lownslo

Howdy All,
Well my Sea Queen is finished but I am still leary of lube for the driveshaft. Basically ..... I wonder if I made the wrong choice. This is a fairly big, heavy boat @ 46" and 17lbs. I wish I would have put a "lube tube" on the stuffing box to add lube, but did not. Anyway ....... I have put "Grim Racer" blue speed grease in the stuffing box.
Question #1 I hope this is a good choice. What are your thoughts? (Note: The kit's motor is listed at only 3000 rpms @ 12 volts).
Question #2 IF I should have oil instead ..... will it mix OK with any grease remaining? What kind of oil?
Question #3 Since this is my first boat ..... I have NO idea how long it will be before I need to add or change the grease or oil? I don't see any greasy residue out side the tube.
Attached Photo: Here she is .... finally on the maiden voyage!!
For those that have not seen the "Queen", I have a build thread here ..... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_84..._1/key_/tm.htm
More photos here ...... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8714037/tm.htm

Thanks in advance,
lownslo Bob in Indy.

Dreamin Hemi

Bob your OK with your selection. I would regrease every outing with thoes RPM's

lownslo

Heyyyy Dreamin Hemi,
Wow ..... am I glad I asked. I would not have expected to grease it that often. The motor does not produce very many rpms, so I really did not worry about it. I had the boat running about 2 hours over 2 days. Not much. When I pulled the drive shaft, the motor end looked like it had grease in the bushing, enough anyway. The lower bushing and shaft had very little grease that I could see. It was not damaged, but I am glad I looked.
The reason I ask .......... The Grim Reaper, blue, speed grease, looks a little thick. I did not want to use only oil because I was thinking it would run out easier. Also ......I was thinking the opposite for the thick grease. I was affraid IT would not flow into the bushing areas very well. When I re-packed it, I mixed about 1/4 of the grease from it's jar, into a small cup. I then added some regular motor oil and stirred it WELL to thin the grease somewhat. I packed the grease into a vetanarian's syringe, with a curved plastic tip. I was thinking, if I am to repack after each long run, I would try to get it to flow into the lower bushing a little better. JMO.......
Does anyone think this is a bad procedure ..... and why?
lownslo,
Bob in Indy

sowega flyer

Can you show up close pictures of your drive set-up and drive shaft? Usually the grease flows down the tube towards the prop due to the "screw" action of the wound drive cable. If the driveshaft is backwards it will eventually unwind and break. It is a good idea to re-grease at the end of every outing so you'll be ready for next time and the shaft won't rust while dry-docked.
I don't know anything about these big scale boats, but I read your links posted above and I am impressed!!

Tachikaze

Not finished ! Where are the babes on the bow?[8D]
We run combat R/C warships, my IJN and INS DDs are about 15lbs running about 4500RPMs. They get greased about once a year. Use food grade lithium grease. If there is not any water dripping into your boat from the drive line, then really you are not dropping much of your original grease.


My Springer tug boat has a grease line set into the drive shaft, will take a picture of it tonight and try to post for you.

lownslo

I think we have different drive shafts we are talking about. My driveshaft in the tube is a solid rod, 17" long, and made of stainless steel. I think you were refering to the coiled steel, fexible type of driveshaft. Since I am new to boating, I am still glad I ask because I can learn of different opinions and applications. The fella in the post after yours greases his about one a year. (15 pound warship @ 4.500 rpms). I will just have to keep an eye on mine and check it often. My boat may need it at a different rate and I will just have to find out my boat's needs.
PS. I did balance my prop real good and also have a VERY "straight line" at my U joint coupling.

