1/12 budweiser hydro conversion

[62 bugzilla]

I'm starting a winter project and I'm in the process of rounding up parts for the build and wanted to make sure I was on the right track or at least close. I'm on a budget so when a good deal comes along I get it and I'm hoping I'm close.
1) ESC I got a suppo 200 amp esc with bec and lvc for 4s along with water cooling and water resistant coating. I've used hi models in the past and had great luck even without water cooling and hope this does the job. I'm hoping it comes with auto lipos size sensing in it so I don't have to program it since I don't have a programming card and don't know how to program it manually.

2) MOTOR I ran acroos a neu 1512 1.5Y 1800 kv motor like new for a great deal (60.00 used once) and couldn't pass it up. I was going with a 8xl feigao but I thought this was close kv wise and always want a neu motor in the build. I'm planning on running 4s lipo since I don't have much room for batterys in the front cockpit but maybe 5s if I can fit them in there. I was thing of mounting the motor allittle bit further back in the boat to have more battery space but don't want to ruin my front to back weight balance either. Any input on this would be great.

3) I was going to run a traxxas water proof servo for steering.

4) The hardware I really wanted to run the fine design rudder .21 rudder strut combo .150 size flex shaft and 3/16 shaft. I thought I would beef up the mount in the rear of the boat for it since the stock one seems allittle weak.

5) The boat came with the solid straight shaft non flex type for the drive so I removed it by cutting out a small portion in the bottom of the boat were the old shaft was and will be installing a new brass tube once I get the strut set up then I was going to beef up the bottom of ther boat with some carbon cloth and resin. I also have seen some people put expanding foam in the sponsons but don't know if this is a good idea or not?

6) I was going to beef up the trun fin mount aswell and insall a larger one since the stock one is straight a fairly small in my opinion.

7) I was going to use the motor mount on this site thats carbon and adjustable with cooling built in the mount asell. It looks nice and I think should work out well.


Any and all suggestions would be great with this build since it's only my 4th build and I haven't done a hydro before which is alot different. I will post pics tonight and ordering more parts next week. I'm in the planning stages and have the whole winter to get it right. (they are long here in wisconsin and you need a good project to keep you busy)

Thanks in advance sine in the past you guys have helped a ton in all my projects and know this one will be the same.

I have read about alot of completed conversions on here and know that the battery space and balace is critical in this build so help in that are would be great before I get to far to fix the problem.

[blackcat26]

It looks like you are on the right path. Esc will be fine along with the motor, rudder and servo. 2 part foam is good to use and adds strength. Buy the 2lb density foam. Set your boat's COG about 1" to 1.5" behind the front sponsons. This means moving stuff around to try and achieve that balance point before making them permanant. Here is a shot of my Miss Bud with 2 3s batts. ahead of the motor.

[62 bugzilla]

Thats great and about the placement of the motor I was planing. I will have to find that 2lbs density foam for my sponsons. So that foam ads strength and allittle weight to the front? I thought if I push the motor back that far I might be off on my balance.

I really like the way yours is set up from the placement to the carbon!!!

[blackcat26]

That foam is awesome. Works 2 ways, strength and floatation. That boat is actually in the swap shop right now for sale.....pretty cheap too!

[62 bugzilla]

Well I bought them other budweiser hydro so now I have one for my son which is 10 which I'll set up with a bj motor for him on 4s then on 6s once he figures it out( all by suggestion of blackcat 26 and thanks again) It will be cool having 2 boats alike and now might take my sons old baot a sv27 and set it up for my 7 year old daughter. Whole family fun on the water.

[tomstoys2]

Hey Shawn,
How's the conversion coming along?
I have the same boat that I bought already converted to brushless. It still has the straight drive that I'm not happy with.
Tom

[62 bugzilla]

Well I'm about to start and still getting some parts together. I'm going to us the neu/castle 1512 1800 kv motor in it so I'm getting some tube to make a cooler for it with orings right now. I have to order a few things from ose still like the flex tube and strut but I'm going to get started with the fiber mesh to fill the area I cut out that had the straight drive tube in it. I'm going to move the motor back a ways to have roon for battyers in the nose and still room for a xl size motor if I go that route later. Your boat with the straight drive looks like the motor is far towards the rear and it must be a problem for room with the batterys. I'm also going to fill the sponsons with foam for strength and floatation. I'm making mine alot like the one I bought from blackcat26 for my son. It's real nice and a good baseline I think. I will post some pics of my cutout and when I get started putting in the cloth. I will be running 4s for fun and 5sand 6s for speed once I get it driving nice. I'm putting a bj26 motor in my sons and will be the same 4s most the time and 5s and 6s once he gets the hang of it. He's 10 years old but been doing rc cars and boats since he was 4 and had a moded sv27 before this so he'll get it quick.

[tomstoys2]

Thanks for the update. Yes, mine needs a complete rebuild. I have the batteries crammed in next to the motor. It's a real pain getting the in and out. Funny, I bought this last year for MY 10 year old son. He's 11 now and currently runs a SV27 as well. I'm redoing a FasTech for my 7 year old daughter! I look forward to your pictures.
Tom

[62 bugzilla]

My daughter is 7 aswell and will be running his old sv27 so it sounds like we have alot in comin. I will post pics this weekend.

[tomstoys2]

It's a great age. After seeing her brother drive for the last few years she asked me if she could put some of her Polly Pocket dolls in our FasTech this summer. We managed to Velcro 5 of them in and never lost one. She was so concerned with them sinking we made little life jackets out of strips of soft packing foam. Secured with a zip tie. Plans are to paint them this winter. The FasTech is being repainted Hot Magenta and renamed "The Polly Rocket". It's funny she is more concerned with how the boat looks where as my son just wants to drive!

Regarding the Miss Bud, I put a Feigo 540 12L 2,159 RPM in with a SV27 ESC and tested her with a X445/3 and X447. Before I installed the motor I put a bag full of nuts and boats in the nose to try and get some weight a little forward. COG is still around 2 1/2" from the front sponson. I think it needs to be closer to 1". I was able to get a few decent laps out of it and I estimate speeds were in the low 30's. I think the X447 performed better but I noticed she was drifting to the left. I just wanted to see what I could do with her before I tore out the solid drive during the winter. I'm going to try and run it one more time before the pond freezes with a GPS.
I have another brand new Bud Hull I got from Jesse. I fugured I would experiment with this one before I cut that one up. Sounds like between you and me we have a fleet of Bud boats.

[62 bugzilla]

Well I decided to use the castle 1512 motor in a different project so what motor would you guys recommend for the hydro? I'm going to use 4s lipo most of the time and at 200 amp esc I could run a pretty hot set up. I was thinking a 7xl or 8xl feigao? I have had good luck with them and never used a leopard or others so let me know your opinion.

[blackcat26]

I have not run a Leopard but they are supposed to be much better than Feigao. More effecient and better quality all the way around.

[62 bugzilla]

So the leopard 4074 2200kv would be a good choice for 4s for fun and 5s for speed runs?