Newbie with Delta Force clone RTR needs help changing motor and flex shaft?

[daign]

Newbie here.

I've got a Delta Force 'clone' I got off the forums cheap as my first 'real boat' I wanted to start with and learn the ropes. I am going from a 3665 Motor to a new 4074 2200kv Leopard motor, I've got the 5mm to 4mm coupler on the motor and a 2 piece 4mm China special flex shaft that is too long. Is it normal to trim the flex shaft? I was told it would not hold up to the new motor and to go with a .187 flex? I'd prefer to do it right the first time. I will have to look up how to completely remove this two piece flex shaft unless someone can tell me how. I've got the prop yanked off and the flex shaft slides forward and hits something and backwards.

Pictures of my boat are at the bottom here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/102046385214554961345/albums/5909216900092058033?authkey=CJr05vbloI3ZIw

And the shredded 4mm flex shaft here:



Thanks for the help guys.

[tlandauer]

Yes, we trim the cable all the time, use Dremel with a cut-off wheel and start cutting off. Measure twice and cut once as they say :), be careful that it can get hot and wear protective goggles!!! I also wear a mask but eye protection is a must, you will feel flying debris hitting your face! No kidding!
A .187 cable in a 1/4" K&S brass tube w/o the Teflon liner is fail safe. I have the Pursuit with a .150 cable in the same tube with the Teflon liner running a Leopard 4082, 2200kv for two years w/o issue. Is that a spacer on the motor mount?, what is behind it? an aluminum bell that is fixed and inside was the coupler? That needs to go if you go for more conventional set up like a collet between the motor shaft and the cable. Also take note that a .187 collet is quite long and thick, you may not have room there. Ultimately you might have to remove the motor mount and install everything more " conventionally" for the set up I just mentioned. Rightnow there isn't too much epoxy around the mount, and the exit hole for the stuffing tube is clean, two major pluses if you decide to do it over.
JMO. Good luck and have fun with it.
Just saw your pictures, beautiful boat! What size is it? if it is like a 26" hull, I think .187 is way too much ! I didn't see the boat and was thinking it would be at least as big as the Pursuit, hence my suggestions!

[daign]

Yes, we trim the cable all the time, use Dremel with a cut-off wheel and start cutting off. Measure twice and cut once as they say :), be careful that it can get hot and wear protective goggles!!! I also wear a mask but eye protection is a must, you will feel flying debris hitting your face! No kidding!
A .187 cable in a 1/4" K&S brass tube w/o the Teflon liner is fail safe. I have the Pursuit with a .150 cable in the same tube with the Teflon liner running a Leopard 4082, 2200kv for two years w/o issue. Is that a spacer on the motor mount?, what is behind it? an aluminum bell that is fixed and inside was the coupler? That needs to go if you go for more conventional set up like a collet between the motor shaft and the cable. Also take note that a .187 collet is quite long and thick, you may not have room there. Ultimately you might have to remove the motor mount and install everything more " conventionally" for the set up I just mentioned. Rightnow there isn't too much epoxy around the mount, and the exit hole for the stuffing tube is clean, two major pluses if you decide to do it over.
JMO. Good luck and have fun with it.
Just saw your pictures, beautiful boat! What size is it? if it is like a 26" hull, I think .187 is way too much ! I didn't see the boat and was thinking it would be at least as big as the Pursuit, hence my suggestions!

Thanks for the quick response and compliment! Its a Delta Force 33" clone from http://tobsd.com/. That spacer thing did confuse me and seemed like a stupid part of the design. The coupler actually goes inside there and you can access the set screws by rotating the shaft. I actually removed the screws when unscrewing the motor before I realized they werent screwed into the motor at all. I assume its there to reinforce the crappy chinese motor mount that I WOULD like to replace but I'm not sure I'll put that much effort into this hull..

I'm at a point where I want to remove the dual flex shaft but can't quite figure out whats holding it in. I'm thinking about removing the stinger at the back. I've got the prop and dog bolt off etc. I want to measure while on the boat, and then cut outside the boat. It is unraveling unfortunately and the set screws were actually connected to the thinner inner core!

I may have to ask my boat club friends for help on redoing the mount perhaps is the best idea. They all laughed at it when I first showed it to them. I was shocked how little adjustment it had as well...

[tlandauer]

Ask your friends to get the old mount off---they might have experience in dealing with this king of situation. Get one of these:http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...prod=ose-80600
Also check the size of your stuffing tube. If it is the Chinese tube for the 2-piece stub shaft, you can replace it with the K&S 1/4" tube:http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...dh-ks-brass-tb
Right now you have to remove your stinger to get the solid shaft out, mark where it is set carefully if the boat is running well.

[properchopper]

Some thoughts :

Remove the metal spacer-looking thing. It appears to be a one piece item that also supports the stuffing tube. Once you get the correct sized stuffing tube worked out, support it with a piece of trimmed scrap epoxied underneath.

Epoxy-strengthen the existing mount (unless of course you remove it and replace it with one like Tlandauer suggested). Either way get some GOOD epoxy ( the best : http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...1#.UlHb_VP0_yA )

If you replace the stuffing tube with .250 brass tubing, be sure it mates well with the stinger strut. Once it's off that can be addressed.

If you're keeping the existing mount you'll need to get a 5mm to .187 collet that fits inside the motor mount between the front and rear cross-pieces. This is the shortest [30mm] and should fit (measure first).
http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...prod=etti-a034

You'll need larger turn fins