Thanks for the replies,
lownslo ... in Indy

Tachikaze

If you have a stainless steel drive shaft, I would seriously look at replacing that, it will most likely rust on you. What is your stuffing tube ( the tube holding the drive shaft) made of? You do not want dissimilar metals.
Here is a photo of the drive shaft in my tug boat. There is a small brass cap that sets over the top of this to keep the grease from flying around on the inside of the boat.
The warships do not have a grease access, as we usually completely break these boats down at the end of the season for repair.

lownslo

Hmmmmm....??
I am not an expert on metals but isn't one of the attributes of stainless steel it's resistance to oxidation/rusting? Our kitchen sinks, the GateWay Arch in St. Louis, and MANY no rust preferred items are made from stainless steel. That being said ....... I have had some items that were "poor grades" of stainless, and they did show some "specks" of rust.
lownslo....... Bob in Indy

Tachikaze

That it does, but when ever I have seen a " stainless steel " drive shaft in a model boat, it isn't.
If it is truly stainless steel, make sure that your stuffing tube is not a metal that will create an electrolysis with the drive shaft.

TCHedOff

Hmm something I know about!

1) Stainless does not rust; it is made in a varety of combinations chromium & nickle (for example surgical grade 18/8 stainless is 18 parts chrome to 8 parts nickel) neither chrome nor nickel rust. Chrome is hard but brittle; the nickel is used reduce that brittleness. Because of these attributes stainless is a common material for cookware.

2) The brown specks you referred to are from carbon - which does rust. Carbon is added for additional hardness (eg cutlery, to hold an edge longer).

I cant tell you if your shaft is "true stainless" as Tachikaze suggests; but I'm KNOW the above to be true. I sold hi-end cookware/cutlery for 5 yrs and have been to the factories etc. Never thought it'd come into play in boating tho!

lownslo

That being said I am ignorant as to electrolysis damage.[] I have a very basic knowledge of electrolysis. I have a brass stuffing tube and bushings. I will not stay up nights worrying about any bad results, but I would like some more input .... .... just so I can learn what the damage could be if eletrolysis takes place.
Thanks,
lownslo

pompebled

Hi Bob,

Don't worry about eletrolysis damage, our boats spend so little time in the water and well lubricated shafts will last a lifetime.

If you still have acess to your stuffing tube, you can add a grease tube, I'll post some pics tonight when I'm home.

How does the boat run on full throttle, does she get on the plane?

Regards, Jan.

lownslo

Hi Jan,
Good to hear from you. Access to the stuffing tube will probably not work, now that boat is finished. I had some directions to install a greasing port but didn't. (I can't believe I made that choice) I have lots of time being retired and pulling the shaft is fairly easy for my setup.
About the performance ......... It is just about what I expected. It is very "reasonable" considering a 3000 rpm motor. In the photo in post #1, I am going full speed. I could use more speed so next year I will probably upgrade to a different motor. I was told the Speed 900 BB Touque motor has the same bolt pattern. The output shaft is 6 mm ... same as mine. Here is a secondary link in Cornwall Boats site. Hope it works. http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/...pner_6373.html
I am not sure how this motor will work with my Viper 20 ESC. Right now, with the cooling system you showed me how to make,[8D], all components are staying cool.
My motor mount is kind of a permanent, built in arrangement, as part of the kit's wooden parts. Minimizing problems, mounting a new motor, is very desireable. Again.... thanks to all,

lownslo .... Bob in Indy

PS. I tried twice to download a photo but it was almost full size .. not a thumbnail, so I just deleted it.

pompebled

Hi Bob,

I added some pictures of a lube tube that has been installed in one of my fast electrics, after the stuffing tube was already epoxied in place.

I took a piece of brass half pipe, that has a snug fit on the stuffing tube diameter and soldered a piece of Ø4mm brass tube onto it, as a lube tube.

I scuffed the stuffing tube in the boat and the brass halfpipe, so the glue would stick and epoxied the half pipe onto the stuffing tube.

After the epoxy had set, I took out the propshaft and drilled a 3mm hole through both the brass halfpipe and the stuffing tube.
I cleaned out the burrs, put the propshaft back in and filled the stuffing tube with light grease.

If you have difficulties with the photo's, mail them to me and I'll reduce the size and put them on the forum for you.

The 900 is a very nice suitable motor, if you don't get weeds in the prop, which would make the ampdraw shoot up, your 20A ESC should be able to handle that motor. You can always add watercooling to the ESC if required.

Regards, Jan.