HobbyKing Forums - HK600 Current experience

I will only detail the problems I have encountered and you can assume I have not yet encountered problems in other areas.
I have not pushed the machine at this stage and my flights have all been commissioning flights to satisfy myself that the machine is sound. I do a through preflight prior to all flights.

Problems:

1 Main gear wobbles. I have persisted with it and it works however I have an Align gear to replace it with if it becomes a problem. ( edit 50 or so flights stripped and replaced with align gear.)
2 Head dampers gave up after about 20 flights, replaced with Align parts
3 Tail rotor gear replaced with Align gear at build due to concerns about metal plastic bond soundness.
4 A skid broke on an ordinary landing, replaced with Align parts.
5 At about 35 flights a head linkage failed resulting in a crash and rebuild. Main/feathering shaft replaced with Align parts. A positive of this crash was the discovery that the cannopy is as tough as old boots, survived the crash with minor damage and protected the batteries from damage.
6 The rebuild introduced a tail wag that was finally tracked to the tail rotor grub screw not being tightened down exactly in the center of the drilled depression in the tail rotor shaft allowing about 1-2mm of movement under load. This was fixed.
7 At 45 flights a tail rotor shaft ball race failed. This failure occurred about 1/2m off the ground allowing a recovery without any damage. It appears HK do not have replacements for this race so Align parts will be
used.MR105ZZ x 2(F5xF10x4mm). I suggest considering replacing main shaft and tail rotor shaft bearings with Align bearings at the outset.
8 Assume nothing is locktighted and get some good quality threadlocks (use any HK threadlock on the assumption the bond will be permanent) that will hold according to the Align build manual

Overall the quality of this machine is average to good.

The questionable quality in some vital areas(bearings,linkages,moulding accuracy,metal hardening and bonding) is not good and will probably lead to failures, crashes repair time and rebuilds as a result . One hopes it does not lead to injury. For safety and economy reasons seriously consider replacing suspect parts with top quality parts at build time to avoid tears later.

I would have been happy to pay an extra $100 for quality improvements and the peace of mind of knowing that failures were likely to be mine as the flyer rather than the machines.

Edited by crass57 - 21/Jan/2011 at 10:22pm

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LonRR Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (US) USERID: 156700 Newbie Joined: 02/Feb/2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Quote Reply Topic: HK600 Current experience Posted: 24/Feb/2011 at 5:53am
	The only things I replaced was the gears and put hard dampers in the head.Other than that,its stock out of the box and flys very good http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxGehSyLZWs

drastik Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Gold (US) USERID: 551598 Newbie Joined: 26/Jun/2010 Location: in the mist Online Status: Offline Posts: 10	Quote Reply Posted: 04/Jan/2011 at 6:17am
	I replaced two things before 1st flight just to be on the safe side 1. main gear & tail drive gear 2.and the servo linkage all replaced with align parts .i have over 100 flights and with no problems
	heli python

crass57 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (AU) USERID: 561462 Newbie Joined: 08/Jul/2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2	Quote Reply Posted: 03/Jan/2011 at 7:45am
	I will only detail the problems I have encountered and you can assume I have not yet encountered problems in other areas. I have not pushed the machine at this stage and my flights have all been commissioning flights to satisfy myself that the machine is sound. I do a through preflight prior to all flights. Problems: 1 Main gear wobbles. I have persisted with it and it works however I have an Align gear to replace it with if it becomes a problem. ( edit 50 or so flights stripped and replaced with align gear.) 2 Head dampers gave up after about 20 flights, replaced with Align parts 3 Tail rotor gear replaced with Align gear at build due to concerns about metal plastic bond soundness. 4 A skid broke on an ordinary landing, replaced with Align parts. 5 At about 35 flights a head linkage failed resulting in a crash and rebuild. Main/feathering shaft replaced with Align parts. A positive of this crash was the discovery that the cannopy is as tough as old boots, survived the crash with minor damage and protected the batteries from damage. 6 The rebuild introduced a tail wag that was finally tracked to the tail rotor grub screw not being tightened down exactly in the center of the drilled depression in the tail rotor shaft allowing about 1-2mm of movement under load. This was fixed. 7 At 45 flights a tail rotor shaft ball race failed. This failure occurred about 1/2m off the ground allowing a recovery without any damage. It appears HK do not have replacements for this race so Align parts will be used.MR105ZZ x 2(F5xF10x4mm). I suggest considering replacing main shaft and tail rotor shaft bearings with Align bearings at the outset. 8 Assume nothing is locktighted and get some good quality threadlocks (use any HK threadlock on the assumption the bond will be permanent) that will hold according to the Align build manual Overall the quality of this machine is average to good. The questionable quality in some vital areas(bearings,linkages,moulding accuracy,metal hardening and bonding) is not good and will probably lead to failures, crashes repair time and rebuilds as a result . One hopes it does not lead to injury. For safety and economy reasons seriously consider replacing suspect parts with top quality parts at build time to avoid tears later. I would have been happy to pay an extra $100 for quality improvements and the peace of mind of knowing that failures were likely to be mine as the flyer rather than the machines. Edited by crass57 - 21/Jan/2011 at 10:22pm

kdawgdinner Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (CA) USERID: 576930 HobbyKing Constituent Joined: 23/Aug/2010 Location: CANADA Online Status: Offline Posts: 110	Quote Reply Posted: 31/Dec/2010 at 1:03pm
	I have been very interested in getting the hk600 heli. Does anybody know if the main problems with quality have been sorted out? Is it even worth getting the hk600 vs a fully equipped trex? Is the kit of good enough quality that it wont explode in air? Are there still parts that must be replaced with align stock parts? Edited by kdawgdinner - 31/Dec/2010 at 1:04pm