Mayden Voyage for the Daytona Today, had just one issue...

[Checkmateguy01]

The FighterCat Daytona hit the water for the first time today, but only made 2 maybe 50' runs, that's it! Ran into a problem i'm a little peeved about, both on my part and drive shaft manufacture's as well. The problem was, the drive dog wouldn't stay put, it just spun with the torque! I put a another set-screw in, tightend the snot out of it, same thing again! Eased it up on plain once she got going after about 50' it was free wheelin'! There is no flat spot on the shaft for the set screw and i didn't think about that when i put it all together. It's a hughey shaft and why in the world do they not add a flat for the drive dog set-screw?? Frustrated, i'm gonna get the dremel out and and put a flat on it myself, might buy antother shaft with a flat already on it (if there is one, haven't looked yet) and keep this one as a spare. I will say the boat ran very good for those few feet, didn't bounce at all, but i don't think it had enough time to get up to full speed tho. Unfortionaltly no video due to the circumstances. I did however get some good video of my Castle powered Spartan running on 4s, supprisingly that ran to full runs with no issues at all, and very well too, MUCH better than in NiMh's LOL, so the day at the pond was not a total loss. Only other issue i had, my buddy went out in the row boat to get the stranded Daytona, and now i got a buch of gouges in the paint, but i knew that would probably happen eventually anyway. So, got some minor work to do, should be back in the water next week. On a good note, i now know why everybody loves Lipo's so much!!

[jamespl]

What setup are you running in the Daytona? Motor, esc, prop.?

[Checkmateguy01]

Leopard 4074 1800KV, Seaking 180 ESC, 2-2S 40-50C Turnigy 5000mah lipo's, and started with a TFL 444 prop. The drive dog would slip back all the to the strut, which would leave the prop disengagued from the dog ears. I leave about an 1/8" gap between the strut and the dog. I can also see where it turned on the shaft.

[Rumdog]

gotta grind a flat. They dont do it for you, because it's a different location for a different setup.

[siberianhusky]

Hughey makes a cable with a pinned drive dog, prefer to grind my own flat though, can get it where I want it for the appropriate size props. Then a bit of loctite.

[Checkmateguy01]

gotta grind a flat. They dont do it for you, because it's a different location for a different setup.

I see what you are saying, but i would think they could go by the length of the threads and mill a general flat area with some play for different size props. Reguardless, i'll grind my own, just wish i would have thought of it before heading to the pond.

[Doby]

Don't forget the Locktite....blue.

[dana]

It takes about 10 seconds to grind a flat spot... C'mon don't be mad at the manufacturer lol

[Checkmateguy01]

It takes about 10 seconds to grind a flat spot... C'mon don't be mad at the manufacturer lol

lol not really mad, i shoulda thought of it before hand but it never even crossed my mind. All part of building anything i guess, it'll now be a couple weeks or more before i can can get back to the pond. I just wish the shaft came with a flat already milled on it, then i woulda had a good run today lol!

[dana]

I know how frustrating it can be. I packed my boats away for winter all set up and running mint. When I broke them back out, it was nothing but problems haha

[LarrysDrifter]

If any manufacturer "milled a general flat area", it still wouldnt work because as you tighten the prop nut, the prop is being pushed against the drive dog. This makes the drive dog want to move toward the stinger or strut. Even with the set screw tight and locktite cured, the drive dog will move until the set screw hits the end of the flat or the dog hits the stinger or strut. When setting up your flex for installation, slide it in the stinger until it bottoms out on the motor shaft, then install the drive dog with the appropriate gap, tighten the set screw a couple times. Now, youll have a mark on the stub shaft. Put the flex in a vise with the mark right next to the vise jaws. Use a standard Bastard file to file the flat spot, using the side of the vise jaws to guide you straight. Now youll have a nice flat spot thats just the right size to keep the drive dog from sliding around when you tighen the prop nut. NEVER make a long flat or youll end up screwing yourself and most likely ruining the stub shaft.

[LarrysDrifter]

I should have said, use the side of the file, as obviously, the wide part of the file wouldnt be right to use.