BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

these are the mods to put a eflite outrunner 370 1360kv motor in the mini sportster. i used plywood and cut a horseshoe shaped piece coming out from the firewall, then a square size piece on the end just big enough to fit the motor mount on. then a brace in the middle. i kept the same slightly down angle of the stock motor by gluing my 1st horseshoe shaped piece right on top of the stock motor mounting spot. i put the cowl in place and marked exactly were the center of the hole was (i used this mark to center the motor when i screwed it into place). if you get the motor exactly in the middle and the motor plate is just big enough to mount the motor, then it will just clear the cowl, and everthing will fit back together. these mods took 3 ounces out of the plane, and gave it about 50% more power. it took about 2 hours of time to do, but half of that was figuring the proper size to cut the pieces.

cost:
motor $49
matching eflite 20amp esc $39
plywood $4
5min epoxy $5 (only used about a teaspoon total though)
total- $97


any questions just ask.

John

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Looks really good. Let us know how it does with that setup. Are you going to use a 2 cell lipo?

Bevo

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

i'm interested in this mod too .what kind of flight times are you getting? amp draw?

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

I am also very curious about this setup... I want to use the same lipo batteries I have for my heli - 3cell 2100mah Thuderpower 10-12c - What motor (pref. direct drive) and prop setup should I use?

I would love some pics of the tail wheel and dimensions for the motor mount as well!

I'm about to go pick up my mini kit at the LHS right now!

thanks,
Gerry

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Spicedcrab, awesome job with the motor mount. Thanks for the pics. I just did the same for my mini super sportster,although not nearly as clean of a job as you. The stock set up just didn't cut it here in the Denver thin air. I put the park 400 outrunner on mine with a 10-7 apc and am running TP 3s 1320 li-poly bats. It has more than enough power now and is becoming one of my fav electrics to fly.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Thanks for the pics Spicecrab I modeled my mount after your's and used mile hi flyer setup. It flies allot better. http://www.rcpics.net/img/58574 http://www.rcpics.net/img/58573 http://www.rcpics.net/img/58572

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Hi ARS! Are you using the Park 370 or Park 400 outrunner? I'm going to do the same setup, but may go with the Park 400 motor. Did you have to add any weight to adjust the COG? What size packs you using?

Thanks!

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

i won one of these in the SEFF raffle, and I have to say, it's really a blast to fly. I'm very surprised how well it does. I also installed an inexpensive brushless, a hacker A20 20L , using a thunder power 3s 2100mah pack. 9X6 prop at roughly 9K gives truly unlimited vertical and a nice amount of speed, will climb in knife-edge, just a touch shy of knife-edge loop performance.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Leafy I'm using the park 400 outrunner 920kv with a TP lipo 3cell 1320 I get about 10 to 13 minutes full throttle it has vertical but not unlimited. It can do outside loops no knife edge(not for long) I live in grand junction CO. the air here is just as thin as Denver. If you are interested in this setup I might be willing to sell it. It's just a few days old 6 flights on it. Motor, speed control and battery. I wanted something more like Gary's pm if interested. I would be willing to take a small loss on it . To balance the plane the Battery is all the way in front of the plane right up next to the firewall. Gary what kind of flight times do you get? Do you know haw many amps the system pulls? Anybody have any video? I'm going to get some soon.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

ARS, it's a 200 watt setup (20 amps on 3S 2100 lipo at full throttle), and with my standard style of flying, I go well over 12 minutes on a flight.
I did have to cut out most of the vertical former that's just in front of the cockpit and the 3S pack slides way forward to get CG right.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Well I did it I ordered a hacker A20-20L hope I get similar results as Gary.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

You might want to try an 8X6 and the 9X6 I'm using now. With the 9X6 I get off our rough grass field in less than 10 feet and can go unlimited vertical, and it "goes" really well, faster than much of the glow sport planes at the field. With the 8X6, takeoffs are a few feet longer, don't have quite unlimited vertical, but speed is up quite noticably. I kinda wonder about the wing blowing appart since it just has that small ply dihedral brace, but even with really fast flying and lomcevaks it hasn't given a problem,.......yet :) It's a departure from my normal flying style, but it's really fun to fly fast and do smooth point rolls and slow rolls the length of the field at waist-height :)

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Nice I can't wait I also ordered a TP21003s I have a e-flite 20amp esc do you think I will be ok with it and the 9x6?

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Well I tested the A20-20L today with a 10x7 prop 20amp draw. Unlimited vertical! 9x6 prop not as good but very acceptable. Thin Grand Junction air. Very very fun. http://www.rcpics.net/img/59725 http://www.rcpics.net/img/59724 Gary did you have to modify the throw on the rudder to get knife edge? I still cant get it to stay up.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

No modifications to rudder, and I don't feel the need for a 10X7,.. it has PLENTY of poop with the 9X6. I also don't understand your current of only 20 amps with a 10X7,..should be much higher. What sort of battery pack are you using?,.. also, controller plays a major part,..so what ESC are you using?

