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What kind of advantages are there for using wire-drive over flexshaft? Can u still use the same struts you would with flexshafts? I guess you still use a stuffing tube? Many questions, i have.
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"They call me Fast5sRevo88 over at RCM"(in cowboy voice)
"There's no such thing as to much power!" -
You can still use a "regular" shaft. Most people don't run teflon, but some do.
The main thing is less resistance. Mostly b/c you don't need a stuffing tube except where the shaft exits the hull. It'll be fine otherwise without one.
But you have to make sure there's a lot less bend in a wire drive than that of a flex cable system. [Read motor as far forward as possible in a mono] -
Ok, in the case of doing a twin cat u obviously don't have to get opposite wound anything either and be interchangeable from side to side? What size wire should i use in a 32" boat?"They call me Fast5sRevo88 over at RCM"(in cowboy voice) "There's no such thing as to much power!"Comment
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Last edited by Ub Hauled; 06-23-2009, 08:58 PM.:::::::::::::::. It's NEVER fast enough! .:::::::::::::::Comment
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078 would be great for that.
Lots of reasons for using them. You can also search this subject as there has been plenty of info on them.
Steve has them here on OSE.Comment
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Only advantage i have ever found with running a wiredrive (personal experience only) is you get really good at sharping and balancing the replacement for the prop you just lost.Comment
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Blowing a wire and losing a prop is not only a disadvantage but usually a result of one of the following.
1. Poor drive line setup. This involves the angles and contact points that the wire may have in the path from the motor to the strut.
2. Excessive power for the wire size, although I do believe a 078 wire has done 140mph
3. Tail shaft not setup for the possible loss of a shaft. I have a small bullet that fits to the wire in front of the strut and holds the tail shaft in the possible event of a wire failure. I hate replacing props.
This is not an attack on any poster on this thread at all, just my ideas on wire drives.
I run 7 hulls now with wires and one with flex (OB) 30mph to close to 60mph
I love wires !!
See it....find the photos.....sketch it it....build it........with woodComment
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I have just started using wire drives and one major advantage is that you just cut it to length with some nippers. No more cutting wheels on the dremel and then trying to solder the ends.
IMPBA 20481S D-12Comment
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You really should follow the instructions better.
You ALWAYS put a wheel collar between the motor coupler and the stuffing box. That way when your Flex Hex, U-Joint, or other coupler lets go of the motor or the cable/rod/wire driveshaft, there's something to keep it from going out the back.
AndySpektrum Development TeamComment
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Thats a great theory but didnt work for me. the issue i had was at the strut end. The wire would break free at the stub. I posted pics of the wiredrive setup i used on here for the balsa cat. It just wouldnt handle the power i tried like 5 different times with different setups. i havent seen one that works for very long. (not to say they dont) ( other club members tried as well with similar results). The first two i tried were jeff wolts wire drives they didnt hold, neither did the ones i tried to make. Im not trying to start a fight just stating my opinions. The wires were as smooth as i possibly make it in a cat hell the motor was touching the bottom of the boat and was almost at the midships. I gave up for what i do the good old flex holds up great even though it creates drag. To each there own. Good luckComment
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You're probably right, it may have been too tight a bend for the hull. You'd need to have the motor up at the bow - piano wire imho is really only well-suited to hydros and a few special cases (I had one in a mono with a real low angle on it).
Guess we all just need to use the right tool for the job, and this sounds like in your case it was the wrong tool. Glad to hear the cable is working for you, though.
AndySpektrum Development TeamComment
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I am with Andy, wire does not like to bend too tight,
all drive systems have a "natural" flex to them, one does not wanna
bend passed that point when it starts to force the bend... that's why
wires are well suited for places where there there is a longer distance
and there isn't much of a height difference between the coupler and the strut.
Flex shafts allow a more acute bend w/o any problems, allowing for a much
shorter distance between the coupler and the strut.:::::::::::::::. It's NEVER fast enough! .:::::::::::::::Comment
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I don't know much about harmonic oscillations... I run my wire bare and exposed, except a little portion at the entrance of to the hull... I never had any weird vibrations nor snapped wires. My problems had to do with grip and they all got solved when I started using collet type couplers. that's all i can say.:::::::::::::::. It's NEVER fast enough! .:::::::::::::::Comment
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I did not know a couple of mine let go on you shockerman. Or I do not remember that if you told me They are not fail proof. The bend should always go towards the motor and not the strut end. You can see that on my wire drive page with instructions (poor picture but best I could do)
I guess some have to break....just as cables do.
We have certainly seen many more successes than failures with wires. There are people out there that have my wires that are 5 years old and still going strong.
For me they are just easier to use. Smaller stuffing tube, less resistance...no left and right crap when running duals, etc.
If you do want to run the bend close to the transom then I make them for SAWS where the dog locks to the wire as well.
I have also had some loctite compound not as good as others. I watch the date closely and disgard anything that is even close to the exp date....like a month.Comment
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