The official 36" zelos twin modding thread

[MADRCER]

nice run Mark !!! you got the tug work great also

Thanks Chris! Yea, I normally don't need the rescue rig and as you can see with it being still in the truck, I wasn't really prepared this time either.. lol

Now that's SMOKIN' .

Thanks VP!

That's was butter smooth on that first pass. What did you do if anything to your water pickups on the bottom? Pics if you have time.

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Thanks Shoc! The water pickups are all stock nothing changed.

[REDLINE1]

Not use to seeing you flip LOL. My rescue boat has gotten a lot of use until recently, hopefully my case of the flips is over

[MADRCER]

Me either but at 88mph anything can happen...Lol..

[Shoc-RC]

Okay, my hair is falling out in droves, did research for days, talked to Jeff as well regarding the wire drives and water coming up the stuffing tubes. Cut down a vacuum nipple from auto parts store with a small hole in the middle, (per Jeffs suggestion), glued it onto brass stuffing tube at collet end with super glue... (hate superglue) eh it was okay but water still pouring in. Only float test performed, not while running yet so not sure if the minor vacuum from running will keep water out. I also will try to heat something up to make the hole not just push through with a pin. I don't like using super glue because it hardened the rubber a bit. There is not that much brass tube to mess with after the brass tube mount so trying to use the water line trick I don't see as feasible, (but I might try it if I can get that bugger on the end, lol). What mods have folks tried on here? Oh and also used a small piece of waterline between the Drive Dog and end of strut, again, just float testing in the tub but water pours in again and worried about binding with with this method. I saw Fweasal had the same problem in another forum but never saw the solution if it was ever found. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[fweasel]

If water is "pouring in" during just a float test, your issue is a bad seal between the strut and sponson on the outside of the hull. Both REDLINE1 and myself had this issue, among others, and pulled the struts, sealed the mating surface with a small amount of clear bathroom caulk, and the water penetration stopped. It's a lot of work to remove the nots on all for strut mounting screws so I would suggest loosening them as far as you can, then see if you have enough gap between the strut and the hull to dab in the silicone caulk. Otherwise, a long needle nose pliers or a 5.5mm socket on a long extension are your friends.

[Shoc-RC]

If water is "pouring in" during just a float test, your issue is a bad seal between the strut and sponson on the outside of the hull. Both REDLINE1 and myself had this issue, among others, and pulled the struts, sealed the mating surface with a small amount of clear bathroom caulk, and the water penetration stopped. It's a lot of work to remove the nots on all for strut mounting screws so I would suggest loosening them as far as you can, then see if you have enough gap between the strut and the hull to dab in the silicone caulk. Otherwise, a long needle nose pliers or a 5.5mm socket on a long extension are your friends.

Thanks for the reply fweasel. I did do that long ago, if you are talking about removing the struts, smearing caulk on the bottom then putting it back on to include a little in the screw mounting holes. I believe the water is coming up the strut tube. I also fashioned a backplate for the inside of the hull so I can get it nice and tight and for added strength. If you mean did I put caulk anyplace else, I did not. I will pull them again and re-caulk everything. When I had my flex shafts in there, boat was dry as a bone, both in bath tub float test and while running.

[lt130th]

I press-fit a smaller Teflon liner into the existing liner to help support the wire and more easily seal the opening with small-ID silicone tubing. You may not have as much room as in my image (I'm not using the factory motor mounts) but if you can still make it work with your setup, maybe it will help...?

20170925_143408.jpg

This is the tubing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1m-Length-OD...-/290799475023

I use it with all my wire-drives.

[fweasel]

Thanks for the reply fweasel. I did do that long ago, if you are talking about removing the struts, smearing caulk on the bottom then putting it back on to include a little in the screw mounting holes. I believe the water is coming up the strut tube. I also fashioned a backplate for the inside of the hull so I can get it nice and tight and for added strength. If you mean did I put caulk anyplace else, I did not. I will pull them again and re-caulk everything. When I had my flex shafts in there, boat was dry as a bone, both in bath tub float test and while running.

Weird. My initial issue was water getting in behind the strut, then up the stuffing tube, which cause me to chase the problem for a while. Now that my struts are sealed against the hull with caulk, I don't have the water infiltration problem. I do run vacuum caps on the ends of both stuffing tubes to keep the grease splatter to a minimum. My left strut bearing is a little worn after running an out of balance stock cable for a few months. As such, that side lets in more water, but it never makes it any further than the strut. I don't see it until I pull the shafts for a clean up and it dribbles out.

One last thought, how much grease are you using with the wires? I smear a small amount along the entire length of the wire and prop shaft and I also give the strut two squirts from the grease gun.

