ETEK-Mars Stealth 1000 project

Thanks for your input. Kelly told me to ground out the reversing switch which sounded odd as the manual says that grounding out reversess it. It also says that reverse can be programed to operate at half the speed as forward. I get the switching the positive and negative and a and c hall. Seems to me they would have ironed out this or at least mentioned it.
I had a smaller 1500 brushless BMC motor from Powerpackmotors. It is still my favorite weighing 11 lbs. and quietly pushed my scooter to 39-40 mph, so to say I'm dissapointed in the etek/mars is an understatement.It is a loud motor that takes up a lot of room and weighs n3 times what my 1500 watt motor did. I must be doing something wrong cause the hype doesn't live up to the expectations.

I must have something amiss as the top end (as i have it configured configured) seems like it could go higher in the gears, but at a dead start, it definitely is lacking. It really doesn't get into a "power band" until about 15 mph and then it gets up to top speed pretty quick. Is there anyone out there who has one of these brushless ETEK/Mars that had to ground the throttle wire to get the motor to rotate the right way??

I received a email from Kelly. I was told the controller I bought was too small for what may expectations were. I knew it had to be somewhat small as I originally purchased it for my 1500 BMC motor. But the web site said it was a perfect match. Maybe for slow pokes. I'm hoping They will work out a return for a controller that is three times as poerful as this one. I don't think I need that just yet.
On another note, I am having a hard time finding a curry size tire that will make me a bit less worried as I approach the sound barrier. Any leads would help.

Tom, that's a good question. I haven't given that much thought. It started out as a project I sort of had going on with Tim at Powerpackmotors. I bought one of his 1500 watt BMC (which is still my favorite motor) and I began testing his controllers to to see how high I could get it up there with out cooking the things. Motor could take more amps, I wanted to go faster, but the controllers couldn't take the load.But I still got 39 mph (radared by Chandler police), Which I felt was outstanding. In the mean time, I made the battery case larger, beefed up the suspention, added better brakes, modded the steering stem. After having Bob McKee ( yeah, I'm still calling you out, Bob ) steal 4 controllers along with $255.00 repair money I sent, I decided to buy a Kelly controller. After installing the controller, I discovered I had a blown hall sensor. Trying to find someone to repair the sensor has been and continues to be a challenge. I have limited feeling in my hands from a horseback accident and with a nickname like Ruprek the monkey boy, you can understand why I haven't fixed it myself. But in the back of my mind I have always wanted to have one of the ETEK legend motors. When I saw a brushless being sold on Kelly's site, I threw caution to the wind and in a partially drunken stupor, bought one. While waiting for the motor to arrive, I used some scrap 3-D aluminum sheet metal and gave it some charactor.But to answer your question as to why I put it on this I-Zip 1000? I didn't have anything else to put it in. Plus, there aren't many of these out there. I think it turned out ok for using a stock stealth swingarm with an aluminum motor mount.
The only concern,(so far) is with the tires and wheels. When I say bigger tires, I talking about 13 inch wheels, which is not too much bigger. But I am still having trouble finding a good tire that will take up to 60 mph. Somebody out there has to have a friend who know someone who can give me a vendor which can help me out. Hell, I'd even settle for solid tires to avoid the thought of a blowout at 35mph +.
And since I found out my controller isn't doing the motor justice, I feel compelled to realize it's full potential.
That was probably more than you bargained for with the question, but there it is.

I did hook it up to the computer and for the most part left it at the stock settings. I have the throttle set for max and the power seting on balanced. The gearing really does make for slow starts. I'm trying to switch to a number 40 chain and go with a rar 48 tooth sprocket with a undetermined front sprocket. Kelly told me I should/could use a 300 amp controller with that motor, but my batteries are feeling the draw as it is. And the wireing is always a suspect with me. Sodering those little wires were a pain in the ass.

Actually, I believe I have almost as much as I did before.I have six inches of clearance. The photo is a little misleading as the aluminum overlaps the stock battery case by a couple of inches and I built up from the top of the original battery space. I added a 7.25 shock in place of the 5 inch model and even put a larger 2500 lb spring in its place. Note how my swing arm angles at about 40 degrees. I was surprised that it didn't make handleing a lot more difficult. It rides really smooth, especially with the large sprocket bearing. No throttle, no chain noise. I can't imagine why someone would put a sprocket bearing on the small sprocket on the motor shaft which would keep the chain moving at all times. I just wish I could get a better quality bearing. The extra power is taking it's toll on it.

As if it doesn't go fast enough, I am sending back my Kelly KEB48301 for a KBL48301. Which three times the amperage. If I live, I'll let you know how it goes.

