Yeah, I don't think the issues he listed are as big as the whole thing potentially exploding on you. The strap issue is almost as big of an issue though but feels like something that is cheaper to fix than the whole, exploding battery with a flimsy fuel tank deal.
Please don't even try to take this battery on low temperatures/pressures. Lithium batteries malfunction when it's cold/freezing.. Normally batteries use a chemical reaction for both charging and discharging. As the temperature goes down, the speed of reaction goes down, and the batteries cannot generate as much voltage and current as at “normal” temperature.
At that proximity, that battery is dangerous even without the tank. If you've never seen one go, there are some vids on YT, and I've never seen on explode, but they essentially become a blow torch with a several inch flame length, and it lasts a while, several seconds on a battery like that. I suspect, as you say, directly impinging on that fuel tank, it would penetrate and ignite the fuel, and the emptier the fuel tank is, the more dangerous it is. A full fuel tank would resort in a fire, and empty one in a significant, and VERY hot explosion.
@@urazz7739 The battery exploding is one of the lesser issues because it is quite unlikely to happen. It can happen, and if it does happen, that is really really bad, yes. But one of those leg straps (or even both!) coming undone is much more likely and also very severe. So in total, that is a significantly worse issue. I don't think you should fly this thing with either of those problems, but compared to the buckles, the battery problem is not as big.
I agree with him. While the fuel tank, if not full especially, would be a major deal, the likelihood of that happening is probably far lower than that buckle failing, and in a single point failure to death, it doesn't matter if the failure is a huge explosion, or a little click. Just sayin'...as a former aerospace design engineer. That Shuttle reentry disintegration probably wasn't all that loud inside the cockpit (they probably have video of the initial part of the breakup, since it almost certainly occurred in the wing), but are not going to show it to the general public, for obvious reasons, not during or after the breakup, for as long as the cockpit remained intact.
Just so you know: LiPos don't explode from overdischarging. You can run it completely dead (assuming it's not horribly out of balance) without any immediate danger. They just cannot be safely used again after. It's when you charge it again, that it could fail catastrophically.
Tucker, you're a healthy young man in your prime with intelligence, skills, and a good start in life as a businessman. You selected a motor to experiment with, you identified several potentially fatal flaws in design and construction, and you explained them to us, your audience and fan base. The entire world now knows that this product is not good. Why continue to risk your life flying and "testing" this product? Climb back into some good gear and stay with us into the future Bro 🙏
I agree, it's like playing with fire. Hope he listens 🙏 I mean the product is downright life threatening and he ends it with a high note "i love it". That's not right Tucker, comoon!
Completely agree. I can't stand when people say things "Don't worry. Even if the engine explodes...I'm going to be safe, I'm going to be totally fine!" He has absolutely no way of knowing that. Tempt not the Fates.
So you gonna fly it until it fails with you in it. Similar to how the Ocean Gate Titan was submerged until it failed with its five passengers in it... 😂
The heat is what is releasing the loctite (with vibration). You will need to wire the fasteners. Thank You, Tucker, for this review. You have certainly saved lives. ❤
agreed. even if you were using red Loctite that stuffs only good to 400 degrees or so and exhausts can get pretty hot. At my shop if we have a critical fastener that can not be allowed to back out we drill a hole through the head and run a steel wire through it anchored to another nearby bolt.
Torsional vibration may be an underlying cause here... even lock wire may not stop the bolts fatiguing the soft alloy, allowing them to 'come loose' due to the harmonics being produced. Heli-coil the threads and high temp loctite... might... might... slow it down. Redesign is the best solution... however... you would never get me to strap one of those to my back.
The Chinese marking on the plastic says "RED" , "紅" . In the field of radio control model aeroplane, back in the late 80s , early 90s, they used something called the "soft mount". The model engine was bolted onto pieces of metal plate sandwiching pieces of rubber. The rubber part was bolted onto the engine mount of the model plane. The whole engine was literally sitting on the piece of rubber isolating the vibration. May be that is the idea why the metal plate does not imbedded inside the whole piece of rubber in this paramotor.
I guess that's more suitable for silly ground vehicle projects like a boat or bike pusher. To be honest, both projects could work as testing platforms to see how many hours this engine will be able to run before failure.
Not even that, maybe it could work without tearing itself apart if you ran it at low RPM, but then why pay for something you can't use? Plus it depends on the charge of the battery to run... Even cheap chinese bicycle motors have a magneto. It makes sense for the intended purpose of it's original design: an RC airplane engine. You save some cost and weight, and you need a battery to run the electronics anyways. Two birds with one stone. But for anything else it falls short.
The moment I saw the previous video that talked about him giving away an AliExpress paramoter, I was in disbelief, as I couldn't imagine Tucker giving away anything like that from AliExpress.
Tucker the battery and gas tank proximity will light you and your wing up. You don’t need to further test pilot this one! Semper Fi! Just an old Viet Vet!
I'd always go for steel carabiners directly from a reputable company. They don't cost the world, especially not for a single point of failure component.
Sorry if this is a dumb question (tin can flyer here, not a para pilot) - could you not use 2 carabiners (the good ones) on each side? I understand there might be chafing of some sort, but you could pad with some sacrificial thin line as a seperator no?
@@witblitsfilm there are only few dumb questions in existence and this isn't one of them. I'm not sure what you mean by the thin sacrificial line, but regarding the redundant carabiners, where these hook into the riser set (thick bands that bundle/group the lines so they can be connected to the harness) there is physically no space to fit two.
The engine may surprise you. I bought that exact engine from China for a small 1 man hovercraft. I didn't get a battery with it so I used a 7.2Ah lead acid battery. The exhaust is crap so I made a different one and wirelocked the bolts. I didn't use a prop, I used a toothed belt driving a multiwing fan. The plugs that came with it were crap as well so I bought NGK plugs. It's got about 250 hours on it now and still going!
I went to a fly-in at Hodges Field in GA a few weeks ago, and I have to say, I met dozens of other pilots who, like me, got into the sport because of your videos. Thanks a lot for what you've done and continue to do man. Cheers from Alabama.
