The official 36" zelos twin modding thread

[DannyD]

Decided to get new electronics and keep the hull (so well built). Can I get some solid suggestions from the pros on here? Anything else as far as upgrades? TIA

[Team Lucas]

ill take a picture when I can

[kfxguy]

Wow impressive. Those are 4050's correct?

Yes. 2050kv 4050's

[kfxguy]

Great job on that one Travis wow on 4S!!

Thx! Confirms that less kv can go faster with the same props. The only change made was motors. These can just swing the props better than the stock motors

[lt130th]

Travis, I'm hoping we're about to have a good race. The last few parts of my Zelos build are in the mail. Sounds like mine and yours are going to be in the same neighborhood as far as motors, but I have a couple parts that I hope will help free up drivetrain losses. And, since no one has the ABC prop's I wanted for this setup, I took a gamble on a set of those VXP's. It will be an interesting test. I'm also milling carbon fiber motor mounts to fill the sponson cavities like we usually use for scratch-builds. How confident are you in the stock mounts holding 4082's? Also, do you think the flat-bottom drives are necessary for this hull's performance? I'm using different drives, and they're round. More details to come...

[kfxguy]

Travis, I'm hoping we're about to have a good race. The last few parts of my Zelos build are in the mail. Sounds like mine and yours are going to be in the same neighborhood as far as motors, but I have a couple parts that I hope will help free up drivetrain losses. And, since no one has the ABC prop's I wanted for this setup, I took a gamble on a set of those VXP's. It will be an interesting test. I'm also milling carbon fiber motor mounts to fill the sponson cavities like we usually use for scratch-builds. How confident are you in the stock mounts holding 4082's? Also, do you think the flat-bottom drives are necessary for this hull's performance? I'm using different drives, and they're round. More details to come...

I jb welded the motor plates to the plastic platforms because I got tired of the motors shifting. Not a very good design in my opinion, once the boat is put together there should be no reason to ever have to adjust the motors again. If you jb weld then, they will probably stay. I did cut slots in both surfaces however, with a dremel, go the jb would have more biting power. I think round drives would work better, they should but with the porpoising nature of this hull, it may amplify that. I actually put a air dam on the boat after the run in the video and the boat got perfectly smooth so maybe it just needs it.

[mahnstr12]

haven't invested in a zelos yet but was curious if someone could measure out the the strut mount (where it mounts to hull) im really curious about the hole mounts that would be awesome thanks!!!

[lt130th]

haven't invested in a zelos yet but was curious if someone could measure out the the strut mount (where it mounts to hull) im really curious about the hole mounts that would be awesome thanks!!!

Vertical hole spacing is approximately 9mm, center-to-center & 19mm horizontal. Is that what you needed?

[Boaterguy1000]

I have fitted 2 NO Leopard 4082 X2 motors in my Zelos with Octura x447 props. has anyone else done the same, interested to know the results and if I am using the correct props thanks, electronics are all stock

[banixj]

Today i've tested some stuffs with my Zelos at easter air temp of 23C 73F:
prepped ABC 1715: no good... bad noise when i open gas...
Floureon 6S lipos with CNC 47mm alu props: good lipos but high temp for my opinion: lipo 50C 122F, ESC 55C 131F, motors 69C 156F... no cooling down running during the test but i'm sure temps will be highr during summer time...
stock props prepped by myself: good speed of 104kmh 65mph but one flex broken and i lost one of the props..... 2h of work lost...
and more than 1h to remove motor... maybe i will need 3h to mount again... so hard to work on hex inside the hull....
not so good day for me.... sigh...
and now i need money to purchase HD flexes by Jeff...
Nessun nome.jpg

[banixj]

I am going to buy two new motors with more power as rafael suggested (same size but 4 poles with more power) and a little bit more kv to spin more:
4 poles, 3668 size, 2100kv, 1700w
I will use stock esc
Do you think stock props are good or maybe i need smaller props for a better spinning?
Air temps are going to be 40C 104F
Water temps r goin to be 25C 77F
My target is 80mph without fry the escs...

[Brushless55]

Yes. 2050kv 4050's

I am going to buy two new motors with more power as rafael suggested (same size but 4 poles with more power) and a little bit more kv to spin more:
4 poles, 3668 size, 2100kv, 1700w
I will use stock esc
Do you think stock props are good or maybe i need smaller props for a better spinning?
Air temps are going to be 40C 104F
Water temps r goin to be 25C 77F
My target is 80mph without fry the escs...

I would try those TP 4050 motors IMO

[kfxguy]

I am going to buy two new motors with more power as rafael suggested (same size but 4 poles with more power) and a little bit more kv to spin more:
4 poles, 3668 size, 2100kv, 1700w
I will use stock esc
Do you think stock props are good or maybe i need smaller props for a better spinning?
Air temps are going to be 40C 104F
Water temps r goin to be 25C 77F
My target is 80mph without fry the escs...

