How to Align a Trex 450

Main Rotor

• 1

  Draw a small red mark on one of the main rotor blades, or place some tape around the end of the blade. This identifies that blade so that you can see it when spinning.

• 2

  Turn the motor on and crank it up slowly, but not so much that it takes off. Look closely at the aircraft's rotors. Don't touch any of the controls, and make sure it's not tilting any of the rotors.

• 3

  Watch how the rotor moves, looking for the red mark to identify when it makes a rotation. If the blade spins without deflecting at all, your aircraft's main rotors are aligned perfectly and you can take off. If the rotor tilts up and down, then it is not in alignment and needs adjusting.

• 4

  Power off the rotor. Ideally, you should also disconnect the battery before continuing to avoid the helicopter accidentally coming on line while you are fiddling with it.

• 5

  Adjust the linkage rods attached to the main rotors. You can twist the rods to lengthen or shorten them. Adjust these rods to bring the vehicle to alignment, and then retest it.

Tail Rotor

• 6

  Remove the tail rotor from the helicopter. Push a rod through the tail rotor so you can balance it on something.

• 7

  Place two wooden blocks of the same height side-by-side, with about 3/4-inch gap between them. Balance the rotor on the rod between these two blocks.

• 8

  Look at the rotor from the side. If this rotor stays balanced and doesn't touch your work surface, your copter is fine. If one of the sides tilts, then your blade is not aligned properly.

• 9

  Add layers of tape to the lighter blade of the rotor until the rotor is in balance.

• 10

  Reinstall the rotor to the tail of the helicopter in the same direction it was installed initially.