear - mostly lucky that my skills meant i wasn't in an impossibly fast configuration and could TH and make a landing without too much other damage - and generally accepted it was a risk with a cheaper mass produced kit - actually went back to the plastic grips on the 600 for that but also lost one off my 700. Also i knew i had bounced tails on those in autos and such. I'd have been mortified if the same had destroyed my MinAir or Blitz priced toys.

[ToddMoriarty]

It really can be "Just one of those things" sometimes. I've had bolt heads shear on many kits, from EFlite/Blade price range up through and including Hirobo kits. M 2.5 Bolts and smaller don't really have a lot of material holding them together, if you look at the head thickness vs the milled out hex vs. the diameter of the screw itself. a slightly missed temperature in hardening can throw the whole screw off. x Decrees too hot, and it gets too brittle and shears, X Degrees too cool, and the bolt is too soft and shears. That was one of the reasons I asked to see the picture, if we can determine if it was a crack or a shear, we can go back to the factory and try to prevent any more issues Thank you for the input!-Todd