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Thunder Power RC . Real Raptors . Mikado Modellhubschrauber

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e-Ark X-400 - MX400 > Ark x-400 Reviews
 
 
mnb5
Heliman
Location: Zurich/Switzerland

Hi

Three Days ago I bought an x-400 on e-bay (rc-expert). It arrived this morning!!! That was really fast (rc-expert ships from china, I live on the other side of the world... I can really recommend this shop.)

I had about 6 houres to bulid and calibrate the heli. Its really fun to build this awsome bird! I own also a shogun.

Over all, the x-400 performes much better out of the box then the shogun. Compared with the shogun, you don't have to upgrade the tail rotor. But fully equiped it's also about 100-120grams heavyer then the shogun (about 650 grams). I flew it with a 11.1V 1900 mah lipo (E-Tec's). I have about 30% more flight-time with the shogun. I think it makes sense to fly the x-400 with at least 4 cells (because of the heavy weight).

An other problem of the x-400 is the friction. My shogun is belt driven as well (heliup upgrade) and it runs much smoother. The gears on the x-400 are not well centred. That causes some vibrations.

Over all, if I had to choose between the two helis I would buy the x-400 because you don't have to buy expensive upgrades to fly well...

I highly recommend the x-400... I think you won't be disappointed....

For some pics click here www.lichann.com.tw/X400/x400.htm

The heli is also availiblble in the following shops:

rc-mushroom.com (165 USD) they have also spares (inexpensive)
hobbyjapan2000.com (160 USD)
rc-expert.com (160 USD)
mfis.net
tedani.com (159 USD)
and some other shops...
04-29-2005 Over year old.
 
 
alvin
Heliman
Location: Toronto, Ontario - Canada

Hi Nmb5,

I saw the x-400 from rc-expert on eBay, too. I was wondering if the servos, motor, esc and batteries are any good. Do you think the package deal is worth the money? It would be a shame if the electronics are inferior and I've to spend more money to replace them.

What is the flight time you are getting with their combo?

Thanks,
Alvin.
04-30-2005 Over year old.
 
 
mnb5
Heliman
Location: Zurich/Switzerland

hi alvin

compared with my shogun setup (himax motor, phoenix 25 esc, hitec 55 and hitec 50 servos) the servos and the esc are not very good. If i were you I would buy the components separate. The plastic of the rc-expert servo horns is very elastic, so a precise control is impossible (Better servo arms will probabely help...). The esc is not programmable (no lipo protection, no soft-start and no governer mode). But I'm impressed from the hh-gyro. I own a ms-044 hh-gyro (which is much more expensive). The hh-gyro from rc-expert is not much bader then the ms gyro, very light and very small. I am also impressed of the power of the align motor (the climbing rate is not that good as with my shogun, but I think that's because of the heavy weight of the heli. But I think the motor it's worth it's money).

I recommend you to buy a barebone kit. If you will do 3D buy a 14.8 V lipo. The flight time depends of your flight-style.

I hope this helps...
04-30-2005 Over year old.
 
 
alvin
Heliman
Location: Toronto, Ontario - Canada

Hi mnb5,

Thanks! That is very helpful.

Regards,
Alvin.
05-01-2005 Over year old.
 
 
ISS Driver
Heliman
Location: Munich, Germany

I'm in the process of building an X-400. It really is a great little heli; think Bergen Intrepid on the super small scale. All in all, no complaints. I'll probably upgrade to eCCPM solely from a weight standpoint but as it is the control system is excellent; I'm shocked at how little slop this bird has.
05-01-2005 Over year old.
 
 
HarryC
Heliman
Location: HK

Hi guys,
Just a few thingI've change on my x-400.
1. Tail rotor shaft (Change to the T-Rex, direct swop) The finish on the x-400 is no good compare to the T-Rex.
2. Rotor Head (Look at the material/coss-section area where the fly bar go across!). It brakes even the lightest crash.....My friends T-Rex survived worst. I've broken 2 aready....Not a necessary mod if you are a good flyer and you never crashes.
Problem of changing the head to the T-Rex is you need to change the fly bar holder as well.
Apart from these, the x-400 is not bad at all.

Just my 2c.
05-01-2005 Over year old.
 
 
alexsand17
Heliman
Location: Where no Stupidity Exist

Which one better? X400 or T-rex
05-01-2005 Over year old.
 
