balsabasher

Pm you a link with info on the gasser clutch.

Oops. I PMed you and didn't notice you had thoughtfully provided a link. Not all of what I sent makes sense given you provided a link. Sorry 'bout that.

I am still worried about using this larger/heavier clutch at glow engine speeds. As I PMed, I'll need other input before installing this.

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=332787
My clutch doesn't look much like the clutches from 2011.

Bill

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

Clutch

I have the Lynx in my gasser and the other Lynx in a nitro heli. They look really close to the same but I would guess the gasser may engage quicker. I would not hesitate to try the gasser clutch in a nitro.
Forecast here is for seven days of rain then I’ll get some time on my XN.
Sam

blow smoke

I run the lynx clutch in my dfc with a 105 it is one tough clutch highly recommend it. I broke a couple stickers and out in about 2 years ago still perfect

Clutch

The nitro clutch is cut out on the back side. You may have too much torque! I’m only joking of course.
Looks to be about 8 mm tall and 3.3 thick at shoe wall with 5 mm removed inside over to the bearing. If you can follow my narrative. Lol

blow smoke

Bill, btw, you can use the Align rpm sensor on the Ikon controller if you cut off the Beastx plug and solder on a servo type plug. Black wire (-), red (+), and white (signal).
The older Align rpm sensor with the 3GX plug needed to have the red and black wires switched when soldered to the servo plug. But not the newer Beastx sensor.

Blades; what goes around, comes around!

balsabasher

...you can use the Align rpm sensor on the Ikon controller if you cut off the Beastx plug and solder on a servo type plug. Black wire (-), red (+), and white (signal).

Thank you for that. I wondered. Of course I will keep the Align sensor that came in the kit. The kit setup came with a small plastic mount and 4 small sheet metal screws. I think this is typical for Align.(?) I will convert to that if I have to remove the Futaba mount more than once or twice. As I said, it's a fiddly error prone job.

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

Yes, typical of the Align nitro models.

Blades; what goes around, comes around!

Shot out at the field today.....

Watch at YouTube

Novarossi Motors U.S.A
www.PLanethobby.com
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Team Byron Fuels
ZRC U.S.A. "PushGlo, SwitchGlo"

Hey All... Time has passed and I haven't posted much lately. The weather is better and I've been trying to stay away from the computer and spend more time in the shop.

This morning I've have a moment to follow up on a few things.

Going back to the discussion of the Lynx Gas clutch (the discussion starts around post #61) - I wrote Lynx and asked them about the suitability of using their gas clutch with the new Align steel clutch. Below is both my question and their response.

Hello People of Lynx,

Bill here. Recently I built an Align 700XN helicopter. As you probably know, this new helicopter comes with a new steel clutch liner. I found the Align OEM clutch has more clearance with the clutch bell than desirable. The combination of too much clearance and a steel liner led to the clutch slipping at low head speeds.

I purchased one of your Gas only clutches and I would like to try it with my 700XN. My guess is that it will engage more completely and my measurements suggest it is sized better to the steel liner.

The question is this... Is your gas clutch compatible with a glow helicopter? Your clutch is quite heavy and I'm concerned it may not tolerate glow engine rpm.

Is there any reason I can't use your gas clutch (rev b) with my new helicopter?

Thanks in advance,

Bill
----------------------------------------------
Hi Bill,

Our gas clutch cannot be used in glow (nitro heli) different rpm and clearance.

About the new t rex 700nx, we will check asap what and if need to made an upgrade clutch.

Thank you

Customer Service Lynx Heli Innovations - Oxy Heli E-mail: service@lynxheli.com

Cheers,

Bill

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

About the kit blades...

The yellow has grown on me and it goes well with the OEM canopy. I don't know how it will go with other paint schemes should they ever become available.

My set weigh 182.2 grams and are the best balanced blades I've ever bought. They match each other to within a tenth of a gram and the CG is as perfect as my RotoPro can measure. The finish, to include paint, is near perfect.

The "Align" logo label on the tips is unique. It is not paint but instead etched into the finish. There is considerable depth to the lettering and it is course to the touch. This may be common to Align blades and those more familiar with their products may recognize this already. As I said in post #5, I'm new to Align. I hadn't seen this before. The kit tail blades are of the same quality and have the same treatment for the "Align" lettering.

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

That's nice but as my response is quite different for I have been running the lynx clutch in my dfc with the 105 for around 2 years with absolute no issues except that it pulls like a freaking mule, and if and when the clutch in the nx goes I will replace with the lynx.

About the gear box...

There is a new drive gearbox. I suppose this is old news by now. Before this gets out of hand, I will say that this was a free upgrade. Gale from Enterprise Hobby (the US Align marketer), called and informed me they were contacting all 700XN buyers and sending them a new gearbox. The upgrade kit has exacly 4 piece in it - there are two plastic haves and two bearings.

I'm going to do this in two posts so there is no confusion about the old and the new box. Below are pictures of the old gearbox. The next post will highlight the differences, but notice there are no holes in the area of the idler gears.

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

This will be longish post with several thoughts.....

Below are pictures of the new gearbox.

The most obvious difference is that the new gearbox includes new holes in the case halves and two larger bearings on the first idler gear.

While I was on the phone with Enterprise I asked why the new gearbox. The answer was "because they can". I specifically asked if they had seen failures with the Gen 1 box and the answer was no, but they felt that a stiffer case with larger bearings was something they can and should do. I was told Align is large enough and in complete control of their production and that a change like this is something easily within their ability.

