Syma S032 vibration problem
Discussion
I bought a Syma S032 yesterday (http://www.gadgetbox.co.uk/Product/Radio-Control-Helicopters/Syma-S032G-Snow-Dragon-3.5CH-GYRO-RTF-RC-Heli/p-4628.html?gclid=CLWpjouek60CFcMMtAodp3YHmA), which is my first ever model helicopter. A friend of mine has a different Syma model which I've used a fair bit so I was already reasonably proficient at flying it, but no expert.
After a fun morning flying (indoors - the weather here is not good at the moment), I had what looked like a fairly innocuous crash. However immediately after the crash when I tried to start flying again, the heli was vibrating pretty violently. It will still fly but vibrates badly and flys forwards at a fairly rapid rate when it should just be hovering (i.e. no tail rotor applied).
There's no visible issue that I can see - the blades and balance bar are all intact and don't appear to be bent or twisted. I wondered whether the shaft (if that's the right term) might be out of true, but I've taken the body off and examined it and, again, there's no obvious issue with it as far as I can see.
I'm so annoyed that I seem to have ruined my new toy on the very first day of owning it, so any advice on how I could fix this would be very much appreciated.
After a fun morning flying (indoors - the weather here is not good at the moment), I had what looked like a fairly innocuous crash. However immediately after the crash when I tried to start flying again, the heli was vibrating pretty violently. It will still fly but vibrates badly and flys forwards at a fairly rapid rate when it should just be hovering (i.e. no tail rotor applied).
There's no visible issue that I can see - the blades and balance bar are all intact and don't appear to be bent or twisted. I wondered whether the shaft (if that's the right term) might be out of true, but I've taken the body off and examined it and, again, there's no obvious issue with it as far as I can see.
I'm so annoyed that I seem to have ruined my new toy on the very first day of owning it, so any advice on how I could fix this would be very much appreciated.
I had a similar problem with a Syma 107, it turned out to be a broken inner shaft.
I was very had to see that the part was broken.
If you are looking at the balance bar, right below it, you'll see the dual screws on the 'T' head. Just below that the actual blade housing has two screws holding (one each) blade. If you look at the center of this plastic piece/housing, there is actually a little plastic dowel rod (one on each side) that extends out from the 'T' head into this plastic blade housing. If you can manually hold the balance bar, then grab one of the blades and try to force move the blade housing head, this extended 'T' head pin is broken off from the main shaft. If you can't move it, then it's not. It wasn't until I disassembled the links and took it off did I then physically see this minute piece broken. This is truly the only section where I've found the deficit is at in the craftsmanship on this heli. Otherwise, I TOTALLY agree with you on the overall build quality. I'm quite surprised my blades haven't broken to pieces with all the 'test' flights the poor thing has been through. Low and behold however, I had found it was this extremely feeble area on the 'T' head.
I was very had to see that the part was broken.
If you are looking at the balance bar, right below it, you'll see the dual screws on the 'T' head. Just below that the actual blade housing has two screws holding (one each) blade. If you look at the center of this plastic piece/housing, there is actually a little plastic dowel rod (one on each side) that extends out from the 'T' head into this plastic blade housing. If you can manually hold the balance bar, then grab one of the blades and try to force move the blade housing head, this extended 'T' head pin is broken off from the main shaft. If you can't move it, then it's not. It wasn't until I disassembled the links and took it off did I then physically see this minute piece broken. This is truly the only section where I've found the deficit is at in the craftsmanship on this heli. Otherwise, I TOTALLY agree with you on the overall build quality. I'm quite surprised my blades haven't broken to pieces with all the 'test' flights the poor thing has been through. Low and behold however, I had found it was this extremely feeble area on the 'T' head.
Thanks for that. The upper blades cannot be forced to rotate independently of the balance bar (although the lower blades can, but I think it's supposed to be like that).
One thing I have noticed though, is that if I hold onto the heli, give it some power and look at the blades, they seem to be running fairly level and in parallel to each other, but the balance bar seems to be tilted quite heavily to the front left of the heli. I don't know if that's normal though as I never really looked at it in detail before.
One thing I have noticed though, is that if I hold onto the heli, give it some power and look at the blades, they seem to be running fairly level and in parallel to each other, but the balance bar seems to be tilted quite heavily to the front left of the heli. I don't know if that's normal though as I never really looked at it in detail before.
OK, I think I've solved it. I had a fiddle with it and managed to get the heli to hover normally (albeit shakily). I also noticed that if I hold the upper blades in place, the lower one will spin perfectly smoothly, but hold the lower blades in place and let the upper ones spin and the vibration returns.
So I removed the balance bar and although the heli now wouldn't fly properly, both blades did spin freely. So it must be the balance bar then....
So, I picked up the balance bar and studied it closely and noticed that at each end on the underside, there is a piece of plastic that is held in place with 2 small screws, except on mine, it's completely vanished at one end!
Mystery solved - looks like I need a new balance bar!
So I removed the balance bar and although the heli now wouldn't fly properly, both blades did spin freely. So it must be the balance bar then....
So, I picked up the balance bar and studied it closely and noticed that at each end on the underside, there is a piece of plastic that is held in place with 2 small screws, except on mine, it's completely vanished at one end!
Mystery solved - looks like I need a new balance bar!
I've just had a similar problem and lost a weight from one end of the balance bar after a few test crashes, thought i'd lost one of the connect buckles off the upper rotor, but there's only one on by default.
I took a bit of blue tack and pushed it in where the weight was and its stopped it vibrating as much, though bought a new one of that famous auction site.
Just search for S032 and there's loads of spares available.
I took a bit of blue tack and pushed it in where the weight was and its stopped it vibrating as much, though bought a new one of that famous auction site.
Just search for S032 and there's loads of spares available.
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