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

I believe the low current draw for the 10x7 is the altitude 4586ft close to (Mile High) with the 9x6 it drew 15amps. I'm using a thunder power 3s 2100 and a eflite 20amp ESC. 2 stroke engines don't run the same here as the sea level guys. It flies great but won't hold knife edge. I rechecked the amp output the 10x7 drew 21amps, 10x5 19amps, 9x6 16.5amps.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

I got a mini super sportster ep a few months ago, and outfitted it with a ultrafly brushless 29kv geared 3.89:1, with a 10x7 APC prop, and NIMH 2/3A 1100mah 8 cell pack. I designed the drive system using motocalc, and it flew beautifully! The plane is a really nice flyer. I plan to upgrad to LI-POL soon enough, but kept things cheap with the nimh 2/3A if anyone is putting this plane together i would highly suggest this drive system. Running specs below with listed drive system
all up weight: 24 oz
full throttle thrust on ground stalled: 21 oz
current draw on ground stalled: 11 amps
run time at WOT : 8+ minutes 12 minutes average flying

I got the batteries from
www.batteryspace.com
great batteries and incridibly cheap prices, especially if bought loose. I got enough NIMH 2/3A cells for $25 to solder up 3 8 cell packs.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Wow ARS,.. I'm very familiar with how density altitude affects engine and motor performance,.. just didn't think it would be quite as much as you're seeing. I understand the 10X7 now. I have some time in fullscale lightplanes, about 500 hours, and it's pretty eye opening the first time you go out and climb untill the plane won't climb anymore :) 4586 isn't a mile high, I think thats 5280 :) :),.. but I guess it's enough to make a very noticable difference. Although it's pretty hot around here on the coast of florida,..thus raising the density altitude,.. it's still nowhere near yours. One of the local airports here is at 29 feet MSL :), so even on the hottest days, density altitude is still under 1000', where you're probably at 6000' on a hot day

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

The difference in amp draw is new to me but not the difference in how two strokes run. I'm not an expert on the matter of elevation but that's what I think it has to be. Thanks for your advice with the hacker.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

I picked up my ordered Mini Super Sportster at the LHS , very well packed for shipping , I can not belive how light weight this built up and covered beauty is :D It feels as if that I do manage to assemble it without adding too much weight , that it would not even need the 400 motor [X(]:eek: For instance , the fuselage weighs 3 oz , 4 oz with the rudder and elevator slid in their slots .
Of course it does and I wonder if an Eflite 400 brushless motor would fit the suppied gear drive in the kit ?
Does any brushless motor fit this Mini Sportster gear drive , or the Super Sportster EP gear drive ? Or does everyone replace the stock motor and gear drive completely .......? And , where are all these removed / replaced stock motors and gear drives ?:)
I am becomeing a Great Planes electric Sportster fan :)

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Not really knocking the little sportster,.. I have one and enjoy flying it,..but it's no lightweight. I know 4 ounces for a fuse sounds light, but it's actually pretty heavy for a plane of this size. 276 square inches of wing and with the power system I'm using it's 25 ounces flying. You can still build a kit a LOT lighter than that. My mini-E3D kit, for instance, is about a third larger at 380 square inches, and with the same power system and radio system, but an additional 4th servo, they end up at 20 ounces,..over a quarter pound lighter than the sportster. The sportster is very overbuilt, but it's a nice building job, straight, and flies well,..just heavy.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

the super sportster isn't meant to be a 3d flyer though, mine weighs in about 24 oz and flies great. And a little weight never hurts when your flying in 10-15mph winds when the light wing loading planes get tossed like rag dolls. I know this is the trend right now, but not all planes must have more thrust than weight to perform nicely. Vertical climbs are great, but some don't have it in the budget to drop $300+ on everyplane they build. personally, i'd rather have 10 slighlty performance enhanced planes than 3 that are balls to the walls performers for the same money, but thats just me.

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Went back and read and answered this question that was here , thanks.:)

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

Hi,

I built my Super Sportster EP couple of weeks ago. I used Feigao 380S 10T (3947kV) with 4.4:1 planetary gearbox running 11x7 prop. The setup was built based on Motocalc calculations. It pulls ~33A and generates ~52oz of thrust. With 3S2P 4200mAh Thunder Power. Flight time is about 20-25 minutes with throttle managament. The plane flies level hands off at 50% throttle! With this setup I saved ~10 oz of weight compared to stock. Needless to say it has unlimited vertical performance, but at the same time is pretty steady in the wind up to 15mph.
Even higher thrust can be obtained with 12x6 prop (amps go up to 40 and ~7oz more thrust) but there is no need - I prefer to stay up longer.

Szymon

RE: BRUSHLESS MINI SPORTSTER
 

I must say, Electrics are so fun. I'm an engineer and i get a hell of a kick out of building the drive system for electric planes because of all the variables involved. MotoCalc or the like is great for testing out drive systems. I had to save quite a bit of money using motocalc, because the first time i flew, everything was as expected when i spec'd out the system.