450 Problem with vibration in a Storm 450 rotor head
- Thread starter Ricardo
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Ricardo
New Member
THE PROBLEM RETURN !!!!!!!!
I thought it was solved after I fix with some red glue the main bearing support that was a little bit loose. It seems O.K. at the time, two days after apply the glue, but today I test it before fly in my room, fotunately, and again the vibration start and the main shaft end totally bend, all the heli's center is moving. I think I have to change all the bearings and supports.
I will appreciate some advice.
I thought it was solved after I fix with some red glue the main bearing support that was a little bit loose. It seems O.K. at the time, two days after apply the glue, but today I test it before fly in my room, fotunately, and again the vibration start and the main shaft end totally bend, all the heli's center is moving. I think I have to change all the bearings and supports.
I will appreciate some advice.
Tony
Staff member
My thoughts exactly. There is not enough rotating weight (even on a 600 with only one blade) to bend a main shaft. The heli will be so far out of balance that it will tip over before bending the shaft. The helicopter has to have hit something in order for it to have bent the shaft.
I think I asked for a video earlier in this thread. If you can get us a video, of this shaft that is bent, and the new shaft after you install it, it would help. Because as of now, there is just no way to say what is causing this. I have never bent a shaft unless it struck the ground. And in the case of my 500, hitting the ground didn't even bend the shaft. Get us some good, in focus, detailed video, and we can help you further.
I think I asked for a video earlier in this thread. If you can get us a video, of this shaft that is bent, and the new shaft after you install it, it would help. Because as of now, there is just no way to say what is causing this. I have never bent a shaft unless it struck the ground. And in the case of my 500, hitting the ground didn't even bend the shaft. Get us some good, in focus, detailed video, and we can help you further.
Rc-Help Member
I Love This Site!
May be its not the shaft at all but the bearing blocks..Hmmmm.
Riccardo, can you not post a short closeup video of you problem?
Riccardo, can you not post a short closeup video of you problem?
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ARM_Coder
New Member
Hi folks! I've bent my Storm 450's main shaft out of nothing at least twice. And I've experienced this same violent vibe (that's clearly visible at the landing skids and the tail tip).
Sometimes the vibe is so heavy that it's virtually impossible to take off. And yes, it's possible to bend a shaft due to vibes, all it takes is to match the resonating frequency of the head/shaft assembly.
I've noted the vibes are related to the headspeed. Keep it below 2800 RPM and the vibes are gone and the heli is pretty flyable, although a menacing rumble can still be heard.
Now the funny part: I've converted my older Storm to FBL with an Airy rotor and Align 3G. This heli became a beast, very powerful, running at about 3200 RPM and NO VIBES! Go figure!
Before one could think it's a rotorhead issue, I've repaced the Storm FB's rotor by a RCX 450 Sport rotor, and the vibes haven't changed at all.
What I've tried to get rid of the vibes (with NO success):
- Balance main blades
- Replace main blades
- Replace rotorhead & flybar
- Balance flybar
- Balance tail blades
- Replace tail blades
- Replace main shaft
- Replace main shaft's bearings
- Replace tail shaft
- Replace tail hub & grips
- Readjust belt tension
- Checked belt shaft & pulley (that behind the gears)
- Tightened tail boom braces
- yadda yadda yadda...
I'm left thinking that the Storm has a design flaw of sorts, maybe its long frame is prone to amplify the normal vibes found in a heli. Next step is to dismantle the frame and redo all threadlocking, also checking all bolts tightness.
For now, the only temporary solution is to reduce the pinion to 11T so one can reduce the headspeed without taxing the ESC and the battery.
Cheers!
Sometimes the vibe is so heavy that it's virtually impossible to take off. And yes, it's possible to bend a shaft due to vibes, all it takes is to match the resonating frequency of the head/shaft assembly.
I've noted the vibes are related to the headspeed. Keep it below 2800 RPM and the vibes are gone and the heli is pretty flyable, although a menacing rumble can still be heard.
Now the funny part: I've converted my older Storm to FBL with an Airy rotor and Align 3G. This heli became a beast, very powerful, running at about 3200 RPM and NO VIBES! Go figure!
Before one could think it's a rotorhead issue, I've repaced the Storm FB's rotor by a RCX 450 Sport rotor, and the vibes haven't changed at all.
What I've tried to get rid of the vibes (with NO success):
- Balance main blades
- Replace main blades
- Replace rotorhead & flybar
- Balance flybar
- Balance tail blades
- Replace tail blades
- Replace main shaft
- Replace main shaft's bearings
- Replace tail shaft
- Replace tail hub & grips
- Readjust belt tension
- Checked belt shaft & pulley (that behind the gears)
- Tightened tail boom braces
- yadda yadda yadda...
I'm left thinking that the Storm has a design flaw of sorts, maybe its long frame is prone to amplify the normal vibes found in a heli. Next step is to dismantle the frame and redo all threadlocking, also checking all bolts tightness.
For now, the only temporary solution is to reduce the pinion to 11T so one can reduce the headspeed without taxing the ESC and the battery.
Cheers!
ARM_Coder
New Member
EDIT: I've finally tested my Storm after the fix, worked like a charm! 
People, I think I've found the root of all evil! Many Storm users suffer this weird vibration problem after a crash. In my last post I said I would start dismantling the frame, but I've stopped short of that.
A close inspection showed that the main shaft was tilted forward (not bent), so I've dismantled this area first.
Removing the Storm's "smokestack" (bearing holder) revealed a dark secret:
Look at the fore bolt hole in the plate (close to the motor) and see a tiny nice crack! Besides this, the plate was badly warped (may be hard to see in the picture). This resulted in the whole "smokestack", with servos, bearings and all, to be slightly misaligned and worse, free to swing a bit.
