philip clemmons

What parts are needed? Do you have to change the flexshaft and strut, or can you just put the collet on the engine?

Who sells the needed parts?

TIA!

PEERPSI

I changed to the square drive collet and then bought a custom solderless flex cable from Warehouse Hobbies. You'll need to change out the strut bushings as well, they can help with that also.

Dockman

I done the same as Peerpsi. The part that really sucks about it is having to order the flex shaft after you get all the other parts. I will post a list of everything I ordered a little later.

Dockman

When you make this change you will be switching to 1/4" prop shaft. WHH makes you order all the parts except flex shaft. Once you install your new parts you can measure how long the flex needs to be and then order it? I figured out how long mine needed to be and told them to send me that length (They really did not want to do this but they did). I had them square off the ends a little further just in case it was to long I could cut t off.

You will need:
Flex shaft
1/4" Drive dog
1/4" Prop shaft
1/4" Pro nuts (2)
Thrust washers
Square collect
Solderless ferrule
1/4" Strut bushings (I got this at first and have now switched to a 5/16" brake line from the automotive store. Not sure how this is going to work but it is the full length of the strut instead of just on the ends. I drilled the hole out also so I can shoot a little grease in it).

PS: If I had t to do over I'm not sure I would go solderless? I think getting a round collect, welded prop/flex shaft from accu tech. Then you get the 5/16" brake line put it through your strut and into the end of your stuffing tube (this makes it all solid). You also would not need to wait on the flex shaft since it is round. You will get one that is way to long and you'll cut it whatever you need it? You would still need drive dog, prop nut, and round collect. You would also need to give more gap between the strut and the drive dog (1/4"). The down side to this is if you break a flexshaft you los everything in the lake.

danielplace

Running a standard welded stub shaft up into a round collet makes things a lot simpler. It is the way 95% of boats are done. Loosen the collet and pull the whole shaft straight out the back to grease it.

philip clemmons

Daniel,

Where did you get all your parts?

Do you have an idea of what can be gained in speed by losing the clutch?

Thanks!

philip clemmons

So how much different is the driving when clutchless?

Can you let off the gas and let the boat stop, or will it stall?

What about in turns if you lift completely?

Dockman

It takes some getting use to. You will need to try an set the idle up high so it will idle in and then push trigger forward to kill motor. My JR controller that came with the oat was hard to do this. I bought a new futuba and it has a lot more forward throw for killing the motor. If you still have a stock clutch you just as well get rid of it and get use to running without a clutch. Or you can get a good clutch from I think BH Hanson.

Dockman

Here is a link for the parts.
http://www.accu-techrchardware.com/

Dockman

Where do you get 5/16" Brass tubing?

philip clemmons

Thats what I was wondering

philip clemmons

I have a good Bonzai clutch, but may eliminate it for some extra speed. You guys are considerably faster than me, and I should have enough motor to run those numbers (mid 50's)

I have PLENTY of throw with my DX3S Marine radio for the engine kill. I can idle it up and let it rip. I would just assume keep the clutch if its only worth 1 mph or so. More than that and its gotta go!

Dockman

I really not sure clutchless is good for? You will get your speeds when you get a good 3 blade prop and find the sweet spot on the strut. After you find the strut's sweet spot play with the pipe length.

philip clemmons

Got a 3 blade coming.

6717/3 with some tweaks

danielplace

Most every hobby store will have the 5/16" brass tubing and most better hardware stores carry it. Not Home Depot or Lowes but your local corner stores. You can buy it from most of the vendors listed in the manufacturers links section you just have to ask as most do not list it. I would guess because the difficulty in shipping it. But most will accomodate you and find a mailer tube to put it in.

danielplace

All the driving will not seem any different than before really other than bringing it in. You need to have the backtrigger(brake)setup to kill the engine and just coast in. It should be setup this way anyhow even with a clutch. The engine really needs to be dead when it flips. You do not want a running engine ingesting water. It might run afterwards but will show up later because the damage is done and it just takes a little while to tear it up. The rods needles bearings will indent the rod surface and the resulting friction will destroy it and unfortunetely when any bearing fails in these engines the engine is usually a total loss if it comes apart while running.

Dockman

Now we are talking. I got mine from Dasboata. Now your mission is to figure out that strut height. When you do you will be in the 50's.

philip clemmons

Think my intake was leaking too..................

Dockman

Oh that can turn a motor into strap.

philip clemmons

scrap?

Dockman

Yup that is what I meant.

philip clemmons

Got all the stuff coming from Remy at Aeromarine.

Long 1/4" shaft, round collet, new strut bushings, 1/4 drive dog, and some copper tubing from Mcmaster Carr for 5$ (3 ft)!

How much gap do you run at the strut, 1/4"

Also, what are you doing with the gap between the collet and stock stuffing tube?

Thanks for the help! I'll likely set it up, run the clutch, and then swap it out at the lake for a back to back test to see what its worth in rpm and speed!

Dockman

I think 1/4" is what I was told by another RC'er that I do trust.

philip clemmons

So you guys have the solid 1/4" propshaft suspended in the brass tubing, with just grease?

Does that work OK?

Peer and dock, what did you do to make up the gap from the strut to oem tube? Did you use tubing like daniel?

Got my stuff today, except for the brass. Should be here tomorrow.

Looks like using the long brass from strut to tube would make the strut height very hard to adjjust??????

Dockman

Philip, I understand what Daniel is saying. I will pm you my number because I can explain it better on the phone.