Glad you did this review Tucker! This is a valuable LESSON for people to understand what you get when you buy "Knock Off" products with NO QUALITY CONTROL. China has been knocking off products and stealing Intellectual Property for years with ZERO consequences and this is the result. I have seen every Industry in the economy flooded with knock off products like this and they all have serious design flaws which may be hard to detect on first inspection. Poorly casted metal parts with micro imperfections you cant see; Metal Alloys that WILL eventually FAIL because the chemistry and forging of the steel has been done with impurities; Plastics and Fabrics made with subpar materials...etc..etc. I could go on but you get it -- Risky Biscuits?? These products are more like Crumbling Cookies!
Crumbling Cookies! Hysterical! you are so right, my son had a bad accident with a Chinese knock off bike when the metal just failed for no reason. Lesson Learned
Crumbling cookies might be an understatement --I have seen the same thing with impure metal in the Chinese knock off furniture industry. Everything you say is spot on!
I work with a product testing lab that does these stress tests all the time and all of the "Knock Off" products always fail way under what they are rated for; and when the metal is forensically inspected under electron microscopy the metal always has impurities!
@@MichaelJoe212 the guys at the hownot2 channel have tested knockoff climbing carabiners and rope. majority pass or exceed the stated rating. usually only thing lacking is the documentation/certification material consistency/provenance. that being said, it's better to use stuff you can trust. though on the flip side, even in the stock carabiner, just hanging in the harness and throwing weight around; the safety factor is at least 3-5x max achievable load if not more.
Great vid again!!!! Nice assessment. Fair critique IMO. If they had spent the time and $ to address these failure modes before they went into production they could have followed with a slightly higher price and better motor, exhaust, carabiners, harness latches, fuel tank etc…
If you want to test the engine to destruction (cool idea), maybe consider doing that while the engine is strapped to a test bench. Put a shop fan in front of it to replicate airflow. Just as effective and a heck of a lot safer.
Tucker, I'm glad you're using good hardware to replace the stock garbage with. You should definitely fashion some sort of "firewall" to put between the battery, and the fuel tank. Maybe get someone to 3D print a thicker tank for you, out of a fire resistant plastic. Thanks for sharing those truly fatal flaws. Frankly, this product needs to be banned by the FAA, and CAA, unless the owner upgrades all of the components you mentioned, and then has it re-inspected, after the upgrades. It's just too dangerous.
@@TuckerGott You probably have saved someone's life by going through all of this extensive and thorough testing and sharing the results in your videos. Thank you sir!
@@TuckerGott Red silicon might hold the exhaust bolts in place. The large scale model aircraft guys use it to stop the mufflers coming loose. Coat the entire thread of the bolt and the faces of the mufflers with it. Hope it helps!
Hi.I haven 't visited your channel for 1.5 years because of that damn war !I was surprised by your new look, it's very unusual to look at you without long hair.Good luck and a soft landing! 😊
"Don't worry. Even if the engine explodes...I'm going to be safe, I'm going to be totally fine!" -Tucker Gott 2023 C'mon bro really? That's awfully arrogant to make a comment like that. Even the most experienced people have accidents. You don't control everything. Tempt not the Fates.
I rate the battery the worst potential failure. Any and all 2strokes can will and do fail so thats not a biggie. You must be prepared for that with every paramotor and flight.
For the exhaust, use an anvil and a hammer, lightly smoosh up the threads on the screw so that it creates additional friction when going into the engine. It won't take much at all, so don't go ham on it. Yes, this can shave down the threading in the block, but as long as you aren't constantly moving the bolts, it should prevent vibrations from causing them to come loose like they have been
Massive public service. If you convinced even one less experienced pilot not to purchase the less expensive option here then you really earned your wings today. Thanks for this.
You cannot predict just what type of catastrophic failure this machine will eventually give you.....or when. Takeoff and landing failures are obviously potentially deadly, but even at altitude you could have part of the prop / engine / cage go through the canopy or rigging. And then there's the whole exploding fuel-battery bomb thing LOL. Fire bad. Run it to failure on a test stand, NOT on your back. You'll still get the clicks 🙂
I agree with you on the safety issue. However, running it on a stand won't show what will fail first. Test pilots go up in the air knowing that they might be in trouble, and hopefully, mitigate those potential disasters. The good thing is that he's meticulously going through and trying to anticipate what might fail, so that he can have a plan of action if/when it does.
On the topic of muffler bolts loosening, if you're not already doing it, I'd recommend to run the motor nice and hot and then re-tightening the bolts while hot. We do this on the nitro RC helis to avoid dropping the mufflers and it works great.
One thing you liked about it was the potability, the small take-it-anywhere aspect. Maybe you coud do some videos on using that size with an Atom 80, a better harness etc but keep the tiny cage and prop.
Tucker, that point of failure may be during take off and you may not have time to find a safe landing. I love your programming and you are an AWESOME guy, please be careful! THe world is better with you in it!
2 Words for you - Safety Wire - I'm assuming you're familiar since most aircraft use it extensively where vibration is a concern - you need to put safety wire on those bolts that keep backing out - that will mechanically prevent them from turning and loosening up (and wrecking anything when the exhaust falls off again)
I say besides the clamps the lipo battery being next to fuel tank while providing power to a coil and spark plug instead of a proper magneto, so battery not just run starter is a huge fatal flaw. If battery overheats and being a lipo it is likely not going to end well. If something hit like prop breaking due to exhaust bolts working loose and hits battery and puncture it it game over as well. They sure have put a shield around it. If bolt just hit the fuel tank fuel likely leak out and yes fumes can cause fire but likely won’t be catastrophic, that battery definitely will be a serious fire as lipo when puncture, or overheat like to violently catch fire and explode.
You should take that pocket size frame and see if you can put a atom 8 or a reliable motor with that wood prop and better harness. Would be a fun experimental build video series.
Or two on an ultralight? Like the old riddle: What’s the advantage to an underpowered twin-engine aircraft? None. It doubles the chance of engine failure, but it will still get you to the scene of the crash.
Tucker's request (4:02): "If somebody could decode that, that would be cool!" OK Tucker, my friend on the Web gave me the translation: 红 (hong) means red.
