Viper & Gorilla- 2 in 1 Electric Longboard Build Log.

Joined
Jul 5, 2014
Messages
71
Hey Everybody!!
So after a successful first build, the friction drive 'Pen-E' (https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=63223). Big thanks to everyone who helped especially to Beto_pty, psychotiller, Hummina Shadeeba, torqueboards. Slightly more than a year later, I'm back to the drawing board on my second Build. A build I've been dreaming about for a long time, one that life has interrupted far too long. I think starting a build log here (Endless-sphere) is always a good way to put an end to 'noob procrastination' ( a kind of procrastination caused by lack of knowledge and confusion :p) and get started on my build.

For this Build I want to achieve quite a few things (and honestly have no clue how)- i'm hoping the community here can guide me on my journey- and as always other noobs like myself can use this Build Log- like a 'How to'
So here's what I have in mind
1. Twin motor Electric Long board (With motor mounts, gears, belts and electronics/battery case that can be applied to any size Deck with a 10" Truck). Currently I wish to apply this setup to this Long board I built myself.

Lets call this E- long board 'Viper'- Yea I like that name!


2. I'd like to build the Drive system in a way that allows me to swap the regular longboard wheels with these off road XT wheels I bought. to end up with a board similar to Psychotiller's (here https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=59259). Lets call this off-road beast version of my Electric Long board 'Gorilla'.

So basically I want to be able to go from Viper to Gorilla just by unscrewing the wheel nuts and changing the wheels (everything else remains the same)


Capabilities and features I wish to have on Viper.
1. Twin motors- Powerful enough to munch up steep inclines.
2. Speed- I'd like Viper to be quite fast. Faster than Pen-E for starters. (Of course I'll ride with protective gear :)
3. Efficient breaking
4. LED headlights
5. Should coast well

Capabilities and features i wish to have on Gorilla

1. Powerful enough to speed through Dirt tracks like this


Would be awesome if gorilla could be capable of these moves seen in this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaVuh6AG3YM

2 . Speed
3. Full or semi Water proof Electrical and drive system for care free riding off road and on beaches like this.


4. LED headlights
5. Should coast well

Questions:
1. What motors should I buy? (I use Hobbyking.com)

2. What ESC should I buy?

3. What will be the ideal battery size for a Build Like Viper and Gorilla? I wish for long and powerful rides. I already have 2x 20c 5000mAh Zippy Lipo from the Pen-E build, if i need more, what more will i need?

3. What gearing ratio and timing belt should I use? Since my first build was a friction drive, I've never really worked with geared drive systems and timing belts. I'm sure gear ratios and belts have been discussed at length somewhere on ES- could someone please direct me to a thread where I can learn the formula or basically learn how to derive the optimal gear ratio for my build based on my requirements. Any and all information on this is much appreciated.

4. Motor mount brackets- another topic that I'm sure has been discussed far too many times. I don't wish to reinvent anything here- as i'm sure many have tried and tested all kinds of motor mount brackets. Could someone please direct me to a thread or images of a compact and efficient motor mount bracket design? I intend to fabricate my own brackets at this local fabrication shop i know.

That's all the questions I have for now. Answers to the above will help me begin studying and planing out my build. Will keep this Thread updated with everything I do pertaining to this build.

Thanks in advance guys, for all your help and support!

I just can't wait to speed on Viper and Gorilla!!!!!
 
Thanks for all the flattery!!! I see this as definitely being possible as long as you use the same size urethane wheels. I believe your "xt" type wheels are 105mm right? If so, you can find 4 pulleys and get them mounted up to both sets of wheels. If the offsets are different you'll just need to figure out spacing. If you file off the outside flange on your motor pulleys, or just get flangeless motor pulleys, you can slide your belt on and off with ease while changing the wheels. Great idea brother!

P.S. in that mountainboarding pic (from 2004 i think at Sleepy Hollow, Iowa), that is a ski slope. Very steep and very fast. Not sure motors would help! When this was taken of me, the current debate was whether or not brakes should be allowed in competition. We all dropped in brake free.

Get 63mm motors. I would recommend between 190 and 245kv
I'm messing around with VESC's right now, but can't honestly say I think they are better than Hobbywing or Castle ESC's. I absolutely had more torque with those ESC's. They just didn't play nice in the smoothing category haha.
Run 3:1 gearing or as close as you can get to it. @6s you'll end up at a theoretical 30mph.
 
psychotiller said:
Thanks for all the flattery!!! I see this as definitely being possible as long as you use the same size urethane wheels. I believe your "xt" type wheels are 105mm right? If so, you can find 4 pulleys and get them mounted up to both sets of wheels. If the offsets are different you'll just need to figure out spacing. If you file off the outside flange on your motor pulleys, or just get flangeless motor pulleys, you can slide your belt on and off with ease while changing the wheels. Great idea brother!

P.S. in that mountainboarding pic (from 2004 i think at Sleepy Hollow, Iowa), that is a ski slope. Very steep and very fast. Not sure motors would help! When this was taken of me, the current debate was whether or not brakes should be allowed in competition. We all dropped in brake free.

Hey Psychotiller! Good to hear from you! :)
pardon my noobness, but i think i understand what your saying- except for the spacing and flange part.

-By spacing do you mean- the motor mount bracket that I need to use to accommodate regular urethane wheels and Xt wheels, will have to have variable/adjustable length?

-I'm not sure what a flange on a motor pulleys- Is it a protrusion around the circumference of the motor pulley to ensure the Belt doesn't slip out?

-What gear ratio are you using on your Xt wheels E long board? I recollect correctly you are using a chain instead of a belt- does it effect performance?

Any clues/suggestion for me on what motors, ESC, battaries I should use for this build?

cheers!
 
psychotiller said:
Get 63mm motors. I would recommend between 190 and 245kv
I'm messing around with VESC's right now, but can't honestly say I think they are better than Hobbywing or Castle ESC's. I absolutely had more torque with those ESC's. They just didn't play nice in the smoothing category haha.
Run 3:1 gearing or as close as you can get to it. @6s you'll end up at a theoretical 30mph.

Awesome!
 
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