Gorilla Straps
 

Took my E-Maxx out today and every run the batteries fell out, I tighten the straps real hard but the velcro just peals apart/loosens.

Then on the 3rd run both straps ripped.

Anyone know a way of making a good strong, reliable strap to hold down a hump back formation of cells?

Thanks,
Nick.

How many cells are you running? I use double straps (2 straps per side) to hold the cells more securely. With a lot of cells, there isn't a lot of actual velcro to hold them in. Making a strap for the hump back shouldn't be too hard to make if it is necessary.

6 cells long with 1 cell at the end on top.

I think 2 straps on each side would be wasting money - I think the straps are to narrow, unless you mean somehow put the 2 together?

yea he means use to one goes half way around and the other goes half way around. Are you running stock emaxx chassis? If not lay the batteries flat 7 cells long and the strap will be alitle longer. supermaxx4190 has 8 cells on each side all in a row and he runs one strap (i think).

Hey Nick - What chassis are you running? Are your straps damaged? Velcro will stretch a bit, but it should not peal apart.

I'd like to help, but need more info.

Thanks

I run the older version of the Gorilla Chassis (7cells across).

If I role the car, the batteries fall out, when I put them in before I run the car they are very secure but get lose so easily and let go of my batteries. Did the same thing with the stock chassis and caused one battery to fall out and snap in half!

Picture:
http://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/index.ph...cmd=si&img=354

The battery wasn't heatshrinked but it had alot of glue and good solderd joints.

I snapped both the Straps around where they are screwed down and the rip goes a few CMs up the strap.

I guess they just can't secure hump-packs. Maybe I'm using them wrong?

Nick - are you using the G3 straps, or do you have the original G1 straps?

The G1 chassis had side rails - are you using those?

Side rails are installed. :)

Think they are G3 straps as I purchased them recently and look like the ones on the website.

G1 straps haven't been around for quite some time, so you surely have the g3 straps.

If you can - please send me a photo of your set-up showing how you strap the packs down. Perhaps there is something I can suggest once I see how you're running your packs.

I find that the hump back actually holds better since the extra height allows the strap to pull down more.

You can just email it to me at mail@gorillamaxx.com

The Straps work well for my hump packs.

I know in the picture below there are zip ties but that was only for show. Everytime I ran them were without the zip ties. I rolled my G-Maxx many times at higher speeds and they stayed on fine.

http://www.juggernaut23.com/E-Maxx%2...%20B%20022.JPG

Thanks for that picture. :)

I will try bigger washers where they are screwed down and give them a shuggle in different positions and stuff.

Thanks.

Let us know how you make out, Nick. By the way, what is a "shuggle"? :)

ShAkE & TuG - I guess - lol - cool word though...

I don't actually know what I mean by "shuggle" or why I put that, I guess it was a typo' but can't remember what I ment to of put there? :eek:

I'm still giving it testing, but the velcro rips apart making the battery looser and drop out after time, trying to make some sort of small tight clamp to squeeze the 2 velcro areas together more, like a clip or something. Any ideas?

Also I saw some Gorilla type straps but had metal buckles instead of the plastic ones and weren't screwed down. Anyone know what they are and where I can get them? Look stronger than the ones I have. Here is a pic':
http://www.modellinc.com/Images/newer!/DSCF0129.JPG

they are gen 1. they are alot weaker. why dont you get the carbon fiber holddowns?

Actually - the ones shown on the photo are G2 straps. From reading your comments (Nick) I think you might not have the straps installed correct. The large washer that comes with the straps is an important part of the strap connection. The bonded neoprene is designed to squeeze the strap down to the plate. If your strap is tearing at the holes then you probably don't have the washer tight enough. The velcro connection is the same on all the straps G1 G2 and G3 - its velcro.

Any chance you can send me a photo of your truck showing how your straps are installed?

http://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/uploads/..._46_381481.jpg

http://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/uploads/..._46_624418.jpg

Only pictures so far and as you can see, I havn't been using the washers supplied as the screws supplied arn't tall enough to attach the metal support bar to the frame and give enough space for the washer. :(

This wouldn't be a reason to why the velcro gets loose though? Or batteries fall out - obviously they will if the straps ripped but they have only ripped once when the batteries have fallen out several times.

Also, are what Gorilla straps are mine? G1/G2/G3? Those metal ones look alot more rigid/stronger.

You straps are g3. Some of the earlier ones actually had more strength to resist ripping, but the velcro adhesion was not very strong. The g3 straps have prettys strong velcro. Here is a suggestion to try. You mentioned that you run 6 cells flat with an additional battery on top, right? Try tucking the velcro into the slit in the lower chassis plate opposite the humped battery before you cinch it down(run velcro down through a battery cut out and up through the slit in the chassis). This should give you some extra pressure on the batteries. I would double up if it were me
(I already mentioned this).

This doubling of straps, Mike, do you mean two parallel? Or one over the other?

One over the other is the way I do it. I hold my $$ LiPo down with this method and haven't had any trouble.

How many cells are you running? The problem is that the velcro is higher than where it supposed to be. Because of the cnc'ed lower part of the frame. Depending on how many cells you are running, you could consider mounting the velcro on the bottom of the frame, leading it thru the frame, so it pulls down harder. just use a small piece of lexan or what so ever, to keep the velcro intact where it goes thru the frame.

That is your problem imo.

Nick - The Straps are designed to fit the stock chassis and the current G2 chassis - This is why the screws are not long enough for your application (because of the side rails). You definately need to use the bonded washers at the mounting locations. These will give you a much stronger hold point. Mike is correct, you should lace the straps through the slot on the lower chassis - this will keep the batteries from sliding foward. If your velcro is not sticking, then you might have a problem with the velcro material. Check that the hook side is not flat or damaged and then check the loop side is not worn. If you think the material is defective let me know (email me at mail@gorillamaxx.com) and I'll get you replacements.