1:36 you could drill the header in the block with the exhaust mounted and tie wire the bolts so they don't come loose, or put studs and pin them in the head and then tie wire the nuts
If you are concerned about a bolt loosening up, you might wish to consider a safety wire fix. A .032 hole drilled through the bolt head with corresponding wire threaded through the hole, using the proper technique, will guarantee the bolt will not loosen up. If you have a drill press it is pretty east peasy.
Red Loctite requires no air and must be encapsulated in active metal. Non-active metals like zinc that coats most bolts, nuts, etc., requires an activator or primer to make it work. You have to get something like Vibra-Tite VC3 tape. Doesn't require setting time and doesn't need to be airtight, etc. My exhaust has yet to work loose after using the orange VC3 tape.
Not wise to continue flying as it is.. Maybe swap the harness out for a good safe one, change the exhaust to one that actually stays in place & allows the engine to be less asthmatic, upgrade the carb for a better one isnt expensive, sack the lithium battery off & use a simple pull start with standard electronics, or dangle the lithium battery from a 30 foot cable underneath the rig with a quick release re-used from the crappy harness buckles... Then just use the paramotor as an unusual but effective leaf blower in the autumn... Risky biscuits tastes jolly nice, alas we dont want charred crumbs thanks tucker... Stay safe dude..
The engine looks like a DLE twin for R/C airplanes. Here's how you keep the mufflers tight. Clean the muffler and muffler bolt threads real good and make sure the threads are dry, then add a little bit of high temp copper Loctite silicone to the bolt threads, then ditch the muffler gaskets and use the copper Loctite silicone to make a thin gasket on each muffler, then bolt the mufflers to engine, let it sit over night, re-tighten the bolts and you're good to go. I've never a muffler on any of my giant scale R/C planes come loose.
I know the original idea was how to take the whole system as-is, but as anyone who buys stuff from China/aliexpress we buy knowing that the product is likely to have flaws that we need to build around. In this case it looks like you would be buying the kit for the motor and the cage the rest likely needs upgrades or replaced. It looks like you have identified a few points that need addressed #1 the battery likely needs a low voltage cut off added to the system, either you could get a battery that already has a BMS in it or you could buy a low voltage cutoff module and add that in-line. #2 while you said the harness is likely ok, it doesn't inspire confidence, so toss it for one you trust. #3 The exhaust. As many others have said in the previous videos there are ways to fix the issue/make it safe as they are known issues to the RC world, I'd also look into seeing what after market exhausts there are and how much they would cost. Lastly could you could likely make a few videos of you making the needed upgrades for safety reasons and then run the motor hard goofing off in silly ways to drive views until it either ultimately fails or impresses you on the reliability factor considering the cost. Assuming the the motor doesn't instantly eat itself and does end up impressing you, you could make a video on how much each of the upgrades had cost you and compare it buying something proven that's new and/or used.
I use to work for the air guard and most of our bolts on the aircrafts where safety wired. If you have the right equipment you can drill a hole in the heard of the bolt to fasten your safety wire.
SAFETY WIRE or locking-wire is a type of positive locking device that prevents fasteners from falling out due to vibration and other forces. The presence of safety wiring may also serve to indicate that the fasteners have been properly tightened.
03:05 Li-Po's tend to spark a little when plugging the connectors in, not to mention how vulnerable they are to damage, crazy it's just chilling with some velcro straps right next to a fuel tank.....
Next T shirt design... The Grim Reaper flying the AliExpress paramotor... leg strap undone, flapping in the breeze, with a total look of horror. I'd buy that one 😂
you want to use a larger diameter exhaust mount bolt with a locking nut, then you will need to reinforce the opening as that vibration will be taken out somewhere so if the bolts don't come loose it might start ripping at the can material? stainless locking nuts, washers, better stainless bolts and washers
Tucker, Great series - I might have been tempted! Would be good if you could have a dialogue with the manufacturer, and get them to acknowledge and fix the flaws based on your recommendations. Would also make another good video. Nobody should be selling dangerous and sketchy stuff anywhere, and should be called out to either fix it or get shut down.
BASE jumping containers made by one of the industry leaders "Squirrel" has a similar detachable leg straps where two Aluminum (!!) buckles are interfering with each other face to face and are free to slide out from each other when not under load. Makes my butt pucker every time I see a buddy of mine put one on.
Another flaw is engine related, the engine has no main seals, only sealed bearings that will leak vacuum and pressure. This will cause the engine to be hard to start. If you ignore the hard starting, and assume it is a carburetor problem, or a fuel pump problem the engine has the possibility of stalling at an idle, and be difficult to restart again. I don't know if you ever let your engines idle in the air.
Wow, so many comments on the exhaust bolt situation and I think only one guy who runs these engines on model aeroplanes got it right, saying that the gasket compresses leaving the bolt loose and I can't see loctite helping as normally it's heated to allow removal! No wonder you've had problems Tucker. I'd try a different type of gasket material, maybe of a graffite kind and like many have said, drill the bolt heads and wire them.
remembers me of cheapo chinese nockoffs from Stihl chainsaws. There the Chainbrake was nonfunctional/absend and only a static handle. In the original test they assumed that the builder may even not know for what the brake is for. Happy head splitting
Would be interesting to see the price tag to fix all the known fatal flaws: propeller, new exhaust, moving the battery to a safer place (or fireproof box), replacing leg harnesses, replacing carabiner, etc. Would all the added costs still be cheaper than any other paramoter on the market?
The way you fix the exhaust bolts coming loose is to convert to exhaust studs, then you can put a nut with a lock washer then a jam nut on top of it. Easy fix.
