Changing the Sceadu Evo 50 tail bladegrip assembly
| Author: | Rob Turnbull |
|---|---|
| Article Date: | 8th May 2007 |
A common repair on the Sceadu is the replacement of tail blade grips as the connection to the tail pitch slider assembly is a weak point and can be broken in a crash that involves the tail hitting the floor. The small plastic connector protruding from the blade grip that holds the ball link in position can be easily snapped off in a crash.
The first job is to remove the tail blades from the blade grips. This is simply a matter of removing the bolt holding the blade in the grip and then removing the blade.
Remove the two bolts holding the tail blades on
To remove the blade grips from the tail rotor hub, remove the four small Philips screws in the blade grip, and the two sides of the casing can then be easily removed.
Remove the four bolts in the tail blade grip
The bearings on the tail rotor hub fit neatly into the moulded grooves of the tail blade grips.
Bearings, blade grips and bolts
Now is a good time to fit the ball link to the replacement tail blade grip. Use a little Loctite sparingly on the ball link thread to help ensure the nut on the back stays in place.
Line the new blade grips up on the hub so that the bearings fit into the grooves appropriately and tighten the Philips head screws back into the blade grips.
The rebuilt tail blade grip (minus ball link!)
If you didn't fit the ball link, prior to fitting the blade grips to the hub, that needs to be done now.
Ball link fitted
Reconnect the tail blade pitch levers to the blade grips.
Ensure you have the plastic connectors on the blade grips correctly oriented on the hub (they should be on opposite sides of the rotor hub, one above and one below the tail output shaft, as viewed from the side of the heli - the tail blades are fitted with the lever on the trailing edge).
Reconnected blade pitch lever
The next task is to assemble the tail gearbox again.