I run 7cells, 6 cells flat and 1 cell hump at one end on top - although soon I will be running with all 7 flat.

I will try lacing the straps and maybe some longer screws.

Just to make sure, to lace, after the last cell I put the strap through the hole the cell sits on then back up through the thin slit at the end, then fastend by the screw?

Thanks alot for the information so far, this is brilliant support.

ha....thats nothing. I run 7 cells on one side and 11 cells on the other - in a stock chassis. The side with 7 cells has one slot cut out, so from the top it looks like a flat pack of 6. The side with 11 cells has all five slots cut out, so that also looks like a flat 6 from ontop.

I use gorrilamaxx straps and both packs (including the 11 cell pack) are helf very securely. Plus the CoG is much much lower.

Got a picture of that? Sounds intresting. 18cells on a stock chassis, couldn't belive it until I see it. :D

I'll try attaching these 2 images. The reason there is a big hole in a centre of the chassis is because I used to run an 820 dewalt/tekin 420-g2 set-up, but that didnt work. Now I'm going for a 2000XL/warrior 7018 combo, should give nice speeds and runtimes.....

underside.....

Thats very unique, good job. :)

cheers :D

Nick - Since the G1 chassis only had 7 cell slot, if you run all 7 flat you wont need to lace the strap.

If you run the 6+1 hump back try the following - Attach the small buckle strap at the rear (using the bonded washer). Attach the long strap at the front (using the bonded washer) - set the hump pack towards the back of the chassis plate with the hump cell also at the back - this will leave the first cell slot open at the front. Now take the long strap and drop the end into the narrow slot next to the mount - then bring it up through the first battery slot (the open one) and then lace it into the buckle. This will lower the tension point and create a stronger hold.

Try it.

Right - I tried it, and the battery fell out again! Although I think I have located the problem.

No matter how tight the straps are and in your soloutions the battery slides horizontally out from the strap towards the motors (to the center) and then the strap isn't covering it, allowing the battery just to come out.

I guess if I make some sort of bar on the other side it will stop them sliding out that way, even a little bubble type rib with duck tape should stop it.

A suggestion in my own experience is make the next straps wider.

Please suggest any more soloutions.

My Ghetto G-MAXX Cups
 

I have "e-maxx" packs, 7 cells w/ da' hump.

I could have modified the "7th" cell and layed it flat, but I'm going LiPo pretty soon and I'd like something that'll ensure my expensive batteries will stay in the truck.

So I was on the hunt for something fairly easy to modify that would hold my sub-c cells in the truck, didn't want something difficult to work w/...and definately not something heavy.

Found that a single gang pvc electrical box is perfect. It's lightweight, just the correct width, one box makes a complete cup, and it cost $0.89 + some heavy duty double sided tape I picked up.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...=034481150466#

I basically cut the bottom and top off (bottom and top make the cup), left the cup tall enough to allow the g-maxx strap to hold the battery in the cup, which means the battery hump was exposed and the regular portion of the battery was slightly exposed. I ground down some of the various unnecessary "humps."
Don't really care for the double sided tape but it didn't have too much trouble providing horizontal support, though after a couple runs on the track there was enough dirt and movment requiring me to put on new tape. It would be easy enough to modify the plastic cups to allow the g-maxx strap to run through them or "join" the cups w/ epoxy, aluminum, anything else light and slim.

I didn't endo my truck nearly as much as I used to, getting proficient w/ the throttle on jumps and corners helps....so I didn't get to test very often, but of the few times that I had an 'incident' the batteries didn't move.

LiPo's are a little wider than sub-c. Approximately 7mm wider, I believe these cups make w/ work them also.

LOL maybe its just me but I ripped 1 blue strap a few weeks ago clean of just turning. Alittle dispointed but what can you do things break. Gorilla maxx is awesome! The strap came in handy for another use. Check it out lol

DId some revo trimming lol
http://www.rcbros.com/alex/mod4.jpg

Well I am trying to make my own DIY gadget to hold them in.

Real disappointed at the Gorilla straps, they need to be another 1cm wider and it would do all the difference.

Thanks for the help so far anyway guys. :)

I was skeptical of the straps providing enough lateral support when I first installed my chassis (I love the chassis, btw).

The gmaxx straps are fine if you have something else that will provide the lateral support necessary to keep your batteries in place. Granted you would think the straps should be enough, but I had the same experience as yourself. Used zip ties, extra velcro, etc. Nothing worked solidly enough until I decided to make the cups.

If you read my post above you'll see that a very inexpensive and easy to craft solution is available. You're looking at about $5 and an hour of your time. Oh, you may wanna sand the cups and paint 'em...so another $3.

Maybe you'll come up w/ a good enough design and can market the N-maxx cups for the g-maxx chassis, sell 'em for $10. :D

I'm thinking of making my own straps, based of the Gorilla ones, but wider and a "belt" type buckle instead of velcro. ;)

You could always make something like those tie downs used to hold things in pickup trucks where you crank it down to tighten it...

Nick,

I'm still not clear on your last comment about the pack sliding out to the center. I didn't get a picture from you - so I mocked up what I think you have using a few old parts. The washers should be tight - to work properly you need friction to hold the strap down at the mount, otherwise, the only thing holding the strap is a small little hole in the velcro.

Just so we're all up to speed - This is a photo of the old G1 chassis with a current G3 strap.

The new chassis (not shown here) uses a foam pad with the strap to hold the packs firmly in place (yes- the foam is important because it creates a non-skid surface)

I just cant image the pack sliding out from the center - it would have to get past the brace - Is that what you mean?