While on the phone with Enterprise I asked why Align had decided to include a gearbox in the first place. At a time when simplicity and lowering parts count is the battle cry, the complexity of another gearbox seems like a step in the wrong direction.

The answer made a lot of sense to me. Begin with... Align wanted to do a direct to swash servo arrangement, they wanted the fuel tank directly under the main mast, and they wanted the CG of the helicopter to be directly under the swash and to remain there as fuel burned off. The simple decision to move the servos and fuel tank under the main mast meant that in order for the CG to be correct, the engine had to move forward. This is not only true for the 700XN helicopter, all glow helicopters will have to deal with this. Electric helicopters have the benefit of a large battery that doesn't change weight in flight so this isn't an issue. In a glow helicopter, the engine has to move forward. To deal with the engine being moved forward something has to be done to connect it with the main gear. Some manufactures have chosen a belt arrangement. Some have chosen a very large pinion and main gear. Align decided to do something else. They installed a gearbox to transfer power.

I swapped my gearbox in about and hour. It requires removing the skids, dropping the engine and then lowering the gearbox. Total time was about 60 minutes from start to finish.

I inspect my gears during the swap, and after 6 flights, I saw no noticeable wear.

I have been using CRC Engine Assembly Lube to lubricate the gears. It's too early to say how well this is holding up. I don't have enough time on the helicopter to recommend this product but it seems to be working. If there is a down side, it is that this lube is black (graphite) and has the potential to be messy. I can't have my helicopter looking like the underside of of a '60 Chevy.

I have heard it said the holes in the new gearbox case are to allow for inspection and lubrication of the idler gears. I question that. After installing the Gen 2 gearbox in the frames, there is no access to the new holes.

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

joeplumber1

That's nice but as my response is quite different for I have been running the lynx clutch in my dfc with the 105 for around 2 years with absolute no issues except that it pulls like a freaking mule, and if and when the clutch in the nx goes I will replace with the lynx.

Hey Joe...

Thanks for the input. Because I have already bought a Lynx gas clutch, it will only be a matter of time before I try it. To clarify, you are using the Lynx Gas clutch? My understanding is that Lynx at one time made a glow clutch for Align models.

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

Yes it's the gas clutch works great I run a high head speed anyway not that it matters much but I did break a few align stock ones and they are a very good clutch but the lynx are just better

wjvail

I have heard it said the holes in the new gearbox case are to allow for inspection and lubrication of the idler gears. I question that. After installing the Gen 2 gearbox in the frames, there is no access to the new holes.

Oh wow, I never even thought about that! So even inspecting the gears is tricky without removing the whole gear box from the frame?

60% of the time, it works every time!

Richardmid1

Oh wow, I never even thought about that! So even inspecting the gears is tricky without removing the whole gear box from the frame?

Hmm... It really is pretty simple and I don't understand why Align felt the need add an grease/inspection hole. I'm not certain this was ever the intent of the new gearbox.

If you think about it, any grease applied to any gear in the gear-train will be very quickly redistributed to all the gears. Any grease applied to the idler gears will be, in a matter of a few revolutions, evenly spread on every gear beginning with the pinion and ending with the plastic main gear. You might as well just put some grease on the main gear and spin it a few times with your thumb. After a few turns, whatever grease you put on the main gear will be transferred down the line. Similarly you could grease the pinion. (My concern with this option is that the clutch bell is vented and could allow grease to migrate to the clutch assembly.)

As for inspection - both idler gears were and are visible without an inspection port. One gear can be seen where it meshes with the pinion, and the other can be seen where it meshes with the main gear. What is not visible is the mesh between the two where they meet in the center of the case. But assuming the teeth of both gears look healthy, I'm going to assume the mesh between the gears hasn't changed. If the idler gears become pointy or shiny, or if the gear lash changes dramatically or becomes excessive, then yes, you will have to remove the gearbox for a more complete inspection.

I think the new case had less to do with greasing and inspection and more to do with this: You are getting bigger bearings- and that can only be a good thing. But if you study the pictures carefully, the new case has some larger bracing that might make it stiffer. Also, there appears to be some relief cuts on the exterior of the case that might allow the case to be bolted in with less binding on the bearings.

I'm only speculating but I might guess that Align was seeing evidence of heat or unusual wear on the first idler gear and/or its bearings from either too much clamping force, the result of insufficient clearance, or flexing- or both. Again, I'm only guessing so don't pass this along as fact.

I can see this becoming an aluminum part- either aftermarket or produced by Align. Aluminum would add rigidity and allow for better heat dissipation. Again, just speculating.

Cheers,

Bill

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

Not quite sure but no where does it say it's an "inspection hole or grease hole" the only way that could happen is if you pull it apart all the time for the hole is covered by the frame if you look at how it is milled by the hole it's more of a vent or a way for air to move through it. I grease mine right at the gear.

joeplumber1

Not quite sure but no where does it say it's an "inspection hole or grease hole" the only way that could happen is if you pull it apart all the time for the hole is covered by the frame if you look at how it is milled by the hole it's more of a vent or a way for air to move through it. I grease mine right at the gear.

Yes. I think I just said that.

"Well, Nothing bad can happen now."

Oops not sure why I posted that. I agree with you an aluminum piece would be ideal.