As I had no spare plate, I decided to rectify this one using a vise, and I've put a washer under the bolt that was to pass through the cracked hole, to better distribute the tension and (hopefully) hold the whole mesh together.
Conclusion: this plate is a vital part that is often damaged on a crash. Should be accounted as an all-time spare just along the shafts, blades, etc. It can be found at Helipal, or for less here: RCX-450CG-040 : RCX-450CG-040 - Metal Main Bearing Support Bottom [RCX-450CG-040] Review - USD1.99 : MyRcMart.COM : Common Parts : Storm-Parts-STGC-040
Cheers!
People, I think I've found the root of all evil! Many Storm users suffer this weird vibration problem after a crash. In my last post I said I would start dismantling the frame, but I've stopped short of that.
A close inspection showed that the main shaft was tilted forward (not bent), so I've dismantled this area first.
Removing the Storm's "smokestack" (bearing holder) revealed a dark secret:
Look at the fore bolt hole in the plate (close to the motor) and see a tiny nice crack! Besides this, the plate was badly warped (may be hard to see in the picture). This resulted in the whole "smokestack", with servos, bearings and all, to be slightly misaligned and worse, free to swing a bit.
As I had no spare plate, I decided to rectify this one using a vise, and I've put a washer under the bolt that was to pass through the cracked hole, to better distribute the tension and (hopefully) hold the whole mesh together.
Conclusion: this plate is a vital part that is often damaged on a crash. Should be accounted as an all-time spare just along the shafts, blades, etc. It can be found at Helipal, or for less here: RCX-450CG-040 : RCX-450CG-040 - Metal Main Bearing Support Bottom [RCX-450CG-040] Review - USD1.99 : MyRcMart.COM : Common Parts : Storm-Parts-STGC-040
Cheers!
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Jolly-Swagman
Member
Great find there Arm Coder,
kenworth_44
New Member
EDIT: I've finally tested my Storm after the fix, worked like a charm!
People, I think I've found the root of all evil! Many Storm users suffer this weird vibration problem after a crash. In my last post I said I would start dismantling the frame, but I've stopped short of that.
A close inspection showed that the main shaft was tilted forward (not bent), so I've dismantled this area first.
Removing the Storm's "smokestack" (bearing holder) revealed a dark secret:
Look at the fore bolt hole in the plate (close to the motor) and see a tiny nice crack! Besides this, the plate was badly warped (may be hard to see in the picture). This resulted in the whole "smokestack", with servos, bearings and all, to be slightly misaligned and worse, free to swing a bit.
As I had no spare plate, I decided to rectify this one using a vise, and I've put a washer under the bolt that was to pass through the cracked hole, to better distribute the tension and (hopefully) hold the whole mesh together.
Conclusion: this plate is a vital part that is often damaged on a crash. Should be accounted as an all-time spare just along the shafts, blades, etc. It can be found at Helipal, or for less here: RCX-450CG-040 : RCX-450CG-040 - Metal Main Bearing Support Bottom [RCX-450CG-040] Review - USD1.99 : MyRcMart.COM : Common Parts : Storm-Parts-STGC-040
Cheers!
THANKS YOU SO MUCH!!! ive been stumped sitting here playing with my storm for about 2 hours trying to figure out why the whole head is loose and wobbling so bad! but thanks to you i know EXACTLY what is worng! they should definatly try and fix this problem because ive only had my heli for about a week now (storm 450 3G platinum 3GX) and had it in the air ONCE and it is already doing this to me!! not very impressed for a $600 heli!! Anyways, thanks again for posting pics and explaination about this problem, you have been GREAT help!!
ARM_Coder
New Member
I've put a lot of thought on this issue and I see that the best is to have spare plates, as they are very cheap... And making them stronger would risk breaking the frame sides upon a crash, the way they are now makes them act like a "fuse" that protects the frame.
Cheers!
Sent from my GT-I9000B using Tapatalk
Last edited:
jac_2012
New Member
hello friend i am new to the forum I'm from mexico presented
and the truth I have a storm that had the same symptoms
extreme vibration before the liftoff and bent the main shaft without any reason
the question is
fixed the problem with this and not had extrermas vibrations or bending to the main shaft (main shaft) for no reason
ie if you have not had the heli flies glpes however is the whole problem osluciono
because if so it's time to get my storm and put in order of flight
greetings and a hug good post thanks
and the truth I have a storm that had the same symptoms
extreme vibration before the liftoff and bent the main shaft without any reason
the question is
fixed the problem with this and not had extrermas vibrations or bending to the main shaft (main shaft) for no reason
ie if you have not had the heli flies glpes however is the whole problem osluciono
because if so it's time to get my storm and put in order of flight
greetings and a hug good post thanks
jac_2012
New Member
hello friend i am new to the forum I'm from mexico presented
and the truth I have a storm that had the same symptoms
extreme vibration before the liftoff and bent the main shaft without any reason
the question is
fixed the problem with this and not had extrermas vibrations or bending to the main shaft (main shaft) for no reason
ie if you have not had the heli flies glpes however is the whole problem osluciono
because if so it's time to get my storm and put in order of flight
greetings and a hug good post thanks
and the truth I have a storm that had the same symptoms
extreme vibration before the liftoff and bent the main shaft without any reason
the question is
fixed the problem with this and not had extrermas vibrations or bending to the main shaft (main shaft) for no reason
ie if you have not had the heli flies glpes however is the whole problem osluciono
because if so it's time to get my storm and put in order of flight
greetings and a hug good post thanks
jac_2012
New Member
good one I answered yes to all or not solved the problem
in order to solve it and thanks for the attention and answers
in order to solve it and thanks for the attention and answers