Ok so i should take out the shaft and see if it is bent or anything? I still need a little more explaning with the u-joint issue please

The ujoint is a weak link in the chain "so to speak". It could cause vibration problems, nothing you can do about it till you are ready to upgrade all the drive hardware. It shouldn't be too bad though, it looks like a nice ujoint. At least its not plastic.

G'day everyone - I to have just bought my GFriend a SW26 (I have blackjack26) - I to would like to convert the SW26 to Brushless sys - but as a newbie dont know where to start?
- what motor size to choose?
- do i need new hardware & Prop? -
- do need to strengthen hull with fiberglass..etc

I've been on lots of sites these are the best, but where do start?

- http://www.finedesignrc.com/motorsnemesisblue.asp
- http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/
- http://www.fastelectrics.com/hulls.asp

Any tips & info would help us greatly

aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi

I'll start,
For that size boat, a 540 size brushless motor would work great. I suggest a Feigao as they are good cheap motors. Yes I would at least strengthen the hull where the motor mounts. The Ujoint could be a problem. Try it first and see how it runs. It will probably run ok for a short while and then start to wear. Then you can convert it to a flex drive with separate rudder.

Ok i think i get the problem with the u-joint now! So i pretty much gotta deal with it till i make a separate rudder and prop? I will take out the shaft and stuff after i get back from vegas! Ill be back from vegas late monday so i wont be on the fourm for 5 days. So i dont getta drive the boat for a while....also when i get back from vegas i babysit tuesday and wednesday! That means more money to spend on the boat. Note im only 12 so i dont have a job I just can't wait to drive this boat!!

for the feigao motor you suggest would you need to change the esc?

yes the feigao motor is a brushless motor, the stock esc is a brushed esc. Wheelnut if been looking at feiagos also should i get a xl size or a l size? If got the l size what number one should i get? Also would the stock sv esc be a good choice with a feiago? Thanks Josh

the 2808414 L is a good choice at 14 turns and 3500kv. But it only has a 2.3mm shaft. What size shaft did you say this boat has again? I think the SV esc should be fine. Its not the best esc in the world but should be ok. Just make sure your not pulling over 40 amps

are there any other esc's that you can use maybe cheaper? and dont use 2 batteries?

I don't think you are going to find a decent esc cheaper than the SV esc. It does not have to run on 2 battery packs.

mxracer 154 have you ran your boat yet?

YES!!!! I just got back from the lake this boat rippsss!!!! You know whats funny? Im running it on a dynamite 1500mah ni-cid this battery absouletly sucks but the boat is still a blast!!! I will not buy anything in vegas so when i get back from vegas i will buy either a 7 or 6 cell IB3600 matched cells!! Just estimating this boat with the dynamite 1500mah ni-cid maybe 10mph just estimating though!! This has got to be the best 139.99 i spent on a rc ever!!! I just found out that i might be moving to a lake also!! I should find out this week forsure we put in a offer on the house!! There is just to much good things happening to me now! After all the bad Well anyways i wont be back till monday unless my hotel has computers in the lobby. Im staying at the Aladdian on the vegas strip!! L8er guys, Josh

edit: oh ya i forgot to add i didnt even get any water in the hull at all and i didnt even need to tape, i went WOT in reverse and all went WOT then quick turned and everything not even a drop of water in the boat

I ran mine a couple more times today, and found out a couple of interesting things...

The motor coupler set screws are larger than the set screws in the out-drive couplers. I believe the motor coupler set screws are 1/16" (standard), while the out drive set screws are 1.5mm (metric). Not a large difference (1/16" = 1.5875mm), but enough to strip out the larger screw with the 1.5mm wrench if it's very tight. The cheap allen wrench included with the boat is 1.5mm and will likely strip out the motor coupler screws if they are tight.

The stuffing tube has no bushings, the inner diameter of the stuffing tube is almost exactly the same as the shaft's diameter, so there is no free space to be stuffed with grease. I regreased the drive shaft with marine grease, and it kept water out for one run, but after the second run, I was getting a little water spray inside through the stuffing tube. I guess this may be common with RTRs. I'm assuming that stuffing tubes with bearings on the ends probably create much less friction, and are much more water resistant.

One final thing I realized today.... I need to find another place to run my boat. My gun club's pond is quickly getting mucked up with weeds, algae, etc. I'm told in a few more weeks the surface will be totally covered with crap! I'll have to look for an alternative lake or pond... with any luck, I'll be able to run nitro there and I'll get a nitro boat next! Why not... my SW26 will make a very nice electric recovery boat! I've had very good luck with nitro aircraft engines, and moderate luck with nitro car engines... hopefully my luck with nitro boat engines will good as well!

Do nitro boats run car fuel, airplane fuel... or is there a boat fuel too? The nitro fuel I buy locally has about 12% oil in the car fuel, and 18-20% oil in the airplane fuel (most of that oil is synthetic, with only 1-2% being castor). If boats run on airplane fuel, I'm set... got about 24 gallons of 15% nitro airplane fuel right now!

Nitro boats have a differnt fuel, they take more nitro% and the oil should be around 16%. Yea one of my setscrews on the coupler came off easy and the other one wont even budge! Do you think i should pick up a set of allen wrenches and some waterproof grease? Also when you let off the gas should the prop instantly stop or should it spin for a while then stop? Mine stops right after i let off the gas![:@] Well i gotta go catch my flight now. See you guys later

The short answer is yes... that's normal.