[fweasel]

I press-fit a smaller Teflon liner into the existing liner to help support the wire and more easily seal the opening with small-ID silicone tubing. You may not have as much room as in my image (I'm not using the factory motor mounts) but if you can still make it work with your setup, maybe it will help...?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]153980[/ATTACH]

This is the tubing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1m-Length-OD...-/290799475023

I use it with all my wire-drives.

Thanks for that suggestion and link. I just ordered some to try out.

Your motor mounts look pretty sweet. They look to be just mocked in place. Still a work in progress?

[lt130th]

Your motor mounts look pretty sweet. They look to be just mocked in place. Still a work in progress?

Yeah, slow progress. I was going to epoxy them in and go, but more and more I've read that the layup of these hulls are a little thin on the bottom, so I've done a layer of carbon fiber, and am now getting the mounts mocked up and glued in. I'm putting LiPo trays in the sponsons and mounting the ESC's in the middle. Have Swordfish 300A's going in it because I'm going to just about burn up those 1600kv, 4082 Leo's trying to hit triple digits on 8s. I just haven't had a ton of time to put into the build. Someone will have already gotten this hull beyond 100mph by the time I get it in the water, haha. Has anyone, yet? I haven't checked recently. Last I checked the top speed was in the 90's...

[lt130th]

Thanks for that suggestion and link. I just ordered some to try out.

Unless you're a real beefcake you won't be able to get that smaller Teflon liner all the way inside the existing liner, with only your hands. I used a series of brass tubes and a piston/guide-rod to press it all the way in without kinking it.

[TRUCKPULL]

Unless you're a real beefcake you won't be able to get that smaller Teflon liner all the way inside the existing liner, with only your hands. I used a series of brass tubes and a piston/guide-rod to press it all the way in without kinking it.

How to install a tight Teflon liner:
Use a piece of liner about 1 and 1/2 times the length that you will need.
Clamp about 1" of it into a vise, clamp vise grip pliers to the other end,
Now pull with a steady hand,
The Teflon will shrink in diameter and stretch out a little in length.
It is a little trial and error to get it just right.

After the first pull, cut the flat end off made by the vice grips, and check your fit.
If still a little large, re-apply the vice grips and pull a little more.

The above procedure is why you start with a piece longer then you need.

Larry

[lt130th]

How to install a tight Teflon liner:
Use a piece of liner about 1 and 1/2 times the length that you will need.
Clamp about 1" of it into a vise, clamp vise grip pliers to the other end,
Now pull with a steady hand,
The Teflon will shrink in diameter and stretch out a little in length.
It is a little trial and error to get it just right.

After the first pull, cut the flat end off made by the vice grips, and check your fit.
If still a little large, re-apply the vice grips and pull a little more.

The above procedure is why you start with a piece longer then you need.

Larry

That's a good tip for the thin-wall stuff. The PTFE Teflon tubing I used has a cross-sectional area of approximately 12.5 mm^2. That's the equivalent of a solid, round rod of PTFE Teflon with a 4mm diameter. Instead of vice grips, you may need to hook the free end up to the bumper of your car/truck.

[REDLINE1]

Okay, my hair is falling out in droves, did research for days, talked to Jeff as well regarding the wire drives and water coming up the stuffing tubes. Cut down a vacuum nipple from auto parts store with a small hole in the middle, (per Jeffs suggestion), glued it onto brass stuffing tube at collet end with super glue... (hate superglue) eh it was okay but water still pouring in. Only float test performed, not while running yet so not sure if the minor vacuum from running will keep water out. I also will try to heat something up to make the hole not just push through with a pin. I don't like using super glue because it hardened the rubber a bit. There is not that much brass tube to mess with after the brass tube mount so trying to use the water line trick I don't see as feasible, (but I might try it if I can get that bugger on the end, lol). What mods have folks tried on here? Oh and also used a small piece of waterline between the Drive Dog and end of strut, again, just float testing in the tub but water pours in again and worried about binding with with this method. I saw Fweasal had the same problem in another forum but never saw the solution if it was ever found. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

My 2cents is it's still leaking in between the strut and hull. I would remove them and carefully reinstall with a tiny bead of silicon sealer around the outside edge of the strut base and around each hole. There's a very thin sealing area around the bottom edge of the strut base where it meets the bottom edge of the sponson make sure that area is sealed well. You will see the silicon squeeze out all around the strut base as you tighten the 4 screws. I put the old cable back in to hold the alignment as I'm tightening the screws down. Let it dry for a day then check it in your bathtub
I'm running the wires with no vacuum caps on my Zelos and two other boats and I have absolutely no water coming in

[Shoc-RC]

Thanks everyone, I did exactly that RedLine1. Just pulled both (which did not come off easy) yesterday and went crazy with the caulk paying special attention to where strut meets the stuffing tube. I'll tun test tomorrow see if I got it right.

Also, fweasel I had some slop from same thing you mentioned bad or off balance prop. Since I had them off I changed the bushings and all good now.

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