THE BUILD

T-Rex 500 Bible

Version 02.27.2011 - Email Sly for additions

WATCH THESE FIRST!
Finless HELI BUILD and RADIO and SETUP videos
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=41692

THE BUILD

SUPER nice build photos
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=109604

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Places to purchase...

GREAT place to buy your 500
http://www.performanceplusrc.com/servlet/the-Align-TREX-Helicopters/Categories

Pitch and throttle curves

Good general norm curve (newbies and light park flying)
P 40-45-50-75-100
T 00-60-70-80-90
Collective +/- 11
Cyclic +/- 7

BATTERIES

Good Lipo thread.. very informative
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=55306

Two 3s lipo views

“Yes I am happy with using 2x 3S lipos and think it's the smart way to go- unless a person has lots of cash to burn. I've even read about the 600 ESP guys saying you can't really tell much difference between 2x 3s and a 6s pack on the 500. They said you can tell a difference when running 2x3s packs on a 600 which would be 2 5000+ mah packs. I'm thinking the packs aren't up to snuff yet.”

“Yes 2 3s 2200 mah would equal 1 6s 2200 mah pack. I fly with a 13t pinion 100% curve and my packs are done at 4 minutes of flight. Expect about 1600-1750 to go back in on charge- pretty much hitting the 80% rule on the nose. The 3300 packs require the battery tray mod (easy to do) and are heavy but flight times are 7-ish minutes if memory serves me correctly. I've heard great things about them. The ideal pack in my mind would be between 2600-3000 mah, 2800 would be sweet. Word is (don't know if true) HobbyCity is working on expanding their battery line and may included something better geared toward the 500 - Redfire

How to use two 3s lipos on the T-Rex 500... w/photos
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=122050

5s lipo?
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=6428

Higher Tooth count = Faster RPM’s and punch but lower flight times.

Various batteries by finless
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=57155

Lipo mod
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=115087

Another tray mod
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=108787

Torque Tube repair video
http://video.helifreak.com/?subpath=mercuriell&filename=Bevelgear2.wmv

Remove tail slop!
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=104167

Pinning the boom (do this before your tail flies off!)
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=1153555

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=122676

CYCLIC AND HEAD

What FBL head?
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=168669

Good photo of feathering shaft parts order
http://www.slyster.com/heli/500fs.jpg

Getting the bearings out of the mixing arms!
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=16978

Best servos?
Sly from what I hear the HS5245MG is the (so called standard servo) seems like what everyone is useing . Every picture I see of a 500 they seem to have HS5245MG's on them.. partly because of the cool blue servo arm LOL- Otto975

Cyclic tuning and all that stuff
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=115432

Canopy mod and break off mounts and good review of ESP
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=118618

Notchy thrust bearings?
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=120872

GOOD HEAD PHOTOS
http://www.slyster.com/heli/500head1.jpg
http://www.slyster.com/heli/500head2.jpg
http://www.slyster.com/heli/500head3.jpg
http://www.slyster.com/heli/500head4.jpg
http://www.slyster.com/heli/500head5.jpg

SERVOS

One opinion- One of the stock servos burnt up after 1 flight of test hovering. I swapped them out to the Hitec 5245 Digital MG's and I think they are great. JR supposedly makes some better servos for the 500, but I cant tell the difference with my level of basic 3D.

Photo of 510 servo gears
http://www.slyster.com/heli/ds510.jpg

Hitec mg servo fix
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=589365

PARTS

SCREWS

http://www.rcscrewz.com/product_info.php/stainless-screw-kits-heli/align-heli-screw-kits/p/alg005-align-trex-500-series-stainless-steel-screw-kit/cPath/350_295/products_id/2745?osCsid=05870e57ce7ad91f29ebdf6151405c71

