First build! Need suggestions and advise!

ESK8 Builds
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Hi everyone! So I’m interested in my first electric skateboard build. The reason being because cheap Chinese boards are crap and high end ones are too expensive. So I want to make one that’s cheaper than a high end but preforms like one. I’ve been reading around on the forums a lot recently and have found a ton of useful information but have still come up short on what products are best for me.

So first some background. I’m 15 years old, 6’00" 150 lbs (a little on the skinnier side) and where I live in Wisconsin, USA it is mostly flat with a few hills.

I decided on a mono drive cause a dual would be too expensive and overkill for me. I want this build to be very straightforward and not super technical. That is why I’m thinking of getting either the Enertion or DIY mono mech kit (not sure what the pros and cons to both are). The other option other wise is to get the CarvON 2.5 single hub motor but where I live the roads are not always the best and I’m afraid it won’t last long. But let’s say I decide to go with belt drive. I’ve done quite a bit of research and cannot figure out what motor is ideal. I don’t want to skimp out and get a cheap one that will break or I’ll be disappointed with its performance. I’m thinking a 6374 is the right size but super confused on the kv. Different manufacturers and models provide a different kv! Some 190 others 245. I don’t want to be limited on where I can go with this thing. This would also probably be a good time to mention that I want a top speed around 28mph/45kmph. Also because I want this build to be simple I’m going to get the Space Cell by Enertion. As for vesc they all seem the same and I’m not sure which company is best to buy from.

So that just about sums up all of my questions! Most of my confusion is coming from the motor selection.

For the price of things I’m thinking: Mech kit- $200 Motor- $100 Space cell pro3 or pro4- $300-400 VESC- $100 Deck- $50 Nano x- $50

Total- $800-$900

I would definitely like to keep it on the cheaper side but I want to get quality components.

So please drop your thoughts, suggestions, and recommendations below and I would greatly appreciate it! Also let me know if I’m missing anything… :smile:

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Check out www.aatorquesytems.com We no joke do this [quote=“ejbares, post:1, topic:17999”] So I’m interested in my first electric skateboard build. The reason being because cheap Chinese boards are crap and high end ones are too expensive [/quote]

Its our mission :smiley:

check out this link here on the thread $650 Pre-Built What???

But i can get that DIY can be fun! So looks like your Choices are solid. a 6355 motor from DIY or Enertion or shoot even @JLabs Should work awesome. Also chances are 6374 can be overkill, and will limit you if you want to upgrade to a dual drive later in the future

Also for Kv stay under 190kv because the VESC has a ERPM limit that if passed will kill it.

in terms of your VESC, There is many like Ollin who sell killer Vesc with great warranties in case of failure. then there are those who sell it without warranty for less but if you break it you have to spend to fix it or buy a new one.

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Sounds totally doable w/ that budget and then some.

Couple suggestions:

  1. start with the deck you want to electrify. You will need to adjust mounts, battery placement, etc. depending on which deck you pick. Flex is tough to do well - so if you pick a Vanguard (boosted uses) as an example - you need to separate the batteries to allow the middle to flex. Or picking a stiff downhill deck and you can have a SPACE or similar block/cell.

  2. GT2b vs Nano. ROCK SOLID. Safety… critical to have solid reliable connection. The GT2b is a bit bulky stock, but a few minutes to hours time and 3d printed new enclosure… Master Cho, or similar (baby buffalo, OKP/unik, flatline customs, etc).

  3. VESC - which? VESC 6 is right around the corner… or get one of the newer 4.12 variants from Enertion or DIYes.

  4. Wheels? I’d recommend the Flywheels - 83mm to 90mm (again deck shape/style and clearance is critical to know to suggest). Flywheels are great, so are Kegels - but more limited w/ Kegels at only 80mm vs Flywheels you can swap the same wheel gear from 76mm to 97mm (with 40t the clearance might be a problem on small 76mm wheels).

Mechanicals - depends on your setup (again deck and clearances/adjustability needed). Enertion’s is super simple. DIYes is more adjustable. I personally prefer DIYes setup w/ his 36 and 40t aluminum wheel gears. more ability to gear down (about 2mph slower 40t vs 36t) - plus adjustable angles vs Enertions limited range.

