Kyosho Stratus Sports want to modernize
01-03-2008, 10:47 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Horizon city, TX
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kyosho Stratus Sports want to modernize
I have an old Kyosho Stratus Sports and want to update the motor and batteries. It is a two meter electric glider that weighs about 1.8 lbs with the old motor. It was under powered when I got it about 5 years ago. I wore out the old motor and batteries. What new technologies should I use to upgrade.
05-30-2008, 09:18 AM
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Golden,
CO
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Kyosho Stratus Sports want to modernize
I upgraded my Kyosho Stratus 2000 in 2004. Much better now. Very fun to fly. I think the fuselage on the Stratus Sport is very similar. I used the following:
AXI 2808/24
Castle Creations Phoenix 25 Speed Controller
Thunder Power ProLite 4200 3S2P (Overkill, but either use battery or lead for balance)
Graupner Cam 9x6 prop w/precision spinner (42mm diameter)
One issue is the Graupner precision spinner comes with a 5mm collet. The AXI motor has a 4mm shaft. I used a piece of aluminum tubing from he hobby store to shim the difference. It worked fine for three years before it finally came off. Do not try to use the stock prop with the brushless. It won't survive.
I have since been using an MJ4744 (40mm, pitch 45, width 8mm, pin 3mm, 4mm spinner) from Icare. This with the Graupner 9x6 blades seems to work very well.
Make sure the hub is balanced. Also, secure the motor well. I was having trouble getting it to balance. I balanced the spinner and spinner w/blades until it just could not get better. The motor always started shaking at half throttle or more. It ran smooth as silk with the MJ006 (the MJ006 doesn’t let the blades fold all the way in) spinner. I guess the slightly longer yoke on the MJ4744 set up some instability with the motor mount.
The motor was not going anywhere, but I only used two of the four Axi mounting holes. This made it convenient to use the existing Kyosho mounting hardware. Although it was held in place, I would not call it solid. It could flex more up and down, than left and right. Once I decided I could not balance the prop any better, I reworked the motor mount. From the local hardware store I got the following:
-3mm socket head counter sink screws. 4 each in various lengths (I think 8mm was the right length).
-3mm nut
-.025 in thick sheet Aluminum (smallest size possible)
-1.25 in hole saw
-1.5 in hole saw
Materials I had:
3/32 plywood
¼ in Aluminum sheet
On the plywood, I laid out the 4 fastener and shaft locations. I drilled each one 1/8” diameter. Then I took the 1.25” hole saw and drilled through the shaft hole to create a disk. This becomes a spacer between the Axi and the Stratus plastic. Make sure there is enough room for the shaft and C-clip to spin freely. You also may need to enlarge the fastener holes a little to make lining everything up easier. This replaces the plastic washer/spacers used in the original installation.
I then did something very similar with the aluminum sheet to make a disk that replaces the original Kyosho disk used on the outside of the plastic firewall. I used the 1.5” hole saw here. I dimpled the disk for the counter sink fasteners by drilling a 1/8” hole near the edge of the ¼ inch Aluminum. Then I followed with a ¼” bit until the full diameter of the bit sunk just a small amount below the surface. Then I used one of the 3mm counter sink fastener and the 3mm nut to pull the faster into the aluminum disk until a nice dimple is made. They build tools for doing this, but this is what I had.
Obviously some of the plastic on the sailplane firewall needs to be remove to allow for the fasteners and the dimples (similar to the original Kyosho set up, just in different locations). This made a rock solid installation, and the motor runs smooth as silk now.
The glider is very fun in this configuration. If it soarable at all, the battery may only be 1/4 to 1/2 drained. If there is no lift, it is good for 50 minutes or so. The glider climbs VERY steep.
AXI 2808/24
Castle Creations Phoenix 25 Speed Controller
Thunder Power ProLite 4200 3S2P (Overkill, but either use battery or lead for balance)
Graupner Cam 9x6 prop w/precision spinner (42mm diameter)
One issue is the Graupner precision spinner comes with a 5mm collet. The AXI motor has a 4mm shaft. I used a piece of aluminum tubing from he hobby store to shim the difference. It worked fine for three years before it finally came off. Do not try to use the stock prop with the brushless. It won't survive.
I have since been using an MJ4744 (40mm, pitch 45, width 8mm, pin 3mm, 4mm spinner) from Icare. This with the Graupner 9x6 blades seems to work very well.
Make sure the hub is balanced. Also, secure the motor well. I was having trouble getting it to balance. I balanced the spinner and spinner w/blades until it just could not get better. The motor always started shaking at half throttle or more. It ran smooth as silk with the MJ006 (the MJ006 doesn’t let the blades fold all the way in) spinner. I guess the slightly longer yoke on the MJ4744 set up some instability with the motor mount.
The motor was not going anywhere, but I only used two of the four Axi mounting holes. This made it convenient to use the existing Kyosho mounting hardware. Although it was held in place, I would not call it solid. It could flex more up and down, than left and right. Once I decided I could not balance the prop any better, I reworked the motor mount. From the local hardware store I got the following:
-3mm socket head counter sink screws. 4 each in various lengths (I think 8mm was the right length).
-3mm nut
-.025 in thick sheet Aluminum (smallest size possible)
-1.25 in hole saw
-1.5 in hole saw
Materials I had:
3/32 plywood
¼ in Aluminum sheet
On the plywood, I laid out the 4 fastener and shaft locations. I drilled each one 1/8” diameter. Then I took the 1.25” hole saw and drilled through the shaft hole to create a disk. This becomes a spacer between the Axi and the Stratus plastic. Make sure there is enough room for the shaft and C-clip to spin freely. You also may need to enlarge the fastener holes a little to make lining everything up easier. This replaces the plastic washer/spacers used in the original installation.
I then did something very similar with the aluminum sheet to make a disk that replaces the original Kyosho disk used on the outside of the plastic firewall. I used the 1.5” hole saw here. I dimpled the disk for the counter sink fasteners by drilling a 1/8” hole near the edge of the ¼ inch Aluminum. Then I followed with a ¼” bit until the full diameter of the bit sunk just a small amount below the surface. Then I used one of the 3mm counter sink fastener and the 3mm nut to pull the faster into the aluminum disk until a nice dimple is made. They build tools for doing this, but this is what I had.
Obviously some of the plastic on the sailplane firewall needs to be remove to allow for the fasteners and the dimples (similar to the original Kyosho set up, just in different locations). This made a rock solid installation, and the motor runs smooth as silk now.
The glider is very fun in this configuration. If it soarable at all, the battery may only be 1/4 to 1/2 drained. If there is no lift, it is good for 50 minutes or so. The glider climbs VERY steep.
