Wolf in Sheeps clothing

[Make-a-Wake]

Been long enough for me to start a new project...................going back to my original passion that started me out with boats.................modding the elegant, scale looking, Villain IV. Found a pristine 1 owner on ebay a couple weeks ago.

Fairly tame and conservative in appearance, this 20 yr old, 31" Deep Vee will seem like easy prey for the modern FG brushless boats with its ancient dual outdrive system.

But what if I were to:

-Swap the 20T brushed stinger motors with their 80 watt output for a couple 3656 2600kv brushless motors putting out 700 watts each?

-Change the driveline from 4mm to 5mm to handle the power?

-replace the stock plastic drive gears with steel pinions and spurs?

-Add 5mm flanged bearings to support the 5mm shafts thru new large diameter brass tubing?

-install some steel U-joints in place of the plastic noisy ones?

-Swap out the 4mm short shafts for 4mm to 3/16 drives to accept some real props?

-Yank the plastic 2 piece props and throw on a set of shiny, sharp counter-rotating x447's?

Well.......................thats what i'm gonna do

Sneek peek:

[Jesse J]

Ohohoo ya! Now were talkin! I will need to know where I can get the metal u joints.
One thought: since you are increasing the power by an order of magnitude, you may think about striping off the lift strakes ?? I would also want pretty deep fins on the drives. Looks like a fun project!

[NorCalZ71]

Subscribed! Gonna have to steal some of these mods for my EX!

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk

[Make-a-Wake]

Thanks guys! I had to do some major hunting to find all the upgraded driveline pieces....................got the bearings from one place................5mm steel rod from another.....................Steel U-joints from ebay...................Exact factory gearing(28t x 14t) in steel from Tower hobbies..............................etc, etc...............

I settled on the 2600kv on 3s for this reason. 2600 x 11.1v nominal = 28860. Stock titans in the EX version are 1700kv x 14.4 = 24480. I didnt want huge rpm's, but i'll be spinning sharp, non-flexing 447's and can go up to in pinion teeth easily.............15, 16, 18 etc.................... for more speed if she can handle it.

Jesse, what is your setup again..................it was a more scale, bit milder brushless build right???

U-joints, he's got some other cool stuff too - http://www.ebay.com/itm/220651732994...84.m1439.l2649

bearing pics...........

[Make-a-Wake]

Oh........here are the 4mm to 4mm that i think you will need Jesse.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/universal-joint-coupling-4mm-4mm-rc-model-boat-scale-/160671200083?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item2568bff353

[Alexgar]

When doing my nitro vee conversion I found mine at graupner u joints that is

[NorCalZ71]

I think I might just have to beef up the stock drive system on my ex. And while I'm at it convert my single drive to 5mm. Gotta find someone with a lathe to turn down the end to 3/16
So I can use standard props tho.
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[Chris Harris]

This brings back a lot of memories. The Traxxas Villain IV was my first R/C boat. I bought mine way back in 1989!
I had a lot of good times with that boat, tried my best to wear the bottom off her. LOL

Cool project, looking forward to some video!


Chris

[Brushless55]

Very cool bro!
tagin along on this one....

[Jesse J]

Thanks guys! I had to do some major hunting to find all the upgraded driveline pieces....................got the bearings from one place................5mm steel rod from another.....................Steel U-joints from ebay...................Exact factory gearing(28t x 14t) in steel from Tower hobbies..............................etc, etc...............

I settled on the 2600kv on 3s for this reason. 2600 x 11.1v nominal = 28860. Stock titans in the EX version are 1700kv x 14.4 = 24480. I didnt want huge rpm's, but i'll be spinning sharp, non-flexing 447's and can go up to in pinion teeth easily.............15, 16, 18 etc.................... for more speed if she can handle it.

Jesse, what is your setup again..................it was a more scale, bit milder brushless build right???

U-joints, he's got some other cool stuff too - http://www.ebay.com/itm/220651732994...84.m1439.l2649

bearing pics...........

ha! milder? how about STOCK!! oh ya, the only upgrade is fiberglass hull, some paint and an EVX2 speedy. same stock Villain IV motors..... I know, tisk tisk. but .... until I get my trailer back from my buddy up in Montana, upon whenst I can perform a true boat launching with my Topkick crawler as the main man, I doubt I will spend much time on her. Besides, I should let you get all the beta testing done, so I can saunter on back to this thread and hit all the juicy tidbits you are so graciously providing!

until then, I will be right here riding shotgun!

[cenracer]

Going to have to follow this one closely as I am doing the same thing to my Villain IV... Glad to see I'm not the only one here who wants to do this.. My boat is pretty close to the same age as yours..

[Jacked1]

This brings back a lot of memories. The Traxxas Villain IV was my first R/C boat. I bought mine way back in 1989!
I had a lot of good times with that boat, tried my best to wear the bottom off her. LOL

Cool project, looking forward to some video!


Chris

It was my first boat too! But I was born in 1989... haha

This should be pretty cool! Isn't this your 3rd Villian?!
I have some uses for those metal U jounts

[Make-a-Wake]

Thanks gents!!

Tag along Brushless55................. cenracer - hopefully we can get it all right sharing some info.................Jesse - i could swear you had a mild brushless setup, although i saw yours on youtube and it was just kinda puttin' around LOL................. Jacked - yep, 3rd Villain, i have two 6s single drive IV's as well!

You guys will never believe this but i won another one that was way down on my watch list on ebay, forgot i even bid on it, then saw it when it came to the top with me leading, kept hopin' for someone to outbid me, but won it for only 51 bucks, and it looks nicer than this one. I guess i will have one to just leave stock and put up on the shelf to become a classic one day.

The one i just won: http://www.ebay.com/itm/260880341213...84.m1439.l2649

A few more pics, I had to bore out the tube holes in the mount to 11/32's, now the larger brass tubes fit. The reason for the larger tubes is because the 5mm i.d. flanged bearings have an 8mm o.d. and the pop right in to 11/32 brass tubes. This driveline is gonna be silky smooth i hope!

2nd pic below is with the stock aluminum tubes, in the 3rd pic the shaft hole has been bored on the one on the left. 4th pic is the new brass tube fittin' in nicely, 5th pic are the 4000 3s 30c batts, motors, and two 60a Turnigy's............man, you just cant beat a Turnigy ESC.

[Chris Harris]

It was my first boat too! But I was born in 1989... haha

Oh man, now your makin me feel old. J/K That's the year I graduated High School LOL



Chris

[srislash]

I'm gonna have to pay attention as well.I've got a old Graupner Portofino to mod at some time.Same setup twin drives 2-1 ratio.It still has the X440's on it.It's tre cool to revive the old stuff.