The 550 motors have a very noticeable "cog" when you turn the shaft due to the strong magnetic field (this is with no power applied). This effectively brakes the motor & drivetrain when you cut the power. Smaller motors have this "cogging" too, but it's not as strong and not quite as noticeable. Since the SW26 drive train doesn't weigh very much, it has very little momentum to overcome, and the motor magnets stop the drive train rotation almost immediately when power is cut. With 1/10 cars, or other applications where gear reduction is used and/or more momemtum must be overcome, this "cogging" or braking effect is not as noticeable.

As far as allen wrenches go... I'd recommend getting a good complete set of metric and standard allen wrenches. I've built RC cars, helicopters, planes, etc. and I've found that there is quite an assortment of metric and standard allen heads in the hardware. Some of them are even oddball sizes that aren't included in most allen wrench sets. I went to Sears hardware and the following sets for about $20 each:

[link=http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Hand+Tools%2C+General+Purpose&pid=0 0946755000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Hex+Keys&BV_UseBVC ookie=Yes]13 piece Craftsman Metric Set[/link]

[link=http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Hand+Tools%2C+General+Purpose&pid=0 0946754000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Hex+Keys&BV_UseBVC ookie=Yes]13 piece Craftsman Standard Set[/link]

For grease, I just got some at Walmart, in the auto section, labelled "Marine Grease" (for boat trailers & other marine equipment). I put some in a hobby syringe (with a tapered plastic tip) and just cut the tip back so it would just fit into the stuffing tube. That lets me "spot grease" or inject grease in the stuffing tube or outdrive.

does anyone know if the hammer ep coupler that holds the drive shaft to the motor fits the sw26? the reason is because i messed mine up while tryng to drill the screw out. If i wnated to buy the sw26 one it includes the motor and it costs 19.99 but i can buy the hammer ep one for 4.99

well just got back from vegas, i can't wait for my new battery pack to come in! I wanna drive this boat when its actully fun! Also i just need a 1.5mm and a 3mm hex key.... I dont need all the others. So i would need the metric correct? Also i would just but the shockwave coupler as you know it will work.

I wish someone would get a good vid of this boat running. I might even get one

Well i just got back from my second run with this boat, what a blast!! Dude this boat rocks!! I can't wait till i get my IB3600 pack, this boat will go a lot faster and last a lot longer!! Also wheelnut ill try to get some video of the boat this week. It may not be the best as all i have is a digital camera but has video recording on it. Ill try my best. It will probably be the dynamite 1500mah nicid pack this week, then with the IB3600 pack next week or so.. Also should i get a 6 cell matched 7 cell zapped or 7 cell matched? Im gonna buy from battlepack.com... Also you should get this boat wheelnut then you can do the flexshaft and separate rudder mod first! Then you can list the supplies you used then i might do the mod. Also i told my dad he should get one and he said when we move on the lake ill buy like 3 more so we can race with them!! I just can't wait till we move though! They havent responded to our offer yet though his realitor has to talk about it or something idk my parents no.. Well this boat is great im so glad i got into boats. Beats my mini-t any day!

Ok i oredered the coupler. As soon as i get it in i will make a video. Im thinking if i should sell my SW26 and buy a sv27. are the sv27's alot louder than the sw26?because i run my boat in a lake surrounded by houses.

The SV27 is pretty quite, the difference in sound would be negligible. . I might take that SW26 off your hands

lol.. i will trade for your sv27 and cash?

Sorry, but the SV is a keeper. I'll just have to give you cash for your SW26.
I don't want to get you too excited though. I have a Fiberglass Hammer that I was going to convert to brushless and or twin outboards and I have put that aside for now because I just had to get some new batteries for my SV27, that was $95.00 shipped.

Yea i was thinking about selling mine for a sv but then i said no, not many people have this boat and i need to be one that has it and it was my first boat so im keeping this boat no matter what. I will mod this boat then buy another boat later. That would be cool if you got that sw26 off his hands wheelnut! You would take off the sterable drive system and put a seperate rudder and prop huh? That would be sweet, then i would do that mod also...I used to have a mini baja and it would always break so my mom was freaking out when i bought this from my mini baja money...she told me she didnt want me to mod this cause when i modded my mini baja it would break even more....from all the info from you guys on rcuniverse i talked to her and she told me to do whatever i want with it as long as it's with my money but she said no li-pos....i had some lipos before and they blew up so she said no lipos...im fine with that also! Ill stick with IB3600's i just cant wait till you get the sw26

I will get a video tomorrow my dad forgot to get the camera from work today i will also get my new battery pack tomorrow so it will be my first time driving it with the good pack The boat looks sweet and mean huh? I got back from my third run and there was grease splatterd on the inside of the hull were the coupler attaches to the motor shaft....and there was lots of water inside the boat, so im thinking there is no grease left in there and that's how the water is getting in! I also tried to regrease the shaft but 1 of the set screws stripped...so i think i will just drive it tomorrow like this for the video then get a new coupler and set screw or just get a flex shaft and a separate rudder Im kinda wating for wheelnut to get a sw26 then do the separate rudder and prop first before i do mine as i will need help and i know that! This is my first r/c boat ever! I also did some measuring and the stock prop is 35mm and the prop shaft is 4mm so the boat stock takes 4mm props and you can run higher then 35mm props. Im thinking of buying a 40mm carbon fiber prop from offshore and see what temps i get with that. So ill try to get the video tomorrow for you guys..