Lama v3/4 owners

[jupiter1]

Got em both , V4 mostly for outdoors with an Extreme swash and blades on it . The V3 is repainted red with a set of Tinybritelights nave lights installed , it's the indoor heli .

[bz1mcr]

I have a Lama 4 basically stock except for Harden blades, with about 250 flights on it. I also have a Lama 3 I converted to Brushless motors. It uses C10 motors and will fly over 16 min. on a stock 2s battery. Running gear is stock except for harden blades. It has about 100 flights on it.

Both heli's are indoor only and I only fly them in the winter. Thats more than 1/2 the year here in MI.

[waterspout]

I have v3, also mich, therefore lots of winter flying.

After 100 flights, wondering about upgrades beyond blades and batteries- the HL purple aluminum rotor/clamp parts look heavy compared to the same size plastic that they replace..... so what is the point of them?

[pigaro]

I installed Xtreme 180SE motors in my Lama V4 and I was very impressed by both the power and flight times when they were new. As I used them, the power and flight times dropped, but recovered when I changed the brushes (using the carbon brush replacements). As time went on, I wore out the second set of brushes and installed a third set. The motors do not seem as strong as before, and flight times are short (a few minutes). Is there a limit to the number of practical brush replacements? Should I be using something like commutator drops?

[waterspout]

Not sure abut that specific motor, pigaro-but the commutator eventually gets an oxide layer that limits current (adds resistance). If you are on your 3rd set of brushes, it is likely that you need to polish the glaze off of the commutator. That is probably easier said than done onsuch a tiny motor, if you can access the commutator at all.

[Chap1012]

bz1mcr turned me on to these motors (;)) in case anyone is interested. I have a pair on the shelf. Just waiting for the old ones to go. Many over at RCG like them. I guess they stay a little cooler because of the notch at the top of the motor. I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas:D

http://www.aero-nuts.com/product_info.php?products_id=554&osCsid=a06f207e3a2f49c212653752e77ca72b

Can't beat the price..
Mike.

[bz1mcr]

I installed Xtreme 180SE motors in my Lama V4 and I was very impressed by both the power and flight times when they were new. As I used them, the power and flight times dropped, but recovered when I changed the brushes (using the carbon brush replacements). As time went on, I wore out the second set of brushes and installed a third set. The motors do not seem as strong as before, and flight times are short (a few minutes). Is there a limit to the number of practical brush replacements? Should I be using something like commutator drops?

Is it possible you have a weak battery? I can't imagine motors so bad they would reduce flight time to a few min.:confused:

[pigaro]

I had wondered about the battery, but I have 6 (2 stock, 1 Mega Power, and 3 Mystery) and I don't think all of them would get weak at the same time. Since then I have converted this helicopter to brushless and the batteries appear to be working well. What may be happening is that the carbon dust from the brushes is creating a resistive short between the two commutator halves that causes the batteries to drain faster; the PTC fuses get hot rather quickly.

I suspect that the problem is the glaze on the commutator, and while you can get to the commutator I have no idea how to really clean the glaze off. I tried rubbing (diluted isopropyl) alcohol and it did remove a lot of carbon, but it did not help that much.

I have also tried the Aeronuts motors (bought 3 pairs to make it worthwhile since they are so cheap) and I have had mixed results. The first pair was great, the second pair was OK but not as good, and the third pair would not lift the helicopter.

I will probably buy another set of the Xtreme SE motors (for my brushed Lama) since I still have a couple of sets of replacement brushes left.

[Chap1012]

This thread is dying..no posts in 10 days. pigaro How are you making out with the motors. As I said, I have a pair of those aero-nuts motors sitting on the shelf. I hope they perform when I need them. Dang..:confused:
Mike.

[pigaro]

I decided to convert my brushed Lama V4 to be controllable using my DX6i by replacing the E-sky 4-in-1 with the E-flite 2.4 GHz 4-in-1 for the CX2. After I did this, the helicopter would yaw to the left, even with full trim and full proportional adjustment. I ordered another set of Xtreme SE motors, reset the proportional to the center (as well as the trim on the transmitter) and it worked pretty well. I had to adjust the proportional slightly and reduce the gain to eliminate tail wag.

