HK600GT Build (Game ON)

[srk.heli]

Well, I started with the head tear down today only to find out that the build quality of these things are not even close to being junk. They are far below that.

1. One of the flybar control arms are drilled completely off center. They fixed the flybar control rod length issue, but the arm is drilled totally off center.. all 3 holes are off by at least 1mm.

2. When I took the main shaft off, I rolled it across the table. It is either bent or is heavy on one side. The hollowing out of the shaft was done off center.

3. While pulling apart one of the SF mixing arms to check for thread lock, the one linkage ball sheared off and left half of itself in the arm.

4. 2 of the linkage rods are bent.

5. When screwing the flybar seesaw holder back into the main rotor housing, it stripped out the hole on the housing without much force at all.

So now we are looking at:

HN6001   flybar cage   14.99
H60159    Main Shaft   12.99
H60007    SF Mixing Arm   10.99
H60069    Linkage Rod   3.99
H60004    Metal Main Rotor Housing    23.99

For a grand total of: $66.95 and I haven't even gotten to the main/autorotation gears, front tail gear, landing skids, or the tailbox....

Should I scuttle and just save up for a TREX 600esp or should I throw down the cash and continue? This is horrible!!

[Wayne]

Man, that is a really tough call and probably mostly personal pref at this point    You could go with the Align kit and have excellent quality and probably an easier build and hopefully salvage something off the HK for spares?  Like skids, tail boom, screws, links...  Did you already get your electronics?

[srk.heli]

I didn't get the electronics yet...

[FatDaddy]

You could look in the sale thread and find one of the awesome heli's for sale there!! LOL

[Wayne]

+1 FD for shameless self promotion     

[WildBird22]

  I know how you feel. Nuttcaze stated somewhere that you may have issues with the HK series. Good thing is, 95% of the Align parts will fit. So...what to do now... Tough call...Sell the HK600GT, and put the money towards the Align 600ESP? Get the Align Parts and continue with the build? Keep it as parts.. Somethmes I'll flip a coin....the best two out of three!

[OneLeggedMAN125]

I replaced the entire head with the 600N LE head and I also replaced every part in the tail. But there were other little parts here and there that needed replaced as well. I have said many times if I were to do it all over again I wouldn't go with the clone, I would recommend you save up for the bird you want and not settle.

[FatDaddy]

Well I agree with OLM about the little parts.. Sadly it could be one very tiny little part/thing to bring that beauty down, and you will never know ahead of time.. I've changed every machanical moving part in mine..I would never thak the chance with what I'll be using mine with..I will have lots of dough in the Hind and it would suck to have it sprial in due to some screw failure or the like..
And yes it IS shameless promotion of my heli's I've for sale..But the truth is they are top shelf and flight tested!!! AND worth every penny..!!

[srk.heli]

I knew going into this build that I would need to replace some stuff, but this is a bit more then I bargained for. We are already talking half the price of the kit, so we'll see. I think I might just go for a real align 600 kit. I'm disappointed. 

[OneLeggedMAN125]

FD when I said I had replaced other little parts as well, I really meant that I had replaced every moving part on the bird. I spent more in the total build when you consider the replacement parts than if I had just bought the bird outright. 

Sorry to get you down srk.heli but I just don't wanna see you make the same mistake I did in this build.

[FatDaddy]

I figured you did!1 Anybody that really wanted to have a solid bird, after finding all the large item that are bad would have to replace everything..I even replaced ALL the screws..

[srk.heli]

Well that seals the deal for me... thanks for the input.

I figured you did!1 Anybody that really wanted to have a solid bird, after finding all the large item that are bad would have to replace everything..I even replaced ALL the screws..

[old_city_painter]

srk, Something you might want to consider...the parts you mentioned that are defective are not all that expensive to replace with Align parts. 66 dollars is dirt cheap considering the 500+ cost or more for a REX600 Align kit.  I built up an EXI plastic kit for my AS-350 build and had to replace quite a few items that were not up to snuff. However the total cost I have into the machine is still far cheaper than what I would have paid for an Align kit! My AS-350 flies just fine and I have no worries about it's integrity now that the bad parts were replaced! Just my thoughts!

[dash8brj]

I did exactly the same as OCP, yet i replaced a LOT more. My bird hasnt flown yet (HK500GT) yet I have replaced the maingears, shafts, entire tail assembly with align and the ball link ends.

I also replaced the screws with better ones, and any plastic head components with metal ones. I am now waiting on a compentant pilot to check over my bird and radio settings, and test fly it to make sure it flies well.

Once it passes muster with the guys at the local field, I'll have a go myself. "no!! dont just hand me the controls. Set it down and I'll have a go. I'm a newbie remember". LOL

Onces I'm happy with the airframe, I'll be stuffing it into an airwolf body.

I have STILL paid a lot less than a TREX 500 ESP kit. (if you exclude the $400 DSX9 radio), and I got a RD921 reciever, 9 channels!

[Gene T]

I'm pretty sure the math on this has been done before. I believe, if my fragmented memory serves, if you build up a clone with the same electronics as found on a an Align, and replace all the bad parts with Align parts, the price difference is negligible.

The only way to get done significantly cheaper with a clone is to know enough about this hobby to find high quality electronics that sell for real cheap money. When you find a way to build it all with a $20 ESC, $25 motor, 3 x $2 servos, $12 gyro, etc. THEN you can save money.

If you end up putting top shelf electronics into it, you don't save much, if at all.

For people who love to tinker, it doesn't matter, it's part of the fun.