Single setup i’d get 12 or 15mm belts if you can - i think the enertion and DIYes wheel gears are 12mm, but you can use 15 if you get a motor gear that’s 15mm.

Get a gear calculator and see what your speeds will be.

Pick a deck and let us know so we can help steer you.

HTH - GL!

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Wow thank you for your insights!

@Alextech your board looks very interesting and will look into it. I’m pretty sure I want to go diy for this build but if the project fails I’ll know where to go :wink:

@sl33py I understand that I wouldn’t be able to use the vanguard because it would flex too much. I’m not 100% sure on what deck I want. I want the space cell so it would need to be stiff and when it is stiff its safer for high speeds. I’m currently looking at these:

I’m not sure if this one will have too much flex or if I can ask them to make it stiffer since its made to order.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Longboard-Downhill-top-mount-quality-skateboard-blank-10-x-38-HEAD-design-D-08/252420915977?_trksid=p2045573.c100507.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555014%26algo%3DPL.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3Db92f4def65e641d7be7ecf708b511327%26pid%3D100507%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26

http://www.thelongboardstore.com/longboards/blank/blank-40-drop-through-drop-down-hourglass-longboard-deck/

NOTE: I don’t really have any experience with long boarding but I have done a bit of research. But I’m basically just picking based on look and what seems to be functional.

There is also a local board shop that I plan on making a trip to to see what they have and hopefully to support a local business.

Now for the gearing situation. I’m not opposed to doing different gearing or anything but I just don’t want my brain to blow up in the process :smile: That’s why I was looking at the pre made mech kits because what they have should work well together right? Also what do you suggest for the gearing? I think that as I have the board longer and begin to understand it more that I will want to start changing gearings and explore with them more.

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Ethan - no sweat man - you are getting this quickly!

Boards - Flex is great for absorbing bumps and cushioning on bad roads… but greatly complicates everything else - most importantly battery placement. So if you are skipping flexy and sticking to the easier stiff board - much much easier.

Here’s my personal recipe for a good board -

Stiff (flex is nice, but easier is better). Kick tail or no? (preference in boards is like preference in women - redhead vs blonde vs brunette…). We all know redheads are crazy, but fun if you like taking your life in your own hands… but i digress. :wink:

I typically target around 25mph top speed. I’ve done 30 on this same setup (tail wind or slight downhill section). absolutely ridiculously fast. I think 20-22 is about my max if i’m paying attention. On a solid setup that doesn’t have speed wobbles and you are most importantly - comfortable and work up to faster speeds slowly (with protective gear for those speeds).

OK - my speed calc is setup like this:

Wheel size in mm - Motor KV - Battery voltate #Series - motor gear / wheel gear.

83mm - 190kv - 10s - 14/36 = 25mph 83mm - 170kv - 12s - 14/36 = 26/27

97mm (my favorite) - 170kv - 10s - 14/40 = 24mph 97mm - 190kv - 10s - 14/40 = 26/27

to clear big wheels you either need monster riser pads (not a fan - COG and balance and just a long way to step up or lean down to push… yuk), or a symetrical/cutout board (preferably w/ drops to maintain low deck height).

My favorite setup w/ big wheels was a GBomb/Subsonic drop deck:

1268×713

200kv 5065 DIYes motors 8s 12/36 gears (don’t go as low as 12t on motor = skipping especially on 9mm belts) dual VESC

All up weight just shy of 20lbs.

Unfortunately before i finished getting enclosures built and making it look a bit nicer, it was stolen from my car at work (my fault for not bringing it in…).

Again wheels - two things i like are big wheels, and soft wheels. So pay attention to durometer of your wheels. Helps with rough roads, cracks, etc. I would usually not go smaller than 83mm and the softest you can find. The biggest difference between legit flywheels and clones - flywheels are softer duro than clones. Clones work well too, and for the price hard to beat. My GF’s board is setup w/ clones and rides great, just not quite as plush. But on a Loaded Vanguard… so the deck softens a lot.

of your two boards - neither will work well unfortunately as is, and require some rework or modification to electrify.

1st is nice, stiff - a good downhill setup. your wheel cutouts up front likely won’t clear big wheels (maybe 76-80mm without risers).