I really liked the first set of Aero-Nut motors I had, and I hope yours perform as well as my first set did. Eventually they wore out and the other two sets just did not perform as well. They seem to be a good design, although of somewhat uneven quality -- but for the price I paid for the Xtreme SE motors I could have purchased 4 pairs of the Aero-Nuts motors.

Most of the Lama flying these days is with my brushless conversion. That helicopter performs well and gets good flight times off the battery. I do have to confess though that most of my flying these days is with my Blade mCX. It is usually too windy to fly my brushless Lama outside, and too limiting to fly it inside. The mCX is a ton of fun inside the house and has proven to be very durable. From pattern flying to chasing the cats, it is more fun inside than the Lama (and I feel somewhat ashamed to admit that in a Lama list).

[Chap1012]

pigaro I just checked my Aero-Nuts motors for some sort of Ser# or batch#..Nothing, even on the package! Oh well, I was hoping to match up with your good set. Keep my fingers crossed. I've been seeing a lot of talk about the mCX and checked it out. Nice..I like it. Showed it to a friend (my co-pilot) and now we're both thinking about buying one. $129.00 over at helidirect.com (very close to my house). What did you get yours for? This heli just hit the market didn't it ??? My birthday is close to Christmas... so,...WOOOOHOOOO !!!
Mike.

[pigaro]

Mike,

This is off topic for this thread, but what the heck. There does not seem to be an overflow of postings here.

I have two Blade mCXs, my first was an (almost) impulse purchase of a Bind-N-Fly from a local hobby shop (Airland) and the second was a Ready-To-Fly pre-order from Horizon. Both of mine were at full minimum advertised price (99.00 and 129.00, respectively). I saw on RCGroups that Airland had the Blade mCX in stock, so I went to have a look and left the shop with the BNF. My intention was to cancel my Horizon order, but after playing with the mCX for a while I decided it would be nice to have two. I am using a Spektrum DX6i for both, but the stock transmitter is still bound to the second one so two can fly at the same time. I have purchased the white canopy and tail fin and swapped those out on my first unit, so it is easier to tell them apart. I later got the blue and silver decals and I like the look much better than the stock yellow. I have 6 batteries, so I can get a lot of flying time during a day. I hope that you get one, they are really amazing machines.

On RCGroups MIA announced they coming out with a scale MD500E body for the Blade mCX (you can see it here (http://www.micro-flight.com)). I might just have to get a third. :)

Back to topic. My first set of Aero-nuts motors had printing on them, just like the picture on their web site. The other two did not have anything on them. I used Xtreme heat sinks on the motors, after all I had them lying around.

I have also converted both my flying Lamas (I have another air frame that I am not using at the moment) to work with the DX6i. The first one (and the reason I own the DX6i) was a brushless conversion and I used a Spektrum AR6100 receiver. I liked the radio so much that I purchased a Blade CX2 2.4 GHz 4-in-1 and replaced the E-sky 72 MHz unit.

Lee

[Chap1012]

Lee,
I fly the stock lamaV4 (72 MHz). I've only been flying since Jan. 08. Kinda tough on a fixed income to be doing conversions and so forth. Hey, I checked out the link you posted. I had a good laugh when I saw that black one with the weaved type pattern (mCX). It looks like an expensive Italian shoe :-)
Mike.

[pigaro]

Yes, I can sympathize. This hobby has the potential to suck up money like a vacuum cleaner. I guess I am lucky to have enough to risk on an expensive conversion (like the brushless). I got my start in this hobby at Christmas 2007 with Air Hogs helicopters. Tried a Walkera 4-3 that I could fly for whole seconds at a time before crashing into something. Then decided to try the Lama V4 (actually a Dauphin, but the same innards). So I have been at this (in a serious fashion) slightly less longer than you. It has been a lot of fun (plus a lot of frustration) and I have learned a lot.