I think the saving factor will be the battery power. It will be the weak link in the equation. Kelly told me I should have impressive starting, but the current will be lacking on the top end. I sent my other controller back so I should be getting the new controller soon. The other limiting factor will be the roller bearing on the sprocket. It didn't look like it would withstand someone peddling on it much less a Mars/Etek. I had a couple of questions for those of you in the know and would care to save me from buying a bunch of sprockets. What would you think the optimum gear ratio would be on a 12.5 inch tire to give me good acceeration and decient topspeed. And would I want to change from a 35 to 40,41 or a 420 size chain? I kind of stretched a 35 already but I'm hoping to not need to buy a bunch of bigger tooth sprockets. I am having little luck in getting a rear sprocket (that takes thye freewheel bearing) in between 40 and 54 tooth. If thats all that's available, which one's best for my application??
I wear a helment, but my life is still percariously exposed with those damn tires. I'm am planning to do something as I'm starting to have mind sketchings of me having a front blowout which sort of freaks me out. Maybe I shouldn't temp fate and a postmortem Darwin award. So let's save Rurek from himself and help me find a tire that won't deflate quicker than I can stop, and a wheel that won't bend from the weight of the bestie.
Jato, huh. Hymm...

I'm still waiting on my new controller. In the mean time, I added another brace to the back swing arm in order to keep the motor from twisting my aligment of the sprockets. I sure wish I had paid more attention in high school welding. Is there a rule of thumb on the Mars motor as far a weatherproofing? I have a fender that protects the motor from taking a direct slurpy mishap, but what about washing the thing. My new controoler is coing to be waterproof, but I was wondering about the mortor with thehall sensers and all.

Thank you, Link for the heads up on the washing issue. I am still waiting for my controller for what seems like forever. Must be the holiday rush...

Thank you. As I have been upgrading the parts I've had my share of why did I pick such a piece of garbage like a Curry to put such a big motor. I'd love to tell people beacause of the challenge and that the poor Curry is misunderstood and under valued. Truth is I had a new I Zip and it barely went 12 mph. My neighbor had a 8 month old Schwinn Stealth that cooked along at 22 mph-STOCK! She rubbed it in so bad my quest was forged from shame and ridicule.I was the Rodney Dangerfield of scooters. I still get my share of ridicile, but speed is a great equilizer and cammands a sense of respect from all ages. Especially when your able to keep up with 3 high school punks in a neighborhood who knocked over 6 trash barrels along my street and put the fear of a little scooter thats fast enough to not only get the license plate, but to scare the crap out of them cause they couldn't out run me through the neighborhood.
But at any rate, I received the new controller Friday. I hooked it up and a wire must be loose cause it sounded "fat" and would only throttle maybe a quarter of the throttle range. I'm in the process of checking my connections. The diagram shows a 300 ohm/10W Precharge reister and a 100v/1A diode. Are these absolutely necessary. I'm not all that knowedgable with electricity, but believe they gently introduce the current as apposed to dumping it in the circuitry. I didn't use them and I was hoping to not have to add more wires underneath an already crowded battery box.
I bought a floor model Lashout off ebay for $99.00. A bargain if I choose to harvest the parts(tires, wheels, maybe forks). I will have to get a wheel hub to add disk brakes to the lashout wheel, but I'm told it is a much better tire and therefore sacfice material. I'm still unsure what to do. I still have the BMC 1500 from Powerpack. I just may use the Lashout to unleash the 1500 again. awesome motor! for the frontwheel

I rode the Lashout around the block. Slow! Man have I gotten spoiled. Wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be seeing how everyone touts the Lashout while harshing on Curry. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely a better made product. Just the product for me to cannibalize to make mine better! I feel guilt about it as it would have been a great start for scoot II with my 1500, but I just had to have those wheels and also the foot board or whatever you call it. Love those wheels. It was easy on the rear wheel, just remove the sprocket and unscrew the brake. Turn it around and bolt on the disk brake where the sprocket used to be and screw on the sprocket where the brake used to be. Awesome! But the front wheel I'm not sure I can put a disk brake on it. As I can't stand calipers, I may have to buy another $99.00 floor model Lashout 400. There are about 5 for sale on ebay. Still hope for my 1500 project.
I mounted a sprocket bearing to a 40 tooth #35 sprocket. I found a website with a gearing calculator that will tell you how fast with out pushing on a calculator. The gearing I had was crazy, 15:60. Couldn't keep the front end down and topped out at about 27 in a heartbeat. I'll post some pics after I get the wheels on. Looking better than I thought it would.

