500 Opinions on main rotor heads.

[Powerdyne]

Hi guys, Rather new here, and into my second year in helis. I've learned a lot, but I'm now once again working on a 500. I owned an HK500 a year ago, but only set it up and flew it a few times before selling it off. It was a flybarred model.

This time around I am building from parts, mostly Align Trex 500 ESP stuff that will be going in an Airwolf Scale Fuselage eventually. Being an Airwolf, I am working on ways of reinforcing the fuselage so that I can do some light aerobatics with it. I'm not talking 3D, but more Sport type flight along the lines of some of the maneuvers in the actual show. More on that later though.

I have to get the mechanics set up first as Pod and boom. I'm kind of on a budget right now since I am saving for a Forza 700, so I am trying to get at least decent parts that have a good look for Airwolf.

Right now, I am looking at two Flybarless heads. I would go for the Align heads, but I am looking for something that doesn't have a ton of name branding all over it that will be visible.

RJX 500 Flybarless Head:
http://www.hawk-rc.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=142

VCTRC 500 Flybarless Head:
VCTRC Flybarless 3G FBL EFL Head for Trex 500 RC Helicopter Silver | eBay

The VCTRC has branding, but it's silver in color, and matches the Bell 222 color a little better from the show. Plus the branding is a little less obvious. The RJX head looks really nice but is the wrong color, but I can live with that.

I've been looking at other options as well, but none of them really look right to me.

Has anyone had any experience with these two heads? I've heard really good things about the RJX head, but the VCTRC head has very little written about it other than possible issues with bearings.

I know that there is a lot of back and forth about clone parts, but for the price range I am attempting to stay in, these two seem to fit my needs. I looked at Tarot Flybarless heads for the 500 size, and they all have too much visible branding or have too much orange on them. I would rather avoid DFC of possible for two reasons; the lower profile makes me nervous, and 2 it's not as accurate looking height wise to the actual helicopter.

Any thoughts?

 

[Tony]

I'm going to put this out there, but I'm going to be brief. I HIGHLY suggest the Align head because you get what you pay for. The brief part? You can remove the black anodizing and completely get rid of the branding leaving you with bare aluminum. Some light sanding then some polish and you will have a polished aluminum head with NO branding. If you want more info, I will type it all up, but if you don't want that much work (it's really not that much for a scale build), then I will save some typing time lol.

 

[Powerdyne]

Tony, thanks for the advice! I totally get what you're saying about getting what you pay for, and I have been looking at the Align heads pretty seriously. My main problem with them is buying all the parts separately for them. Since Align likes to sap every last cent they can out of something that could be sold as a complete assembly. That's not a dig at Align, as I really would prefer going with a full align kit.

Therein lies my second question: Anyone got an Align FBL head they wanna get rid of?

 

[wolfman76]

Look on ebay is where I got my align dcf fbl head swash and mainshaft all together. .. they have an actual dfc head upgrade on their right now for 47.90 with free shipping from Taiwan that ships worldwide for the 500 the swash will be like 31.00 and some change also shipped from Taiwan it is separate. . But everything still under a bill.. it is exactly the head n swash upgrade I did on my hk500gt minus the stiffer dampners for the head center hub but tony can tell bout that if it is an hk500gt you have you definitely need this dampner upgrade

 

[Tony]

That is the issue I ran in with my 600N. I wanted the DFC head, but all they wanted to do is give me the arm adapters which I couldn't use, no swash, no grips, so it was useless. But, I found a dealer that takes helicopters and parts them out. I got my 600 complete DFC head with swash and my upgraded tail from an Align 550, which uses a 600 head and tail. I think I got lucky because I just did a search for a 500 head and I'm not seeing anything complete. You would still need the grips and swash with the upgrade kit. Kinda sucks...

 

[wolfman76]

here is what i found you might be interested in Align T Rex 500DFC Main Rotor Head Upgrade Set H50181 New | eBay
and here is the matching swash Align T Rex 500DFC CCPM Metal Swashplate H50194 New | eBay
these are both the ones i was talking about in my earlier post sorry could'nt post them earlier i was on my phone.. should have everything there for the complete upgrade

 

[coolgabsi]

Rjx head is considered one of the most hardest heads out there. Don't let the price fool you, because that head is very very strong. I have flown a few and it's not a clone. Rjx is a well renowned company in other countries just don't have enough products in the US. Companies like JR have copied their products before. I am fixing to buy a muffler for my gas helicopter made by rjx, and is one of the best after hitori (if you don't know what those are , just know that , that says a lot)

I don't know anything about the other brand. But if it was a choice for me, I would buy rjx with no regrets..

Part availability is something that nothing can beat align. But.. If you order stuff online anyway, rjx will be as much available as align. So there.. My $.02

 

[DavidDutch]

I just came across this old post and maybe have some small information on the VCTRC head. It just can be that this head is/was a rebranded align head (was, because VCTRC seems to be out of bussiness)


also because the complete head on my VCTRC 500DFC was supplied with underneath.