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EXI 450 Spindle removal:
There are variations to many EXI 450 helis but spindle removal is basically the same.
Typically the only damaged part is the Feathering shaft. Sometimes the Dampers and get torn or worn from high use or impact.  Over time the thrust washers can wear down  Main rotor housing can get bent in a bad crash as well. Note: quality hex drivers are a bonus and will help from stripping the insides of 1.5mm socket head cap screws. If screws are stuck, apply heat with a soldering iron tip or heat gun to loosen the loctite.

Refer to the following photo (click to enlarge):


450 Head
  1. Remove the main blades.
  2. It is pretty easy to tell if you have a bent feathering shaft. Insert a 1.5mm hex driver into one end and twist. Normally you will se NO wobble at the other blade grip. ANY wobble is an indication of a bent feathering shaft. You should do this test inserting the hex driver on both blade grips. 
  3. Insert a 1.5mm hex driver into BOTH ends of the blade grips. Normally one side will come loose allowing you to pull one blade grip apart. (DO NOT LOOSE ANY PIECES).
  4. Pull one blade grip off. 
  5. Pull the other side including the attached feathering shaft back out.
  6. To remove the other screw, hold the middle of the feathering shaft with a set of pliers and loosen the M2x5 socket cap screw.  
  7. Roll the feathering shaft on a glass sheet to verify it is warped/bent.
  8. You need to totally remove all blue loctite resedue from both side washers of the thrust bearing. Remove excess loctite resedue from the M2x5mm socket cap screw's washer as well as the loctite around it's head. You can leave loctite on the threads. Also make sure the 5.2x8x.3 washer is clean of any loctite resedue. This resedue of it gets between the thrust bearing, washers and the feathering shaft will not allow the gaps to be corret and when you re-assemble, the blade grip will feel NOTCHY when rotating.
  9. Before re-assembling with a new feathering shaft, you will want to apply grease to the thrust bearing on the side shown in the photo. Do so but don't get so much grease on it that it intrudes on the inner diameter of the bearing. That will get grease onto the threads of the feathering shaft during re-assembly and you do not want that. 
  10. When inserting the thrust bearing back into the blade grip, make sure the bearing ends have the grooves facing the bearing and that the end with the smaller ID is on the outside end.  The greased side of the thrust bearing faces INWARD to the rotor housing, thus "cupping" the grease. 
  11. When assembling the head, apply blue loctite to the threads of the M2x5mm socket head cap screws and tighten. If you over tighten them, you may feel a notchy sensation when rotating hte blade grips.