Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in flight?

[htownphantom]

I changed out the bearings on my dji motors.in process I lost couple of e clips when they shot off somewhere and couldnt find them.I bought these http://www.ebay.com/itm/261365681852?ss ... 1423.l2649 and these http://www.ebay.com/itm/261358444150?ss ... 1439.l2649 as replacements.
Are these the wrong ones? They look like right size and they snap on like they should but I've had 2 midair failures and when I check to see the problem after crashing the e clips are off and I find them inside the motor stuck to the magnets.Both times it did this I was descending and luckily it was only about 10 feet off ground and not far away from me.But both times it did this I was running dual battery setup so i dont know if one of the batterys shifted and caused it to go wacky or it was the motors locking up because eclips came off.The last time it happened it landed in soft sand so I wouldnt think the impact would have knocked the clip off.I've also found clips off 2 other times in preflight checking.Anybody else having this problem? I'm going to Grand canyon next week and it scares the piss out of me thinking the clip could come off while I'm flying it over the canyon

 

[The Editor]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Not had problems and replaced all my bearings more than once.
From memory they are 1.9mm e-clips. Are you absolutely certain they were located correctly in the groove and tight up against the thrust washer?

Secondly, regarding Grand Canyon - You can't fly there. It's a national park and RC aircraft are forbidden. You risk seizure of both your aircraft and memory card ! And the rangers are VERY vigilant at spotting this kind of thing!

 

[havasuphoto]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Not had problems and replaced all my bearings more than once.
From memory they are 1.9mm e-clips. Are you absolutely certain they were located correctly in the groove and tight up against the thrust washer?

Secondly, regarding Grand Canyon - You can't fly there. It's a national park and RC aircraft are forbidden. You risk seizure of both your aircraft and memory card ! And the rangers are VERY vigilant at spotting this kind of thing![/quote]
Care to share their Regulatory Authority, and the section they will cite when attempting to remove my aircraft from my hands?
Just wanna make sure I didn't miss anything in my review of the current laws and regulations.

 

[Pull_Up]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload ... endium.pdf

Top of Page 3

 

[havasuphoto]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload/2012_grca_compendium.pdf

Top of Page 3

Yea...read that. BUT, the FAA currently has NO regulatory authority over un-manned vehicles.
http://dronelawjournal.com/
So, what they are relying on, is the FAA "defining" an un-manned air vehicle, as in Aircraft-which they haven't done yet....haven't even started the notice of proposed rule making. Therefore, the NPS regulation does not apply here.
Also, I'm well aware of the Special Flight Restrictions around certain national parks, and the does apply to all Aircraft. But, the Devil is in the Details, as they say.

This is just my personal opinion and interpretation of the current laws, and in no way implies that I really have a clue. 2 different people can read the same law, and come to 2 different conclusions(learned that in yr 1 of law school....first and only year...dropped it after that).

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload/2012_grca_compendium.pdf

Top of Page 3

Yea...read that. BUT, the FAA currently has NO regulatory authority over un-manned vehicles.
http://dronelawjournal.com/
So, what they are relying on, is the FAA "defining" an un-manned air vehicle, as in Aircraft-which they haven't done yet....haven't even started the notice of proposed rule making. Therefore, the NPS regulation does not apply here.
Also, I'm well aware of the Special Flight Restrictions around certain national parks, and the does apply to all Aircraft. But, the Devil is in the Details, as they say.

This is just my personal opinion and interpretation of the current laws, and in no way implies that I really have a clue. 2 different people can read the same law, and come to 2 different conclusions(learned that in yr 1 of law school....first and only year...dropped it after that).

You make good points but if you ever got caught trying to argue this with park ranger I'm sure would be for naught.If you dont hand it over he calls for backup,scuffle ensues,police are called,you go to jail.Even though you might be in the right,you'd need to spend too much on a lawyer

 

[havasuphoto]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload/2012_grca_compendium.pdf

Top of Page 3

Yea...read that. BUT, the FAA currently has NO regulatory authority over un-manned vehicles.
http://dronelawjournal.com/
So, what they are relying on, is the FAA "defining" an un-manned air vehicle, as in Aircraft-which they haven't done yet....haven't even started the notice of proposed rule making. Therefore, the NPS regulation does not apply here.
Also, I'm well aware of the Special Flight Restrictions around certain national parks, and the does apply to all Aircraft. But, the Devil is in the Details, as they say.

This is just my personal opinion and interpretation of the current laws, and in no way implies that I really have a clue. 2 different people can read the same law, and come to 2 different conclusions(learned that in yr 1 of law school....first and only year...dropped it after that).

You make good points but if you ever got caught trying to argue this with park ranger I'm sure would be for naught.If you dont hand it over he calls for backup,scuffle ensues,police are called,you go to jail.Even though you might be in the right,you'd need to spend too much on a lawyer

I have plenty of friends that are Lawyers...don't worry about me-I got it covered.
But, you would think, that the very minimal impact a little quad makes on a national park would outweigh this "rule". For example-instead of taking the "donkey ride" down the Canyon Trail(a lot of impact there), I just sit in the parking lot, and watch/fly my drone down the trail, filming all the way down. When I'm done, I just add power and return to my take-off point, in the parking lot.
No impact there.

Anyways-I think we're "diverging" from the OP, this whole issue has been discussed to death, and nobody ever wins......no, never had an E-clip come off in flight, or a prop, or nut.