Wow! A Kelly KBL48301 controller, Etek/ Mars 3001 Brushless motor combo is awesome. I put on the 18:40 gear ratio and that this bike flat out hauls. I don't have a speed yet, but I was passing cars on a 45mph and I didn't want to go any faster until I'm a little bit more familiar and confident. But that motor sucks the juice right out of my 4 22ah batteries. At 2 miles I could tell the batteries were drained sustantially and I didn't want to push it although the motor and controller were barely warm. I'm not sure if I have a bad cell, battery or what? I thought I would maybe get a little more from them. I don't know how much taller a gear I could run, but it sure acts like it could go at least 20:40 and keep the rpm's up. The motor comes on with a loud distintive electric growl which gives way to a high pitched singeing whine.
The new lashout wheels run taller and a lot more stable than the Currie and the ride is much more responsive. Needless to say, I am impressed. I'll post another photo cause it has changed again.

Here's what it looks like after I cannabalized the Lashout. Looks kind of small in this photo, but it's really alot bigger than what I started with. Does anybody reading this know if Deafscooter got his Stealth 1000 done? The photo of the scooter was covered up and I never got to see it before he was run out of town. What did he do anyway? Oh,I should have my other back wheel for the front wheel so I can put my disc brake on the front.

Those of you with an eye for detail might of have looked at the photo and thought, why yes, a beautiful machine, but notice I am missing a front brake rotor. Which brings me up to a question which a lot won't read cause of my long winded intro, but does anyone know of an easy way to put a disk brake on a lashout front wheel? The rear fits fine , but the front is a different story. Other than try to carve something out of aluminum or make some substantial mods to it or the front wheel, I'd thought I would see if anyone had any ideas. Thanks.

I bought 2 lashout 400's on ebay at $99.00 each. Floor models that were never taken out. I planned to use one to get me around when this one was down and I parted out the other. The pattern necessary is only on the rear wheel which would have been real nice and convienient, but the rear wheel is a little over an inch wider than the front. I just noticed it uses different size bearings as well. I was thinking of using the rear wheel in thr front by cutting off the threaded, or should I say smoothed threads which wereworn off when my wheel hub bearing spun on it. The bearings I have been using, the San Yoos and Song Yees are bad as far as I'm concerned, but I have yet to find a decient wheel hub bearing that isn't junk. They are way to loose on the wheels, sloppy when spinning and noisy. But that's another story. I decided to use the front wheel by modding an aluminum ring around the wheel using set screws and JB Weld to keep it in place. I should have some photos of tomorrow. The problem mainly is where the set screws don't have as much wheel aluminum to keep the screws in wheel alone. They will have to be tapped and screwed partially in the JB Weld gap. I'm sure this will give some kind of complication down the road, but that's the best solution I can find if I want to use the Lashout wheel. Well see...

Well, I can finally say I am finished with the project. I thank all of you who helped me cause I was and still am lost when it comes to electrical engineering. However, I have been lucky as it appears I have made a pretty fast scooter that looks like a caricature, but has held up really well. The last things I have done to it since I blogged was to make a custom goose neck and mx style handlebars which I chopped about 4 inches off to help. It gives it a lot more of a scooter morphing into a motorcycle. I also installed B and B EVP 12-20ah batteries and also a small B & B 12-7ah battery for my lights. The 70 watt light I have in front is a little much, but It has worked well so far.I took a 1/2 inch slab of aluminum and cut a hole to just slide over the bearing case of the wheel. Then I drilled and tapped 12 screw holes 6 on the face of the ring and 6 around the perimeter of the ring and wheel. I then used JB Weld to cement it on there the wheel and then mounted the brake. A one of a kind lashout front disk brake was born.It has performed flawless with a couple close call brake stomps under it's belt as well. My swing arm (100% Chinese pot metal) has held up well with the bracing I added considering the p factor involved. How does one calculate P factor anyway? I have had it up to 53 mph, but I was still accellerating past the speed radar near our house. I don't know how much mph I gained after that, But I have no doubt it could eclipse 60 mph with a taller gear. The motor just is amazing and never gets more than warm. I have yet to feel the controller get hot. This might be due to the fact the motor drains the batteries pronto when your getting after it. The Lashout tires and wheels are so much better than the curry garbage I can't understand why Curry doesn't take a little pride and get make a little better product. I would guess I have about $1400.00 in parts. material. I'm too embarrassed to guess at the hours and goof ups along the way. So if anybody is interested in putting something like this together, it's possible with a little patience and people like the ones on this sight who don't mind giving advise when they could be selling it.

ps. I took some photos which I will post as soon as I can find them...