450 Align 450L build

[trainrider06]

I thought I'd do a little thread to try and help others in case they ran into some things as I have with this build....
I bought this heli with pretty much a frame/tail/and head, have so far done quite a bit of work to it. But here are the first few pix of it as I got it....filthy dirty, and pretty abused! It looked like it was crashed a few times over, but amazingly the frame and structure integrity remained in good shape. I did replace the left side frame because the previous owner, had ground and butchered the plastic part of the tail boom attached to the frame itself in an effort to remove a stuck screw....this turned out to be something I'd have to deal with many times during complete disassembly.


This bearing block you can see just how filthy this thing was. The bearings I didn't even bother with as far as cleaning, they were replaced!

Here you can see what I was talking about where the plastic area, I guess reinforcement piece is cut all up by the screw removal effort of the previous owner.
In all, I had 9 stuck screws in this frame!

This is what I had to use to remove them, the frame will suffer some scratching around the screw holes, but it's unavoidable.
This is also why one should not use button head screws that have to have any kind of torque at all applied during assembly. The best thing anyone can do is throw the button head screws away, and use cap screws!
They are much more sturdy, and if one happens to strip on you, then there is enough of a head to get a grip on in order to remove them!

 

[D.O.G.]

Don't forget, thread locker blue is your friend .

 

[trainrider06]

Don't forget, thread locker blue is your friend .

This is true, but too much will make you blue trying to get the screw back out!

 

[murankar]

That thing is in bad shape. Who ever built it did a number on it. ALign was never known for using high quality screws to begin with. I would buy a set of RCScrewz and ditch the originals. My Dom is waiting for $100+ worth of parts just so the frame can be built. Then its to the electrics for it. Right now I am still on the fence on keeping it.

 

[Smoggie]

I think a lot of problems with stripped screws is due to using cheap hex keys. Stripping out the heads used to be a common occurance for me until I invested in a set of quality hex keys.

The previous owner sure made a mess of it, I hope you got it cheap!

 

[trainrider06]

Oh believe me I knew full well what I was getting into! I had the guy txt me close ups of everything, we made a fair deal that both were comfortable with, and he included a good bit of new parts with it. I ordered all stainless steel button head screws for the frame. Those are excellent because they stick out a bit, and worse comes to worse a good pair of needle nose pliers will get the screw out. Besides as D.O.G. Says blue locktite used sparingly and I've always not been a gorilla tightening the screws...usually snug, then a half turn at most and I've had no problems getting screws out. Yes a good driver is a must! I think a lot of times people probably think they've stripped a screw, but come to find that just using a good driver and the screw comes right out no problem...at least that was my experience when I first got into the hobby...embarrassingly enough....lol
Well here she was all torn down cleaned and ready for assembly!


- - - Updated - - -

That thing is in bad shape. Who ever built it did a number on it. ALign was never known for using high quality screws to begin with. I would buy a set of RCScrewz and ditch the originals. My Dom is waiting for $100+ worth of parts just so the frame can be built. Then its to the electrics for it. Right now I am still on the fence on keeping it.

It adds up so quick don't it? I know this one I have I won't get what I'm putting into it! I could have done without some of the things I've gotten for it and just flown it, but I'm kinda anal about my heli's and want em purdy, as well tip top shape!

 

[trainrider06]

I got 2 tail cases with this, one I saw where the guy had broken one of the two bolts that secure the tail case to the boom. He had purchased another complete tail case that was on the boom. Also I could see he tried to take the tail case apart, one of the button head screws was stripped, luckily I got my little pliers on it, and got it off. The same was true on the broken bolt, there was just enough of the bolt protruding from the end to simply unscrew it. Both tail cases were cleaned bearings replaced, lubed, and reassembled...now I have a spare! .
I also noticed the action of the tail pre tear down was not good at all! (One of the reasons probably it am sure didn't fly very good) I thought at first the tail shaft was possibly bent, but upon inspection that wasn't the case. What I did find was one of the links had no bushing in the pitch sliders! No wonder! I purchased new links, they are the plastic ones from Align, with the brass bushing in them. I don't like those and plan on getting the KDE metal upgrade ones soon. But for now they'll be stock. Here is one of the cases in the process of break down...the other assembled.

 

[murankar]

I got my dom off a trade for a rekit protos mini. It either spend 300+ for a new kit or trade for a kit that needs 100+ to be built. Right now my gaui x3 is the focus and will be for a bit more. Unless I find another killer deal for a 550 class.

 

[D.O.G.]

