rrTV-PHOTO   New HD TV
HOME   rrTV-PHOTO   GALLERIES   MY GALLERY   HELP-FAQ
myHOME PM pmRR MEMBERS 707 ONLINE 42 EVENTS SEARCH REGISTER  START HERE
 
2 pages [ <<    <     1     ( 2 )    >    >> ]2648 viewsPOST REPLY
Real Raptors . Mikado Modellhubschrauber . GrandRC

.
.
Thunder Tiger Raptors 30-90 - Imperio > Clutch liner gone in 60 seconds! What a great first heli experience!
 
 
Jet_Waynger
Senior Heliman
Location: Henderson, NV

Corrected!

The_Dave is right,
I have witnessed the Raptor 30 bring a friend to new heights in his 3D capabilities in about half the time it would have taken him flying his Ergo60 (too scared to crash the big machine) he has also had to replace a couple clutches though. As well as the friend that just started to hover.
If you put enough time into a Raptor 30 and have qualified help (such as The_Dave) the Raptor is a very good machine. Hopefully Thunder Tiger has worked out the problems with the clutches, I know they have extremely apt people in their R&D (I fly with one of them), the problem there is that it takes a while for the corporate yo-yo's to get the hint that there is something wrong.
What do I know though??


03-08-2002 Over year old.
 
 
RCL
Senior Heliman
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Flatspin - my 2 -cents as a previous raptor owner. I used JB Weld to install the liner, and it never came off, even when the clutch broke (a bunch of times). I did remove the bell housing and used my dremel tool to remove the old JB Weld and to rough up the inside of the bell before i glued a new liner in place. The JB Weld is a pain to remove, but it can be done. BTW, my clutch failures were like most Raptor pilots and broke while the clutch was still engaged. I didn't know there was a problem until i tried starting the engine. Never crashed the bird because of the clutch failures i experienced - only from my own cause !

I answered a different post about switching from the raptor to an ergo-30 ccpm. Most of the reason i swiched was i enjopy building and wanted to try a different, 30-size ccpm machine. I enjoyed 3 great years out of my raptor - all during my initial learning curve. Good luck and Burn Fuel!! (words from my first instructor)
03-10-2002 Over year old.
 
 
mariog7
Heliman
Location: New York

When expoxing the liner, did you remember to mix green bottle "A" with yellow bottle "b"? Hey, you have to eliminate the simpilest possiblities first...
03-11-2002 Over year old.
 
 
flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

Yes, I did. I mixed equal amounts of A and B like you're supposed to. Upon closer look at the "fallen" liner, it seems that the epoxy did not stick too well to some areas of the liner and came off clean. I did coat the entire liner with a nice coat of epoxy and used a "dummy" insert to make sure the liner gets glued evenly. It seems to me, the epoxy that came with the kit just did not take too well to the liner. Do you guys clean your liner with alcohol or anything else before applying epoxy to it?
03-11-2002 Over year old.
 
 
flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

When I get around to removing the clutchbell, I will inspect it closer to see where the epoxy gave out. So far it seems, the epoxy mostly came off the liner! As many problems as people are having with the clutches, it would have been nice of Thunder Tiger to make a bigger hole in the fan shroud so the clutchbell could just be dropped down through there without having to take the frames apart!
03-11-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Michigan PI
Senior Heliman
Location: St Clair Shores, MI

Flatspin...
Go back and read the previous posts...
You do NOT have to split the frames to take the clutch bell out.
03-11-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
NoelVK3CNR
Heliman
Location: Victoria Australia

Flatspin..I don't know if you made your machine or whether you bought it r.t.f. but surely it came with a manual; why not start there....Noel
03-12-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Safe_Cracker
Key Veteran
Location: Chicago, IL

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT, IT'S NOT A TSK.

BUY A TSK AND GET AWAY FROM ALL THAT PLASTIC !!!!!!
03-12-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Michigan PI
Senior Heliman
Location: St Clair Shores, MI

Buy a brand that is out of business?? And be married to HHI for repair parts??
No thanks
03-12-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
ericd
Senior Heliman
Location: New Eagle, PA

Ahh yes, the old bash the raptor topic - Your right Seneca, this does feel like RCO revisited - Except in the old RCO days, this topic would have been deleted a while ago!

Well, I'm probably going to get flamed to death on this one, but here goes. It never ceases to amaze me how people can blame the machine when problems like this come up. If a plastic piece fails in flight for no reason, yes, more than likely it was the design of the machine. If a swashplate or washout develops slop after 2-3 tanks of flying, I'd tend to blame the manufacturer. If a self-installed clutch liner falls out after 60 seconds, I have a real hard time blaming TT.

If the previous post is accurate, that 60,000 of these things were sold, I'd venture to say that because of the price, around 55,000 of them were sold to people with absolutly NO heli building or flying experience at all.

Do you think if TSK, MA, or JR sold 60,000 of any of their kits, 90% to people with no building experience, they would all fly flawlessly?

Eric
03-13-2002 Over year old.
 
 
NoelVK3CNR
Heliman
Location: Victoria Australia

what is TSK? and yes it's a serious question in case there are people reading this & just going " duhh " ; Im'e Australian.
Is it like NFG or do I have NFI?
I have an Ergo 30 I built from the jigsaw puzzle in a box stage & it definately helps when your trying to put it back together.
03-13-2002 Over year old.
 
 
flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

Eric, if there is a special technique to glue the clutch liner in properly and evidently there is such as scuffing the clutchbell, cleaning it out and then using JB Weld to make sure it holds, then the instructions should say so. They threw in some questionable quality 5 min epoxy and mentioned nothing on how to glue it in properly. Who should I blame? If this was my 2nd or 3rd Raptor (and believe me there won't be!) then I could blame myself. Since the Raptor is aimed at the beginner, one would think that these troublesome, parts of assembly would be pre-installed for you. BTW, I hear now they come glued in, I wonder why?
03-13-2002 Over year old.
 
 
ericd
Senior Heliman
Location: New Eagle, PA

I will agree with you on the point about the manual - It does leave much to be desired. Far too many pretty pictures and not enough explaining.