If you have been flying a stock Lama V4 since January 08, you are probably a much better pilot than I. I think I destroyed my first blade on my second flight. Destroyed my first motor within a week, and took out the 4-in-1 for good measure (electronics don't work as well when you let the smoke out). Some of the modifications I have made since have helped make the hobby a little less expensive:

Extreme blades. You can break them, but you have to work at it.
ExXTREME inner shaft gear. I think it is made of Delrin and is much tougher than the stock gear and slightly quieter.
Extreme inner shaft and upper rotor hub. It is nice not having to search for the flybar, and the extra upper hub length nearly eliminates blade strikes.
Unbreakable skids, available from many sources.
PTC fuses on the motors. These would have saved me a 4-in-1. I used the ones for a Blade CX2 that you might be able to find at a local hobby shop.

With these items I noticed that I did not have to replace parts at quite the same rate as before. Of course, even my piloting skills improved over time and not crashing helps to reduce parts breakage. At this point motor wear became my dominant failure mode, hence my earlier posts.

About the carbon fiber look mCX body, I agree with you about it looking a bit like a shoe. It is not my style (I prefer Costco tennis shoes :-), but over on RCG there are a lot of people that are very happy with that conversion and I applaud MIA for providing some alternative bodies.

[Chap1012]

Lee,
I fly with harden blades. Have the heavy duty skids (from Canada). PTC fuses installed. I have a dynam flybar but the link fits very loose. I tried clear nail polish to no avail to try and build up the ball on the flybar. Next, I think I'll try some of that Krylon Fusion spray paint. I used this (white) on my black skids and they came out great. I'm still undecided about the inner shafts with the hub. I have the regular length now (EK5-0206) still in the package. It's nice not to lose the flybar in a crash but, it does put some stress on the gears. Speaking of gears, I've been doing some experimenting on Break Free CLP. I dabbed a small amount to the gears and bearings. Keep in mind I had my bird to a perfect hover. After I applied the Break Free CLP the first flight she lifted off about two/three feet and went screaming to the left. The second attempt I let her spin up a little longer before liftoff. Now it went forward. I fixed that with a half turn down on the elev. but still have to adjust the ail. She spins up nice and smooth and quiet. It's safe on plastic. I wipe the excess off with a gun patch (lint free). I haven't quite documented this but, it seems the motors and battery are cooler after flight and I get a little longer flight time. I've been using this stuff for a very long time on my guns and fishing reels (w/plastic/teflon drag systems). After I applied this for the first time I moved the upper and lower blades by hand and I couldn't believe how smooth they turned. It is expensive..$6.00 for 4 oz. but it goes a long way.
Mike.

[pigaro]

I find it interesting that the helicopter would behave differently (with respect to pitch and roll) after lubricating the gears. Any idea of why? I have read about Break Free CLP in several threads on RCG, and it does seem to be popular since it dries and does not attract dust.

I also have a Dynam flybar and I just replaced the link that came with the flybar with a stock E-sky flybar link. If I remember correctly, the dynam link was not adjustable (but it tracked pretty well) and it was loose on the blade holder.

The local Ace Hardware had something called inox-mx3, and it seems to work well. It is also safe on plastic and is not only non-toxic, but supposedly food grade (but I suspect it does not taste very good). I have not tried applying it to the gears.

There are a lot of folks that feel there is no need for a lubricant of any kind on these helicopters, but I suspect experiences vary a lot.

[Chap1012]

I made a posting some time ago on RCG (V4 thread) when I had plans on using Break Free CLP. So, there are other threads that make mention of this? My best guess is that the less friction you have, the more energy. The motors work less to spin up so, your batteries work less to obtain that energy. As far as my Dynam flybar, both the fixed and adjustable links are loose as a goose. A very easy flick of the finger and it pops right off the ball on the flybar. Also one of the weights is tough to get off. I took a fine file to that end to no avail. I finally figured out it was the weight. There must be some kind of burr inside the hole of the weight. My first Dynam flybar was perfect. But I lost that in the tall pine tree out back. Still waiting for it to come down....I hope!