Quality but very cheap T-Rex parts
http://www.hk-parts.com/trex-500-parts.html

Crash list (Tx Don223 on Helifreaks)
Main Blades $50 - $60 2-3 pairs spare will be good
H50011 Main Shaft $9 2-3 packs spare will be good
H50023 Feathering Shaft $5 1 pack will do(actually seldom damaged after doing glass rolling test)
H50040 Tail Boom $12 2-3 packs spare will be good
H50035 Plastic Tail Blades $5 go for K&Bs 1 set spare will do
H50037 Tail Rotor Shaft Assy $8 1 spare will do, seldom damaged
H50045 Tail Drive Belt $8 1 spare as well, just in case. anyway, u don’t want to keep these for too long
H50010 Flybar Rod $10 2-3 packs
H50018 Main Drive Gear $10 2-3 packs
H50019 Autorotation Gear $10 maybe 1. i have never damaged mine
H50009 Flybar Paddle $7 use the grubs, they almost never get damaged
H50033 FbrGlass Stabalizer $11 if urs is carbon, change to FG, these are super hardy.. withstood a tail first funnel crash
Servo Gear Set $6 if u are using metal gears, u dont need them.. if carbonite or nylon keep 3-4 sets

Stop breaking frames!
T500 Frame Saver Front (Carbon)
http://k2heli.com/proddetail.asp?prod=T500_FSVR

BOTTOM BRACKET UPGRADE FOR ALIGN TREX 500 HELICOPTER
http://www.kdedirect.com/TREX500.html

Accessories

Cases

Aluminum Cases - Sure-Flite: $120
http://www.sureflite.com/sureflite/products.php?mc=&sc=&dtl=DOAL500&offset=0&pid=DOAL500

HeliHobby: $109
http://www.helihobby.com/html/trex_500_helicopter_3d.html#PARTHH6328

They appear to be almost identical - the HeliHobby one has 4 latches.

Soft Case - Readyheli $119
http://www.readyheli.com/The_Heli_Guard_Storage_Soft_Carry_Case_For_The_Tre_p/thg500.htm

Tx Ed!

Bearings

Main shaft 8x16x5

Blade grips 6x12x4

Tail shaft 4x9x4

MOTOR

(Note on Scorpioin 1600Kv) I had a 1400KV too, i used it for 5 flights and then i pulled it out the heli because my flighttimes went from 5min with stock setup to 2min30sec with the 1400Kv and no hard 3D(!!!!). I can live with a little less flighttime but that was absurd so i tested the 1600Kv and to my total surprise i can fly 20 to 30sec longer then with the stock motor !

NEW MOTOR OUT!
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=172122

500L MOTOR
Here is a video on replacing the bearings.
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=76264
P/N HS1028 5x11x5mm top
P/N H60103 4x9x4mm bottom

New budget Turnigy motor upgrade

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=154315

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OTHER STUFF

520 drift issues
http://helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=145033&highlight=gy520+drift

How to do piro flips
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=105277

Main bearing placement
http://www.slyster.com/heli/500bearingplacement.jpg

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What are the BEST servos?
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=1270734#post1270734

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BEARING SIZES
Tail grip thrust https://www.helidirect.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=3x8x3.5

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Zippies in the US!!
http://www.flyhelirus.com/servlet/the-Li-dsh-Poly-Batteries-Zippy/Categorie

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Build tip
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Don't forget to put the feathering shaft sleeve in! I don't think it was shown in the finless video, that's why I missed it. So definitely use the videos AND manual together during the build. Otherwise an easy build, enjoy!- 727driver. Also.. main shaft lower bearing block goes in upside down. http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=122426
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Build tip
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From Finless on servo link from center "I am going to say it again.... I think it is a misprint in the manual. 19.5m is just TOO far away and limits servo resolution to much AND jacks up geometry too much. Take it or leave it but the FIRST years worth of kits, all the pilots are running 16.5"

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“13mm the Futaba sweet spot of helicopters tail.”
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I use true 6S packs, especially because of flight time. Outrage 6S 25C 3000 or something similar. Some use 3300/3400 packs. Take a look at the FlightPower link I had sent you earlier. It shows you pack options for the T500.

Ask me anything about your build. Most importantly, even if already assembled at the factory, take every little bit apart, apply grease and loctite, and put it back together. E.g., the tail grips come assembled with loctite. You might thing, ok, they put grease on the tail thrust bearings. They do NOT. Dry like a new diaper.

Secondly, buy high-quality hex drivers. I use Ofna with the black handle. With those, and some grease on the top threads of the screws that go into plastic parts (especially the frame screws), they should thread in like into butter without stripping. Other than that, it will be a blast to put this bird together from scratch.

