First DIY build thread

[MichaelWA]

I figured my first DIY is long overdue for a build thread, so here it goes.

Goal:
I wanted a street cruiser/high speed build for +40mph top speed with loads of range, stability and weather proof. I also like to jump curbs so I chose to top mount my battery instead.

Parts list:

Apex 2022 Bro deck

Lacroix Hypertruck w Lonestar baseplate (blue)

MBS Rockstar II hubs w Kenda 200mm/8in tires

12s12p Molicel P42A from @A13XR3

Apache 2800 and Pelican 1050 cases

Flipsky 6384 170kv w 8mm shaft

Makerx DV6

Hoyt puck

Metr Pro CAN + SD + GPS

I found out later that my build is very similar to @BenjaminF Mistfall, by coincidence.

First challenge was to fit cable glands for all the phase wires.

It was a very tight fit for the DV6.

Second challenge was Lacroix motor mount, they had a 30mm mouting pattern vs Flipsky motor 44mm pattern (had no idea about this). So I done what had to be done, drill holes into the motor mount! Later on I got Radium mount adapter.

Some minors hiccups happen along, such as Flipsky and DV6 phase wires weren’t the same size. @Egtscs and I decided to swap them both for Castle Creations 6.5mm connectors, they are much beefier. VESC tool was also having problems detecting remote, so I had to calibrate it manually. For some reason the remote didn’t work, took a bit of tinkering for it to work.

Everything else went smoothly after. Definitely could had done a better job on the wire in the back. Later on I added MBS F5 bindings.

The result:

Added Radium sinkplate and MBS bindings:

After a while, my battery suddenly stopped taking charge. Turns out the corner of the battery was rubbing against the power port, severing a charge cable.

Shout out to @bboybowzer for picking up my battery at midnight when he lives an hour away from me in order to fix it. Truly deserving the title #1 nicest person.

After making sure battery and BMS was ok. I relocated the power port to the top of the case and further away from battery to prevent rubbing. Borrowed @Egtscs Hubba Hubs for testing. Swapped out 18T aluminum pulley for 20T steel pulley (thanks @haven for letting me use your blowtorch).

Current setup:

Planning to upgrade my drivetrain to BN M1AT gear drives and SKP Reacher 6485 205kv in the near future.

Fat fucking shout out to @Egtscs, @haven and the PNW community for helping me with pretty much everything along the way.

[MichaelWA]

Heres when I know my build is weather proof.

[yoyotinker]

Nice! Looks great. What duro bushings are you running on the hypertrucks?

[BenjaminF]

@MichaelWA

found out later that my build is very similar to @MrDrunkenMobster Mistfall, by coincidence

It’s an excellent build, you landed on a great combo of parts! Hypertrucks and Haero Bro go together like they were made for each other.

[MichaelWA]

Started 70A (white) front and 80A back (green). Currently running 80A front and 90A back (grey).

[MichaelWA]

Honestly, it feels great. Granted I have not tried any others Hypertruck + Deck combo so I don’t have a comparison. Someone mentioned that if my build was similar to yours, then I’m doing something right.

[ShutterShock]

Is it something about the angles that makes them nice? I just haven’t seen a ton of this combo, obviously in part to do with the price of the hypers

[BenjaminF]

The angles are part of it. Every time I get on a Nazare/Lonestar deck I’m always reminded of how wild it is that LaCroix chose to go 30°/25°. That combo makes these trucks feel totally dead, and turns like a minivan. The Bro’s 30°/30° is juuuuuust right

Ride height is also part of it. The nose and tail of the bro are pretty long compared to a lot of MTB decks, so you can mount the trucks pretty far up. With red Hypertrucks baseplates, that puts your standing platform pretty much perfectly in line with the kingpins, which gives excellent control and turning response.

The width and concave of the bro is perfect (for me) in regards to leverage over the width of the hypers. The slight flex/snappiness of the bro combined with the diving turns from the hypers. Etc. Etc. Etc.

It’s all the little stuff about how a deck and a set of trucks work together to make a great ride feel. It could be that the bro and the hypers are just great on their own, and so they are great together. But honestly, having tried hypers on different decks and the bro on different trucks, this combo feels like more than the sum of it’s parts. I think it’s just a happy accident that makes a kickass combo

[MichaelWA]

It’s been a while since my last update on this build. Here’s what happened in the past months.

1. I wanted to switch to gear drive since I kept breaking belts every week. Later found out that my motor pulleys were sharp af due to wear and tear, plus my habit of riding in the rain and wet roads also doesn’t do any good for my belts. I chose to go with Boardnamics M1AT drives cause it has steel gears, I wanted durability over anything else.

2. I want to go with a red and black theme so I got some red hubba hubs after @Egtscs kindly letting me stole his for a while.

3. Swap out my janky cthulu looking ass VESC box for an actual enclosure. Massive thanks to @ShutterShock for providing me one of his prototype box.

4. Upgraded my motors to @Skyart SKP 6485 205kv from Flipsky BH 6384 170kv. I have a need for speed.

New parts:

Ta-da, jobs done.

Shoutout to @haven for letting me borrow tools.

Did not quite achieve the 50mph goal I was looking for, but I will take it.

So far the enclosure pass my PNW test.

The corner of shit happens:
Somehow drilled a hole through my drive cover. Not inspired by @BenjaminF

Broke my enclosure. Waiting for a replacement.

[ShutterShock]

Looking nice! Still crazy how it broke like that lol, new one is almost done

Then again you also broke a BN gear drive in a way I’ve never seen before too. It’s wild to see a hole just punches straight through there. I guess that’s what happens when you put steel vs aluminum

[ZachTetra]

Did the pinion walk it’s way down the shaft and bore a hole through the cover or was that the axle itself?

[MichaelWA]

Honestly, I still don’t know. My guess is the shaft key got loose and slide down the keyway. Got stuck between the shaft and the cover and grinded its way through.

[ZachTetra]

I wanna see the little puck that got left behind

[MichaelWA]

Yeah me too, but that thing is long gone. Couldn’t find it anywhere.

[MichaelWA]

Quick updates:

• Finally fixed my terrible power cable situation. Bullied @Egtscs into making me a new one at 2AM since I could barely move after a crash at CARVE SEA.

Temporary solution until I install this 90 degree adapter. Thx @glyphiks for sharing the files.

Also, this was how bad my cable situation was. You be the judge.

Installed some tail lights. Thx @ShutterShock.

Also, thx @BenjaminF for your 2 cents after my crash at CARVE SEA. Now its not gonna come off this time.

Also fuck you for one upping me with the 12s13p battery. I got a Minnie, so ig we’re even…for now…

[ShutterShock]

@MichaelWA

Installed some tail lights. Thx @ShutterShock.

Sale post coming soon. They look awesome on your build

@MichaelWA

Also, thx @MrDrunkenMobster for your 2 cents after my crash at CARVE SEA. Now its not gonna come off this time.

well that’s a new one

I wonder if adding space to run a zip tie through the xt90 port would be a good solution. Would only require a small cutout.

[MichaelWA]

The answer is no, imo. Its a niche solution and if you have your wiring shenanigans together (unlike me), the connectors shouldn’t come off.

[ShutterShock]

Lol fair enough

I was under the impression that XT90, at least the official ones, are pretty tight