Lol

[Keagan-Z06]

So I took the Zelos back to the lake yesterday in hopes of eclipsing my personal best of 86. Lake wasn't too bad condition wise, not the best but better than my last outing. I think I saw 12mph winds. After she screamed past the lake the first time, I brought it in because I saw something out the norm with the wake. Low and behold, the strut support finally gave in, that area back there is really thin, especially for those of us running in some mild lake conditions. Checked the GPS and she did 85 still, at what point it did that, I don't have the slightest idea. So after being dissapointed, threw my Voracity in for some good ol fashion wave hopping. That lasted around 2 mins because the lake got pretty choppy and I wasn't about to blow up any rescue raft. So me and buddies decided why not have a good ol fashion running race. Needless to say, the Zelos was on my mind and I came 2nd. Yaay! Got home, took out a CF plate, went to work on it and got the strut bolted back up, had issues with the flex lining up, took me about 2 hours to get it right. People with small hands should be very happy getting those 4 nuts and washers in there. I just need to put some epoxy or silicone to seal it up properly. Will attempt another run next week hopefully.

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[Erroneous]

Ouch, I thought mine was bad. That just crumbled. This is the kind of thing that is going to slow down my rebuild. The metal plate worked on my other hull but I think Ill go the carbon route on this one. Cleaner.

[Keagan-Z06]

Yup I'm thinking that after multiple runs of grease buildup, water (no leaks since I started using hockey tape) and constant pounding, it gave up. I didn't hit anything that I could of seen. The boat didn't react like it hit anything either

[ChevyPrerunner]

Ouch that looks painful Keagan, glad to hear you got her fixed up.

[Keagan-Z06]

Thanks Chevy, it will be back in the water hopefully next week.

[banixj]

Lol

why lol?

[banixj]

what about cracks in this clip?

[ChevyPrerunner]

My Zelos developed lots of stress cracks in the paint on the bottom also. I added another layer of fiberglass and resin while I was in repairing the transom when I flipped into a curb lakeside.. nice and strong now but still has the paint stress cracks. probably nothing much to worry about other than looks..

[Team Lucas]

what about cracks in this clip?

Waxing the bottom? Should wet sand it with 2000 grit so it doesn't suck to the water.

[ray schrauwen]

what about cracks in this clip?

The sloppy rudder bushing is a good opportunity for someone to make an upgrade part. Don't mean to be negative however, the strut bushings would wear similarly fast in Geico's and the only reason why I can think it happens is because of the material used is too soft.

Is this common to many of these boats?

[stratus]

On mine has that play from like the start that I got the boat

[REDLINE1]

what about cracks in this clip?

Mines is doing the same thing. In all fairness I think it happened when I recently flipped my Zelos. The area in the center under the battery / electronics tray flexes pretty good on my hull. That area carries a decent amount of weight with 4 batteries. I think when mine landed (good side up) the weight of the batteries flexed that center section and caused the gelcoat and paint to crack. I'm also adding a few layers of CF cloth to that center section under the battery tray in hope of stiffening it up some. Also putting a some in back in the strut area and adding the 1/16" CF plate under each strut in back like Keagan did . As for the spider cracks I may lay some flat black vinyl down the center on the bottom to cover them up and seal it from the water

[Keagan-Z06]

You need a setup like this and it will take the 1hr removal and 3hr installation of the motors out of your equation.

Attachment 151704

Ok where can I get that tool??

[fweasel]

The sloppy rudder bushing is a good opportunity for someone to make an upgrade part. Don't mean to be negative however, the strut bushings would wear similarly fast in Geico's and the only reason why I can think it happens is because of the material used is too soft.

Is this common to many of these boats?

My bushing does not noticeable play in it.

[stratus]

Ok where can I get that tool??

The cheapest i could find on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/332166085519...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Keagan-Z06]

Thanks fellas!

[fweasel]

First run of the season. Had the struts set at about 2.5mm with ABC 1814 props and 4 3S packs. Had a little too much hop on the first run and never really got many WOT passes. GPS read 67.5mph. Took out the HRB packs and put a set of Revo's 70C graphenes in. Second run was better, smoother down wind, but still not a lot of WOT because I didn't want to flip it today. I did flip it pretty good once, more of a sideways cartwheel, and landed business side down. Ran 71.6mph, but the temps came back really warm. The motor connectors melted the hatch foam and there was a lot of smoke, on both runs. It was alarming at first, but I knew as soon as there was no smell, it wasn't the electronics. I borked one of the struts on the flip to nearly full positive trim angle. Funny, I didn't really notice it much on the few passes I made after the flip before I brought it back. Next trip I'll use an air dam and run the struts at 3mm.