2nd will clear larger (maybe 83-90mm i’m guessing) - being drop deck is a plus, but drop through won’t work without a lot of extra work - the motor mount on the axle of Caliber II’s will hit the underside. Your fix is to top mount the board on the drop through, and your motors may not clear the deck in front of the trucks… so you’d have to flip the motors out the back most likely even top mounting the deck.

Definitely check out your LBS - but you won’t find a deck for cheap there. Not a longboard at least. But talk - learn - and maybe you’ll luck out on something you like!

It’s great to support a LBS - i might get grip and bearings and bushings from them, maybe trucks if reasonable. But decks are usually where they make their $$/markup.

funbox is a good inexpensive place i’ve tried for blank decks. I love expensive decks too - my old subsonic/gbomb was custom - so so awesome and built for my weight (6’8" and 265lbs) - not skinny like i was when i was 15 any more… hehehe.

Find the deck that calls to you… and go from there. Beauty of DIY is you can take your favorite deck and make it electric. Vs buying premade and getting what they give you. Such a personal/taste thing.

HTH - GL!

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@sl33py I agree on buying local but not for a deck. Ok so I found this deck and I really like it but I’m not sure if it will have flex. If I order it in 9 ply (they have the option of 7, 8, and 9) with it be stiff enough? http://www.customskateboards.com/Blank-Longboards/Blank-Freeride

For the motor I think I decided on this one (please tell me if its a good choice) diy-electric-skateboard-kits-parts/electric-skateboard-motor-6355-190kv/

Now on to the belts and pulleys (please tell me if these questions are stupid and I’m becoming a burden :smile:) So I’m thinking that I’ll want 83mm wheels right away and then with a 190kv and the 10s space cell I’ll need 14/36 correct? If I bought one of the complete mech kits with the 16/36 would that still work? If not and I need to buy a 14 and 36 should I buy everything (wheels, trucks, pulley, gears, motor mount, etc.) seperately or buy a complete and then just buy a 14 to replace the 16 that they usually come with? I also looked into belts. In the common parts list the most common size is a 265mm belt but 255mm and other sizes are also available so which one would I need?

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Understood. Decks are spendy and they have to make money somewhere…

9 ply would be best - but if it’s setup like the Vanguard - it’ll have flex… So you’ll want to split the enclosure so the middle is clear to allow flex.

Great motor

(not stupid questions - only stupid one is the one you don’t ask). 83mm is a great setup/start and will fit that deck great w/o risers. you can do 14/36 or 14/40 easily. It’ll likely be cheaper as a kit vs individual parts, and yes you can get a different motor pulley at 13/14/15/16t as needed later - just pay attention to width (9mm 12mm or 15mm).

It’s all in the # teeth in each gear and center to center distance. yes there is a calculator somewhere, but i don’t have it handy. Instead i’d ask Torque to set you up with what works for those gears. There is a fair bit of adjustment in the mount, and belts are cheap (also good to have a spare or two).

HTH - GL!

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Hey @ejbares this all sounds interesting and your gonna have a blast once you finish your board and go far that sweet first ride! Anyways one thing I gotta say is, don’t get the space cell, you could build a way better and bigger battery for the same price. I have a Carvon V2 single hub motor and I absolutely love it! I’ve gotten up to 28MPH butt you could still go faster. Also what are you planning on doing about a switch for your board? I have some MOSFET switch designs you could make pretty easily, but you can also buy them, I normally sell them but I’m out of the country.

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For Blank brand decks:

Only $39.99

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@Titoxd10001 has a pulley kit for about 30 bucks for a single shipped and I can make you a mount for caliber 2 trucks for 50.00 shipped. This would cut down on your 200.00 mech kit budget. Also http://www.skateshred.com has some cool blank decks for awesome prices.

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I purchased a very similar deck to the first one you posted off of eBay (decoysupply) and I love it! I purchase 3/4 inch risers for my 97 mm wheels and I have no wheel. It’s at all. If you have very little experience on a longboard make sure the width of your deck is wide! Like 10" is awesome! Great to have space for your feet, especially if you’re 6 foot. Also, you’ll be going fast! So your deck should have a wide wheel base (space between the two trucks) for stability. 30" wheel base will keep you confident on your feet. The stock bushings that come with your trucks, are well…stock. So IMO I’d also suggest changing them to handle the turns and possible speed wobbles. My last suggestion would be to buy from @torqueboards, DIYElectricSkateboard! Dexter has awesome customer service and because you live in the Midwest cost of shipping won’t be terrible and you’ll get your stuff pretty quickly. You seem real motivated and educated. Shoot me a quick DM as soon as your build is done. I’d love to see where this takes you. Good luck!

