250 My first build, HK250GT

[skywalker]

Well.... Here´s my first question about the HK250Gt´s build.
Wich motor? I searched the HK page and I found a lot of engines "outrunner". I don´t know which one fit in the frame. There is a guide for the sizes?
Another quistion:
do you recomend any change or upgrade for the parts that came in the box?
Thank you very much.
Buenos vuelos!!!!

 

[Tony]

If your hk250 is anything like mine, you will almost have an Align helicopter by the time you are done. Do yourself a favor, if you have the money, get the full electronics kit for the Align 250se. I'm talking the DS410 servos for the cyclic, DS420 servo for the tail, 790 gyro, Align 250 motor and ESC to match. Then, you will want to upgrade your main shaft, feathering shaft, main gear, Tail drive gear, belt and tail shaft to Align as well. The align 250 blades are great, but if you are just starting out the plastic ones will work just fine. As for motors in your question, make sure they say that they fit the Align 250 or 250 sized helicopter. If you don't have the money to drop on the good electronics, let us know and we will get a cheaper parts list for you. I'm not sure what you have in your neck of the woods as far as hobby suppliers and such. Let us know.

 

[skywalker]

Hi Tony.
I don´t know what "I´m not sure what you have in your neck of the woods as far as hobby suppliers and such" means.
I just been searching the web for those Align electronics and upgrades. They are not so easy to find!. Besides, they aren´t cheap. My idea is to build a good heli, whithout spend too much money and then eventually, do the upgrdes you mentioned. Just for now, I´m not going to pay 90 bucks on a gyro, if you know what I mean.
My question about the motor: they usually don´t say that is a motor that fits 250 sized helis (for example:HobbyKing R/C Hobby Store : Turnigy D2836/8 1100KV Brushless Outrunner Motor). How should I look to know if it fits ok in a 250 sized heli?
Thanks again and I hope you understand my English.

 

[Tony]

I understand your english just fine bud, not a problem. Seems my southern way of talking is getting lost though lol. I have to remember that I'm talking to someone not from around here. I will try to be more clear.

What I meant by that was I'm not sure if you have any local hobby shops or online vendors that you can order from. HobbyKing has fallen off on their quality here lately in my opinion.

The motor you linked to will not work. Here is a link to the only one I found they have in stock for the HK250. HobbyKing R/C Hobby Store : Turnigy L2508A-3500 Brushless Heli Motor (200w)

They are saying you will need a 30a ESC. To me that is a LOT of power from a little motor. My Align motor I had on my 250 only needed an 18 amp ESC and still came down cool.

I know for a fact that the MG90S servos will work in that heli, but they are a very tight fit in the holes. You will have to mount them to the inside of the frame, so you will have to separate the two halves to install them.

If you can get a good digital servo for the tail, get the GA-250 gyro. It's not just for the 250, it can be run on anything. I had it on my 250, 500 and 600 at one time and it worked great. But you have to run a digital servo with that gyro.

If you can get away with not putting all of the Align parts on that helicopter, then great. But from what I have seen with the one I had, those are required parts. Hope this helps.

 

[skywalker]

Well, I´ve reading posts and threads about the 250´s. Now I´m having second thoughts about building it (or them). It seems that everybody think that it´s almost imposible to build an HK 250GT whitout upgrade it with Align parts. I think I´m gonna wait a little more and raise more money to buy an Align 250SE. Anyway, the idea of building a 250 sized heli will remain for the time I have more experience in this world. In your experience, which one is better? The HK or the CopterX 250se? And what about the combo that came with it, motor, ESC, servos, etc? (CopterX CX 250SE Kit HobbyDaddy Store)
Thank you again

 

[murankar]

If you go with the Align 250SE get the Super Combo if they offer it, its way cheaper that way. Also you are going to have some of the same issues with the Align build due to the size of the heli. There just is not enough room in this thing to work on. Most of the electronics may end up on the outside just so that you wont have to tear apart the whole bird to work on it. If you want to look at a clone such as the copterx I would concider the Tarot. It has been claimed that it is a rebranded Align, although I personally do not have proof of that being true. If Gaba reads this he will say that he has used Tarot parts on his Align helis as suitable replacements. If I know Tony he will strongly suggest the Align over everything else when it comes to the clones.

