Torque tube conversion on 450

[Tony]

Hey guys, any of you got vids on a conversion from belt to torque tube, I'm looking at converting this HK450. Other than huge temperature changes outside effecting the belt what are the other benefits of a torque tube?

Will I need to change the auto-rotation gears too. Looks like a big job!!

Seems there's lots of advantages and disadvantages with a TT, not sure if I should stick to belt till I'm a better pilot...

Need some advice here guys

[Lee]

Stick to belt.
Its much more forgiving on the tail in a crash.
If you ever touch the tail on the ground, on a 450, those little gears strip.
Belts are not inferior to TT, just different.
Look at the Goblins and the Warp 360. Both belt driven, and both awesome helis

[Tony]

Stick to belt.
Its much more forgiving on the tail in a crash.
If you ever touch the tail on the ground, on a 450, those little gears strip.
Belts are not inferior to TT, just different.
Look at the Goblins and the Warp 360. Both belt driven, and both awesome helis

I guess if gobbys are belt they have to be a good setup. I'm curious about temperature changes though, URI commented on belt tension needs checking in cold weather which is a concern.

[Lee]

It may have an effect. Not my strong point living in the South of Spain LOL
But my belts are run reasonably loose anyway. So if they did shrink, its not going to be to the point of over tight, just slightly tighter.
I would do as he says about leaving it outside to acclimatise. If the belt feels really tight, then adjust it.

[Tony]

Yes I'll definitely take on board what URI says, it's good advise, I never even thought about temperature effecting belt tension

[pvolcko]

I've flown my goblin 500 in snow before. Belt tail. No issues and no adjsutments. If you run a really tight belt tension in the summer then yes you will want to loosen it a bit for winter to allow from some contraction. But once you do loosen a bit for winter, you should not need to be re-adjusting if the weather gets warm here and there. The contraction/expansion, especially on a 450 size heli, should not be that significant. On the 700+ size belt drives it is more of an issue, but on those they usually run tensioner pulleys too, so even there it shouldn't be that big a deal.

More important, I think, is to do a nice long spool up when taking off in winter. Nice a slow. Give the belt time to warm up from the friction of going around the pulleys and sprockets. When you lift off, do a hover for 30 seconds. Again, let the belt and motor and bearings and everything warm up and lube up. Then let rip, if you of a mind to.

[KevG]

I would have thought the better newer belt materials won't suffer the stretch or shrink due to temperature fluctuations like the early belts or cheap ones

[Tony]

brilliant, thanks guys for the dvice.... not sure about letting "Rip" Paul... haha, if i did i'd probbly be R.I.P... haha

not sure of the belt Kev, dont know if its new or old type, this is the heli i got off Treff..

ill do that tomorrow if weather is ny better, rained all day today...

[murankar]

Belts are a better option in the long run. If they were not that great then Goblin, Agile, MSH, Compass and others would not have used them in their designs. It seems that a trend is leaning towards belt right now. One thing about TT is its ease of replacing the tail.

[Tony]

ill stick to belts, by far the best option it seems... thanks URI for your comments

[Graham Lawrie]

I run TT and all of mine and they are as the guys say, not as forgiving as the belt in a crash. That said a plus for the TT is you can remove the whole tail section in one, and you cant fit it incorrectly, eg belt the wrong twist in it:)

[Tony]

I've never refitted a belt before, looks like a nightmare to do. Probably isn't though... No doubt I'll have to at some point, all a learning curve..

[murankar]

Its not a tough as it may seem. The hardest part is getting the twist correct.

[ken jackson]

I prefer the TT. I think it is smoother. I have never lost a bevel tooth from a touchdown and only a couple times have lost any bevel teeth even in my worst crash. I've heard others say they are really sensitive but I've not seen that. The gear that always seems to go is the gear that connects to the anti rotation gear and that one seems to go on TT or belt drive.

At first I thought I might gain some flight time with the TT but I think how I fly is more the issue now. Stick with the belt for now Tony.

Ken

[Tony]

yes im sticking to the belt.... my helis have been in some horrendous crashes in the past and ive never ever had to replace the belt as a result. everything else mind...lol, but the belt has always been good.

[treff]

I bet that belt at the bottom of the pond is still okay Tony lol

[Tony]

I bet that belt at the bottom of the pond is still okay Tony lol

i wish i could get that bird back Treff just for sentimental reasons i guess.... gawd im getting like Kev, wheres the roses... lol

first ccpm heli i got, loved it... freezing here now though..

[concept30]

If i was you tony, i would change the belt drive to metal, cause that part will strip first

[cml001]

Only have experience with one belt'd tail.. And it was a mod to replace a tail motor on the Blade SR... Better than the motor for sure.. But I'm happy w the TT... Never had any tail gears strip... & iv crashed the ever living piss outta my 450 time and time again.. I do run the Align "black" gears all the way round replacing the white ones tho.

[Tony]

Thanks Clay, if I have a crash that damages the boom end then I think I'll consider the TT, until then I'll keep what's working... I'm going out today flying so the crash is pending.... Haha