Results 1 to 28 of 28

Thread: Miss Geico 17 Brushless/Flex Drive Conversion

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    9

    Default Miss Geico 17 Brushless/Flex Drive Conversion

    Howdy all,

    Received a used Miss Geico 17 without battery and controller from a friend and as my son is getting into RC boats, figured I would do the brushless and flexdrive conversion with my son to see if we could make a nice handling/faster boat from it. In the end might be cheaper buying a new brushless boat, but we both like tinkering and it's a project we can both work on:) Seen couple threads on this and H&YRACING seems to have done a really nice one. Sure I will have questions along the way, any inputs welcome as I am new to RC boats, thanks!

    Regards,
    Yo Han

    Here's how I got the boat with the top fin broken off:
    56798399167__45A4DA3F-F0FD-443A-B3DC-87F88B22E47A.JPG

    Taped off the sponsons and used a sharp utility knife and cut out the old drive:
    IMG_4108.jpg

    Had to cutout the area where the drive shaft came up to the motor to break it free and remove it, went ahead and cut out the motor mounts as well:
    IMG_4109.JPG

    It's gone!
    IMG_4110.JPG

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    9

    Default

    This part was bit nerve racking, I wanted to remove the top plastic to give ma more room and clean slate to work on. Might move the servo to the side like H&YRACING did on his. I stuck her in the freezer and then gently started prying around the front lip to separate the glue. Took 3Xs in the freezer. Once I broke the front loose, the rest popped off and I didn't break anything! lol!
    IMG_4114.JPG

    IMG_4115.JPG

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Waiting on parts ordered, not sure if everything I ordered is the best for this setup, but this will be a learning experience for sure. Have following coming soon in the mail:
    - OSE 1/8" .098 flex drive
    - motor mount
    - 3900kv brushless motor
    - 2s 1550mAh lipo and charger
    - $20 strut and offset rudder(concerned on the depth i can get on the strut, but will grind out the mount hole to get more depth if I need to)
    - cooling jacket
    - 30amp ESC
    - 1.5mm stainless servo rods
    - new cooling tubes

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    9

    Default

    I do have a question in regards to the servo. I think the stock servo is a mini servo, does this have enough torque for a boat that goes over 30mph or should I upgrade to a sub-micro or standard servo? Thanks in advance!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    385

    Default

    Have you gotten any farther on this upgrade/build? I picked up a Gieco17 myself and have started picking up parts to upgrade it and make it go faster.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    FR
    Posts
    2,094

    Default

    What 4000kv brushless motor did you get ?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 1coopgt View Post
    Have you gotten any farther on this upgrade/build? I picked up a Gieco17 myself and have started picking up parts to upgrade it and make it go faster.
    Howdy gents sorry I moved and changed jobs, you know how that goes. So my conversion is on hold currently. So after messing with buying parts that are too small or too big I ended up with a 60mm rudder with water pickup. The prior ones were way too short in height. The strut I got is also below which will drop lower than the bottom of the pontoons so seems like plenty of adjustment. I bought some stainless 2mm rods but ended up using the stock micro servo which I can upgrade to a high torque if needed in micro. I drilled out the hole in the servo arm and bent and cut the rod to work. Currently I have some cheap aluminum angle iron i got from lowes I need to cut and bend the correct angle for the motor mount and then bend and cut the brass tubing for my 1/8" flex drive. H&YRACING did a really nice one, honestly outside of the parts where I mounted the servo and removing all the junk and doing a simply motor mount is mimicking what he did:)

    Some pix below of my last progress. I just used the plastic I popped off to make a servo mount. It's just epoxied just inside of the pontoon wall. Lines up perfect with existing rod hole and the mini servo. I will finish this project someday! Good luck gents. By the way Steve here is awesome and helped me a lot through the buying process of parts I need. Super fast shipping as well.

    Here's the rudder I ended up with, fits it perfect and has a water pickup:
    https://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pr...prod=ose-80047

    Here's the strut I used:
    https://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pr...prod=ose-80046

    Flex drive 1/8:
    https://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pr...se-cable-64pkg

    Pix below of my last run at it:
    IMG_6100.JPG
    IMG_6103.JPG
    IMG_6104.JPG

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Alfa Spirit View Post
    What 4000kv brushless motor did you get ?