I have Avery Colburn's unit in my shop for some mods to the onboard starter. Interestingly, it seems you could fit another harness to the frame in the standard manner, thus mitigating the risk from that side. The part I'm modifying -- the starter unit -- is also a design flaw. The OEM relies on a "sprag bearing" that grips the crank when engaged, and free spins when starter is not powered up. It failed on him 2x, and when I disassembled it for analysis, I found that there's a through-crank lubrication system that was supposed to feed 2 cycle premix to that bearing. It was either inadequate or misaligned (Design flaw in both cases) and while I'm attempting to engineer a better solution, it is another thing to beware of. My solution will likely require plugging that lubrication hole, but I'll be doing a careful review of what subsystems are affected before I do. I will say that Avery has a nice exhaust system fitted that beats thos gatling cans in terms of noise and function. 2 strokes are particularly sensitive to tuned exahust and intake mods, and perhaps Avery can shed more light on his mods. I think we should consider this unit as starting point, not a finished product. It does beg the question of how design creep has removed the simplicity and simple joy of flight in some ways. Perhaps something worth considering a simple unit for those entering the sport... I will say that the sectional prop cage on this unit IS nicely designed. I'm not sure if it's original or a copy of someone else's, but it allows for easy stowage -- take note other manufacturers! Cheers, ~Ted
Good observations explained well. For the exhaust, you can drill the studs just beyond the nut and safety wire it. Could you cut the plastic block shorter and drill through the tube? As for the buckles... nope.
I would honestly be concerned that battery may fail and send a flame jet into the fuel tank, even if it doesn't explode, the burning fuel around your legs & back at 1000ft would really ruin your day, Have you considered putting the battery into a flame retardent pouch like the ones for transporting large quadcopter batteries?
Tucker - how easy would it be to stress test the stock caribiner (sp?) - maybe with a youtube collab or simply hanging weights until it breaks? Genuinely curious how it would fare against it's rating...
If you want to continue flying this out of curiosity how the motor holds up can you use another harness and gas can and improve the harness mount and whatever else you can think of to improve safety.
Safety wire (or a physical locking mechanism) on all critical fastener joints is the approved method for ensuring safe flight. Locking compounds in lieu of physical methods are not approved for commercial aircraft where safety of flight is concerned. I would recommend replacing all those fasteners with drilled & safetied ones.
I don’t fly paramotor but do fly RC model airplanes, I’ve had the same problems with exhaust bolts coming loose. What’s happening is the gaskets where and compress then the tension on the bolts is gone and the bolts vibrate out. Block sand the muffler flange and the cylinder flanges good and flat then apply Copper RTV, clean the threads and the bolts with acetone and install tight with red Lock-tight.
More AliExpress Paramotor Content!
Unboxing - ua-cam.com/video/eIQxxLlsz_A/v-deo.html
First Flight - ua-cam.com/video/-5YyOnsHuAE/v-deo.html
Fatal Flaws - ua-cam.com/video/jPJkU93kkNk/v-deo.html
50mph Bicycle - ua-cam.com/video/uplteP8vJbs/v-deo.html
Bicycle Launch - ua-cam.com/video/yLi1VKE3Btc/v-deo.html
The battery could explode, igniting the fuel tank turning the whole rig into a bomb. Now, let's talk about the bigger issues. THERE"S BIGGER ISSUES?
Yeah, I don't think the issues he listed are as big as the whole thing potentially exploding on you. The strap issue is almost as big of an issue though but feels like something that is cheaper to fix than the whole, exploding battery with a flimsy fuel tank deal.
@@urazz7739 Can you replace those bad straps when one side is sewn in?
Please don't even try to take this battery on low temperatures/pressures. Lithium batteries malfunction when it's cold/freezing.. Normally batteries use a chemical reaction for both charging and discharging. As the temperature goes down, the speed of reaction goes down, and the batteries cannot generate as much voltage and current as at “normal” temperature.
At that proximity, that battery is dangerous even without the tank. If you've never seen one go, there are some vids on YT, and I've never seen on explode, but they essentially become a blow torch with a several inch flame length, and it lasts a while, several seconds on a battery like that. I suspect, as you say, directly impinging on that fuel tank, it would penetrate and ignite the fuel, and the emptier the fuel tank is, the more dangerous it is. A full fuel tank would resort in a fire, and empty one in a significant, and VERY hot explosion.
@@urazz7739 The battery exploding is one of the lesser issues because it is quite unlikely to happen. It can happen, and if it does happen, that is really really bad, yes. But one of those leg straps (or even both!) coming undone is much more likely and also very severe. So in total, that is a significantly worse issue.
I don't think you should fly this thing with either of those problems, but compared to the buckles, the battery problem is not as big.
"It might explode your fuel tank. So let's get into the bigger problems.."
Please stay away from it. We don’t need to lose you
Priceless. Should come with a sticker "HOLD MY BEER".
I agree with him. While the fuel tank, if not full especially, would be a major deal, the likelihood of that happening is probably far lower than that buckle failing, and in a single point failure to death, it doesn't matter if the failure is a huge explosion, or a little click. Just sayin'...as a former aerospace design engineer.
That Shuttle reentry disintegration probably wasn't all that loud inside the cockpit (they probably have video of the initial part of the breakup, since it almost certainly occurred in the wing), but are not going to show it to the general public, for obvious reasons, not during or after the breakup, for as long as the cockpit remained intact.
Maybe a fire extinguisher would be good on the flights.
Have you ever seen a lipo ‘explode’ they may burn fiercely and that is bad enough, but they don’t actually explode in the conventional sense.
Just so you know: LiPos don't explode from overdischarging. You can run it completely dead (assuming it's not horribly out of balance) without any immediate danger. They just cannot be safely used again after.
It's when you charge it again, that it could fail catastrophically.
Tucker, you're a healthy young man in your prime with intelligence, skills, and a good start in life as a businessman. You selected a motor to experiment with, you identified several potentially fatal flaws in design and construction, and you explained them to us, your audience and fan base. The entire world now knows that this product is not good. Why continue to risk your life flying and "testing" this product? Climb back into some good gear and stay with us into the future Bro 🙏
I agree, it's like playing with fire. Hope he listens 🙏
I mean the product is downright life threatening and he ends it with a high note "i love it". That's not right Tucker, comoon!
as long as he's using a reliable wing, what's the big deal? sounds to me like he's risking a long walk and loss of an afternoon
Completely agree. I can't stand when people say things "Don't worry. Even if the engine explodes...I'm going to be safe, I'm going to be totally fine!" He has absolutely no way of knowing that. Tempt not the Fates.
