Original gold pan: properly securing a lipo pack?

[pcrussell50]

so i converted my original ball bearing gold pan to a mild brushless setup with a stock AE 3300kv brushless and xp BL speed controller that were brand new takeoffs from some newer AE kit. I got a 2s/4000mah battery for it and that cheap flysky radio. everything is working great, and i'm ready to start doing things like sticking down the speed controller and receiver, and the battery. the battery is the problem. because it's a lipo, it's a little bigger than the original nicd pack. i understand the re-release has some parts that are better at fitting these bigger batteries? is that right? what exact parts to i need to fix my battery down safely? guessing a new rear bulkhead? what else? also, will i need to drill new holes in my original A-stamp chassis? I was already going to drill stealth tranny mounting holes, so i'm not averse to drilling... just not if i don't have to.

-peter

[DaveM]

Hi,

Here is a pic of both rear bulkheads, in the battery area the re-release has no floor and the roof has

been raised.

Cheers, Dave.

[DaveM]

Hi,

I use an old B stamp chassis that has the inline battery cup holes and the holes for the stealth

gearbox as a drill guide.

Bolted together like this you can drill the inline battery cup holes and drill for a stealth if needed.

Cheers, Dave.

[bully]

Re re bulkhead and a good quality double sided tape to put the front batt cup as far forward as you need are my top tips mate, just remember to clean the chassis an batt cup with wax an grease remover or something similar that won't leave a residue prior to sticking the tape on.. I race every cpl weeks an have had the same tape on my 10T batt cup for a cpl of years at least so if done correctly it is very effective an saves any unwanted holes in the chassis... Dave is right if you have a chassis with stealth holes bolt them together an use as a jig..

[RC104ever]

I just use the forward servo mount to hold it from the front. The rear battery cup, depending on your lipo, you just need to really squeeze it in there. Most 5000 mah packs will fit in the original bulkhead.

For the sides, I use B4 battery posts with the thumb screws and the original battery strap. Works perfectly.

[pcrussell50]

thanks to my aussie mates (i was a schoolboy in OZ), for helping. i'll for sure be stripping my gold chassis and giving a good cleaning with a proper solvent for getting grease and wax off. and also, i'm very glad to hear dave's idea of using a B stamp for a drill guide... because i was secretly going to use my bare B-stamp for that very purpose... though i wasn't sure how good an idea it was. but now i've heard from someone who's done it, i have more confidence.

rc104ever, are you quite confident that having the battery pressing up against the servo mount will not cause long term problems? because otherwise, i like your idea for it's simplicity. with that, do you happen to have the part numbers for the b4 battery mount? I've got the b4 assembly manual and it doesn't show or list any part numbers, for the battery mounts, unless i'm not looking close enough.

-peter

[DaveM]

Hi,

The B44 posts,

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXSZB0&P=7

The B44 thumb screws,

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKYX4&P=7

Don't modify anything until you have your battery in hand, you may not need to modify much at all.

Cheers, Dave.

[pcrussell50]

ta, for the links.

i already have the battery in hand. it's a gens-ace 4000mah, 2s, 25c, hard case, but with rounded sides on the long axes. so far i have been doing part of what the canadian bloke suggested... i basically jammed it into the 30yo rear bulkhead and used the aft servo mount to keep it from moving front to rear, (there was nothing to secure the battery left to right, and the receiver and esc were just loose), while i tested everything out. now everything is sorted out, and it's time to start securing things before i go to a track or do some rough bashing.

-peter

[DaveM]

Hi Peter,

If you have a stock battery cup cut the end out of it, that may get you started.

Pics please.

Cheers, Dave.

[pcrussell50]

actually, i do have the stock battery cup, and the fiberglass strap that spans it. but that won't solve the "problem" of the battery wedged pretty tightly against the servo mount. are you in agreement with the rc104ever that it's ok to have the battery tight up against the servo mount? i would worry that over time, that servo mount would take quite a beating with that arrangement.

can't take any pics right now as i'm out of town flying a trip (airline pilot) until tuesday arvo. i have some pics in another thread you participated in, where i was asking about basic setup for the gold pans. iirc, you pointed me to the '94 world's manual, which i intend to follow, and convert to wide arms... i've already gathered the parts for the wide-arm conversion. those are the only pics you can get so far.

-peter

[DaveM]

Hi Peter,

I am sure a lot of others have used batteries wedged against the servo mount, hopefully they will

chime in on how that works.

It may be best to get the B44 battery posts and thumbs screws.

Look forward to some pics.

Dave.

[DaveM]

Hi Peter,

I have been looking at Turnigy LiPos from hobbyking.com.

They are Roar approved hard cases,

The two I looked at are 4000 and a 5000 mAh.

My 6 cell NiMh's size out at 135mm x 45mm x 23mm, (L x W x H) and bolt straight in with old the

original rear bulkhead and battery cup.

The size of Turnigys on the web site are 135mm x 45mm x 21mm, they have very square corners.

Hopefully they should fit easily.

Cheers, DaveM.

[pcrussell50]

thanks for that lead. i might have to give them a look.

-peter