Personally I have an EXI that does infact have Align on it. I found the stock replacement parts are not of high quality. My main gear was warped from the factory, not that bad but enough to make a difference in handleing. I broke the tail servo mount on a hard landing when I was just learning to get the heli in the air, again I broke down and bought the Align servo mount. I bought the Align DS520 tail servo simply beacuse it is Align and I got a real good deal on it. I got it for $20 less than normal retail and service from the company was spot on in my books. As for the feathering shaft dampeners I just received today a set of bright orange KBDD dampeners and these things are way more stiff over the stock EXI ones and XHELI does not offer the dampeners as a replacement item. You would have to by a new head unit to get the replacement parts. Now for the tail itself, I had 4 tail rotor shafts bend on me [the original and three others] and I had to buy 3 count them 3 tail assemblies at $13 a piece to get the replacements I needed. Now I bought the Tarot replacement shaft at $2.99 for a set of two. I bought 2 sets that net me 4 shafts and after shipping I was right around $23 out the door, tax shipping and parts. Those came from China and I paid for the express shipping and had them in about 3 weeks, my mailing address caused the delay in receiving them sooner. I have yet to bend the first one but they are just a tiny bit shorter than the stock and I am not concerned about that at all at this time.

This is just a breif over view of my experience with choosing a clone over a true Align product. Now I had my reasons for going this route to begin with. Do I regret doing it, not so much because I learned what I needed to about this hobby. If I could start over and I had the cash up front for a new kit I personally would go with one of two other brands over Align, but do not let that discount the quality of that manufacturer. If Anyone on here could afford a Goblin, except Jamie of course, they would jump on it in a hart beat and Jamie could explain why since he owns one and flies it.

If you are just starting out go with the Align products parts are everywhere for them. It is a time tested brand and a lot of people fly them. IMO it's the Honda civic of helicopters, easy to upgrade, parts are availible and with the right pilot it can compeat with the best of them.

---Update-----

Personally I would not go with those electronics. To get that much for $50 could be asking for a let down. I spent more than that just for my motor and my esc was the same price as the motor also my three cyclic servos combined cost more than that kit. I am not trying to brag about what I have spent just want to let you know what you might be getting into with that kit. I will be doing a video this weekend, I hope, on what I have discovered with going cheap. lets just say that buy upgrading my cyclic servos and my ESC I gained more flight time, not sure how much more all I know is that it is more. I am going to see if that changes yet again when I add this new motor. Someone on here recently said that going cheap in the begining is more expensive in the end. After my speed bumps I truely believe that.


----Parts-----
Tarot 250 w/ case
tarot 250 optimized brushless motor
cyclic servos MG90S (analog)
Align ds420 digital servo
Gyro GA 250
ESC would need to be somewhere in the 20 to 25 amp range. the motor will pull around 15 amps depending on the battery.
lastly a battery, charger and your tx/rx setup.

other members may have better places to order this setup. this is just to give you an idea of what to work with.

 

[skywalker]

Wow..... What a great explanation. In the end, I think I was right... I´ll go for the Aling (is there any difference between the SE and the Pro?) to build my first heli. Then, when I have more experience, I´ll build one 500 or 550...
Tahnk you very much both of you. Muchas gracias a ambos!!!!! I will storngly recomend this forum to my friends, is very helpful!
Buenos vuelos para todos!!!!

 

[Lee]

Hola. Que tal. Tenia ambos helicopteros, HK y CX pero sin electronica. El CX es el mejor de los dos. Compraria el Align Super combo. Mucho menos stress

And for the English speaking

Hi, How are you. I have had both, HK and CX but without electronics. The CX is the best of the two. I would buy the Align Super Combo. Much less stress

 

[Tony]

IMO, get the Align 250 Pro Super Combo. It has everything you need and is the latest design. THIS GUY if I remember right is in China or there abouts. He usually has some of the lowest prices in the world but you may find cheaper if you really look. I found cheaper on eBay for my 450. Take a look and think it over. You won't be disappointed.