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Thanks for shout out @korryh I have 15mm pulleys which are the most reliable option for single Steel 15t with keyway is $11 Flywheel 40t pulley is $15 Or $25 for both Shipping is usually $3

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@ejbares - We’re working on a budget build for about $559. 5065 260KV Motor w/ 6S2P Battery. Will include everything but a deck. It will most definitely be an entry level setup but you’ll still get 20-22mph, 5-7 mile range. We’ll have a 6S4P pack for $659 which should do about 15-20 mile range.

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@sl33py Thank you so much you have been immensely helpful!

@JdogAwesome So I decided to get the space cell because I don’t really want to deal with LiPos and balancing them and everything. I want to make the board so I can just easily plug it in and not worry about it. Since this is my first build and not an expert or anything I don’t really want to build my own battery either. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do for the battery then? I did see that DIY has some of their own batteries. With this board that I’m super into http://www.customskateboards.com/Blank-Longboards/Blank-Freeride I’m fairly certain that it wouldn’t have any flex if I were to get it in 9 ply but I guess we won’t know till I actually get it. If it did flex however I could maybe do 1 or 2 6S4P from DIY diy-electric-skateboard-kits-parts/epower-pack-6s4p-electric-skateboard-battery/ but then I’m not sure if the motor I chose (6355 190kv) would work with 12s. I also don’t know what I would have to do with switches and stuff. I think that 12S would be over kill for me though lol. I’m also pretty set on belt driven because the roads by me are not the best but I was super interested in the Carvon cause of their simplicity and they can go crazy fast! :smile:

@korryh Thank you for the info! How would I contact you if I wanted to buy your motor mount?

@nmagz3 Thank you so much for this very valuable info! This is amazingly helpful info for a beginner! And thank you also for the kind words! It’s really helping me stay motivated in this build :smile:

@Titoxd10001 Thank you! Always open to options!

@torqueboards Very interested in this budget build your making! Where could I find more information on this?

I’d just like to say thank you again to you all for your help with this! Cannot thank you all enough! It’s just amazing!

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I don’t really have any suggestions for other pre built battery’s sorry! Only suggestion is to build your own lol. About the hub motors and ruff terrain, they handle streets in Mexico very well and I don’t really see any disadvantages with hub motors and bad terrain, at least compared to geared setups. P.S. No I don’t live in Mexico just spend a lot of time here so I bring my board down.

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Hey bro, do you travel to Mexico by plane? What was your experience with Lipos and security?

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No problem, you can click on the icon by my name and message me when you are ready. We all know how it is just starting and trying to find the right combo of components and being price conscious incase you mess something up or get the wrong part.

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Good question! The last time I travelled with my board was last year and it went over very smoothly. All I did was take the LiPos out of my board and put them in a “LiPo Safe Guard Case” in my backpack and carried it on. For my board it wasn’t a big deal because I just had a couple Zippy 3s 5ah packs, but for bigger packs or custom 18650 ones, I don’t really know. Like I’ve seen people check there boosted boards and what not just in duffel bags, but your not supposed to technically check LiPo’s. I think you would be totally fine checking it, the TSA does jack shit, but that’s just me. On the other hand with the board itself, I just put it in a large duffel bag with a bunch of clothes to help protect the enclosure.

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Gotcha! I was thinking of doing just that. After reading the TSA guidelines for the LiPos it didn’t say I couldn’t bring them. But, needed some real life experience to really believe it. You think I could get away with (2) 5S 5000mah LiPos on the plane? Last thing, did you check in your board? I can’t see it being a carry on.

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I’m guessing you’d be fine with those LiPo’s but maybe check the website it says a certain Wh rating is allowed, but I’m sure if you went above it they wouldn’t care, like how the hell are they gonna know the limit and what size your lipos are lol. And yeah I checked my board in a duffel bag. Also when I got on the plane or went through security I didn’t say anything about them, so I wouldn’t bring it up, prob only delay you.

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