[waterspout]

I asked a long time ago on this forum about which mods were worth doing, specifically in terms of weight.
For 2 months I have heard a resounding silence on the subject. Oh well, there are other forums...
But for anyone returning to this forum to see if the question ever got answered, I found some of those answeres at this rcgroups multirotor electric link:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=952719#post10935815

A guy named "project lama" has gone as far as putting in brushless motors AND a second swashplate so that both rotors can feed into forward flight. Thats pretty cool (and perhaps a little hard core for me) in my book. But I'll bet he learned a lot along the way on what must have been a $1000 experiment. He ended up with enough weight savings to add cameras and still have good lift & forward flight.
At the bottom of his post with a link to his mods page he suggests that those who are weight conscious minimize the aluminum bling:-
that not even longer shafts are necessary or weight justified , just aluminum swashplate and upper hub are worth the the extra weight. The rest is too heavy for the marginal improvement. Works for me....in that it matches my intuition about aluminum density being fairly high for such an ittybitty bird.

[Chap1012]

waterspout, There is another guy over on RCG (EQMOD) in the same dual swash thread. I think he's some sort of a tech. consultant. Well he posted schematics and some vids. He flys it right in front of a stand-up room fan with no problem. Myself, I'm all stock. I've read many complaints about blade grips. Swash plate? I think that's a touch and go. If you are thinking of an aluminum swash be careful as there are a lot of "faux" ones out there that don't measure up to the real good ones. I'm only relaying to you as to what I've been reading and not through personal experience. Happy Flying.
Mike.

[waterspout]

Thanks, Mike. I have a lot of other RC stuff, and am hesitant to do much modding. I figger it flies like it is indoors OK- and on a good day you can replace the whole kit-n-kaboodle for $70. Heck, there's $25 worth of batteries in the box as well as a pretty decent Lipo charger (balancer) for my other planes.
But I almost lost mine over a lake one day when the wind came up, so I am looking for anything that will help forward flight. I have chased my flybar link after it flew off on a blade strike, so I am still tempted to get the longer top shaft to reduce strikes.

[Chap1012]

I've been tempted myself getting an extended shaft (2cm). One thing about these is that most come with a hub (or you have to buy seperately) and the stock flybar doesn't quite cut it (from what I've read). I have an Esky regular length (EK5-0206) with the hub still in the package. A dynam flybar (VTX-002) is suppose to work best with these type of shafts. But be aware, if you crash they can be very unforgiving on the lower gear. I'm pretty sure if you want better forward flight you'd have to mod it with a new swash and long horns........myself, I'm not going there :-)
Mike.

[Chap1012]

Thanks, Mike. I have a lot of other RC stuff, and am hesitant to do much modding. I figger it flies like it is indoors OK- and on a good day you can replace the whole kit-n-kaboodle for $70. Heck, there's $25 worth of batteries in the box as well as a pretty decent Lipo charger (balancer) for my other planes.
But I almost lost mine over a lake one day when the wind came up, so I am looking for anything that will help forward flight. I have chased my flybar link after it flew off on a blade strike, so I am still tempted to get the longer top shaft to reduce strikes.

I changed my mind. There's a guy over on RCG (a long time member) where I'm ordering 40 bucks worth of goodies (paid by my daughter for x-mass/b-day of course). I'm getting the 2.0 extended shaft (2), some hardened white blades (3 sets) and a carbon fiber flybar. Great top quality stuff. Tony and Ernie did good for my daughter's order, or,.....for me:D Take a look.. http://www.helitek-rc.com/index.php
Hope all you good boys and girls get what you want for Christmas 0:)
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Flying :D
Mike.

[barak1001]

Thanks for the kind words. We do aim to please.

Tony
Helitek-RC
VP in charge of everything. :blockhead:

[Chap1012]

:confused::confused: 572 veiws and no posts since Nov 25 ???:confused::confused: I had no idea our V4's are so perfect......I'm beginning to think so :clap:
Hey, I'm just trying to "up" my post count :p
Mike.

[barak1001]

I don't know about your V4, but mine is most definitely perfect.:D

The brushless motors might have something to do with it though.

[tag1260]

Has anyone broken in the brushed motors for these in water? Used to do it with slot car motors but never really knew "exactly" why but it was a practice that everyone recommended. Supposed to give a little longer life but I'm sure there were more important benefits.

[barak1001]

Lots of people talk about breaking in Xtreme 180 motors by running them in distilled water. I can't see bothering to do it on the stock motors.

[tag1260]

What about those motors that you sell? What are they? Aero-nuts or something?

[barak1001]

I've never bothered breaking in a set of motors.

