BL LST2 Battery Mounting Thoughts??

[VintageMA]

I've completed a conversion of a LST2 (yes it's sorta based off the FD design) but using my own knowledge and much better parts. I've upgraded the Steering Servos from the stock to Hitec HS-5955 steering servos (for a total of 666 oz/in of steering power). I got rid of the recevier battery in the back and opted for using an Apogee 2100 mAh 2S LiPo with a Novak LiPo 6V nitro servo regulator. I'm running a LMT 1950/7 motor with a MGM 24/160 ESC with 2 Maxamps 8000mAh 3S2P packs in series. Wheels are Zombie-Max on maxx rims with the 14mm hub conversion.

I've left everything stock for now. Forward/reverse still operational. I am running the motor in forward only with no brake and using the mechanical brake as there is no braking with the 2-speed tranny.

Haven't had much time to run it as it is about 15 degrees here in MA right now. It is mega powerful and will wheelie and flip backwards super easily if you gas it too much.

To the point (sorry for the ramblings - just totally excited about getting this working after waiting 4 months for all the parts :027: ) - I am having issues with the battery mounts (see pics). The battery case is a plastic Radio Shack box mounted to the frame with 4 screws - it's pretty solid. The zip ties hold the box together around the side and normally there are two zip ties that go around the top of the batteries to hold them down but what is happening is that even with just a flip-over those zip ties will snap.

The battery weight is substantial (~2.3 lbs) and right now most of the weight is in the back. I would like to redistribute it better, but with the braking and fwd/rev servos in place I am not sure how.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to either a better way to hold the batteries in place that will not snap or some other mounting options?

[pinolelst]

That's a pretty big battery ...I have an e-LST as well and since it was my first conversion I used the FD kit with the XLT-1 motor.
I run a 4s1p 6000 pack and get around 15+ minutes of general bashing and ~10 minutes all out racing speed. I think 6s 8000 is too much for this truck in reality but I bet it flippin rips :027: .I've snapped my transmission shaft and had to go to the tini gears set to get any longevity out of my spur/pinions because of all the torque.
Since you have 8000 mah packs maybe consider lightening up you load by going with a single 3 cell pack and using + pinions from http://www.1320.4t.com/ to get your top speed back up to 50 or so.Thats pretty much a good bashing speed IMHO as anything too much faster usually ends up in needing a new shell and some chassis parts.

Oh yeah..battery tray..again that's a big battery...I have composite materials laying around so I'd probably make a foam block the size of the pack and lay up a battery box over that then cut the front gas tank mounts flush with the upper deck(?) and run some screws through the bottom of the battery box into the posts below for support and maybe brace it somehow since that is such a big pack.velcro in the bottom and a velcro strap over the top and voila..carbon fiber battery box.

other than that you might bend up some aluminum sheet.cut it to shape with tin snips and hammer the sides over a bench edge..velcro is your friend here as well

hope this helps

pinolelst

[VintageMA]

Thanks for the info - I was thinking that velcro would probably be the way to go to hold the battery in place without snapped zipties (didn't want to go with too permanent a mount until I was sure what to do with it).

Wishing now I had gotten 4000 or the 6000 instead, but I love super long runtimes (I have a Kyosho 7.5 Inferno with the 2 - 2S 9000mAh packs that'll run for amost 40 minutes) and I mostly do just bashing so it's not too big a deal.