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Just thought I'd see how it would go!
As others have found before the 2 part kit is missing the grip thrust bearings & brass damper spacers. Had to buy them separately, Not wanting to bash anyone, but come on Align!
Having only got the Mk1 FBL head to compare to I was struck at how short the DFC headblock is. On the Mk1 I shortened the mainshaft 8mm which was enough to make the 550 'A' links you have to use almost too short. With the DFC head the mainshaft was shortened a further 13mm some 21mm shorter than the standard N shaft, with the 3mm hole drilled 10mm from the end.
This gave an overall height reduction of some 29mm.
The surface of the mainshaft is chemically toughened, something akin to nitride, machining is easy with standard HSS tooling provided the surface speed is reduced to about 25% of standard steel.
DFC Head 004.jpg
Drilling the 3mm hole with a simple jig.
DFC Head 006.jpg
Original Mk1 FBL head showing height start point
IMG_0047.jpg
DFC head fitted with swash at zero degrees. On A arm anti-rotation types, as the bellcrank must be purpendicular to the mainshaft to ensure good geometry, this controls the overall length of the mainshaft given the limited adjustment of the swash driver arms.
DFC Head 008.jpg
Blades in their tidy.
DFC Head 009.jpg
Overall view with canopy.
DFC Head 012.jpg
I still need to work on the servo ball distance to achieve the Beastx blue light at 6 deg, but I have time as I don't want to fly for at least another 2 weeks until an eye operation has settled down.
It may well be possible to reduce the height a little more, shortening the A arm or maybe fitting one off a 550 or 600EFL, dunno if they would fit? Not too sure about boom strikes, but 50rpm on the gov & running the grips a little snugger will help. I stuck a 30mm block of polystyrene to the horiz stab with the Mk1 head but with my limited flying skills nothing happened.
Sorry for the long post, hope it helps?
As others have found before the 2 part kit is missing the grip thrust bearings & brass damper spacers. Had to buy them separately, Not wanting to bash anyone, but come on Align!
Having only got the Mk1 FBL head to compare to I was struck at how short the DFC headblock is. On the Mk1 I shortened the mainshaft 8mm which was enough to make the 550 'A' links you have to use almost too short. With the DFC head the mainshaft was shortened a further 13mm some 21mm shorter than the standard N shaft, with the 3mm hole drilled 10mm from the end.
This gave an overall height reduction of some 29mm.
The surface of the mainshaft is chemically toughened, something akin to nitride, machining is easy with standard HSS tooling provided the surface speed is reduced to about 25% of standard steel.
DFC Head 004.jpg
Drilling the 3mm hole with a simple jig.
DFC Head 006.jpg
Original Mk1 FBL head showing height start point
IMG_0047.jpg
DFC head fitted with swash at zero degrees. On A arm anti-rotation types, as the bellcrank must be purpendicular to the mainshaft to ensure good geometry, this controls the overall length of the mainshaft given the limited adjustment of the swash driver arms.
DFC Head 008.jpg
Blades in their tidy.
DFC Head 009.jpg
Overall view with canopy.
DFC Head 012.jpg
I still need to work on the servo ball distance to achieve the Beastx blue light at 6 deg, but I have time as I don't want to fly for at least another 2 weeks until an eye operation has settled down.
It may well be possible to reduce the height a little more, shortening the A arm or maybe fitting one off a 550 or 600EFL, dunno if they would fit? Not too sure about boom strikes, but 50rpm on the gov & running the grips a little snugger will help. I stuck a 30mm block of polystyrene to the horiz stab with the Mk1 head but with my limited flying skills nothing happened.
Sorry for the long post, hope it helps?
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