The aero-nuts are basically in the middle of stock and Xtreme SE motors as far as power.

They are quieter than stock or SE motors and allow for about 1 or 2 minutes extra flight time since they are vented and more efficient.

[Chap1012]

I don't know about your V4, but mine is most definitely perfect.:D

The brushless motors might have something to do with it though.

With all the great stuff I hear about brushless motors, do I need to change anything on my stock V4 72mhz? At the moment, I'm running stock motors with PTC fuses. I also have a set of aero-nuts shelved for future use. Sorry Barak, I bought those months ago from RChelicoptershop.com, but I did get some harden blades (along with some other goodies) from you. Nice price on the blades that I just couldn't pass up.
Merry Christmas to All.
Mike.

[barak1001]

The brushless basically fly the same as Xtreme SE motors. They just make the helicopter about 40 grams lighter than before the conversion. This gives you a lot more power. They also run much cooler than brushed motors, and of course you don't have to let the helicopter cool down between batteries. I mainly converted over because of the longer flight times and less maintainance. After all there are no brushes on the motors to have to replace.

[Chap1012]

So what your saying is that the brushless motors are "drop-ins." ?? And no cool down time between batteries? WOW! I like that!

[pigaro]

So what your saying is that the brushless motors are "drop-ins." ??

Not quite. Most of the brushless conversions involve replacing some or all of the 4-in-1 with discrete components. Brushless motors have 3 leads, not two, and the relative voltage on each lead has to be commutated by the ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) instead of relying on the mechanical commutation provided by the brushed motor. There are conversions that allow the use of the 4-in-1 as is by adding a module to convert the output from the brushed ESC to something that a brushless ESC can understand. There are several good threads on RC Groups on brushless conversions, and I even created a thread. If you're interested you might look at the main Blade CX/Lama brushless thread (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=447808). In the thread I started (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=930991) there is a discussion about a brushless kit (http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8285) offered by Hobby City that had the potential to be a drop-in, but sadly was less than hoped for, starting at this posting (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11061111&postcount=37).

[Chap1012]

pigaro, That's one heck of a write-up. Nice work! I put that thread in my "subscriptions." When I get some extra dough I'll ask Don if I could just send my heli to him :-) Sounds too complicated for this little brain :-) Not to mention $$$$. But for now, I can dream..
Mike.

[pigaro]

Thanks. The brushless conversion is mostly a matter of money and determination. I had hoped that the Hobby City kit would provide an easier and less expensive means of accomplishing the conversion, but it appears to be a dead end. Maybe there will be something I can salvage from that kit, but it is not really high on my list of priorities.

The hardest part of the brushless conversion is the gathering of the parts. I spent a lot of time looking at various sites to find the parts (like the gyro) that had the best chance of working and at good prices. Once you have all the parts, the rest is assembly. If you know how to work a soldering iron (for the motors and ESCs), then you already have the skills you need. I found the conversion to be a lot of fun and would recommend it to anyone.

When you eventually succumb to the lure of the brushless motor, I would recommend that you get the motors and ESCs from Don, as he is extremely helpful and accommodating -- to the point of offering to help me with my Hobby City kit. There are a lot of good resources in this hobby, and he is one.

[barak1001]

If you decide you don't want to do the conversion yourself, you can order the parts and ship them and your chopper here. I'll do the conversion for you, for a small fee of course (we rebuild people's choppers and tweak them as part of site's services). I could do the conversion in less than a half hour.

The only down side is the cost of shipping both directions.

[Chap1012]

If you decide you don't want to do the conversion yourself, you can order the parts and ship them and your chopper here. I'll do the conversion for you, for a small fee of course (we rebuild people's choppers and tweak them as part of site's services). I could do the conversion in less than a half hour.

The only down side is the cost of shipping both directions.

Don said the cost for the parts would run around $105.00. So, lets do some quick math. Lama V4 new w/shipping $110.00. Parts for brushless upgrade $105.00. Your price to put it all together $50.00 maybe $100.00 (hope I'm not insulting you). Total, around $300.00 (plus or minus) when all is said and done. Having a stock Lama V4 with brushless motors...priceless...I'm sure:D I've said in many of my posts that I give my motors a 30 minute cool down period between flights. The motors/chopper will be a year old end of January (knocking on wood). I have a spare set of aero-nuts still sitting on the shelf. I know the brushless motors sounds great flying battery after battery without cool down but, I'm just not ready for a divorce just yet :blockhead:
Happy Flying,
Mike.