My original liner has been running with epoxy holding it in now for about 2 years, so JB weld is not necessary.

When I got my kit a while back, there was no epoxy included, all I got was a shiny smooth bell and a liner.

To be honest with you, I can't quite understand why TT is supplying the liners pre-installed now. To me, it could be viewed as more of a liability. If I sold heli kits, I'd rather have the end user glue in the liner. That way if it falls out, it wouldn't be my fault!

On a side note - If you want to make clutch bell and main bearing removal easier in the future, the next time you have your frames split, take a dremel and grind off the bottom ridge on the lower bearing cavities, and the top ridge on the top bearing ones. That way with the main shaft (or start shaft) removed, you can simply slide the bearings out.

Eric
03-13-2002 Over year old.
 
 
RappyTappy
Elite Veteran
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Just use plenty of JB and that sucker of a clutch isn't going to come loose guarenteed.

BTW, hasn't TSK gone bust?

Chris
Rex 500 A123 Power

Forever Brothers
Mickey Tylo
03-14-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
mariog7
Heliman
Location: New York

Mongoose,

I too agree. The Raptor 30 is my first Heli and with the ARF version I have had no problems whatsoever with the clutch. I only have 1 gallon through it, but problem free. My only complaint is I wish the manual was clearer and more informative, not to mention the TT-36 engine which I could hardly turn over (replaced with an OS-32 and love it!). But, so far I think I may go with the Raptor 60 as my next bird! Problem free, fairly inexpensive and an abundance of parts. Go for it!
03-14-2002 Over year old.
 
 
flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

Well, I finally stopped being mad at the poor Rappy and proceded to remove the clutchbell to inspect it. It is really much easier to remove the clutchbell than I initially thought it would be! I did NOT have to split frames, as a matter a fact I didn't even touch one frame screw! I removed the engine, the hex starter coupling and much to my surprise the clutchbell dropped right down through the hole in the shroud. I really did not think it would fit through there and was dreading taking the frames apart. Upon inspecting the clutchbell, it is evident that the epoxy did not stick at all to it! It is shiny as a baby's butt with hardly any residual epoxy on it. The clutch itself has "sprang" from spinning without the clutch liner in the clutchbell to hold it back, the gap between the body of the clutch and the clutch arms is slightly wider than the new clutch. Well, I will scuff the new clutchbell, use JB weld on the liner and we'll see what happens!
03-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Safe_Cracker
Key Veteran
Location: Chicago, IL

Not knocking the Craptors, I mean Raptor :O)

I'm not knocking Raptors or any other brands out there.It's just funny to see people who actually own them complain so much.Yes, it is probably true, in fact i know it is, that most of the raptor sales are to newbies.There's absolutely nothing wrong with that you have to start some where, and for the price especially with the combo.If you are unhappy with something,get rid of it and get something you like or do something about it so you will like it.Some peole just aren't cut out to fly heli's.Some people really need to recognize this and go to flying airplaines or kites.If you really want to learn, then pick up a book and read your heart out!!! By reading you will also learn that never ever trust anything that a manufacturer has done for you!Check and recheck everthing that they did.It can save your butt later on and save a crash too.What i'm getting at (actually babbling) is when i received my mystar 60 with the head fully assembled, I never gave it a second thought to go through it because i actually didn't know a darn thing about it, I just wanted to fly.Well the seasaw wasn't lock- tighted properly and caused a nasty crash into a bit of shrubbery.It was covered by the manufacturer but it could have killed someone.Now i read everything I possibly can about r/c heli's just to learn and you wouldn't believe how many times I have redone my heli because of mistakes I have found.As times go on the newbies will know what i'm talking about now but if you want to get there faster, PICK UP A BOOK !! Oh by the way "TSK STILL RULES!!!"
03-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

I have read a few books and watched a few videos as well. No where in those books did it mention that the clutch lining will fall out if you build your heli according to instructions from the manufacturer! These things are learned from experience or experience of others. I had my experience. Now, someone should write a book titled " Life with a Raptor" or "How to survive your first Raptor" etc..and I would gladly read that one also. As far as flying planes and kites, yeah I do that too. Read quite a few books on planes and kites as well.
03-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Safe_Cracker
Key Veteran
Location: Chicago, IL

Kool

Ya I fly several kites but can't stand plaines though :O). When ever you have free time, go through your heli and check things for the hell of it.Also it helps to do what your doing by going through all the posts and to see all the problems everyone else is having then look at the same thing on yours.Oh by the way, how do you get your pictures out of my gallery and with all the others?
03-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
2 pages [ <<    <     1     ( 2 )    >    >> ]2648 viewsPOST REPLY
CanoMod . Futaba-RC . A Main Hobbies

.
.
Thunder Tiger Raptors 30-90 - Imperio > Clutch liner gone in 60 seconds! What a great first heli experience!
  UPDATE SCREEN   PRINT TOPIC Advertisers 

Subscribe to This Topic

Friday, September 5 - 3:06 pm - Copyright © 2000 - 2008 runryder.com | email | link to rr | runryder needs cookie