Auto-Hub Lock-up Fix

[ROSSCO]

Hi Everybody,

I just thought i would post a little tip for anybody having issues with the Auto-Hub locking up on the N5.

On my last couple of flights with my N5 the auto hub would lock up almost immediatley, and after reading a post where some of the auto hubs have been found to be slighly out of tollerance i checked mine and found it was approx 12.04mm where it should be approx 11.98.

What i did was to polish the outside of the sleeve with some wet n dry sandpaper, doing this manually would have taken forever so i found that the internal rubber hub of a sanding drum for a Dremel was a good fit on the internal diameter of the sleeve and once tightened the rubber hub expanded and had a good hold on the sleeve and allowed it to run true when spinning. I then run the Dremel at a slow'ish speed and with a little oil and some wet n dry sandpaper i polished the outer surface of the sleeve, it took a few passes and testing with a vernier gauge but eventually i got it down to under 12mm.

Once that was done i cleaned out the one-way bearing with solvent and Air Duster to remove all the grease and then re-lubed with Tri-Flow Oil. Spun the bearing on the sleeve to work the oil in and then re-assembled the whole assembly into the helicopter.

Tested this weekend and it works like a dream!! This has been my only issue with my N5 and it just gets better and better!!..Awesome machine!

[mark Taylor]

I got a replacement F.O.C from climbout.
Not had a problem as of yet.

Cheers for the heads up tho Ross .

[chugga-bug]

I fitted a Knight sleeve (11.98mm) as has Ade. I thought that'd solve it, but mine locked up again yesterday!
It free'd up after a bit of a struggle, but proves to me that the issue is with the bearing itself.
I've always used silicone grease on the Knight bearing without any problem, so did the same on the N5. I'll try washing it out and using a light oil, see how that goes...

[jamiem]

I'm currently running a knight sleeve and lubed it with triflow oil which has been fine for about 20 flights now. I know synergy are working on a replacement, so I'm sure it won't be long

[v58fuy]

Guys,

Can you tell me how you notice a locked one-way as I've never had a heli with one - does it show up in flight? other than obviously spinning the main gear on the ground.

David

[jamiem]

The only way you will really notice it in the air is if/when you auto it. The engine will hang and sound like it does if you have a particularly lean run.

[ROSSCO]

I echo what Jamie said, although mine would induce a slight vibration/head wobble and once landed i would find the hub locked up and once free'd up and hovered again it would be vibre free but would start again and upon landing the hub would be locked again.

After the last time i flew it it was constantly locking up so i decided to check the diameter of the one-way sleeve and found it to be 12.04mm where the corrct size was supposed to be under 12mm to an approx measurement of 11.98mm. I got the sleeve and polised the external surface with wet n dry sandpaper to bring the external diamter down to 11.98mm and then cleaned out the one-way bearing with solvent to remove the grease and then re-lubed with Tri-Flow oil and then reassembled. I had a good weekend with the N5 last weekend with not a single lock-up! so far this little mod seems to be doing the trick and the N5 keeps getting better and better!!

[mark Taylor]

Hi Ross
Just started to have probs with my one way locking up,
It's been fine up until today approx 12 flights.
Just removed and checked my sleeve and it's 11.98 mm.

Just cleaned and re oiled with tri flow.
Hope to try and get out this week and give it another try.

Cheers

Hi Everybody,

I just thought i would post a little tip for anybody having issues with the Auto-Hub locking up on the N5.

On my last couple of flights with my N5 the auto hub would lock up almost immediatley, and after reading a post where some of the auto hubs have been found to be slighly out of tollerance i checked mine and found it was approx 12.04mm where it should be approx 11.98.

What i did was to polish the outside of the sleeve with some wet n dry sandpaper, doing this manually would have taken forever so i found that the internal rubber hub of a sanding drum for a Dremel was a good fit on the internal diameter of the sleeve and once tightened the rubber hub expanded and had a good hold on the sleeve and allowed it to run true when spinning. I then run the Dremel at a slow'ish speed and with a little oil and some wet n dry sandpaper i polished the outer surface of the sleeve, it took a few passes and testing with a vernier gauge but eventually i got it down to under 12mm.

Once that was done i cleaned out the one-way bearing with solvent and Air Duster to remove all the grease and then re-lubed with Tri-Flow Oil. Spun the bearing on the sleeve to work the oil in and then re-assembled the whole assembly into the helicopter.

Tested this weekend and it works like a dream!! This has been my only issue with my N5 and it just gets better and better!!..Awesome machine!

[mark Taylor]

I'm currently running a knight sleeve and lubed it with triflow oil which has been fine for about 20 flights now. I know synergy are working on a replacement, so I'm sure it won't be long

Hi Jamie
I have a K3D one provided by climbout F.O.C

The replacement is approx 3-4mm longer.

Have you shimmed yours, as it means the hub can float on the longer sleeve ???

Cheers

[ROSSCO]

Hi Mark,

i've got about 15+ flights on mine since i ground and polished the sleeve and cleaned out the bearing and re-lubed with oil and so for (Touch Wood!!) it is working perfectly. I did make sure to blast out all the grease from the bearing with a can of Air Duster which seemed to work a treat and then get a load of Tri-Flow oil in there.

Sounds like you have a good sleeve there so you should be okay but see how you go, if it does it again then i'd probably lightly polish the sleeve with wet 'n' dry sandpaper and a little oil to make sure the surface is pukka!

If you want to use the K3D sleeve then i'd probably get some Trex700 mainshaft shims or some extra delrin synergy shims to take out the extra float in the assembly but still leave some float in there as it is designed to have some float in there. Let me know how ya go with it!