[barak1001]

Don said the cost for the parts would run around $105.00. So, lets do some quick math. Lama V4 new w/shipping $110.00. Parts for brushless upgrade $105.00. Your price to put it all together $50.00 maybe $100.00 (hope I'm not insulting you). Total, around $300.00 (plus or minus) when all is said and done. Having a stock Lama V4 with brushless motors...priceless...I'm sure:D I've said in many of my posts that I give my motors a 30 minute cool down period between flights. The motors/chopper will be a year old end of January (knocking on wood). I have a spare set of aero-nuts still sitting on the shelf. I know the brushless motors sounds great flying battery after battery without cool down but, I'm just not ready for a divorce just yet :blockhead:
Happy Flying,
Mike.

I was actually thinking more along the lines of $25. There's really not much to mounting the motors and ESC on the chopper. It would be more of me being nice than trying to get rich.

Parts total really depends on the parts you buy. This would be what I'd suggest:

2 x Turnigy ESC $21.28
2 x C10 motor $23.90
1 x mks191 heading hold gyro $33.25
1 x Turnigy v-tail mixer $2.95
2 x 8t pinion with 2mm shaft $4 (I'd have to cut the shafts myself)

That's $85.38 in parts. Shipping for everything would run about $4 from HobbyCity. I'd cut the shafts myself for the motors then mount the pinions on them.

As far as things go I don't see why you'd buy a new chopper? Easiest way to do it would be for me to cut and install the shafts into the motors, solder the ESC to the motors, solder a JST pigtail onto the power leads of the ESC, plug the ESC leads into the v-tail mixer,and then ship it to you as a "ready to install" kit. Would make way more sense than you having to ship me a chopper.

When you got the kit it would just be a matter of plugging the correct plugs into the correct port on your receiver.

Shipping for us normally runs around $7 for a package the size in question that's insured for $100.

[Chap1012]

Barak, That is one heck of a price for your labor putting it all together ($25.00). And, I already know your a nice guy...I got my free CF flybar from you today. All I needed was a weight and you send me the whole kit-n-kabootle...you made me a very happy camper:D I will definitely keep you in mind. My funds are still suffering the Christmas blues and my fixed income doesn't help much either:( I had no clue of the cost of putting this all together but, hey, no harm looking into it right?
Happy Flying,
Mike.

[barak1001]

I actually just did a test run today for making shafts for the C10 motors. I used the same hardened steel wire we use for our supershafts.

I made two of them and put the pinions on them using thread lock. Now that they've dried I can't move the pinions even with two sets of pliers! Isn't going to be fun putting a new pinion on one of the shafts if I ever have to, but they should definitely hold up the strain of pushing the drive train of the chopper.

Anyone that orders the kit from HobbyCity and needs longer shafts let me know. I can put together a set of shafts and pinions for you probably for $5. I'm still searching for a cheap supplier of the pinions. Currently I'm going to have to use the Eflite pinions which run about $3 for 2.

[tag1260]

I didn't think you could still get the kit from HC? At least I couldn't find it.

[barak1001]

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8285

They still have 95 in stock.

[tag1260]

I guess I'm a little behind but are guys finally getting these to work? Are there any tricks involved or is it plug and play or is it more involved than that (besides the shafts)?

[barak1001]

You have to "Y" the power leads from the brushless converters into the JST plug for the chopper. So that the 4in1 and the converters are getting power from the same source.

Something that anyone with basic soldering skills and some heat shrink should be able to do.

[tag1260]

Sounds too easy!!:cool:

Is this the setup your flying?
What size are the shafts and can you steal the pinions off of your brushed motors?

[barak1001]

My lama doesn't have any of the stock electronics. I'm flying with an AR6100, 2 turnigy plush 6amp esc, a telebee gr201 gyro, and a turnigy v-tail mixer.

You shouldn't worry about whether the kit will work or not. It will definitely work if wired in correctly. It's a matter of whether you'd like to completely replace your electronics or make due with the rate gyro and stock receiver.