 
HarryC
Heliman
Location: HK

They both have their Pros and Cons. You can combine them if you want. Found this link with someone did the compare in their STOCK form:-

http://www.x400tuning.com/x400-vs-trex.htm
05-02-2005 Over year old.
 
 
dada
Heliman
Location:

I noticed that the head is the weakest point. Mine snapped right at that same point from a hard landing. It was a simple up down thing and the head snapped. Anyhow that was the last one that broke haven't broken one yet since then.

However, one should consider would I rather have a broken head or a bent main shaft? I would think that with the head breaking so easily that it's designed to do that to take the brunt of the impact energy, thereby reducing the chances to bending or throwing off the alignment of other parts down the line in a head crash.

I think the tail shaft is carbon fiber, feels too light to be aluminum or steel. And probably explains the finish. I was a little worried about that too and thought about switching in the trex one but decided to go fully stock and the tail performed as smooth as the trex.

As far as the friction goes, I noticed that too when I did my first build, but after a while the gears and belts begin to free up. So I think there's some break in time involved as far as the friction is concerned.

Overall though I like it better then the trex. There's definitely a lot less slop and the aluminum frame adds to the cool factor. The eccpm upgrade is definitely a winner. And with the CF frames coming out from MJP it should knock the weight down another 50-75g with minimal sacrifice to the stiffness of the stock frame.

Ark should have a winner here if they're as fast as Align is/was at maturing and distributing the trex. And some but not all the parts are interchangeable with the trex. The head is one area where all parts have to be changed and not just pieces.
05-02-2005 Over year old.
 
 
ISS Driver
Heliman
Location: Munich, Germany

I'm pretty sure the X-400 tail shaft is steel. I ground mine down a bit for the set screw and the material under the finish was metallic. I'm not sure I see any reason to swap it out; works great stock.

I too thought that the head may be designed to snap in a crash saving the spindle and mast. For those of you wondering what we are talking about the X-400 uses a flybar carrier that goes through the rotorhead while the T-Rex uses one that goes around it.
05-02-2005 Over year old.
 
 
HarryC
Heliman
Location: HK

"It was a simple up down thing and the head snapped."

- You said it.

"However, one should consider would I rather have a broken head or a bent main shaft?"

- I can tell you, you'll get both! Good news is the shaft is relatively cheap too.

The tail shaft is steel, I've sand it down and it's shiny.
05-02-2005 Over year old.
 
 
dtm360
Senior Heliman
Location: HKG

Well I finually got the motor onto my X400. I have a problem, the main gear is seriously off centred from the shaft. I find the tightest point on the main gear to the pinnion, set the spacing, rotate the main gear to the "most loose" point and there is way too much clearance to the point that the gear will almost definately strip. Has anyway else found this problem with the plastic main gear on the X400??

I may do a mod to get the T Rex gear on, a little bit of dremel work should sort out the 138 to 150T growth.

Pls, no comments about using thin pieces of paper for gear meshing, I'm way past that point! I've being meshing 64P RC car gears for the last ten years by "feel"!
05-02-2005 Over year old.
 
 
mnb5
Heliman
Location: Zurich/Switzerland

I flew my x-400 the second time last weekend. I had the same problam... my head was broken while flying!!! Had a really bad crash... but I only have to replace the tail fin, the head and the blades, nothing else... the x-400 seems to be quite durable.
05-02-2005 Over year old.
 
 
ISS Driver
Heliman
Location: Munich, Germany

My mesh is pretty good. I litte tight in one spot but otherwise super smooth. I'm hoping that one part breaks in over time...

Or that somebody comes out with machined gears for micro helis :P
05-02-2005 Over year old.
 
 
bigwave
Senior Heliman
Location: Central Illinois ( Farm Country ) , USA

The head snapped?

When you guys are saying the head snapped, exaclty which part (of the head) are you referring to? I know the head.....
To me the head is many parts between the swash and the rotor blades.
05-04-2005 Over year old.
 
 
dada
Heliman
Location:

the rotor hub or headblock or the black thingy that get's attached to the steel shaft thingy. And as stated before it snaps right above where the plastic flybar rod holder goes through. Seems the plastic is too thin there.
05-04-2005 Over year old.
 
 
ptarp
Veteran
Location: IL

The x-400 has a shaft-driven tail?

*EDIT*
Nope!


Philip
05-11-2005 Over year old.
 
 
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e-Ark X-400 - MX400 > Ark x-400 Reviews
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