He said he wanted to wait until the engine fails, but it already did. The exhaust coming off and destroying the prop is already an engine failure...
Risky biscuits
So you gonna fly it until it fails with you in it. Similar to how the Ocean Gate Titan was submerged until it failed with its five passengers in it... 😂
The heat is what is releasing the loctite (with vibration). You will need to wire the fasteners. Thank You, Tucker, for this review. You have certainly saved lives. ❤
agreed. even if you were using red Loctite that stuffs only good to 400 degrees or so and exhausts can get pretty hot. At my shop if we have a critical fastener that can not be allowed to back out we drill a hole through the head and run a steel wire through it anchored to another nearby bolt.
I'm surprised that's not standard in Paramotors, considering it is in most forms of aviation.
Try rtv on the bolts put it on the bolt that goes thru the muffler and on the thread
Torsional vibration may be an underlying cause here... even lock wire may not stop the bolts fatiguing the soft alloy, allowing them to 'come loose' due to the harmonics being produced.
Heli-coil the threads and high temp loctite... might... might... slow it down.
Redesign is the best solution... however... you would never get me to strap one of those to my back.
There are a hundred different varieties of Loctite, some of which are meant for applications like this. Safety wire is a great backup though.
Its not a giveaway if a purchase is required. Thats a lottery.
and is it even legal to do?
For the exhaust bolts or any nut/bolt combination that experiences vibration, use safety wire with safety wire pliers.
The Chinese marking on the plastic says "RED" , "紅" . In the field of radio control model aeroplane, back in the late 80s , early 90s, they used something called the "soft mount". The model engine was bolted onto pieces of metal plate sandwiching pieces of rubber. The rubber part was bolted onto the engine mount of the model plane. The whole engine was literally sitting on the piece of rubber isolating the vibration. May be that is the idea why the metal plate does not imbedded inside the whole piece of rubber in this paramotor.
Agreed. It says "Red"
I tried soft mounts once on a little Zenoah G-23... vibrated like a Mo Fo!
I guess that's more suitable for silly ground vehicle projects like a boat or bike pusher. To be honest, both projects could work as testing platforms to see how many hours this engine will be able to run before failure.
Not even that, maybe it could work without tearing itself apart if you ran it at low RPM, but then why pay for something you can't use? Plus it depends on the charge of the battery to run... Even cheap chinese bicycle motors have a magneto.
It makes sense for the intended purpose of it's original design: an RC airplane engine. You save some cost and weight, and you need a battery to run the electronics anyways. Two birds with one stone. But for anything else it falls short.
Propulsion for an air canoe?
I don't know... I saw the video with this on his bicycle... TTD (Time to Death) looked shorter than TBO there too!
Great video. You made the right call by not giving it away. I respect your integrity
lmao.. kind of common sense don't ya think? That Paramotor is a death trap lol
The moment I saw the previous video that talked about him giving away an AliExpress paramoter, I was in disbelief, as I couldn't imagine Tucker giving away anything like that from AliExpress.
@@-108- Wouldn't give away anything that flies anyone is a wise decision.
@@downtomars6268 True that. lol
Would be interesting to see a pull test of the knock off carabiner versus a legit one.
@hellsfavoritesaltyberserke4724 Or "HowNOT2"
project farm channel should do!
Tucker the battery and gas tank proximity will light you and your wing up. You don’t need to further test pilot this one! Semper Fi! Just an old Viet Vet!
I've seen Chinese products in the US with fake safety standards marks on them and it's scary.
The size difference between a nice setup and this AliExpress version is wild.
That big one is a trike.
The primer bulb was a safety feature. You should have left it stock. Now you are liable for anything that may result from that modification, no joke.
I've seen companies do this sort of thing so many times or sell it in two parts and then because you assembler the two pieces its your fault
You aren't getting any liability payouts from a Chinese company anyway.
Now that right there is funny... if you can't laugh at that...! Liable.. the Chinese don't even have a word for that.
@@tihruytssgjjvsavcxtbvhj3429 you get no payout, your dead
I'd always go for steel carabiners directly from a reputable company. They don't cost the world, especially not for a single point of failure component.
What's scary is he apparently can't think of a way to see if they can do what the label says.
Sorry if this is a dumb question (tin can flyer here, not a para pilot) - could you not use 2 carabiners (the good ones) on each side? I understand there might be chafing of some sort, but you could pad with some sacrificial thin line as a seperator no?
@@witblitsfilm there are only few dumb questions in existence and this isn't one of them. I'm not sure what you mean by the thin sacrificial line, but regarding the redundant carabiners, where these hook into the riser set (thick bands that bundle/group the lines so they can be connected to the harness) there is physically no space to fit two.
You should do a video weight testing the carabiner!
Can't because of the bad clips.
Yes you can lol
This has to be done!
The engine may surprise you. I bought that exact engine from China for a small 1 man hovercraft. I didn't get a battery with it so I used a 7.2Ah lead acid battery. The exhaust is crap so I made a different one and wirelocked the bolts. I didn't use a prop, I used a toothed belt driving a multiwing fan. The plugs that came with it were crap as well so I bought NGK plugs. It's got about 250 hours on it now and still going!
I read the below posts! Many good points! Keep the battery the heck away from that fuel tank. Keep up the good work!
Paramotoring can be risky, but paramotoring in a seriously flawed machine is a recipe for disaster.
Yep...tempting fate...which isn't something I normally associate with Tucker...he has always been able to identify Risky Biscuits.
So fix the flaws before flying.
🤷
woman moment
I went to a fly-in at Hodges Field in GA a few weeks ago, and I have to say, I met dozens of other pilots who, like me, got into the sport because of your videos. Thanks a lot for what you've done and continue to do man. Cheers from Alabama.
Thanks man, I appreciate that!
Haha can you imagine?
Glad you did this review Tucker! This is a valuable LESSON for people to understand what you get when you buy "Knock Off" products with NO QUALITY CONTROL. China has been knocking off products and stealing Intellectual Property for years with ZERO consequences and this is the result. I have seen every Industry in the economy flooded with knock off products like this and they all have serious design flaws which may be hard to detect on first inspection. Poorly casted metal parts with micro imperfections you cant see; Metal Alloys that WILL eventually FAIL because the chemistry and forging of the steel has been done with impurities; Plastics and Fabrics made with subpar materials...etc..etc. I could go on but you get it -- Risky Biscuits?? These products are more like Crumbling Cookies!
Crumbling Cookies! Hysterical! you are so right, my son had a bad accident with a Chinese knock off bike when the metal just failed for no reason. Lesson Learned
Crumbling Cookies, LOL, sums up this motor perfectly
The Chinese lettering says Crumbling Cookies!!!!
Crumbling cookies might be an understatement --I have seen the same thing with impure metal in the Chinese knock off furniture industry. Everything you say is spot on!
@@billrichards7838 same thing happened to me but with a knock off Chinese lawnmower and i almost lost my fingers
Would be interesting to test both carabiners to failure.
I was thinking the same thing! Have a machine that can pull the carabiners apart. See how much of force it would really take
Great idea
I work with a product testing lab that does these stress tests all the time and all of the "Knock Off" products always fail way under what they are rated for; and when the metal is forensically inspected under electron microscopy the metal always has impurities!
Will it get me more views? I'm in! Lol.
@@MichaelJoe212 the guys at the hownot2 channel have tested knockoff climbing carabiners and rope. majority pass or exceed the stated rating. usually only thing lacking is the documentation/certification material consistency/provenance. that being said, it's better to use stuff you can trust.
though on the flip side, even in the stock carabiner, just hanging in the harness and throwing weight around; the safety factor is at least 3-5x max achievable load if not more.
Great vid again!!!! Nice assessment. Fair critique IMO. If they had spent the time and $ to address these failure modes before they went into production they could have followed with a slightly higher price and better motor, exhaust, carabiners, harness latches, fuel tank etc…
God bless you my friend!
If you want to test the engine to destruction (cool idea), maybe consider doing that while the engine is strapped to a test bench. Put a shop fan in front of it to replicate airflow. Just as effective and a heck of a lot safer.
The safety feature of being able to unclip fast is also a death trap feature 😂🪂🪂🏊♀🏊♂
With this equipment, you can do whatever you want with it. Play with tuning, remake it.
I love your videos please stay safe and don’t be stupid, I couldn’t live with that, your my favorite UA-camr!
You could always tac weld the exhaust bolt heads for a semi permanent fix 😄😎
Steel to aluminum ,not so much.
@@dolphincliffs8864 it can be done. But who said anything about steel to aluminum?
Thanks for keeping us ahead of our flights , instead of behind our grave stones 😮
Tucker, I'm glad you're using good hardware to replace the stock garbage with. You should definitely fashion some sort of "firewall" to put between the battery, and the fuel tank. Maybe get someone to 3D print a thicker tank for you, out of a fire resistant plastic. Thanks for sharing those truly fatal flaws. Frankly, this product needs to be banned by the FAA, and CAA, unless the owner upgrades all of the components you mentioned, and then has it re-inspected, after the upgrades. It's just too dangerous.
You're saving lives Tucker. Could you mount it on something and let it run without being airborne? Great review!
Just what I was thinking. No reason to risk his health or life to find out!
Definitely going to try it on a bike.
@@TuckerGott You probably have saved someone's life by going through all of this extensive and thorough testing and sharing the results in your videos. Thank you sir!
@@TuckerGott Red silicon might hold the exhaust bolts in place. The large scale model aircraft guys use it to stop the mufflers coming loose. Coat the entire thread of the bolt and the faces of the mufflers with it. Hope it helps!
Hi.I haven 't visited your channel for 1.5 years because of that damn war !I was surprised by your new look, it's very unusual to look at you without long hair.Good luck and a soft landing! 😊
Lipos don't really explode but do become little flamethrowers (with a pretty hot flame too)... Which is even worse to have next to a fiel tank!
This makes me wonder if there is a paramotoring community in China.
China has a ton of restricted airspace areas. I doubt it's very flexible around the populated areas. Maybe in the west
Never expected to run into TayZonday in a paramotoring video lol
There was, but they all exploded in the air.
Its at the local grave yard
Obligatory vanilla snow comment
"Don't worry. Even if the engine explodes...I'm going to be safe, I'm going to be totally fine!" -Tucker Gott 2023
C'mon bro really? That's awfully arrogant to make a comment like that. Even the most experienced people have accidents. You don't control everything. Tempt not the Fates.
I rate the battery the worst potential failure. Any and all 2strokes can will and do fail so thats not a biggie. You must be prepared for that with every paramotor and flight.
For the exhaust, use an anvil and a hammer, lightly smoosh up the threads on the screw so that it creates additional friction when going into the engine. It won't take much at all, so don't go ham on it.
Yes, this can shave down the threading in the block, but as long as you aren't constantly moving the bolts, it should prevent vibrations from causing them to come loose like they have been
Massive public service. If you convinced even one less experienced pilot not to purchase the less expensive option here then you really earned your wings today. Thanks for this.
You cannot predict just what type of catastrophic failure this machine will eventually give you.....or when. Takeoff and landing failures are obviously potentially deadly, but even at altitude you could have part of the prop / engine / cage go through the canopy or rigging. And then there's the whole exploding fuel-battery bomb thing LOL. Fire bad. Run it to failure on a test stand, NOT on your back. You'll still get the clicks 🙂
I agree with you on the safety issue. However, running it on a stand won't show what will fail first.
Test pilots go up in the air knowing that they might be in trouble, and hopefully, mitigate those potential disasters. The good thing is that he's meticulously going through and trying to anticipate what might fail, so that he can have a plan of action if/when it does.
@Tucker Gott - you should reach out to the maker and give them rights to a Tucker Gott edition that addresses those issues.
i can see the lawsuits already...
Peace of mind is worth a lot. This video does nothing but renew my satisfaction with the FT and its Moster 185.
On the topic of muffler bolts loosening, if you're not already doing it, I'd recommend to run the motor nice and hot and then re-tightening the bolts while hot. We do this on the nitro RC helis to avoid dropping the mufflers and it works great.
From the word AliExpress, how did anyone not know this thing was "less than unsafe"?
Wow, this actually makes Blackhawk paramotors look good by comparison.
What specifically is bad about them?
that's part of the plan
One of my favourite series, interesting and informative.
One thing you liked about it was the potability, the small take-it-anywhere aspect.
Maybe you coud do some videos on using that size with an Atom 80, a better harness etc but keep the tiny cage and prop.
Your a freaking LEGEND dude! This review had to be done! Your saving lives with this content. Oh yeah... HUGE BALLS!
Yeah Man- Huge Balls-- big hairy chests!!! That's what aviators need to stay alive!
He is getting more adrenaline knowing all these risks 😂
Tucker, that point of failure may be during take off and you may not have time to find a safe landing. I love your programming and you are an AWESOME guy, please be careful! THe world is better with you in it!
I’ve always thought aviation was missing a measure of novelty.
After learning about all these potential points of failure, no way in hell I'd fly that thing ever again.
The guy also flew with a hot pizza oven, how stupid is that?
100 ways (or more) the Ali Express paramotor can kill ya!
When you said "let's talk about the bigger issues" after explaining how the battery is next to the fuel tank, my eyes exploded.
2 Words for you - Safety Wire - I'm assuming you're familiar since most aircraft use it extensively where vibration is a concern - you need to put safety wire on those bolts that keep backing out - that will mechanically prevent them from turning and loosening up (and wrecking anything when the exhaust falls off again)
I'm just fixing to leave for my first day of training XD
The Chinese love our money not us.
I say besides the clamps the lipo battery being next to fuel tank while providing power to a coil and spark plug instead of a proper magneto, so battery not just run starter is a huge fatal flaw. If battery overheats and being a lipo it is likely not going to end well. If something hit like prop breaking due to exhaust bolts working loose and hits battery and puncture it it game over as well. They sure have put a shield around it.
If bolt just hit the fuel tank fuel likely leak out and yes fumes can cause fire but likely won’t be catastrophic, that battery definitely will be a serious fire as lipo when puncture, or overheat like to violently catch fire and explode.
You should take that pocket size frame and see if you can put a atom 8 or a reliable motor with that wood prop and better harness. Would be a fun experimental build video series.
best idea yet imo
I'm chinese and at 4:00, it looks to say........ Red? Red looks like this: 红。Pretty Similar.
I'm not Chinese, but definately it says 红 = red.
Weird, that doesn’t make much sense. 😂 But thank you for the translation.
@@TuckerGottAnytime! ;) I was confused when I saw that too!
@@TuckerGott It makes sense in that the model you got is red, it's probably just how they pair up the parts
I agree it's 红, "red"
The biggest reason that paramotor will get you killed is noise. The thing is so loud, angry folks are going to shoot you down.
Or two on an ultralight? Like the old riddle: What’s the advantage to an underpowered twin-engine aircraft? None. It doubles the chance of engine failure, but it will still get you to the scene of the crash.
Tucker's request (4:02): "If somebody could decode that, that would be cool!" OK Tucker, my friend on the Web gave me the translation: 红 (hong) means red.
Tucker rocks!
*AND THEN SOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* *#1* 😆👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
1st love your videos
1:36 you could drill the header in the block with the exhaust mounted and tie wire the bolts so they don't come loose, or put studs and pin them in the head and then tie wire the nuts
This is the kind of thing I would expect to see delivered to the Coyote in an ACME box
If you are concerned about a bolt loosening up, you might wish to consider a safety wire fix. A .032 hole drilled through the bolt head with corresponding wire threaded through the hole, using the proper technique, will guarantee the bolt will not loosen up. If you have a drill press it is pretty east peasy.
Could you try a tensile strength test on the carabiner with a car jack and some ratchet straps?
Red Loctite requires no air and must be encapsulated in active metal. Non-active metals like zinc that coats most bolts, nuts, etc., requires an activator or primer to make it work. You have to get something like Vibra-Tite VC3 tape. Doesn't require setting time and doesn't need to be airtight, etc. My exhaust has yet to work loose after using the orange VC3 tape.
4:38 the beast lurking in the background 😈😂
I do theatrical rigging. We fly people for shows. We also use the same harness clips that are on your harness!!
I can not believe you flew this prior to this video. Glad you are alive
Not wise to continue flying as it is.. Maybe swap the harness out for a good safe one, change the exhaust to one that actually stays in place & allows the engine to be less asthmatic, upgrade the carb for a better one isnt expensive, sack the lithium battery off & use a simple pull start with standard electronics, or dangle the lithium battery from a 30 foot cable underneath the rig with a quick release re-used from the crappy harness buckles... Then just use the paramotor as an unusual but effective leaf blower in the autumn... Risky biscuits tastes jolly nice, alas we dont want charred crumbs thanks tucker... Stay safe dude..
The engine looks like a DLE twin for R/C airplanes. Here's how you keep the mufflers tight. Clean the muffler and muffler bolt threads real good and make sure the threads are dry, then add a little bit of high temp copper Loctite silicone to the bolt threads, then ditch the muffler gaskets and use the copper Loctite silicone to make a thin gasket on each muffler, then bolt the mufflers to engine, let it sit over night, re-tighten the bolts and you're good to go. I've never a muffler on any of my giant scale R/C planes come loose.
I know the original idea was how to take the whole system as-is, but as anyone who buys stuff from China/aliexpress we buy knowing that the product is likely to have flaws that we need to build around.
In this case it looks like you would be buying the kit for the motor and the cage the rest likely needs upgrades or replaced.
It looks like you have identified a few points that need addressed
#1 the battery likely needs a low voltage cut off added to the system, either you could get a battery that already has a BMS in it or you could buy a low voltage cutoff module and add that in-line.
#2 while you said the harness is likely ok, it doesn't inspire confidence, so toss it for one you trust.
#3 The exhaust. As many others have said in the previous videos there are ways to fix the issue/make it safe as they are known issues to the RC world, I'd also look into seeing what after market exhausts there are and how much they would cost.
