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Motor swap

Many times. I own five and done motor change outs often. What’s your concern?
 
I could not find any videos on swapping motors out ! do you have to take the whole arm off to replace the motor ?
 
I could not find any videos on swapping motors out ! do you have to take the whole arm off to replace the motor ?

Yes you do. It requires removing top shell which contains the GPS unit shield taped to the top. So here it is: [note I’m not specifying size of the tools needed. If you don’t own some good hobby tools, you will find this doubly tedious]

Remove landing gear by unscrewing the two Allen screws. Pull them straight down to pull out of body and set aside. There is no left or right so it doesn’t matter which is which. If you have a real sense, the plastic antenna guide tube will slide off with the leg.

I extend the arms out and place the H upside down on a flat work table. Remove the ten screws holding the body together. Remove the status light cover. Note how the real sense future connection wire lives up in the back for later reinstall. If you have real sense, remove the four small Allen screws and disconnect the power. Remove the camera mount and carefully unplug the power connector. Again note it’s orientation is backwards for reinstall. Turn back over. Fold arms back down.

The H is “clipped” together with a plastic tab into open slot. The arms folded down give more room for the unclipping. If you gently pinch around the motor arms, you can reverse the tabs out. It’s possible to absolutely destroy some of these first time. Don’t panic. The screws hold it together fine without all the tabs going back together later. The rear are the trickiest so I start at the nose and push in on the bottom half on one side and work my way back. There are definitely videos of people taking the shell apart using exacto knives and small screw drivers but I’ve always just used my fingers.

Now the two halves will separate and the top just needs the GPS/Compass disconnected at the molex in the main board. Do not set this top half down near metal objects or magnets as you can damage the compass. That means motors and your landing gear.

Note on the bottom half how your operating antenna pass through the frame. That’s fun later trying to get the right side through the slot gap at the back vents. The other one comes down next to the gear motor so you just don’t want to pinch it when you push the gear assembly back into the frame. Which you can do now to get your body-less H set up for the next step.

Disconnect the power leads to the main board from the motor wires. This is the three wires that connect with a push in plug and they can be very difficult to take apart. Though they are not crimped, they can be a bear to pull apart and you don’t want a sudden release that can strain the power side at the solder and board. I’ve used small bladed straight screw drivers once I see some brass showing and the shrink tube gap reveals itself. I put the tip in between and twist a bit and rotate around the pin to back it out.

Once the motor leads are disconnected, find the LED wire and disconnect at the main board. Take some photos and take note of how the wires loom through the frame respectively. Fold the arm up and remove the brass hinge screw. It also slides out a little hesitantly typically first time. Fold the arm back down and it should come free.

Remove the motor LED lens cover. It may also fight you a little but you’ll figure it out. Remove the LED board and pull the LED and wire out of the arm. Remove the motor mount screws and alignment plate to release the motor. The mesh strain tubing is stubborn at the rubber ends so it takes a tug to pull out.

At this point you may see the logic in buying a fully assembled A or B motor arm for the labor saving because getting the new motor wire in can be a challenge. You’ll need to take the LED wire in simultaneously. The male ends get stuck quickly right at the spot where the plastic motor head meets the carbon tube. Plus the LED molex end gets stuck separately too. It’s kind of a 4 headed snake wrestling match and they must have a magic grabber tool at Yuneec lol. Once you do get the wires down the tube, you can needle nose them out the mounting end.

Pull the motor wires taught and push the motor wires rubber past that lip to get the motor properly seated.

Now go back to motor disconnecting, and reverse these instructions where it’s obvious. Take your time on placing the bottom shell to make sure the sonar is seated and the camera wire, real sense connection, and antennas are properly aligned and not binding anywhere. When you put the camera mount and status light cover back on, the bottom stays in place to help the re-clipping. You may also consider powering up pre top shell reinstall to check everything. You will need to connect the GPS or you get the bad beeps. That’s the reason to finish the bottom first. Slide the legs in - no screws - and mount your camera. Connect the GPS and flop the top on loosely. Fire it up and check everything. I never put in those ten mounting screw till I’ve checked everything I repair.

You can also paint your shell while doing repairs. I have 5 TH 480s in many colors and set ups. I invested in that many because I believe it is maintainable by most skilled model pilots.

Good luck
 
Last edited:
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Reactions: NorWiscPilot
they must have a magic grabber tool at Yuneec
I think they put the rivet into the motor mount and motor arm after the wires are pulled thru. I've wrestled trying to get the wire past that rivet and it's a terrible task.
 

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