The Banana [DIY MTB Build]

[mulletboardermobbin]

What’s up y’all finally got my first mtb built and ready to rip. It’s taken awhile to get it all put together, but i’m proud of the final product.

It started as a set of motors and a Tenka. I said well I need something better for off-road because my other board I beat to shit off-road.

I took some time scrolling and picked up a big lot of parts from @monsterbuilder. Along with a deck on handout from @Sk8tedad. I can’t say enough about how awesome those guys are, it was so damn easy to get everything here and at a screamin deal. Shoutout to you guys you rock! And thanks a bunch again.

From there I ordered some more bits and bobs to get it together but it sat like this for awhile as a roller. I thought about re facing the deck and painting it but eh, it looks fine and works great so that’s for another day.

I got laid off about a week after I took those photos so it gave me A LOT more time to work on it. I printed out a vesc case and some bumpers and started to think about what I wanted to do for a battery. I have a flat 12s4p battery laying around but I would have to cut up to put it in a top box so I forgot about that. I ended up going with 2x 6s 20Ah Turnigy packs after seeing a lot of folks running those. I got em on deal for about $300 delivered, so all things considered I am happy with them vs liion.

I ran them in series thru the top with a loop key. I wanted to keep it simple and easy to change for when I want to inevitably change it. I bought the case off amazon and the fit is so perfect I did a flip when I put the batteries in.

Both the battery and vesc case are held on with good ol 3m VHB tape. If you have never used it before, use it. It’s like glue for tape. And before you tell me why not to use it. It holds the roof onto my pergola in my yard, I have watched this stuff day in and day out for the last 6 years holding it on doing great.

Rode it for the first time today and I have to say I am so excited with how it feels and rides. I am looking at getting a set of bindings soon to complete it, then I think it will be perfect.

SPECS:
MBS Comp 95 deck
MBS Matrix ii Trucks
Radium La Croix Bushing Adapters
MBS Rockstar ii hubs
Boardnamics XL Motor Mounts
4x aliexpress 200x50 tires (high quality)
2x 6374 Superbeast Motors
Focbox Tenka
2x Turnigy 6s 20ah Lipos
Meijia Waterproof Case

For now it’s going to be for the street as I go from job interview to job interview, but once I land a job it’s getting knobbies and i’m putting it strictly for the dirt.

Oh and about the color. I ran out of black PETG filament the day I was going to print the vesc case, I looked at the board and said fuck it yellow it is and ordered some yellow. That followed with the top box and now it’s officially The Banana. Might go for more yellow in the future, who knows. Best part, I don’t even like yellow all that much. But banana funny and like a monkey.

Thanks for checkin it out y’all let me know what you think. To Banana or not to Banana? I think we need to see more Bananas.

[tuckjohn]

Nice build dude! Congrats on your first mtn board build

That vesc case is slick, a custom design? Does it get in the way of your foot at all?

@mulletboardermobbin

Both the battery and vesc case are held on with good ol 3m VHB tape.

VHB is king🤙

[mulletboardermobbin]

@tuckjohn

That vesc case is slick, a custom design? Does it get in the way of your foot at all?

I tried to do something custom, but didn’t have time at the time. That is one I found off thingiverse. So far so good doesn’t bother my feet at all. (Size 12 usm)

[Pecos]

I approve! Banana funny. something about the deck wear and tear looks so good with all the bright yellow. Also you can get a banana suit to skate in - I would higher you on the spot. Gl with the job search!

[mulletboardermobbin]

My banana suit is going to have to get broken out, I think you’re onto something!

And thank you! I have 2 interviews tomorrow. Going as well as it can in this economy.

[mulletboardermobbin]

Went out for a ride today to get some cycles on the batteries and try my hard and some tougher off road riding. I ended up switching out the rear tires to some knobbys which I like better.

It went splendid I am so stoked with how this board rides just need to get some bindings as my feet don’t want to stay put. That’s coming soon tho.

The lipos take about 3 hours to charge a piece at 2.2a on a balance charger. I wish I could go higher but it’s as fast as my charger will go.

This was bothering me so I took a look around for a smart bms and was able to snag a xiaoxiang 12s bms for under $20 on ebay brand new.

So far I haven’t drained the cells past 3.88v in the 2 rides i’ve ridden just under caution, along with I haven’t been going far just in case something breaks, which did happen.