I think a lot of problems with stripped screws is due to using cheap hex keys. Stripping out the heads used to be a common occurance for me until I invested in a set of quality hex keys.

The previous owner sure made a mess of it, I hope you got it cheap!

I've used the Align hex keys and also the RJX hex keys and now I found a set of hex keys that I'm interested in trying out. ION Hex Driver set - 1.5mm / 2.0mm / 2.5mm / 3.0mm Hard tips. Can't hurt to try them out.

 

[trainrider06]

I've used the Align hex keys and also the RJX hex keys and now I found a set of hex keys that I'm interested in trying out. ION Hex Driver set - 1.5mm / 2.0mm / 2.5mm / 3.0mm Hard tips. Can't hurt to try them out.

This is the one I use, it's been a great driver, although it's probably about time I replaced the 1.5 driver, it gets a lot of use!
Dynamite Multi Hex Wrench Set [DYN2950] | Maintenance - AMain Performance Hobbies - AMain Performance Hobbies

 

[murankar]

I use Scorpion Drivers. All am missing is another 2mm, a 2.5mm 3.0mm. That's all I need from scorpion until I look and see what else they have.

 

[trainrider06]

I use Scorpion Drivers. All am missing is another 2mm, a 2.5mm 3.0mm. That's all I need from scorpion until I look and see what else they have.

How do those hold up?

 

[trainrider06]

Head and blade grips:
There is a tricky thing with blade grips! At least as far as Align goes, and replacing bearings in them.
During my take down of the head assembly, I noticed the bearings seemed a bit crunchy. So I reckoned it time to replace them! Easier said that done! I started by taking the feathering shaft sticking it into the bearings and trying to kinda wiggle the bearings out. No go, looked at em scratched my head, decided to check around on a solution. So I found some...one boil the grips! What? Bake the grips at about 200 degrees! What the....???? How did a cooking class figure in here? So I figured what the hell? Sure enough boiled em for about a minute, using the feathering shaft, they poped right out on the head side! Threw em back in the pot, then tried the blade side bearings. They wanted to, kept looking like they were coming out, and they were....except! I noticed that the grip was kinda dinged inside where the blade locks in. More than likely with the many crashes this poor heli suffered the damage was done.... so ordered new grips.

 

[murankar]

In my personally oppion they are the Shizzz nit. I love them, light weight, fit in my hand, long shafts, they actually hold in the screw. There is a bit of a hang in them when pulling out. Keep the minds clean please. I have had mine since 2013 and they still dont show signs of wear on the hex end. Very well built and designed. Georges Van Gansen hit a home run with these. As for a negative, they cost some money, $11 per tool at the bottem end or hundreds for a set. Each head is replaceable. Well worth the money if you buy only what you need.

Just took these pics.

 

[trainrider06]

That's a good looking tool you have! The driver I mean...the screw tool, ah shoot no way to really word this here...how about just nice! Lol

 

[murankar]

I know its difficult to talk tools without mind wandering. I have had this 1.5mm and my 2.0mm now for about 2.5 years now and they are hold up just nice. The problem is that you will need to decide of you want to take the plunge. You wont regret it.

 

[trainrider06]

This Dynamite driver has held up well for me also, I'm probably going to order another 1.5 driver for it, but it's had a crap load of use! I think I've had this particular one a little over 2 years also. But I gotta say yours is a lot prettier than mine!

 

[murankar]

There is a lot of quality behind that prettiness. Here is the link:

Tools - Scorpion Power System

Georges has added a bunch of new stuff to the line up. I just noticed he has drill taps starting at 2mm and going up to 4 mm. He has also expanded the nut driver section.

 

[trainrider06]

There is a lot of quality behind that prettiness. Here is the link:

Tools - Scorpion Power System

Georges has added a bunch of new stuff to the line up. I just noticed he has drill taps starting at 2mm and going up to 4 mm. He has also expanded the nut driver section.

I'll check it out, thanks for the link!

 

[trainrider06]

Well she's starting to look like a heli now, new blade grips and head assembly done, sleeved, and pre routed wires. Production coming to an end for now, have a couple of CF tail control rods coming...when that is I don't know? Ordered em through Tarot, and I suspect they'll be coming from China, and a lot of those businesses are closed about 2 weeks or so till after the 15th I believe... That's ok, because I am loath to take the BeastX off my 500 to put on this, but that's what I'm going to do, because I'm going to put a Spirit Pro on the 500. Just awaiting funds, and I think they are on back order anyway. So the Dominator will probably sit for a couple months.
So here she'll sit waiting....