 

[skywalker]

Hi guys.
Well, I´ve been searching the Align 250SE super combo. It´s about $330 and $360. I finally bought the HK kit. $43 bucks (shipping included, hobbyking). I´m gonna upgrade it whit this:
Main shaft, tail drive belt, feathering shaft, metal tail drive gear, metal tail rotor shaft and main drive gear. All Aling 250Se parts ($48, shipping included, rc711). Electronics? Still don´t know, but I´ll get it here in Argentina.
I´m gonna take this as asambling lessons. Because in septemberI´m gonna recive the HK 600GT. I prefer to get experience whit the 250 (cheaper).
For now, I´m waiting the kit and the parts.
Let you when I start the "mission impossible".
Thanks again for all the tips.
Buenos vuelos!

 

[Tony]

Yes, please let us know how it goes. The 250 can be a nightmare but if you put the right parts and electronics in it, it should do fine. I would put the DS410's on the cyclic, DS420 on the tail with the GP790 gyro unless you go flybarless. By replacing the WHOLE tail with Align as well as the main gear, main shaft and feathering shaft, you should be good to go. If it's not too expensive, you may want to replace all of the balls and links with Align as well. Pretty much just use the HK frame, but Align everything else.

Let us know.

 

[skywalker]

Well, I just recieved my HK250GT today!!!! It´s so beatiful!
Here´s my first question: which parts do I need to grease? How do I do it?
Thanks!

 

[murankar]

Thrust bearings in the head. Need to take the blade grips off and remove the feathering shaft.

Everything else needs a good bearing oil. Except the one way bearing which needs one way bearing grease. It also comes pre greased.

 

[Tony]

be careful with that hex driver for the small screws, it will strip no matter what you do. When it does. take a file and file down the tip so you get new grip out of it. And remember, just because it's smaller doesn't mean it's easier to fly. Mine was named "Nightmare" for a reason. And others on here can attest to this. If you do a search on here for this helicopter, you will find all of the parts that you are going to be required to replace with Align parts.

 

[skywalker]

Thanks gus for the tips. I´ll keep´em in mind.
Yesterdey I recived the Aling parts (main shaft, feathering shaft, main drive gear, tail drive gear, tail rotor shaft, tail drive belt) and started the building.
First I changed the main shift. No problem there.
First problem: the hk´s tail drive gear mount is one piece, no two different pieces like the Align one. So, how do I replace the tail drive gear?
Tonight I will take pictures so you can see what I mean.

 

[Tony]

I know what you mean, and you have to order the block for teh Align gear. That is what I had to do.

 

[skywalker]

ok. Thank you Tony.
It is absolutly necesary the replacement? If it´s so, I will order it. In the meantime, the original will have to do.
Thanks again

 

[Tony]

If yours is secure and has no wobble like mine did, then you can use it for now, but I would advise getting the align parts just for safety. Hope you get it together soon and in the air.

 

[skywalker]

Hi again.
Well I finish the building.
Another problem: when I wanted to replace the tail rotor shaft, I was unable to remove the tail holder set from de sahft. But I think it´s better this way. The HK shaft gear is metal, but the Align one is plastic (incredible!)
Another problem (this time, my fault): I could not replace the main gear.... I bought the wrong one!!!! See the picture. Can I buy the one way bearing to solve this? Or shuold I buy the new one?
I also took a picture of the servos and gyro. What do you think of them?
I hope you like the result of the building











- - - Updated - - -

I forgot the ESC abd the motor. I have this ones. Are they ok?



Thanks again

 

[skywalker]

Hi again.
I almost finish the 250 building. But I have a problem. I burned 2 ESC, the first one was a turnigy 25A, the second one a turnigy 20A. Reading the motor specs, I find out that needs an 30A ESC. Bought one of that and install it. Now heat up a lot and cut the energy. When gets cold again, the energy comes back.
In your opinion, what should I do?
Thanks.
PS: I hope oyu understand my English