 

[Jdacal]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Getting back on the topic...

I've never had problems with the E-clips, and I regularly change out my bearing to the Boca Bearings Ceramics.

This is the E-clips I use:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EW ... UTF8&psc=1

Just make sure they are "in the groove". And after you assemble all the covers you grab the outer housing of the motor and pull up on it with a "good tug" to make sure the E-clip doesn't pop out.

A "good tug" is based on common sense. Obviously you want to replicate the copter dropping like a rock and having a sudden acceleration in the opposite direction. If in your imagination you can replicate that by tugging on the outer motor housing then you are OK.

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Getting back on the topic...

I've never had problems with the E-clips, and I regularly change out my bearing to the Boca Bearings Ceramics.

This is the E-clips I use:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EW ... UTF8&psc=1

Just make sure they are "in the groove". And after you assemble all the covers you grab the outer housing of the motor and pull up on it with a "good tug" to make sure the E-clip doesn't pop out.

A "good tug" is based on common sense. Obviously you want to replicate the copter dropping like a rock and having a sudden acceleration in the opposite direction. If in your imagination you can replicate that by tugging on the outer motor housing then you are OK.

Ok thanks
I messaged the guy on ebay I bought the clips from and he said these were for the stock phantom motors.I'll just have to be extra careful and make sure the clips are in

 

[Jdacal]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Most of these clips are super "sensitive". If you spread then too wide they tend to fit loosely into the groove and pop out under load. The best clips tend to "retain" their memory. Meaning that even if you open them a little too wide they will "rebound" and stay in their original position.

The cheap versions, if you spread them a little bit will totally forget their original position and tend to fit way too loose into the groove.

Moral is: play around with whatever clips you get and make sure they are good at retaining their original shape. If you stretch them and they "forget" their original shape then they may pop-out during that dream flight of yours over the Atlantic ocean.

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Most of these clips are super "sensitive". If you spread then too wide they tend to fit loosely into the groove and pop out under load. The best clips tend to "retain" their memory. Meaning that even if you open them a little too wide they will "rebound" and stay in their original position.

The cheap versions, if you spread them a little bit will totally forget their original position and tend to fit way too loose into the groove.

Moral is: play around with whatever clips you get and make sure they are good at retaining their original shape. If you stretch them and they "forget" their original shape then they may pop-out during that dream flight of yours over the Atlantic ocean.

I think the ones I have do not retain their memory if bent,do you have a link to some youve bought that were good?
thanks

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Well since i've done away with dual battery setup I've had about 10 successful flights with no problems.I did take it to grand Canyon and fly it but was nervous as hell and didnt take it out very far,especially the first day when it was windy as hell.I received permmission to fly it from people working at Canyon when I flew it

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

I'm still having this mfing problem and its pissing me off! I cant enjoy flying this **** thing worrying about a f ing clip coming off.Took it offroading today to do a flyover of some truck racing.It was in the bed of my rzr but in a padded case.When I pulled it out of the case and checked the motors sure enough one was pulling out of the housing and I saw the eclip was missing.Im sure it got jostled some but in a padded case I wouldnt see how that would make the eclip pop off.I check these **** motors everytime now before I fly it but Im worrying the whole frickin time and now its going to be worse,I thought I had this problem licked

 

[ududidj]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

I'm still having this mfing problem and its pissing me off! I cant enjoy flying this **** thing worrying about a f ing clip coming off.Took it offroading today to do a flyover of some truck racing.It was in the bed of my rzr but in a padded case.When I pulled it out of the case and checked the motors sure enough one was pulling out of the housing and I saw the eclip was missing.Im sure it got jostled some but in a padded case I wouldnt see how that would make the eclip pop off.I check these **** motors everytime now before I fly it but Im worrying the whole frickin time and now its going to be worse,I thought I had this problem licked

That is definitely an issue. Almost 100% of my usage has been way off the beaten path, 4x4 stuff on bumpy roads/trails. Never had an issue with a clip popping out from driving around with it in a case. I'm still using stock clips though.

Clips coming out from simply driving to your destination scream a dangerous, wayward bird. Don't fly it until that is remedied.
Good luck. Keep us posted too, if you would, when you do find a good source.

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Anybody used these clips?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006O ... d_i=507846

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Anybody used these clips?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006O ... d_i=507846

I went ahead and bought these,after I put them on Im going to glue them also.That will help give me piece of mind and it shouldnt be that hard to pull them back off when needed.

 

[htownphantom]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Well no one ever answered me on the eclips from amazon,I havent got them yet but I was told 3mm is going to be too big,so I decided to go ahead and add some epoxy to the ones I have installed already.So when I went to do it found another clip off,replaced it with another one and epoxied it,we will see how it goes

 

[Bluegrass]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

I didn't know that Phantom owners had to refurbish their quad motors. How often do they need repair. Where do you get the parts. I just assumed if you wore out a motor, you would replace the motor.

 

[Bluegrass]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Since the topic is about repairs, has anyone found a source for a substitute for the Allen wrench comes with the Phantom that is easier to use such as screw driver?

 

[ElGuano]

Re: Anybody having problems with e-clips coming off in fligh

Depends on load/weight but they should last at least 100 hours of flight. You can replace the motors if you want, or you can replace the bearings. It depends on your own cost/effort calculus.

I got 1.5-4mm hex divers from HK. My phantom did not come with any Allen wrenches.