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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):
- Remove the main blades.
- 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.
- 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).
- Pull one blade grip off.
- Pull the other side including the attached feathering shaft back out.
- To
remove the other screw, hold the middle of the feathering shaft with a
set of pliers and loosen the M2x5 socket cap screw.
- Roll the feathering shaft on a glass sheet to verify it is warped/bent.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.