Beam E4 450 Size Electric Helicopter - Rebuild

A while back I crashed my Beam E4 after attempting my second pirouette. A while back meaning last November or so.
I had purchased the parts a while back but never got around to doing the repair. I also picked up some cool new servos from MKS, the DS95 and DS95i. The MKS DS95i is a high speed 760 µs device...yeah, it's fast! Much faster than the Spektrum H3000 that was on the model previously.

Considering the impact the damage was not so bad. The only structural part was the bottom carbon fiber plate.

Next was the servo swap. Three MKS DS95's on the cyclic and the MKS DS95i on the tail.
The gyro is a Futaba GY520.

In my opinion the Beam E4 has the best belt-drive tail assembly on any 450 size helicopter. It's a one piece unit and very cleverly designed. I always wondered why more companies didn't copy this design.

I'll be using Curtis Youngblood "Radix" main blades and tail blades and Stubz paddles with the optional weights.
For the first test flights I will use stock tail blades to iron out any trimming issues I may or may not have after the servo swap. The stock tail blades are plastic and tolerate minor ground strikes better than the carbon fiber Radix blades. I've only rarely had tail blade strikes with this helicopter, but just to be on the safe side I'll change the tail blades after a few batteries.

Very nice, glad to see another heli coming together there is never enough of those. I am also rebuilding my Blade 450 right now after an incident involving my living room couch  :-[ but I also found out that the shaft in my motor has worn out where it rides in the bearing, so there is a new motor on it's way in the mail (and new main blades).

Not only your opinion, at one time the BEAM E4 Tail was the most recommended and could still be the best option/replacement for the crap (sloppy) tails of the TRex 450s. I also as w/ many others liked the one-piece tail case design of the E4 and at the time it almost WON the contest when I wanted to replace my TRex's tail. Unfortunately it was next to impossible to get BEAM parts because more often than not the retailers would be out of stock. The E4's Tail we're THAT popular! In fact TOO popular and because there was NONE to be found I had to go w/ the Microheli Pro Tail (hehe, notice the Chinese Weights) which is also a good tail in it's own right but it ain't NO BEAM ... Yessiree ... I have to and MUST agree teh BEAM E4 Tail is probably the BEST and even the BEST for OUR (my) TRex 450, ask Capie  ;D

I have a brand new complete Beam E4 tail assembly, still in the unopened bag.  I remember last summer when the Beam parts shortage occurred.  The reason was they changed distributors and there seemed to be a pissing contest between Beam and the old distributor, and it looks to me like some of that is still ongoing.  The old distributor was Advantage Hobby, and they still list the Beam and spares but somewhat deceivingly label the spares as "Discontinued".

Now you can get just about everything from A Main Hobbies like the tail:
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/2_375_1483_1884/products_id/28565/n/Beam-Tail-Drive-Set-w-BB

When the shortage was happening I started hoarding parts from any website that had them, even some from Australia.  I think I have every part that typically breaks in a crash and some others that are just-in-case the availability issue happens again.

I think the Beam E4 is the best-in-class 450 helicopter.  Their slogan is "no upgrades required" and I would agree with that statement.  In the mean time they developed the Bean E4 "Advance" model which has a feature that I wish my Beam E4 had being the tail servo is inside the frame instead of tail boom mounted like almost all other 450, and many other larger helicopters.  In my opinion the Beam E4 Advance is the best of the best 450 helicopters.

I "Re-Maidened" my Beam E4 today, if that's possible. I wanted to fly it yesterday at the weekly fun-fly but a couple things got in the way and I noticed that my tail linkage was binding. I removed the complete tail grip and actuator mechanism and found some stray 242 thread lock that got in the pivot of the tail blade holder actuator.

w00d - this helicopter has the MKS DS95's on clyclic and the DS95i n the tail. I did have to re-program the Futaba GY520 for the 760 µs rate of the servo. I can tell you the tail holds really well and my trims are all on center for the cyclic and she hovers really well.

