Roban UH-1N Iroquois 600 Size Helicopter - ARF BUNDLE Spacers and bearing blocks are different widths???

[flyingmyAoff]

I purchased the Roban UH-1N Iroquois 600 Size Helicopter - ARF BUNDLE back in May 2019 and I'm finally getting around to assembling it in June 2021. I've been busy... lol Anyway,,, The included spacers, main bearing blocks and tail bearing blocks have me confused. I am using the Roban replacement frames which is pretty obvious, however the "Trex" main shaft bearing blocks are 53.5mm wide along with one "Trex" knockoff spacer. The Roban tail drive bearing blocks and the other 9 included Roban spacers are only 47mm wide.

The thread in the Hobby Squawk forum is kinda useless when it comes to the frame assembly. I have found a lot of frame images around the web and as best I can tell all of the bearing blocks and spacers are supposed to be the same width. i.e. either 47mm wide or 53.5mm wide. I've been doing the heli thing since the early 1980's and this has me stumped. Am I missing something?

Thanks...

Fred

[flyingmyAoff]

Here's another picture showing the 53.5mm motor block alongside the Roban 47mm frame spacer.

[co_rotorhead]

The tail drive bearing blocks are not meant to be inserted directly into the frames as shown in your first pic. Your kit should have come with 4 aluminum spacers (2 for each of the tail drive bearing blocks) that fit on each end of the bearing blocks. With those spacers installed, the width of each bearing block will be 53.5mm and will then fit between the frames.

[flyingmyAoff]

Here's another picture of the front part of the frame that I I found in the Squawk forum where it obviously looks like the spacers and motor block are the same width. No other spacers or washers are included and I see no reason why you'd want to use short spacers and 6.5mm of washers to make them the correct width.

Right now I feel like I'm the 2nd or possibly the 3rd person in the world who is attempting to build this and I'm feeling very lonely. :-)

[flyingmyAoff]

Thanks co_rotorhead.... I have the 4 aluminum spacers. What spacers do I use for the nine 47mm wide frame spacers?

[flyingmyAoff]

The only other spacers I can find are 12 2mm tapered/recessed spacers that were included in the tail boom bag. Seems like I'm going to need at least another 18 3mm spacers assuming I need to use all 9 of the 47mm included frame spacers.

[co_rotorhead]

Let me see if I can find a pic of the spacers.

When they first introduced the 600 size UH-1N and UH-60 kits, the tail drive bearing blocks were designed for customers who owned the original Trex 600 ESP. That helicopter had 47mm main shaft bearing blocks, frame spacers and motor mount. Eventually, they started shipping the conversion kits with four 3mm thick spacers for the tail drive bearing blocks for those customers that had the newer Trex 600s that used 53mm bearing blocks, spacers and motor mount.

I just read in one of the UH-60 threads on this forum that someone else has the same issue you do -- their conversion kit did not come with the tail drive bearing block spacers.

[flyingmyAoff]

Rotorhead... As best I can tell I'm missing those 18 3mm spacers.. Are there any other parts that I might be missing? Thanks for the help.

[co_rotorhead]

Here's a pic of the bearing block and spacers.

[co_rotorhead]

Rotorhead... As best I can tell I'm missing those 18 3mm spacers.. Are there any other parts that I might be missing? Thanks for the help.

As this is sold as a "conversion" kit, the idea is that you take an existing Trex 600 and strip it down, and then use the frame spacers, main shaft bearing blocks and motor mount to install in the frames that came with the kit. They are assuming you will already have these parts.

[flyingmyAoff]

Yes I have those. But I'm still going to need 18 3mm spacers for the 9 47mm frame spacers. Here's a pic of that parts bag. I'd rather not, but I guess I could find some 3mm nuts and washers and kludge it fairly close. I kinda of feel like I'm putting a jig saw puzzle together w/o the picture on the box. lol

[flyingmyAoff]

As this is sold as a "conversion" kit, the idea is that you take an existing Trex 600 and strip it down, and then use the frame spacers, main shaft bearing blocks and motor mount to install in the frames that came with the kit. They are assuming you will already have these parts.

I actually bought the ARF bundle for $1499 back when they still sold the ARF bundle in 2019. Best as I can tell MRC hasn't sold the 600 Phoenix knockoff for quite some time now. I wonder if they will ever get any more in?

[co_rotorhead]

Okay, I understand what you're saying. I see in your pic you posted of your parts bag that they included nine 47mm frame spacers, which doesn't help you at all. As I mentioned above, you will need to use the 53mm frame spacers from your existing Trex 600 that you will be converting into this UH-1N.

[co_rotorhead]

I actually bought the ARF bundle for $1499 back when they still sold the ARF bundle in 2019. Best as I can tell MRC hasn't sold the 600 Phoenix knockoff for quite some time now. I wonder if they will ever get any more in?

Did the ARF kit come with a Phoenixtech 600?

[flyingmyAoff]

Okay, I understand what you're saying. I see in your pic you posted of your parts bag that they included nine 47mm frame spacers, which doesn't help you at all. As I mentioned above, you will need to use the 53mm frame spacers from your existing Trex 600 that you will be converting into this UH-1N.

I don't have an existing Trex 600. The ARF bundle included the 600 Phoenixtech knockoff which I'm guessing MRC is no longer selling. I've got a ticket in with MRC. I'm going to wait and see what they suggest. Thanks a bunch...

[co_rotorhead]

The Phoenixtech 600 uses 54mm frames spacers, main shaft bearing blocks and motor mount. Do you still have it? If so, you can use the frame spacers from that kit and you'll be all set.

If not, you can spend $25 + a few bucks for shipping and get them here:

https://grandrc.com/product_info.php...oducts_id=7549

[flyingmyAoff]

The Phoenixtech 600 uses 54mm frames spacers, main shaft bearing blocks and motor mount. Do you still have it? If so, you can use the frame spacers from that kit and you'll be all set.

If not, you can spend $25 + a few bucks for shipping and get them here:

https://grandrc.com/product_info.php...oducts_id=7549

The Phoenixtech box that came with the ARF bundle left out the 53mm spacers. I'm guessing MRC kludged the ARF bundle and forgot about the width differences. I got a bag with the special frames and another ziplock bag with the "special" Roban 47mm parts that included the tail rotor 47mm bearing blocks.

[PawPaw]

I am suspecting your older Roban UH-1 kit has fiberglass frames instead of the newer carbon fiber frames that don’t need as many frame spacers. The PhoenixTech, Flasher, and Chaos clones are CF so will not include that many spacers. The newer Roban 600 “drop frame” conversion kits do not include parts for anything except the original Trex 600 ESP as

[PawPaw]

those parts are sold as optional items.

[flyingmyAoff]

I am suspecting your older Roban UH-1 kit has fiberglass frames instead of the newer carbon fiber frames that don’t need as many frame spacers. The PhoenixTech, Flasher, and Chaos clones are CF so will not include that many spacers. The newer Roban 600 “drop frame” conversion kits do not include parts for anything except the original Trex 600 ESP as

The Phoenixtech kit I have has carbon fiber frames. The Roban sides are also carbon.