toy4x4

Hello all.

I got a Blade 400 3D for Christmas. I guess to could call me a newbie as it's been awhile since I have flown a Heli. I do have an old gas powered one but I got tired of all the maintenance and setup. So I guess this is why the wife got me the Blade 400.

So I want to get some spare parts so I have them on hand just in case. Besides blades, anything else I should pick up for common crashes? (Yes, good attitude to start with )

Now I need to get busy on the simulator!

Glad to be here!

Twmaster

Main shaft, two bags of feathering shafts, servos, main grips, servos, set of landing skids and servos.

Heli Jim

Good advise from Mike. I would suggest that you also get some tail blades, tail shafts, too. And make yourself a training gear to get started.

If you decide to start upgrading, the first thing I would suggest is better servos. The ones that come with the heli work OK but they are definatly the weakest link. Just read around the fourms and you will read of people that have problems with them.

HiTec and JR both make good servos that will just drop right in without having to modify anything on the heli frame. I went with JR 285's and a 3400G for the tail and it made a BIG difference.

Feel free to ask any questions.......newbies are always welcome here at Watt Flyer!!

See ya around!!

jim

toy4x4

Thanks guys. Any place you recommend to order parts from?

Twmaster

Your LHS.

E-Flite parts are at MAP everywhere, even the online houses. Your LHS can use your support.

toy4x4

Good point. Thanks!!

savagestoner

Tell me what you think of it, I am thinking of getting either that or the TREX 450. I am new at this myself and need a good solid copter with parts readily available. In Tulsa you have Hobby Town/Action Hobbies/ and then there is a shop over on 41st and 129th. I believe we have a common friend BTW Derek W. I work with him. The only reason that I am guessing that is I have seen emails from TOY4X4 that he has shown me.

Andrew

BlackholeZ

Why do you use a different servo for the tail? Are there servos that are better suited for each control surface or does the tail not need as good a servo?

-Dan

Heli Jim

Servos that are made specifically for the tail rotor are faster, and very precise in
their centering ability--probably because they are digital servos. They react very
quickly to the input from the gyro and help hold the tail steady.

If you do change to one of those, you will have to set the switch on the gyro from
analog to digital. The stock servo IS listed as a digital servo but it is not able to
handle the gyro output in digital mode.

Once you make that switch, you will say "Oh--now I see the difference" It's like night
and day! The upgrade to better servos also will feel better as the stock servos don't
center quite as well as better ones do.

There are two schools of thought on upgraded
servos....metal gears, or non-metal gears. With the metal gears, you don't tend to break
gears in a crash, but the forces get transferred to other parts, then. I prefer the
regular JR 285's and will replace the gears if I damage them. A gear set is cheap---
like $4 or so.

The only changes I have made to my B-400 in the last year was to upgrade the servos,
and a few weeks ago, I put the landing gear from a T-Rex 500 on it- This keeps the
tail about an inch higher off the ground so I don't tend to hit the blades on the ground
and bend tail shafts so often. That was about a $10 upgrade.

BlackholeZ

I will definitely upgrade servos down the line then. I have seen many people comment on the night/day feeling of upgraded servos. I have already followed your advise on the landing gear.

Thanks Heli Jim!

toy4x4

Which means you work with me because I work with Derek. Well, I work at the TOC also... Which means I'll let you see it sometime when you would like.

toy4x4

Quick stupid question but I would rather ask than have to fork out some $$ if I had just asked.

The battery that came with the B400 weighs about 5.6oz. I have many 3S 2200mah Lipos from planes that I could use and they weigh 6.5oz.

Is that enough weight to make a difference?
What do I need to do weight distribution wise to use these?

xuzme720

It's probably enough to make it sluggish, maybe not a terrible thing to begin with...
You just need to make sure you can still get the CG to be at the main shaft with the extra weight.

Heli Jim

Those batteries should work just fine.

You can adjust the position of the battery a bit to keep the CG in line

I fly 2200 mAh batteries all the time in mine

savagestoner

We will have to get together and fly one of these days. I have a friend that also works at TOC that owns a nice gym in Owasso with plenty of room to fly and probably 30 foot ceilings so if you want to fly inside that is an option as well.

Alpha_&_Omega

do yourself a favor and get align 325 wood blades, they shatter when you crash and lessen the damages to your head and servos. when your stock cyclic servo's strip (and they will) do a little mod and upgrade to hs 65mg servos by hitech or if you want to spend some cash the jr 285's mgs (almost impossible to strip). If your sick of buying and changing feathering shafts, buy a t-rex 450 v2 head (no knock offs) the align tapered feathering shafts is almost indestructible and its a direct drop in. if your tail servo goes, up grade to a futaba 9275 and if you gyro goes, get a gy401 you will not be sorry. oh, and the t-rex tail boom servo mounts are clutch. they make centering your tail a cake walk,...however you will need to get a t-rex tail servo push rod (its shorter).

toy4x4

Did you have to buy skids for the new landing gear or did the stock ones fit (I assume they don't)?

toy4x4

I just picked up the JR Servo flight pack from the LHS which had 3 285s and the 3400G.

Heli Jim

If you buy the entire landing gear package, it comes with struts, skids, and all screws.

you have to drill new holes in the struts so they line up with the frame on the 400 but that's
not hard to figure out.

I got the JR pack too. I like it a lot. I mounted the servos without grommets--I just drilled
out the holes in the frame a bit and used the screws that came with the servos.

You will be very happy with those servos. You WILL have to change the direction of throw
for some of the channels and for the tail. You also have to set the gyro to "D" for
digital mode. Again, not a hard thing to do just take your time me methodical.

Enjoy!!!

jim

toy4x4

I got everything installed. Couple of notes. I had to switch the ball link around as there was not enough clearance when mounted "behind" the throw arm. I switched it so I could mount it on the "outside". I reversed the tail servo and switched the gyro to digital. I also had to flip the nor-rev switch on the gyro to reverse.

I'll be swapping the other three servos tomorrow.