I was only able to run one and a half battery so far since they've been sitting for a year and need charging, but I am a very happy.

Way to go GPS!!!  It's going to be great to have someone else out there with a heli.    Now if we could just get Mike to stick with it!

...Tiger

I am in need of a pinion gear and my 450 should be done, I should get out for some more flying while the weather is good I guess.

GC - I didn't get to the school before church yesterday like I normally do, but I came back after (noon).  Was hoping to see you there to show you the new TriCopter.  I have it mostly assembled.  It's super nice!

PP - If all you need is a plain vanilla 450 pinion, I probably have one.  Unless you already have one on the way, tell me how many teeth and the shaft diameter so I can check my stock.

...Tiger

Weather permitting I am going to fly tomorrow.  I'm charging batteries right now and should have five ready this evening.  One is a Thunder Power 2700 mAh 60C and that one gives a pretty good run time.

Where and when do you think you will fly?

...Tiger

You running them at 6v ??

Yeah w/ my Spartan QUARK and the DS95i I can attest to that she holds very well, well as well as I can fly backwards {LOL}. Lets put it this way w/ my Futaba GY401 gyro sometimes I would loose the tail flying backwards but this has never happened since moving to the QUARK. As for my DS95i, between the Futaba S9257 (at one time was teh most recommended for the TRex450) and the DS95i theres very little difference as they are both strong (torque) and fast servos but for whats it's worth w/ the DS95i the flying JUST feels better {insert shrugs here}

I was previously using Spektrum H3000's all around, including the tail, so I saw a huge improvement in performance.  Keep in mind I am no 3D flyer...and don't want to be.

Good question about the voltage.  I will get the CastleLink out and have a look at what it's set at.  I presume it is the default setting as I do not remember changing it.  In any case, I do not see a need at this time to increase the servo speed.

Meh, give the 6v a try ... It's an easy enough setting to change and who knows ya jus might likes it
I know I'm indifferent to the 6v question but thats no reason you shouldn't try it

EDIT:
"I was previously using Spektrum H3000's all around, including the tail, so I saw a huge improvement in performance"

I see your point ... Not bragging but I've always tried to use good servos all around which is the biggest reason why I maybe "indifferent" ... If I had gone the "long road" I too would be saying the same thing ...

It looks like 6 volts will get me 0.02 on the cyclic (DS95) and 0.01 more speed on the tail (DS95i).  I can't imaging that I would notice it, but you are right, it's a mouse click so I might give it a go just to see for myself.

Don't you think that the increase in BEC voltage will also affect flight time?

What I saw in the couple flights I had already she is flying really well and has more performance than I can handle, or need.  I want a more scale flying experience and the twitchyness is already enough for me now.  I do think the paddle weights have helped tame the beast a little though.

The servo specs:

DS95
http://www.servodatabase.com/servo/mks/ds95

DS95i
http://www.servodatabase.com/servo/mks/ds95i

Try doubling the fly-bar weights This helped me at first I'd bet she'll hover like she's nailed in place ...

"Don't you think that the increase in BEC voltage will also affect flight time?"

It's a possibility and probably will but as always I'm a great believer in trying it for yourself ...  Anyway the voltage increase can be offset by decreasing your Throttle Curve (TC) a tad. For example. My GAUI 255 at 100% TC we got around 5min, when the TC was lowered to 85% we got 8min which is allot in my book, your mileage may vary

As with all these settings it's about finding what's right for you and your helicopter

I remember a while back I had the head speed set really low and was getting nine minute run times on 2250 Thunder Power batteries.  But my hovering was erratic (yeah, even more than my flying skills) and increasing the head speed (I think you recommended this to me on RC Heli Resource) improved the hovering a lot.

Let me get a few more flights under my belt with this setup and then I will try the BEC at 6 volts and I'll report what I find out.

One thing is for sure: it felt good to get her in the air yesterday after such a long time.