Blade MCX Repair or Upgrade

I have stated before just how tough E-Flite's Blade MCX is, but a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. In the case of the MCX the weak link is definitely the top rotor hub that holds the flybar. I have broken several of these and in talking to the owner of my local hobby store, he said he can't keep this part in stock as customer are coming in and buying them six at a time. A sure sign of a problem part.

A fix I've found is to install Lightning Power's CNC Aluminum hub. This bad boy is practically indestructible. It's rather pricey at $14.99 but when you factor in the lost time and gas of driving to get a plastic replacement every time it breaks, I think it's worth it. I purchased mine at helihobby.com

Another option I tried while I was waiting for the CNC version to arrive was to repair my latest broken hub. It seems they break at the same point every time, right at the base of the hub ears. This fix is not a permanent repair, but will get you back in the air until your next blade strike.

To do this repair, you will need Scotch tape, X-acto knife, 5 min epoxy and a toothpick. Start by cutting a piece of Scotch tape about 3/16" wide by 1/2" long. Then mix up a dab of epoxy and glue the ear back on to the hub at the point it broke off. Leaving the screw in the head will help hold the ear while the glue is drying. After dry, wrap the scotch tape around the hub so that it is slightly above the fracture yet won't interfere with flybar movement. Then mix another spot of epoxy and with your toothpick, coat the outside of the tape and carefully fill the void inside the ears that the tape has created. Be carefull not to get any epoxy anywhere that could cause restriction of flybar movement. The flybar has to be able to move freely or you will get what is know as the Toilet bowl effect(TBE). This is where the heli hovers in slow rotating circles as if it's going down a drain.

Once your repair has dried you can begin flying again. I've had this repair last many flights but it won't hold up to a heavy blade strike. The good news is that the Epoxy does not make a permanent bond to the plastic, so if need be, you can chip it off and do the repair over.