after talking with a couple of battlers last weekend they stated that the more level you can get your drive shats and screws/ props the better your boat will run especialy in reverse. whats the best way to do this? with a universal joint, dog bone or can you use a fex cable drive?
I think thats more an issue of how you install the prop shafts and stuffing tubes, Ive never had a problem getting a nice shallow angle and running them with a gear setup. (I personally dont like dog bones or flex cables) You just have to mount the shafts low in the hull to keep plenty of room for whatever size propellers you will be using between the shaft and underside of the hull. When i mount mine I cut a nice long slit in the bottom of the hull and then mount them to allow a proper angle, they arent level but I havent noticed an issue with them pulling my stern down to much in reverse. They will extend a bit into your hull but that also depends on the contour of the bottom of your ship.
I'm not sure if it matters in this hobby, due to the low rpm's the motors run at, but flex cables are meant to be used in 1 direction only. Otherwise they will unravel and break when the load on the prop becomes too great. Personally I see nothing wrong with dog bones you can get them 3" long and made of steel (plenty strong). the added length allows for a greater angle of motor placement.
[] I use Dogbones and gears and find both great depending on the type of motors and ship your using it for. Most of the ships I built had a small angle on the stuffing tube exiting the hull but no issues. I like the Traaxxis gears. I've been using them in Yamato for nearly 8 years and they are easy to service and install and very robust. They don't work in all ship applications but they are reliable. []