I would say i’ve put about 20 miles on it in 2 charges and at about mile 10 I blew a belt from a stick gettin up in there. But it was close to home so I was fine.

I do notice that the hubs seem to get loose after a certain period of riding. Is that normal? I just don’t want to carry a wrench around to tighten them every 15ish miles.

Oh and I did change from VSS to HFI and so far I think I like VSS better. I notice the board will lock up at slow speeds with the HFI at least off road. But VSS did not. HFI definitely has better starts, but I don’t mind rocking forward to get some momentum with VSS. Just my two cents.

[tuckjohn]

@mulletboardermobbin

I do notice that the hubs seem to get loose after a certain period of riding. Is that normal?

No? Wdym by loose?

Sounds odd, you’re using locknuts?

[mulletboardermobbin]

I’m not sure if you know what a bike wheel sounds like with loose spokes but it’s the exact same sound.

Like a clicking type of sound, or a popping. Once I tighten them it goes away.

And yeah just the stock mbs hub nylocks

[monsterbuilder]

@mulletboardermobbin

Like a clicking type of sound, or a popping. Once I tighten them it goes away.

That’s weird. Maybe try adding a dab of blue locktite to your axles before threading on the axle nuts? Just make sure to let it dry before taking it out for a ride.

[mulletboardermobbin]

Okay I will try that.

I just got back from another ride closer to ~16 miles and I had to tighten them up before I left, but they are not making noise right now.

I’ll loctite next ride.

Thanks y’all

[Pecos]

Ive been using this instead of blue loctite 242 and I don’t think ill go back. Has a good 30min initial set and seems in my use to give similar results with less drip and the product seems to stay the same consistency without constantly shaking the bottle. Ymmv

[mulletboardermobbin]

Waiting on one more package before I get get started on wiring this thing up. I got it open box on ebay for $18 so it was a screaming deal but I just realized I don’t have a wireless module for it.

Anyone have one laying around? If not i’ll just order off aliexpress, I just didn’t want to want for delivery.

[mulletboardermobbin]

Finally got the wireless module delivered yesterday so I was able to get the BMS installed. Shoutout @Regular_Michael for the bangin youtube vid and topic on how to wire up the bms to the lipos, I changed where the battery charge leads connects in the series connector to bypass the my loop key and it works great.

VHB holding onto the top with clear gorilla weatherproof tape to secure wires and temp sensors. I got it connected to app and it’s working fine.

Charging at 2.5a right now gets me relatively quick charge time (~120 min) for almost full. I’m thinking about getting a new charger at some point probably a 8a or 10a. But for now it does it job.

I am noticing it seems to have trouble balancing out the cells perfectly. I have yet to get the all the cells within 0.1v of each other, they tend to be 0.2v delta at the least. Any ideas on that?

[Regular_Michael]

Nice job on the battery dude, time get it dirty

[Pecos]

@mulletboardermobbin

have yet to get the all the cells within 0.1v of each other, they tend to be 0.2v delta

That is a big delta, will probably take the balance circuit on that a week to get them within .03 of each other especially if it is a low group from the average causing the delta

Just toggle the balancing on 100% of the time and check it daily for progress

[jesus]

[mulletboardermobbin]

Okay that’s what i’ve been doing, I figured it would take a little bit to get the perfect, but I did also find the calibration was a pretty off on 2 cells. I wrote the right values and it’s doing better now. Getting within 0.1v now, sometimes down to 0.05v while on balance, so it looks like it’s doing its thing.

[mulletboardermobbin]

Got 12 miles in today the banana is damn good

[mulletboardermobbin]

How do you guys set up your breakings on the rear with the motor mounts?

Right now i’m running 12id x 28od x 8 and the washers seem to cone at the step of the axle where it goes from 12mm to 12.5mm (MBS Matrix ii). I’m thinking that might be what’s leading to the wheels being loose after a couple rides.

If I run 12.5x28x8 on the inside of the hubs and 12x28 on the outside, that would allow the bearing to slide all the way over the step and be more secure.

I have a meepo nls belt and it has a setup similar to what I am explaining and it seems to be rock solid i’ve done ~2500mi with the couldwheels and I don’t bolt check that thing at all (It stayed in my car for short trips, then no car so now it’s for beer runs).

I guess i’m just wondering if anyone has done anything similar.

[monsterbuilder]

If I understand your question, you need a more robust way to tighten down the axle nut without distorting the speed ring? I wonder if a custom length spacer with a 12.5mm ID would work?