Lastly could you could likely make a few videos of you making the needed upgrades for safety reasons and then run the motor hard goofing off in silly ways to drive views until it either ultimately fails or impresses you on the reliability factor considering the cost.
Assuming the the motor doesn't instantly eat itself and does end up impressing you, you could make a video on how much each of the upgrades had cost you and compare it buying something proven that's new and/or used.
I use to work for the air guard and most of our bolts on the aircrafts where safety wired.
If you have the right equipment you can drill a hole in the heard of the bolt to fasten your safety wire.
SAFETY
WIRE
or locking-wire is a type of positive locking device that prevents fasteners from falling out due to vibration and other forces. The presence of safety wiring may also serve to indicate that the fasteners have been properly tightened.
03:05 Li-Po's tend to spark a little when plugging the connectors in, not to mention how vulnerable they are to damage, crazy it's just chilling with some velcro straps right next to a fuel tank.....
Next T shirt design...
The Grim Reaper flying the AliExpress paramotor... leg strap undone, flapping in the breeze, with a total look of horror.
I'd buy that one 😂
I would store that thing in a separate building from your other flying gear. Who knows when that battery is going to go up in flames.
you want to use a larger diameter exhaust mount bolt with a locking nut, then you will need to reinforce the opening as that vibration will be taken out somewhere so if the bolts don't come loose it might start ripping at the can material? stainless locking nuts, washers, better stainless bolts and washers
Tucker, Great series - I might have been tempted! Would be good if you could have a dialogue with the manufacturer, and get them to acknowledge and fix the flaws based on your recommendations. Would also make another good video.
Nobody should be selling dangerous and sketchy stuff anywhere, and should be called out to either fix it or get shut down.
BASE jumping containers made by one of the industry leaders "Squirrel" has a similar detachable leg straps where two Aluminum (!!) buckles are interfering with each other face to face and are free to slide out from each other when not under load. Makes my butt pucker every time I see a buddy of mine put one on.
Another flaw is engine related, the engine has no main seals, only sealed bearings that will leak vacuum and pressure. This will cause the engine to be hard to start. If you ignore the hard starting, and assume it is a carburetor problem, or a fuel pump problem the engine has the possibility of stalling at an idle, and be difficult to restart again. I don't know if you ever let your engines idle in the air.
Wow, so many comments on the exhaust bolt situation and I think only one guy who runs these engines on model aeroplanes got it right, saying that the gasket compresses leaving the bolt loose and I can't see loctite helping as normally it's heated to allow removal! No wonder you've had problems Tucker. I'd try a different type of gasket material, maybe of a graffite kind and like many have said, drill the bolt heads and wire them.
remembers me of cheapo chinese nockoffs from Stihl chainsaws. There the Chainbrake was nonfunctional/absend and only a static handle. In the original test they assumed that the builder may even not know for what the brake is for. Happy head splitting
Would be interesting to see the price tag to fix all the known fatal flaws: propeller, new exhaust, moving the battery to a safer place (or fireproof box), replacing leg harnesses, replacing carabiner, etc. Would all the added costs still be cheaper than any other paramoter on the market?
Just save up and buy a legit one.
The way you fix the exhaust bolts coming loose is to convert to exhaust studs, then you can put a nut with a lock washer then a jam nut on top of it. Easy fix.
I have Avery Colburn's unit in my shop for some mods to the onboard starter. Interestingly, it seems you could fit another harness to the frame in the standard manner, thus mitigating the risk from that side. The part I'm modifying -- the starter unit -- is also a design flaw. The OEM relies on a "sprag bearing" that grips the crank when engaged, and free spins when starter is not powered up. It failed on him 2x, and when I disassembled it for analysis, I found that there's a through-crank lubrication system that was supposed to feed 2 cycle premix to that bearing. It was either inadequate or misaligned (Design flaw in both cases) and while I'm attempting to engineer a better solution, it is another thing to beware of. My solution will likely require plugging that lubrication hole, but I'll be doing a careful review of what subsystems are affected before I do. I will say that Avery has a nice exhaust system fitted that beats thos gatling cans in terms of noise and function. 2 strokes are particularly sensitive to tuned exahust and intake mods, and perhaps Avery can shed more light on his mods. I think we should consider this unit as starting point, not a finished product. It does beg the question of how design creep has removed the simplicity and simple joy of flight in some ways. Perhaps something worth considering a simple unit for those entering the sport... I will say that the sectional prop cage on this unit IS nicely designed. I'm not sure if it's original or a copy of someone else's, but it allows for easy stowage -- take note other manufacturers! Cheers, ~Ted
Good observations explained well. For the exhaust, you can drill the studs just beyond the nut and safety wire it. Could you cut the plastic block shorter and drill through the tube? As for the buckles... nope.
I would honestly be concerned that battery may fail and send a flame jet into the fuel tank, even if it doesn't explode, the burning fuel around your legs & back at 1000ft would really ruin your day, Have you considered putting the battery into a flame retardent pouch like the ones for transporting large quadcopter batteries?
Tucker - how easy would it be to stress test the stock caribiner (sp?) - maybe with a youtube collab or simply hanging weights until it breaks? Genuinely curious how it would fare against it's rating...
If you want to continue flying this out of curiosity how the motor holds up can you use another harness and gas can and improve the harness mount and whatever else you can think of to improve safety.
It's like I've always said, don't cheap out on things that can kill you.
And this week has been a week of proving that point.
Good point, also don't go cheap on things meant to save your butt.
To hot for locktight. Have to us a mechanical locking fastener or a Belleville washer might do it but a nord lock washer will do the trick.
Safety wire (or a physical locking mechanism) on all critical fastener joints is the approved method for ensuring safe flight. Locking compounds in lieu of physical methods are not approved for commercial aircraft where safety of flight is concerned. I would recommend replacing all those fasteners with drilled & safetied ones.
I don’t fly paramotor but do fly RC model airplanes, I’ve had the same problems with exhaust bolts coming loose. What’s happening is the gaskets where and compress then the tension on the bolts is gone and the bolts vibrate out. Block sand the muffler flange and the cylinder flanges good and flat then apply Copper RTV, clean the threads and the bolts with acetone and install tight with red Lock-tight.