The shafts are 2mm. 0505 piano wire will make a shaft that works fine. Just steal the pinions off your brushed motors and use blue thread lock to hold them onto the new shafts you make. You should only have to make the new shafts about 3/16 longer than the ones that come on the C10 motor.

[tag1260]

Thanks for all the info Barak. Now I just have to decide if I want to spend the money on the brushless or just go with the Aero-nuts. This will be the first upgrade for me to do to the Lama.

Also, when will your inner extended shafts be back in stock. When I looked the other day you were out.

I was reading somewhere else where you are looking to go to a bigger heli. Been there, Done that. My only advise is that there is a big step up in quality between the HBK2 and a Trex 450. There is also a big difference in stability. I've got both. When upgraded to decent standards, the King will cost just about as much as the Trex. (Didn't want to get in on the other thread as it seemed to be getting a little ....well you know.) ;)
Thanks again
Tag

[barak1001]

They are in stock now.

I'm really leaning towards buying a Raptor .50 V2. I'll probably buy a HBFP at the same time to beat to pieces and practice on.

I honestly don't care about inverted flight. The main reason I want the larger chopper is so that I can get a great looking scale body for it.

I've had my eye set on the Century .50 Airwolf fuselage ever since I bought my first Lama.

[merlynwylld]

Hey I love to pull up old threads, you fellows all sound a bit like me, kind of a composite, fixed income, like to tinker, but also like to enjoy the "If it's not broke don't fix it at times" I started out in June of 08 after having the same Air Hogs experience with a Esky CoComanche, which of course at the time I didn't know that it was basically a Lama 4/5. UPS pulled up with that big box straight from HK and I felt like it was Christmas and I was 10 years old again. I guess thats a big part of why we do this hobby in the first place.
I know it's out there some where put I really never ran into a NEWBIE DIRE WARNING sheet, that would, have saved me several ruined batteries, cause who ever heard of one you didn't run all the way down???
The "Brain" 4-1 should be protected, but it's not and if you are a novice struggling to keep the ground away from your new heli. It goes against nature to just kill the throttle and go ahead and go in not fighting. Thats the way as you already know I learned that power to blades that can't turn equals a burned out motor, and after you replace the motor you learn that it cooks the "Brain" too.:mad: I had after that fiasco decided to read, read, read. Not that I hadn't done my research as to what was the best First real Heli to buy. So in the fixing of the CoManche after first wreck I spent as much on parts as I had on the bird to begin with, Xtreme 180SE motors, Metal upgrade kit, new Airy Harden blades, landing gear. You know the list! It was during putting all this together I learned the 4-1 would not power up the motors, everything else, but no power! So I was GROUNDED, that fixed income problem again. So given a few months to recharge I got another Esky Comanche off eBay, for only $15 more than the 4-1. The fellow that sold it to me knew his stuff, there where holes melted in the windshield so that a tiny screw driver could adjust things. I was just going to use it for parts but I turned it on and it just went up into the air and "Hovered" It flew so much better than my first one I knew I lacked the most important skill the Art of tuning. I still fly that one stock and cuss the "upgraded" one, (I found a cheap 4-1 for it too) cause I am slowly learning how to TUNE.
So a guide that covers all that has to be out here somewhere, but I never found it, how about any of you?
HeliTek-RC looks like it could be a great resource too. Also how did you learn, the hard way too no doubt, Just for fun here is the upgraded Comanche, I wanted to go for the Black Ops look, one of these days it will hover!!!

[barak1001]

RCgroups has a Lama multiple lama threads that are several hundred pages long. If you read the V4 Resource thread from beginning to end you can learn just about everything you'd ever want to know about a coaxial.

I went through the same thing you did. Bought a lama v4 and flew it for about 15 seconds before frying out the 4in1.

My first crash cost me about $85 if I remember right. The second crash cost me around $65.

After that I found RCgroups and read the Lama thread from beginning to end. At the time it was 200 pages long or so. After that I setup the chopper and crashes were much less expensive. Crackroll just doesn't have a very active Lama V4 community, partially because they separate coaxials by brand name. Which really doesn't make much sense, since they are almost all clones of each other.