    Honestly it was some cheap Chinese motor, in hind-site I woulda asked Steve what he recommended. See if the one works out once I have the motor mounted and flex drive installed, if not I'll be bugging Steve:)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    I have one of these boats too and would like to know what motor I should get to run on 2s. Is a 2845 leopard 3650kv ok? I will do everything fishslayeryo did to get the boat ready.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    FR
    Posts
    2,094

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkF View Post
    I have one of these boats too and would like to know what motor I should get to run on 2s. Is a 2845 leopard 3650kv ok? I will do everything fishslayeryo did to get the boat ready.
    4000 to 4400kv Outrunner .

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,707

    Default

    I like this one. Long can for extra torque, suitable Kv, air cooled.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Detrum-BM28...r/282091300898
    A nation of sheep breeds a government of wolves

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    FR
    Posts
    2,094

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    OK I found this one and liked it because it was green. Thanks for your links. Once I figured out they were trex 450 motors I found one that ships from CA. to my place in Las Vegas so wont have to wait long.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/163550692709
    Last edited by MarkF; 07-26-2019 at 02:11 PM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,707

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkF View Post
    OK I found this one and liked it because it was green. Thanks for your links. Once I figured out they were trex 450 motors I found one that ships from CA. to my place in Las Vegas so wont have to wait long.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/163550692709
    Note it is a short can motor = less torque. You'll need a smaller prop.
    A nation of sheep breeds a government of wolves

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    That's fine since this is a narrow boat and I have octura props in 27-32mm to work with. If I don't like it I will get a bigger motor.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,707

    Default

    I have three or four of those motors. I use a cut-down X427 with them on the 15" H&M shovelnose hydros to keep temperatures within limits.
    A nation of sheep breeds a government of wolves

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    Thanks Bill

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,707

    Default

    A nation of sheep breeds a government of wolves

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    I don't know if you guys remember Radek, but he built a small cat like this maybe 7 or 8 years ago. We started off with in runners in the 3000 range and used 2 and 3s lipos. Then some started using out runners and this became popular because it could spin a bigger prop. Then the problems of torque roll started happening. We found with a narrow cat it would roll on it's side if you went to like a 632 or 435 prop. I don't remember what kv was being used so that's why I asked what was going on now. I will see how my set up runs with a 427 prop and if it looks like it can take more, I will get the bigger motor. I got the boat for free so don't mind messing with some different set ups. Curious what speeds some of you are getting with this hull. I know we had a hell of a time trying to get one on radar. Are there some small gps units that will fit this size boat?

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,707

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkF View Post
    I don't know if you guys remember Radek, but he built a small cat like this maybe 7 or 8 years ago. We started off with in runners in the 3000 range and used 2 and 3s lipos. Then some started using out runners and this became popular because it could spin a bigger prop. Then the problems of torque roll started happening. We found with a narrow cat it would roll on it's side if you went to like a 632 or 435 prop. I don't remember what kv was being used so that's why I asked what was going on now. I will see how my set up runs with a 427 prop and if it looks like it can take more, I will get the bigger motor. I got the boat for free so don't mind messing with some different set ups. Curious what speeds some of you are getting with this hull. I know we had a hell of a time trying to get one on radar. Are there some small gps units that will fit this size boat?
    You could always build one of these as a twin.....
    Attached Images Attached Images
    A nation of sheep breeds a government of wolves

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    FR
    Posts
    2,094

    Default

    The best choice you can do :

    https://www.scorpionsystem.com/catal...-22/HK-2221-6/


    The cheap green motor is very small IMHO, look at GARTT : https://www.ebay.com/itm/GARTT-3700K...UAAOSw~PJbcq9u
    Last edited by Alfa Spirit; 07-27-2019 at 12:12 AM.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    Yes I have since cancelled my order and got a suppo 2223 4400 kv motor instead.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    Guys
    what is the motor bolt spacing? I need to get a motor mount, can you guys recommend one?

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    I can make a motor mount but it wont have water cooling. Should I get one that does or am I going to be alright with 4 or 5 minutes of run time without one. I have an 82g outrunner, the size you guy's recommended.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    I finished converting mine over to brushless. Here is a couple of pics of the finished boat. Nothing to crazy and I wanted to thank those that helped with my questions. I haven't run it yet but hope to in the next week or so.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  26. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Great job Mark! Need to get back to mine. Let us know how she runs!

  27. #27
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    TN
    Posts
    34

    Default

    Looks great man! Love the minis, I'm addicted to running tight ovals with my mini rigger. Let us know how the Geico runs.

  28. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    974

    Default

    I got it running and it runs decent. Finding the right prop is what I need now. It's fast with a 632 but torques the boat a little more than I like. My 427 cavitates to much so I will try some bending on the prop to get it to bite. The 4400 kv motor I'm using is probable better suited to a rigger so I may switch to a 3000 to 3500 kv motor.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •