Xtreme mods Big Lama
May 12, 2012 21:56:40 GMT
Post by PinkFloyd on May 12, 2012 21:56:40 GMT
I have recently purchased the "ESKY BIG LAMA HELICOPTER XTREME UPGRADED BODY KIT TAIL BOOM SKIDS & CANOPY" mod from KoolToyz / click here to see it and I would like to comment on the general fit, finish and performance of these "mods".
I have had mixed results with the "Xtreme" range.... a motor that packed in after 30 seconds on the Big Lama, a set of blades that parted company at the blade grip end (on a slight impact), another set of blades, and blade grips, that made my E-Flite MCX so unstable it was hard to fly... the only "good" experiences I have had (so far) with the Xtreme stuff is the 15mm Big Lama extension and the alloy swashplate for the MCX, both performed superbly.
This recent purchase (canopy, skids, tail boom etc.) is another "mixed" result I'm afraid.... so "mixed" that I wonder if the people at "Xtreme" have actually tried fitting one of these kits onto a Big Lama.
Let's start with the tail boom... it connects under one of the motors, necessitating lifting the motor, fitting the bracket, replacing the motor..... OK, sounds easy enough? Yes, it is, BUT.... the bracket acts as a "spacer" and the gear pinion no longer makes contact with 100% of the main gear... it is only making contact with 60% of the gear.
"upgrade"? No.... a downgrade.... this will result in faster wear of the main gear. You could get around it by investing around £15 in a pinion puller to adjust the position of the pinion but WHY should you be expected to A "know" and B "have" to do this when you have just spent money on an "upgrade"?
You would assume that the designers behind these upgrades would have half an idea of what they were upgrading and would also ensure that their upgrades were a seamless integration into the existing design....
When you end up having to mod an "Xtreme" mod, what does that become? An UBER (third party) XTRA Xtreme mod?.... I'm ok with dremels, glue, screws, brains, solder, ideas, implementation of ideas etc. etc. etc. but your man on the "street" who was expecting to fit his "Xtreme" mod would already be tearing his fekkin' hair out and I haven't even started!
Still on the tail (boom) section.... move further along toward the end where the little wing sits... the con rods are attached to the bracket and they terminate at the battery holder frame.... as much as "sneeze" in the general direction of that wing and the con rods will fall off... why? I'll tell you why, because there isn't enough grip on the bracket to hold the assembly firmly.... a real PITA! The workaround is to drill a hole in the boom and fire a self tapper in but, again, WHY is this left to the imagination? A hole is a hole.... minus a hole can be a major problem to the flyer who doesn't have a suitable drill / drill bit / pair of specs / patience / experience/ realisation that a hole and grub screw is required!
The battery holder is an absolute JOKE.... to insert the battery requires removal of the canopy (each and every time).... they must have been on drugs when they came up with this! Why not insert the battery from the tail end into the holder? It was impossible to do with the "Xtreme" standard holder but I have cut a small piece of plastic out with my Dremel (another "tool" you will require when fitting Xtreme mods) and now it's possible.
Here is where I HAVE to go off on one.... the fact I am having to sit typing all these negative experiences suggests that I am not "happy" with my purchase. Happy? I could kick Mr. "Xtreme" in the balls right now.... if I were closer to Edinburgh I could "potentially" kick Mr. "Kooltoyz" in the balls too..... These guys are CLEARLY Marketing / selling stuff that hasn't been road tested (air tested?).... what type of "mod" results in YOU having to tell them how to do it?
Feedback? I think this is a modern day term for "educate me, tell me where I need to drill holes".
I digress.... ok, back on topic..... the "stock" canopy securing rods were EPOXIED into postion so it was necessary to drill them out.... I felt quite proud managing to drill one out, the second one had to be snipped off.... NO WAY (and I mean NO WAY) will ANYBODY be able to get the new canopy securing rods into situ without destroying / drilling (IF you're lucky) / the existing securing / support.
Plenty of pics to follow (when I have time)... they will paint a thousand words.... In the meantime I would STRONGLY recommend you don't purchase the "Xtreme" body kit unless you are tooled up to mod the mod type of thing.
I am going to take it one step further and actually "talk" to Allan (KoolToyz).... I'm not sure he's quite aware of the Xtreme shite he's selling to his customers..... I want him to fit one of these Xtreme pieces of crap onto his own Big Lama and tell me how bad it is.
The Big Lama actually flies a LOT better once you "mod" the Xtreme mods but you shouldn't have to spend "time" reinventing the wheel.
Pics to follow.
Mike.
I have had mixed results with the "Xtreme" range.... a motor that packed in after 30 seconds on the Big Lama, a set of blades that parted company at the blade grip end (on a slight impact), another set of blades, and blade grips, that made my E-Flite MCX so unstable it was hard to fly... the only "good" experiences I have had (so far) with the Xtreme stuff is the 15mm Big Lama extension and the alloy swashplate for the MCX, both performed superbly.
This recent purchase (canopy, skids, tail boom etc.) is another "mixed" result I'm afraid.... so "mixed" that I wonder if the people at "Xtreme" have actually tried fitting one of these kits onto a Big Lama.
Let's start with the tail boom... it connects under one of the motors, necessitating lifting the motor, fitting the bracket, replacing the motor..... OK, sounds easy enough? Yes, it is, BUT.... the bracket acts as a "spacer" and the gear pinion no longer makes contact with 100% of the main gear... it is only making contact with 60% of the gear.
"upgrade"? No.... a downgrade.... this will result in faster wear of the main gear. You could get around it by investing around £15 in a pinion puller to adjust the position of the pinion but WHY should you be expected to A "know" and B "have" to do this when you have just spent money on an "upgrade"?
You would assume that the designers behind these upgrades would have half an idea of what they were upgrading and would also ensure that their upgrades were a seamless integration into the existing design....
When you end up having to mod an "Xtreme" mod, what does that become? An UBER (third party) XTRA Xtreme mod?.... I'm ok with dremels, glue, screws, brains, solder, ideas, implementation of ideas etc. etc. etc. but your man on the "street" who was expecting to fit his "Xtreme" mod would already be tearing his fekkin' hair out and I haven't even started!
Still on the tail (boom) section.... move further along toward the end where the little wing sits... the con rods are attached to the bracket and they terminate at the battery holder frame.... as much as "sneeze" in the general direction of that wing and the con rods will fall off... why? I'll tell you why, because there isn't enough grip on the bracket to hold the assembly firmly.... a real PITA! The workaround is to drill a hole in the boom and fire a self tapper in but, again, WHY is this left to the imagination? A hole is a hole.... minus a hole can be a major problem to the flyer who doesn't have a suitable drill / drill bit / pair of specs / patience / experience/ realisation that a hole and grub screw is required!
The battery holder is an absolute JOKE.... to insert the battery requires removal of the canopy (each and every time).... they must have been on drugs when they came up with this! Why not insert the battery from the tail end into the holder? It was impossible to do with the "Xtreme" standard holder but I have cut a small piece of plastic out with my Dremel (another "tool" you will require when fitting Xtreme mods) and now it's possible.
Here is where I HAVE to go off on one.... the fact I am having to sit typing all these negative experiences suggests that I am not "happy" with my purchase. Happy? I could kick Mr. "Xtreme" in the balls right now.... if I were closer to Edinburgh I could "potentially" kick Mr. "Kooltoyz" in the balls too..... These guys are CLEARLY Marketing / selling stuff that hasn't been road tested (air tested?).... what type of "mod" results in YOU having to tell them how to do it?
Feedback? I think this is a modern day term for "educate me, tell me where I need to drill holes".
I digress.... ok, back on topic..... the "stock" canopy securing rods were EPOXIED into postion so it was necessary to drill them out.... I felt quite proud managing to drill one out, the second one had to be snipped off.... NO WAY (and I mean NO WAY) will ANYBODY be able to get the new canopy securing rods into situ without destroying / drilling (IF you're lucky) / the existing securing / support.
Plenty of pics to follow (when I have time)... they will paint a thousand words.... In the meantime I would STRONGLY recommend you don't purchase the "Xtreme" body kit unless you are tooled up to mod the mod type of thing.
I am going to take it one step further and actually "talk" to Allan (KoolToyz).... I'm not sure he's quite aware of the Xtreme shite he's selling to his customers..... I want him to fit one of these Xtreme pieces of crap onto his own Big Lama and tell me how bad it is.
The Big Lama actually flies a LOT better once you "mod" the Xtreme mods but you shouldn't have to spend "time" reinventing the wheel.
Pics to follow.
Mike.