450 I melted my main gear... :( i mean is this tragedy week! But how?v

coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
How does that happen??? My gear melted on my pinion.. Barely 20 seconds of hover On my clone.... ????

My motor gone??? I donno how... It did sound wierd... The motor didn't sound right... I had vibration... It lost power in 20 seconds... It used to regain power every time I land... I think esc was cutting off... Then I saw the stupid main gear lost teeth but not broke melted away... Lol... I was like what!!!

Found out that pinion was the starting point.,, what do you think happened?
 
coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
Mesh didn't change from the last time I flew this clone.., is it because the pinion is out of whack!?? There a way to check the motor?
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
with an electric helicopter, the options on melting a main gear are very few. If the motor got hot, and I mean hot (300*F+), then that can cause this. Most likely it was your mesh though. Too loose, and you will strip the gears out. too tight, and there is too much friction that creates a lot of heat resulting in a melted main gear. What is this issue with the pinion? The pinion should run true without any wobble to it at all. If there is a wobble, then you need to get that gear off the helicopter now before you put on another one. On my 450, the pinion that came with the helicopter would not work on the motor, but the pinion that came with the motor works great since the ID of the pinion is exactly the same as the OD of the motor shaft.
 
coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
Ok .. The pinion Is sitting true... Tight and it has worked for more than 20 flights... No change.. And the gear mesh was same I promise.... I am really thinking this...

The motor sounds clunky when I turn it manually... M thinking the motor shaft bent, or the bearings are gave in.

I'll check mesh too though , cause you do have a point.. But don't see it how it could change..

Any other suggestions are welcome too.. I'll look into it... :)
 
Lee

Lee

Well-Known Member
If it sounds weird,i'd take the motor out. Open it up and check for burn marks on the wiring or rubbing on the magnets. My last motor got so hot, the anodising changed colour.
 
coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
@breeze luckily I brought it down safe and sound... Lol

@lee I will take it out... And see what I can find....

Can y'all suggest a better mtor than the alpha 400?? I might have to get another one.. I have a 40a esc I can pull out of my trainer, so suggestions welcome... I don't wanna do align on it yet, I will, but then I will change the motor esc combo... For now gonna go cheap but may be better... Price range 25bucks.... :) let me know guys!!
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
what is wrong with the Alpha 400? It's the only motor I have ever run, and I have never had an issue.
 
coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
Jolly I'll check it... Will make sure it's not it...

Tony... I donor know if there is anything wrong with it. It did give in early for me... I might get the same one again but just want ideas if any else are worth... :)
 
Paulster2

Paulster2

I am El Taco!
Jolly-Swagman said:
sounds more like your one way bearing may have jammed up and the motor pinion just chewed out the main gear till it melted
Click to expand...

This is what it sounded like to me as well, or something along these lines. Chewed gears could look a lot like melted gears.
 
Paulster2

Paulster2

I am El Taco!
Another thing to think about with what I'm talking about is if you have the motor spinning hard against the main gear, it WILL melt the main gear. Way too much fun. I hope you can get it figured out as I know it sux.
 
coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lGOXZCMxQ2Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Check this out guys.. I think I found the culprit... :)
 
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Tony

Tony

Staff member
I was able to search the key in that link and found it. With the shaft slipping, it was heating up so hot that is was heating the pinion, resulting in melting the main gear. usually the shaft will turn a different color when this happens though. And with a motor spinning as fast as you had it spinning, there is no way to tell what the runout is on it. But, if you don't feel any vibrations, just stick that grub screw back in there with thread lock, make sure there is a flat spot on the shaft, and lock it down.
 
coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
Hey Tony I tried to look for a flat spot, but honestly couldn't find one... I could move the shaft around with pliers, I did loctite that sucker down and tightened it as much as I could... Hope that's ok... If you think it's not.. Let me know... The slippage was not without load, the shaft is on the cap tight enough for no slipping... Just when applied load it started to slip. Shaft hadn't changed color though... But definately that stupid screw was the culprit.. Heehee

P.S.: LINK FIXED
 
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R

Rc-Help Member

I Love This Site!
Dude did you duck tape your phone to a hat??

I always do the two sheets of notebook paper to the gear mesh. After you see how much it is then you can just feel it.
 
coolgabsi

coolgabsi

Super Mod & DEAL KING!
Hahahaaa tr I disnt duct tape it... I was holding it in my hand... :)

When I didn't have my keychain camera, believe me I tried that too.. Lolz... ;P hahahhahahaahaha didnt go over so well... (that day I thanked otterbox for all its worth) lol

Anywaz... I tried to get the gear mesh good, but I'll probably have to go in again... I'll see, gear mesh wastes power but doesn't stall the heli in normal hover, which I am gonna test on this one tonight, and then I'll go in again, my mesh might be too tight, I did gear mesh on my old gear, it was already worked in... And now the new one felt tight, but I was tired so didn't open the whole stupid thing again... But I will.. :) thanks for the input. :)
 
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