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The 500 gets a makeover

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  • The 500 gets a makeover

    I bought this Trex 500 about two years ago starting with a bare 2nd hand airframe and I bought all the electrics 2nd hand (most, if not all, from this forum). It started as a very basic silver frame version with a flybar and metal head. I put DS510s on it and a gyro and flew it like that for a bit over a year. Then last year I got an RJX FBL head and converted it using a BeastX.

    In all this time and many many flights (I'm guessing close to 400 flights by now) all I have ever had to do is replace some worn links and in the only two crashes I have had with it the damage was just servo gears, skids, a little crack in the frame on one side.

    So I decided to give it a bit of TLC for such dedicated and reliable service. I bought these Fusuno frames a while back but then realised that some of the bolts in the silver frame were in with so much locktite they won't budge, so the tail and one of the bearing blocks is stuck in there, plus I wanted to get some nicer bolts anyway.

    Along came a perfect opportunity in the form of a frameset with stainless bolts and a red boom. I also got a Heli Options bearing block assembly that ties the two main shaft bearings together so there's no flex between them, it also has thrust bearings.

    The result is (in my opinion) a really excellent looking 500, and the visibility is very good even a long way off. I got the longer matching Fusuno vertical fin which helps keep the tail blades out of the dirt.

    IMGP5189.jpgIMGP5179.jpgIMGP5184.jpgIMGP5186.jpgIMGP5187.jpg

    And to add icing to the cake, I have now fine-tuned the pots on the BeastX and it flies better than ever. I also think this tail mechanism is a bit smoother because the tail feels more precise and I didn't change any tail settings.

    Many thanks to all those on here I bought parts from and to psychosaffa for the final elements in the form of the new bolts and boom/tail unit. It is really a joy to fly now and hopefully ready for another two years!
    Attached Files
    Kasama, Minicopter, Henseleit, JR, Shape, Beam
    Robbe, RMJ Raptor gasser, powered by
    Spartan, Spirit, BeastX, Kontronik, CY Total-G, DX8

    member of Epsom Downs and Bloobird clubs
    Proud recipient of 7 EGS! and a platinum star

  • #2
    The 500 gets a makeover

    Wow fab looking helicopter must stand out sore thumb in the sky, I want one. Some great 2nd bargains around pretty much all my kit was sourced that way, means I worry less when it falls out the sky.

    Looking for a FB head for my 500, any reason why you went for the RJX over the DFC head?

    Comment


    • #3
      NICE great colors

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      • #4
        Smart!

        Alloy bottom frame and gorilla skids have cut my repair needs down lots
        PGK
        450Pro Clone fb, Trex500 fbl beastx, Trex 600N fbl beastx, Trex700N fbl msh brain, Spectra G Hanson 26 3dmax fb, Blitz Avro fb...Futaba 8FG

        Comment


        • #5
          Very nice, as i keep losing orientation with my 500 that's given me some ideas! (That said i do tend to fly it too far away!!)
          500's are excellent helis IMO i love mine, it's great to keep in the boot of the car for some flying after work!

          Dan.

          TREX 550X - Beastx HD Pro
          GOBLIN 570 - V-Bar Neo Pro

          Taranis X9D Plus

          neXt Sim

          AccruRc Sim

          Proud wearer of 3 X EGS

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by DaveJones View Post
            Wow fab looking helicopter must stand out sore thumb in the sky, I want one. Some great 2nd bargains around pretty much all my kit was sourced that way, means I worry less when it falls out the sky.

            Looking for a FB head for my 500, any reason why you went for the RJX over the DFC head?
            Thanks! The only reason I went with the RJX head is because someone I was speaking to had one for sale, so I think I paid about £20.00 for it.
            Kasama, Minicopter, Henseleit, JR, Shape, Beam
            Robbe, RMJ Raptor gasser, powered by
            Spartan, Spirit, BeastX, Kontronik, CY Total-G, DX8

            member of Epsom Downs and Bloobird clubs
            Proud recipient of 7 EGS! and a platinum star

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Dan22 View Post
              Very nice, as i keep losing orientation with my 500 that's given me some ideas! (That said i do tend to fly it too far away!!)
              500's are excellent helis IMO i love mine, it's great to keep in the boot of the car for some flying after work!

              Dan.
              Yeah, if I practise F3C type aero stuff I have to get the heli far enough in front of me to see the move clearly and some moves involve going up kinda high as well. I have been using that orange canopy for a while and so far it has been fine for orientation unless the light is really bad. Now that the frames are also a bright colour it's even more visible.

              Indeed the 500 is a great all-round everyday heli. I only regret not getting one sooner!

              I might tidy up the wires going to the Beast X now. I had to leave them loose yesterday because I wasn't sure if I had them back in the correct channels.
              Last edited by trillian; 07-04-2013, 07:51 PM.
              Kasama, Minicopter, Henseleit, JR, Shape, Beam
              Robbe, RMJ Raptor gasser, powered by
              Spartan, Spirit, BeastX, Kontronik, CY Total-G, DX8

              member of Epsom Downs and Bloobird clubs
              Proud recipient of 7 EGS! and a platinum star

              Comment

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