For the tail servo, you might need the right after-market mount. The one that comes with it is for standard size, which is too big for my JR 3500G mini size. Log on to Custom Heli Parts and find the right mount for your tail servo. With that, it goes together like a dream. Make sure on the top bearing holder that the white writing faces up, on the bottom bearing holder the writing faces down. Make sure the main shaft collar is mounted all the way down, to eliminate ANY axial play in the main shaft; otherwise the main gear will touch the lower, black TT crown gear. On page six of the manual, the drawing of linkage rod C is NOT true scale. Follow the written length spec, not the drawing. Make sure the thrust bearing races in the tail and the main grips are labeled correctly. Use calipers to confirm that the "out" ones have the smaller ID, the "in" ones have the larger ID. Some got labeled wrongly. Thanks Tail Boom (Frank)

Also another...
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=53304

General stuff

Idle up 101
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=139743

Cheap yet GOOD CF blades
http://www.helidirect.com/430mm-pro-carbon-fiber-main-blade-trex500hdx500-p-10337.hdx

Good screws set
http://www.rcscrewz.com/product_info.php/stainless-screw-kits-heli/align-heli-screw-kits/p/alg005-align-trex-500-series-stainless-steel-screw-kit/cPath/350_295/products_id/2745?osCsid=05870e57ce7ad91f29ebdf6151405c71

What are the BEST servos?
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=1270734

Frame upgrades
http://www.kdedirect.com/500SeriesProducts.html

Headspeed Calculator
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=55471

Better grommets
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=119231

Good purchase list
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=92006

Tips for repairing a heli after a crash
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=121733

Good velcro straps
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=1153354

DX7 ‘secret’ recalibration instructions :)

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=609802

How to set gain on the DX7

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=115067&highlight=gain

Frame saver parts!
http://www.k2heli.com/products.asp

Maintenance: What to check after 50 flights
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=1166343

Scorpion HK-3026 V2 Brushless Motor (1600KV) - Trex500

13x5x4 and 10x5x4 (OD, ID, THICK) Get some good ones.

This motor http://www.helidirect.com/scorpion-hk3026-brushless-motor-1600kv-trex500-p-7062.hdx

Also.. written another way... 5x10x4 and 5x13x4

SCORPION INFO

what I'd like to know is the correct PWM frequency setting for the 3026 1600KV motor..... According to scorpion Low timing, 8Khz. Outrunner mode is for motors with high pole count and high speed. It features a sort of variable timing. It's beta and I had overcurrent issues with outrunner mode on this motor. If you are lucky you can try 12Khz but as always with Castle, your milage may vary.

Curtis Flawed blades http://curtisyoungblood.com/products_view.php?id=28

Good FBL blades (Justplanchris) http://www.heliflightcenter.com/HeliStorm_430mm_Carbon_Fiber_Blades_p/hs430b.htm

FBL

Great 3M gyro tape
http://www.scotchbrand.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/ScotchBrand/Scotch/Products/ProductCatalog/?PC_7_RJH9U52300LM30I87QR3ES18H7_nid=88BP3QJCQLgs0KC1RG50RHglBBR07XLQTGbl

FBL phasing correction
http://helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=118666

Banks help
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=186612

Y-Harness?
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTSK2&P=7

http://vstabi.de/user_wiki/index.php5?title=How_to_use_V-Stabi_%2B_AR7100_with_8V_Cyclic_servos_and_5V_tail_servo

OK.. huge source of setup issues help (Skookum)
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=179079

“FBL Getting used to the precision”

http://www.crackroll.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15268 - post15268

Mikado stuff and RJX link lengths

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=1693091 - post1693091

Skookum SK360 FBL setup page

http://www.heli-rnd.com/Skookum/SK_360_set_up_reference.html

http://www.heli-rnd.com/Skookum/SK_360_set_up_reference.html

What FBL head?
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=168669

Vbar setup help
http://www.elisanet.fi/~d635415/VBarFAQ/index.html

Odd twitching/bobbing.. on a 500 with mini-V

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=179640

MINI-V tips

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=161153